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white_house | Daily Beast | https://www.thedailybeast.com/tulsi-gabbard-drops-out-and-endorses-joe-biden | Tulsi Gabbard Drops Out And Endorses Joe Biden | 2020-03-19 | white_house | Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is suspending her longshot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and throwing her support behind former Vice President Joe Biden , the Hawaii congresswoman announced on Thursday .
“ I owe you an incredible debt of gratitude for all you ’ ve done as the heart and soul of our people-powered campaign : Today , I ’ ve made the decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency , ” Gabbard said in a note to her campaign ’ s supporters . Gabbard , who is not running for reelection to Congress , pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as part of her motivation for ending her presidential campaign , writing that “ the best way I can be of service at this time is to continue to work for the health and wellbeing of the people of Hawaii and our country in Congress , and to stand ready to serve in uniform should the Hawaii National Guard be activated . ”
In a video published on social media on Thursday morning , Gabbard said that while she does not agree with Biden on every issue , “ I know that he has a good heart and is motivated by his love for our country and the American people . ”
Gabbard continued : “ I ’ m confident that he will lead our country guided by the spirit of aloha—respect and compassion—and thus help heal the divisiveness that has been tearing our country apart . So today , I ’ m suspending my presidential campaign , and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together . ”
The endorsement comes as something of a surprise . Gabbard ’ s presidential campaign revolved around her experience as a combat veteran of the war in Iraq , a war she came to deeply criticize and for which Biden voted . In 2016 , Gabbard resigned as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee in order to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) presidential campaign that cycle , whom she said “ will not waste precious lives and money on interventionist wars and regime change . ”
Gabbard ’ s chances at winning the Democratic nomination were vanishingly low from the beginning of her campaign , which got off to a halting start when she lost her campaign manager and consultants just weeks after announcing her campaign in January 2019 .
The Hawaii congresswoman became a darling in conservative media circles for her willingness to eschew party orthodoxy on foreign policy and her willingness to attack fellow presidential hopefuls in early debates . Her decision to vote “ present ” in the House vote on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump , too , was wildly popular with conservatives . | nBGbTudTomEG58CZ | 0 | Joe Biden | 0.2 | Elections | 0 | Decision2020 | 0 | Democratic Party | 0 | null | null |
marijuana_legalization | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/health/cdc-vaping-related-lung-illnesses-thc-products | CDC: Vaping-related lung illnesses may be linked to THC products | marijuana_legalization | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) on Friday described a possible link between the current outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries and the use of THC-containing vaping products .
The CDC ’ s findings indicated that out of 514 patients with suspected vaping-related illnesses , 77 had self-reported that they had been using products containing THC , or using both nicotine- and THC-containing products .
THC , or tetrahydrocannabinol , is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana , responsible for users ' `` high '' sensation .
“ CDC has made it a priority to find out what is causing this outbreak of lung injuries and deaths and we ’ re making progress , ” CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said in a news release . “ We continue to work 24/7 with state partners and FDA to protect our nation from this serious health threat . ”
Of those who self-reported , 77 percent claimed to have used THC- or THC- and nicotine-containing products , while only 36 percent reported using THC-containing products only . Sixteen percent , however , said they had used only nicotine-containing products .
The CDC added that the exact cause of the current outbreak of vaping-related illnesses remains unknown , and that its investigation continues . Complicating matters is the wide variety of substances and vaping products the patients have reported using , as well as their location .
“ CDC has made it a priority to find out what is causing this outbreak of lung injuries and deaths and we ’ re making progress . '' — CDC Director Robert R. Redfield , M.D .
A report concerning 86 cases , and filed by the state health departments of Wisconsin and Illinois on Friday , had found that 57 of those patients used THC vaping cartridges produced by a brand called Dank Vapes . The report also stated that because THC products are illegal for nonmedical use in these states ( and others ) , and the majority of these products are obtained through friends , dealers or illegal means , it 's possible some patients did n't disclose what products they 'd used .
Amid the CDC ’ s ongoing investigation , the agency is urging for the public to refrain from using vaping products , and “ particularly those containing THC . ”
The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , along with state and local health agencies , are still investigating the cause of the 805 vaping-related lung illness cases reported across 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands . As of Sept. 27 , 12 vaping-linked deaths have been reported across 10 states .
Health departments in some states – namely New York and Utah – are also eyeing vitamin E acetate as a potential cause of illness in some residents there . Laboratory testing confirmed the substance , also known as vitamin E oil , was present in `` nearly all of the cannabis-containing samples '' obtained from some sickened patients in New York . Meanwhile , Utah health officials said 90 percent of the samples tested by a state laboratory contained the agent . | sm5HmdJI9dk6qc9J | 2 | Vaping | 0.2 | Public Health | 0.2 | Marijuana | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | |
fbi | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/14/politics/andrew-mccabe-obstruction-of-justice/index.html | McCabe says he ordered obstruction probe on Trump in order to preserve Russia investigations | 2019-02-14 | fbi | Washington ( CNN ) Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe says Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein raised high-level discussions at the Justice Department about recruiting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office in the aftermath of former FBI Director James Comey 's firing .
The discussions also included speculation about which Cabinet members could be on board with the idea , McCabe said in an interview with CBS 's Scott Pelley . Rosenstein , through a Justice Department spokesperson , has repeatedly disputed McCabe 's characterization of his remarks , though he has not denied the topic was discussed at some point .
McCabe , who was fired from the FBI last March , also told CBS he ordered an investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice as a way to preserve ongoing inquiries into Russian election meddling in case there was an effort to terminate them .
The comments resurface the extraordinary tension between Trump and the nation 's top law enforcement officials , though a number of the ones who worked with McCabe in the early days of the administration have since been dismissed or resigned .
Rosenstein `` raised the issue ( of the 25th Amendment ) and discussed it with me in the context of thinking about how many other Cabinet officials might support such an effort , '' McCabe said in a transcript released by CBS on Friday .
He added that Rosenstein was `` counting votes or possible votes '' of different Cabinet members who he thought would support removing the President . When Pelley asked if Rosenstein seemed focused on getting rid of Trump , McCabe said he could n't confirm that but Rosenstein `` was definitely very concerned about the President , about his capacity and about his intent at that point in time . ''
Rosenstein 's discussion of the 25th Amendment was `` just another kinda topic that he jumped to in the midst ... of a wide-ranging conversation , '' McCabe added .
Earlier Friday , a spokeswoman for McCabe disputed characterizations of the incident .
`` To clarify , at no time did Mr. McCabe participate in any extended discussions about the use of the 25th Amendment , nor is he aware of such discussions , '' Melissa Schwartz said in a statement .
She said McCabe was `` present and participated in a discussion that included a comment by Deputy Attorney General ( Rod ) Rosenstein regarding the 25th Amendment . ''
In September , citing sources familiar with memos authored by McCabe , CNN reported that Rosenstein discussed wearing a `` wire '' to record conversations with Trump and recruiting Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office . Also in September , an anonymous `` senior official in the Trump administration '' claimed in a New York Times op-ed that there had been `` early whispers within the cabinet of invoking the 25th Amendment . ''
It was not mentioned in the material released from the McCabe interview if he or anyone else approached Cabinet members directly to discuss the idea .
In a statement on Thursday , a Justice Department spokesperson said Rosenstein -- who repeatedly disputed the `` wire '' revelation back in September -- again denied pursuing or advocating for the use of the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office .
`` As the Deputy Attorney General previously has stated , based on his personal dealings with the President , there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment , nor was the DAG in a position to consider invoking the 25th Amendment , '' the statement read .
Both Trump and the White House on Thursday called McCabe a `` disgrace , '' with the White House saying he had `` no credibility '' and Trump accusing him of being politically biased during his time at the FBI .
Vice President Mike Pence told MSNBC 's Andrea Mitchell on Thursday he has `` never heard any discussion of the 25th Amendment by members of this government and I would never expect to . '' Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham called McCabe 's comments `` a stunning revelation '' and that he would subpoena the former official to testify on Capitol Hill about the matter `` if I have to . ''
In December , CNN reported that following the firing of Comey , McCabe took the extraordinary step of opening an obstruction of justice investigation into Trump before special counsel Robert Mueller was appointed in May 2017 . In the interview that aired Thursday , McCabe told Pelley he `` wanted to make sure that our case was on solid ground and if somebody came in behind me and closed it and tried to walk away from it , they would not be able to do that without creating a record of why they made that decision . ''
McCabe said that the day after Comey 's firing and after meeting with Trump in the Oval Office , `` I met with the team investigating the Russia cases and I asked the team to go back and conduct an assessment to determine where are we with these efforts and what steps do we need to take going forward . ''
`` I was very concerned that I was able to put the Russia case on absolutely solid ground in an indelible fashion that , were I removed quickly or reassigned or fired , that the case could not be closed or vanish in the night without a trace , '' said McCabe , who is promoting his forthcoming book , `` The Threat : How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump . ''
In its statement on Thursday , the White House called McCabe 's investigation `` completely baseless . ''
McCabe was fired by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in March following an inspector general report that concluded he misled investigators about his role in directing other officials at the FBI to speak to The Wall Street Journal about his involvement in a public corruption investigation into the Clinton Foundation . The Justice Department 's watchdog has referred his findings on McCabe to the US Attorney 's office in Washington for possible criminal charges . The case remains under investigation .
CLARIFICATION : This story has been updated to more accurately characterize a statement from a Justice Department spokesperson . | y8GtOVTlcZy0fckj | 0 | Andrew McCabe | 0.6 | FBI | 0.6 | Russia Probe | -0.6 | Defense And Security | 0 | null | null |
healthcare | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/06/22/155535472/why-many-young-adults-might-lose-coverage-if-health-law-falls | Why Many Young Adults Might Lose Coverage If Health Law Falls | 2012-06-22 | healthcare | If Health Law Falls , Coverage For Young Adults Gets Tricky
When it comes to health care , even the seemingly easy things become hard .
Take coverage for young adults under the Affordable Care Act .
It 's one of the most successful — and popular — provisions of the law that have taken effect so far . Earlier this week the Obama administration announced that between September 2010 and the end of 2011 , more than 3 million young adults under age 26 who would otherwise have gone without insurance gained coverage by remaining on their parents ' health plans .
Last week , major health insurance companies , including United Healthcare , Aetna and Humana , announced they would continue to offer the benefit even if the Supreme Court strikes down the law when it issues its ruling , which is expected next week . Even some Republicans say they support the idea of letting young people remain on their parents ' health plans .
But it turns out that might not be so easy .
`` This could have adverse tax consequences , both to the employee whose child is on the plan and to the employer , for purposes of payroll taxes , '' said James Klein , president of the American Benefits Council , which represents large-employer health plans and companies that provide services to those plans .
How 's that ? Well , says Klein , the problem is that lots of those young adults are no longer dependents of their parents for tax purposes . So if the employer continues to provide coverage to that adult child , the value of that insurance could be considered taxable income to the parent . Under the health law , such coverage is not treated as taxable income .
As an example , he says , `` if the value of adding a child onto your policy is $ 500 a month , that 's $ 6,000 a year . So that 's $ 6,000 of extra income on which you would be taxed , plus the payroll taxes that you the employee and the employer would be paying on behalf of that $ 6,000 . ''
And while that could be a lot of money for some people , he says , the money is only part of the problem .
`` It 's the utter confusion that this would cause for employers . Because after all , there would be some 24-year-old kids who are legal dependents , for whom there would be no income tax owed , '' Klein said . `` And then there would be others for whom they 're not legal dependents and so there would be tax that would be owed . It would be extraordinarily confusing . ''
Then there 's the question of whether workers and employers might owe back taxes for coverage that 's been provided already . Klein says the Obama administration could theoretically take care of the problem by having the IRS issue some sort of clarification . But he worries that like everything else to do with the health law , even that could get caught up in partisan politics .
`` I 'm just afraid that rather than a quick resolution that provides clarity , both sides could arguably use this for their political benefit , '' he said . | mnurYAmoyaFJquCn | 1 | Healthcare | 0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
technology | TheBlaze.com | https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/08/11/businesses-selling-fake-youtube-views-and-likes-flourish-amid-debates-about-online-access-influence | Businesses selling fake YouTube views and likes flourish amid debates about online access, influence | 2018-08-11 | technology | Selling fake YouTube views is a lucrative business for people who know how to cash in on the practice . And the social media giant admits it still ca n't completely stop it , according to a report by the New York Times .
Martin Vassilev , for example , makes about $ 200,000 selling views , likes and dislikes that are generated by computers , not people . He does it through his website 500Views.com , based in Ottawa , Canada .
Vassilev , 32 , told the news outlet that he can `` deliver an unlimited amount of views to a video . They ’ ve tried to stop it for so many years , but they can ’ t stop it . There ’ s always a way around . ”
Another company , Devumi.com , made more than $ 1.2 million over three years by selling 196 million YouTube views , according to the report .
After Google , YouTube is the most-searched site , according to the report .
With billions of views a day , YouTube can propel careers , make someone a household name , promote brands and push political agendas . But how far should it go as a gatekeeper of online content ? That debate is magnified by the recent banning of Alex Jones ' website , Infowars , from YouTube and other social media platforms .
The New York Times did a study to see how well the marketplace can detect whether views are manipulated , one of the practice that violate YouTube ’ s terms of service . Still , a simple Google search turns up multiple ways to buy any number of views , from “ 500 , 5,000 or even five million , ” for just pennies each .
In the experiment , a reporter ordered thousands of views from nine companies . Nearly all of the orders were delivered in about two weeks .
During its investigation , the Times found that Devumi ’ s customers included an employee of RT , the media company backed by the Russian government , and an employee of Al Jazeera English , another state-backed company , the report stated . Other buyers included a filmmaker for Americans for Prosperity , a conservative political advocacy group , and the head of video at The New York Post .
Al Jazeera and the New York Post indicated the employees were not authorized to make the purchases and they no longer work for them .
In another example , Judith Oppenheimer , 78 , paid Devumi $ 5,000 to promote a book she had self-published . Her goal was to drum up interest and secure a mainstream book deal . Although Devumi provided 58,000 views , sales never increased and a book deal never materialized .
“ Soon after I signed the contract I thought , ‘ I ’ ll have no proof of what they do or don ’ t do. ’ Now it begins to make sense , ” Oppenheimer told the New York Times . “ They can do it in a day . ”
A YouTube executive explained how it tries to prevent fake views and likes .
“ This has been a problem we have been working on for many , many years , ” Jennifer Flannery O ’ Connor , YouTube ’ s director of product management , told the news outlet . “ The company ’ s systems continuously monitor a video ’ s activity , and the anti-fraud team often buys views to understand better how these sites operate . Our anomaly detection systems are really good . ”
In 2013 , YouTube at one point had as many “ bots masquerading as people ” as it had actual people , the report stated .
And companies that sell views and likes are still finding a way around detection systems .
“ View count manipulation will be a problem as long as views and the popularity they signal are the currency of YouTube , ” Blake Livingston , a former member of YouTube ’ s fraud and abuse team who has since left the company , told the New York Times . | V9FWM00FJqWDjmX3 | 2 | Technology | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/05/world/meast/mideast-crisis/index.html?hpt=wo_c1 | Israel declares 'mission accomplished' as troops leave Gaza for cease-fire | 2014-08-05 | Middle East | Story highlights Israeli , Palestinian delegations in Cairo with Egyptian officials to act as go-betweens
Israel says its goal of destroying tunnels has been met
`` Peace ? What peace ? '' the resident of a shattered Gaza neighborhood asks
With negotiations for a longer-lasting cease-fire set to begin soon , many Gazans returned to their neighborhoods Tuesday while some remained at shelters not trusting the break in the violence .
For now , a 72-hour humanitarian pause is in place , allowing delegations to gather in Cairo , Egypt , to talk about how to make the truce last .
For Gaza 's 1.8 million residents it also offered a chance to go to a street market for food and goods , or to check on abandoned homes .
For Israel , where more than 2,300 rockets have landed since early July , there was , for a change , no sirens blaring .
In Gaza City , one man told CNN he was happy the shooting had stopped , but his problems were just beginning .
The man said he could n't understand what he was seeing -- the home his family invested $ 100,000 in , now destroyed .
JUST WATCHED Egypt playing key role as truce-broker Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Egypt playing key role as truce-broker 02:27
JUST WATCHED Middle East cease-fire in effect Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Middle East cease-fire in effect 01:41
JUST WATCHED Voices of the Gaza conflict Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Voices of the Gaza conflict 03:33
JUST WATCHED Israel , Palestinians agree to cease-fire Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Israel , Palestinians agree to cease-fire 05:08
No insurance company will give him money to rebuild , he told CNN .
But on Twitter , the Israel Defense Forces declared : `` Mission accomplished . ''
The IDF said it had destroyed 32 tunnels -- many of which ran under the border into Israel -- during the four-week conflict . Israel says Hamas militants used the tunnels to sneak into Israel for terror attacks .
Nearly 1,900 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict , according to the Palestinian Health Ministry . It 's unclear how many were militants . The United Nations estimates that about 70 % of the dead were civilians .
But the IDF says it estimates about 900 militants were killed . IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said it was a preliminary figure based on field reports from troops returning from battle .
Israeli officials have said 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel died in violence .
After the cease-fire began , residents trickled into Shujaya , an area near Gaza City that experienced some of the most destructive violence of the conflict .
They found craters and ruins where homes and shops once stood .
People scaled crumbled concrete and twisted metal to rummage for any belongings left in the rubble .
Nal Mohammed , a Ph.D. student whose family home was demolished , lamented the situation .
`` Peace ? What peace ? We have no home , no water , no power , '' he said . `` There is no peace here . ''
Residents were stunned as they returned to their neighborhoods for the first time since being displaced by the fighting .
`` After the cease-fire agreement took effect , the world will now see the level of destruction which should serve as an evidence of the level of crimes of the enemy , '' Ismail Haniyeh , a senior leader of Hamas , said in a statement aired on Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television , according to a CNN translation .
The conflict has displaced more than 200,000 people across the densely populated territory .
Residents are coming back to similar sights -- rubble , ruins , buildings pockmarked by shrapnel .
A white-haired man , Hany Mahmoud el Harezen , stood on the roof of his collapsed two-story home .
`` I am a wedding photographer , I have nothing to do with this war , '' he said . `` Maybe if we had gotten some concessions , it would be worth it . But we got nothing . ''
For the first time Tuesday , the number of people packed into U.N. shelters decreased , said U.N. official Chris Gunness in Gaza .
Others were more pragmatic , thinking it best to wait and see .
`` They said there was a truce before and we left , '' one man told CNN . `` But five minutes after we got home , the airstrikes started . ''
Israel released a map noting numerous sites it targeted in Shujaya , which it said `` Hamas used for military purposes . '' The IDF said the map showed locations of tunnels , hideouts , rocket firings and launchings , and more .
`` We have no forces within Gaza , '' IDF spokesman Lerner told CNN Tuesday .
With its goal of demolishing the tunnels achieved , Israel announced the withdrawal of ground forces for what is supposed to be a three-day cease-fire with Hamas .
Israel is implementing the Egyptian-brokered truce , which took effect Tuesday morning , while maintaining `` defensive positions '' outside Gaza , the IDF said .
JUST WATCHED Israeli fear near the Gaza border Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Israeli fear near the Gaza border 02:49
JUST WATCHED Gaza : All quiet for 72-hour cease-fire Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gaza : All quiet for 72-hour cease-fire 01:36
Officials from the United Nations and United States , who have been pushing for a cease-fire for weeks , hope that the 72-hour pause will allow negotiations to take place for a more lasting peace .
An Israeli delegation arrived Tuesday evening in Cairo for negotiations , two senior Egyptian government officials told CNN .
The officials , who asked not to be named , said they expected indirect negotiations to begin Wednesday , with the Egyptian officials acting as intermediaries . The two sides are not expected to talk directly to each other .
Key to any talks , Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said , is that Hamas must disarm .
Hamas leaders say that they want to negotiate an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza , or at least a body other than the Israelis controlling the borders .
Haniyeh , the senior Hamas leader , said his televised statement that Hamas members will work with the Palestinian delegation to end the blockade .
Israel repeatedly accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal during the conflict , which Hamas rejected . Temporary humanitarian cease-fires repeatedly crumbled , with each side blaming the other .
`` The onus is on Hamas , '' Regev told CNN of the 72-hour truce .
`` We are entering this with our eyes open , '' he said . `` We have been burnt more than once . ''
The sentiment was similar from Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan , who told CNN that as long as Israel honors the agreement , so will the Palestinians .
`` We hope they can take it and be committed to a cease-fire , '' he said .
While Egypt has not released details of the truce , Regev suggested it was the same agreement that Israel has accepted all along .
The United States urged both sides to honor the cease-fire agreement .
`` The United States has been steadfast in our insistence on an end to rocket and tunnel attacks against Israel and an end to the suffering of the people of Gaza , '' State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said .
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon `` urges the parties to commence , as soon as possible , talks in Cairo on a durable ceasefire and the underlying issues , '' his office said in a statement .
In the latest example of the ripples the conflict has sent around the globe , a British government minister said she was resigning over her country 's policy on Gaza .
`` With deep regret I have this morning written to the Prime Minister & tendered my resignation . I can no longer support Govt policy on Gaza , '' Sayeeda Warsi , senior minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office , wrote on Twitter .
Warsi , a member of the House of Lords and the first Muslim in a British Cabinet , posted a photo of her resignation letter on Twitter . | 1e09b2eddd8131e1 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | CNN (Web News) | https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/un-general-assembly-09-23-2019/h_1957a2c029304256fade71f0f72c1341 | Greta Thunberg: "You have stolen my dreams and my childhood" | 2019-09-23 | environment | In remarks delivered at the United Nations General Assembly today , US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar encouraged world leaders to expand access to health care without the inclusion of terms such as “ reproductive health and rights . ”
“ We do not support references to ambiguous terms and expressions , such as sexual and reproductive health and rights , in UN documents because they can undermine the critical role of the family and promote practices like abortion in circumstances that do not enjoy international consensus and which can be misinterpreted by UN agencies , ” Azar said while standing next to health officials from Guatemala , Brazil , Iraq , Poland and Hungary .
“ There is no international right to an abortion and these terms should not be used to promote pro-abortion policies and measures , ” Azar said . `` Further , we only support sex education that appreciates the protective role of the family in this education and does not condone harmful sexual risks for young people . ''
The statement , suggesting a stance against abortion , was presented during a high-level meeting on universal health coverage . The meeting aims to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage for everyone around the world , which would include access to health care services , medicines and vaccines . The effort is part of the UN ’ s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , under which all countries have committed to try to achieve universal health coverage by 2030 .
“ We therefore request that the UN , including UN agencies , focus on concrete efforts that enjoy broad consensus among member states , '' Azar said . `` To that end , only documents that have been adopted by all member states should be cited in UN resolutions . ''
In his remarks , Azar said that he and the other health officials were speaking on behalf of the United States , Bahrain , Belarus , Brazil , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Egypt , Guatemala , Haiti , Hungary , Iraq , Libya , Mali , Nigeria , Poland , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Sudan , United Arab Emirates and Yemen .
“ We support equal access to health care which includes but is not limited to reproductive concerns , maternal health , voluntary and informed family planning , HIV , elimination of violence against women and girls , and empowerment to reach the highest standard of health , ” Azar said . “ Let us focus on concrete issues and challenges to accelerate access to health for all , to this end , international solidarity has a key role to play in order to build broad consensus by member states . ” | LAXNGDIiO6w9nnj2 | 0 | Environment | 0 | EPA | 0 | Energy | 0 | Greta Thunberg | 0 | United Nations | 0 |
polarization | NBC News Digital | https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/antifa-group-chants-outside-vandalizes-fox-commentator-tucker-carlson-s-n934131 | Antifa group chants outside, vandalizes Fox commentator Tucker Carlson's home | 2018-11-08 | Polarization | Antifa protesters chanted outside of Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson's Washington, D.C., house and vandalized his driveway Wednesday night while his wife was inside, leading to condemnation from his own network as well as media personalities from rival networks.The group Smash Racism DC, which calls itself an anti-fascist (Antifa) group, posted a video of several people gathered outside of a house."Tucker Carlson, we are outside your home to protest. ... Your policies promote hate, and we want you to know we know where you sleep at night," someone yelled into a bullhorn."We know where you sleep at night," the group chanted.The video has since been removed from Facebook, and it appears that Smash Racism's Twitter account has been suspended.Carlson wasn't home at the time, but his wife was and reported that she heard loud banging on her door, according to a report from the Metropolitan Police Department. Carlson told the Washington Post that the protesters also cracked his front door.The report said about 20 people were part of the group, who were chanting loudly and using bullhorns. An anarchy symbol was spray painted on the driveway, and signs with political messages were left on vehicles in the driveway and on the front door, according to police.Carlson is a staunch defender of President Donald Trump.“The incident that took place at Tucker’s home last night was reprehensible. The violent threats and intimidation tactics toward him and his family are completely unacceptable," said a statement from Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and Fox News President Jay Wallace. "We as a nation have become far too intolerant of different points of view. ... Those of us in the media and in politics bear a special obligation to all Americans, to find common ground.”"Something @CNN and @foxnews can agree on: it’s completely unacceptable to threaten a TV host and his/her family," said a tweet from CNN's communications team.Members of the media expressed the same sentiment."Fighting Tucker Carlson’s ideas is an American right. Targeting his home and terrorizing his family is an act of monstrous cowardice. Obviously don’t do this, but also, take no pleasure in it happening. Feeding monsters just makes more monsters," CBS late night host Stephen Colbert wrote on Twitter."The 'group' that staged this action call themselves anti-fascist. Do they understand how fascist is it to attack a family home like this?," wrote NPR's Scott Simon. "Denounce him on Twitter.. Boycott his sponsors. Not this." | 084a8227043c5112 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/23/state-dept-emails-from-day-libya-attack-show-al-qaeda-tied-group-on-radar/ | State Department emails from day of Libya attack show Al Qaeda-tied group on radar | 2012-10-23 | middle_east | A series of internal State Department emails obtained by ███ shows that officials reported within hours of last month 's deadly consulate attack in Libya that militant group Ansar al-Sharia had claimed responsibility .
The emails provide some of the most detailed information yet about what officials knew in the initial hours after the attack . And it again raises questions about why U.S . Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice , apparently based on intelligence assessments , would claim five days after the attack that it was a `` spontaneous '' reaction to protests over an anti-Islam film .
Ansar al-Sharia is a group in eastern Libya that sympathizes with Al Qaeda . A member of the group suspected of participating in the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi has been arrested and is being held in Tunisia .
The emails obtained by ███ were sent by the State Department to a variety of national security platforms , whose addresses have been redacted , including the White House Situation Room , the Pentagon , the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence .
███ was told that an estimated 300 to 400 national security figures received these emails in real time almost as the raid was playing out and concluding . People who received these emails work directly under the nation ’ s top national security , military and diplomatic officials , ███ was told .
More On This ... US denied access to suspect held in Libya strike , as debate builds over nature of attack
The timestamps on the emails are all Eastern Time and often include the subheading SBU , which is shorthand for “ Sensitive But Unclassified . ”
The third email came at 6:07 p.m . ET and was sent to a different email list but still includes the White House Situation Room address and a subject line of “ Update 2 : Ansar al-Sharia Claims Responsibility for Benghazi Attack ( SBU ) . ”
“ Embassy Tripoli reports the group claimed responsibility on Facebook and Twitter and has called for an attack on Embassy Tripoli , '' the email reads .
Earlier emails did not go into who might have been responsible for the attack .
The first email indicates that U.S . Ambassador Chris Stevens and other personnel were “ in the compound safe haven. ” Officials later discovered that Stevens and three other Americans had died in the attack .
The first email was sent at 4:05 p.m . ET with the subject line : “ U.S . Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi Under Attack ( SBU ) . ”
“ The Regional Security Officer reports the diplomatic mission is under attack , '' the email reads . `` Embassy Tripoli reports approximately 20 armed people fired shots ; explosions have been heard as well . Ambassador Stevens , who is currently in Benghazi , and four COM personnel are in the compound safe haven . The 17th of February militia is providing security support .
The second email came at 4:54 p.m . ET , with a subject line : “ Update 1 : U.S . Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi ( SBU ) ''
“ Embassy Tripoli reports the firing at the U.S . Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi has stopped and the compound has been cleared . A response team is on site attempting to locate COM personnel . ”
The emails on the day of the attack further challenge not only the initial statements made by administration officials like Rice about the strike , but also recent claims that they were only basing those statements on the intelligence they had at the time .
State Department official Patrick Kennedy recently testified to Congress that anyone in Rice 's position would have made the same statements about the attack being spontaneous .
But the newly uncovered emails clearly state the involvement of a militant group whose agenda is to establish an Islamic state in eastern Libya .
Despite this , White House Press Secretary Jay Carney backed up Rice on Sept. 18 . He said : `` Based on information that we -- our initial information ... we saw no evidence to back up claims by others that this was a preplanned or premeditated attack ; that we saw evidence that it was sparked by the reaction to this video . '' Carney went on to say `` that is what we know '' based on `` concrete evidence , not supposition . '' | Unl1X2rsymynpOW0 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | The Hill | http://thehill.com/homenews/325728-conservative-media-struggles-with-new-prominence-in-trump-era | Conservative media struggles with new prominence under Trump | 2017-03-27 | media_bias | Conservative media outlets have suffered through a tumultuous few weeks punctuated by infighting and public controversy , underscoring the difficulty some are having adjusting to the new levels of attention and scrutiny that comes with their elevated status in the age of Trump .
GOP majorities in Congress and Donald Trump Donald John TrumpKamala Harris calls for Twitter to suspend Trump account over whistleblower attacks Clinton jokes she 'never ' had to tell Obama not to 'extort foreign countries ' John Dean : 'There is enough evidence ' to impeach Trump MORE ’ s presidency have been a boon for conservative media , which has benefitted from increased access to Washington ’ s power brokers and a White House that has gone out of its way to accommodate outlets that were once considered fringe .
But the transition from the edges of the media to its center can be difficult . Conservative media ’ s mainstream peers have greeted them with suspicion and hostility , often eager to highlight the newcomers ’ stumbles or question their legitimacy .
In interviews with nearly a dozen key figures in conservative media , right-leaning reporters and editors spoke about their relative youth and inexperience and the need to professionalize and move on from the sensationalism that initially helped them attract readers .
They see their challenge as one that mirrors what the Republican Party as a whole is experiencing , as it makes the transition from being the opposition party to the party in power .
“ I think there is a bit of an existential crisis , ” said Lucian Wintrich , a 28-year-old gay conservative provocateur who is moving to Washington to be the White House correspondent for the Gateway Pundit blog .
“ We ’ re having some growing pains as we try to expand our reach and become more mainstream and less sensationalist in our writing and journalism . It ’ s an interesting transition . You have publications that historically have not had much oversight suddenly needing to reevaluate how they do things . ”
The millennial-focused conservative website Independent Journal Review ( IJR ) suspended three staffers last week , including creative director Benny Johnson — a former BuzzFeed reporter who had been a high-profile hire for the young outlet — for publishing a conspiracy theory about President Obama . The controversy provoked one of the site ’ s reporters to resign in frustration over the direction of the company .
Also last week , Breitbart News investigative reporter Lee Stranahan quit the publication after going public with his frustrations with the site ’ s political editor , Matthew Boyle , who has greater editorial control now that former chairman Stephen Bannon has become Trump ’ s chief White House strategist .
Meanwhile , Glenn Beck ’ s website , The Blaze , suspended one of its top personalities , the unapologetically pro-Trump booster Tomi Lahren , for announcing on “ The View ” that she supports abortion and for criticizing anti-abortion conservatives .
And Fox News yanked one of its top legal experts , Andrew Napolitano , after he alleged that a British intelligence agency had wiretapped Trump Tower at Obama ’ s request . White House press secretary Sean Spicer repeated the claim during a press briefing , resulting in international backlash .
The errors and turmoil have frustrated some on the right , who warn that the mainstream press and the left will seize on every misstep in an effort to delegitimize conservative outlets .
“ Conservative media has always been held to a higher standard than liberal media , and as conservatives we have to live up to that higher standard , ” said Matthew Continetti , the editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon . “ When we don ’ t , it not only undermines our work as journalists , but also the conservative project as a whole . ”
Tensions between the mainstream press and right-wing media outlets have spilled into the open in recent weeks .
State Department reporters cried foul when only one outlet — the conservative IJR — was allowed to travel abroad with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson . IJR instructed its reporter , Erin McPike , not to tweet or write daily news reports . She focused instead on a single feature story they could be packaged as an exclusive .
Reporters excluded from the trip were furious that McPike didn ’ t act as their eyes and ears by filing incremental news stories or pool reports .
And Wintrich , the Gateway Pundit correspondent who once ran an art installation for young gay men called “ Twinks 4 Trump , ” was accosted in the White House briefing room and called a racist by a Fox News Radio reporter who berated him in front of the press corps .
“ If you ’ re legacy media and have been trading on that access for decades , when the new guy comes in and gets your access , it ’ s enraging , ” said Sean Davis , a co-founder of The Federalist . “ I don ’ t buy that this is about conservative outlets making errors or not knowing what they ’ re doing . This is legacy outlets acting like an entitled monopoly or a cartel when someone new comes in and does the job better than they do . ”
Still , many conservative media players interviewed by ███ acknowledged that adjusting to the brighter spotlight , coupled with the gravity of covering the White House , has been a challenge .
“ A lot of them aren ’ t ready for prime time , ” said John Ziegler , a Trump critic who spent 20 years in conservative media but left his radio show last year after he grew weary of battling his pro-Trump audience .
“ A lot of so-called conservative media is like the dog that caught the car and now they don ’ t know what the hell to do . They ’ re completely confused because they ’ ve never been in this situation before . ”
Some conservative outlets have never before been in the rotation for White House pool duty . Their reporters are learning on the fly as they follow the president around the country to file reports for the benefit of the entire press corps , in what has traditionally been the domain of nonpartisan outlets .
Breitbart has applied for its first permanent congressional credentials , a process that opens the outlet to new scrutiny about its investors . In order to get the credentials , Breitbart had to disclose that the conservative billionaire Robert Mercer , a major Trump backer , is a part owner .
These outlets are also facing editorial challenges over how to cover a political landscape that is dominated by like-minded conservatives .
“ It was a lot easier under Obama , when you could just hate on everything he did , ” said one source who works in conservative media but requested anonymity .
And covering Trump , who is not a traditional conservative and who is viewed as reckless and dangerous by some in his own party , presents a unique challenge .
“ Trump has added a new dynamic to conservatism , ” said Ben Shapiro , a former Breitbart editor who now runs the Daily Wire , another conservative news site . “ Politics used to exist on a right-left X-axis . Now we 've added a pro-Trump , anti-Trump Y-axis . And that 's throwing everything into turmoil . ”
Indeed , the way these outlets cover Trump is often itself news — especially if the story is coming from Breitbart .
Under Boyle ’ s stewardship , Breitbart has steadfastly backed Trump , even as the president whipped support for an ObamaCare replacement bill that the outlet has tried to sink . As they have long done , Breitbart cast GOP leadership as the villains in the drama .
That editorial decision has been controversial and is one of the criticisms Stranahan , the site ’ s former investigative reporter , made as he unleashed a litany of frustrations with Breitbart ’ s direction .
“ Bannon was such a visionary and when he left it was significant , ” Stranahan said . “ It is still a good company . But there is a difference between being a good company and a disruptive one . When Steve left , it was a big deal . ”
They lobbied hard to doom the GOP healthcare bill , making themselves instrumental in shielding Trump from political damage while setting Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanDemocrats hit Scalia over LGBTQ rights Three-way clash set to dominate Democratic debate Krystal Ball touts Sanders odds in Texas MORE ( R-Wis. ) up for defeat . Boyle is one of only a handful of reporters to score an Oval Office interview with Trump .
But access can have its downsides . Breitbart scored an exclusive interview on Facebook Live with White House press secretary Sean Spicer minutes after a judge blocked Trump ’ s travel ban — a much-watched scoop that was undermined by the broadcast ’ s poor production values and awkward camera angles .
Even as these tensions play out in public , though , conservatives argue that the growing pains are a good problem to have . They believe that conservative media can appeal to a growing audience frustrated with the mainstream press .
“ This is healthy . These outlets are earning their battle scars , ” said one editor at a conservative outlet . “ These are the key moments every outlet needs to survive and get to the next stage . It sucks now , but we ’ ll get there . ” | 60z1Fq5n5MOxnkac | 1 | Conservatives | 0.1 | Media Watch | 0 | Media Bias | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | The Hill | http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/302554-obamacare-hikes-leave-dems-exposed | ObamaCare hikes leave Dems exposed | 2016-10-25 | elections | Democrats are increasingly acknowledging that the Affordable Care Act has an affordability problem .
Former President Bill Clinton William ( Bill ) Jefferson ClintonMcCarthy shares 'Stranger Things ' parody video criticizing impeachment DOJ joins Trump 's side in lawsuit over NY subpoena for tax returns Chelsea Clinton on Trump : 'His whole life has been a scam ' MORE said recently that people who are ineligible to get subsidies to buy ObamaCare insurance are “ getting killed . ''
Minnesota Gov . Mark Dayton said this month that “ the reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable to increasing numbers of people . ”
Even President Obama said in a speech last week that “ there are going to be people who are hurt by premium increases . ”
Every one of these Democrats made the argument that ObamaCare is working well for most people and that the problem of rising premiums is specifically focused on a minority of consumers who earn too much money to qualify for federal subsidies .
Clinton said the system “ works fine ” for people who get subsidies under the law to help them afford coverage , while Dayton said that “ the law is working ” for most enrollees and that those negatively affected amount to about 2 percent of Minnesotans , with individual coverage .
Yet the problems with the law are leaving Democrats exposed to GOP attacks .
Republicans have been beating the drum about higher premium increases this year , which are on average about 25 percent for a benchmark plan , the administration said Monday .
“ Just this month , the Democratic governor of Minnesota admitted the reality is the Affordable Care Act , he said , is no longer affordable , ” Trump said . “ He said that . And you probably saw last week , Bill Clinton called ObamaCare the craziest thing in the world . ”
Democrats point out that 85 percent of ObamaCare enrollees receive financial help under the law and that it cushions people by increasing along with any premium increases . People are eligible for assistance under the health law if they make below about $ 47,000 for an individual .
But it is the other 15 percent , about 1.6 million people , who do not receive financial help , where Democrats admit there is a problem . There are also about 7 million people with individual coverage outside of the law ’ s marketplaces who are fully exposed to premium increases .
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonGiuliani consulted with Manafort on Ukraine info : report California political donor indicted for 2 overdose deaths at his home Sanders heart procedures shines spotlight on age of top Democrats MORE has fought back , saying that by repealing ObamaCare , Republicans would be taking away coverage for the 20 million people who gained insurance under the law . And repealing ObamaCare would do away with protections like preventing insurance companies from denying people coverage because they are sick , which meant that in the past some people could not get coverage at any price .
Democrats also note that those facing premium hikes are a small slice of the population . About 150 million Americans are largely unaffected because they get insurance through their jobs , and in fact premium growth is slowing down in this market .
ObamaCare enrollment is about 10 million people , and only about 1.6 million of those consumers are facing premium hikes .
Still , Clinton at the second presidential debate noted the problem .
“ I ’ m going to fix it , because I agree with you , ” Clinton told a questioner at the town hall-style event who complained of rising health costs under ObamaCare . “ Premiums have gotten too high . ”
Both Clinton and Obama have proposed increasing the financial assistance available under ObamaCare so that it could be available to people who do not currently qualify .
Clinton , for example , wants to provide a new tax credit of up to $ 5,000 to help people pay for premium costs as well as out-of-pocket costs like deductibles , which can also be a major problem under ObamaCare .
But those proposals would require congressional action , and Republicans remain firmly opposed to spending more money on the healthcare law .
The administration points out that ObamaCare premiums started out about 15 percent below projections , in the first year , which Democrats praised at the time .
“ It turns out , lo and behold , actually , the prices came in lower than we expected — lower than I predicted , ” Obama said in 2013 . “ That ’ s how well competition and choice work . ”
But now , administration officials say they wish insurers had set their premiums higher and more accurately to begin with , so they wouldn ’ t have to hike them so much now .
“ Would we all have preferred to be 10 percent higher say from the start with more gradual increases ? ” Andy Slavitt , head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services , said this month . “ Of course . You bet we would . ”
But he pointed to the financial assistance as protecting people from the hikes . The administration said Monday that about three-quarters of ObamaCare enrollees can find a plan for $ 75 per month or less , once the subsidies are factored in .
With Democrats increasingly calling for raising that financial assistance , Bob Kocher , who was a White House adviser on health reform during the drafting of the health law , said that financial constraints prevented Democrats from making the subsidies more generous to begin with .
He noted that the law had to be fully paid for with either tax increases or Medicare cuts , which limited the amount of money for subsidies .
“ There were n't any more publicly acceptable cuts that I 'm aware of that we could have taken , ” Kocher said . If they had been able to somehow find more acceptable savings , he said , “ I would have loved to apply it to subsidies . ”
More broadly , he also called for reforms to make the healthcare system more efficient and bring down costs for everyone .
Across the system , and not just in ObamaCare , he said , “ affordability is an enormous problem . ” | VJeF92tEtOOybv3T | 1 | Democratic Party | 0 | Obamacare | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
federal_budget | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/08/chuck-schumer-recounts-art-democrats-deal-trump/643235001/ | Chuck Schumer recounts the art of Democrats' deal with Trump | 2017-09-08 | federal_budget | WASHINGTON — Just after striking a deal with Democrats this week , President Trump asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer whether they could step outside the Oval Office and talk to the news media .
But this time , the notoriously camera-ready Schumer said he wasn ’ t so sure .
“ I said , ‘ Well , Mr. President I do n't know exactly what you 'd say and then I might have to respond , so maybe we should n't , ’ `` said the New York senator , recounting the light-hearted exchange in a Friday interview with ███ . “ He laughed . ”
Against the wishes of his party ’ s congressional leaders , who were also in the room , Trump endorsed Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi 's short-term plan to increase the nation ’ s debt limit and fund the federal government for the next three months along with providing aid for hurricane victims . The president signed the package late Friday afternoon after the Senate passed it on Thursday and the House followed suit Friday morning .
They also discussed working together on other issues , including legislation to eliminate the debt ceiling altogether and to create a path forward for DREAMers , undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children .
At Pelosi ’ s urging , Trump on Thursday tweeted that DREAMers shouldn ’ t worry about deportation over the next six months , the deadline Trump gave Congress to pass legislation to preserve their legal status . Pelosi said during a news conference Thursday that Trump told her twice that he would sign legislation to give them legal status .
Trump suggests he 's working with Democrats because GOP ca n't get anything done
House passes hurricane aid package with short-term government funding , debt-ceiling increase
Trump ’ s alignment with Democrats has riled many Republicans , who believe he gave Democrats an upper hand in negotiations on other issues in December when the threat of a government shutdown and a default on the nation ’ s debt looms yet again . They had hoped to pass a longer-term debt-ceiling increase and deal with the hurricane aid separately .
“ Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi now have most of the cards for when we get to December , ” Sen. Ben Sasse , R-Neb. , said in a Thursday Senate floor speech . “ This is an embarrassing moment for a Republican-controlled Congress and a Republican administration . ”
Trump on Thursday agreed that the deal signaled more bipartisanship and a different relationship with more dialogue . He spoke of “ Chuck ” and “ Nancy ” instead of “ Cryin ’ Chuck Schumer . ”
“ I think you are going to see a much stronger coming together , ” he said , according to a pool report .
Schumer said it was “ a good moment ” that he hopes will continue .
“ I think he was a little tired of the partisanship , too , even though frankly he caused some of it , ” Schumer said , laughing .
The meeting , also attended by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnnell , R-Ky. , and House Speaker Paul Ryan , R-Wis. , marked Trump ’ s first with top congressional leaders from both parties . After not seeing Trump in person since January , Schumer met with him twice at the White House this week within 48 hours .
On Thursday , governors of New York and New Jersey and other congressional members were also at the White House with Schumer to discuss the massive Amtrak-led Gateway tunnel project that would replace and build a new $ 20 billion train tunnel under the Hudson River .
“ He now understands the importance of Gateway , ” Schumer said . “ He didn ’ t give us a commitment but he seemed pretty favorable and said he would get back to us in a couple of days . ”
The federal spending and debt-ceiling deal averted — at least for now — a potential financial crisis . Federal officials had said the government would run out of money to pay its bills by the end of September if Congress didn ’ t increase the debt limit . Funding for government operations was set to expire on Oct. 1 .
While Republicans sought a long-term debt-ceiling increase , Schumer said that idea “ would give one party a real advantage over the other. ” He said it would be better for the country if the debt-ceiling increase and government spending resolution expired together , forcing bipartisan solutions . Regardless of the outcome , Schumer said , Democrats would have voted for hurricane aid .
“ You could see , as the president was listening to the arguments , I think he had not made up his mind what to do when the meeting started , ” Schumer said . `` He did n't say that , but that 's my guess from looking at the body language ... ”
Ryan argued against the Democrats ' plan while McConnell sat “ very quietly , ” Schumer said . McConnell said he would back the package after Trump made the deal .
“ I was surprised , pleasantly surprised , ” Schumer said . “ And then I said , ‘ This debt-ceiling idea is not a great idea because we are only talking about paying the bills we have already incurred . Why do n't we just get rid of it permanently ? ' And he said , ‘ I like that idea . ’ ”
“ He 's not going to do everything we want , and ... we 're not going to sacrifice our principles , ” Schumer said . “ Here 's what I told him : ‘ I am not going to obstruct for obstruction ’ s sake ... but we will come to agreements when we can actually agree on principles . ' And hopefully that will happen more . ” | e69M4UoSFvZl1htq | 1 | Federal Budget | 0.1 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | ABC News | http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/12/rand-pauls-festivus-celebration-rant-begins-on-twitter/ | Rand Paul's Festivus Celebration Rant Begins on Twitter | politics | On this day of Festivus , Paul is airing grievances on all things ranging from his colleague Sen. Cory Booker to the Senate cafeteria to his pesky staff who refuse to let him wear his turtleneck sweaters .
Its a holiday made up on the popular TV show `` Seinfeld '' by George Constanza 's father , Frank , who hated the commercial and religious aspects of Christmas so much that he made up his own holiday : Festivus .
It begins with an airing of grievances . It can also include feats of strength , and of course you must also have the Festivus pole . It 's a Festivus for the rest of us .
In the words of Frank Costanza ( played memorably by Jerry Stiller ) , `` I got a lot of problems with you people . Now you 're gon na hear about it ! ''
Paul even aired a little dirty family laundry with a dig at his dad , former Rep. Ron Paul , R-Texas , for auctioning off a vintage 1979 Chevy instead of giving it to him .
My Dad auctioned off this car instead of giving it to me . http : //t.co/WcJKiJbAcf pic.twitter.com/sArpHLKmhW — Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Read more of Paul 's airing of grievances from earlier today :
Airing of Grievances begins … - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
In Washington , `` bipartisan deal '' is a synonym for `` increasing our debt '' - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Oh , and by the way , there 's is n't enough defense of the Constitution going on in Washington these days .
One party seems to like some of the Bill of Rights . The other party , some more . Few willing to stand up for the whole thing . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
He 's got beef with the Senate , starting with the cafeteria :
The Senate cafeteria never has burgoo . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Let 's move on to the Senate . If you want more bipartisan cooperation , talk more not less . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Allow more debate and amendments . Do n't change the rules to run it with an iron fist . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
One more Festivus grievance about bipartisanship . @ CoryBooker does n't RT me enough . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
U , me & `` feats of strength '' : Senate floor , name the time MT @ SenRandPaul A Festivus grievance re bipartisanship . Booker does n't RT me enough - Cory Booker ( @ CoryBooker ) December 23 , 2013
He 's not a fan of the budget deal , or the Federal Reserve .
The recent `` bipartisan deal '' will add 7 trillion more debt . And was hailed as an example of Washington `` getting something done . '' - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Fed policies make you poorer , and hurt the poor and middle class the most . Ridiculous monetary policies increase the costs of goods . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
So you can thank the Fed for your grocery and gas bills getting out or control . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
In case anyone was wondering , no feats of strength today :
In response to some of your tweets , there will be no feats of strength , and I have no plans to end Festivus by wrestling with Sen. Reid . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Grievance with my otherwise wonderful staff : Leave the turtleneck alone . I like it and so do viewers . - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
Too many people wearing ties on TV as it is - Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
And a Festivus miracle may have occurred : Booker and Paul may take on the `` war on drugs '' in 2014 . Bipartisanship !
@ CoryBooker how about mandatory minimum sentencing reform instead ? — Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
@ CoryBooker I am the Senate author of Hemp bill ! — Senator Rand Paul ( @ SenRandPaul ) December 23 , 2013
I know . U told me last week . Here is to a 2014 where we take on the failed war on drugs RT @ SenRandPaul : I 'm the Senate author of Hemp bill ! — Cory Booker ( @ CoryBooker ) December 23 , 2013 | IYYeDYqUl3jCGn3R | 0 | Politics | -1.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
isis | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/08/white-house-reportedly-planning-years-long-campaign-to-destroy-isis/ | White House reportedly planning years-long campaign to destroy ISIS | 2014-09-08 | isis | The Obama administration is reportedly preparing a campaign to destroy the Islamic State militant group that could outlast the president 's remaining time in office , according to a published report .
The New York Times , citing U.S. officials , reported late Sunday that the White House plan involves three phases that some Pentagon officials believe will require at least three years of sustained effort .
The first phase , airstrikes against Islamic State , also known as ISIS , is already under way in Iraq , where U.S. aircraft have launched 143 attacks since August 8 . The second phase involves an intensified effort to train , advise , and equip the Iraqi Army , Kurdish Peshmerga fighters , and any Sunni tribesmen willing to fight their ISIS co-religionists . The Times reports that this second phase will begin sometime after Iraq forms a new government , which could happen this week .
The third , and most politically fraught phase of the campaign , according to The Times , would require airstrikes against ISIS inside Syria . Last month , the government of Bashar Assad in Damascus warned the Obama administration not to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Syria without its permission .
Obama was scheduled to outline his plan in a meeting Tuesday with House and Senate leaders before addressing the nation in a speech Wednesday , the eve of the 13th anniversary of the September 11 , 2001 , terror attacks . A senior Obama administration official told Fox News imminent , new military action in either Iraq or Syria was not expected to be announced in Wednesday 's speech . A senior White House official told Fox News that Obama 's primary aim will be to update the American public on what the strategy is to deal with the militant group , saying the administration wants `` people to understand how he 's approaching this . ''
In an interview that aired Sunday on NBC 's `` Meet The Press , '' Obama vowed that the United States would go `` on the offensive '' against the militants , who have seized broad swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq over the summer .
The interview was conducted over the weekend after the president returned from a two-day NATO summit in Wales , where the U.S. and nine of its European allies agreed to take on the militants due to the terror threat they pose . Secretary of State John Kerry is due to travel to the Middle East this month in an effort to secure the backing of Arab states for an anti-ISIS campaign , while Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was due to arrive in Turkey on Monday to press that country 's leadership for support . Among the issues discussed will be the possibility of closing the country 's border with Syria , which has been a popular route for Western-born fighters looking to join ISIS .
On Sunday , the head of the 22-member Arab League urged the group 's members to make a `` clear and firm decision for a comprehensive confrontation '' with `` cancerous and terrorist '' groups . Nabil Elaraby called ISIS a threat to the existence of Iraq and its neighbors and `` one of the examples of the challenges that are violently shaking the Arab world , and one the Arab League , regrettably , has not been able to confront . ''
It was n't immediately clear what steps the Arab League would take in supporting the West 's campaign against ISIS , and reaching a consensus on how to move could be complicated by Arab world rivalries and member countries ' different spheres of influence . A draft resolution obtained by The Associated Press offered only routine condemnation of terrorist groups operating in the region . It also called on its member states , which include Egypt , Saudi Arabia , Jordan , Lebanon , Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to improve information-sharing and legal expertise in combating terrorism , and to prevent the paying of ransom to militants .
The Times reported that White House officials acknowledge that even if European and Arab countries offer their support for operations in Iraq , getting them to agree to possible operations in Syria would be much more difficult . U.S. officials have said repeatedly that the Obama administration is weighing all options for pursuing ISIS in that country . | S1HAEJJhZ6HMNaiW | 2 | ISIS | -1.6 | White House | 0.3 | Middle East | -0.3 | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/446593/donald-trump-syria-strike-american-strategic-shift-middle-east-israel-sunni-alliance | How Trump’s Syria Missile Strike Could Transform the Middle East | 2017-04-10 | middle_east | There ’ s an emerging Israeli–Sunni alliance against the Damascus–Tehran axis , and the U.S. needs to lead it .
Call it the Tomahawk strike heard ’ round the world , not just in Washington and Damascus and Moscow , but in every capital in the Middle East .
By ordering the strike on Al Shayrat Airfield , from which Bashar al-Assad had launched a brutal chemical-weapons attack on his own people just days earlier , President Trump put the U.S. squarely back in the game of Middle East politics . But without further action , it will have been for naught ; what must come next is a new regional strategy for the U.S. that is very different from the one adopted by President Obama — one that backs up diplomatic coalition-building with U.S. military strength .
In 1990–91 , President George H. W. Bush used such a strategy to drive Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm . Today , the U.S. is once again perfectly positioned to bring together the region ’ s leading Sunni powers , and Israel , in an alliance against Iran and its Shia allies , who are the real geopolitical threat in Syria .
Who would be part of this alliance ? Israel and Saudi Arabia , the region ’ s most powerful Sunni state , have been drawing closer for the past decade , united by their shared interest in counteracting Iranian regional aggression , as have the other majority-Sunni Gulf states . Egypt , Jordan , Turkey , and Oman could also become strong strategic partners in a U.S.-led coalition designed to thwart Iran ’ s ongoing efforts to trigger a regional Shia uprising from Syria and/or Yemen .
This new alliance would have two prongs , and two aims .
The first would be to permanently end Tehran ’ s designs on becoming a regional hegemon , especially in the eastern Mediterranean , where it is propping up the Assad regime in Syria and sponsoring terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon .
The second aim would be to crush ISIS wherever it holds territory , from Syria and the Sinai to Iraq , as well as to extirpate Sunni radicalism in all its forms . Here the U.S. would have to make it clear to the Saudis and other Gulf states that ISIS , like al-Qaeda , must be destroyed , both on the ground abroad and in the domestic madrassas and mosques that spread its vicious , radical message .
That , of course , leaves Russia . Fortunately , Assad ’ s renewed use of chemical weapons put Vladimir Putin at a disadvantage , since Russia almost certainly knew of the chemical strike , and may even have facilitated it . The Kremlin certainly lied when it assured the world that the regime ’ s stockpile of chemical weapons had been dealt with .
When Secretary of State Tillerson meets with Putin this week , he needs to take advantage of that weakness and stress to Moscow that its support for Assad is now a liability , not an asset . The Russians have already signaled that their support for Damascus is “ not unconditional. ” Their entire raison d ’ être for intervention in the Syrian conflict is combating “ terrorism. ” Now , they must acknowledge that Assad and his Iranian allies are no less “ terrorists ” than ISIS , and should be dealt with accordingly .
Far more is at stake here than removing a brutal dictator ; preventing his Iranian patrons from becoming a dominant force in the eastern Mediterranean is just as important . The final goal of Trump ’ s strategy in the Middle East has to be convincing Putin that his support for and collaboration with Iran is a liability rather than an asset , and that siding with the emerging U.S.–Sunni–Israeli coalition is the best way for Russia to demonstrate a good-faith commitment to fighting terrorism and playing a constructive role in the region .
The region ’ s Sunni powers realize the potency of the Iranian threat , as does Israel . The Obama administration pretended the Iran problem would go way on its own if we sat on our hands . The Trump administration now has an opportunity to reverse course , enlisting a coalition of Sunni partners in the complicated task of isolating and limiting Iran ’ s power to revise the geopolitical order in the eastern Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf .
In closing , it should be stressed that none of these strategic shifts need involve placing more American troops on the ground in the Middle East . The team is already on the field ; all that ’ s been missing is a quarterback . For the U.S. to fulfill that role , it merely needs a leader willing to reassert the influence that Obama wouldn ’ t — and that George W. Bush before him squandered in two endless regional wars .
Our natural allies in the region have been clamoring for help from Washington for years ; Donald Trump now has the opportunity to provide it .
— Arthur Herman is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the author of the forthcoming 1917 : Vladimir Lenin , Woodrow Wilson , and the Year That Created the Modern Age . | 4uuHeTOuyCa3bysp | 2 | Syria | -3.95 | Middle East | 0.5 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/08/25/341672950/people-with-down-syndrome-are-pioneers-in-alzheimers-research | People With Down Syndrome Are Pioneers in Alzheimer's Research | 2014-08-25 | healthcare | When researchers at the University of California , San Diego wanted to study an experimental Alzheimer 's drug last year , they sought help from an unlikely group : people with Down syndrome .
`` I had a CAT scan on my head , and I was in a special machine . It 's called an MRI , '' says Justin McCowan , 39 , whose parents drove him 125 miles from Santa Monica so he could participate in the study . McCowan also took brain function tests and spent hours with a needle in his arm so researchers could monitor levels of certain chemicals in his blood .
Alzheimer 's researchers are increasingly interested in people like McCowan because `` people with Down syndrome represent the world 's largest population of individuals predisposed to getting Alzheimer 's disease , '' says Michael Rafii , director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at UCSD .
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that 's best known for causing intellectual disability . But it also causes Alzheimer 's . `` By the age of 40 , 100 percent of all individuals with Down syndrome have the pathology of Alzheimer 's in their brain , '' Rafii says .
Down syndrome is caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21 . And one of the genes on chromosome 21 happens to control the production of amyloid , the substance that forms the sticky plaques associated with Alzheimer 's .
Because their bodies produce extra amyloid , most people with Down syndrome develop problems with thinking and memory by the time they reach 60 . Rafii has chronicled the decline of one of his patients , a woman named Irma , by collecting her signatures from medical forms over the years .
The first one is from 1999 , when Irma was in her mid-50s . `` You can see her signature is on the line , it 's clear , she wrote it in script , '' Rafii says . By 2005 , though , she has switched to large block letters . By 2009 , Irma is misspelling her name . By 2011 , `` there are only a few characters written that resemble letters , '' Rafii says . `` And in the very last year it 's completely blank . ''
People like Irma used to be rare because the medical problems associated with Down syndrome meant they rarely lived long enough to get dementia . Today , though , better medical treatments mean people with the disorder often live into their 60s .
And that has created a huge opportunity for Alzheimer 's research , says William Mobley , chairman of the neuroscience department at UCSD . `` This is the one group in the world that you could argue would benefit most by the institution of early therapy , '' he says .
Early therapy means starting people on drug treatment years before the symptoms of Alzheimer 's appear . The approach has been hard to test because , in the general population , there 's no good way to know who is going to develop Alzheimer 's . But for people with Down syndrome , it 's a near certainty .
Finding a drug that prevents Alzheimer 's in people with Down syndrome could help millions of people who do n't have the disorder , Mobley says . `` This approach to treating Alzheimer 's disease might apply to all of us , '' he says . `` Imagine someday a drug that we all start taking when we 're 25 so we never get Alzheimer 's disease . ''
That 's a long-term goal . But already , people with Down syndrome are making a difference in Alzheimer 's research . Early work with Down patients helped confirm the importance of amyloid . More recently , people with the disorder helped test an eye exam that may offer a simple way to screen for Alzheimer 's .
And then there 's the study that Justin McCowan signed up for . It involves a drug from Transition Therapeutics called ELND005 that , in mice , can prevent the brain changes associated with Alzheimer 's . Scientists hope the drug can do the same thing in people , including those with Down syndrome .
McCowan says he volunteered for the study because he wants to help other people , especially a friend of his named Maria , who also has Down syndrome . `` I feel very sad about Maria because she does n't remember anything , '' McCowan says .
His parents , Don and Annamarie McCowan , say their son 's memory is still sharp . They hope that what scientists are learning from people like Justin will keep it that way . | hpKL1WheHayYvHQz | 1 | Healthcare | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/swing-democrats-on-bob-corker-iran-bill-yes-but-116662.html?hp=t3_r | Swing Democrats on Iran bill: 'Yes, but' | 2015-04-03 | middle_east | Despite the White House ’ s strong push to rally its congressional allies behind an Iran deal , Senate Republicans think they ’ re close to having enough Democratic support to move forward with a bill that would give lawmakers the final say over any nuclear agreement with Tehran , according to interviews with key members of Congress .
But that Democratic support likely comes with a cost , members said . Many Democrats are demanding that the measure be amended so it doesn ’ t kill the deal before it can be finalized by a June 30 deadline . So the onus is on Republicans to work with Democrats — particularly if they want to assemble a 67-vote veto-proof majority — although it ’ s not clear exactly what legislative changes would preserve the complex and still-evolving agreement .
Independent Maine Sen. Angus King , who caucuses with Democrats and is a cosponsor of the bill , offered a glimpse inside the caucus ’ s thinking . Asked if he would still vote for it , King replied : “ ‘ Yes , but … ’ is my answer . ”
“ It depends how it ’ s handled the next two to three weeks , ” King said in an interview on Friday . “ I ’ m not in if it ’ s a partisan weapon . ”
Nonetheless , Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker ( R-Tenn. ) said Friday he ’ s not backing away from an April 13 markup of his legislation that would allow Congress to review the agreement for 60 days and potentially reject the lifting of sanctions on Tehran , which would effectively kill the deal . Corker said he ’ s open to changing the bill , although he ’ s going to have to balance Democratic demands with hawks in his own party who would prefer to scuttle the agreement .
It may be late April or even May before Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) can bring the Iran bill to the floor . First , the Senate has to deal with a Medicare payments bill , resolve an impasse over a stalled human trafficking bill and confirm a new attorney general when the chamber returns in mid-April .
That means administration officials and the president himself will have time to work with their Democratic allies and try to slow the bill down or at least limit its scope so it doesn ’ t interfere with drafting a final nuclear deal by the end of June .
“ The White House has decided that they can ’ t avoid congressional review altogether , ” said one senior Democratic aide . “ Democrats want to talk about what tweaks they can make that the administration can live with . ”
Still , the official line from the White House is that the president would veto the bill . “ Our position on that has not changed , ” said press secretary Josh Earnest . “ We believe that this is clearly the purview of the president . ”
The longer the two parties haggle , though , the more time Republicans have to criticize the president , the deal and reluctant Democrats , who don ’ t want the framework to fall apart because of their votes .
According to Corker , the current bill wouldn ’ t upend the deal . “ They want to make sure our bill completely aligns with the way the political framework is . But it does . Every day that goes by I feel better about the substance of legislation , ” he said in an interview .
The battle will play out in Corker ’ s committee in mid-April . He ’ s open to voting on a number of amendments , but changes viewed as too administration-friendly or controversial could lead to a stalemate , since there are Republicans on the committee who want to move the measure in the opposite direction .
Earlier versions of Corker ’ s bill essentially gave Congress veto authority over the deal . But the Tennessee Republican has softened the measure so it allows Capitol Hill to vote only on whether to lift sanctions and requires the White House to file quarterly reports on Iran ’ s adherence to a deal .
Democrats sound like they want more changes , although they haven ’ t yet described what those modifications would be .
“ Congress should have a vote , should weigh in . I ’ m looking for the administration to reach out and fully inform members of the committee , ” said Sen. Chris Coons ( D-Del . ) , who spoke about Iran with the president last month and with Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Thursday evening . “ I do not want to undermine the prospects for a strong , enforceable verifiable deal . ”
A member of Corker ’ s committee , Coons has signaled he could support Corker ’ s bill , but he ’ s not officially on board yet . His support , he said Friday , “ depends on the changes made to the bill , and it depends on the level of engagement on the White House . ”
Republicans worry that Democrats are looking for excuses to side with the administration rather than take a confrontational stance toward Iran .
“ So many are voices of support of Israel . But I think in too many cases it ’ s lip service , ” said Sen. Ron Johnson ( R-Wis. ) .
Despite the partisan rhetoric , Corker is confident the bitterly divided Senate can come together behind his bill . “ Certainly there ’ s been some bellicose comments , certainly there ’ s been some on both sides , ” Corker said . “ But I think that by and large those who are watching understand how significant this is . The Senate as a whole will look at what ’ s before us and respond in a sober way . ”
But there ’ s already been enough partisan squabbling on Iran to fill a book , and a shifting group of Democrats have declared common cause with Republicans before , only to be wooed away by White House lobbying .
Republicans first tried moving forward with a measure that would impose harsh sanctions on Tehran . But , sensing the direct sanctions approach was losing support with Democrats , the GOP switched tactics and produced Corker ’ s bill , which allows Congress to play a role in finalizing any deal .
Work on Corker ’ s bill has already been delayed after House Speaker John Boehner ( R-Ohio ) invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress on Iran . Many Democrats viewed the speech as an insult to the president .
It wasn ’ t till several weeks after the speech that King , Corker and a bipartisan group of colleagues introduced the congressional approval bill .
Their bill promptly ran into a veto threat and more Democratic resistance after McConnell tried to speed the legislation to the Senate floor . After lobbying from the administration , lawmakers agreed to give President Barack Obama more time to negotiate until Corker ’ s April 14 committee vote .
Given the back-and-forth , perhaps it ’ s not a coincidence that the Iran deal was announced during the doldrums of the congressional recess . Republicans could blast the deal rhetorically but , without Congress in session , could take no official action against the White House .
Now the White House will renew its lobbying push over the next 10 days and gauge where the votes are for Corker ’ s bill .
“ I don ’ t think you can say that the White House isn ’ t all hands on deck when it comes to Iran , ” said Sen. Chris Murphy ( D-Conn. ) . “ They ’ ve been pretty consistently all over Democrats and Republicans . ”
Indeed , Blinken has called several senators to brief them on the deal one-on-one , U.S . Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power has been making phone calls to senators , and Obama is reaching out to House and Senate leaders .
Corker said he ’ d spoken to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz on Friday and Blinken on Thursday but hadn ’ t spoken to Obama since the announcement .
“ I have peers telling me that the administration is weighing in , whether it ’ s Samantha , whether it ’ s [ Vice President Joe ] Biden , whether it ’ s the president himself , ” Corker said . “ They will work to weaken our role , but that ’ s part of it . I understand it . ” | atFIFT5hxzR6Wq0D | 0 | Iran | -0.8 | Iran Negotiations | -0.8 | Barack Obama | 0.3 | Middle East | 0.2 | null | null |
immigration | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/15/opinion/navarrette-immigration-obama/index.html | OPINION: Will Obama's immigration initiative sway Latinos? | 2012-06-15 | Immigration | Story highlights Obama administration says it will stop deporting young illegal immigrants
Ruben Navarrette : This is a stunt to help improve Obama 's chance with Latino voters
He says some DREAM'ers may benefit from Obama 's initiative , but many probably wo n't
Navarrette : Obama 's immigration record is most impressive to those who follow it least closely
Did you ever wonder why Charlie Brown kept charging at the football , despite the fact that Lucy always pulled it away and he wound up flat on his back ? You would think that experience has made him skeptical . It 's because he really wanted to believe that , this time , things would work out . And when you really want to believe in something , you have a short memory when it comes to past disappointments .
That 's how it is with many Latinos and other immigration reform advocates . They want President Obama to become the person they voted for -- who promised Latinos that he would fix a broken immigration system , stop dividing families , and push through Congress a Dream Act-like legislation that would give undocumented young people a pathway to legal status if they go to college or join the military .
None of that happened , and so Latinos -- who , in 2008 , voted overwhelmingly for Obama -- are ambivalent about the president 's re-election .
Something had to be done to convince Latinos that the president is on their side .
Today , something was done . Or rather , something was promised . The Obama administration announced that it would stop deporting younger illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children -- provided they meet certain conditions -- and begin granting work permits to them .
Illegal immigrants will supposedly benefit from the new policy if they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 , if they are 30 or younger , if they have lived in the country for at least five years , if they have no criminal record and if they attend or graduated from a U.S. high school , or have served in the military .
The policy change could affect as many as 800,000 immigrants -- so-called DREAM'ers -- who would have benefited from the DREAM Act had it not been blocked by Congress . These people have been living in fear of being deported by the same administration that is now offering the pardon .
Confused ? Just wait . It gets better . We 've only just begun to make our way down this rabbit hole .
The administration is obviously trying to `` checkmate '' a nearly identical proposal floated by Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida , which reportedly would also stop DREAM'ers from being deported and issue them work permits . The Rubio plan would not offer a pathway to citizenship . About this omission , the left was incensed . But Obama is n't offering a pathway to citizenship either , and yet many in the left could n't be happier . Where is the consistency ?
Then there is the inconvenient fact that we 're not supposed to even need this kind of policy change because , according to Obama , his administration is n't deporting DREAM'ers at all ; instead , it 's concentrating its enforcement efforts on criminals . That 's exactly what Obama told Univision anchor Jorge Ramos during a March 2011 trip to El Salvador . A couple of weeks later , Obama had to swallow those words when -- during an education town hall meeting in Washington , sponsored by Univision -- he was confronted by a DREAM'er holding deportation papers . So now we 're supposed to applaud the administration for not deporting people the president had claimed were n't being deported in the first place .
Of course , the administration is deporting DREAM'ers , along with gardeners , housekeepers , nannies and ice cream vendors who represent no threat to public safety . It 's a waste of time for officials to deny that .
Just this week , I wrote in my CNN.com column about another one of Obama 's broken promises . The administration pledged to use prosecutorial discretion to free from deportation proceedings individuals who had been in the country for a number of years , had U.S.-born children , or were otherwise rooted in the United States . That included DREAM'ers . So far , the promise has n't amounted to much of anything
I expect a similar outcome with DREAM'ers . Some of them may benefit from Obama 's new initiative , but many probably wo n't . That 's because the idea behind the DREAM Act -- trading legal status for college attendance or military service -- is still unpopular with most voters in this country . The administration has no interest in antagonizing a wide portion of the electorate in an election year .
It does n't matter anyway , at least not to the president . All he cares about is his bid for re-election , and whether this latest stunt helps improve the turnout of Latino voters . It might . People get fooled , especially if they 're not paying attention . In fact , I 've realized that Obama 's immigration record is most impressive to those who follow it least closely . In other words , the closer you follow the record , the less impressive it seems .
In the words of Ronald Reagan , the last president to actually grant an amnesty to illegal immigrants and not just talk about it , Latino voters , immigrant advocates and the DREAM'ers themselves should -- in response to this latest promise -- `` trust , but verify . '' And , given the administration 's record , they can skip the first part . | 0cb8e965218ac46f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
business | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/boeing-whistleblower-warns-787-dreamliner-could-fall-apart-midair-unless-safety-issues-addressed | Boeing whistleblower warns 787 Dreamliner could 'fall apart' in midair unless safety issues addressed | 2024-04-17 | Business, Boeing, Aircraft, FAA, US Senate, Whistleblower, Public Safety | Boeing whistleblower Sam Salehpour has doubled down on his claims that Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes need to be grounded due to widespread safety concerns.Salehpour, a Boeing engineer, previously alleged in documents to the FAA and during an interview with The New York Times that shortcuts taken when manufacturing the jets could become a serious problem as the airplanes get older, raising even more questions regarding the company's manufacturing practices."I think it's as serious as I have ever seen in my lifetime," Salehpour told NBC News in a Tuesday interview. "The entire fleet worldwide, as far as I'm concerned, needs attention."When asked what would happen in the event of a fatigue failure on a 787 at altitude, Salehpour told NBC, "The plane will fall apart at the joints we're talking about." He added, "Once you fall apart, you're gonna descend all the way to the ground."BOEING'S TIP LINE SUBMISSIONS WERE UP 500% ON THE YEAR DURING THE FIRST QUARTERSalehpour is slated to offer testimony before a Senate investigations subcommittee on Wednesday. He will be joined by former Boeing 787 program manager and fellow whistleblower Ed Pierson, as well as other technical experts.Boeing has consistently disputed Salehpour's claims, telling NBC News, "We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner because of the comprehensive work done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft. These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate."BOEING WHISTLEBLOWER RAISES CONCERNS OVER SAFETY OF 787 DREAMLINER JETSThe FAA previously confirmed to FOX Business that it was investigating the report but did not offer further details."Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety. We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information," the FAA said in a statement. "We thoroughly investigate all reports."This comes as Boeing – which recently overhauled its leadership team – continues to deal with fallout stemming from the plug-in door that blew off an Alaska Airlines flight in January.In his report, Salehpour said he discovered quality issues with how Boeing was assembling the fuselage of the 787, according to the Times. It is fitted together by several large pieces from different manufacturers, according to Salehpour.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREAfter raising concerns about shortcuts the company was taking in joining these pieces together, Salehpour, who worked for Boeing for more than a decade, was reportedly transferred to work on the 777 – another widebody jet – where he found issues with how that fuselage was being assembled, his lawyer, Debra S. Katz, told the outlet.Boeing told FOX Business that the "claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate" and that the "issues raised have been subject to rigorous engineering examination under the FAA oversight. ""This analysis has validated that these issues do not present any safety concerns and the aircraft will maintain its service life over several decades," Boeing said, adding that it will "continue to monitor these issues under established regulatory protocols and encourage all employees to speak up when issues arise. Retaliation is strictly prohibited at Boeing."FOX Business's Daniella Genovese contributed to this report. | 3f41300c42ffe0f1 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | National Review (News) | https://www.nationalreview.com/news/aoc-calls-for-new-dem-leadership-faults-old-guard-for-failing-to-elevate-next-generation/ | AOC Calls for New Dem Leadership, Faults Old Guard for Failing to Elevate ‘Next Generation’ | 2020-12-16 | Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US Congress, Democratic Party, US House, US Senate, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Progressives, Politics | National Review Trump Praises Musk’s DOGE Team During Joint Hannity Interview for Helping Implement Executive Orders Senate Confirms Howard Lutnick to Be Commerce Secretary Trump Administration Eliminates DEI Considerations from Federal Contracting Guidelines Trump Signs Executive Order Aimed at ‘Reducing Barriers’ to IVF New Pro-Life Coalition Seeks to Redefine Abortion Discourse with $30 Million Investment Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) called for new leadership to replace House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), in an interview with The Intercept aired on Wednesday. The remarks represent Ocasio-Cortez’s most direct challenge to current Democratic congressional leadership, and come a month after Michigan representative Elissa Slotkin vowed not to support Pelosi for another term as House Speaker. Pelosi is the only candidate for the position, but with Democrats projected to win at most 226 House seats, Pelosi can only lose eight Democratic votes to remain Speaker. “I do think that we need new leadership in the Democratic Party,” Ocasio-Cortez said on The Intercept’s podcast Intercepted. However, there aren’t any alternative candidates for House leadership positions because the party didn’t invest in “real grooming of a next generation of leadership.” “The structural shifts of power in the House…concentrate power in party leadership of both parties, frankly, but in the Democratic Party leadership to such a degree that an individual member has far less power than they did 30, 40, 50 years ago,” Ocasio-Cortez said. This causes “really talented members of Congress that do come along” to leave for other ventures. The New York representative also lamented that “the left isn’t really making a plan” for when Pelosi does eventually leave office. “The hesitancy that I have is that I want to make sure that if we’re pointing people in a direction, that we have a plan. And my concern — and this I acknowledge as a failing, as something that we need to sort out — is that there isn’t a plan,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “How do we fill that vacuum? Because if you create that vacuum, there are so many nefarious forces at play to fill that vacuum with something even worse.” House Democrats were disappointed this year after elections in which they expected to gain seats, but ended up losing at least nine seats. Former President Obama, Clyburn, and a number of moderate Democrats blamed the embrace of the “defund the police” slogan and “socialist” label by the party’s progressive wing for its election losses. Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, has said attacks on “defund the police” and “socialism” amount to “racial resentment” attacks. Send a tip to the news team at NR. Under the SEC’s new guidance, undertaking ‘specific actions on a social, environmental, or political policy’ may be seen as a violation. Usually the State Department’s FTO designations are reserved for groups like al-Qaeda or ISIS instead of money-driven cartels. After Trump left office, there was a ‘rapid return to underreporting’ under Biden, according to the National Association of Scholars. His tone and false claims can be explained by personal history more than anything else. The MTA immediately filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court challenging the decision. Ernst has already laid out a blueprint for how Loeffler can improve the SBA’s various loan programs and make the agency run more efficiently. © 2025 National Review Newsletters © 2025 National Review | 9f4ee6c80ae377c7 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kentucky-gov-matt-bevin-raises-voter-fraud-concerns-as-unofficial-tally-has-him-trailing-by-5000-votes | Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin raises voter-fraud concerns as unofficial tally has him trailing by 5,000 votes | elections | Kentucky Gov . Matt Bevin voiced concerns Wednesday night that voter fraud may have played a role in the state ’ s gubernatorial election – after an unofficial count placed the incumbent about 5,000 votes behind his Democratic challenger .
“ What we know is that there really are a number of irregularities , ” the governor told reporters about Tuesday ’ s election , adding that “ there ’ s more than a little bit of history of vote fraud in our state . ”
GOP 'S BEVIN REFUSES TO CONCEDE AS KENTUCKY GUBERNATORIAL RACE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE
“ There ’ s more than a little bit of history of vote fraud in our state. ” — Kentucky Gov . Matt Bevin
Bevin ’ s remarks came as he requested a recanvass of the results in his race against Democrat Andy Beshear , the state ’ s attorney general , who dismissed Bevin ’ s charges and was claiming victory .
The governor ’ s struggle at the polls came on an otherwise strong night for Republicans in Kentucky , as GOP candidates won races for state attorney general , secretary of state , auditor , agriculture commissioner and treasurer .
The nearly clean sweep by Republican candidates for Kentucky ’ s top jobs followed President Trump ’ s Monday night rally on their behalf – and seemed to contradict a mainstream-media narrative that the gubernatorial vote was a gauge of Trump ’ s popularity rather than Bevin ’ s .
Nevertheless , Bevin pointed Wednesday to “ thousands of absentee ballots that were illegally counted , ” alleged that some voters were “ incorrectly turned away ” and charged that some voting machines “ didn ’ t work properly , ” according to Politico .
He added : “ We 're in the process of getting affidavits and other information that will help us to get a better understanding of what did or did not happen , ” according to the Associated Press .
Kentucky 's secretary of state , Alison Lundergan Grimes , scheduled the recanvass for next Thursday . A recanvass is a check of the vote count to ensure the results were added correctly .
The commonwealth has no mandatory recount law , so if Bevin decides to pursue one he would need a court 's approval .
Although Bevin refused to concede defeat conceding , some prominent Kentucky Republicans were speaking as if Beshear ’ s victory was a certainty .
“ Governor-elect Beshear is entitled to the democratic legitimacy that comes with loser 's consent , ” GOP state Rep. Jason Nemes wrote on social media . “ So let 's go through the process honorably and expeditiously and give it to him . ”
Republican strategist Scott Jennings referred to Beshear as Kentucky 's next governor , wishing him `` godspeed '' and saying he `` ran a good race . ”
President Trump , in a Twitter message Wednesday , focused on his role in the Kentucky elections .
“ Our big Kentucky Rally on Monday night had a massive impact on all of the races . Our big Kentucky Rally on Monday night had a massive impact on all of the races . The increase in Governors race was at least 15 points , and maybe 20 ! ” Trump wrote .
Turnout in Kentucky was up by nearly 50 percent over the state 's 2015 governor 's race , increasing from 974,000 voters to more than 1.4 million . The number of voters Tuesday equaled turnout in Kentucky 's 2014 race for U.S. Senate , rare for an election in an odd-numbered year . | vjH7Q02aINBBxrfg | 2 | Kentucky | 0.3 | Democratic Party | 0 | Republican Party | 0 | Virginia | 0 | Mississippi | 0 | |
north_korea | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/world/asia/koreas-tensions/index.html?hpt=hp_t1 | North Korean missile in upright firing position, official says | 2013-04-11 | north_korea | Ballistic missiles may be able to carry nukes , defense intelligence assessment says
N.Korea has not fully developed nuclear capabilities mentioned in report , Pentagon says
A missile was raised to an upright firing position , then lowered
The Pentagon 's intelligence arm has assessed with `` moderate confidence '' that North Korea has the ability to deliver a nuclear weapon with a ballistic missile , though the reliability is believed to be `` low . ''
Disclosed first by a congressman at a hearing on Thursday and then confirmed to CNN by the Defense Department , the assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency is the clearest acknowledgment yet by the United States about potential advances in North Korea 's nuclear program .
The surprise development comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula .
North Korea has unleashed a torrent of dramatic threats against the United States and South Korea in recent weeks , including that of a possible nuclear strike .
The Obama administration calculates a test launch of mobile ballistic missiles could come at any time . But a senior administration official said there is no indication that missiles believed being readied for tests have been armed with any nuclear material .
Pentagon spokesman George Little said later Thursday , `` It would be inaccurate to suggest that the North Korean regime has fully tested , developed , or demonstrated the kinds of nuclear capabilities referenced in the passage '' of the DIA study .
That stance was echoed by James R. Clapper , director of U.S. national intelligence , who said the statement read by Rep. Doug Lamborn `` is not an intelligence community assessment . Moreover , North Korea has not yet demonstrated the full range of capabilities necessary for a nuclear armed missile . ''
Lamborn , R-Colorado , read from a declassified version of the DIA assessment at a House Armed Services Committee hearing .
`` DIA assess with moderate confidence the North currently has nuclear weapons capable of delivery by ballistic missiles , however , the reliability will be low . ''
JUST WATCHED Lamborn explains missile comments Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Lamborn explains missile comments 02:20
JUST WATCHED Declassification mistake , intel revealed Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Declassification mistake , intel revealed 06:57
JUST WATCHED Intel : N. Korea could launch nuke attack Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Intel : N. Korea could launch nuke attack 01:52
JUST WATCHED Conflicting messages on N. Korea nukes Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Conflicting messages on N. Korea nukes 04:35
Reliability is apparently a reference to the accuracy of the missiles .
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey , who was testifying before the House committee , appeared to be caught off guard when asked by Lamborn whether he agreed with the DIA assessment .
`` Well , I have n't seen it , '' Dempsey replied . `` And you said it 's not publicly released , so I -- I choose not to comment on it . ''
It is was not clear whether other U.S. intelligence agencies , such as the CIA , agree with the defense analysis .
The U.S. intelligence about North Korea revealed Thursday was `` mistakenly '' marked as declassified , according to an administration and a defense source .
But Lamborn told CNN 's `` AC360 '' he acted properly , reciting declassified information .
`` Whether it was a mistake or not , I ca n't answer that , '' Lamborn said of the information release . `` Given the seriousness of the threat , this is something that I think people do need to know about . ''
A House Armed Services Committee aide said staffers checked with the DIA to confirm the passage was not classified before Lamborn read it .
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told CNN 's Wolf Blitzer , `` We do not have any independent information to verify '' the DIA study 's assessment .
Is North Korea serious about military action or is it just testing the world ?
A missile had been briefly raised to an upright firing position , stoking concerns that a launch was imminent , a U.S. official told CNN on Thursday . Later , another U.S. official said it had been tucked back into its launcher .
In more tough talk from Pyongyang , a government agency was quoted by the state-run media as saying that `` war can break out any moment . ''
After meeting privately with Ban in the Oval Office , President Barack Obama called on North Korea to tone down the rhetoric .
`` We agree now is the time for North Korea to end the kind of belligerent approach they have been taking and try to lower temperatures , '' Obama said during a photo opportunity . `` No one wants to see a conflict on the Korean Peninsula . ''
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Ban called on Chinese diplomats to `` exercise their leadership and influence '' with North Korea to reduce tensions .
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry , during an upcoming visit , will tell Chinese leaders that Pyongyang is , as one senior administration official said , `` putting China 's own interests at risk . ''
The United States wants Beijing to `` stop the money trail into North Korea '' and to carry a strong message to the North that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is China 's goal , said the official and a senior State Department official .
The latest move by the North could signify that a much-feared launch is less imminent . It could also mean the government was testing the equipment .
The first U.S. official cautioned that the raising of the missile could have been just a trial run to ensure the equipment works or an effort to `` mess '' with the United States and the allies that are watching for a launch at any time .
So far , South Koreans -- who 've heard the cross-border bombast before -- are taking the swagger in stride . Washington regards much of the North 's saber rattling as bluster .
But no one is taking any chances as the daily clamor of threats from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 's government shows no sign of letting up .
The official declined to specify what type of intelligence led the United States to conclude the medium-range missile -- a Musudan -- was in a firing position .
The Musudan is an untested weapon that South Korea says has a range as far as 2,175 miles ( 3,500 kilometers ) .
It could reach as far as Guam , a Western Pacific territory that is home to U.S. naval and air bases , and where the United States recently said it was placing missile defense systems .
The United States and South Korean militaries have been monitoring the movements of mobile ballistic missiles on the east coast of North Korea . Japan has deployed defense systems .
Mike Rogers , chairman of the House Intelligence Committee , told CNN on Thursday that Kim is using rhetoric to solidify his base within his country and its military .
`` North Korea is one of those countries that 's an army with a country , not a country with an army , '' said Rogers .
Life is generally continuing as normal in the region , however , despite the North 's barrage of recent threats , which have included warnings to foreigners on the peninsula about their safety in the event of conflict .
South Koreans , who have experienced decades of North Korean rage and posturing -- and occasional localized attacks -- have gone about their daily business without alarm .
`` South Korea has been living under such threats from the past , and we are always prepared for it , '' South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae told CNN Wednesday . He called the current climate `` a very ordinary situation . ''
The difficulties at the Kaesong industrial zone , a key symbol of inter-Korean cooperation , are among the few tangible signs of the tensions .
Pyongyang repeated a threat to permanently close the industrial zone , which it jointly operates with the South , accusing South Korean President Park Geun-hye of putting the manufacturing complex at risk .
The South Korean government , meanwhile , urged Pyongyang to work to resolve the situation through dialogue .
`` Pyongyang should come to the bargaining table immediately , '' Ryoo said .
North Korea has pulled its more than 50,000 workers out of the complex , which is on the northern side of the heavily fortified border that divides the two Koreas , and blocked personnel and supply trucks from entering it from South Korea .
In a statement reported Thursday by state-run media , the North Korean government said that what happens at the complex in the coming days `` entirely depends on the attitude of the South Korean authorities . ''
The dangers posed by North Korea came up Thursday at a separate House Intelligence Committee hearing about worldwide threats .
Clapper said the United States believes the primary objective of Kim 's bellicose rhetoric is to `` consolidate and affirm his power '' and to show he is `` in control of North Korea . ''
Clapper said he does n't think Kim `` has much of an endgame '' other than to get recognition from the world as a nuclear power which `` entitles him to negotiation , accommodation and , presumably , aid . ''
But in a statement for the record before the committee , Clapper reiterated that the nation 's `` nuclear weapons and missile programs pose a serious threat to the United States and to the security environment in East Asia . ''
Since December , North Korea has put a satellite in orbit atop a long-range rocket ; conducted a nuclear bomb test , its third since 2006 ; and claimed to be prepared for pre-emptive nuclear attacks on the United States , though most analysts believe it does not yet have that capability .
Its most recent nuclear test , in February , resulted in tougher U.N. sanctions , which infuriated Pyongyang , prompting it to sharpen its threats .
Annual military exercises in South Korea by U.S. and South Korean troops , which often upset the North , have added to the tensions , especially when the United States drew attention to shows of strength such as a practice mission by B-2 stealth bombers . | 8brQNnsQ9UcNYOYt | 0 | North Korea | -0.5 | World | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | American Spectator | https://spectator.org/the-medias-endless-anti-trump-show-trial/ | The Media’s Endless Anti-Trump Show Trial | 2017-07-14 | Media Watch, Media Bias | It is a measure of the anti-Trump media ’ s stupidity and malpractice that the phrase “ breaking news ” now elicits eye rolls . The media ’ s “ breaking news ” about Trump is rarely breaking or news . It is usually recycled and old — some stale piece of information , relating to a practice both parties long ago adopted , that is sensationalized and dished up as novel . Into this category falls much of its breathless “ Trump-Russia ” coverage , including its all-hands-on-deck stories about Donald Trump Jr .
“ It is called opposition research , ” said President Trump on Thursday at a press conference in Paris in defense of his son .
From the hair-on-fire hysterics of the Democrats and their patrons in the press , one would think they had never taken a meeting with a foreigner or searched for dirt on a political rival . Of course , they have — and never more so than during their quest to torpedo Trump ’ s candidacy . What was the “ Steele dossier ” fiasco but a Dem/media attempt to collude with Brits to stop Trump ?
Had BuzzFeed not released the contents of that transparently ridiculous and bogus dossier , the self-appointed ruling class would still be talking about it . Lightweights in the press , straining to sound deep , will recite such quotes as “ the bigger the lie , the more it will be believed , ” even as their coverage rests upon the biggest lie of all : the assertion of imaginary Trump-Russia criminal collusion based on nothing more than false , fragmentary leads that came from their own collusion with foreign powers .
Just a few months ago , the sunshine patriots of the press were extolling John Brennan and Susan Rice for spying on Americans on the basis of “ tips ” that they had received from Estonia , Sweden , and Great Britain , foreign powers that were gunning for Trump ’ s defeat . Recall the Pravda-like headline Maggie Haberman of the New York Times used to whitewash the spying of Susan Rice : “ Susan Rice Did Nothing Wrong , Say Both Dem and Republican House Aides . ”
Take pretty much any headline the media has used to sanitize the political espionage of the Dems against Trump , substitute Donald Trump Jr. ’ s name into it , and you will see that the smears against him and his father carry all the evidentiary weight of a Soviet show trial .
“ Donald Trump Jr. Did Nothing Wrong , Say Both Dem and Republican House Aides ” — the only reason you don ’ t see that headline is because the ruling class hates the Trumps and loves the Dems .
Beneath all the bluster of the Dem-media complex lies a bald double standard , which amounts to saying to Trump : You must never do what we do all the time !
Childishly , the Democrats and the reporters in their pocket make the daily demand that Trump unilaterally disarm . To which Trump responds sensibly : Why should I ? That would just hand the Dem-media complex victory . All of its whining about his “ unconventional ” behavior is just another way of its saying that he is the first Republican since Reagan not to submit to their double standards . They remain shocked that a Republican President would have the audacity to fight back without two arms tied behind his back , which was the customarily feckless style of cowed Republicans for years .
One can only laugh at the staggering hypocrisy of the ruling class ’ s bleating . Take John Brennan , Obama ’ s CIA director who voted for the Soviet-controlled Gus Hall at the height of the Cold War and who served as a tool of the Muslim Brotherhood during his tenure as CIA director . The other day , Brennan , feeding into the media ’ s narrative of Trump as “ treasonous , ” declared Trump ’ s pro forma greeting of Putin at the G20 meeting ( that it was an “ honor ” to meet him ) unworthy of an American President . Imagine if Ronald Reagan had refused to shake the hands of the Soviet leaders . Brennan would have been the first to denounce Reagan as an enemy of “ peace ” and “ dialogue . ”
The Dem-media complex has gone from demanding dialogue with foreign enemies of America to forbidding it , from showering the Castros and Soviets in praise to drowning Putin in denunciations . A phony patriotism has once again become , in the words of Samuel Johnson , the last refuge of scoundrels . | cc164f9dbdc1c1ec | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
world | Fox News Digital | http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/08/17/bomb-blast-rocks-bankgkok/?intcmp=hplnws | Reported bomb blast rocks Bankgkok | 2015-08-17 | Asia, World | It seems you clicked on a bad link and stumbled upon our 404 page | b577c9903b18244d | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/politics/state-of-the-union-moments/index.html?hpt=po_c1 | 8 memorable State of the Union moments | 2013-02-11 | white_house | Story highlights Justice Alito caused a stir when he shook his head at Obama line on campaign finance ruling
George W. Bush 's term `` axis of evil '' suggested to American people that was was coming
Clinton almost reassured re-election when he signaled a shift to the center in 1996 address
Nixon was defiant even as some in Congress were considering impeachment
Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes that one of the things that 's so special about the State of the Union address is the spectacle of the entire government -- the heads of all three branches -- gathering in one room at the same time .
`` There is something about that ritual and the hunger we all have for that oneness that makes it really unique , '' Goodwin tells CNN . `` And there is a sense in which the ceremony -- the excitement of seeing the Supreme Court justices , seeing the Congress , seeing the president -- reminds us of some of the pageantry that we all look for in our government . ''
Here are eight State of the Union address moments that Goodwin finds particularly memorable :
When President Barack Obama criticized the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United , the camera showed Justice Samuel Alito shaking his head and suggesting what Obama was saying was not true . It became a big thing .
JUST WATCHED Alito disagrees with Obama Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Alito disagrees with Obama 01:03
Some people thought it was rude of the president to say that . Others wondered whether Alito 's reaction had to do with the fact that Obama had been a leader against his nomination .
Before television , obviously you did n't have to worry if you looked bored or if you were shaking your head or whether you looked like you were disdainful . But now , especially after that moment , everybody realized , `` I 'd better watch my face , as well as what I 'm saying , because the camera is there and the audio is there . ''
In the aftermath of the attacks of September 11 , 2001 , President George W. Bush went before the Congress and defined the `` axis of evil , '' meaning Iran , Iraq and North Korea . In a sense , `` axis '' was such a loaded term , because the Axis powers of Italy , Germany and Japan aligned against the U.S. and its allies in World War II .
JUST WATCHED Bush defines 'axis of evil ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bush defines 'axis of evil ' 01:01
So the idea that the world was now divided into `` axis '' powers and `` allied '' powers seemed to suggest a war coming on , which indeed was the truth .
When Bill Clinton said the era of big government is over , he was referring to the Democrats ' big midterm congressional losses in 1994 , blamed in part on the failure of the big government health care bill that he sponsored .
JUST WATCHED Clinton : 'Era of big government is over ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Clinton : 'Era of big government is over ' 01:01
What he was signaling : `` I 'm moving to the center , ( and ) the Democratic Party is moving to the center . '' He then went on that year to pass welfare reform , a Republican-sponsored idea . That made some liberals mad but ensuring in some ways his re-election .
The 1986 State of the Union , delivered by Ronald Reagan , was the first one to be postponed as the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up shortly after lift-off on the day for which the speech was scheduled .
JUST WATCHED State of the Union postponed Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH State of the Union postponed 01:10
Reagan had such a good sense of timing that he realized it was more important was to directly address the Challenger problem than to deliver the State of the Union . He gave a masterful , emotional and classy speech from the Oval Office that allowed him to become healer-in-chief , yet another role for the president of the United States .
When Ronald Reagan turned to the House Gallery and recognized Lenny Skutnik as a hero for jumping into the waters of the Potomac River to help rescue the survivors of an airplane crash , it began a tradition that continues to this day . The first lady 's box is now regularly peopled by ordinary citizens who have done extraordinary things .
JUST WATCHED Tradition starts with plane crash hero Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Tradition starts with plane crash hero 01:03
Sometimes the presidents use it as a human touch on their policies or sometimes as an emotional moment that makes the House and the Senate come together . These people are generally not partisan and are somebody that people can look up to at the same time .
Here was Nixon 's approval rating at only 26 % , and the House was already considering impeaching him for Watergate , and his voice was trembling . At one point , he meant to say that `` we must replace the discredited welfare system , '' but instead says that `` we must replace the discredited president . '' Then he declares one year of Watergate is enough .
JUST WATCHED Nixon : 'One year of Watergate is enough ' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Nixon : 'One year of Watergate is enough ' 00:58
Some people said at the time that what was so incredible about that State of the Union address was that it was less about the state of the union and more about the state of the president -- here he is facing down the people who are beginning to think about his impeachment , and he has to stand before them in that assembly .
In Lyndon B. Johnson 's first State of the Union , only two months after the assassination of JFK , he called for an unconditional war on poverty , a whole set of interrelated programs involving health care , urban centers Appalachia and more .
JUST WATCHED 1964 : The war on poverty Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH 1964 : The war on poverty 00:50
What he said at the time was that he wanted something to be his own program , something that had n't been started by any other president . Poverty was the thing that hit him emotionally , that he always wanted to do something about , so this became his signature program .
It 's incredible that within such short time of JFK 's assassination , he came up with a vision or a whole series of legislative programs that would eventually become fact .
One of the best remembered moments is the declaration of the `` Four Freedoms '' in Franklin Roosevelt 's 1941 State of the Union -- the freedom from want , the freedom from fear , the freedom of speech and the freedom of worship . It became memorialized in Norman Rockwell 's famous paintings and offered a standard by which other countries would be judged . It still provides hope for those countries where those freedoms are not assured .
Another important note from that State of the Union is that FDR called for the Lend-Lease act for Britain , which was then at war with Germany . At a time when our country was still isolationist , eventually Lend-Lease passed , proving that we had educated the country to the need to do something even before Pearl Harbor brought us into the war .
Eleanor Roosevelt , in a very rare lapse of judgment , was upset that during the discussion of the Four Freedoms and Lend-Lease , the Republicans did not clap and sat on their hands .
She said she felt that they were just little kids , saying , `` I do n't want to play in your yard . I do n't love you anymore . '' She then got roundly criticized -- and rightly so -- by Republicans , who said , `` What does she think she is , the queen ? And he is the king ? And we are not allowed to criticize them ? '' | cirSp9dP6XdvZPna | 0 | White House | 0.2 | State Of The Union | 0.1 | Politics | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
technology | The Jerusalem Post | https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-757593 | Elon Musk vows defamation lawsuit against ADL: 'The irony!' | 2023-09-05 | Technology, Social Media, Twitter, Elon Musk, Antisemitism, Defamation | The social media platform, X, (formerly Twitter), will be forced to sue the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for defamation, X owner, Elon Musk, wrote in a post on the platform Tuesday morning.The announcement comes on the heels of a report from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Musk had promoted a hashtag launched by Irish white nationalist and self-described “raging antisemite,” Keith Woods.The ADL, because they are so aggressive in their demands to ban social media accounts for even minor infractions, are ironically the biggest generators of anti-Semitism on this platform! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023Wood’s hashtag, #BanTheADL, calls to ban the ADL from X.“To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League … oh the irony!” Musk wrote.To clear our platform’s name on the matter of anti-Semitism, it looks like we have no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League … oh the irony! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023ANTI-DEFAMATION League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt speaks during an ADL summit in New York City in November. He has criticized The New York Times for its depiction of the ultra-Orthodox. (credit: JEENAH MOON/REUTERS)In the first few hours of the post being on X, it had accumulated nine million views, over a hundred thousand “likes,” thousands of “retweets” and nearly ten thousand comments, an overwhelming proportion of which were positive.Several hours earlier, Musk had posted, “To be super clear, I’m pro free speech, but against anti-Semitism of any kind.”To be super clear, I’m pro free speech, but against anti-Semitism of any kind — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 4, 2023Additional Tweets from Musk attacking the ADLMore posts from Musk on the subject were quick to follow. Stay updated with the latest news! Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter Subscribe NowFirst, Musk shared an article from August of this year from Tablet, an online Jewish magazine. The article similarly castigated the ADL and other prominent Jewish organizations such as the Jewish Council for Public Affairs for making an ally out of Black American leader, Al Sharpton despite his apparent history of antisemitism. For instance, the article notes Sharpton’s involvement in anti-Jewish riots in Crown Heights in 1991.The article lambasts Sharpton, labeling him as “America’s only living pogrom leader.”The Tablet article goes on to sharply condemn the ADL, and specifically ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt for tarnishing the organization’s reputation and, seemingly deliberately, misrepresenting antisemitism in America.Next, Musk shared an NPR article from 2009 that highlights the work of Israeli filmmaker, Yoav Shamir.This article likewise addresses the ADL, reporting that Shamir was unable to get concrete evidence from ADL staffers despite “their claims of a sharp spike in North American anti-Semitism.”Additionally, the article notes that Shamir was “shocked that American scholars Stephen M. Walt and John Mearsheimer have been labeled as anti-Semites for suggesting that the influence of pro-Israel lobbyists — the ADL prominent among them — is good for neither Israel nor the United States.” | c2b7948409784c49 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
violence_in_america | Newsmax (News) | https://www.newsmax.com/us/capitol-police-lawsuit-trump-january-6/2021/08/26/id/1033879/ | Capitol Police Officers Sue Trump, Allies Over Jan. 6 Events | 2021-08-26 | Violence In America, Justice, Capitol Chaos, Crime, Donald Trump, Race And Racism, Elections, 2020 Election, Voting Rights And Voter Fraud | Seven Capitol Police officers filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing former President Donald Trump and supporters of planning what led to the Jan. 6 attack in Washington D.C.The suit ranks as the most expansive civil effort to date seeking to hold Trump and his allies legally accountable for the Capitol assault, The New York Times reported.Although three similar lawsuits were filed in recent months, Thursday's filing is the first to allege that Trump worked in concert with political organizers to promote claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election."This is probably the most comprehensive account of Jan. 6 in terms of civil cases," Edward Caspar, a lawyer who is leading the suit for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told the Times."It spans from the former president to militants around him to his campaign supporters."The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in the District of Columbia, marked the first time that the seven plaintiffs, five of whom are Black, offered details of their Jan. 6 ordeals.Previously, several police officers spoke of their Jan. 6 experiences at a July hearing before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Democrat-controlled select committee.Trump on Wednesday slammed the committee for seeking records from him and his family relating to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack as being a partisan distraction from the failures of President Joe Biden around the world and at home.On Friday, it was reported that the FBI had found scant evidence the Jan. 6 Capitol attack was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.The latest lawsuit accuses Trump and his co-defendants — members of the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers militia, and Trump associates such as Roger Stone — of violating the Ku Klux Klan Act, an 1871 statute that includes protections against violent conspiracies that interfere with Congress’s constitutional duties.The suit also accuses the defendants of committing "bias-motivated acts of terrorism" in violation of District of Columbia law, the Times reported.Previous lawsuits surrounding the Jan. 6 events were filed:In February, by the N.A.A.C.P. on behalf of Democrat lawmakers who accused Trump, his former lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers of conspiring to prevent certification of the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6.In March, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., filed a similar complaint against Trump, Giuliani, Donald Trump Jr., and Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.Also in March, two Capitol Police officers filed a suit against Trump.The Justice Department also is investigating the events on Jan. 6.Reuters contributed to this story.Related Stories. | 47f9fd1abcd9784c | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/7/romney-obama-waiting-executive-action-cynical-poli/ | Romney: Obama waiting on executive action is ‘cynical,’ ‘political’ | 2014-09-07 | white_house | Mitt Romney , the 2012 GOP nominee for president , said Sunday that President Obama waiting until after the midterm elections to address immigration reform is a “ cynical ” and “ political ” move .
“ The president ’ s saying I ’ m going to violate the law after the election when what I do will not have electoral consequences , ” Mr. Romney said on “ Fox News Sunday. ” “ He ’ s basically saying he wants to do something the American people won ’ t like and he wants to do it after the midterms when it won ’ t have consequences for him . ”
Mr. Obama announced Saturday that he would wait until after November to issue an executive order on immigration . Republicans are calling it a political move to protect vulnerable Democrats and hopefully keep control of the Senate . Democrats said they were disappointed that the president isn ’ t acting sooner on something House Republicans failed to move forward .
Mr. Romney also criticized the president on his foreign policy , noting that he has downplayed threats to the country ’ s national security in the past by wanting to reset the relationship with Russia and calling the Islamic State junior varsity .
“ He is so out of touch with reality that he hasn ’ t taken the kind of action necessary to prevent very bad things from happening , ” Mr. Romney said . “ When the president is seen as being weak , bad people do bad things . ”
Mr. Romney also suggested that the president hasn ’ t yet come up with a strategy to defeat the Islamic State because he spends too much time playing golf .
“ The president was too busy on the golf course to pick up the phone and call leaders around the world to say what if , ” he said . “ I don ’ t know whether you can ’ t see reality from a fairway . ”
While Mr. Romney was critical of the president , he stood by past assertions that he will not make another run at the country ’ s top office in 2016 .
“ There ’ s no question in my mind that I think I would ’ ve been a better president than Barack Obama has been , ” Mr. Romney said . “ My time has come and gone , I had that opportunity . I ran , I didn ’ t win and now it ’ s time for someone else to pick up the baton . ” | D0395AbbC4GnLLYl | 2 | White House | -0.2 | Barack Obama | -0.2 | Mitt Romney | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
elections | New York Post | https://nypost.com/2019/05/16/bill-de-blasio-officially-launches-2020-presidential-campaign/ | Bill de Blasio officially launches 2020 presidential campaign | 2019-05-16 | elections | After nearly half a year of hemming and hawing , Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday entered the 2020 presidential race , becoming the 24th Democrat to join the jam-packed field .
The termed-out politician , known for his habitual tardiness , finally decided to run after five months of toying with a White House bid .
“ I ’ m Bill de Blasio and I ’ m running for president because it ’ s time we put working people first , ” the mayor said in a three-minute YouTube video announcing his candidacy .
The opening shots include de Blasio zipping around the city in the back of an SUV — his gas-guzzling choice of transportation for the 11-mile jaunt from Gracie Mansion to the gym in Park Slope .
“ Good thing about New Yorkers is they look the same whether they ’ re really pissed off at you or they like you , ” the mayor quips .
He details his “ Working People First ” slogan by touting his policy initiatives including pre-K for all , paid sick leave and boosting the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour .
First lady Chirlane McCray also makes an appearance to briefly plug her mental health agenda .
“ Everything begins with being healthy and there is no health without mental health , ” she says .
Then , as the White House flashes on the screen to dramatic music , de Blasio pivots to a national message .
“ Don ’ t back down in the face of the bully — take him on , ” he says . “ As president , I will take on the wealthy , I will take on the big corporations , I will not rest until this government serves working people . ”
“ Donald Trump must be stopped . I ’ ve beaten him before and I ’ ll do it again , ” de Blasio says .
Insiders initially thought de Blasio would announce his national campaign the week of his 58th birthday on May 8 , but he delayed .
“ So you ’ re still deciding ? ” NY1 ’ s Errol Louis asked the mayor on May 6 .
Local political experts can ’ t fathom what prompted the mayor to take the plunge .
“ It ’ s really hard to understand what lane de Blasio plans to ride to the nomination , ” said David Birdsell , dean of the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at CUNY ’ s Baruch College .
De Blasio has the dubious distinction of being the only candidate or potential candidate out of 23 contenders to earn a negative rating among national Democrats in a March Monmouth University survey . A total of 24 percent gave him a thumbs down while just 18 percent had a favorable view of him .
At home , the numbers are even worse . A staggering 76 percent of Big Apple voters don ’ t think he should run , according to an April Quinnipiac University Poll .
Since de Blasio was elected the 109th mayor in 2013 on a “ Tale of Two Cities ” platform , he ’ s disappointed many of the liberals who put him in office .
The city ’ s long-struggling Housing Authority collapsed under the weight of a lead-poisoning scandal , culminating in a federal lawsuit alleging a massive cover-up of toxic living conditions and a repair bill that hit an eye-watering $ 32 billion in 2018 .
De Blasio was forced to accept federal oversight of NYCHA to settle a lawsuit brought by Manhattan federal prosecutors and has embraced the partial privatization — once an anathema — as one way to pay for renovations at many of its 325 projects .
While NYCHA rotted , the city ’ s homelessness crisis ballooned . Roughly 60,000 New Yorkers are now living on the streets , while the administration struggles to battle back neighborhood opposition to new homeless shelters .
Continuing probes alleged pay-to-play schemes have dogged de Blasio ’ s mayoralty .
The state Joint Commission on Public Ethics is still investigating his shuttered Campaign For One New York , a nonprofit that folded in 2016 after taking in $ 4.3 million to promote his pet projects , including pre-K expansion .
De Blasio ducked federal and state charges in 2017 after he was accused of handing out favors in exchange for donations to his political group .
But the city Department of Investigation concluded in 2018 that the mayor hit up individuals and companies with matters pending before city agencies to fill the coffers of the Campaign For One New York .
City Comptroller Scott Stringer has subpoenaed the mayor for information about a $ 173 million real estate deal with developers Stuart and Jay Podolsky , who are represented by politically connected Brooklyn attorney Frank Carone .
The city paid the Podolskys $ 30 million above the appraised price for 21 buildings in the Bronx and Brooklyn to create more affordable housing . Carone donated $ 5,000 to de Blasio ’ s Fairness PAC last fall .
The mayor has defended the price tag , saying it was cheaper than taking the properties by eminent domain . He ’ s also said there was nothing wrong with accepting Carone ’ s cash because it was cleared by his lawyers .
The scandal will likely follow de Blasio on the campaign trail , where he ’ d rather talk up his progressive message of free pre-K and paid sick leave .
They ’ re the two shining examples from his time at City Hall . Before he took office in 2013 , there were under 20,000 city kids in public pre-kindergarten . Now 70,000 4-year-olds are enrolled in the free program . In March 2014 , he signed a bill requiring city employers to give up to five paid sick days to their workers each year .
De Blasio has laid some groundwork for the campaign — talking to small crowds in Iowa , New Hampshire , South Carolina and Nevada .
He spoke to 20 people in Concord , New Hampshire , in March and just nine in Pahrump , Nevada , in April .
He heads to Iowa and South Carolina again this weekend .
He doesn ’ t have much time to convince would-be voters why he ’ s the one to take on Trump .
The first Democratic debate is in Miami on June 26 and 27 . De Blasio may not even qualify for the debate because his poll numbers don ’ t meet the 1 percent threshold .
“ There are reasons why mayors of New York City haven ’ t done well in national politics and that ’ s because people don ’ t associate with their problems with those problems , ” said Birdsell , the CUNY dean .
The checkered past goes back to 1812 , when New York City Mayor DeWitt Clinton lost to incumbent James Madison . John Lindsay ’ s 1972 White House bid petered out during the primaries , and Rudy Giuliani came up short in 2008 .
The mayor must spend time bulking up his campaign team . His Fairness PAC , which has organized his recent out-of-state visits , currently has a largely volunteer , skeleton staff .
It ’ s led by Jon Paul Lupo , who took a leave from his city position as director of intergovernmental affairs and is using vacation days to work on the PAC . Deputy press secretary Olivia Lapeyrolerie and deputy director of executive operations Alexandra Kopel are also using leave and their time off to boost the mayor ’ s 2020 bid .
Former top aide Mike Casca , who ’ d worked on Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ previous presidential run , first left City Hall for the PAC , then cut ties with de Blasio altogether earlier this month .
Finally , the mayor ’ s longtime press secretary , Eric Phillips , decamped for the private sector in April . | cVHkWadZ60vVreRQ | 2 | Bill De Blasio | -0.2 | Election2020 | -0.1 | Presidential Elections | -0.1 | Elections | -0.1 | null | null |
immigration | National Review | https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/11/central-american-caravan-arrives-us-mexico-border/ | The Media Was Wrong About the Caravan | 2018-11-27 | immigration | Members of a migrant caravan from Central America cross the Tijuana River near the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico in Tijuana , Mexico , November 25 , 2018 . ( Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters )
The last week has shown how Trump ’ s critics were wrong to dismiss the caravan .
It ’ s roughly the three-week anniversary of CNN reporter Jim Acosta repeatedly telling President Donald Trump at a press conference that the migrant caravan is “ hundreds and hundreds of miles away ” and “ not an invasion , ” and objecting to a campaign ad that showed migrants climbing border walls — “ they ’ re not going to be doing that . ”
Now , thousands of migrants from the caravan have arrived in the border city of Tijuana , Mexico . Over the weekend , hundreds of them stormed a border crossing , climbing the fence and throwing rocks . U.S. border agents used tear gas to repel the mob . If the throng was too small to constitute an invasion , it certainly wasn ’ t a rules-bound group of asylum-seekers .
Trump relied too heavily on the caravan as an issue in the midterm election , but the last week has shown how his critics were wrong to sneer .
It was conventional wisdom in the press that the caravan was a concoction of Trump ’ s fevered imagination . It soon would dissipate and even if not , take months to reach the United States . This widely repeated factoid was based on calculations of its movement on foot ( it apparently didn ’ t occur to anyone that the caravan also would travel by bus or truck ) .
In the immediate aftermath of the election , when Trump didn ’ t talk about the caravan as much and Fox News covered it less , liberal commentators were outraged . The diminished attention supposedly proved that the focus on the caravan had been entirely cynical electoral politics . But there was a genuine lull in the news . With the weekend ’ s border incident bringing new attention , liberal outlets are back again to complaining that Fox is covering the caravan too much .
The latest once again puts the Left ’ s radicalism on display . It ’ s not just that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be abolished ; border agents can ’ t defend themselves from an aggressive rabble .
Hawaii senator Brian Schatz wondered on Twitter if the use of tear gas violated the Chemical Weapons Convention ( the answer is an emphatic “ no , ” and he deleted the tweet ) . Representative Barbara Lee of California described the gassing of “ women and children ” as an atrocity and called for U.N. inspectors . Progressive darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez compared the migrants to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany .
All of this rending of garments , despite the facts that the tear gas was directed at the adult males who led the charge , similar crowd-control tactics were used at the border during the Obama administration , and , of course , cops use tear gas during disturbances involving fellow U.S. citizens all the time .
The larger issue at the border is the set of rules for Central American migrants . It allows adults with children and minors into the country while their ( almost always rejected ) asylum claims are adjudicated . They can easily abscond once admitted , and the laxity of the system is an incentive for more Central American family units to come .
By working out a possible deal with the Mexican government for migrants to stay in Mexico while they apply for asylum — and forbidding migrants who enter the U.S. illegally from applying — the administration has hit on an approach to tighten up the current loopholes . But the deal with Mexico may not be final and a California district judge , in what looks like another instance of resistance jurisprudence , has put an injunction on the policy regarding illegal entrants .
Trump has been wrong to portray the migrants as inherently threatening — the overwhelming majority just want a better life — but we have the sovereign right to decide who does and doesn ’ t come to this country , and demand that it be an orderly , lawful process .
If any significant portion of the caravan gains entry , it will send a message that large-scale movements of people are better than small groups . This could lead to even more pressure at the border , no matter how much it will be dismissed by the same people who insisted the caravan would never arrive at the border . | L0T9nZxgrmweLIwI | 2 | Immigration | -0.1 | Media Bias | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
facts_and_fact_checking | Politico | https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/09/donald-trump-dana-milbank-press-credential-226868 | Trump’s Fake Fight Against Real News | 2019-05-09 | facts_and_fact_checking | Evan VucciAP Photo Fourth Estate Trump ’ s Fake Fight Against Real News Pretending to ban a Washington Post columnist from the White House is a sign that the White House is losing its public-relations battle with journalists .
President Donald Trump must spend hours and hours of his executive time thinking up new ways to tease and taunt the press .
He has stirred hatred for reporters by calling them the “ enemy of the people ” and describing their accounts as “ fake news. ” He has singled out individual reporters—Jim Acosta , Peter Alexander , April Ryan , Abby Phillip , Yamiche Alcindor , and others—for direct , vocal abuse . He has threatened the New York Times with a libel suit . He continues to employ a mendacious press secretary , Sarah Huckabee Sanders , who has reduced the frequency of official press briefings from daily to less than monthly . ( She hasn ’ t held one in 58 days , a modern White House record . ) And most notably last November , his administration yanked CNN reporter Acosta ’ s White House press pass .
The White House returned Acosta ’ s pass after he sued , but the president continues to prospect new frontiers in press hazing . On Wednesday , Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank reported that the White House had revoked his “ hard pass , ” the credential that makes it simpler for journalists to access the grounds to report on the administration . Milbank had held a hard pass for 21 years .
I won ’ t say Trump ’ s micro-aggressions against the press are harmless , but they ’ re hardly the savaging of the First Amendment or the defenestration of the White House press corps some ( not Milbank ) would make them out to be . That Trump continues to toss pebbles rather than heaving cannonballs is a better indicator that the president is losing his campaign with the press rather than winning . A harassment campaign like this one is vintage Trump , like a slap-fight in a bar , something that gives the illusion that he ’ s a tough guy when he ’ s closer to a pushover .
To trust Sanders—and I don ’ t—Milbank isn ’ t being punished for anything he wrote . He ’ s a victim of a new set of rules , promulgated in March . Journalists can qualify for renewal of their hard passes if they visit the White House , on average , every other day in the half-year since their last renewal , the Post ’ s Paul Farhi reports . Sanders told Farhi that the new hard pass rules were designed to improve White House security , not to punish the press . In addition to Milbank , seven Post White House reporters lost their hard passes under the new requirements , but unlike Milbank they qualified for “ exemptions ” and had them reinstated .
Why pick on Milbank ? “ I strongly suspect it ’ s because I ’ m a Trump critic , ” he wrote in his column . “ The move is perfectly in line with Trump ’ s banning of certain news organizations , including the Post , from his campaign events and his threats to revoke White House credentials of journalists he doesn ’ t like . ”
The White House ’ s new attendance-based rules are a farce no matter how you look at them . If applied consistently , Sanders , who rarely meets the press for official briefings , should have to give up her White House credentials , too ! Nor is security an issue , as Sanders alleges in a conversation with Farhi . The Secret Service completes a security check—including an FBI background investigation—for all hard pass applicants . Milbank , who has cleared these bars , poses no security threat to Trump unless routinely fracturing the president ’ s fragile ego in his column can be considered a threat .
The administration ’ s cheap-jack tactics won ’ t exclude Milbank or other reporters from the White House . As Farhi notes , the hard pass is good for two years , but reporters who don ’ t hold hard passes can still apply for daily , weekly , or six-month passes for White House visits . The new rules merely inconvenience the White House reporters by forcing them to keep attendance records and to jump through the administration ’ s bureaucratic hoops if they miss too many days . The rules , writes Milbank , leave many in the White House press corps credentialed under “ exceptions , ” which means they ’ re serving “ at the pleasure of press secretary Sarah Sanders . ”
What ’ s next on the Trump administration ’ s agenda , Sanders taking daily attendance for the White House press corps ? Truancy notes to editors ? As many have noted , it ’ s not as if the president dislikes the press . He loves to take reporters ’ questions on the White House lawn , or as they shout them out as he boards Marine One , or when a foreign dignitary comes to visit , or when he turns a White House event into a wild , impromptu news conference as he did Thursday afternoon . He lives to talk to supplicants on Fox & Friends or the Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity shows . As long he controls the terms of engagement and can stop tough queries in a decent interval , the president blooms with delight .
It ’ s hard to interpret the new hard pass rules as anything but Trump ’ s payback for his face-losing loss in the Acosta contretemps . He lost so badly in that round that White House carpenters had to build a special weeping room in the residential quarters for him to decant his tear ducts . These new rules—unlike his arbitrary and capricious treatment of Acosta—seem safe from being challenged or overturned . As acts of retaliation go , it ’ s minor , but it must have brought great cheer to the president , who loves to stick it in and break it off . I ’ ll bet he inhaled Milbank ’ s column like it was two scoops of ice cream nestled on a slice of chocolate cream pie .
The new rules put the Trump offense back on the field and presage at least two more years of similar tiny insults and inconveniences for the White House press corps . Think of him as the 11-year-old sociopath who , after getting bitten by ants , saw no recourse but to kick the anthill . Unless that 11-year-old wants to resort to napalm , it ’ s a fight he ’ ll never win .
Ants use scent-power to remember who kicked them . Send ant lore to [ email protected ] . My email alerts are populated by carpenter ants . My Twitter feed , dark rover ants . My RSS feed—you had to ask ? —fire ants . | hUOJAPUxEcgFjus2 | 0 | Journalism | 0.2 | Fake News | -0.1 | Donald Trump | 0 | Facts And Fact Checking | 0 | null | null |
politics | NPR (Online News) | https://www.npr.org/2021/04/29/991655675/big-government-is-back-and-3-other-takeaways-from-bidens-address-to-congress | Big Government Is Back, And 3 Other Takeaways From Biden's Address To Congress | 2021-04-29 | White House, Joe Biden, Role Of Government, Politics | Deirdre Walsh President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress. Biden made the pitch for a larger federal role in American society and marked history in the House chamber with two top women: Vice President Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Jim Watson/AP hide caption President Biden addresses a joint session of Congress. Biden made the pitch for a larger federal role in American society and marked history in the House chamber with two top women: Vice President Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. President Biden's joint address to Congress looked back over the challenges he faced taking office 100 days ago in the midst of a pandemic — and declared "America is on the move again." But the speech also outlined an ambitious, active role for the government to continue helping Americans struggling, as well as new proposals to boost the country's ability to compete. It amounted to an updated New Deal, but one that faces a precarious path to get through razor-thin margins in both the House and Senate. Because of the pandemic and Biden' personality, the hour-plus speech was a stark contrast from his predecessor's. It was a more low-key and traditional litany of policy priorities instead of the often unpredictable and unscripted moments seen in former President Donald Trump's speeches on Capitol Hill. Instead of facing a crowded chamber of lawmakers ready to interrupt with loud cheers, Biden spoke to a mostly empty chamber — only 200 attendees instead of the usual 1,600. The former senator felt at home, ad-libbing references to his former colleagues in Congress, and seeming nostalgic about his time walking the halls in the Capitol. But he also spoke to a deeply divided room that almost had polar opposite reactions to the bulk of his presentation. Here are some takeaways from the joint address: 1. Era of big government is back, and Biden is all in Former President Bill Clinton notably declared in his 1996 State of the Union address that "the era of big government is over," marking a shift for Democrats then trying to show attention to fiscal responsibility. But Biden, in unabashedly rolling out new, liberal federal programs, rejected that and instead argued government was the solution. Biden already notched one legislative achievement on his belt with the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that he signed in March. Less than three weeks later, he unveiled a $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill, dubbed the American Jobs Plan, which calls for spending on a range of items like roads, bridges, water systems and broadband access. But it also expands beyond traditional infrastructure spending to include plans to address racial inequity and combat climate change. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have spent weeks debating what should ultimately qualify as infrastructure, and Republicans introduced their own, much more-targeted $568 billion proposal. And Biden spent much of the primetime speech Wednesday outlining another massive domestic program — his American Families Plan — a nearly $2 trillion plan that includes initiatives pushed by progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders. These would dramatically widen the social safety net for Americans from preschool age to those on Medicare. It would convert some items initially designed as temporary coronavirus relief to more permanent federal mainstays for millions of families. Biden was viewed as the moderate in the 2020 Democratic field. But since swearing in, he's made clear that he views his role is to use the government to transform the economy, targeting those at the lower rungs of the economic ladder. The Families Plan provides money for two years of preschool and two years of free community college, extending the current 12 years of public school American students now get. Biden also said low-income Americans should be guaranteed to spend no more than 7% of their income for child care for kids up to the age of 5. He insisted the U.S. should support up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. In total, Biden outlined almost $6 trillion in spending — another $4 trillion on top of what Congress already approved. This is a staggering sum, especially with the U.S. facing record deficits. It's also an ambitious effort politically after Democrats muscled through a COVID-19 relief bill through both chambers essentially on party-line votes due to universal GOP opposition. Biden faces long odds to get the entire scope of his proposal through — he urged both parties to come together, but there's little evidence he'll get much, if any GOP support. He still needs to sell members of his own party on the merits of his plans. West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, a critical vote in the 50-50 Senate, told reporters on Capitol Hill before the speech that the size of the series of programs made him "uncomfortable." 2. Biden framed expanded federal programs as a New Deal for middle class to compete Republicans have tagged Biden's expansive vision for more federal spending as "radical" and mocked his argument that items like health care subsidies and child care tax credits are forms of infrastructure. But instead of engaging in that debate, Biden argued that the U.S. should be compelled to provide these types of programs now because it was falling behind globally. He said these programs would equip Americans to compete with other countries in the 21st century — with education the cornerstone to close the gap. Biden said he wanted ideas from Republicans, and there was room for compromise, but he made it clear he wouldn't wait if negotiations didn't progress, saying: "Doing nothing is not an option." "We can't be so busy competing with each other that we forget the competition is with the rest of the world to win the 21st century. To win that competition for the future, we also need to make a once-in-a-generation investment in our families, in our children," Biden said. The president, who regularly touts his own blue-collar roots, maintained that his plan was targeted to those who had been left behind as other nations emerged as leaders in the development of new technologies. "The American Jobs Plan is a blue-collar blueprint to build America," he said. He argued his proposal to tax wealthy Americans and corporations was a fair approach, since the small number of ultra rich only expanded their portfolios during the pandemic while middle-class and low-income workers suffered. "Wall Street didn't build this country. The middle class built this country. And unions build the middle class," Biden said. 3. Biden tied the success of his presidency to reasserting democracy abroad Biden didn't mention Trump by name, but as he talked about his conversations with foreign leaders and his pledge that America was reengaging in alliances around the world, he stressed that he was pivoting away from the past four years. Standing in the Capitol that was attacked on Jan. 6 by pro-Trump extremists who disputed the 2020 election results, Biden said, "the insurrection was an existential crisis — a test of whether our democracy could survive." He framed the government's success at quickly distributing vaccines as a model for the rest of the world — that the American way is superior and more effective than those led by "the autocrats of the world." "It's time we remembered that we the people are the government. You and I. Not some force in a distant capital. Not some powerful force we have no control over," Biden said. Americans have a responsibility to "do our part" — a contrast from Trump's emphasis on an "America First" foreign policy. Biden said: "If we do, then we will meet the central challenge of the age by proving that democracy is durable and strong. The autocrats will not win the future." 4. Marking history Presidents frequently argue that they are making historic strides in their annual prime-time speeches, touting a policy accomplishment or statistics about a record-breaking economic indicator. But Biden made the point of pausing at the start of his speech to emphasize the image of him standing for the first time as president of the United States before two women on the rostrum. That moment — streaming online and on television screens to millions — was a compelling moment for women, and for communities of color. "Madam speaker, madam vice president — no president has ever said those words from this podium, and it's about time," Biden said, acknowledging the first female vice president, Kamala Harris, sitting behind him, alongside Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Later the president mentioned tasking the vice president with leading the effort to implement his American jobs plan, and her role in the diplomatic effort to address the immigration crisis in talks with Central American countries. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through the NPR Services and to enable you to use some of their features. 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trade | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/politics/malcolm-turnbull-donald-trump-pena-nieto/index.html | Trump had heated exchange with Australian PM, talked 'tough hombres' with Mexican leader | 2017-02-01 | trade | During the US President 's call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday , Trump objected to an agreement over the US receiving refugees , sources told CNN . All this a day after a call with Mexico 's President , where a transcript showed Trump complaining about Mexico 's `` handling '' of `` tough hombres . ''
Australia is an ally of the United States , with the two countries joining three other English-speaking countries in an intelligence sharing arrangement known as the `` Five Eyes . ''
The disagreement came as the two leaders discussed a deal , reached under the Obama administration , for the US to accept refugees from Australia who are living on islands in detention centers off the mainland due to strict government policies .
Many of them are from the seven countries affected by Trump 's travel ban . Trump on Friday also suspended the entry of all refugees for 120 days , along with indefinitely suspending the entry of Syrian refugees .
Sources say Trump insisted it was a very bad deal for the US to take 2,000 refugees and that one of them was going to be the next Boston bomber .
Turnbull told Trump several times the agreement was for 1,250 refugees , not 2,000 . He also said Australia was asking to submit them to the US for refugee screening , and if the refugees did not pass the US screening process , they would not come .
Trump expressed concern as to how this agreement from President Barack Obama 's administration would go forward given his executive order the day before temporarily suspending the US refugee program .
Trump abruptly ended the call because he was unhappy , a source told CNN . White House press Wednesday night , Trump tweeted , `` Do you believe it ? The Obama administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia . Why ? I will study this dumb deal ! ''
Do you believe it ? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia . Why ? I will study this dumb deal ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) February 2 , 2017
Turnbull said the call ended `` courteously '' in a radio interview Thursday .
On Thursday , Trump used his remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast -- an annual tradition attended by many world and religious leaders -- to weigh in on the reports circulating on his phone calls .
`` When you hear about the tough phone calls I 'm having , do n't worry about it . Just do n't worry about it . They 're tough . We have to be tough . It 's time we 're going to be a little tough , folks , '' he said . `` We 're taken advantage of by every nation in the world , virtually . It 's not going to happen anymore . It 's not going to happen anymore . ''
The Washington Post was the first to report on the details of the Australian call .
When asked about the tweet labeling the agreement brokered with Obama 's administration a `` dumb deal , '' Turnball said , while the deal may not have been one Trump would 've done or considered a `` good deal , '' the President and his administration have committed to honor it .
Earlier this week , Spicer said the Trump administration would honor the agreement , saying the refugees would be submitted to `` extreme vetting . ''
Turnbull attempted to keep some semblance of diplomacy , declining to elaborate on details of the call .
`` Look , I 'm not going to comment on a conversation between myself and the President of the United States other than what we have said publicly , and you can surely understand the reasons for that , '' he said . `` I 'm sure you can understand that . It 's better these conversations are conducted candidly , frankly , privately . If you 'll see reports of them , I 'm not going to add to them . ''
One person familiar with the circumstances on Saturday notes that President Trump 's phone call with Turnbull came after a long day of conversations with other foreign leaders -- Turnbull was the fifth call after conversations with Japanese Prime Minister Abe , French President Hollande , German Chancellor Merkel , and Russian President Putin , each of which lasted close to an hour .
Trump , this source said , was feeling some fatigue after his first major bout of diplomacy . And while his earlier conversations were n't necessarily contentious , they did involve some tense moments . Merkel and Hollande pushed back on the travel ban over the phone . Merkel felt she had to explain the Geneva Convention to Trump -- a lecture a source has said Trump chafed at .
JUST WATCHED Mexico 's top diplomat responds to Trump 's tweet Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Mexico 's top diplomat responds to Trump 's tweet 00:45
CNN has also learned details about the Friday phone call between Trump and Peña Nieto , who canceled an in-person visit with Trump after the US President insisted Mexico pay for a border wall between the two countries .
According to an excerpt of the transcript of the call with Peña Nieto provided to CNN , Trump said , `` You have some pretty tough hombres in Mexico that you may need help with . We are willing to help with that big-league , but they have be knocked out and you have not done a good job knocking them out . ''
Trump made an offer to help Peña Nieto with the drug cartels .
The excerpt of the transcript obtained by CNN differs with an official internal readout of the call that wrongly suggested Trump was contemplating sending troops to the border in a hostile way .
The Associated Press report said Trump threatened to send US troops to stop criminals in Mexico unless the government did more to control them , but both the US and Mexican governments denied details from the story .
Sources described the AP 's reporting as being based upon a readout -- written by aides -- not a transcript .
A government official familiar with Trump 's interactions with foreign leaders said , `` ( Trump 's ) interactions are naive in that he keeps suggesting we will have the best relationship ever with a broad departure of countries , but there is no substance to back it up . When he encounters a policy challenge , like with Turnbull , he responds with a tantrum . '' | t7g4TRDXyeIwgcnP | 0 | Australia | -0.3 | Trade | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | New York Daily News | https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-lewinsky-starr-trump-impeachment-team-20200117-ygxdstcshzeebkfx4uct4qn4wm-story.html | Monica Lewinsky floored after Ken Starr joins Trump’s impeachment legal team | 2020-01-17 | Donald Trump, Ken Starr, Alan Dershowitz, Monica Lewinsky, White House, Impeachment, Politics | Daily News e-Edition Evening e-Edition Sign up for email newsletters Sign up for email newsletters Daily News e-Edition Evening e-Edition Trending: Monica Lewinsky is having a déja vu day. The former White House intern was incredulous Friday amid revelations that President Trump’s Senate impeachment trial defense team will feature Ken Starr, the former independent counsel who investigated her sexual relationship with Bill Clinton in 1998. “This is definitely an ‘are you f–king kidding me?’ kinda day,” Lewinsky tweeted as news broke that Starr was among four new additions to Trump’s legal team. Starr investigated Clinton for years over a real estate investment, but later expanded his probe to include the ex-president’s sexual relationship with Lewinsky. Clinton lied about that relationship under oath, and Starr filed an eponymous report on the matter the prompted the former president’s impeachment. In addition to Starr, Trump tapped Alan Dershowitz and frequent Fox News guest Pam Bondi to join his impeachment defense team on Friday. Copyright © 2025 New York Daily News | c02a9ac996ff69b7 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
abortion | New York Times - News | https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/us/politics/joe-biden-hyde-amendment.html | Joe Biden Denounces Hyde Amendment, Reversing His Position | 2019-06-06 | abortion | A former vice president known for — “ My love affair with Amtrak. ” “ Back on Amtrak ” — and his famous friend . “ This also gives the internet one last chance to talk about our bromance. ” Joe Biden is running for president . “ Today , I am announcing my candidacy for president of the United States . He ’ s tried it before . “ And with the grace of God and the support of the American people , I mean to be that kind of president. ” Twice . “ This is not about experience . It ’ s not about change . It ’ s about action. ” So , why does he think the third time ’ s a charm ? Biden may be betting that in this politically tumultuous time , voters are looking for a familiar face . He arrived in Washington before C-Span existed and before these members of Congress were born . His credentials are unmatched in the Democratic Party . He served two terms as vice president , 36 years in the Senate and has chaired powerful congressional committees . And he ’ s earned himself a few nicknames along the way . “ Working-Class Joe. ” “ Working-Class Joe Biden. ” “ Old Uncle Joe Biden. ” “ Crazy Uncle Joe Biden , just being Biden. ” So , what are Biden ’ s priorities ? He ’ s a moderate Democrat and is likely to focus on : expanding health care , investing in education and rebuilding relationships with allies . “ The America I see does not wish to turn our back on the world or our allies . We will be back. ” But his decadeslong record comes with some baggage , including his support for the Iraq war . “ President Bush is right to be concerned about Saddam Hussein ’ s relentless pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. ” Tough anti-crime policies . “ First , we have to join together to ensure that drug dealers are punished swiftly , surely and severely. ” And his role in the Anita Hill hearing . “ It is appropriate to ask Professor Hill anything any member wishes to ask her to plumb the depths of her credibility. ” More recently , several women have come forward saying they were uncomfortable with the way Biden touched them . “ I feel Joe Biden put his hands on my shoulders , get up very close to me from behind , lean in , smell my hair and then plant a slow kiss on the top of my head. ” Biden responded on Twitter . “ The boundaries of protected personal space have been reset and I get it . I will be more mindful and respectful of people ’ s personal space . So , how has Biden taken on President Trump ? They ’ ve had their share of fighting words . “ If we were in high school , I ’ d take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. ” Trump shot back on Twitter , and said Biden “ would go down fast and hard , crying all the way. ” Biden later said he regretted his comments . So , what are Biden ’ s odds ? He entered the race as an instant front-runner and he ’ s already leading in early polls . But as a white man in his late 70s , Biden ’ s test will be whether his popularity can outweigh the party ’ s thirst for generational change . | TNLHnSB1gpkaTiOc | 0 | Joe Biden | 0.3 | Abortion | 0.1 | Hyde Amendment | 0 | null | null | null | null |
cia | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/takeaways-from-the-john-brennan-hearing-grilling-87362.html?hp=l1 | 4 takeaways from John Brennan's grilling | 2013-02-07 | cia | It seems clear that Brennan has the support to be confirmed . | John Shinkle/███ John Brennan , piñata
Bipartisan agreement isn ’ t common on Capitol Hill these days , but John Brennan brought senators together at his CIA director confirmation hearing — to express their anger at years of intelligence stonewalling from presidents of both parties .
Twelve years into the war on terror , a largely complacent Congress and its Senate Intelligence Committee finally seemed to have found its voice . Brennan had the misfortune of being the one on the other side of the table when they did .
It seemed clear by the end of the session that Brennan had the support to be confirmed , but it was equally clear that senators are so angry with the Obama administration over questions of access to information about drone policies , Benghazi and other topics that the CIA nominee may have to wait for some of the questions to be sorted before being confirmed by the full Senate .
For hours , Brennan was battered by senators with long-standing grievances with the CIA or the Obama administration , even though many of the complaints had little or nothing to do with him .
Brennan tried to head off some of the complaints by saying in his opening statement that he ’ d learned there was a “ trust deficit ” between the CIA and the Senate . He called that “ wholly unacceptable . ”
“ I like to think that my candor and bluntness will reassure you that you will get straight answers from me , maybe not always the ones you like but you will get answers and they will reflect my honest views , ” he said .
Sen. Barbara Mikulski ( D-Md . ) made clear that there was a lot of work to do after decades of directors she said misled her or obstructed her requests .
“ With the exception of Mr. Panetta , I feel I ’ ve been jerked around by every CIA director , ” Mikulski said , a list that would include not just Bush-era directors like Porter Goss and George Tenet but also perhaps Obama appointee David Petraeus .
If White House officials thought President Barack Obama ’ s belated decision Wednesday to allow intelligence committees access to classified Justice Department legal memos that justified drone strikes against American terror suspects abroad would appease the committee , that was clearly a miscalculation .
Instead , it seemed to have provoked them . Senators opened the session with a flurry of complaints . They challenged Brennan about why senators ’ staff couldn ’ t look at the documents .
“ Our staff was banned from seeing it … this is upsetting to a number of members , ” an irritated Chairman Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif. ) declared .
And the committee insisted that the two opinions they were shown were not enough : Eight additional opinions were demanded .
“ We ’ ve got to see any and all of those legal opinions … before the vote , ” Sen. Ron Wyden ( D-Ore. ) said .
Republican senators said they were intent on using Brennan ’ s nomination to demand documents and emails about the administration ’ s handling of the attack on the Benghazi , Libya , Consulate last September that killed four Americans , including the ambassador .
“ It is absolutely essential that the documents this committee has requested be supplied before the confirmation move forward , ” said Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina . Burr quickly added though that he hoped Brennan wouldn ’ t take it personally . “ I ’ m not saying you were part of it , ” the senator said .
Brennan said the decisions on OLC memos and Benghazi documents weren ’ t his to make , but he hinted to the senators that he ’ s always favored greater disclosure to the public and the Hill committees .
“ I will certainly be an advocate for making sure this committee has the documents it needs in order to provide its oversight function , ” he declared . “ I have been an advocate of that position and I will continue to be . ”
The hearing began with protesters from the liberal group CodePink repeatedly interrupting until Feinstein suspended proceedings to have nearly all members of the public removed from the room .
Brennan made clear he is pained by the criticism and the suggestion that the administration is cavalier in its handling of the armed drone program .
“ The people who are standing here today I think they have a misunderstanding of what we do in government , the care taken , the agony we go through , ” Brennan said . “ People are reacting to a lot of falsehoods that are out there . ”
However , Brennan had few answers for Wyden , who has led the charge in demanding information and raising concerns about the drone program — particularly when it targets Americans .
Wyden asked how much evidence the president needs to use lethal force against a U.S. citizen and whether an American should be asked to surrender before he or she is targeted .
Brennan was respectful but suggested there ’ s little point in telling Al Qaeda leaders to surrender . “ An American who joins Al Qaeda will know full well that they have joined an organization at war with the United States … They can surrender at any time , ” he said .
For all the questions about safeguards , no one on the committee said they were opposed to the drone program — and some came to its defense .
However , after the hearing Feinstein told journalists she was unaware of reports that in some instances U.S. officials assumed any male of fighting age killed in a strike was a combatant — a method that could undercount the number of civilian deaths .
Brennan said he favored the U.S. making a public statement when it made a mistake in a drone strike , but he never explained how one could do that and keep such strikes officially classified .
Feinstein said the administration ’ s insistence on secrecy was undermining its ability to defend the effort . “ I think that rationale Mr. Brennan has long gone … I think it ’ s very important that we share this data with people , ” she said .
One subject some senators seemed keen on was the idea of a court that could review whether Americans belonged on a so-called kill list .
“ Having the executive be the prosecutor , the judge , the jury and executioner all in one is very contrary to the traditions and the laws of this country , ” Sen. Angus King ( I-Maine ) said . “ If you ’ re planning a strike over a period of days , weeks or months , there is an opportunity to go to someone outside the executive branch , a body like a [ Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ] court in a top-secret way and make the case that this individual is an enemy combatant . ”
Brennan called the suggestion “ certainly worthy of discussion ” and said the administration had “ wrestled with this , ” but he also suggested designating someone as an enemy and an ongoing threat isn ’ t much like what courts normally do .
The campaign is over , but attacking Obama for leaks is not
The sharpest questions about Brennan ’ s own conduct came on the issue of a flurry of leaks of national security secrets last year .
Brennan found himself under fire for a briefing he conducted last May for TV commentators as a story was breaking about a foiled Al Qaeda-linked plot in Yemen to blow up airlines bound for the U.S. Press reports about a U.S. double agent inside the operation may have caused the operation to be shut down prematurely .
After Brennan admitted that he ’ d told the commentators that the U.S. had “ inside control ” of the operation , Sen. Jim Risch ( R-Idaho ) had a Sherlock Holmes moment .
“ It seems to me the leak the Justice Department is looking for is right here in front of us ? ”
“ I disagree vehemently , ” Brennan shot back . “ In my discussion with those individuals that night , it already was out in the press , ” the White House counterterrorism adviser said , though it was unclear whether he meant the plot itself had been reported or the presence of an agent on the inside .
Brennan also acknowledged that he ’ d been interviewed by criminal investigators probing that leak but said his lawyer was told he was just a witness — not a subject or target of the investigation , two labels that can signify greater legal trouble .
Brennan insisted that “ inside control ” didn ’ t amount to a signal to the press that there was necessarily a double agent , but that there were other ways to be sure an operation wouldn ’ t do harm . ( At least one of the commentators on the call that day seemed to interpret it that way . )
“ It means any number of things … It does not reveal any classified information , ” Brennan said during questioning later by Sen. Dan Coats ( R-Ind. ) . “ Unfortunately , there was a hemorrhaging of information and leaks … I ’ m very comfortable with what I did and what I said at that time , ” the nominee added .
“ That inside control was interpreted as meaning we got somebody inside and as a result of that , the covert action operation had to be dissolved , ” Coats said .
That led Brennan to warn Coats that he was straying into a classified area , even as he decried the leak . “ I must caution that some elements of this event that remain classified and that we can not talk about in public , ” Brennan said .
Part of the committee ’ s walk down memory lane Thursday involved questioning Brennan about what he knew , said and did — or failed to do — about harsh interrogation tactics like waterboarding employed during the Bush administration . Brennan was the CIA ’ s deputy executive director at the time the program was devised and during most of the time it was used .
Democrats seemed eager to prove that the techniques were a failure , while Republicans sought to suggest that Brennan hadn ’ t done much to prevent the use of techniques he now condemns .
“ I did not take steps to stop the CIA ’ s use of those techniques … I was not in the chain of command of that program , ” Brennan said under questioning by Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss ( R-Ga. ) , who said Brennan had received at least 50 emails about the interrogations . “ I was aware of program . I was cc ’ d on some of those documents , but I had no oversight of it… . I did not try to stop it because it was something being done in a different part of the agency under authority of others . ”
Brennan said he had private conversations with others at the agency about his opposition to some of the techniques , but he did not name any of the colleagues he shared those views with .
“ We just have not seen anybody come forward who ever heard any objection from you , ” Chambliss said .
Brennan acknowledged that after he left the CIA , he defended the program to a degree and said it produced useful intelligence that saved lives . However , he said after reading parts of a still-classified , 6,000-page investigation the Senate intelligence panel completed in December , that he may have been mistaken or deceived about the program ’ s utility .
“ There clearly were a number of things I read in that report that were concerning and disturbing to me , ” Brennan said . “ It was rather damning in a lot of its language , ” he said .
Brennan resisted Sen. Carl Levin ’ s attempts to get him to agree that waterboarding is torture . “ I have personal opinions that ’ s reprehensible and something that should not be done , ” he said , before adding he isn ’ t a lawyer and labeling it that way can have political and legal consequences .
However , a few minutes later when Sen. Martin Heinrich ( D-N.M. ) asked Brennan if he still held a view he expressed in a 2007 CBS interview that waterboarding is torture , the nominee said that ’ s still his view . | zRVKtAmkv2mq8D7t | 0 | CIA | -0.2 | Defense And Security | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2012/06/13/154862017/why-the-farm-bills-provisions-will-matter-to-you | Why The Farm Bill's Provisions Will Matter To You | 2012-06-13 | economy_and_jobs | If you think only farmers care about the farm bill currently being considered by Congress , you 're very , very mistaken .
The measure will not only set policy and spending for the nation 's farms for years to come , but it will also affect dozens of other seemingly unrelated programs — all at a cost of nearly $ 1 trillion over the next decade . Following are a few questions and answers about the massive legislation :
Why is it called the farm bill , and where did it come from ?
First , the term `` farm bill '' is a bit misleading . It 's simply shorthand for legislation that invariably gets saddled with a different name . In 2002 , it was the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act , and in 2008 , it was known as the Food , Conservation and Energy Act . The latest bill is the Agriculture Reform , Food and Jobs Act of 2012 .
Second , perhaps 80 percent of the bill has nothing to do with farms or farming . But more on that later .
Modern farm bills date to the Great Depression and the New Deal . By the 1930s , U.S. farmers were victims of their own success . Mechanization and stepped-up production during World War I , as America fed a war-weary Europe , eventually led to huge surpluses and falling prices for basic crops . The Agricultural Adjustment Act sought to do something that to this day remains controversial : pay farmers not to grow crops in an effort to boost prices .
But the Supreme Court did n't like a tax provision in the 1933 law and struck down the entire act . By 1938 , Congress passed a new Agricultural Adjustment Act , sans the offending tax . Farm bills have been passed about every five years ever since .
`` I would say the New Deal is the great-great-grandfather of all the farm bills as we currently know them , '' says Dale Moore , director for public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation .
It 's not just about farmers . The farm bill is an all-encompassing piece of legislation comprising everything from farm subsidies and crop insurance — which have an indirect impact on food prices — to energy , forestry , food stamps and school lunches .
`` It covers what is , in a lot of ways , the rural economy in this country , '' Moore says .
In an age of rising deficits , the bill has come in for a lot of scrutiny .
Chris Edwards , an economist with the libertarian Cato Institute , calls the farm bill `` a bipartisan pork barrel spending spree . ''
`` Farm subsidies redistribute wealth from taxpayers to often well-off farm businesses and landowners , '' he says . `` In 2010 , the average income of farm households was 25 percent above the average of all U.S . households . ''
But the largest chunk of the farm bill in dollar terms is directed to the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program ( SNAP ) , commonly known as the food stamp program .
Edwards says the growth in the program in recent years has been remarkable , `` not just because of the recession but because of the increase in eligibility during the Bush administration . ''
However , Dottie Rosenbaum , a senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , thinks much of the criticism of food stamps has been over the top .
`` In my view , one of the biggest myths is the claim that some people make that SNAP is growing out of control and is contributing in a substantive way to the deficit , '' she says . `` To the extent it is growing , it 's for reasons that we very much understand — it 's about addressing the needs of people in a bad economy . ''
The details of this year 's bill are still being hammered out , but the Congressional Budget Office says the cost over 10 years will be about $ 969 billion . The vast majority — $ 768.2 billion , according to the CBO — will go to food stamps .
Since the farm bill represents anticipated spending over 10 years , it 's difficult to assign it an exact percentage of an evolving federal budget . But it 's typically more than education and less than defense spending or Social Security .
The short answer is : a lot . Here 's a partial list :
agricultural exports and food aid , including humanitarian assistance to other nations
Sponsors of the 2012 farm bill claim it will save taxpayers $ 23.6 billion over 10 years . But that figure represents less than 2.5 percent of the total cost of the bill , according to the CBO .
The biggest change , supporters of the bill say , will involve a planned transition away from the direct payments to farmers that were instituted in the 1990s . Those payments were meant to streamline the process , but were granted to farmers regardless of what kind of year they had .
`` If they had a very difficult year , they got the very same payment as if they had a bumper crop with fabulous prices , '' says Roger Johnson , president of the National Farmers Union .
With the improvements , the balance of the equation for farmers shifts away from price supports and toward risk management . It 's designed to protect against things like floods and droughts in a way that minimizes the need for Congress `` to do ad hoc disaster legislation '' for farmers each time there 's a catastrophic event , Johnson says .
But farmers in the South disagree with an end to direct payments . They argue that the yields that insurance would pay out on are set so low for `` Southern '' crops , such as cotton , rice and peanuts , that it would be difficult , if not impossible , to qualify even in very bad years . | nA0yxL160owYtcLP | 1 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Fox News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/27/trump-names-brad-parscale-as-campaign-manager-for-2020-re-election-bid.html | Trump names Brad Parscale as campaign manager for 2020 re-election bid | 2018-02-27 | elections | President Trump has tapped Brad Parscale -- the towering , bearded political consultant described as a “ genius ” by The Washington Post -- as the man to lead his 2020 re-election bid as campaign manager .
Parscale , who had previously worked for the Trump Organization , worked as Trump ’ s top digital operations guru for the 2016 campaign and was credited with possibly tipping the election .
Parscale announced Tuesday the appointments of other senior campaign aides , including Michael Glassner as chief operating officer and Lara Trump , the president ’ s daughter-in-law and son to Eric Trump , as senior adviser .
The Trump campaign said in a news release that it plans on being involved in the 2018 midterm elections , including endorsing House and Senate candidates .
Born in Topeka , Kansas , Parscale says he spent 15 years building his company he started with just $ 500 before moving to the Trump Organization in 2010 . But as he moved up the ranks to eventually take control of the Trump campaign ’ s digital arm , he wielded significant influence and pushed the campaign to invest in social media advertising , particularly Facebook .
`` You want a great product , you want things that resonate with people and make them dance , ” he said at a conference in November .
The Washington Post called him the “ genius who won Trump ’ s campaign . '' A `` 60 Minutes '' profile likened him to the `` secret sauce , the magic wand person , the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain . ''
“ The campaign poured money into Facebook , sending thousands of versions of tweaked ads to maximize response , ” the profile from the Post said . “ Then it won the presidency by a margin narrow enough that Parscale ( and Facebook ) can justifiably take credit . ”
Parscale described his methods in an interview with ███ and talked about how data led the campaign to push in Pennsylvania and Michigan .
`` We were making thousands of live calls , web tracking , web different surveys and it was building and it 's building what 's called models and universes , '' he said . `` What we can start to see is , we 're in play in Pennsylvania and play in Michigan . Let 's buy in these areas . ''
He also said that Trump was initially unconvinced by the big spend in social media , saying he thought television was the more important medium .
`` I do n't believe in this mumbo-jumbo digital stuff '' Parscale quoted Trump as saying to him , adding that Trump `` was just laying into me . ''
As campaign manager , Parscale will be in the spotlight significantly more than in his previous role , where he was largely unknown until after Trump 's upset victory . Kellyanne Conway , Trump 's 2016 campaign manager , was regularly on television pushing the campaign ’ s agenda and drawing a significant amount of media scrutiny .
An imposing figure himself ( Parscale is taller than the 6 ’ 2 ” president ) , any emphasis on Facebook is likely to draw additional scrutiny in 2020 , as it has since it 's been revealed that Russian-linked individuals used Facebook as part of their strategy to sow discord in U.S. politics in 2016 .
But like Conway , Parscale has shown unwavering loyalty to the president .
`` Mr. Trump has given me every opportunity in the world , and I would do anything I could to help him win , '' Parscale told the Texas Tribune . `` There is no rock I wouldn ’ t turn over and no time I wouldn ’ t put in to help him win . ''
In addition to his appointment , members of Trump ’ s White House team offered glowing praise for Parscale ’ s abilities .
“ Brad was essential in bringing a disciplined technology and data-driven approach to how the 2016 campaign was run . His leadership and expertise will help build a best-in-class campaign , ” Kushner said in a statement .
Trump filed the paperwork to organize his re-election committee on the same day as his inauguration , held his first campaign rally on Feb. 18 , 2017 , in Florida , and has mused publicly about would-be Democratic challengers .
That field already is staggeringly broad : California Sen. Kamala Harris , New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders are all thought to be considering a run .
Some conservatives , though , think Trump would stand the best chance against Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren . A straw poll taken at the Conservative Political Action Conference showed participants picked Warren as the Democrat most likely to lose to Trump should she run . | 8yeIlJQUhwF7UFj0 | 2 | Donald Trump | 0.4 | Presidential Elections | 0.1 | Elections | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
lgbt_rights | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/02/politics/jeb-bush-religious-freedom-law/index.html | Bush: Indiana law could have used 'more consensus-oriented approach' | 2015-04-02 | lgbt_rights | ( CNN ) Two days after he unequivocally backed Indiana 's controversial `` religious freedom '' law as not `` discriminatory at all , '' former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush said Wednesday at a private Silicon Valley fundraiser that Indiana could have taken a `` better ... more consensus-oriented approach . ''
`` By the end of the week , Indiana will be in the right place , '' Bush said . Indiana lawmakers and Republican Gov . Mike Pence are working to `` fix '' the law following a nationwide backlash , especially from top businesses .
He also stressed Wednesday that people should n't be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation and said Indiana will `` probably get to that place . ''
The remarks were first reported by the New York Times and Bush aides later provided CNN with a transcript of the remarks .
Bush , who is expected to announce a run for president , had said Monday in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that the law was `` simply allowing people of faith space to be able to express their beliefs -- to be able to be people of conscience . ''
`` Gov . Pence has done the right thing , '' he said Monday . `` I think if you -- if they actually got briefed on the law that they would n't be blasting this law . ''
Pence and Republican leaders in the state legislature vowed this week to clarify the controversial law to ensure it can not be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians . Legal experts believe the law , in its current form , could be used as a defense by businesses looking to deny services to gay and lesbian couples .
Social conservatives lobbied to pass Religious Freedom Restoration Act bills in several states following a wave of pro-gay marriage laws and court rulings in recent years and after businesses in several states were sued for refusing to provide their services for gay weddings .
Some proponents hoped the law could help florists and bakers , for example , fend off lawsuits if they refused to provide their services to gay couples preparing to wed .
But Bush made clear in his remarks Wednesday that those businesses should be protected and detailed his views .
`` I do think if you 're a florist and you do n't want to participate in the arrangement of a wedding , you should n't have to be obliged to do that if it goes against your faith because you believe in traditional marriage , '' Bush said . `` Likewise if someone walked into a flower shop as a gay couple and said I want to buy all these off the rack , these flowers , they should have every right to do it . That would be discrimination . But forcing someone to participate in a wedding is not discrimination ; it is I think protecting the first amendment right . ''
Other potential 2016 presidential candidates unequivocally backed the Indiana law , in its current form , blasting opponents for mischaracterizing the law .
Faced with a similar bill on his desk , Arkansas Gov . Asa Hutchinson , a Republican , on Wednesday decided to send the bill back to the state legislature for changes that would ensure it could not be used to discriminate . | JNmy4ZPXSaBIZ3ae | 0 | Jeb Bush | 0.1 | LGBTQ Issues | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
treasury | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/23/irs-employees-biased-against-conservatives-report/ | It’s official: IRS employees biased against conservatives | 2014-12-23 | treasury | Internal Revenue Service employees charged with scrutinizing tea party groups ’ nonprofit status applications showed a marked antipathy to the organizations , with one examiner calling a group “ icky ” and others saying they were searching for ways to deny the requests , according to a congressional oversight report Tuesday .
The staff report , released by Rep. Darrell E. Issa , the California Republican who is giving up the reins at the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform at the end of this year , also found that IRS officials “ repeatedly changed their stories ” about what went on and who was responsible for targeting the conservative and tea party groups .
The different stories , and roadblocks erected by the tax agency , the White House and congressional Democrats , have made it difficult to figure out exactly what went on in the agency as it was targeting tea party and conservative groups for improper scrutiny and delaying approval of their applications , the investigators said .
“ Nearly four years after the committee began probing complaints about disparate treatment towards applicants for tax-exempt status , the committee ’ s investigation is not closed , ” the report concludes after giving a status check on what the investigation has found and what questions are still outstanding .
However , the report says it has been unable to come to a conclusion about whether the White House knew about the targeting beforehand because of conflicting accounts .
Democrats questioned the way the report was written and released , saying it was odd Mr. Issa ’ s investigators didn ’ t share the report with them before it was released .
“ It is revealing that the Republicans — yet again — are leaking cherry-picked excerpts of documents to support their preconceived political narrative without allowing committee members to even see their conclusions or vote on them first , ” said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings , the ranking Democrat on the committee .
The release of excerpts of the committee ’ s interviews has long been a sore point for Democrats , who have tried to get Mr. Issa to release the transcripts in their entirety . Democrats argue that would give the public a more accurate view than the snapshots Mr. Issa releases .
The report marks a parting shot from Mr. Issa , who is term-limited after three congresses as the lead Republican on the committee .
During the past four years , as chairman , he oversaw investigations into the Fast and Furious gunwalking operation , the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack and the IRS targeting .
Along the way , he subpoenaed thousands of documents , sparked the House ’ s vote to hold Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. in contempt of Congress and is still engaged in a lawsuit with Mr. Holder to shake loose documents the White House has been trying to shield from disclosure .
In the IRS investigation , his staffers are still battling with the administration to get a look at tens of thousands of emails that they sought a year and a half ago — including some 30,000 that the IRS said were irretrievably lost when key figure Lois G. Lerner ’ s computer hard drive crashed .
The report raises questions about how the IRS handled that situation , including revealing an interview with one IRS investigator who discovered that less than 1 percent of her hard drive disk was scratched . That investigator said it was possible the messages could be recovered by sending the hard drive to a special service . But the agency instead had the hard drive recycled .
The report builds on previous ones released by the committee , though this one delves more deeply into IRS employees ’ political attitudes , which the investigators say likely colored their approach to the tea party groups ’ applications .
The report revealed one email where an IRS employee said a group that had applied for nonprofit status “ gives me an icky feeling. ” In another instance an employee seemed to begrudge that they would “ have to ” approve conservative and tea party group applications .
The report recounts an interview investigators had with David Fish , a manager in the division that scrutinizes tax-exempt applications , where he said that an organization associated with the tea party is “ probably a loud group . ”
“ They expected to be given tax-exempt status , even though they ’ re doing things that they might not be allowed to do , ” he said , according to excerpts of the interview included in the report .
Investigators said the IRS must learn to keep that attitude out of its work .
“ The IRS and its employees , whose conduct is largely shielded from public scrutiny to protect taxpayers , were not only affected by politics but by a more basic human failure : a discriminatory outlook on the world , ” the staff report argues . “ The IRS ’ s inability to keep politics out of objective decisions about interpretation of the tax code damaged its primary function : an apolitical tax collector that Americans can trust to treat them fairly .
New Commissioner John Koskinen , whom President Obama nominated to take over the troubled agency in the midst of the scandal , has said he is trying to cooperate with various congressional probes , but has also asked that they be sped up , saying they are a distraction and that it ’ s expensive to comply .
The Justice Department launched its own investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing at the IRS , but that probe has made little news .
The IRS has admitted it was too intrusive in its questions , but argues it is no longer targeting or asking improper questions of groups that apply . Still , some groups are awaiting approval for applications submitted four or five years ago .
And last week , one of the groups that waited years for its approval announced it was filing an appeal asking a federal circuit court to ban the agency from targeting in the future . A lower court had thrown that request out , accepting the IRS ’ s claim that it has halted the practice . | jLP3ob3xcOiYAgcn | 2 | IRS | -0.5 | Banking And Finance | -0.2 | Treasury | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Washington Examiner | https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/economy/us-net-worth-soared-37-percent-2019-2022-federal-reserve | Median net worth soared 37% from 2019 to 2022, Fed study finds | 2023-10-19 | Economy And Jobs, Federal Reserve, Income Inequality, Banking And Finance, Life During Covid-19, Coronavirus | Real median net worth surged a whopping 37% between 2019 and 2022, the Federal Reserve revealed in a report.The Fed released a 58-page report on Wednesday analyzing changes in family finances based on its survey of consumer finances, which it has been conducting every three years since 1989. The newest report is of particular interest because it assesses a period that includes the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s worst inflation in decades.HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS SOAR IN 2023 TO AVERAGE OF $24,000 FOR FAMILY PLANFrom 2019 to last year, real median net worth — that is, net worth adjusted for inflation — went up by 37% to $192,900, while real mean net worth increased 23% to just over $1 million. That huge uptick adds to the “steady growth” in real net worth that was notched from 2013 to 2019, according to central bank researchers.“The net improvements in economic performance, including rising house and corporate equity prices that well exceeded consumer price inflation, supported substantial increases in median and mean inflation-adjusted net worth,” the Fed report read.Inflation exploded during the period tracked by the Fed. The housing market, fueled by red-hot demand and ultra-low mortgage rates, also had one of the biggest boom cycles in recorded history, and during that period, home prices skyrocketed in value, likely a major factor behind the big net worth increases.The report noted the average sales price of a house sold in the United States increased by a staggering 44% from the fourth quarter of 2019 to the fourth quarter of last year.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINERMeanwhile, income also rose over the past few years. From 2018 to 2021, median income rose at a relatively modest 3% pace, although, during that same period, mean income grew 15%, from $123,400 in 2018 to nearly $142,000 in 2021.“Gains in income were experienced across the income distribution but were largest toward the top, consistent with some increase in income inequality over this period,” the Fed report concluded. | a0d980393700a09f | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
federal_budget | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/25/white-house-raises-terror-threat-warns-illegals-co/ | White House raises terror threat, warns illegals could flood borders after sequester cuts | 2013-02-25 | federal_budget | The Obama administration on Monday warned the nation to expect an increase in illegal immigration if the automatic budget cuts go into effect Friday — the latest caution from a White House determined to raise the heat on congressional Republicans .
President Obama has framed the choice as one between higher taxes or lower security , bolstered by Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano ’ s warning Monday that the U.S. Border Patrol will be forced to furlough agents , costing nearly a quarter of the workforce .
“ I don ’ t think we can maintain the same level of security , ” Ms. Napolitano said . “ If you have 5,000 fewer Border Patrol agents , you have 5,000 fewer Border Patrol agents . ”
But Republicans said the White House is setting up “ a false choice ” between tax increases and security . They said the other alternative is to make $ 85 billion in spending cuts in other parts of the budget , rather than the across-the-board cuts that make up the sequester .
Indeed , Republican Senate aides said they likely will offer a plan to give the administration flexibility to protect key missions when the chamber debates the spending cut package this week . Senate Democrats have proposed a 30 percent minimum tax on the wealthy and cutting agriculture subsidies in order to head off the cuts . Neither plan is expected to pass .
The sequesters were set into motion by the 2011 debt deal , which gave Mr. Obama the authority to raise the federal debt limit in exchange for two sets of spending cuts . Mr. Obama has used up the debt leverage , but relatively few of the spending cuts have taken place .
SEE ALSO : No open door : White House denies selling access to President Obama to wealthy supporters
Congress and Mr. Obama delayed the sequesters in January ’ s tax deal , pushing the deadline to this Friday .
Now , both sides on Capitol Hill seem likely to let the cuts take effect and then wait to see who suffers in the political fallout .
Mr. Obama has spent the past several weeks trying to set the stage for Republicans to take the heat . Over the weekend , the White House said the cuts will mean fewer battered women receiving help in Kentucky , children having to forgo vaccines in Georgia and 350 teaching jobs being lost in Ohio .
On Monday , the president tried to rally the nation ’ s governors , in Washington this week for their annual meeting , to join his push for tax increases instead of facing those cuts .
“ Unfortunately in just four days , Congress is poised to allow a series of arbitrary , automatic budget cuts to kick in that will slow our economy , ” Mr. Obama told the governors , gathered at the White House . “ These cuts do not have to happen . Congress can turn them off any time with just a little bit of compromise . ”
Some Republican governors fired back , saying they asked Mr. Obama to delay some of his planned health care spending instead of cutting existing programs such as education .
“ I said if these cuts really are that devastating , would he at least consider delaying some of the new spending instead of cutting existing programs ? And he disagreed with that , ” Louisiana Gov . Bobby Jindal told reporters . “ He did not want to do that . ”
Mr. Obama will continue to raise pressure on Republicans with a trip to Newport News , Va. , on Tuesday , where he will visit a shipbuilding yard and argue that the cuts will idle a chunk of the Navy ’ s fleet . The trip , though , has done little to move Republicans , who said the president should be working with his own party leaders on Capitol Hill .
“ Instead of using our military men and women as campaign props , if the president was serious , he ’ d sit down with [ Senate Majority Leader ] Harry Reid and begin to address our problems , ” House Speaker John A. Boehner told reporters in an afternoon news conference .
Sen. Tom Coburn , Oklahoma Republican and Congress ’ top waste-watcher , said the federal government can begin to control spending immediately .
He sent a letter to the White House budget office Monday pointing to job openings the government has advertised , including 10 slots for drivers at the State Department , at wages up to $ 26.45 an hour , and a Labor Department staff assistant to handle scheduling and screen phone calls , at a salary of up to $ 81,204 a year .
“ Are any of these positions more important than an air traffic controller , a border patrol officer , a food inspector , a TSA screener , or a civilian supporting our men and women in combat in Afghanistan ? ” Mr. Coburn asked in his letter to White House budget office acting Director Jeffrey Zients .
The budget office didn ’ t respond to a request for comment Monday .
The sequester cuts won ’ t be felt immediately , as agencies decide how to impose the cuts over the rest of this fiscal year , which ends Sept. 30 .
Congress will get a do-over in late March when it reaches a deadline for a set of annual appropriations bills to keep the government open — giving lawmakers a chance to rewrite all discretionary spending levels .
As part of its public relations war , the White House has been bringing out Cabinet members such as Ms. Napolitano and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to warn that the cutbacks will result in longer waits at airports and ports of entry as a result of furloughed federal employees .
Ms. Napolitano said the cuts to her department will endanger the country by hurting border security and cybersecurity efforts .
“ There ’ s always a threat , ” she told reporters . “ We ’ re going to do everything we can to minimize that risk . But the sequester makes it awfully , awfully tough . ”
In addition to fewer agents on the border , she said she likely would have to cut the number of detention beds to hold illegal immigrants .
But Mr. Coburn , in a letter to Ms. Napolitano sent Monday , argued that she has flexibility to decide which cuts go into effect and said her department is poised to carry over $ 9 billion in unspent money at the end of this year — “ raising the question of why we would not start by reclaiming these funds . ” | K9x6d9sPyGnISCJw | 2 | Federal Budget | -0.1 | Economy And Jobs | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
general_news | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/21/opinions/best-of-2016-opinions/index.html | 20 Top Opinion Pieces of 2016 | 2016-12-21 | general_news | ( CNN ) Amid the twists and turns of a tumultuous year , readers came to CNN Opinion for context , insight and fresh perspectives on politics and social issues worldwide . The presidential election was clearly a dominant topic of interest , but stories on culture , climate change , and how to be a family in a divisive and sometimes dangerous time in the world also drew avid readership .
Here 's a selection of some of the most popular opinion pieces of 2016 . The opinions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of the authors .
`` There were nods to Michael Jackson , to Black Greek step shows , to Malcolm X and a salute to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panthers . For a minute , watching Beyonce and those strong black women sporting black berets and big afros march out onto the field , I forgot I was watching a Super Bowl performance . For the first time I felt like I was n't just a spectator of the game but that the game had become a part of my black experience in America . With just a few lyrics , Beyonce connected with black women everywhere . Her performance became personal . ''
Roxanne Jones , a founding editor of ESPN Magazine and former vice president at ESPN , has worked as a producer and as a reporter at the New York Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer .
`` Justice David Souter , Scalia 's longtime colleague on the court , had just announced his retirement , creating a vacancy for President Obama to fill . Scalia figured that as senior adviser to the new president , I might have some influence on the decision -- or at least enough to pass along a message .
' I have no illusions that your man will nominate someone who shares my orientation , ' said Scalia , then in his 23rd year as the court 's leading and most provocative conservative voice . 'But I hope he sends us someone smart . '
A little taken aback that he was engaging me on the subject , I searched for the right answer , and lamely offered one that signaled my slight discomfort with the topic . ' I 'm sure he will , Justice Scalia . '
He was n't done . Leaning forward , as if to share a confidential thought , he tried again .
'Let me put a finer point on it , ' the justice said , in a lower , purposeful tone of voice , his eyes fixed on mine . ' I hope he sends us Elena Kagan . ' ''
David Axelrod is CNN 's senior political commentator and host of the podcast `` The Axe Files. `` He was senior adviser to President Barack Obama and chief strategist for the 2008 and 2012 Obama campaigns .
`` Her achievements in Congress and at the State Department ca n't be denied , though many will try . Do n't forget her courageous China speech on the rights of women , her aggressive work on climate change and her skill as a senator in guiding the Children 's Health Insurance Program through Congress . She helped to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas during a tense moment in Israel . I think of her successes in forging alliances in South America , Africa and Asia , and her part in establishing tough sanctions against Iran . That 's only the beginning .
And yet people hate her . Her negative ratings , in fact , have been shockingly high for someone this close to the nomination of her party . Indeed , one of the most frequently posed questions to the candidate herself is some version of 'Why do n't they like you ? '
Of course , Republicans have known for a long time that Hillary Clinton is an unusually strong candidate , and this terrifies them . So they have seized on talking points like Benghazi ( for which she bears little or no responsibility ) and her email scandal . On the latter , even columnist Ruth Marcus -- certainly no fan of Clinton 's -- recently wrote in The Washington Post that 'there is no clear evidence that Clinton knew ( or even should have known ) that the material in her emails was classified . ' As we 've seen , neither Benghazi nor the email trouble are likely to put off Democratic voters , who regard them as Republican talking points . ''
Danny Cevallos : Abby Wambach 's arrest for a crime that makes no sense
`` Why ? Why do people who otherwise would never commit a crime somehow get arrested for drunken driving ? Sure , it 's a question of personal responsibility , but why is it so much easier for upstanding citizens to refrain from all other crimes , except DUI ?
It 's the mixed signals . Most other criminal activity unambiguously violates our social norms . There 's no 'gray area ' when it comes to smoking meth at a cocktail party , for example . Most crimes are also social faux pas , such that you would neither engage in , nor tolerate the behavior from a peer .
With DUIs , however , there are mixed messages . Most people are surprised to learn that it 's not actually illegal to drink and drive . Technically , it 's only illegal to drive while 'impaired ' by alcohol . What does 'impaired ' mean ? ''
`` Fat is a floating signifier . It can attach to anyone at any moment . Ask Amy .
But why do we care what anyone weighs ? Well , the stakes are high when being thin or fat determines whether you 'll be loved , respected , hired , promoted , dated , married , able to travel , buy clothes , see people who look like you in mainstream media , get unbiased medical care , and count as a person -- or not . ( And these are just a few examples . ) ''
Marilyn Wann is a longtime fat activist and weight diversity speaker , author of the `` FAT ! SO ? '' book , and creator of Yay ! Scales .
`` Shortsighted government officials have strangled the Mississippi River with so many dams and levees that it does n't deliver the soil that 's needed to rebuild the marshes . Instead , all of that useful dirt , which normally would be deposited slowly as the river wiggles across a wide and free delta , is rushed out to the bottom of the sea . Oil and gas canals and pipelines , meanwhile , have carved up what 's left of the marsh , making it more vulnerable to collapse . ''
John D. Sutter is a columnist for CNN Opinion who focuses on climate change and social justice . Follow him on Snapchat Facebook and email
Stephanie Coontz : The awkward truth of 'make America great again '
`` Idealizing the era when America was the economic powerhouse of the world , bipartisanship reigned and male breadwinner families were the norm requires overlooking much else . Nostalgia is never random . We cherry-pick the past , highlighting what we like and leaving out the things we do n't , even if they were closely intertwined .
So when Trump says let 's `` make America great again '' and Clinton says let 's make it 'whole again , ' they neglect to mention how much the prosperity of the postwar era depended on a system of regulation and taxation that neither of them shows any inclination to reinstate . ''
`` We women know all too well about victim blaming , alcohol as an excuse for assault . It 's not alcohol that 's raping women ; it is men .
Our sons , all the young men in our lives need to be told : Alcohol is never an excuse . As the victim wrote : 'Is it a factor ? Yes . But alcohol was not the one who stripped me , fingered me , had my head dragging against the ground , with me almost fully naked . ' ''
Mel Robbins is a CNN commentator , legal analyst , best-selling author and keynote speaker .
`` As 16 Republican primary opponents failed to stop Trump 's momentum , the idea that he is crazy seemed to miss the mark . The word `` crazy '' conjures up a person who is so plagued by delusions , or perhaps hallucinations , that he makes no sense at all .
Consider his success , both before and during his pursuit of the presidency , and it 's hard to argue that Trump suffers from such a profoundly distorted view of reality .
In fact he has long demonstrated a keen awareness of how our society worships celebrity and rewards those who can attract the limelight and hold its focus . ''
Michael D'Antonio , the author of `` The Truth About Trump , '' is writing Trump Watch , a series of columns on President-elect Donald Trump for CNN Opinion .
`` For so long the two great oceans of the Atlantic and the Pacific had protected America from its enemies , but no more .
Yet , for all their tactical success the 9/11 attacks failed strategically and , in the end , achieved precisely the opposite of what Osama bin Laden had intended .
There are , of course , differences between the post-World War II era and the post 9/11 era . The long-term aftermath of Pearl Harbor was not only a decisive Allied victory in the war but also decades of American leadership and dominance .
After its initial success in Afghanistan following 9/11 , victory was not decisive for the United States . Instead , American forces continued to be at war with a number of shadowy jihadist groups , most recently ISIS , and this now seems like a quasi-permanent state of affairs that could persist well beyond the next presidency . ''
Peter Bergen is CNN 's national security analyst , a vice president at New America and a professor of practice at Arizona State University . He is the author of `` United States of Jihad : Investigating America 's Homegrown Terrorists . ''
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shake hands at the first presidential debate on September 26 , 2016 , in Hempstead , New York .
David Gergen : `` By all traditional standards of debate , Mrs. Clinton crushed . She carefully marshaled her arguments and facts and then sent them into battle with a smile . She rolled out a long list of indictments against Donald Trump , often damaging . By contrast , he came in unprepared , had nothing fresh to say , and increasingly gave way to rants . As the evening ended , the media buried him in criticisms .
S.E . Cupp : `` In contrast , Trump mostly did the job he had to do . To move undecideds , he had to hammer one point home : Clinton is a politician who does n't get it . Over and over again , he attacked her as more of the same , out of touch , and a politician who has n't gotten it right . He did n't go after her character or personal issues , for the most part -- which voters know well . She outmanned him on specifics and details . But his attacks were far more effective than hers . ''
Dean Obeidallah : Trump 's beef with SNL is no laughing matter
`` [ Trump 's ] message was clear : Mock me , and I might sue you .
Couple all this with Trump 's calls during this campaign to change the libel laws to make it easier for him to sue media outlets who unfairly criticize him , and this is no laughing matter .
Would a President Trump use the apparatus of the federal government -- such as the Federal Communications Commission -- to intimidate comedians and dissuade them from mocking him ? Yes , I know we have a First Amendment , but alarmingly I bet there are Trump supporters who would go along with anything Trump asks for , even if it was flat out unconstitutional . ( Trump has bragged as much , claiming he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and his supporters would stand with him . ) ''
Dean Obeidallah , a former attorney , writes frequently for CNN . He is co-director of the documentary `` The Muslims Are Coming ! `` , editor of the politics blog `` The Dean 's Report '' and a columnist for the Daily Beast .
`` You know some of what Donald Trump has said and done in this campaign . You hear it on the news , kids talk about it at school . ' I hate Donald Trump , ' you said the other day during breakfast . Please do n't . Do n't hate one sad man with a lot of power and little self-restraint . And do n't hate the people who are enthusiastically supporting him . Donald Trump is running a campaign of hate , and hate can not be solved by hate but by empathy and understanding . ''
`` Trashing the Justice and FBI rule books in the interest of 'openness ' is likely to put the FBI front and center in one of the most contentious presidential races in recent US history . J. Edgar Hoover loved to influence elections , but he had the good sense to keep quiet about it . ''
Paul Callan is a CNN legal analyst , a former NYC homicide prosecutor and currently is `` of counsel '' to the New York law firm of Edelman and Edelman , PC , focusing on wrongful conviction and civil rights cases .
`` With all the attention on former first lady Hillary Clinton 's handling of classified information at the State Department and the possibility that Melania Trump might become first lady in 2017 , it might be a surprise to some readers that historically , FLOTUS has had access to classified materials without ever having to get a security clearance .
The first lady has access to secrets at the discretion of POTUS , the president of the United States . And the president has enormous authority over the use and distribution of the nation 's secrets . ''
Tim Naftali is a CNN presidential historian and clinical associate professor of history and public service at New York University and was the founding director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum .
`` I had hoped that a week before the election , Trump would be losing Florida by a large enough margin that my vote would n't matter . But darn it , my home state is too close to call . Florida could be the decisive state ( again ) as to who ultimately becomes the next president of the United States . I thought back to the 2000 election , which was decided by 537 votes in Florida . I thought about how I would feel if the same thing happened in 2016 . I thought and I thought and I thought ....
Then I cast my vote for Hillary Clinton . Let me rephrase that . I cast my vote against Donald Trump . I did it without joy or enthusiasm . I did it out of civic duty and love for our country . ''
Ana Navarro , a Republican strategist and commentator , was national Hispanic campaign chairwoman for John McCain in 2008 , national Hispanic co-chair for Jon Huntsman 's 2012 campaign and was supporting Jeb Bush 's candidacy for 2016 .
`` Everyone should calm down . The last few hours have actually shown that the transition from Obama to Trump will be smoother than folks fear . Trump 's victory speech was his best yet : gracious and even touching . ''
Drawing the drama : Cartoonists from around the world on Trump 's defeat of Clinton
J.J. McCullough is a political cartoonist and commentator currently living in Toronto , Canada .
Cartoonists around the world react to the outcome of the 2016 U.S. election .
`` There is only one silver lining in yesterday 's election results , which will allow a con man , a pathological liar , a bold racist and a sexual predator to succeed the first African-American president .
We can now launch a difficult but urgent mission — shaking the Democratic Party down to its foundation , ejecting the failed Bill/Hillary Clinton economic and global worldview and standing up for a set of populist , sound economic and foreign policy principles that could earn majority support . ''
Van Jones : The messy truth that divides Trump and Clinton voters
`` I got tired of just sitting on the CNN set , talking about Donald Trump voters .
So , days before the 2016 election , I decided to fly into a battleground state -- and talk to them .
I visited Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , where a major battle was fought in America 's Civil War . I wanted to know one thing : Are we on the verge of another civil war ?
What I learned surprised me . The answers are even more important , now that Trump has won . '' | 0mEsIP06fBHZrI6Y | 0 | General News | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
north_korea | Vox | https://www.vox.com/world/2017/11/24/16686208/north-korea-trump-kim-missile | The bizarrely mundane reasons why North Korea has stopped testing missiles | 2017-11-24 | north_korea | Tensions between North Korea and the United States reached a boiling point this year , with President Donald Trump threatening to unleash “ fire and fury ” against Pyongyang and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un saying he would “ surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire . ”
But North Korea hasn ’ t launched a missile since September 15 , when a projectile flew over Japan and landed harmlessly in the ocean . US Special Envoy for North Korea Joseph Yun speculated that a testing break this long could be a sign that Pyongyang was ready to start negotiations over its nuclear program .
The problem is that focusing on this relative period of calm shifts attention away from a more troubling possibility : that North Korea may be preparing to launch missiles in early 2018 during the Olympics in neighboring South Korea .
“ There would be no better time for North Korea to test a more fearsome three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile , big hydrogen bomb , or even try to launch a cyberattack on the Olympics themselves , ” Harry Kazianis , an Asia security expert at the Center for the National Interest , told me .
He noted that Kim might be holding on to his arsenal to make a splash during the two-week event that will take place in Pyeongchang , South Korea — only 60 miles from the Korean border .
But experts say there are also mundane reasons why North Korea isn ’ t launching right now : The weather in North Korea is hostile during the winter , which makes it harder to test missiles , and North Korean troops are too busy harvesting food to eat .
All of this means North Korea ’ s decision not to launch any missiles in recent weeks isn ’ t a sign of a sudden change of heart in Pyongyang . Instead , it could be a sign that Kim is prepared to move closer to the brink of all-out confrontation with the US .
Many experts say bluntly that the current lull likely won ’ t last .
“ If North Korea follows the usual cycle , I 'd expect testing to pick back up again next year , ” Sheena Greitens , a North Korea expert at the University of Missouri , told me .
Here ’ s what she means by that : North Korea usually stops testing around September , as the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies chart below shows .
But in February 2018 , the world ’ s best athletes will be in Pyeongchang . That may be too good an opportunity to showcase North Korean prowess for Kim to pass up .
“ If I was a betting man , I would tell anyone who watches North Korea for a living to make sure their calendar is open from February 5 to 22 , ” Kazianis told me , referring to the competition ’ s dates . “ This is all just the calm before the storm . ”
It ’ s worth noting that North Korea could still launch a missile this year . On November 20 , President Donald Trump put North Korea back on the state sponsors of terrorism list — which slaps even more sanctions on the country — and Pyongyang may want to respond quickly and forcefully .
But if history is a guide , there are reasons to believe North Korea may not test a weapon again in 2017 .
Missile launches require good weather . Even NASA delays rocket launches sometimes because of storms .
That poses a problem for North Korea , which suffers from brutally cold and blustery winter weather . The country is sometimes called the “ frozen land , ” and the temperature can drop well below zero . Its capital city , Pyongyang , sees an average of 37 snowfall days per year . It ’ s therefore pretty hard to plan a missile launch when conditions are so poor .
At the same time , North Korea ’ s harvest season takes place during the last three months of the year . Instead of preparing missile launches , North Korean troops travel to rural areas to perform mundane agricultural chores , according to Jeffrey Lewis , an expert on North Korea ’ s missile program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies .
And distributing harvested crops around the country doesn ’ t just require manpower . It also requires fuel — the same fuel Pyongyang would use to propel its missiles . But North Korea has a limited supply of it , and the amount is likely dwindling because of harsh sanctions slapped on the country by the US , China , and Europe . So come wintertime , Pyongyang prioritizes food transportation over missile launches .
Many of North Korea ’ s 25 million citizens are starving , and the poor weather conditions exacerbate that problem . North Koreans usually eat about 1,640 calories each day , while US health officials recommend consuming around 2,000 per day .
“ Life is little more than a daily struggle to find enough food to stay alive , ” Alf Evans , a British aid worker who spent time in rural North Korea , told the Telegraph in 2013 . “ Every scrap of earth that can be used to grow something is being used . ”
There may also be a third reason for the lack of recent missile tests : The North Korean military usually trains in the winter , Van Jackson , an Asia security expert at Victoria University of Wellington , told Bloomberg . Preparations for the exercises require resources like fuel and money , which means there are fewer of each to launch missiles . The drills usually begin in December and sometimes continue into April .
So all signs for now point to a quieter end of the year . That means it ’ s worth enjoying the break in the action — because it may soon get much worse . | NYEIqU9xfOUEXhGb | 0 | Nuclear Weapons | -1.8 | North Korea | -1.7 | World | -0.2 | null | null | null | null |
labor | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/23/striking-french-rail-workers-clash-riot-police-paris-gare-de-lyon | Striking French rail workers clash with riot police in Paris | 2019-12-23 | World, France, Paris, Protests, Business, Workers' Rights, Labor, Economy And Jobs | Gare de Lyon protest comes on 19th day of industrial action over pension changes
Striking French rail workers have clashed with riot police in Paris after holding a demonstration against pension changes despite Emmanuel Macron ’ s call for a Christmas truce .
Hundreds of trade unionists and strikers gathered on Monday morning outside Gare de Lyon , which is used by large numbers of passengers travelling south for the holidays or to ski resorts near the Alps , and where many services have been cancelled .
Some strikers made speeches denouncing the government ’ s proposed changes to the pension system and vowed to continue their stoppages into Christmas and the new year .
Protesters let off flares and fireworks , and smoke drifted down into the station concourse . Riot police with helmets and shields were positioned at ticket barriers .
The nationwide transport strikes have been going on for 19 days , causing what the state rail operator SNCF called “ ongoing severe disruption ” to services .
A majority of trade unions and grassroots rail workers ignored the French president ’ s plea for a Christmas pause as passengers queued at ticket offices to find seats on the few trains running . Some train routes were cut short and some services were replaced by coaches .
About 48 % of ticket holders had their high-speed and intercity services cancelled on 23 and 24 December , leaving many to scramble for car-share schemes or last-minute vehicle hire .
Severe disruption continued on the Paris métro and local trains in the region around the capital . Large crowds gathering at Gare du Nord for the reduced trains to the suburbs .
Some passengers trying to reach airports near Paris complained that taxis were hard to find and certain drivers were charging higher than usual prices – exceeding the standard flat fee – because the traffic jams on the Paris ring road were so long . Others expressed concerns about how they would return at the end of the Christmas holidays , with strikes due to continue into January .
Meanwhile , a production shutdown was under way at Lavera oil refinery in southern France , which processes 210,000 barrels per day , after workers represented by the CGT union voted to stop output as part of the protests over pension changes .
CGT union workers also voted to halt production at Total ’ s Grandpuits refinery . Emmanuel Lepine , the secretary general of the CGT ’ s oil branch , told France Info radio that CGT workers at other refineries in France could also vote to halt production .
“ We gave an ultimatum to the government , it didn ’ t listen , so we ’ re doing exactly what we promised , ” Lepine said . “ What we are demanding is the withdrawal of the reform . ”
State officials have begun preparing for another round of union negotiations in the coming weeks before a further national day of protests on 9 January .
The government has insisted it will push ahead with attempts to unify the French pension system , arguing that removing 42 “ special ” regimes for sectors ranging from rail and energy workers to lawyers and Opéra de Paris staff is crucial to keep the system financially viable as the population ages .
While some unions support a single system , almost all reject any age-related changes . Unions are angry at government plans to introduce a “ pivot age ” – keeping the legal retirement age at 62 but insisting on an additional two years of work to receive a full pension . | 40d31b8501ba0ec5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
china | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/30/hunter-biden-china-laptop/ | Inside Hunter Biden’s multimillion-dollar deals with a Chinese energy company | 2022-04-02 | China, Corruption, Justice Department, Energy, Ethics Investigation, Hunter Biden, Hunter Biden Laptop, Joe Biden, Media Bias, Media Industry | clockThis article was published more than 2 years ago A Washington Post review confirms key details and offers new documentation of Biden family interactions with Chinese executives The deal was years in the making, the culmination of forging contacts, hosting dinners, of flights to and from China. But on Aug. 2, 2017, signatures were quickly affixed, one from Hunter Biden, the other from a Chinese executive named Gongwen Dong. Within days, a new Cathay Bank account was created. Within a week, millions of dollars started to change hands. Coronavirus: White House must go further on new pandemic response, say former Biden advisers, outside experts Fact checker: The false and misleading claims Biden made during his first 100 days in office The Biden Cabinet: Who has been selected Biden appointees: Who is filling key roles | d7a65d30f2512a1a | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sports | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-iran-flag-2bdce7a1ba387050f59f6b8fa32927e8?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_04 | US Soccer briefly scrubs emblem from Iran flag at World Cup | 2022-11-27 | Sports, World, World Cup, Soccer, Qatar, Middle East, Iran, Islam | DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The U.S. Soccer Federation briefly displayed Iran’s national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, saying the move supported protesters in Iran ahead of the two nations’ World Cup match Tuesday.Iran’s government reacted by accusing America of removing the name of God from its national flag.The USSF decision added yet-another political firestorm to the Middle East’s first World Cup, one organizers had hoped would be spared of off-the-field controversies.It occurred as the U.S. prepared to face Iran in a decisive World Cup match already freighted by the decades of enmity between the countries and the nationwide protests challenging Tehran’s theocratic government.The USSF said in a statement Sunday morning it decided to forego the official flag on social media accounts to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights.”The Twitter account of the U.S. men’s team displayed a banner with the squad’s matches in the group stage, with the Iranian flag only bearing its green, white and red colors. The same was seen in a post on its Facebook and Instagram accounts laying out the point totals so far in its group.By Sunday afternoon, the normal flag with the emblem had been restored in the Twitter banner and the Facebook and Instagram posts with the altered flag had been removed.“We wanted to show our support for the women in Iran with our graphic for 24 hours,” the federation said.Federation spokesman Neil Buethe would not say whether the original decision had been cleared by USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone, a former national team player. Buethe said Parlow Cone was not available to discuss the matter.“This was a decision within the federation,” he said. “I’m not going to get into who knew and who didn’t.”Asked whether there had been discussions with diplomatic entities, Buethe said: “There have been at certain times. I’m not going to talk about those, but, again, this is our decision not anyone else’s or pressure from anyone else.”The USSF displayed the official Iranian flag in a graphic showing Group B standings on its website.Defender Walker Zimmerman said the U.S. players were unaware of the posts.“We didn’t know anything about the posts but we are supporters of women’s rights,” he said. “We’re focused a lot on Tuesday, on the sporting side, as well. ... I think it’s such a focused group on the task but at the same time we empathize and we are firm believers in women’s rights and support them.”The brief absence of the emblem came as monthslong demonstrations challenged Iran’s government following the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by the country’s morality police.The protests have seen at least 450 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, an advocacy group following the demonstrations.Iran has not released casualty or arrest figures for months and alleges without providing evidence that the protests have been fomented by its enemies abroad, including the U.S.Tehran also restricts media access and has detained over 63 reporters and photographers since the demonstrations began, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, making covering the unrest that much more difficult.Iran’s mission to the United Nations and its soccer federation did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. As comments raged online, Iranian state television described the U.S. federation as “removing the symbol of Allah” from the Iranian flag.Iran’s semiofficial ISNA news agency quoted Safiollah Fagahanpour, an adviser to the Iranian Football Federation, saying that the “measures taken regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran flag are against the law” of FIFA competitions.“They must be held responsible,” Fagahanpour said. “Obviously they want to affect Iran’s performance against the U.S by doing this.”The Islamic Republic emblem, designed in 1980, is four curves with a sword between them. It represents the Islamic saying: “There is no god but God.” It also resembles a tulip or lotus.At the top and the bottom of the flag, there are 22 inscriptions of “God is Great” as well, which honors the date on the Persian calendar when the Islamic Revolution took hold.The flag has become a point of contention at the World Cup. Apparent pro-government supporters have waved it, shouting at those demonstrating over Amini’s death. Others at matches have waved Iran’s lion and sun flag, an emblem of its former ruler, the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.More security forces could be seen at Iran’s last match against Wales. In the capital Tehran, anti-riot police — the same ones cracking down on protests — waved the Iranian flag after the Wales win, angering demonstrators.___AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.___Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. | e4c18c439518441f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2016/06/14/watch-hillary-slams-terrorismsupporting-arab-regimeswhove-donated-to-her-foundation-n2177759 | Hillary Slams Terrorism-Abetting Arab Regimes ... Who've Donated to her Foundation | 2016-06-14 | elections | As soon as Hillary singled out these three Arab regimes in her Ohio speech yesterday afternoon , the internet went to work . Surprise :
HRC says it is `` long past time '' for Saudis , Qataris & Kuwaitis `` to stop their citizens from funding extremist organizations . '' — Dan Merica ( @ danmericaCNN ) June 13 , 2016
Kuwait : $ 5-10 million https : //t.co/eCJPyagafy — Andrew Stiles ( @ AndrewStilesUSA ) June 13 , 2016
Heat Street 's Stiles followed up with an instructive juxtaposition , based on a McClatchy report , in response to a ( lame ) pro-Hillary defense :
Defenders of the Clintons may be tempted to point out the Clinton Foundation is , at least nominally , a “ charity , ” and the foreign donations should be viewed positively for this reason . It would appear , however , that the Kuwaiti , Saudi , and Qatari governments view the Clinton Foundation as something more than a charity ...
Lot of people saying “ So what ? Charity is good ! ” About that… https : //t.co/wDbVPgWeav pic.twitter.com/6OFEeKLTGQ — Andrew Stiles ( @ AndrewStilesUSA ) June 13 , 2016
Here 's the clip of Hillary upbraiding generous benefactors of her family foundation for enabling terrorist financing -- via the Free Beacon :
Clinton also described her approach to combat both radical Islamist terrorist networks ( or `` violent extremism '' as it 's euphemized by the administration in which she served for four years ) , and the serious threat of domestic radicalization . Some of her ideas and sentiments were strong , others were weak . But what was striking was how she delivered her `` we must do X & and Z '' remarks as if she were a newcomer to the political scene , who bears no responsibility for American policies stretching back years . Jim Geraghty 's snark was on point :
If only Hillary Clinton had been in a a position to influence U.S. policy against ISIS… — jimgeraghty ( @ jimgeraghty ) June 13 , 2016
She voted for the Iraq war , then became the foreign policy face of an administration that first irresponsibly `` ended '' that war in such a way that paved the way for ISIS ' rise , then for political reasons suppressed and manipulated intelligence that pointed to the burgeoning threat they 'd fueled . Clinton also called for new gun restrictions on `` weapons of war , '' referring to `` assault '' rifles that differ enormously from actual military-issued firearms . I 'll leave you with this simple critique of trying to slap a constitutionally-problematic bandaid on a problem by ineffectively targeting tools and methods , rather than actual causes :
Recommended The Truth About Impeachment Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel | cxVnb2595bHQrVh7 | 2 | Hillary Clinton | -1.2 | Presidential Elections | -0.7 | Elections | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | Guest Writer - Right | http://townhall.com/columnists/suzannefields/2016/03/25/women-are-key-to-november-what-do-they-really-want-n2138835 | OPINION: Women are Key to November: What Do They Really Want? | 2016-03-25 | elections | The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of Townhall.com .
Women think men are transparent and easy to figure out . Everybody knows that . But women are a puzzle to men -- ask any man . When Sigmund Freud posed his famous question , he confessed that even he had no answer .
`` The great question that has never been answered , and which I have not been able to answer despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul , '' he wrote to one of his precocious female students , `` is , 'what does a woman want ? ' ''
The man who popularized psychoanalysis could n't come to a conclusion on this matter . It 's clear to everybody , though , that what women want today is : what everybody wants . Women want everything . Some women have speculated that Freud was only being coy or playful , but his question lingers . This is the season where presidential candidates -- and every other office , large or small -- must ponder , as billions of dollars ride on the answer .
Hillary Clinton is betting everything on women 's issues , and has based her campaign on pandering to the feminist vote . Donald Trump , ever the outlier , seems to be basing his campaign on insulting and aggravating women . It 's not unlikely that some women will take revenge for the Donald 's crudities aimed at the female persuasion . He has tapped into his well of anger ; women can , too . People are full of surprises .
Clinton 's polling gurus were surprised early on to find that many young women are not as enamored of the former first lady as expected . Some find her self-centered and see her as a flawed role model . The strength of Clinton 's female vote is concentrated in what the French call `` women of a certain age '' These women are inclined to sympathize with feminism even if they do n't buy all the particulars ; they learned the hard way to overcome barriers erected in politics and business . But younger women who follow these pathfinders do n't feel the constraints their mothers and grandmothers did . They 've broken through glass ceilings in many different careers .
A recent study from the Harvard Graduate School of Education , however , finds disquieting implications for feminists who imagined that every woman would one day join them and march to the beat of the same drum . Researchers surveyed thousands of boys and girls ; they found that resistance to female teenage leaders exists among teenage boys and teenage girls . There 's even resistance among some mothers of daughters . `` These biases , '' the researchers say , `` could be powerful barriers to leadership for a generation of teen girls with historically high levels of education who are key to closing our nation 's gender gap in leadership . ''
These findings suggest that `` much can be done to prevent and reduce gender biases in children . '' Conservatives would argue that the researchers have only rediscovered something inherent to the female nature : The resentments of teenage girls are the natural jealousies that begin early in life .
The study 's results reflected the answers of 20,000 boys and girls of diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds from 59 middle schools and high schools . Focus groups and individual interviews followed . One conclusion is that teenagers of both sexes hold biases against female leaders in powerful professions and occupations , such as politics .
`` Our study points to insidious bias against girls as leaders that comes from many sources , '' says Richard Weissbourd , senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education . `` Bias can be a powerful -- and invisible -- barrier to teenage girls ' leadership . Yet parents and teachers can do a great deal to stem these biases and help children manage them . ''
Researchers asked students whether they would give more power to student councils led by either white , black or Hispanic girls or boys . They were surprised to find that students were least likely to give more power to white female-led student councils , and more likely to give more power to councils led by white males . In fact , white girls themselves were least likely to favor white girls .
It 's easy to make too much of a survey of teenagers , who usually have little interest in anything beyond their own concerns . Their opinions are often merely whims that are as fleeting as the weather . Most of the teenagers surveyed actually had no settled opinion about the place of girls in teenage leadership . But considering that women have recently been dropping out of the labor force in measurable numbers , the implications for the future are nevertheless profound . Clinton 's ultimate performance may have a strong impact on how young women see themselves as prospective leaders . | dvO3M9W9xZRJfDaf | 2 | Presidential Elections | -0.7 | Elections | -0.7 | Women | -0.1 | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Townhall | https://townhall.com/tipsheet/laurettabrown/2018/12/26/cbp-will-be-conducting-health-checks-on-all-children-in-custody-following-death-of-8yearold-guatemalan-boy-n2538046 | CBP Will Be Conducting Health Checks on All Children in Custody Following Death of 8-Year-Old Guatemalan Boy | 2018-12-26 | immigration | U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that they will be conducting medical checks on all children in their custody following the death of an eight-year-old Guatemalan boy late Monday evening . The agency also released a timeline of events leading up to the boy ’ s death at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo , New Mexico .
“ U.S . Border Patrol is conducting secondary medical checks upon all children in CBP care and custody , including children arriving as part of Family Units ( FMUA ) and Unaccompanied Children ( UACs ) , with a focus on children under 10 years old , ” the agency announced .
The statement said that CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are looking at “ options for transportation to Family Residential Centers and/or supervised release. ” CBP is also “ reviewing all available custody options to relieve capacity issues in Border Patrol stations and checkpoints in El Paso Sector . ”
CBP is additionally seeking the possibility of more medical assistance from interagency partners , including the U.S. Coast Guard , and “ potentially requesting further aid from the Department of Defense , Federal Emergency Management Agency , and Health and Human Services to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with supplemental medical capabilities . ”
The agency emphasized that it is “ reviewing its policies with particular focus upon care and custody of children under 10 both at intake and beyond 24 hours in custody . ”
The boy , identified by Guatemalan authorities as Felipe Gómez Alonzo , was in CBP custody with his father , Agustin Gomez , since December 18th .
According to the timeline , the boy and his father were taken to the hospital on Monday after the boy began exhibiting flu-like symptoms . At the hospital , the boy was initially diagnosed with a cold .
The boy was kept in the hospital for observation for 90 minutes after he was found to have a fever but then was released with prescriptions for antibiotics and pain relievers .
The child ’ s father declined further medical assistance later that evening when the boy began vomiting because the boy was reportedly feeling better .
However , later that night when the nausea continued he was taken back to the hospital . He vomited and lost consciousness on the way to the hospital where staff were ultimately unable to revive him .
CBP Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan said in a statement that “ this is a tragic loss . On behalf of U.S. Customs and Border Protection , our deepest sympathies go out to the family . ''
The Associated Press reports that CBP has promised “ an independent and thorough review of the circumstances , ” and the Guatemalan foreign ministry called for an investigation “ in accordance with due process . ”
Felipe is the second child to die in CBP custody this month . A seven-year-old Guatemalan girl , Jakelin Caal Maquin , died after going without food and water for days prior to being apprehended at the border with her father . The father reportedly absolved CBP of blame in the incident . | cj3C2ERX5SLNIS5Y | 2 | Immigration | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Jonah Goldberg | https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/09/14/in-war-time-is-less-expensive-than-human-life/ | In war, time is less expensive than human life | 2019-09-14 | Foreign Policy, War, Middle East, World | The drama leading up to and surrounding the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks was an unfortunate distraction . President Trump invited the Taliban to meet at Camp David for “ peace talks ” — against the wishes of the democratically elected government in Afghanistan and Trump ’ s own national security adviser , John Bolton . The talks were canceled after a Taliban strike that killed one American . Bolton ’ s job was canceled when he declined to defend the president ’ s bad decision to invite the Taliban in the first place .
But behind the shouting there is a serious debate over what we should do about our presence in Afghanistan . One argument for pulling out is less serious than it appears at first blush : The war has gone on too long .
In the world of TV punditry , the claim that this is “ America ’ s longest war ” often substitutes for an argument . It ’ s what people mean when they say that America must stop engaging in “ endless wars. ” Trump has said , “ Great nations do not fight endless wars . ”
The more relevant objection is that the length of a war isn ’ t necessarily the most important metric . This is a point Trump has made himself : “ As I ’ ve said , and I ’ ll say it any number of times — and this is not using nuclear — we could win that war in a week if we wanted to fight it , but I ’ m not looking to kill 10 million people . ”
That ’ s an exaggeration , but let ’ s assume Trump is correct . Most reasonable people can see how saving time at the expense of near-genocidal bloodshed isn ’ t a desirable trade-off . Time is by no means a costless resource , but given the alternatives , it ’ s often the best choice .
In a sense , we ’ ve been in a state of war with North Korea for nearly 70 years . We never signed a peace treaty , and we left troops on the Korean Peninsula to enforce an armistice . In terms of time , that ’ s a big expense , but it ’ s cheap when measured in the more important currency of human life . Similarly , the Cold War was not simply a metaphorical war . We spent American blood and treasure for nearly half a century containing the Soviet Union around the globe . But we opted not to have a direct confrontation because we thought biding our time was a better alternative than a direct confrontation costing millions of lives .
In other words : Does it really matter how long the war in Afghanistan has gone on if it ’ s still necessary to be there ? If it ’ s necessary , time is irrelevant . And if it ’ s unnecessary , time is also irrelevant .
Imagine firefighters spending months battling an inferno in Yellowstone . At what point would you say , “ This has gone on too long , it ’ s time to call it quits ” ?
If you have cancer , you might stop receiving treatment if there ’ s no hope . But , “ You ’ ve been fighting cancer for a long time now , let ’ s end this endless war ” isn ’ t a great argument absent other considerations .
Many compare Afghanistan to the Vietnam War , which until recently held the title of America ’ s longest war . And the comparison has some merit in terms of the mission creep , local corruption and the political dilemma of pulling out of a war without a clear victor ( though American fatalities in Afghanistan have been a fraction of what they were in Vietnam ) . The major difference is that there was little chance of the North Vietnamese using their victory to mount attacks on the American homeland .
The Taliban has never recognized the legitimacy of the Afghan government , and it has never truly separated from al-Qaeda — in part because the two groups are politically , economically and ideologically intertwined . Even if it were to break with al-Qaeda , there ’ s the vexing problem that the Taliban can ’ t be trusted .
Fully pulling out of Afghanistan would solve one problem : our understandable impatience with a war . But it wouldn ’ t solve the problem that prompted us to send troops there in the first place : the Taliban ’ s capacity to harbor and support terrorists bent on killing Americans .
Problems without solutions aren ’ t problems ; they ’ re facts , even if you put a clock on them .
███ ’ s latest book is “ Suicide of the West : How the Rebirth of Nationalism , Populism , and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy . ” | 80a6005a62bbd954 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | Associated Press | https://apnews.com/d0dc7c4719667d1a7f69cc9b8ab204c9 | US jobless claims fall below 1 million but remain high | 2020-08-13 | Coronavirus, Unemployment, Unemployment Benefits, Economy And Jobs | Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2020, file photo, a customer leaves a Pier 1 retail store, which is going out of business, during the coronavirus pandemic in Coral Gables, Fla. The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago, yet still remains at a high level. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) FILE - In this July 30, 2020, file photo, a cyclist passes a display window with mask covered mannequins at a dress store in McAllen, Texas. The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago, yet still remains at a high level. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) FILE - In this June 25, 2020, file photo, a price sign is displayed at a retail store as a store employee wears a mask while working in Niles, Ill. The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago, yet still remains at a high level. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment dropped below 1 million last week for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak took hold in the U.S. five months ago, but layoffs are still running extraordinarily high. The figures show that the crisis continues to throw people out of work just as the expiration of an extra $600 a week in federal jobless benefits has deepened the hardship for many — and posed another threat to the U.S. economy. Applications for jobless benefits declined to 963,000, the second straight drop, from 1.2 million the previous week, the government said Thursday. That signals layoffs are slowing, though the weekly figure still far exceeds the pre-outbreak record of just under 700,000, set in 1982. The virus is blamed for more than 166,000 deaths and 5.2 million confirmed infections in the U.S. — easily the highest totals in the world. The average number of new cases per day is on the rise in eight states, and deaths per day are climbing in 26, according to an Associated Press analysis. Worldwide, the scourge has claimed more than 750,000 lives and caused over 20 million known infections. The virus, the shutdowns meant to fight it and the reluctance or inability of many people to shop, travel or eat out continue to undermine the economy and force companies to cut staff. Over the past few months, 23 states have paused or reversed their business re-openings because of a resurgence of the virus. Overall, fewer people are collecting unemployment, a sign that some employers are hiring. The total declined last week to 15.5 million, from 16.1 million the previous week. “Another larger-than-expected decline in jobless claims suggests that the jobs recovery is regaining some momentum, but ... much labor market progress remains to be done,” said Lydia Boussour, senior economist at Oxford Economics. Hiring is believed to have slowed since the spring, when states reopened and millions of workers at bars, restaurants and stores were rehired. The job gain in August will probably fall short of the 1.8 million added in July, analysts say. For months, on top of their state benefit, unemployed Americans also collected the $600 a week in federal jobless aid. But that expired at the end of July, and negotiations in Congress to extend it, probably at a lower level, have collapsed in rancor. Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would provide $300 a week to replace the expired $600. But experts say it could take weeks for the states to reprogram their computers and process and dispense the payments. A crush of benefit applications earlier in the outbreak resulted in huge backlogs that left millions of the unemployed waiting. Washington state went so far as to call in the National Guard to help process applications. Some economists say they believe the end of the $600 has contributed to the drop in unemployment claims of late. Some of the unemployed may feel less incentive to apply. The supplemental federal aid had enabled many jobless Americans to afford rent, food and utilities, and its expiration threatens to weaken consumer spending. Michelle Meyer, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said the loss of the additional aid will reduce Americans’ incomes by $18 billion a week. “That’s a big hit to purchasing power,” she said. In addition to people who applied last week for state benefits, nearly 489,000 others sought jobless aid under a new federal program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it is reported separately. Counting those receiving aid under the new program would bring to 28.2 million — roughly 18% of the U.S. workforce — the number of Americans now receiving some form of unemployment benefits. With confirmed virus cases still high, it’s not clear when business owners will be able to reopen or will have enough customers to rehire. Grace Della is one of them. She opened her food tour business in Miami a decade ago with $300 from her mother. On weekends, she led the tours herself and eventually built up a business with 13 guides, averaging 10 tours a day through culinary hot spots in South Beach and Little Havana. With scant customer demand, it has been more than four months since Miami Culinary Tours has taken out guests. Della, 46, said she hopes to reopen later this month but isn’t sure she can, given the state’s high level of confirmed infections. Della said she tries to stay positive but confesses to moments of crippling fear. At one point, hyperventilating with anxiety, she contacted firefighters. “There’s no money coming in,” Della said. “We’re all scared.” AP writer Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. These tracking technologies (such as cookies) are needed for our web site to function and are always active. For California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Oregon, Virginia, and Texas Residents Only. To opt out of the sale or sharing/processing of personal information for targeted ads for this site/app on this browser/device, switch the toggle above to OFF by moving it to the LEFT (it will turn gray) and then clicking the “Confirm My Choices” button at the bottom. Thank you for letting us know. This ad has already been reported. | 7b3412bb6364341f | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
immigration | Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/09/01/fact-checking-donald-trumps-immigration-speech/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_factchecker-1245am%3Ahomepage/story | Fact-checking Donald Trump’s immigration speech | 2016-09-01 | Immigration | clockThis article was published more than 8 years ago Donald Trump gave his long-awaited speech on immigration in Phoenix on Aug. 31. Here’s a roundup of some of the more interesting claims he made in the lengthy address; we expect we will dig deeper into some of his other statistics in the coming days. As is our practice, we do not award Pinocchios in speech roundups. | 90ad2a2644b730ae | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | USA TODAY | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/17/donald-trump-fact-checking-presidents-midterm-message/1264867002/ | President Trump: Fact checking five applause lines the president trots out on the campaign trail | 2018-10-17 | politics | WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has stepped up his presence on the campaign trail ahead of next month 's election , taking his freewheeling stump speech on the road to help Republicans keep their majorities in Congress .
Trump will campaign in Montana , Arizona , Nevada and Texas in coming days , and is expected to schedule several more rallies next week .
But the president continues to inflate the record , even in cases where the record already works to his advantage . From the economy to immigration , the president trots out applause lines that have been repeatedly debunked by fact checkers .
Here ’ s a look at five misstatements Trump can ’ t seem to ditch from his stump speech .
`` We have the best numbers in history on employment and unemployment and median income and many other things ... We have more people working now than ever before . '' – Lebanon , Ohio ; Oct. 12
The state of the U.S. economy is strong – with an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent – and that alone will help Republicans as they head into the midterms .
But to describe the economic picture as historic overstates things . The unemployment picture in the U.S. last month is in roughly the same spot as it was in 1969 , when it held below 3.7 percent for 10 months of the year .
Trump is correct that the stock market is surging , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average posting nearly a dozen record closes this year . The markets are up significantly over pre-2017 levels , even with this month 's selloffs .
But his assertion that `` more people are working than ever before '' misses a key piece of context .
`` More people are working because there are more people , '' said Michael Bordo , a professor of economics at Rutgers . `` Other labor force indicators are good but not great by historical standards . ''
“ We started building the wall , and we 've made progress ... A border wall , which is moving faster than anybody would believe ... ” – Lexington , Kentucky ; Oct. 13
Congress approved $ 1.6 billion for border security funding in March but the law specifically said the money could be used only for previously approved border barrier designs , such as fencing . New fencing has gone up along some portions of the border , according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection , and the agency built some prototypes of Trump ’ s wall .
Before his inauguration , Trump specifically rejected the idea of a fence .
`` It 's not a fence , '' Trump said during his first press conference as president-elect in early 2017 . `` It 's a wall . ''
Trump is moving the goalposts by claiming work is already underway , and by using a new term to describe the fencing : `` Bollard wall . ''
Rep. Jim Jordan , an Ohio Republican and founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus , acknowledged as much when lawmakers approved the latest spending package in March .
`` The one thing we don ’ t fund is the one issue we all campaigned on – a border security wall – and that is not in the legislation , '' Jordan told Fox News at the time .
Trump signed a similar funding measure late last month that also did not include wall funding . The administration hopes to secure funding for the wall after the election .
More : Fact check : Will President Trump ’ s border wall stop drug smuggling ?
“ The Democrats are the party of crime . That 's what 's happening . They are the party of crime ... Democrats want to abolish America 's borders and allow drugs and gangs to pour into our country unabated. ” Erie , Pennsylvania ; Oct. 10
Trump has bludgeoned Democrats for months over a proposal from some liberal members of the party to eliminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement , part of the Department of Homeland Security . Democratic leaders oppose the idea , and it stands little chance of passing even if Democrats take control of the House in the midterms .
House Republicans threatened in July to bring to the floor a Democratic bill to eradicate the immigration enforcement agency – a move that would have forced Democrats to answer for the idea . Instead , Democrats said they would vote against the bill and Republicans dropped the plan .
More : Fact check : More bogus border claims by Trump on immigration
Dating back to his 2016 campaign , Trump has conflated immigration and crime . Although gangs like MS-13 have committed gruesome crimes , their activity has been isolated to a handful of places and the vast majority of crime in the United States is committed by U.S. citizens .
`` We protect most of those countries . European Union , NATO . We protect most ... The numbers are horrific . But I 've gotten $ 44 billion last year , more paid into NATO by other countries . '' – Council Bluffs , Iowa ; Oct. 9
This claim was first raised by Trump at the end of the NATO summit in July . Even as the president was flying to the next stop of his overseas tour hours after that summit ended , European leaders denied committing to a bigger investment .
It is possible Trump 's relentless focus on the issue nudged some countries to speed up their spending , but the White House has never clarified whether any of that money is in addition to commitments European governments had already made .
NATO members had already promised to spend 2 percent of their GDP by 2024 . Some countries reaffirmed their original commitment . Lithuanian officials said in 2017 that they intend to exceed the 2 percent goal , which was as much a response to Russia as it was to Trump .
“ I think he gets credit for amping up their spending but he offended them in the process with his bully approach , ” said Robert Litan , a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has studied the issue . “ Moreover he doesn ’ t seem to appreciate that NATO is also for our benefit . We don ’ t want the Russians dominating Western Europe . ”
`` U.S. Steel is opening and expanding seven different plants and spending a tremendous – billions of dollars doing it . And what does it mean for you ? Jobs , jobs , very simple . '' Erie , Pennsylvania ; Oct. 10
Trump has faced criticism from within the Republican Party this year for imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum , including on the European Union and other allies . Though unpopular in some quarters , the tariffs appear to be having some impact on the industry .
U.S. Steel Corp. CEO David Burritt credited the tariffs with allowing the company to make a $ 750 million investment in its plant in Gary , Indiana . The company announced this year it would restart two blast furnaces at an Illinois plant near St. Louis .
More : U.S. Steel to reopen dormant Illinois plant , credits proposed Trump tariffs
But Trump 's claim that U.S. Steel is opening or revitalizing seven plants is n't supported by the evidence .
U.S. Steel would be required to report those projects to investors , and no additional projects are mentioned in the company 's second-quarter filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission . Indiana officials , meanwhile , have said that U.S. Steel did not commit to hiring new employees as part of its investment in Gary .
`` None of this is expansion , '' said Charles Bradford , a steel industry analyst . `` What they call it is restoration . ''
Bradford said Trump may be on more solid ground if he spoke about the industry generally , rather than a single company . Nucor Corp. announced this spring it would build a plant in Florida and said last month it would expand capacity at a plant in Kentucky .
Neither U.S. Steel nor the White House responded to requests for more information . | XuXR3NJmjMX7xCEb | 1 | Facts And Fact Checking | -0.5 | Donald Trump | -0.1 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/16/politics/2016-governors-fundraising-disadvantage/index.html | 2016ers could face a bumpy road to Wall Street cash | 2015-02-16 | elections | Washington ( CNN ) The 2016 money race is well underway , but one group of presidential hopefuls is at a distinct disadvantage as they try to lure donors : Sitting governors .
These state executives -- including Chris Christie of New Jersey , Mike Pence of Indiana , Scott Walker of Wisconsin , Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and John Kasich of Ohio -- are grappling with an arcane rule that is intended to combat pay-to-play corruption , but could have broader implications .
The rule -- approved in 2010 by the Securities and Exchange Commission -- bans financial firms that do business with state and local governments from receiving state contracts for two years if employees donate more than a few hundred dollars to governors and other public officials .
The measure could create two tiers of potential presidential candidates : Those who are n't current governors , such as Jeb Bush and Sens . Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz , wo n't have to worry about the regulation , while it could be a major issue for those running from the governors mansion .
Big money is at stake . Wall Street poured nearly $ 80 million into the 2012 race -- some of which could be off limits for governors vying for the White House now .
`` It 's a significant amount of money that could potentially be out of reach for these 2016 candidates that are governors simply because of this SEC rule , '' said David Mitrani , an attorney and campaign finance law expert . `` It 's absolutely not a level playing field . ''
There are also big consequences for financial companies themselves . The rule imposes a significant fine and a two-year `` timeout period '' on companies that are found to be in violation . In many cases , these contracts can be worth millions of dollars over time and serve as the lifeblood for smaller Wall Street firms .
`` It 's a very , very , very scary rule , '' said Joe Birkenstock , a political law attorney who has written extensively about the pay-to-play rule .
The restrictions are on the radar of governors , who must carefully plan their fundraising strategy with the rule in mind .
`` If we decide to become a candidate , we 'll do what we need to do to follow the laws and raise whatever resources we can to get the message out , '' Jindal told CNN . `` Obviously you do need resources to get your message out . I do n't think the candidate who raises the most amount of money will necessarily be the candidate who wins . ''
The rules could have especially significant implications for Christie , the New Jersey governor . Given his proximity to New York , he has relied heavily on the financial sector for support . Advisers close to Christie told CNN he is well aware of the rules and works within them .
`` People who are supportive of Gov . Christie have just learned to live with it , '' said Bill Palatucci , a close adviser to both of Christie 's campaigns for governor who now provides guidance to Leadership Matters For America . `` That 's just a fact of life and he 's done pretty well despite the fact that it 's there . ''
The Federal Election Commission is responsible for regulating the flow of money in politics , but campaign finance activists are increasingly looking to the SEC as another way to curtail political spending . Advocates have praised the SEC 's pay-to-play rule for policing corruption , and have called on the agency to go further by mandating that corporations disclose all political giving publicly to their investors .
`` The pay to play regulations are a useful safeguard against corruption and improper conflicts of interest , '' Adam Smith , a spokesman for the advocacy group Every Voice , said in a statement . `` With so many changes in campaign finance law in the past few years , it would make sense for the SEC to look into whether it needs to update these rules . ''
Unlike FEC regulations , however , the responsibility to follow the SEC rule rests with the donors , not the campaigns , forcing each company to police their own employees to avoid being penalized .
While the rule seems simple enough , there are big compliance questions , especially when considering the many new fundraising vessels that can now support politicians .
In the wake of federal and Supreme Court cases -- most notably 2010 's Citizens United decision that allowed unlimited corporate and union spending on campaign speech -- today 's White House hopefuls enjoy a variety of novel fundraising options that extend beyond their own official campaigns .
Instead of being limited to giving directly to the candidates , donors can aid their chosen contenders indirectly through a patchwork of networks , including political action committees , `` 527 '' organizations , nonprofit advocacy groups and super-PACs that have the freedom to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections .
In the 2012 elections , super-PACs spent more than $ 600 million on political action , according to campaign finance records . The groups are legally barred from coordinating directly with campaigns , but they are often led by former advisers of the candidates they promote and undoubtedly provide support for their campaigns .
Because of the sheer number of sitting governors who may run for president in the next election cycle , super-PACs could play an even more outsized role in 2016 than 2012 by serving as a convenient way for Wall Street donors to support candidates they otherwise are not allowed to because of the SEC rule .
`` It could strengthen the hands of the outside groups if this becomes a viable vehicle for Wall Street to participate in the elections , '' said Ken Gross , a former associate general counsel at the Federal Election Commission who advises campaigns on campaign finance law .
Some potential 2016 contenders are already working with organizations that can raise funds before their official campaigns begin .
Christie is the `` honorary chairman '' of `` Leadership Matters for America , '' a political action committee that is `` not authorized by any candidate or candidate 's committee . '' Last year , a PAC affiliated with Jindal called `` Stand up to Washington '' was launched to help support congressional candidates alongside a Jindal-backed nonprofit called `` America Next . '' Walker in January announced the formation of a group , `` Our American Revival , '' that can promote issues and raise unlimited funds .
Should they decide to formally launch presidential bids , groups like these -- as well as unaffiliated super-PACs -- will no doubt be part of their arsenal . It 's possible these groups can act as a workaround to the rule , though that 's uncertain and potentially risky .
`` A contribution to a political party , PAC or other committee or organization would not trigger a two-year time out , '' reads an SEC explainer published online in 2012 , `` unless it is a means to do indirectly what the rule prohibits if done directly ( for example , the contribution is earmarked or known to be provided for the benefit of a particular political official ) . ''
An SEC spokesperson declined to comment on whether donating groups tied to a governor would count as a violation .
The question , then , is whether a donation to one of these groups amounts to a contribution toward the sitting governor 's electoral efforts in the eyes of the SEC . For many institutions that invest a massive financial stake in their state contracts , the consequences of violating the rule is not worth the risk of finding out after the fact .
Given the murkiness of the rule 's enforcement , some firms are cautious .
The Blackstone Group , a private equity firm that helps manage the New Jersey state pension fund , has a blanket prohibition against donating to state politicians there .
`` We require that all contributions be cleared and prohibit any to PACs that fund , are controlled by , or primarily benefit state and local candidates or office holders , '' Blackstone spokeswoman Christine Anderson told CNN .
Mitrani , the attorney and campaign finance expert , said such restraint is wise .
`` A lot of companies live and breathe based on these government management services . There 's so much money involved , '' he said . `` The consequence of losing this business for even a three-figure contribution is not worth the risk for a lot of companies . '' | Jq8aXYw648wscY99 | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.7 | Election2016 | 0.7 | Wall Street | -0.6 | Elections | 0 | null | null |
national_defense | Fox Online News | http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/05/obama-un-ambassador-pick-comments/ | Obama's UN ambassador pick has history of controversial comments | 2013-06-05 | national_defense | The former White House adviser and longtime Obama friend nominated Wednesday as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations has a history of controversial comments that could haunt her in confirmation -- including likening U.S. foreign policies to those of the Nazis .
In a March 2003 New Republic magazine essay , Samantha Power wrote that American foreign policy needs a `` historical reckoning '' which would entail `` opening the files '' and `` acknowledging the force of a mantra we have spent the last decade promoting in Guatemala , South Africa , and Yugoslavia . ''
She continued : “ Instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa would enhance our credibility by showing that American decision-makers do not endorse the sins of their predecessors . When ( German Chancellor Willy ) Brandt went down on one knee in the Warsaw ghetto , his gesture was gratifying to World War II survivors , but it was also ennobling and cathartic for Germany . Would such an approach be futile for the United States ? ''
Republicans in the Senate , which must approve Power for the diplomatic post , could press her during her confirmation hearing on a number of other topics , including comments she 's made on Libya and Israel . If confirmed , Power would take over for Susan Rice , whom Obama appointed as his new national security adviser . Rice , unlike Power , will not face a confirmation hearing .
Power , aside from being a well-known foreign policy expert , is also married to Obama 's former regulatory `` czar '' Cass Sunstein .
More On This ... Obama names Susan Rice as national security adviser despite Benghazi controversy
Asked Wednesday if the White House is girding for a contentious confirmation , Press Secretary Jay Carney said , “ We would not expect one . ”
He lauded Power ’ s “ remarkable career ” as a journalist and foreign policy adviser , as well as her “ passion ” for issues like shedding light on genocide .
But others say her views on the Middle East spark concerns about her position on Israel . She once suggested the possibility of military intervention in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute .
During a 2002 interview with Harry Kreisler , host of Conversations with History , a program produced by the University of California Berkeley Institute of International Studies , Power said America needs “ a willingness to actually put something on the line in sort of helping the situation . ''
“ Not of the old , you know , Srebrenica kind or the Rwanda kind , but a meaningful military presence , because it seems to me at this stage -- and this is true of actual genocides as well and not just , you know , major human rights abuses , which we 're seeing there . But -- is that you have to go in as if you 're serious , you have to put something on the line , ” she said .
The Republican Jewish Coalition questioned Power 's nomination saying she `` has a record of statements that are very troubling to Americans who support Israel . ''
`` We urge members of the U.S. Senate to question her closely about her past statements and writings , '' RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a written statement . `` She must respond to the strong doubts about her views raised by that record . Senators should also examine her tenure as head of the President 's Atrocity Prevention Board to see what results , if any , came out of her time there . ''
Carney defended Power ’ s record on Israel , saying she “ consistently led ” against efforts to “ delegitimize ” the nation . He said she consistently has supported Israel ’ s “ right to defend itself , ” worked to block efforts to single out Israel at the U.N. Security Council after the deadly standoff with a Gaza-bound flotilla , and opposed the unilateral push for Palestinian statehood .
“ Samantha Power is a proven friend and supporter of Israel and the U.S.-Israel relationship , ” he said .
President Obama , calling her `` experienced , effective and energetic , '' urged the Senate to confirm Power `` without delay . ''
Power would come into the role at a time when the U.S. is weighing whether to get more involved in the Syrian civil war . Power is on record supporting the U.S. decision to intervene militarily in Libya in 2011 which ultimately led to the toppling of the country ’ s leader Muammar Qaddafi .
Power , a Pulitzer Prize winner , Harvard Law School graduate and Harvard professor , created a public ripple during the 2008 Democratic primary race when she was quoted in a foreign newspaper calling then-candidate Hillary Clinton names .
`` She is a monster , too -- that is off the record -- she is stooping to anything , '' Power told The Scotsman , which published her comment .
`` But if you are poor and she is telling you some story about how Obama is going to take your job away , maybe it will be more effective . The amount of deceit she has put forward is really unattractive , '' she added .
`` I made inexcusable remarks that are at marked variance from my oft-stated admiration for Senator Clinton and from the spirit , tenor , and purpose of the Obama campaign , '' Power said in 2008 . `` And I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton , Senator Obama and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months . ''
In her role as professor , she taught courses on U.S. foreign policy , human rights and extremism . She ’ s also the founding Executive Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy .
According to Power ’ s profile on the White House web site , she lives in Washington with her husband Sunstein and their son Declan .
Sunstein , whose friendship with Obama dates back to their days on the University of Chicago Law School faculty , used to head up the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs . | SFDpU6ACHpkH0a2N | 2 | National Defense | -0.1 | Defense And Security | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
education | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/07/uvalde-school-district-police-suspended | Uvalde school district suspends full police force months after shooting | 2022-10-07 | Education, Criminal Justice, Police, Violence In America, Uvalde Shooting | District says activities have been halted ‘for a period of time’ amid investigation of response to May massacre The school district in Uvalde, Texas, suspended its entire police force on Friday, five months after a shooting in which 19 children and two teachers were killed, the district said in a statement. The moved followed a wave of outrage over the hiring of a former Texas state trooper who was part of the hesitant law enforcement response during the May shooting at Robb elementary school. School leaders also put two members of the district police department on administrative leave, one of whom chose to retire instead, according to a statement released by the Uvalde school district. The extraordinary move to suspend campus police operations one month into a new school year in the south Texas community underscored the sustained pressure that families of some of those killed on 24 May have placed on the district. Brett Cross, whose 10-year-old son Uziyah Garcia was among the victims, had been protesting outside the Uvalde school administration building for the past two weeks, demanding accountability over officers allowing a gunman with an AR-15-style rifle to remain in a fourth-grade classroom for more than 70 minutes. “We did it!” Cross tweeted on Friday. The Texas state senator who represents Uvalde, Roland Gutierrez, issued a statement Friday thanking Cross and Cross’s supporters for their persistence. “The Uvalde massacre shocked the conscience of our nation,” Gutierrez’s statement added. “This cannot be the end; we still need full transparency and justice from every agency and every level of government that failed us in Uvalde.” The district said it would ask the Texas department of public safety, which already assigned dozens of troopers to the district, for additional help. “We are confident that staff and student safety will not be compromised during this transition,” the district said. The district is also reportedly considering retirement options for – and a plan to transition from – its superintendent, Hal Harrell. Harrell was in his 31st year of education when the killings at Robb unfolded. The move to suspend the Uvalde school district police force comes a day after revelations that the district not only hired a former trooper who was one of nearly 400 officers who rushed to Robb elementary on 24 May, but that she was among at least seven troopers later placed under internal investigation. Crimson Elizondo was fired on Thursday, one day after CNN reported her hiring. She has not responded to voicemails and messages. | 11c787bfcdafc946 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/14/reince-priebus-fails-to-rein-in-anti-trump-delegat/ | Republican renegades denied free delegates | 2016-07-14 | elections | CLEVELAND — Republican leaders scrambled Thursday to defuse flare-ups that threatened unity ahead of their national convention next week , slapping down an effort to free delegates to vote for someone else other than presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump .
Reports that Mr. Trump was planning to name conservative Indiana Gov . Mike Pence as his running mate swept through Cleveland , where delegates were hashing out last-minute rules changes .
The New York billionaire announced late Thursday that he was postponing his announcement after a deadly terrorist attack in France . Mr. Trump told Fox News he had not made his final pick .
In the meantime , dissension was evident throughout the day as Mr. Priebus failed to strike a deal with insurgent delegates over a plan to limit primary participation to Republicans .
But the Trump campaign and the RNC , meanwhile , beat back the efforts to free delegates who are “ bound ” to vote for Mr. Trump on the first ballot - at least for now
“ Donald Trump can win this election and be our next president of the United States , but in order to do that we need to allow the record number of Republican voters who voted for Donald Trump in our primary to have their voice heard and that mean honoring the rules and the commitment of our party to bind the delegates to make their vote county , ” said Matt Hall , a rules committee member from Michigan .
Another faction demanded a rules change to close future primaries so only registered Republicans can vote — a way to head off a repeat of Mr. Trump ’ s success this year . But that effort also died in committee .
“ This is absolutely focused on moving the Republican Party to a position where it is friendlier to the grass-roots conservatives that really make up the heart of this party , ” said Kenneth T. Cuccinelli , a former Virginia attorney general who called for closed primaries .
He spent hours huddling with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Kendra Unruh , a Colorado delegate who drove the effort to unbind delegates and thwart Mr. Trump .
The billionaire businessman won more than enough bound delegates in the primaries to secure the nomination , but many of the people occupying those slots — who are bound by party rules to back Mr. Trump — do not favor him .
Ms. Unruh ’ s proposal failed on a voice vote - though the effort could be revived if supporters can garner signatures from 28 of the 112 from committee members needed to produce a “ minority ” report and push the issue onto the floor of the convention next week .
Party stalwarts insisted that the insurgents won ’ t win their fight .
Steve Munisteri , former chairman of the Texas Republican Party and member of the rules committee , said the “ dump Trump ” effort is dead .
“ Donald Trump will be the nominee , ” Mr. Munisteri said . “ Nothing will alter the outcome . ”
Curly Haugland of North Dakota said the problem facing the anti-Trump forces is that they have not offered an alternative .
“ Now we ’ ve got a track and we have one horse , and we can ’ t have a race with one horse , ” Mr. Haugland said .
Sean Spicer , an RNC spokesman , meanwhile , said Mr. Priebus walked away from the talks with Mr. Cuccinelli because he and his allies kept changing their demands .
“ Negotiating isn ’ t giving in to everything everyone wants , ” Mr. Spicer said . “ The majority of the delegates believe that the rules that are getting passed right now are representative of grass-roots voters . ”
That rules-writing panel also rejected proposals to ban lobbyists from serving on the Republican National Committee and to scrap the RNC ’ s power to rewrite party rules between conventions .
“ I am always concerned about any proposal or any existing rule that seems to tend to allow one group of people or one person to accumulate too much power , ” said Sen. Mike Lee , a member of the rules panel who also supported the conscience amendment .
“ I think we can spot a certain trend that has evolved today — a trend to not pass those amendments that tend to disperse power , ” he said .
Some party leaders were hoping Mr. Trump ’ s vice presidential selection would quell the intraparty ruckus .
Although the Trump campaign said no final decision had been made and the candidate was still deciding among former House Speaker Newt Gingrich , New Jersey Gov . Chris Christie and Mr. Pence , all signs pointed to Mr. Pence .
Republicans on Capitol Hill said Mr. Pence , who served alongside them for more than a decade before he won the Indiana governorship , would be unifying . Several called him a “ conservative ’ s conservative . ”
“ Mike Pence would bring a wealth of experience to the ticket in terms of governance and legislative processes , ” said Steve Yates , chairman of the Idaho Republican Party . “ He is very well-regarded in conservative circles and very well-liked among many who have worked with him over the years . He would likely be seen as a reassuring pick to many Republican voters . ” | InJ8VqprOrajbFB8 | 2 | RNC | 0.2 | Presidential Elections | 0.2 | Elections | 0.1 | null | null | null | null |
elections | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2018/10/19/658149109/how-does-a-red-seat-turn-blue-utah-race-tests-democrats-strategy-to-take-the-hou | How Does A Red Seat Turn Blue? Utah Race Tests Democrats' Strategy To Take The House | 2018-10-19 | elections | How Does A Red Seat Turn Blue ? Utah Race Tests Democrats ' Strategy To Take The House
In his very first answer in the recent debate between the candidates for Utah 's 4th Congressional District , Ben McAdams launched into a political origin story about his first encounter with burdensome government regulations .
The mayor of Salt Lake County told the audience about how he worked four jobs one summer during college to earn some extra income . `` Imagine my disappointment the following year when I was notified that I was denied federal student aid because I made too much money , '' he said . `` Government regulations and rules , they do n't always make sense . And they do n't always reward us for doing the right thing . ''
These kinds of anecdotes are common . It 's just that they usually come from Republicans . McAdams is a Democrat and , according to a recent poll from the Salt Lake Tribune , he is locked in a dead heat with Republican Rep. Mia Love .
For all the attention that the Democratic Party 's national leftward lurch has gotten over the past two years , it 's moderates like McAdams , running in Republican-leaning districts , who could put the party back in control of the House of Representatives .
In an interview with NPR , McAdams said he would give the Trump administration `` mixed reviews . '' He paused for a few moments before continuing . `` I will work with the Trump administration when I think it 's good for this country , when it 's good for Utah , '' he said . `` I 'll be there . I think we do need an infrastructure package to invest in local roads and bridges . I want to be part of that . ''
McAdams criticizes Trump , for sure — on immigration policy , health care and other fronts . But like many Democratic candidates running in close contests this year , he is not regularly railing on Trump on the campaign trail . He is leery about pushing for impeachment , wanting to wait for not only the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller 's investigation but for a bipartisan consensus on any congressional response . `` When you 're considering overturning the results of an election , that is a very serious thing , '' McAdams said . `` And it should be an issue of last resort , and it should n't be done on a partisan basis . ''
All of this is no accident . The county official and former state senator knows that while Democrats in other competitive House races have debated the tactical merits of working to energize and turn out the liberal base , compared with appealing to Republican voters to switch sides , he has no choice . Republicans have a 13-point advantage in this suburban Salt Lake district , and he needs to get them to cross the partisan divide .
`` The votes I need to win this election I 've gotten twice before , '' he argued , pointing to county election results . `` I just need to reassure those people that I 'm not going to change . I 'm going to be the same person as a member of Congress that I 've been as mayor . ''
McAdams also has to persuade voters to dump Love , a two-term lawmaker who gained immediate national attention by being the first-ever black woman elected to Congress as a Republican .
Love is conservative , but running in a tight race , she has repeatedly framed herself as a pragmatist and an independent voice . `` I have built relationships on both sides of the aisle , '' she recently told the Salt Lake Chamber at a candidate forum . `` I 'm the only one in this delegation who has stood up to the president when he has done something wrong and have worked with him when he 's done something right , '' she proclaimed during the debate with McAdams .
The approach reflects Utah Republicans ' continued uneasiness about Trump . ( Trump won the district 's vote in 2016 , but with only 39 percent ; 22 percent of the 4th District broke for independent conservative candidate Evan McMullin . ) While Love repeatedly voted for Republican priorities in the House , and aggressively defends the Trump-signed GOP tax overhaul and last year 's attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act , she has highlighted the times she criticized Trump 's statements or actions .
When Trump memorably referred to African nations and Haiti with a vulgar term during an Oval Office meeting on immigration , Love demanded an apology , calling the statement `` unkind , divisive , elitist , and [ flying ] in the face of our nation 's values . '' She was one of the first Republicans to try to force a House vote on a measure providing a permanent solution for the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program — a move Trump repeatedly blocked by demanding legal immigration changes Democrats wo n't support . During the debate she called Trump 's policy of separating the families of people who enter the country illegally `` absolutely horrific . ''
Occasional statements from congressional Republicans chiding Trump 's tweets , comments and , less frequently , policies are , of course , a common theme of the past two years . All the while the House and Senate have gone along with the president 's policy pushes and declined to provide any significant oversight of the Trump administration .
But as the party becomes more and more Trumpcentric , occasional criticism from another Republican on the campaign trail is rare . Indeed , many of the other GOP lawmakers who publicly split with Trump or criticized him opted to retire this year , rather than run again . Others , like Nevada Sen. Dean Heller and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham , have shifted gears to become close Trump allies .
Given all that , Love 's campaign is one of a handful of test cases on whether voters will reward a lawmaker for an arms-length embrace of the White House .
McAdams has repeatedly dismissed and criticized Love 's balancing act . `` Words are one thing . Actions and outcomes are another , '' he said again and again during their debate .
`` I do n't get credit for what I try to do or what I say I want to do , '' he told NPR . `` I 'm judged based on what I accomplish . And we need to hold the same standards to our representatives in Congress . ''
As the race has tightened , Love has utilized the Republican strategy of arguing that a vote for McAdams is a proxy vote for a Nancy Pelosi speakership . That 's despite the fact McAdams has promised to oppose Pelosi , if he makes it to Congress .
`` If this seat turns over and they win the House , Nancy Pelosi will be speaker of the House , '' Love argued , while also pointing out that an anti-Pelosi vote could cost McAdams choice committee assignments in Congress .
McAdams is a vague on whom he would support for Democratic leader — `` we need leadership that 's going to prioritize healing , '' he said — but argued a Democratic takeover would shift the party 's internal dynamics . `` If the Democrats do take back the House it 's because a lot of people like me win their elections , '' he argued , adding , `` and these are people for who party does not come first , but solutions come first . ''
As Democrats lost election after election during the Obama era , the main casualties were moderates like McAdams . The centrist Blue Dog caucus shrank to near-extinction , while the remaining Democrats in office were pulled to the left along with the national party .
But while a majority of the current House Democratic caucus supports single-payer health care , the majority-making candidates who could flip Republican districts very likely will not .
That could lead to some tense intraparty dynamics in the next Congress , on everything from who should lead the Democratic caucus to how aggressively to investigate the Trump administration and what sort of stands to take on must-pass spending bills .
McAdam 's suggestion for navigating all of that , should he end up in Washington : listen . `` Public-policy making is complex . It does n't lend itself to a hashtag , per se , '' he argued . `` Ultimately , solutions are going to come from consensus building . '' | o2UaslZmkQv4wDR1 | 1 | Senate | -0.3 | Elections | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/11/05/high-profile-races-to-be-decided-today-as-voters-flock-to-polls/3442305/ | High-profile races at stake as voters flock to polls | 2013-11-05 | politics | New Jersey 's Republican Gov . Chris Christie easily won re-election Tuesday and former national Democratic Party leader Terry McAuliffe captured the governorship of Virginia as off-year election voters chose familiar candidates closer to the middle .
New Yorkers elected Bill de Blasio their first Democratic mayor in two decades .
In a closely watched Republican primary runoff in Alabama , former college chancellor Bradley Byrne defeated outspoken Tea Party candidate Dean Young for the Republican nomination for a vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives .
Democrat Martin Walsh was elected mayor of Boston over another Democrat , John Connolly . In Atlanta , Mayor Kasim Reed won a second term .
In financially strapped Detroit , Mike Duggan , a health care executive once thought to have little chance of surviving the primary , defeated Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon and became the first white mayor of the majority-black city in 40 years .
President Obama telephoned congratulations to McAuliffe , de Blasio and Walsh , all Democrats , the White House said .
In Virginia , the loss by Republican state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli was a rejection of the strongly conservative GOP leadership the state has experienced for four years , though in a closer outcome than polls had forecast .
Cuccinelli was a favorite of Tea Party Republicans , had battled for tight restrictions on abortion and led an ideological campaign aimed at blocking President Obama 's health care law even after it was enacted . McAuliffe surged ahead only when the final returns from Democratic-leaning Northern Virginia , including suburbs of Washington , D.C. , were counted .
Christie 's easy win in New Jersey secures a second and final term in that office and propels him toward a possible 2016 presidential campaign , where he could be among the least conservative contenders , positioned to attract independent voters .
`` Thank you , New Jersey , for making me the luckiest guy in the world , '' Christie said .
Elsewhere , Colorado voters approved a measure to tax newly legalized recreational marijuana , raising money for school construction and regulation funds . Colorado voters rejected a $ 1 billion tax increase for schools .
In Houston , voters rejected a proposal to convert the aging Astrodome into a convention center , an outcome that apparently dooms the once futuristic domed stadium to the wrecking ball .
Cuccinelli had support from Virginians angry with the Obama administration , last month 's federal government shutdown and the flailing debut of the president 's health care insurance website . McAuliffe 's get-out-the-vote strategy was from Obama 's playbook , focusing on minorities and young voters as well as women . No one in a sitting president 's party has won a Virginia governor 's race since 1977 .
Christie voted at a firehouse in Mendham Township and said it was his last race for state office .
In a New York City 's mayoral race noted for the early implosion of sexting Democratic contender and former congressman Anthony Weiner , front-runner de Blasio defeated Republican Joe Lhota , former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority . The winner replaces 12-year incumbent Michael Bloomberg .
De Blasio 's election makes him the first Democratic mayor in the city since David Dinkins , who was elected in 1989 . As the city 's elected public advocate , he ran on a sweeping liberal agenda that includes a tax increase on the wealthy to pay for universal pre-kindergarten and improved police-community relations . Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1 in New York City .
In Boston , Walsh , a former union official before his election to the House in 1997 , leaned on support from labor organizations . Connolly tried to make education his core issue .
A key ballot issue approved in Colorado establishes a 15 % excise tax to pay for school construction , plus an extra 10 % sales tax to fund marijuana enforcement . The taxes could bring in $ 70 million annually .
Voters in 10 of 11 northern Colorado counties voted down a proposal to try to secede from the state . A largely symbolic gesture , even if approved , the plan would have required state and federal approval . | lgEiETSsQ1Q2iMsr | 1 | Politics | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Wall Street Journal - News | https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-promise-probe-of-trump-meetings-with-putin-11547356133 | Democrats Promise Probe of Trump Meetings With Putin | foreign_policy | WASHINGTON—House Democrats said they would explore allegations President Trump has sought to limit documentation of his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin .
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel ( D. , N.Y. ) , responding to a Washington Post report about Mr. Trump ’ s meetings with the Russian leader , said his committee would hold hearings on the claims , in what could be one of the first actions by Democrats to probe the president since they took control of the House in January .
“ Every time Trump meets with Putin , the country is told nothing , ” Mr. Engel said in a written statement . “ We will be holding hearings on the mysteries swirling around Trump ’ s bizarre relationship with Putin . ”
Mr. Trump on Saturday said claims he took extraordinary steps to keep his discussions with Mr. Putin secret were ridiculous .
“ I had a conversation like every president does , ” Mr. Trump said in an interview on Fox News . “ You sit with the president of various countries . I do it with all countries . I ’ m not keeping anything under wraps , I couldn ’ t care less . ”
The Washington Post report , citing current and former U.S. officials , said there are no classified or other detailed records of Mr. Trump ’ s meetings with Mr. Putin over the past two years .
In addition , the New York Times reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Trump after he fired former FBI director James Comey .
“ I think it ’ s the most insulting thing I ’ ve ever been asked . I think it ’ s the most insulting article I ’ ve ever had written , ” Mr. Trump said of the New York Times report in the Fox News interview .
Members of the Trump administration and Republicans dismissed the report .
“ The notion that President Trump is a threat to American national security is absolutely ludicrous , ” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation . ”
Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R. , S.C. ) , who leads the Senate Judiciary Committee , said on “ Fox News Sunday ” that he would ask the current FBI director if the agency had opened an investigation into Mr. Trump and ways he may have benefited Russia .
“ How could the FBI do that ? ” he said . “ What kind of checks and balances are there ? ”
A counterintelligence probe by the FBI into Mr. Trump “ tells me a lot about the people running the FBI , ” he said .
Democrats on Sunday said that the reports underscore the importance of Special Counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation , which is probing whether members of the Trump campaign worked with Russia during the 2016 election .
“ It suggests to me that the Mueller investigation needs to continue to its logical conclusion , ” Sen. Chris Coons ( D. , Del . ) said on “ Fox News Sunday . ”
Mr. Trump has repeatedly denied that he or members of his campaign coordinated with Russia . Russia has denied interfering in the election .
Sen. Ted Cruz ( R. , Texas ) said he wanted to learn more about the reports that Mr. Trump concealed details of his meetings with Mr. Putin .
“ I want to find out a little bit more about what happened there , I want to learn more than just the allegations in the press , ” Mr. Cruz , a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press . ”
Democrats said the integrity of Mr. Mueller ’ s investigation will be a key issue in the upcoming nomination hearings for William Barr , Mr. Trump ’ s pick to be the next attorney general .
“ That ’ s again why we need to protect the Mueller investigation . That ’ s going to be a critical issue in the judiciary committee hearings about the attorney general nominee , ” said Sen. Tim Kaine ( D. , Va. ) on “ Meet the Press . ” | coiCpA4SVpZ1vfrQ | 1 | Vladimir Putin | -0.3 | Foreign Policy | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | |
democratic_party | Slate | https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/biden-reverses-course-would-comply-impeachment-subpoena.html | Biden Reverses Course: “I Would Obey Any Subpoena That Was Sent to Me” | 2019-12-29 | democratic_party | Former Vice President Joe Biden backtracked on his earlier position that he would not comply with a congressional subpoena to testify in President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment trial . On Saturday evening , he gave the clearest answer on the issue at a town hall in Fairfield , Iowa by seemingly changing his mind on something he had declared earlier in the day . “ Well , first of all , I would obey any subpoena that was sent to me , ” he said in answer to a question from an audience member on the issue . “ But the point I was making , as it relates to me , is the only rational reason … that I could possibly be called in an impeachment trial was , ‘ Can I shed any light on whether or not he committed the crimes he ’ s accused of ? ’ And there ’ s no reason to believe I would have any notion of whether he committed that crime . ”
In what is his strongest position of the day on this issue , Biden ( during a campaign event in Fairfield , IA ) says , he would obey any subpoena sent to him . Part of his response here : pic.twitter.com/P2fh12BRNl — Madeleine Rivera ( @ MRiveraFoxNews ) December 29 , 2019
The way in which the former vice president reversed course on the issue of a subpoena marked “ one of the starkest and swiftest reversals by a candidate in the Democratic primary , ” notes the New York Times . It came after a day in which the issue dominated his campaign after he told the Des Moines Register ’ s editorial board Friday he would defy a Senate subpoena . That in itself was a confirmation from a statement he had made earlier during an interview with NPR . He appeared to double down on his position Saturday morning with a series of tweets in which he said that he has always “ cooperated with legitimate congressional oversight requests. ” At the same time though he was “ not going to pretend that there is any legal basis for Republican subpoenas ” for his testimony in the impeachment trial .
I want to clarify something I said yesterday . In my 40 years in public life , I have always complied with a lawful order and in my eight years as VP , my office — unlike Donald Trump and Mike Pence — cooperated with legitimate congressional oversight requests . — Joe Biden ( @ JoeBiden ) December 28 , 2019
Talking to reporters after an event in Iowa , Biden asserted that since he had “ no first-hand knowledge ” of the events around Trump ’ s impeachment “ there would be no basis upon which to call me as a witness. ” But he also said that he would “ honor whatever the Congress in fact legitimately asked me to do. ” When asked about whether that might mean he could challenge the subpoena in court , the former vice president said it was too early to say . “ The answer is , I don ’ t think that ’ s going to happen to begin with . Let ’ s cross that bridge when it comes , ” he said . And he added : “ I would in fact abide by whatever was legally required of me . I always have . ”
Former Vice President Joe Biden says he would 'honor ' whatever Congress 'legitimately ' asked him to do after earlier saying he would not comply with a Senate subpoena to testify in President Trump 's impeachment trial . More here : https : //t.co/abnmmE7ZX1 pic.twitter.com/BCI8bJeNZj — Reuters ( @ Reuters ) December 29 , 2019
The issue of whether Biden would defy a subpoena moved beyond his own campaign as Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the former vice president should comply with anything that the Senate issues lawfully . At the same time though she emphasized that the focus should be on Trump and his actions . “ Donald Trump is being impeached for abuse of power and that ’ s where our focus should be . Shame on him for trying to switch the focus over to something else , ” Warren told reporters in Iowa . “ But Joe Biden has said that he has always abided by every lawful order , and if there ’ s a lawful order for a subpoena , then I assume he would follow it . ”
. @ ewarren says if Congress issues @ JoeBiden a subpoena in the impeachment trial , he should appear . `` He has said he always follows lawfully issued orders , and if there is a lawfully issued order for a subpoena , then he should follow it '' ( Qs from @ KimNorvellDMR & @ AsteadWesley ) pic.twitter.com/bI84WObmSm — Zak Hudak ( @ cbszak ) December 29 , 2019 | AXxSlIcgIV2yznPK | 0 | Donald Trump | -1.1 | Impeachment | -0.8 | Democratic Party | 0.4 | Joe Biden | 0.2 | Ukraine | 0 |
us_congress | New York Times - News | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/01/us/politics/an-unusual-feat-in-congress-student-loan-bill-breezes-on.html?ref=politics&_r=0 | An Unusual Feat in Congress: Student Loan Bill Breezes On | 2013-08-01 | us_congress | Passage of the student loan bill came the same day that House Republican leaders were forced to abruptly pull from the floor a $ 44.1 billion spending bill on transportation and housing because of a lack of votes . The bill had steep cuts that Republican moderates opposed . Community development block grants would have been cut in the coming fiscal year to $ 1.6 billion from $ 3.3 billion , a level lower than when the program began under President Gerald R. Ford .
Representative Hal Rogers , the Kentucky Republican who leads the Appropriations Committee , issued an unusual broadside after the bill was pulled , saying it was now clear that the House could not pass spending bills that complied with overall financing levels set in its own austere budget plan . That suggested tough times ahead for passing required spending bills , and some pointed out that even the student loan deal almost fell victim to the same fate that has doomed other big-ticket items in Congress .
“ A few months ago , at least , it seemed like everybody expected a bill that connected student loan rates to Treasury rates would move ahead without any kind of trouble , ” said Neal P. McCluskey , an education analyst at the Cato Institute . “ And it was surprising when there was . ”
The House passed a student loan plan in May . But Senate Democrats balked , saying that the borrowing rates it set were too high and would leave students and their families with too little protection from inflation and fluctuations in the financial markets . Then a coalition of liberal Democrats resisted any plan that linked rates to the financial markets , keeping a deal at bay for weeks .
Under the old federal student loan program , borrowers were offered a fixed rate . Under the new rate structure , which still drew opposition from nearly one-third of Senate Democrats when it passed last week , loans to undergraduates and graduate students , along with parents in the PLUS program , would be subject to a fixed rate plus the yield on the 10-year Treasury note .
Rates for loans taken out after July 1 of this year would be 3.9 percent for undergraduates , 5.4 percent for graduate students and 6.4 percent for those receiving PLUS loans . The rates are fixed over the life of the loan but would change for new borrowers each year .
In a compromise that pleased many Democrats who had initially been wary of using a rate that was subject to inflation and fluctuated with the markets , Congress set a cap on all loans : 8.25 percent for undergraduates , 9.5 for graduate students and 10.5 for PLUS recipients . | FaWreue9CwRl6p5e | 0 | Congress | -0.4 | US Congress | -0.4 | Student Loans | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null |
middle_east | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2021/07/26/biden-hosts-iraqi-pm-to-talk-end-of-us-combat-mission/ | Biden hosts Iraqi PM at White House to talk end of US combat mission | 2021-07-26 | Middle East, Iraq, Iraq War, Joe Biden, World, Foreign Policy, ISIS, Afghanistan | President Biden on Monday hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House to announce a planned end to the US military’s combat mission in Iraq. The largely symbolic announcement means US troops will transfer most combat duties to Iraq’s military this year. But unlike in Afghanistan, Biden will keep a large US military footprint in Iraq. Biden stressed that US troops aren’t leaving Iraq entirely — as happened in 2011, setting the stage for the Islamic State group to seize a third of the country, resulting in a US return in 2014. “Our shared fight against ISIS is critical for the stability of the region and our counterterrorism cooperation will continue even as we shift to this new phase,” Biden said in the Oval Office alongside Kadhimi. Biden added: “I think things are going well. Our role in Iraq will be… to be available to continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS as it arrives. But we’re not going to be by the end of the year in a combat mission.” Former President Donald Trump reduced the number of US troops in Iraq from 3,000 to 2,500 in January. And on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed there remain 2,500 US troops there. Psaki said that the change isn’t about troop levels, but instead is about what they are tasked with doing. “The real announcement today, or real news today, I should say, is about a change of mission. And the numbers will be driven by what is needed for the mission over time. So it is more about moving to a more advising and training capacity from what we have had over the last several years,” she said. A Biden administration official who briefed reporters said that Iraqi forces are “battle tested” and “capable” of protecting their country — unlike in 2014 when they fled from ISIS, allowing the jihadist group to capture Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city. The mission change in Iraq comes amid the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which will be complete by Aug 31. Biden announced the US pullout from Afghanistan in April, offering US troops an additional four months from former President Donald Trump’s preliminary plan to withdraw troops by May 1. Biden and Kadhimi also are expected to discuss Iran during closed-door talks. Since re-entering Iraq in 2014, the US and Iran have vied for influence. Trump ordered last year’s assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani— with an airstrike on his convoy near Baghdad’s airport — for supporting Shiite militias that attacked US troops. Biden ordered airstrikes against Iran-allied militants in Syria and Iraq in February and June. Last month, Iran’s President-elect Ebrahim Raisi said he would not meet with Biden and called Iran’s ballistic missile program “non-negotiable” as diplomats in Vienna discuss a new multilateral nuclear deal. “The U.S. is obliged to lift all oppressive sanctions against Iran,” Raisi said at his first televised news conference. Asked if he would meet with the US president, Raisi responded: “No.” On the nuclear deal, Raisi, a protege of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demanded the US “lift all oppressive sanctions against Iran.” Achieving that goal, he added, was “central to our foreign policy.” The Obama administration’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal lifted sanctions in exchange for Iran reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium. It also capped the purity at which Tehran could refine uranium at 3.67 percent, but did not include limitations on delivery systems and other checks on Iran being able to ultimately produce a nuclear bomb when the deal expires. The Trump administration withdrew from the pact in 2018, saying that “America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail.” Iran began breaching the deal shortly after. Some Democrats are calling on Biden to rejoin the original nuclear deal and Biden has called that framework “a starting point for follow-on negotiations.” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his country would fully implement the agreement if Biden lifted the Trump-era sanctions, arguing it could be done with “three executive orders.” The Biden administration has not lifted sanctions on Iran, and Tehran has continued to not abide by the agreement, enriching its uranium to upwards of 60 percent purity, its highest level ever. While 60 percent enriched uranium falls short of the 90 percent purity level needed for viable nuclear weapons, it represents a step toward armament. With Post wires Advertisement Unknown | 813427b288dbd3e6 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Al Jazeera | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/trump-open-world-biggest-cricket-stadium-india-visit-200219075330580.html | Trump to open world's biggest cricket stadium during India visit | foreign_policy | US President Donald Trump will inaugurate the world 's largest cricket stadium when he arrives in Ahmedabad in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday , at the start of a two-day visit aimed at smoothing ties strained by trade disputes .
As Trump heads to India on his first official trip next week , negotiators have been trying for weeks to put together a limited accord giving the US greater access to India 's dairy and poultry markets and lowering tariffs on other products .
Trump is also expected to visit the humble abode of India 's independence leader Mahatma Gandhi in the Gujarat state 's capital .
The leaders of China , Japan and Israel have all visited Ahmedabad since Modi became prime minister . Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat state for nearly 13 years before his Hindu nationalist party swept to power in 2014 .
Municipal authorities in Ahmedabad have been criticised for serving eviction notices to slum-dwellers and erecting a 400-metre wall along Trump 's route to the stadium .
Slum residents have told ███ that the authorities do not want Trump to see poverty but officials said it was part of a `` beautification '' plan .
With a capacity for 110,000 spectators , the Motera Stadium will dislodge the Melbourne Cricket Ground as the world 's largest cricket stadium .
Indian slum dwellers are accusing the government of building a wall to `` hide poor people '' ahead of Trump 's visit to Gujarat , @ AP reports https : //t.co/olcjDA5nZd ( Video via @ QuickTake ) pic.twitter.com/vr6ik7uW3z — Bloomberg ( @ business ) February 19 , 2020
Ashok Brahmbhatt , secretary of Gujarat Cricket Association , which owns the stadium set to be opened by Trump , said it would also spend tens of millions of rupees during the event .
Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra tweeted on Sunday that more than 100,000 participants had registered so far to greet Trump as he heads from the airport to the city centre . Trump said last week Modi had promised `` millions and millions '' of people would line his route .
The US is India 's second-largest trade partner after China , with their goods and services trade hitting a record $ 142.6bn in 2018 . Washington had a $ 23.2bn trade deficit in 2019 with India .
Since Trump took office in 2017 , long-standing trade differences between the world 's biggest democracies have come to the fore , with Trump calling India the tariff king .
Modi , who has tried to build a personal rapport with Trump , is pulling out all the stops for his visit .
`` We 're not treated very well by India , but I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot . And he told me we 'll have 7 million people between the airport and the event , '' Trump said , referring to a roadshow ahead of a `` Hello Trump '' rally in Ahmedabad along the lines of the `` Howdy Modi '' extravaganza the US president organised for the Indian prime minister in Houston last September .
Authorities in Ahmedabad expect to spend around 800m to 850m Indian rupees ( $ 11-12m ) on preparations for the visit by the American president that is likely to last around three hours , two government officials with direct knowledge of the plans told Reuters news agency .
The sum is equivalent to about 1.5 percent of the annual budget for the home ministry in Gujarat .
Security-related costs , with more than 12,000 police officers expected to be deployed , will account for almost half the expense , said the officials , who declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak publicly about the visit .
Trump may also visit the famous Taj Mahal monument in the city of Agra , and all leave for police officers in that city has been cancelled , according to a document seen by Reuters . | XSKXqUmBJOJoJf3O | 0 | India | 0.9 | Narendra Modi | 0.9 | Sports | 0.7 | Donald Trump | 0.3 | World | 0.1 | |
housing_and_homelessness | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2024/05/21/real-estate/how-home-affordability-differs-among-the-red-blue-and-swing-states/ | House hunting? A home’s affordability may depend on the political leanings of your state | 2024-05-21 | Polarization, Housing And Homelessness, Housing Market, Economy And Jobs, Republican Party, Democratic Party, Politics, Federal State And Tribal Powers, Affordable Housing | Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, home prices and housing affordability are emerging as hot issues in the swing states that will decide the election.While the housing crisis is an issue across the country, an analysis of Realtor.com® affordability score data shows distinct trends separating red states, blue states, and the seven key swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.On average, red states are more affordable than the US as a whole, and blue states are less affordable.The swing state average sits in the middle, slightly more affordable than the national average.Those relative trends have held even as affordability declined across the board.Nationwide, home affordability has declined sharply since 2021 in every state, as higher mortgage rates and stubbornly high prices pushed ownership out of reach for many prospective homebuyers.An analysis of Realtor.com affordability score data found that red states home prices are typically more affordable while blue states are more expensive. Christopher SadowskiBut a breakdown of how affordability differs across the election map, and in the seven key battleground states, sheds light on how voters might respond to the candidates’ pitches on this key issue.President Joe Biden, a Democrat, addressed the housing crisis in his State of the Union this spring, proposing tax credits for some buyers and sellers, and measures to boost construction.His Republican opponent, Donald Trump, took the opposite tack, accusing Biden of waging an “attack on the suburban lifestyle” that would reduce home values.Our affordability data shows that, in a sense, the two candidates are speaking to two different worlds of voters.But in November, what will matter most is how they are received by voters in the toss-up states that will decide the election.“Generally, states that vote Republican are more affordable than the US as a whole, and states that vote Democrat are less affordable,” says Realtor.com senior economic data analyst Hannah Jones. “Swing states tend to be more affordable than the US average, though less affordable than Republican states, on average. This dynamic remained intact as affordability worsened across all states and the US between 2021 and today.”Home Affordability Scores by Likely 2024 VoteState-level affordability scores from Realtor.com are seen as averages by the states’ likely voting preference for president in 2024, alongside the US national score.A higher score indicates a more affordable housing market.How we measured home affordability across the political spectrumThe Realtor.com affordability score is an index that ranges from 0 to 2 and reflects the share of home listings in a market that are affordable to those at various local income levels.Swing states were found to be slightly more affordable than the national average. AP Photo/Mike Stewart, FileGenerally, a score of 1 or higher indicates an affordable market, where a family making the median local income could afford to buy at least half of the homes for sale under current mortgage rates.In March, the national average affordability score sat at 0.65. Iowa had the highest state score at 0.93, but no state scored above 1, indicating home affordability is a challenge across the country.Still, some states are more affordable (or perhaps less unaffordable) than others. Using the Cook Political Report as a guide, we determined red and blue states based on the states rated “solid” or “likely” to vote for the Republican or Democratic presidential candidate in 2024.The 24 red states had an average home affordability score of 0.70 in March, while the 19 blue states plus Washington, DC, averaged 0.59.The remaining seven swing states had an average affordability score of 0.66, falling in the middle of the political spectrum and just above the national average.The relative dynamic separating the red, blue, and swing states has held at least since 2016, even as affordability has worsened across all states and the US since 2021.“Housing affordability crept higher across the US from 2018 to 2021 before tumbling through 2022 and into 2023 as high home prices and climbing mortgage rates accelerated faster than wage growth,” says Jones.“All states across the US experienced this deterioration in affordability. Mortgage rates and home prices have hovered around the same level over the last year, which means that nationally, affordability has not gotten significantly worse, but it has not improved much either,” she adds.It’s important to note that the Realtor.com affordability index reflects only home prices, and not rents.Rent affordability is also a challenge nationwide, with nearly half of all renters in the nation spending more than 30% of their income and a quarter spending more than 50% on rent each month, according to US Census data.However, it’s unclear whether that issue would break down along similar political lines.State Affordability RankingsAffordability Rank Geographic Area Likely 2024 Vote March Affordability Score Median List Price (March) Median Household Income (2022)United States0.64512256 $424,900.00 $74,755.00 1 Iowa Republican 0.92582727 $299,900.00 $69,588.00 2 West Virginia Republican 0.91882509 $239,000.00 $54,329.00 3 Ohio Republican 0.91681050 $260,000.00 $65,720.00 4 Michigan Swing State 0.88543493 $275,000.00 $66,986.00 5 Indiana Republican 0.88012342 $291,500.00 $66,785.00 6 Illinois Democratic 0.86858768 $316,900.00 $76,708.00 7 Pennsylvania Swing State 0.83724765 $299,000.00 $71,798.00 8 Kansas Republican 0.83635423 $314,500.00 $68,925.00 9 Maryland Democratic 0.83091892 $399,900.00 $94,991.00 10 Missouri Republican 0.83004164 $299,000.00 $64,811.00 11 Oklahoma Republican 0.77923136 $297,895.00 $59,673.00 12 Minnesota Democratic 0.77253270 $399,900.00 $82,338.00 13 Louisiana Republican 0.76492550 $279,000.00 $55,416.00 14 Kentucky Republican 0.75635279 $303,900.00 $59,341.00 15 North Dakota Republican 0.74268605 $349,950.00 $71,970.00 16 Arkansas Republican 0.74256555 $295,000.00 $55,432.00 17 Alaska Republican 0.74006816 $399,900.00 $88,121.00 18 Virginia Democratic 0.73289741 $430,575.00 $85,873.00 19 Mississippi Republican 0.72653143 $285,000.00 $52,719.00 20 Nebraska Republican 0.71373625 $358,000.00 $69,597.00 21 Alabama Republican 0.71143221 $329,645.00 $59,674.00 22 Wisconsin Swing State 0.68444229 $379,900.00 $70,996.00 23 Connecticut Democratic 0.65674120 $504,900.00 $88,429.00 24 District of Columbia Democratic 0.65075097 $615,000.00 $101,027.00 25 Georgia Swing State 0.64619197 $389,715.00 $72,837.00 26 South Carolina Republican 0.64426119 $350,000.00 $64,115.00 27 Texas Republican 0.61238870 $365,000.00 $72,284.00 28 New Hampshire Democratic 0.60405207 $570,950.00 $89,992.00 29 Delaware Democratic 0.60113079 $495,000.00 $82,174.00 30 South Dakota Republican 0.59658472 $379,000.00 $69,728.00 31 Wyoming Republican 0.59625049 $449,000.00 $70,042.00 32 North Carolina Swing State 0.59621279 $399,900.00 $67,481.00 33 New Jersey Democratic 0.59596241 $549,000.00 $96,346.00 34 Maine Democratic 0.58692307 $435,000.00 $69,543.00 35 Vermont Democratic 0.58235477 $479,000.00 $73,991.00 36 New Mexico Democratic 0.57732483 $385,000.00 $59,726.00 37 Tennessee Republican 0.55651717 $435,000.00 $65,254.00 38 Colorado Democratic 0.54481029 $599,900.00 $89,302.00 39 Rhode Island Democratic 0.53460467 $489,000.00 $81,854.00 40 Florida Republican 0.51170872 $454,900.00 $69,303.00 41 Washington Democratic 0.50380678 $629,900.00 $91,306.00 42 Nevada Swing State 0.49484830 $487,000.00 $72,333.00 43 New York Democratic 0.49291437 $685,000.00 $79,557.00 44 Utah Republican 0.49070384 $600,000.00 $89,168.00 45 Arizona Swing State 0.48932255 $500,000.00 $74,568.00 46 Massachusetts Democratic 0.47483214 $799,900.00 $94,488.00 47 Oregon Democratic 0.46391444 $550,000.00 $75,657.00 48 Hawaii Democratic 0.44769239 $845,000.00 $92,458.00 49 California Democratic 0.43450663 $749,888.00 $91,551.00 50 Idaho Republican 0.42412121 $565,000.00 $72,785.00 51 Montana Republican 0.40901426 $625,000.00 $67,631.00 Table: Realtor.comSource: Realtor.com/US CensusWhat’s behind the differences?Census data shows that, on average, states that vote Republican tend to be more rural.That lower average population density could be one of the factors mitigating the housing crisis in those states. | 55d7fc0333de008c | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
environment | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/11/us-china-unveil-ambitious-greenhouse-gas-reduction/ | Obama strikes climate change deal with China | 2014-11-11 | environment | The United States and China unveiled ambitious targets Wednesday to reduce greenhouse gases in an effort by the world ’ s two biggest carbon dioxide polluters to foster a global agreement on climate change next year .
President Obama said the U.S. would cut its emissions much faster than previously planned , reducing greenhouse gases by anywhere from 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 . Those are deeper cuts than were planned through 2020 , and most of the action would be required after Mr. Obama leaves office in 2017 .
In return , Chinese President Xi Jinping didn ’ t commit to cut emissions by a specific amount . He said China , which is still building coal-burning plants , would set a target of capping its greenhouse gas emissions by around 2030 .
Mr. Obama said the U.S. goals are “ ambitious , ” but said the accelerated pace of cuts will improve public health and boost jobs .
“ This is a major milestone in the U.S.-China relationship , ” Mr. Obama said . “ We have a special responsibility to lead the global effort against climate change . ”
He praised China for agreeing to “ slow , peak and then reverse ” its carbon emissions eventually .
China also is pledging to get about 20 percent of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 .
It was unclear how feasible it would be for either country to meet their goals , and Mr. Obama ’ s pledge was sure to confront tough opposition from ascendant Republicans in Congress .
The new , accelerated targets for the U.S. are sure to raise objections among congressional Republicans . Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , Kentucky Republican , has frequently denounced Mr. Obama ’ s “ war on coal ” and wants to cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency .
In a statement after the deal was announced , Mr. McConnell said the new targets agreed to by Mr. Obama are “ unrealistic . ”
“ Our economy can ’ t take the president ’ s ideological War on Coal that will increase the squeeze on middle-class families and struggling miners , ” Mr. McConnell said . “ This unrealistic plan , that the president would dump on his successor , would ensure higher utility rates and far fewer jobs . ”
He added , “ The president said his policies were on the ballot , and the American people spoke up against them . It ’ s time for more listening , and less job-destroying red tape . Easing the burden already created by EPA regulations will continue to be a priority for me in the new Congress . ”
Environmental groups praised the deal , saying it would create momentum for a global climate-change pact in Paris next year among nearly 200 nations .
“ It ’ s a new day to have the leaders of the U.S. and China stand shoulder-to-shoulder and make significant commitments to curb their country ’ s emissions , ” said Andrew Steer , president of the World Resources Institute . “ They have both clearly acknowledged the mounting threat of climate change and the urgency of action . It ’ s heartening to see this level of cooperation . ”
It was the first time that China has agreed , at least in principle , to cap its greenhouse gas emissions .
Mr. Obama said his visit to China produced a “ remarkable scope ” of agreements with Beijing , including a pact to extend visa limits for Chinese citizens , and an understanding to expand an information technology agreement on the export of electronic goods .
• This article is based in part on wire-service reports . | CgDBB7JNp725DHmI | 2 | Environment | 1.4 | China | 0.8 | Global Warming | 0.6 | Climate Change | 0.6 | null | null |
politics | Guest Writer - Left | https://nypost.com/2019/10/15/joe-bidens-brother-and-son-have-a-long-history-of-profiting-off-his-name/ | Joe Biden’s brother and son have a long history of profiting off his name | 2019-10-15 | politics | While Democrats want the press and voters to concentrate on President Trump ’ s phone call with Ukraine , “ the problem for Democrats is that a review of Hunter Biden ’ s career shows clearly that he , along with Joe Biden ’ s brother James , has been trading on their family name for decades , cashing in on the implication — and sometimes the explicit argument — that giving money to a member of Joe Biden ’ s family wins the favor of Joe Biden , ” argues Ryan Grim at The Intercept . Trump ’ s behavior may be shameless , Grim says , but that doesn ’ t mean Biden ’ s history isn ’ t an issue , he writes in this excerpt :
In trading on his father ’ s name and power to advance his career , Hunter Biden is following in the footsteps of James Biden , Joe ’ s younger brother .
It began small . In 1973 , one year after Joe Biden was elected to the Senate at age 29 , James Biden opened the nightclub Seasons Change with what Politico , referencing contemporaneous local reporting in Delaware , called “ unusually generous bank loans . ”
When James ran into trouble , Joe , as a senator , later complained that the bank shouldn ’ t have loaned James the money . “ What I ’ d like to know , ” Biden told the News Journal in 1977 , “ is how the guy in charge of loans let it get this far. ” The paper investigated , and sources at the bank said that the loan was made because James was Joe ’ s brother .
James , in the ’ 90s , founded Lion Hall Group , which lobbied for Mississippi trial lawyers involved in tobacco litigation . According to Curtis Wilkie ’ s book “ The Fall of the House of Zeus , ” the trial lawyers wanted James Biden ’ s help pushing Joe Biden on tobacco legislation .
That same decade , in 1996 , Hunter Biden got in the game . Fresh out of law school , with thousands of options before him , he chose to go work for MBNA , then a dominant issuer of credit cards , while also serving as Biden ’ s deputy campaign manager .
MBNA was one of the most powerful corporations in Delaware , a state with no shortage of major companies thanks to its lax tax and regulatory approach , and has since been absorbed by Bank of America . Biden in the 1990s was known half-jokingly as the senator from MBNA , though he didn ’ t find it funny . “ I ’ m not the senator from MBNA , ” he said in 1999 .
He was , however , MBNA ’ s greatest champion in the Senate . Throughout the 1990s , bankruptcies were on the rise , and MBNA began pushing hard to reform the law to make it harder for people to discharge debt . The controversy brought Elizabeth Warren into politics ; a well-known bankruptcy law professor , she was appointed to a commission to review the law , which began her decades-long clash with Biden .
In 2001 , Hunter Biden transitioned full-time to a federal lobbyist , though he stayed on the payroll of MBNA as a consultant until 2005 , when President George W. Bush signed Biden ’ s Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act into law .
It was a savage piece of legislation , and Joe Biden even worked to block an amendment that would have offered bankruptcy protection to people with medical debt . The bill also blocked people from discharging private student loan debt under bankruptcy . Total student loan debt was under $ 400 billion in 2005 ; it surged in the wake of the law ’ s passage and is now over $ 1.5 trillion .
Hunter Biden ’ s transparent cashing-in on his name was becoming a political liability for his father , so Joe Biden pushed him to find non-lobbying work , Anthony Lotito , a New York financial adviser , said in a complaint he filed in a New York state court . ( James and Hunter , in a separate filing , denied that Joe Biden had made the call to Lotito . )
That Joe Biden saw Hunter ’ s work as politically damaging enough to him in 2005 demonstrates that he was entirely aware of the appearance it gave of corruption . His solution was to help Hunter and James into their positions at a financial firm , Paradigm Global Advisors .
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In 2007 , James Biden teamed up again with some of the tobacco lawyers from the previous decade , planning to launch a lobbying firm that Hunter would also be involved in .
Again , the affair became a political problem for Biden , thanks to a sordid moment in which James Biden ’ s two prospective partners were caught on an FBI wiretap saying , “ We really need to push on the Senate bill , ” and “ We ’ re going to meet with the Bidens around noon , ” apparently in reference to legislation to compensate black farmers for discrimination . The firm never came to fruition because one of the Bidens ’ potential partners was arrested .
That year , Biden launched his second failed presidential bid , but he wound up on the ticket with Barack Obama , serving the next eight years as vice president .
Hunter ’ s relationship with MBNA became a political problem again . A 2008 New York Times story , headlined , “ Obama Aides Defend Bank ’ s Pay to Biden Son , ” reads like deja vu : “ Obama aides said he had never lobbied for MBNA and that there was nothing improper about the payments , ” which were reported to be $ 100,000 per year .
News that the University of Delaware had paid Biden ’ s firm millions , and gotten many millions more in earmarks , also caused the vice presidential nominee trouble .
In the meantime , Paradigm Global Advisors fared poorly and shut down in 2010 . James quickly found new work , joining a construction firm in November 2010 . In June 2011 , while Joe Biden was overseeing Iraq policy , the firm won a $ 1.5 billion contract building homes in Iraq .
The company ’ s founder , Irvin Richter , told Fox Business Network that having James on board helped .
“ Listen , his name helps him get in the door , but it doesn ’ t help him get business , ” he said . “ People who have important names tend to get in the door easier but it doesn ’ t mean success . If he had the name Obama , he would get in the door easier . ”
Hunter , meanwhile , went into business with the stepson of former Secretary of State John Kerry , Chris Heinz , forming the firm Rosemont Seneca , along with partners Devon Archer and Eric Schwerin .
In 2012 , Archer and Hunter Biden connected with Jonathan Li , who ran a Chinese private equity fund , Bohai Capital , and began talks about working together . They did a large real estate deal together in 2013 and began setting up a joint fund . In late 2013 , Hunter Biden traveled with his father on official business to China , where he introduced the vice president to his partner , Li .
The new firm , Bohai Harvest RST , as The Intercept reported earlier this year , would go on to invest in facial-recognition technology used to surveil China ’ s Muslim population as part of its ongoing cultural genocide operation . The firm , according to the Wall Street Journal , planned to raise $ 1.5 billion in capital .
Trump and his attorney Rudy Giuliani have since contorted that reality into the notion that China simply handed Hunter Biden $ 1.5 billion . “ I wonder where the hell that money is , man , because I ’ ve got to pay tuitions , ” Biden has since responded . “ God bless me ! ”
And then there ’ s Ukraine . In February 2014 , Hunter Biden , less than a year after enlisting in the Navy , was discharged for testing positive for cocaine . But a new opportunity was about to present itself : That same month , protesters in Kiev ’ s Maidan overthrew the government of Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine , sparked by the government ’ s unwillingness to sign an association agreement with the European Union .
The new government leaned heavily toward the West and away from Russia , and a jockeying for wealth and power shook the ruling class . Remnants of the old regime became targets , and one of those was Burisma Holdings , owned by Mykola Zlochevsky , an oligarch and former government official tied to Yanukovych . Regulators in London had seized more than $ 20 million in cash from the firm amid claims by rivals that it had compiled its assets illegally . Zlochevsky needed Western bona fides , and he needed them fast , so Hunter Biden was brought on board .
Heinz wanted no part of it . A spokesperson told the Washington Post that “ Mr . Heinz strongly warned Mr. Archer that working with Burisma was unacceptable . Mr. Archer stated that he and Hunter Biden intended to pursue the opportunity as individuals , not as part of the firm , ” the Post reported . “ The lack of judgment in this matter was a major catalyst for Mr. Heinz ending his business relationships with Mr. Archer and Mr. Biden . ”
The New Yorker article details Hunter Biden ’ s struggles with drugs and alcohol , which included run-ins with the law and stints in rehab . One particularly out-of-control bender , which involved a crack pipe found in a rental car , took place while Biden was making $ 50,000 a month serving on the board of Burisma . In 2014 , he was gracing the front page of the company ’ s website , according to web archives .
see also Hunter Biden breaks silence on foreign dealings Hunter Biden defended his business dealings in Ukraine while his ...
The Republican narrative that has built up around the case since claims that Biden would later go to Ukraine to help Hunter ’ s company escape the justice of an investigation by the Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin . In fact , Shokin was busy protecting Burisma from the Western investigators and gave the company a letter asserting that he had no evidence they had done anything wrong . That letter helped unfreeze the money in London .
So the US vice president ’ s intervention in Ukraine seems to have gone against the interests of his son , not boosted them .
But Hunter Biden ’ s very presence on the board of the company itself corrupted the process , creating the appearance that the Americans were hypocritical about their talk of corruption and self-dealing . At the time , here ’ s how Daria Kaleniuk , head of Ukraine ’ s Anti-Corruption Action Center , put it to the Wall Street Journal : “ If an investigator sees the son of the vice president of the United States is part of the management of a company . . . that investigator will be uncomfortable pushing the case forward . ”
That , of course , is simply obvious , and it is the entire reason Hunter Biden was paid so handsomely to do nothing but sell his name to the company .
Originally published on October 9 , 2019 . Edited and republished with permission from The Intercept , an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless , adversarial journalism . Sign up for The Intercept ’ s Newsletter . | ZV7y6OnSEcBxHRzI | 0 | Hunter Biden | -0.7 | Ukraine | -0.7 | Impeachment | -0.4 | China | 0 | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/07/opinion/obeidallah-romney-ceo/index.html | Mitt Romney is not a flip-flopper | 2012-07-07 | elections | Story highlights Dean Obeidallah : Is Mitt Romney truly a man `` without a core '' ? No .
Obeidallah : Romney has a distinct core -- not one of a politician , but one of a CEO
He says a CEO is not shackled by ideology , but by how well he can sell a product
Obeidallah : Romney the businessman modifies his messages to get the customers
`` This is a man without a core , a man without substance , a man that will say anything to become president of the United States . ''
Rudy Giuliani uttered these harsh words when describing Mitt Romney eight months ago . But then , four months later , Giuliani endorsed Romney .
Is Giuliani correct ? Is Romney truly a man `` without a core '' ? The simple answer : No . Romney has a distinct core -- not that of a politician , but of a CEO .
What do I mean ? We have become accustomed in these highly partisan times to politicians who adhere rigidly to their ideological positions . They do n't change their views to attract supporters . Rather , they want voters to agree with the positions they advocate .
In contrast , a CEO is not shackled by ideology . A CEO 's success is measured by the bottom line , not by how many principles he or she sticks to .
To the CEO , if a product is not selling , you do n't stick with it until the product destroys your business . Instead , you tweak it . You rebrand it . You try a new slogan or new packaging . And if people are still not buying it , like New Coke , you drop it . You regroup , come up with a new product and then start selling again .
Romney is first and foremost a businessman . In fact , Romney has repeatedly made this very point to us with statements like : `` I spent my life in the private sector , not in government . I only spent four years as a governor . I did n't inhale . I 'm a business guy . ''
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I 'm not defending Romney 's acrobatic flips on issues . In fact , if Romney loses this election , he would make a great circus performer . I can see the ads : `` The Amazing Romney -- he can change positions in midair . '' At times , I truly wonder if Mitt realizes we have Google and can look up his record on issues .
But Romney 's `` evolution '' on certain key issues does not technically constitute a `` flip-flop , '' which is defined by Dictionary.com as , `` A sudden or unexpected reversal as of direction , belief , attitude or policy . ''
Romney 's changing views are neither sudden nor unexpected . Rather , they are astutely calculated by Romney the businessman to appeal to the customers he 's targeting at that very moment . This is a man clearly driven by the adage : `` The customer is always right . ''
For example , this week Romney declared that the individual mandate imposed by Obamacare is a tax . Yet when Romney was the governor of Massachusetts , he implemented an identical individual mandate but consistently denied it was a tax .
Romney has simply modified his `` product line '' to attract the most customers based on the current marketplace conditions . Even `` Mad Men 's '' Don Draper would have to be in awe of Romney 's business acumen .
This strategy is even more apparent when you contrast Romney 's views from when he ran for office in Massachusetts with those he espoused when seeking the Republican presidential nomination . In Massachusetts , Romney fashioned a product that appealed to the left-leaning consumers who populate the state . But when seeking to sell his wares to the more conservative Republican primary market , he customized it accordingly .
For example , on abortion , Romney was unequivocally pro-choice in his run for the Senate in 1994 and for governor in 2002 . In fact , during a 2002 gubernatorial debate , Romney stated , `` I will preserve and protect a woman 's right to choose and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard . ''
But when Romney sought the Republican nomination , he tweaked his goods to appeal to these right-leaning buyers by saying , `` I support the reversal of Roe v . Wade . ''
On gun control , Romney admitted during his 1994 Senate race that his views were , `` ... not going to make me the hero of the NRA . '' Indeed , as governor , Romney signed into law a ban on assault weapons , dubbing them `` instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people . ''
Flash forward to 2012 . During the Republican primaries , Romney again fine-tuned his merchandise to attract the more conservative gun owners . In April , he even addressed the NRA 's national convention , explaining , `` We need a president who will enforce current laws , not create new ones that only serve to burden lawful gun owners . ''
Romney not only revamped his product line , he also repackaged himself . During his 1994 Senate campaign , Romney told Massachusetts voters , `` I 'm not trying to return to Reagan-Bush . '' But when running for the Republican presidential nomination , he shrewdly rebranded himself as a self-described `` Reagan Republican . ''
For many , a CEO-style president could be a good fit . Romney 's track record indicates he will likely be a pragmatic leader , not rigidly beholden to ideology .
But for others like myself , Romney 's CEO core and ever evolving product line lead to doubt about every word he says . | l3LxFBaFTqMC5a8D | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.2 | Elections | 0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
business | Fox Business | https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/bud-light-suffers-bloodbath-longtime-loyal-consumers-revolt-transgender-campaign | Bud Light suffers bloodbath as longtime and loyal consumers revolt against transgender campaign | 2023-04-14 | Business, Culture War, LGBTQ Issues, Transgender Issues, Culture, Anheuser-Busch, Media Bias | Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Beer Business Daily publisher Harry Schuhmacher told Fox News Digital that this is the "biggest controversy" he has seen. Bud Light suffered a bloodbath this past weekend. Consumers nationwide revolted against the nation's top-selling beer brand after it stepped "recklessly" into the culture wars last week with its new spokesperson, transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney, according to bar owners and beer-industry experts around the country. "I think society flexes it muscles sometimes and reminds manufacturers that the consumer is still in charge," Jeff Fitter, owner of Case & Bucks, a restaurant and sports bar in Barnhart, Missouri, told FOX Business. BUD LIGHT SAYS PACT WITH TRANS ACTIVIST DYLAN MULVANEY HELPS ‘AUTHENTICALLY CONNECT WITH AUDIENCES’ "In Bud Light's effort to be inclusive, they excluded almost everybody else, including their traditional audience." He cited sports fans, working people and women as loyal Bud Light consumers the brand suddenly excluded in its race to go woke. Dylan Mulvaney poses at the opening night of the musical "Parade" on Broadway at The Jacobs Theater on March 16, 2023, in New York City. (Bruce Glikas/WireImage / Getty Images) Bud Light-maker Anheuser-Busch is headquartered in nearby St. Louis. But even Fitter’s bar witnessed a catastrophic decrease in sales of the hometown suds among loyal and local consumers this week. Sales of Anheuser-Busch bottled products dropped 30% over the past week, while draught beer plummeted 50%, the owner said. "In Bud Light's effort to be inclusive, they excluded almost everybody else, including their traditional audience." — Bar owner Jeff Fitter Similar stories are found around the country. Bud Light normally outsells rival products Miller Lite and Coors Light 25 to 1 at Braintree Brewhouse in Massachusetts, a sprawling sports bar just outside Boston. KID ROCK SHOOTS UP BUD LIGHT CANS WITH RIFLE TO PROTEST DYLVAN MULVANEY PARTNERSHIUP: ‘F--- BUD LIGHT’ Not this week. Eighty percent of Bud Light drinkers ordered something else this week, Brewhouse owner Alex Kesaris said — while the 20% who did order Bud Light "weren’t on social media and hadn’t heard yet" about its new transgender pitch person. The Bud Light knight is seen interacting with fans in the stands during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Bud Light has prospered over the years marketing to sports fans. (Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images) "They didn’t order it again," he said, after other patrons told them about the Bud Light marketing misfire. One pub in Hell’s Kitchen, a New York City neighborhood known for its large and vocal gay community, reported that Bud Light draft sales dropped 58% this week, while Bud Light bottle sales were down 70%. BUD LIGHT'S MARKETING VP SAYS SHE WAS INSPIRD TO UPDATE ‘FRATTY,' ‘OUT OF TOUCH’ BRANDING WITH INCLUSIVITY Bud Light's decision to dive into the culture wars was a "bad decision" that defied "virtually every rule in building brands and marketing," a national beer-industry analyst told FOX Business. He cited a nightmare scenario for Bud Light sales reps in Texas, where the brand has for years has sponsored a large weekly dart league with 100-plus players each Thursday night. The bar sold only four 12-ounce Bud Light bottles this week. The bar typically sells though three kegs of Bud Light at the event — a total of 495 12-ounce pours. The bar sold only four 12-ounce Bud Light bottles this week, as the dart players held a mass protest against their league sponsor. DJ Stephanie Loayza arrives at FIFA World Cup Finals Bud Light and Budweiser VIP Party at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a traditional Bud Light promotion from past years. (Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Bud Light and Budweiser / Getty Images) "They've already done enough damage in one week to disrupt year-long sales projections," a beer-sales representative who works with national beer retailers such as Costco told FOX Business. "You don't just make up those sales. People aren't going to drink twice as much Bud Light the following weekend to recover the lost business." BUD LIGHT SILENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER DYLAN MULVANEY CONTROVERSY For a brand as large as Bud Light, the public relations calamity already represents millions of lost dollars — even if the consumer revolt ended tomorrow. "If we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light." — Bud Light VP Alissa Heinerscheid Bud Light is famous for hiring the best marketing people in the business, the national sales rep said. But this time they hired the wrong person, he indicated. Bud Light vice president of marketing Alissa Heinerscheid said she was inspired to update the "fratty" and "out-of-touch" humor of the beer company with "inclusivity" in a March 30 interview with the podcast "Make Yourself At Home" podcast. The Bud Light guys poses for a photo during Game 6 of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, in Houston, Texas. (Loren Elliott/MLB Photos via Getty Images / Getty Images) But her effort to be inclusive excluded the people who matter most — Bud Light drinkers, according to St. Louis-area operator John Rieker. "It's kind of mind-boggling they stepped into this realm," Rieker, who owns Harpo's Bar and Grill in Chesterfield, Missouri, told FOX Business. "You're marketing to an audience that represents a fraction of 1% of consumers while alienating the much larger base of your consumers." His customers, many of them loyal Bud Light drinkers, are baffled by the brand's lack of inclusivity. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER "It seems Bud Light has everything to lose and very little to gain," as its current drinkers "are not real receptive to this new development," Rieker said. "I had a really clear job to do when I took over Bud Light, and it was, ‘This brand is in decline, it’s been in a decline for a really long time, and if we do not attract young drinkers to come and drink this brand there will be no future for Bud Light,'" Heinerscheid said. "Sometimes you just want to drink a beer without getting a lecture on social or political commentary or someone’s sexual orientation." — St. Louis hospitality consultant Bud Light sales actually have been declining for years. The brand is likely to be overtaken soon by Corona or Modelo as the nation's top-selling beer brand, according to industry observers. The current ad campaign may hasten its demise with a self-inflicted wound, sources indicated. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE "Sometimes you just want to drink a beer without getting a lecture on social or political commentary or someone’s sexual orientation," said Patrick Imig, a hospitality consultant in St. Louis. FOX Business reached out to Anheuser-Busch for comment but did not hear back by publication time. Get a brief on the top business stories of the week, plus CEO interviews, market updates, tech and money news that matters to you. We've added you to our mailing list. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. | 66d5d2e5669e45f3 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/insiders-trump-and-clinton-will-carry-iowa-218492 | Insiders: Trump and Clinton will carry Iowa | 2016-02-01 | elections | When The ███ Caucus debuted in mid-February of last year , a majority of Iowans said Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker would win the caucuses if they were held then . Now , nearly a year later , roughly the same number — 60 percent — see Donald Trump as the winner when the votes are counted Monday night .
Few on either side doubted last February that Hillary Clinton would win Iowa . Now , Democrats still expect her to win — but Republicans don ’ t .
That ’ s according to members of The ███ Caucus — a panel of influential strategists , operatives and activists in Iowa and the three other states that will cast ballots later in February : New Hampshire , South Carolina and Nevada .
The final survey before Iowans cast the first ballots in the 2016 contest , the new insiders poll represents the culmination of a nearly yearlong project . Over that period , Republican and Democratic insiders have seen the race turned upside down and their expectations for candidates like Walker and Jeb Bush dashed . In recent weeks , Ted Cruz was viewed as the favorite to win the caucuses only to be supplanted by Trump in the last poll before Iowa votes .
“ Donald Trump has broken every rule of the Iowa caucus process , ” said one South Carolina Republican , who , like all the respondents , completed the survey anonymously . “ Yet it will continue to pay off . ”
The results just among Iowa Republicans were virtually identical to those in the other three early states : A majority see Trump as the most likely winner , with a significant number still believing Cruz will emerge in first .
A number of Republicans said Cruz ’ s organization would catapult the Texas senator over Trump .
“ The Cruz ground game will carry him across the finish line with Trump in a close second , ” said an Iowa Republican .
But even those Republicans who picked Cruz to finish on top concede he has slipped — not just in recent weeks , but in the past few days as well . One Iowa GOP insider cited a poor debate performance last week and controversial Cruz get-out-the-vote mailers that resembled official documents accusing individuals of a “ VOTING VIOLATION ” for past non-participation .
“ I think it is nearly too close to call with Trump and Cruz , ” said one Iowa Republican who picked Cruz . “ I have a better handle on the Cruz ground game . Not sure what Trump has . However , while this is Cruz 's to lose — he has damaged himself badly in Iowa this week . Poor debate and the ‘ shame ’ mailer are just two examples . ”
The 15 percent of GOP insiders who didn ’ t pick Trump or Cruz to win all selected Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , who is in third place in the polls .
Outside Iowa , Republican insiders in the other early states — who largely oppose Trump — are watching intently . Some said Cruz would win — but conceded that might be wishful thinking .
“ He ’ s close in the polling and has a better organization , ” said a New Hampshire Republican , who also conceded : “ Maybe [ I ’ m ] just not believing that Trump could actually win . ”
Others appear resigned to a Trump victory on Monday night — but are hoping to thwart him elsewhere .
“ If Trump is going to be stopped , it is going to have to be in [ New Hampshire ] , ” said a Republican there .
Democratic insiders weren ’ t nearly as divided as their GOP counterparts : They said by a wide margin that Clinton will defeat Bernie Sanders on Monday night , crediting what they say is her vastly superior organization .
“ Hands down , Clinton has the best operation , ” one Iowa Democrat said . “ It does n't matter who I speak to — whether it 's in a big county or small , on the western side of the state or eastern — they all say the same thing : They see no evidence of Sanders organizing . They have a lot of people , but none of them are trained or prepared for what will happen on Monday . The lesson they took from Obama ’ s 2008 win was that big crowds equate [ to ] support in a caucus room . They seem to [ forget ] that Obama also had the best caucus campaign Iowa had seen up to that point . Unfortunately for them , Clinton has a stronger operation than even Obama did then , and her supporters are more committed than theirs . ”
Other Democrats said caucus-goers will go with their heads over their hearts and choose Clinton — much as they picked then-Sen. John Kerry in 2004 over former Vermont Gov . Howard Dean and then-Sen. John Edwards .
“ Undecided Democrats will [ be ] pragmatic this year just like in 2004 when Dean surged ahead of Kerry , ” said another Iowa Democrat . “ Clinton has run a good campaign , in spite of not trying to bring new voters into the fold , and Sanders has not made a convincing argument that he is an electable general election candidate . ”
But while Democrats overwhelmingly say Clinton will win , Republicans disagreed . A majority of GOP insiders insist Sanders ’ energized supporters will carry him to victory .
One New Hampshire Republican cited the disclosure on Friday that the State Department won ’ t release 22 email messages on Clinton ’ s home server in picking Sanders as the likely winner .
“ Big Mo [ is ] going his way , ” the Republican said , “ and Hillary ’ s email issues are now firmly bipartisan . ”
And even the minority who picked Clinton as the likely winner claim the campaign has bruised the former secretary of state .
“ My friends on the [ Democratic ] side tell me that Hillary will win due to organization , ” one Iowa Republican said , “ but it will be close and damaging . ”
These are the members of The ███ Caucus , not all of whom participated in this special pre-Iowa survey :
Iowa : Tim Albrecht , Brad Anderson , Rob Barron , Jeff Boeyink , Bonnie Campbell , Dave Caris , Sam Clovis , Sara Craig , Jerry Crawford , John Davis , Steve Deace , John Deeth , Derek Eadon , Ed Failor Jr. , Karen Fesler , David Fischer , Doug Gross , Steve Grubbs , Tim Hagle , Bob Haus , Joe Henry , Drew Ivers , Jill June , Lori Jungling , Jeff Kaufmann , Brian Kennedy , Jake Ketzner , David Kochel , Chris Larimer , Chuck Larson , Jill Latham , Jeff Link , Dave Loebsack , Mark Lucas , Liz Mathis , Jan Michelson , Chad Olsen , David Oman , Matt Paul , Marlys Popma , Troy Price , Christopher Rants , Kim Reem , Craig Robinson , Sam Roecker , David Roederer , Richard S. Rogers , Nick Ryan , Matt Schultz , Tamara Scott , Joni Scotter , Karen Slifka , John Smith , AJ Spiker , Norm Sterzenbach , John Stineman , Matt Strawn , Phil Valenziano , Jessica Vanden Berg , Nate Willems , Eric Woolson , Grant Young
New Hampshire : Charlie Arlinghaus , Arnie Arnesen , Patrick Arnold , Rich Ashooh , Dean Barker , Juliana Bergeron , D.J . Bettencourt , Michael Biundo , Ray Buckley , Peter Burling , Jamie Burnett , Debby Butler , Dave Carney , Jackie Cilley , Catherine Corkery , Garth Corriveau , Fergus Cullen , Lou D ’ Allesandro , James Demers , Mike Dennehy , Sean Downey , Steve Duprey , JoAnn Fenton , Jennifer Frizzell , Martha Fuller Clark , Amanda Grady Sexton , Jack Heath , Gary Hirshberg , Jennifer Horn , Peter Kavanaugh , Joe Keefe , Rich Killion , Harrell Kirstein , Sylvia Larsen , Joel Maiola , Kate Malloy Corriveau , Maureen Manning , Steve Marchand , Tory Mazzola , Jim Merrill , Jayne Millerick , Claira Monier , Greg Moore , Matt Mowers , Terie Norelli , William O ’ Brien , Chris Pappas , Liz Purdy , Tom Rath , Colin Reed , Jim Rubens , Andy Sanborn , Dante Scala , William Shaheen , Stefany Shaheen , Carol Shea-Porter , Terry Shumaker , Andy Smith , Craig Stevens , Kathy Sullivan , Chris Sununu , James Sununu , Jay Surdukowski , Donna Sytek , Karen Testerman , Kari Thurman , Colin Van Ostern , Deb Vanderbeek , Mike Vlacich , Ryan Williams , Ethan Zorfas
South Carolina : Andrew Collins , Antjuan Seawright , Barry Wynn , Bob McAlister , Boyd Brown , Brady Quirk-Garvan , Bruce Haynes , Catherine Templeton , Chad Connelly , Chip Felkel , Cindy Costa , Clay Middleton , David Wilkins , Dick Harpootlian , Donna Hicks , Drea Byars , Ed McMullen , Elizabeth Colbert-Busch , Ellen Weaver , Erin McKee , Gary R. Smith , Glenn McCall , Inez Tenenbaum , Isaiah Nelson , Jaime R. Harrison , James Smith , Jason Perkey , Jay W. Ragley , Jim Hodges , Jimmy Williams , Joe Erwin , Joel Sawyer , John Brisini , Kevin Bishop , Kim Wellman , Laurin Manning , Le Frye , Luke Byars , Matt Moore , Mikee Johnson , Morgan Allison , Phil Noble , Scott Farmer , Tony Denny , Trey Walker , Tyler Jones , Walter Whetsell , Warren Tompkins , Will Folks
Nevada : Adam Khan , Andres Ramirez , Andrew Diss , Barbara Buckley , Bob Cavazos , Brendan Summers , Chip Evans , Chuck Muth , Dan Hart , Daniel Stewart , Ed Williams , Emmy Ruiz , Erven T. Nelson , Greg Bailor , Heidi Wixom , Jack St. Martin , James Smack , Jay Gertsema , Jeremy Hughes , Jim DeGraffenreid , Jon Ralston , Kristen Orthman , Laura Martin , Linda Cavazos , Lindsey Jydstrup , Mac Abrams , Mari St. Martin , Marla Turner , Megan Jones , Michael McDonald , Michelle White , Mike Slanker , Neal Patel , Nick Phillips , Oscar Goodman , Pat Hickey , Paul Smith , Pete Ernaut , Peter Koltak , Riley Sutton , Robert Uithoven , Roberta Lange , Ryan Erwin , Ryan Hamilton , Sam Lieberman , Scott Scheid , Yvanna Cancela , Zach Hudson | 3zpPQrP8egmh5KxR | 0 | Presidential Elections | -0.3 | Elections | -0.3 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2014/10/23/stocks-thursday/17763383/ | Dow's best day of 2014: Gain touches 300 points | 2014-10-23 | economy_and_jobs | What a day . Stocks got a major boost Thursday from a slew of strong earnings reports from companies ranging from heavy equipment maker Caterpillar ( CAT ) to automaker General Motors ( GM ) .
The Dow Jones industrial average came close to having its best day of 2014 , but news about a New York City doctor being rushed to a hospital on Ebola fears trimmed a 300-point gain to 216.58 points for the day . The blue-chip benchmark ended up 1.3 % to close at 16,677.90 .
The Standard & Poor 's 500 index rose 23.71 points , 1.2 % , to close at 1950.82 , while the tech-laden Nasdaq composite ended up 69.95 points , 1.6 % , to finish at 4452.79 .
The 10-year Treasury note yield rose to 2.28 % from 2.22 % as investors jumped out of bonds and back into stocks .
The news flash that a health care worker , who has returned recently from one of the three countries in West Africa where the Ebola epidemic is rampant , was being tested Thursday for the virus at a New York city hospital , was cited as a reason why the Dow 's gains were trimmed by about 85 points late in the trading session .
`` I gather ( the news ) did n't help , '' says Gary Kaltbaum , president of Kaltbaum Capital Management .
Today 's rally on Wall Street is part of a larger recovery story for the stock market that began late last week when intense selling pressure suddenly reversed course amid a drop in so-called `` headline risk , '' says Katrina Lamb , head of investment strategy and research at MV Financial .
Lamb points out that the both the S & P 500 and Dow have been able to climb back above their average price levels over the past 200 days after dipping briefly below that closely watched 200-day moving average last week . Stocks are considered in an uptrend when the major stock indexes are trading above that key long-term trend line .
Better-than-expected profit reports in the transportation sector , where companies Southwest ( LUV ) andUnited Continental ( UAL ) topped forecasts , and the media space , whereComcast ( CMCSA ) beat expectations -- set up the market for a good day .
The batch of strong earnings is easing fears that economic slowdowns in Europe and China will have a meaningful negative impact on U.S. growth .
Earnings beats from two Dow components , Caterpillar and conglomerate 3M ( MMM ) , are helping to erase Wednesday 's losses , which were due in part to profit-taking after a few big up days in a row and news reports of a deadly shooting in Ottawa , which sparked initial fears of terrorism .
`` Wall Street is taking the earnings news as a signal that the global slowdown that everyone was worried about is unlikely to be as pronounced as feared earlier , '' says Kate Warne , investment strategist at Edward Jones .
Warne stresses that earnings reports that will flood the market the next two weeks will continue to drive the direction of stock prices , either up if they come in strong or down if the profit news turns downbeat .
Lamb of MV Financial calls the recent market swoon , which knocked the S & P 500 down 9.5 % -- very close to the 10 % correction level -- as a `` little squall '' that hits the market from time to time , but is nothing more than a short-term hiccup in the bigger uptrend .
Investors also reacted Thursday to the latest weekly reading on initial jobless claims , which rose 17,000 to 283,000 . While that was slightly above the estimate of 281,000 people seeking first-time unemployment benefits , the important four-week moving average – which smooths out short-term noise in the numbers – came in at 281,000 , its lowest reading since May 2000 , according to UBS .
Europe benchmarks started the day in the red and closed up . The DAX of Germany powered 1.2 % higher . Major Asia indexes all lost , the Nikkei of Japan off 0.4 % . | fMvkpzd2Quw6dtfC | 1 | Stock Market | 1.4 | Dow Jones | 1.4 | Economy And Jobs | 0 | null | null | null | null |
education | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/01/17/devos-outlines-vision-us-department-education/96689510/ | DeVos grilled by Democratic leaders over her advocacy for school choice | 2017-01-17 | education | CLOSE Betsy DeVos , President-elect Donald Trump 's pick for secretary of Education , faces questions from Senator Bernie Sanders during her Senate confirmation hearing . ███ NETWORK
WASHINGTON – Betsy DeVos , a Michigan advocate for school choice and vouchers and President-elect Donald Trump ’ s nominee for education secretary , vowed Tuesday to protect any schools – public , private or otherwise – as long as they are working for students and parents and serving their needs .
Facing Democrats who questioned DeVos ’ support of school choice and what it may mean for public schools , DeVos said she supports “ any great school ” – including public schools and those beyond what “ the ( public school ) system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want , expect and deserve . ”
“ Not all schools are working for the students that are assigned to them . I ’ m hoping we can work together to find common ground , ” DeVos said , rebuffing a request by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray , D-Wash. , that she vow not to propose funding cuts for any public schools .
DeVos , 59 , stepped before the Senate Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee for a rare nighttime confirmation hearing , facing a broad spectrum of questions that ranged from early childhood education , free college and the Obama administration ’ s crackdown on college sexual assaults to her own personal beliefs about sexual orientation and any support she gave for controversial “ conversion therapy , ” which she denied .
“ I believe in equality and I firmly believe in the intrinsic value of each individual , and that every student should have the assurance of a safe and discrimination-free place to become educated , ” said DeVos , telling U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin , D-Wis. , that as regards the alleged support , she might “ be confusing some other family members in some of those contributions , and also looking at contributions from 18 or 20 years ago . ”
“ As a mom I just can ’ t imagine having a child that would feel discriminated against for any reason , and I would want my child in a safe environment , ” she said . She acknowledged , however , that her family may have given as much as $ 200 million to Republican candidates and causes over the years .
In response to questions , she also promised that neither she nor her husband , former Amway head and heir Dick DeVos , would be politically active while she serves , if she is confirmed . She also said that given her family ’ s complex financial arrangements , she will resolve any conflicts of interest . “ I will not be conflicted , ” she said .
She also defended her support of charter schools and school choice in Detroit , saying there is “ a lot that has gone right in Detroit ” given the poverty there and rebuking reports that charter schools haven ’ t delivered as big a change in education in the city as promised .
While Democrats went on the attack , Republicans on the committee lined up to defend her : The chairman , Sen. Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , opened the hearing with a strong endorsement , saying , “ Betsy DeVos in my opinion is on our children ’ s side … I believe she ’ s in the mainstream of public opinion and her critics are not. ” He went onto say she has fought to help low-income parents have choice in education options and that 73 % of Americans support school choice
Told by DeVos that she supports public education , U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy , R-La. , said , “ Man that ’ s amazing , you would think some would have us think you do not . ”
DeVos came into the confirmation hearing a week after it had initially been scheduled and three days before Trump ’ s inauguration at the U.S. Capitol . Democrats , teachers ’ unions and others have loudly denounced DeVos ’ nomination , arguing that her vocal support of vouchers and school choice programs could undermine public schools .
“ Betsy DeVos is a billionaire who has spent her career & fortune rigging the system to privatize and defund public ed , ” Randi Weingarten , head of the 1.6-million-member American Federation of Teachers union in a tweet earlier today .
Alexander said the committee could vote on DeVos ’ nomination as early as next Tuesday , after which it would be sent to the floor of the U.S. Senate for final confirmation . Murray , the top Democrat on the panel , complained that the hearing should have been delayed until the Office of Government Ethics sent a letter on DeVos and any agreements she will make to ensure there are no conflicts of interest .
Democrats , who have little chance of blocking DeVos ’ nomination , still put up strong resistance at Tuesday ’ s hearing . Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass. , tried to pin DeVos on a commitment to enforce employment rules at for-profit institutions ; Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , urged DeVos to embrace free tuition at all public colleges and universities , which she called “ a really interesting idea ” but said policy makers have to “ consider that in life nothing is truly free , somebody will pay for it . ”
In a particularly sharp exchange , Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass , asked DeVos if she or any family members had ever taken out a loan or been awarded a grant from the federal government to pay for college . DeVos said she hadn ’ t .
Warren then noted that Trump last year paid a $ 25 million settlement to students of Trump University who complained that they didn ’ t get what they paid for . Asked if DeVos would enforce rules that require career colleges to offer saleable skills to students , DeVos said instead that she would “ review ” the rule .
“ I don ’ t understand about ‘ reviewing ’ it . We talked about this in my office , ” said Warren . “ There are already rules in place to stop waste , fraud and abuse and I don ’ t understand how you can not be sure about enforcing them . … If you can ’ t commit to use the tools that are already available to you in the Department of Education , then I don ’ t see how you can be the secretary . ”
She also declined to vow to keep in place Obama administration rules requiring colleges and universities to be more responsible for cracking down on sexual assaults , saying she needs to look at them . “ Sexual assault anywhere and any place is a problem , ” she said . Pushed by Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn. , to say whether guns belong in schools , DeVos said it ’ s an issue “ best left to locales and states to decide . ”
She added that for a school in a place like rural Idaho , educators might need “ a gun in the school to protect from potential grizzlies . ”
Protesters , many of them from Michigan , attended the hearing , filling up a hallway outside the packed committee room . Among them was 17-year-old Dannah Wilson , who had ridden one of two buses from Detroit the night before with about 120 other people . Wilson , a senior at Cornerstone Leadership and Business High School , a Detroit private school , said she ’ d come “ representing students across Detroit . I just honestly want to know how she feels and responds to these questions . ”
Wilson said her mother pays $ 11,000 for her and each of her two younger sisters to attend the school .
Wilson ’ s mother , Dawn Wilson-Clark , said her five children have attended some 22 Detroit schools in all . “ Choice is not the issue , ” she said . “ The issue is quality . We have a lot of choices , but they ’ re not quality and the charter schools are not held to the same accountability that the public schools are. ” At one point last year , Wilson-Clark said , she was driving 200 miles a week to four different schools “ trying to get my children a quality education . ”
Shoniqua Kemp , another Detroit parent with the 482 Forward education organizing network , said “ quality is a problem ” in Detroit schools , even with a wide array of choices .
“ School choices can be a good thing – however , give me quality . My choice shouldn ’ t be ‘ Rancid tomato ’ or ‘ Pick one from the garbage. ’ That ’ s not fair . ”
DeVos came into the hearing with many supporters . Writing in the Detroit News today , Michigan Gov . Rick Snyder praised her selection , saying she “ has a big heart and she believes strongly that parental control of education through school choice is integral to improving the performance of our K-12 system . ”
“ Contrary to the misleading picture the teachers unions are trying to paint , she shares her support for school choice with several fair-minded and prominent Democrats , including Barack Obama ’ s two education secretaries , John King and Arne Duncan , ” Snyder wrote .
Several school reformers , including political rivals of Trump ’ s , have praised DeVos . Former Florida Gov . Jeb Bush called her `` an outstanding pick , ” saying her allegiance “ is to families , particularly those struggling at the bottom of the economic ladder , not to an outdated public education model that has failed them from one generation to the next . ''
“ All in all , she ’ s a pretty conventional choice , ” said Rick Hess , director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute , a right-leaning Washington think tank .
Hess noted last month that President Obama ’ s 2015 nomination of King , then New York ’ s education commissioner , “ was greeted courteously and approved rapidly ” by the Republican-controlled Senate , despite King ’ s “ troubled tenure in New York , one that featured a disastrous rollout of the Common Core . ”
But while school choice advocates say DeVos ’ s efforts have largely succeeded , others say her work in Michigan has brought disappointing , sometimes chaotic results .
The DeVoses have long sought to bring more private competition to the public school system . In 2000 , the couple led a failed petition drive to institute a voucher system in Michigan that would allow parents to use public money to send their children to private schools . The state constitution prohibits such use of public funds .
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposal . But a similar plan is the centerpiece of Trump 's education plan . He wants to spend $ 20 billion in federal funding now being spent on other things — and expects states to kick in even more — to provide to pay $ 12,000 in private school tuition for every high-poverty child in the country .
The couple also played a role in getting Michigan ’ s charter school law passed in 1993 , and ever since have worked to protect charters from additional regulation . When Michigan lawmakers in 2016 were considering a measure that would have added oversight for charter schools in Detroit , members of the DeVos family poured $ 1.45 million into legislators ’ campaign coffers ? — ? an average of $ 25,000 a day for seven weeks . Oversight was not included in the final legislation .
As a result , Michigan ’ s charter sector is among the least regulated in the country . About 80 % of charters in Michigan are run by private companies , far more than in any other state .
The National Association of Charter School Authorizers has said Michigan is well below average in the number of underperforming charter schools that close , and Douglas Harris , a professor of economics at Tulane University , last November called DeVos ’ appointment a “ triumph of ideology over evidence , ” saying that as one of the architects of Detroit ’ s charter school system , she holds partial responsibility for what even charter school backers acknowledge is “ the biggest school reform disaster in the country . ”
Michigan 's charter-friendly policies have allowed nearly 100 schools to open , run mostly by for-profit charter-school-management organizations . That has given families wider choice over their children 's schools , but it has also created an expensive oversupply of about 30,000 seats in city classrooms .
Current U.S. Education Secretary John King , who cut his teeth teaching in and founding charter schools in Massachusetts , last week noted that Michigan ’ s weak charter school law has brought “ a proliferation of ” low-performing schools . “ In Michigan , I do think the lack of strong accountability in their charter law , and in their charter sector , has harmed public education generally , and has harmed , ultimately , students , ” he said . | 3pJqrJSTJbAPqiqF | 1 | Betsy DeVos | 0.3 | Education | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
white_house | NPR Online News | http://www.npr.org/2016/12/06/504554532/air-force-none-trump-threatens-to-cancel-new-presidential-plane-over-cost | Air Force None? Trump Threatens To Cancel New Presidential Plane Over Cost | 2016-12-06 | white_house | Air Force None ? Trump Threatens To Cancel New Presidential Plane Over Cost
President-elect Donald Trump wants to clip the wings of a new Air Force One , saying the customized 747 is too expensive .
`` The plane is totally out of control , '' Trump told reporters Tuesday morning . `` I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number . We want Boeing to make a lot of money , but not that much money . ''
Earlier in the day , Trump tweeted that the new aircraft would cost more than $ 4 billion and urged the government to cancel the contract . Neither Trump nor his spokespeople said where that cost estimate came from .
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents , but costs are out of control , more than $ 4 billion . Cancel order ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) December 6 , 2016
Trump 's tweet followed an article in the Chicago Tribune suggesting Trump 's tough talk on trade could be bad for Boeing 's export business .
Last year the Air Force struck an agreement with Boeing to deliver two new 747s around 2024 , by which time the two planes now in service for presidential travel will be more than 30 years old . The new models will be able to fly about 1,000 miles farther than the current planes . They 'll also be slightly larger and faster , but will have a smaller carbon footprint .
`` The presidential aircraft is one of the most visible symbols of the United States of America and the office of the president of the United States , '' Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said at the time .
While affordability was listed as a top concern for the Air Force , the presidential planes include special features that drive up the cost , including secure communications equipment , counterterrorism features and capability for in-flight refueling .
The Air Force says it is still defining what it wants the planes to do and how much it 's willing to pay . The military has budgeted $ 2.7 billion for research and development on the project , but says it expects that number to change as the process moves forward .
So far , Boeing is only contracted for $ 170 million to determine the capabilities of the new planes .
`` We look forward to working with the U.S. Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the President at the best value for the American taxpayer , '' the company said in a statement .
Similar concerns were raised in the early weeks of the Obama administration over costs for a new fleet of presidential helicopters . That $ 13 billion project was eventually canceled , but not before Sen. John McCain , R-Ariz. , needled the new president over the high price tag .
Obama agreed the effort to upgrade Marine One was too extravagant .
`` The helicopter I have now seems perfectly adequate to me , '' Obama said at the time . `` Of course , I 've never had a helicopter before , you know ? Maybe I 've been deprived and did n't know it . '' | sig9ittvKDJSnxES | 1 | White House | 0.4 | Politics | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/02/politics/donald-trump-2016-election/index.html | Donald Trump's obsession with himself | 2016-06-02 | Donald Trump, Presidential Elections, Elections | From his condemnation of journalists to his racially tinged attacks on a judge presiding over a lawsuit related to Trump University to his feud with New Mexico GOP Gov . Susana Martinez , there 's one thing in common about the mounting Trump controversies : The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is aiming to make the entire 2016 campaign about himself .
American politics is littered with larger-than-life personalities . But no presidential candidate in living memory has built a campaign so exclusively on the foundation of his own personal , brand , self-congratulatory rhetoric and life story as Trump . And do n't expect anything different if he makes it to the White House .
`` You think I 'm going to change ? '' he told reporters at a press conference this week . `` I 'm not going to change . ''
Trump has prospered by being the loudest , most unapologetic salesman of self in politics that most seasoned observers have ever seen . He is not just the figurehead of his own campaign -- his personality is the campaign , as evidenced by stump speeches , press conferences and endless television and radio interviews that add up to an unstoppable torrent of self-promotion .
`` The Trump campaign is not about any cause , it is all about Trump , '' said Peter Wehner , who has watched candidates and presidents up close as an aide in the last three Republican administrations . `` His campaign is all about him . How he treats other people is all about him -- whether one is praised and patted on the head or cruelly mocked depends on what you have said about him . ''
Trump 's self-aggrandizement has become a dominant theme of the presidential campaign .
The billionaire boasts about his wealth , his portfolio of gleaming buildings and golf resorts , soaring poll numbers , the size of his crowds , his `` crazy '' television ratings , how Mexicans will love him , how his book is an all time best-seller and how his 757 jet is superior to Air Force One .
But , so far , Trump 's unique , personal and unconventional campaign style has worked . He 's dispatched his rivals in a bloated Republican field and is now locked in a tight general election duel with Hillary Clinton . His style could even help him win over disaffected workers who also seem themselves as victimized by the political and economic establishment .
Still , there are major questions about whether a personality-driven campaign -- lacking the traditional organizational and field skills -- can be successful during a complex national contest .
The Clinton campaign is working overtime to make Trump 's personal mythologizing look like a fatal flaw . The former secretary of state is mounting a two-pronged strategy that centers directly on Trump 's persona . She hopes to make a case that his volatile personality makes him unsuitable to be commander-in-chief and to use incidents from his colorful character and business career to deconstruct Trump 's carefully built self image .
`` He is trying to scam America the way he scammed all those people at Trump University , '' Clinton said Wednesday , referring to the growing scrutiny surrounding Trump 's namesake training programs .
Clinton will keep up the attacks Thursday during a foreign policy speech in San Diego . An aide said Clinton will use the address to `` rebuke the fear , bigotry and misplaced defeatism that Trump has been selling to the American people . ''
Trump 's allies dismiss the idea that his campaign style lacks the gravitas and temperament required of a President , arguing that his tirades against the press , for instance , are merely a result of unfair coverage .
`` Many of the reporters know the facts , but choose to write horrible stories about him or portray him in a negative light , '' Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson told CNN 's `` New Day '' on Wednesday , adding that if Trump becomes President he will have wide public support . `` So it 's not going to get to the point of a temperament question because the people will be behind Mr . Trump . ''
Trump is hardly alone in getting high on himself : Self-confidence is synonymous with politics .
But presidential candidates typically take pains to mask their personal ambition in a flurry of detailed policy positions and ostentatious attempts to feel the voters ' pain .
Peter Feaver , a former aide to President George W. Bush , said Trump 's reliance on his personality is unique .
`` This persona is actually one he has been honing for decades , '' said Feaver , a former senior National Security Council official , noting that unlike other big personalities that took aim at the presidency , Trump lacked core ideological convictions .
`` Take Ronald Reagan for instance . He clearly had a persona that was built up over decades but even more he had a governing philosophy even as he was developing a persona , '' Fever said . `` Trump does n't have that . He just has the persona . ''
Feaver also notes the irony that after spending eight years lambasting President Barack Obama as a hubristic , self-obsessed figure , Republicans are about to nominate someone who takes those perceived deficiencies to extremes .
The presumptive GOP nominee is not known for introspection . But he seems to agree with critics who say the campaign is almost exclusively about himself .
`` A very good musician said Trump is the greatest in the world without a guitar , meaning without an instrument . I 've got to stand up here by myself , '' Trump said in California last week , explaining his unique style of political performance art .
He want on to boast how a good friend -- who was `` by the way , one of the most successful people in the country , in the world '' -- asked him how he was able to hold such large audiences in the palm of his hand .
`` I said , 'You know , honestly , it 's not hard because there 's so much love in the room . It 's unbelievable . ' ''
Such comments , laced throughout Trump 's public appearances , reveal a politician apparently intoxicated with his own magnetism and brimming with self belief .
And they contrast with the stump speeches of more conventional political nominees -- which sag with policies designed to lure various constituencies of a party and cliched invocations to a higher national purpose and political unity that Trump 's speeches conspicuously lack .
His public appearances , while hitting top political points on illegal immigration , free trade and U.S. allies who he says are fleecing America , are effectively a list of his personal triumphs -- that seem like the obsessions of a billionaire and have little in common with his heartland audiences .
He frequently relates the tale of his new hotel in Washington in the city 's old Post Office building which he says will come in under budget and ahead of schedule and will be `` a higher-quality hotel than anybody ever saw before . '' And he often recalls the media frenzy as he and his wife Melania descended the escalator at Trump tower to launch his campaign last year , saying it `` looked , literally , like the Academy Awards . ''
Trump 's implicit case is that his personality is so dominant , his presence alone makes the need for detailed policy proposals moot . That 's why when he vows to rescue health care for veterans , he does n't say how he will get it done . He promises to bring back jobs from Mexico and China -- again without revealing his approach . He says he will `` knock the hell out of ISIS '' but does n't detail a credible military strategy .
Given the billionaire 's somewhat ill defined political creed and unpredictable style , no one can say for sure what his presidency would be like .
But if the campaign is anything to go by , one thing is certain : it would be all about Trump . | 4dfb927d6c0ec475 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | HuffPost | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/screen-actors-guild-votes-strike_n_64b00f37e4b07bb33396645d | Screen Actors Guild Votes To Strike After Studio Negotiations Crumble | 2023-07-13 | Economy And Jobs, Hollywood, Strikes, Arts And Entertainment | LOADING ERROR LOADINGThe Screen Actors Guild — the union representing tens of thousands of Hollywood performers — voted Thursday to strike after negotiations with film and TV studios fell apart.“The strike will begin at midnight tonight, and all of us — union members, leadership and staff — will be out on the picket lines tomorrow morning,” the union’s chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, said after the vote.AdvertisementThe guild, known as SAG-AFTRA, had agreed to extend talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) two weeks past their contract expiration date of June 30. But the two sides failed to reach an agreement in that time, even after federal mediators joined discussions, and the union’s negotiating committee unanimously recommended a strike to its national board early Thursday. The national board agreed hours later.Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president and iconic star of the ’90s sitcom “The Nanny,” slammed studio bosses for the attitudes they displayed at the bargaining table.“I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us,” Drescher said in a brief, impassioned speech. “I cannot believe it, quite frankly, how they plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs.”Advertisement“It is disgusting,” she added. “Shame on them.”Drescher tied the SAG-AFTRA strike to the broader labor movement amid threats from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.“If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in trouble,” she said. “We are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines, and big business who cares more about Wall Street than you and your family.”SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher: "How they plead poverty that they are losing money left and right when they give $100 millions to their CEOs."“If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy of being replaced by machines” pic.twitter.com/zIIsNQjZHa — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 13, 2023AdvertisementThe strike will effectively grind Hollywood to a halt, at least temporarily.On Monday, SAG-AFTRA leadership assembled around 140 top publicists for a conference call to brace them for what was then seen as a likely strike, according to Variety. One person described the vibes as “panicked.” The stars of summer blockbusters like “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie” and the new “Mission Impossible” installation will be pulled from red carpets and press junkets, Crabtree-Ireland said. Members affected by the strike will not be allowed to film any ongoing projects or promote finished ones.The performers will join Writers Guild of America (WGA) members, who have been on strike since early May after their negotiations with the AMPTP similarly stalled out.The trade group AMPTP represents major studios, including Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros. Some 160,000 performers are part of SAG-AFTRA, including big Hollywood names, making entry into the card-holders’ club a major stepping stone for aspiring stars.AdvertisementThe WGA and SAG-AFTRA have not been on strike at the same time since the 1960s, when they won health care plans, pensions and residual payments. Both now say they face an existential threat from technology that bosses could try to use to replace them; they also share concerns about declining residuals that once bolstered their income.The AMPTP put what it termed a “groundbreaking AI proposal” across the bargaining table on Wednesday that would allow studios to digitally scan background actors so they only had to pay them for one day of work, according to Crabtree-Ireland. The company would then own that actor’s image in perpetuity and could do whatever they wanted with it without compensating the worker, he said. (The AMPTP said in a statement condemning the strike that the proposal would “protect actors’ digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members.”)Crabtree-Ireland told reporters that a group of CEOs told them Wednesday night that they were not behaving in “a civilized manner” by threatening to strike.Advertisement“We told them that it’s not uncivilized to go on strike. It’s a moral right, it’s a human right and it’s a legal right,” he said.Commentary from studio executives this week appears to have only tangled the path to any agreements with the unions. One executive bluntly told Deadline that the studios’ goal was to “break the WGA” by refusing to negotiate in good faith for several months.“The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses,” an executive told Deadline, which noted other top bosses felt the same.AdvertisementDisney CEO Bob Iger also incensed union members and their allies by saying the writers and performers were not being “realistic.”“It’s very disturbing to me,” he said during a Thursday morning appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”Iger, whose salary amounts to $25 million, was appearing from Idaho’s Sun Valley Conference, an annual meeting of tech and media executives dubbed by some as a “billionaire summer camp.”Enjoy HuffPost Entertainment — Ad Free We're bringing you the exclusives, scoops and hot takes on the news all your friends are talking about. Join our loyalty program to support our work and go ad-free. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again. We won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. But we can't do it without you. For the first time, we're offering an ad-free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. We hope you'll join us. Support HuffPost Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. | f58d3e695f969b68 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
foreign_policy | Al Jazeera | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/watchdog-india-religious-freedom-blacklist-200429030352021.html | India should be placed on religious freedom blacklist: US panel | foreign_policy | A US government panel has called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a `` drastic '' downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi , triggering a sharp rebuttal from New Delhi .
In an annual report published on Tuesday , the US Commission on International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) said India should join the ranks of `` countries of particular concern '' that would be subject to sanctions if they do not improve their records .
`` In 2019 , religious freedom conditions in India experienced a drastic turn downward , with religious minorities under increasing assault , '' the report said .
The bipartisan panel recommends but does not set policy , and there is virtually no chance the State Department will follow its lead on India , an increasingly close US ally .
But the lower ranking for the ally amounts to a stark show of disapproval of India 's divisive new citizenship law , which the United Nations has called `` fundamentally discriminatory '' .
Trump declined to criticise the law during his February visit to India , where his meeting with Modi was punctuated by the worst violence in decades in New Delhi , in which 53 people , mostly Muslims , were killed .
The commission , by contrast , is empowered as an independent arbiter to look only at nations ' religious freedom records , apart from their relationship with the US , Vice-Chair at USCIRF Nadine Maenza said .
Beyond the citizenship law , Maenza said in an interview , India has a broader `` move toward clamping down on religious minorities that 's really troublesome '' .
It called on the US to impose punitive measures , including visa bans on Indian officials believed responsible and grant funding to civil society groups that monitor hate speech .
The commission said Modi 's Hindu nationalist government , which won a convincing election victory last year , `` allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity , and also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence . ''
It pointed to comments by Home Minister Amit Shah , who notoriously referred to mostly Muslim migrants as `` termites , '' and to a citizenship law that has triggered nationwide protests .
It also highlighted the revocation of the autonomy of Kashmir , which was India 's only Muslim-majority state , and allegations that Delhi police turned a blind eye to mobs who attacked Muslim neighbourhoods in February this year .
The Indian government , which has long been irritated by the commission 's comments , quickly rejected the report .
`` Its biased and tendentious comments against India are not new . But on this occasion , its misrepresentation has reached new levels , '' Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said .
`` We regard it as an organisation of particular concern and will treat it accordingly , '' he said in a statement .
The State Department designates nine `` countries of particular concern '' on religious freedom - China , Eritrea , Iran , Myanmar , North Korea , Pakistan , Saudi Arabia , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan .
The commission asked that all nine countries remain on the list . In addition to India , it sought the inclusion of four more - Nigeria , Russia , Syria and Vietnam .
Pakistan , India 's historic rival , was added by the State Department in 2018 after years of appeals by the commission .
In its latest report , the commission said Pakistan `` continued to trend negatively , '' voicing alarm at forced conversions of Hindus and other minorities , the abuse of blasphemy prosecutions and a ban on the Ahmadi sect calling itself Muslim .
India 's citizenship law fast-tracks naturalisation for minorities from neighbouring countries - but not if they are Muslim .
Modi 's government says it is not aimed at Muslims but rather providing refuge to persecuted people and should be commended .
But critics consider it a watershed move by Modi to define the world 's largest democracy as a Hindu nation and chip away at independent India 's founding principle of secularism .
Tony Perkins , the commission 's chair , called the law a `` tipping point '' and voiced concern about a registry in the northeastern state of Assam , under which 1.9 million people failed to produce documentation to prove that they were Indian citizens before 1971 , when mostly Muslim migrants flowed in during Bangladesh 's bloody war of independence .
`` The intentions of the national leaders are to bring this about throughout the entire country , '' Perkins told an online news conference .
`` You could potentially have 100 million people , mostly Muslims , left stateless because of their religion . That would be , obviously , an international issue , '' said Perkins , a conservative Christian activist known for his opposition to gay rights who is close to President Donald Trump 's administration .
Trump has hailed Modi and himself called for a ban on all Muslim immigration to the US when he campaigned for president .
But for the first time in years , India has been facing substantial criticism in the US Congress . | 2ZiFu45cIlq7BWTM | 0 | India | -2.2 | Religion And Faith | 1.2 | Asia | -0.6 | Freedom | 0.2 | Foreign Policy | 0.1 | |
media_bias | Fox Online News | https://www.foxnews.com/media/hannity-al-baghdadi-killing-washington-post-headline | Hannity hits Washington Post's 'sick and repulsive' headline that called al-Baghdadi a 'religious scholar | media_bias | The Washington Post 's headline calling ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi an `` austere religious scholar '' is `` sick and repulsive , '' Fox News host Sean Hannity said Sunday , following the confirmation of his death at the hands of U.S. special forces .
Al-Baghdadi , who took over as the head of ISIS after his predecessor Abu Omar al-Baghdadi was killed in 2010 , was said to have detonated a suicide vest as U.S. special forces closed in . Troops were sent to attack a compound in northern Syria where al-Baghdadi was located , according to a U.S. defense official .
No U.S. Special Operations forces were harmed or killed during the mission , and Trump claimed the operation had been in the works for several weeks .
FAMILY OF AL-BAGHDADI VICTIM RESPONDS TO HIS DEATH FOLLOWING HARROWING RAID : 'GRATEFUL TO OUR PRESIDENT '
Hannity called al-Baghdadi an `` evil SOB , '' whom the might of the American military finally defeated . He wrote that The Washington Post needed to be `` educated '' about the horrors he perpetrated upon innocent people .
`` An 'austere religious scholar ' ? 'Dead at 48 ' ? No — he was cornered by the greatest toughest best military heroes on earth ! ! How about we killed the evil SOB . This is exactly why America will never trust these mainstream corrupt fake news outlets ever again , '' Hannity tweeted .
CNN AND JAKE TAPPER 'APPLAUD ' PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR PRESS CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING AL-BAGHDADI 'S DEATH
`` Let me educate The Washington Post . Al-Baghdadi was the leader of ISIS . The terror organization that is responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people , '' he continued .
Hannity also claimed ISIS forces took pleasure in torturing their victims and shamed The Washington Post for trying to paint al-Baghdadi as anything other than a terrorist .
`` ISIS terrorists take pleasure in beheadings and burning people alive in cages , '' he wrote . `` They use cars and trucks to mow down innocent people . To describe Al-Baghdadi as an 'austere religious scholar ' is sick and repulsive . ''
“ Regarding our al-Baghdadi obituary , the headline should never have read that way and we changed it quickly , '' Washington Post Vice President of Communications Kristine Coratti Kelly told Fox News earlier . | 6n8B5jceMm2xfgyH | 2 | Terrorism | -0.9 | Washington Post | -0.7 | ISIS | -0.5 | Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi | -0.1 | Media Bias | 0 | |
politics | The Guardian | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/16/jared-kushner-trump-saudi-khashoggi-mbs | A tale of two houses: how Jared Kushner fuelled the Trump-Saudi love-in | 2018-10-16 | politics | A key player in the US-Saudi relationship is conspicuously missing from the talks held in Riyadh by the US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , to try to defuse the international crisis over the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi .
Jared Kushner helped build the alliance between the House of Saud and the House of Trump . The president ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser took the lead in promoting Mohammed bin Salman as a Saudi visionary , and persuaded the administration to hitch US Middle East policy to the prince ’ s rising star .
Together the two thirty-something princelings , MBS and Kushner , stayed up late into the night planning to remake the map of the Middle East with bold thinking and mountains of cash . For now , however , those plans are stalled . The Saudi crown prince stands accused of masterminding the cold-blooded murder of a dissident journalist , Kushner is silent and Donald Trump has been performing crisis public relations for the Saudi monarchy .
Jamal Khashoggi : US secretary of state arrives in Saudi Arabia for crisis talks Read more
Peppered with questions on Monday , the president gamely suggesting that the suspected hit team that arrived in Istanbul on official jets and had free run of the Saudi consulate there , were “ rogue killers ” acting without the knowledge of the prince or his father , King Salman .
The scramble for alibis is a long way from the high hopes of May last year , when the Trump–Saud courtship was consummated . The new president made Riyadh the destination of his first trip abroad since taking office . In the months before , Kushner identified MBS as a potential partner . The state department and the CIA backed Mohammed bin Nayef , the incumbent crown prince at the time , but the first son-in-law insisted that he had “ reliable intelligence ” – most likely from the Israeli president , Benjamin Netanyahu , a Kushner family friend – that Mohammed Bin Salman was the man to bet on . The prophecy became self-fulfilling as wholehearted support from Washington aided Mhis rise , eventually eclipsing and replacing Nayef .
Meanwhile , the Riyadh summit appeared to be a glittering success . Trump was flattered and feted , given a sword with which to dance in step with King Salman and his retinue . There was a flypast of nine warplanes , the most the Saudis had ever attempted , and horses alongside the limos .
The pageantry was backed up with substance . King Salman had gathered other Gulf Arab leaders in Riyadh to promise to fight terrorism and Iran , which both the hosts and their US guests viewed pretty much as one and the same .
In Riyadh , Trump also claimed that he had managed to sell the Saudis $ 110bn ( £83bn ) in US-made weapons . The president cited the figure again last week to explain why he could not afford to impose sanctions on the Saudi royal family even if they were found to have murdered Khashoggi , but it was largely illusory . It included deals agreed under the Obama administration and some statements of intent to buy some weapons systems , but no actual new contracts .
However , arms sales were just part of the bonanza MBS promised Trump . When the crown prince made a three-week tour of the US in March this year , he made a point of visiting the titans of US tech industries on the west coast . The Saudi Public Investment Fund ( PIF ) , pledged $ 45bn to the Japanese group SoftBank towards its planned $ 100bn technology venture capital fund .
PIF also bought a $ 3.5bn share in the ride-sharing company Uber ; a $ 2bn stake in the electric carmaker Tesla ; and put about $ 1bn in Virgin Group ’ s space companies .
It was a statement of intent . The nation built on oil wealth was buying a stake in a low-carbon future . As part of the crown prince ’ s Saudi Vision 2030 , a futuristic megacity called Neom would rise from the sands , run by artificial intelligence and serviced by robots . It would be a huge potential market for Silicon Valley .
As the US and Saudi economies became ever more intertwined , their foreign policies lined up in parallel . The Obama administration had sought to balance Saudi Arabia and Iran but Trump would be all in alongside Riyadh against Tehran . And the Saudis would back Kushner ’ s big project , a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians .
When Congress raised doubts about the kingdom ’ s worsening human rights record , as Bin Salman crushed dissent inside Saudi Arabia and locked up his princely rivals in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton , or about the terrible civilian deaths from the Saudi-led coalition ’ s aerial bombing campaign in Yemen , there was lots of lobbying money to smooth the way .
According to the Centre for International Policy , the Saudis spent $ 27m on Washington lobbying firms in 2017 , three times what they spent in 2016 . Of that , $ 400,000 went straight to the campaign funds of senators and House members who were urged to turn a blind eye to Saudi excesses .
In the end , it was not the mass crackdown on dissent that slowed the Trump-Saud locomotive in its tracks , nor the deaths of thousands of civilians in Yemen . Not even the death of 40 Yemeni boys on a school outing , killed by a US-made , Saudi-dropped bomb in August , caused much of a ripple in the bilateral relationship .
Saudi summit in crisis as Khashoggi case prompts mass withdrawals Read more
The disappearance and suspected murder of one man has done more to jeopardise US-Saudi relations than three years of bombing and blockades in Yemen . Khashoggi is a US resident and a contributor to the Washington Post , whose owner , Jeff Bezos , the founder of Amazon , was one of the west coast moguls MBS schmoozed in March .
As the Saudi government has flailed in response to damning Turkish leaks about Khashoggi ’ s reported murder and dismemberment , lashing out at its critics and putting up a wall of denial , the procession of western businesses cutting their ties with Riyadh has become a stampede .
One tech and media company after another has sent its regrets to the Future Investment Initiative conference , the flagship of Bin Salman ’ s westernising aspirations known as “ Davos in the desert ” .
The Saudi regime ’ s staunchest remaining friend in the west is the Trump administration . As of Tuesday , the treasury secretary , Steven Mnuchin , was still planning to attend the Riyadh conference . But Trump ’ s loyalty to the Saudi royals is stretching his credibility to breaking point even with the Republican faithful in Congress .
A bipartisan list of 22 senators have asked the US to carry out an investigation of what happened to Khashoggi and report back in 120 days with a decision on whether to impose sanctions on those responsible . The Senate can be expected to be sceptical about claims that “ rogue killers ’ were responsible .
Meanwhile , senators from both parties wrote last week to Pompeo challenging his argument for continuing to certify arms exports to Saudi Arabia and asking that he return to Congress by the end of the month to shore up his case .
Even if the Senate does vote against arms sales to Saudi Arabia , Trump could tough it out and overrule congressional disapproval with a veto . But it would mark a major rift between the president and his party .
Gerald Feierstein , a former US diplomat who was principal deputy assistant secretary of state for near-eastern affairs in the Obama administration , said : “ The Senate might not stop arms sales but the symbolism of a vote of disapproval would be significant and could influence the administration to change direction . ”
Few expect the House of Saud to fall over the Khashoggi affair , but the grander ambitions promoted by Bin Salman have visibly sagged and could collapse , taking with it a lot of the House of Trump ’ s remaining lustre . | TLSweNg7HkS9RId4 | 0 | Saudi Arabia | -2 | Jared Kushner | -0.9 | Politics | 0.5 | null | null | null | null |
middle_east | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/01/03/iran-40-arrested-attack-saudi-embassy/78228072/ | Iran: 40 arrested for attack on Saudi embassy | 2016-01-03 | middle_east | CLOSE Saudi Arabia and Iran will no longer be diplomatically tied after protesters , upset by a cleric 's execution , set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran . Video provided by Newsy Newslook
Saudi Arabia announced Sunday that it was severing ties with Iran , hours after Iranian protesters set fires in the Saudi Embassy compound in Tehran .
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Iranian diplomats and staff had 48 hours to leave his country , the Associated Press reported . Tensions between the Middle East powers have intensified since the Saudis announced the execution Saturday of Sheik Nimr al-Nimr , a beloved cleric among Shiite Muslims known as a voice for free Saudi elections during the Arab Spring protests .
Al-Nimr was among 47 people executed by the Sunni-led Saudi government Saturday , and news of his death set off an outcry across much of the Muslim world . In Shiite-dominated Iran , angry protesters set fires and destroyed documents at the Saudi Embassy before security forces restored order Sunday , Iran 's ISNA news agency said .
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized the embassy riot . `` In no way is this justifiable and foremost disrespects Iran , '' he said . `` Such ugly acts ( must be ) stopped , and full security of political missions assured . ''
More than 40 arrests were made , and more were possible , Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dowlatabadi said . Iranian leaders asked that protesters gather at the public square rather than at `` diplomatic sites , '' ISNA reported .
Most of those executed by Saudi Arabia were Sunnis linked to al-Qaeda attacks in the kingdom . Al-Nimr was among four Shiites killed .
The U.S. State Department called on Tehran to protect the Saudi Embassy and urged both nations to avoid `` exacerbating sectarian tensions . ''
Spokesman John Kirby later said the Obama administration was aware of the Saudis ’ severing of ties with Tehran . “ We believe that diplomatic engagement and direct conversations remain essential in working through differences , '' Kirby said .
A Saudi official had defended Saturday 's executions as `` implementation of sharia rulings . '' The official , Ali bin Suleiman Al-Obaid , vice general president for Prophet 's Holy Mosque Affairs , also said those who were executed were terrorists .
Iran ’ s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that `` divine revenge will seize oppressors '' responsible for `` the martyrdom and unfair bloodshed '' of al-Nimr .
CLOSE Iran 's supreme leader called Saudi Arabia 's execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr a `` huge crime . '' Video provided by AFP Newslook
Protesters in Tehran had scaled a chain-link fence protecting the embassy , took down the Saudi flag and set fires inside , according to tweets from journalist Sobhan Hassanvand at the privately owned Shargh newspaper . But the mob did n't destroy the flag because it is emblazoned with the Muslim statement of faith that Shiites and Sunnis share : `` There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet . ''
Street of Saudi Arabia embassy in Tehran renamed 'Martyr Ayatollah Nimr Baqr al-Nimr , ' also in Mashhad pic.twitter.com/HZvoJUDOHE — Sobhan Hassanvand ( @ Hassanvand ) January 3 , 2016
`` Huge crowd of people rushed toward the entrance gate of the building passing through resisting police forces and managed to break the gate , ” according to Sadra Saeidian of Mehr News .
Protesters also gathered in Bahrain , Lebanon and even in India , Al-Jazeera reported .
Iraqi Prime Minister haider Al-Abadi said he was `` shocked and saddened '' by al-Nimr 's death . `` Peaceful opposition is a fundamental right . Repression does not last , '' he tweeted .
Hassan Nasrallah , leader of the Shiite militia in Lebanon , said al-Nimr 's execution would `` plague the Al Saud until the Day of Resurrection , '' the BBC reported .
The Iranian Foreign Ministry had summoned the deputy head of the Saudi mission in Tehran to protest the execution . Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian accused Saudi Arabia of triggering a new conflict in the region after the September disaster that killed more than 2,000 pilgrims who were suffocated or crushed during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mina , Mecca , ISNA reported .
Al-Nimr was a popular figure among young Shiite Saudis during the Arab Spring protests in 2011-2012 . He was critical of the Saudi government and but denied advocating violence .
`` The roar of the word against authorities rather than weapons , '' he told the BBC in 2011 . Al-Nimr was shot by security forces and arrested in 2012 . He was sentenced to die two years later .
Surely , martyr # SheikhNimr will be graced by God & no doubt Divine revenge will seize oppressors who killed him & it is the point of relief . — Khamenei.ir ( @ khamenei_ir ) January 3 , 2016
The mass executions — beheading and shootings — `` only further stains Saudi Arabia 's troubling human rights record , '' said Sarah Leah , Middle East director for the U.S.-based non-profit Human Rights Watch .
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon was “ deeply dismayed ” by the executions , according to a U.N. statement . | Bw62njQRNFCIj6GI | 1 | Iran | -0.5 | Middle East | -0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_bias | NBC News (Online) | https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/google-bans-two-websites-its-ad-platform-over-protest-articles-n1231176 | Google bans website ZeroHedge from its ad platform over comments on protest articles | 2020-06-17 | media_bias | Get breaking news alerts and special reports . The news and stories that matter , delivered weekday mornings .
Google has banned ZeroHedge , a far-right website that often traffics in conspiracy theories , from its advertising platform over policy violations found in the comments section of stories about recent Black Lives Matter protests .
Google also issued a warning on Tuesday to The Federalist over comments on articles related to recent protests .
A Google spokesperson said in an email on Monday that it demonetized the websites after determining they violated its policies on content related to race .
“ We have strict publisher policies that govern the content ads can run on and explicitly prohibit derogatory content that promotes hatred , intolerance , violence or discrimination based on race from monetizing , '' the spokesperson wrote . `` When a page or site violates our policies , we take action . In this case , we ’ ve removed both sites ’ ability to monetize with Google . ”
After publication of this story , Google backtracked Tuesday , clarifying that The Federalist had been warned about policy violations but still had time to address them . It now has three days to remove the violations before a ban goes into effect .
On Wednesday morning , Google said The Federalist had removed the comments that violated its policies and that it would take no further action .
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Google notified ZeroHedge of the policy violations last week and banned the website from its ad platform .
Google 's ban comes after the company was notified of research from the Center for Countering Digital Hate , a British nonprofit that combats online hate and misinformation . They found that 10 U.S-based websites have published what they say are racist articles about the protests , and projected that the websites would make millions of dollars through Google Ads .
ZeroHedge had already been demonetized prior to NBC News ’ inquiry , Google said . ZeroHedge and The Federalist did not respond to requests for comment .
Imran Ahmed , CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate , said it found advertisements for many companies that had otherwise made public statements supporting Black Lives Matter and the recent protests running on the websites .
“ We found that lots of those companies are inadvertently funding through their advertising content that is outright racist in defense of white supremacism and contains conspiracy theories about George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement , '' he said .
Google has banned various websites from its advertising platform in recent years , mostly targeting fake news operations .
ZeroHedge and The Federalist have become well known in recent years for publishing far-right articles on a variety of subjects . On the recent protests , ZeroHedge published an article claiming that protests were fake , while The Federalist published an article claiming the media had been lying about looting and violence during the protests , which were both included in the research sent to Google .
As the Black Lives Matter protests unfolded over recent weeks , hundreds of corporations eagerly lent their support . This includes Google , which said it has donated “ $ 12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities . ”
There are other similar websites that continue to generate revenue through Google , causing continued concern for civil rights advocates . In its research , the Center for Countering Digital Hate pointed to examples of articles on other far-right websites such that carried advertisements by well-known brands while disseminating false narratives about the protest movement .
Caroline McCarthy , vice president of communications and content at TrueX , a digital advertising company , said companies need to hold Google and other digital advertising companies responsible for where their ads run .
“ The reality is that they [ brands ] have to start by asking questions , ” McCarthy said “ They have to say , what is my brand content going to be running against ? And if the other person on the other side of the conversation can ’ t give them a straight answer , then that ’ s a problem . ”
“ The pressure on the tech companies is only going to come from dollars actually , literally getting pulled , ” she said . | jw9fkSS5Ko0T7G6d | 0 | Race And Racism | 1.1 | Google | 0.2 | Google Bias | 0.2 | Media Bias | 0 | Business | 0 |
media_bias | The Daily Caller | http://dailycaller.com/2016/12/06/journalists-struggle-to-define-fake-news-even-as-they-declare-war-on-it/ | Journalists Struggle To Define ‘Fake News’ Even As They Declare War On It | 2016-12-06 | media_bias | In the weeks following Donald Trump ’ s unexpected victory in last month ’ s election , liberal journalists have launched an all-out assault on “ fake news , ” which some have blamed for the disconnect between political journalists and everyday Americans .
But many of those same journalists seem unable to agree on a consistent definition of what “ fake news ” is , oftentimes pushing leading conservative and alternative media organizations that provide ideological balance in the public forum under the same “ fake news ” umbrella alongside websites whose entire purpose is generating viral hoaxes .
Left-leaning BuzzFeed News ’ coverage of “ fake news ” — which has been subject to accusations of misleading the public in service of a narrative — has focused on hoax websites run by teenagers in Macedonia pushing out lies like “ Pope Francis endorses Donald Trump. ” ( RELATED : CNN President Says Buzzfeed Not ‘ Legitimate ’ News Organization )
Other left-leaning news organizations , meanwhile , have lumped in legitimate news organizations alongside objectively fake sources .
A list of “ fake news ” sites compiled by a liberal college professor — a list that was uncritically accepted and distributed by some liberal journalists — included top right-of-center sites like Independent Journal Review ( IJR ) and The Blaze alongside objectively fake sites . Left-leaning media organizations like the Los Angeles Times and New York magazine distributed the list to their readers .
One website that the Washington Post labeled “ fake news ” — without providing a single piece of evidence — is threatening to sue the Post for defamation , after being included on a similar list .
In an article last summer , liberal New York Magazine writer Brian Feldman tried to argue that “ conservative news ” and “ fake news ” are the same thing . ( RELATED : Journalist Tricked Into Spreading Hoax Trump-Inspired Attack )
That some liberal journalists are lumping in legitimate news organizations alongside objectively false sites while at the same time calling for censorship of fake news has lead to concerns that the crackdown on fake news sites — the actual influence of which remains unknown — will be used by liberals to censor their conservative competitors . ( RELATED : The Media Is Consolidating Power After A Disastrous Election )
Forbes contributor Frank Miniter argued that some liberals are using the “ fake news ” controversy to invite “ government control over First Amendment-protected speech or by asking Facebook and Twitter to become even bigger censors of certain views. ” ( RELATED : Former Facebook Insider : We Buried Conservative News )
In an interview with conservative site LifeZette , Media Research Center director of media analysis Tim Graham warned , “ The danger here is that when liberals try to define ‘ fake news , ’ it can be defined as ‘ fake angles , ’ as in ‘ things that should not be explored , ’ like paying for protesters. ” ( RELATED : Anti-Trump Protests Funded By Left-Wing Charity )
The sub-headline for that article read , “ Liberals take aim at right-leaning media outlets under the guise of taking down ‘ fake ’ news. ” ( RELATED : Snopes Caught Lying About Lack Of American Flags At Democratic Convention )
After conservative website The Daily Wire was listed as “ fake news ” without justification , contributor John Nolte warned that the “ fake news ” label is being used by frustrated liberal journalists to censor conservative viewpoints . ( RELATED : NBC News Complains About Fake News And Then Posts The Misleading Headline )
“ The mainstream media put itself on the 2016 presidential ballot , lost , ” Nolte wrote , “ and now they want to silence competing ideas by smearing , marginalizing and , yes , blacklisting us as spreaders of Fake News . ” | kKpMHkcRYhNVdGg7 | 2 | Fake News | -0.4 | Media Bias | 0.4 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
politics | CBS News | https://www.cbsnews.com/news/viewers-approve-of-trumps-first-state-of-the-union-address-cbs-news-poll/ | Viewers approve of Trump's first State of the Union address - CBS News poll | politics | By Jennifer De Pinto , Fred Backus , Kabir Khanna and Anthony Salvanto
Three in four Americans who tuned in to President Trump 's State of the Union address tonight approved of the speech he gave . Just a quarter disapproved .
Eight in 10 Americans who watched tonight felt that the president was trying to unite the country , rather than divide it . Two-thirds said the speech made them feel proud , though just a third said it made them feel safer . Fewer said the speech made them feel angry or scared .
But as is often the case in State of the Union addresses , the people who watched tonight 's speech leaned more towards the president 's own party , at least compared to Americans overall . In the latest CBS national poll released earlier this month , 24 percent of Americans identified themselves as Republicans . Among those who watched tonight 's address , that percentage was 42 percent , bolstering the overall approval of the address .
And while Republicans approved of the speech , most Democrats who tuned in did not . Nine in 10 Republicans said the speech made them feel proud , while just over half of Democrats said it made them feel angry . Independents who watched the speech – nearly half of whom counted themselves the President 's supporters – tended to approve of the speech , and said it made them feel proud .
After hearing his State of the Union address , most viewers think the policies they heard tonight would help them personally , though Democrats disagree .
On some of the specific issues the President touched upon , most viewers had a favorable opinion of what Mr. Trump had to say about the nation 's infrastructure , immigration , and national security .
And after hearing him speak tonight , 54 percent of speech watchers give him a lot of credit for the current state of the nation 's economy , up from 51 percent before they watched the State of the Union .
This ███ 2018 survey is based on 1,178 interviews conducted on the internet of U.S. residents who watched the State of the Union Address . Panelists were previously interviewed on January 29-30 , 2018 to indicate whether they planned to watch the address , and if they were willing to be re-interviewed after the address . Questions asked during this initial interview have the note `` Asked before the SOTU address . '' The margin of error is +/- 3.1 % . | n6ZPIZm3VPPGvDFz | 0 | Polls | -0.1 | State Of The Union | 0 | Politics | 0 | null | null | null | null | |
immigration | CBN | http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2017/september/trump-expected-to-end-obamas-daca-program-for-young-immigrants | Trump to End Obama's Dreamer Program for Young Immigrants | 2017-09-04 | DACA, Immigration | U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump is giving Congress a six month deadline to fix America 's immigration system . He revealed that an Obama administration program known as DACA will come to an end after that deadline .
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) grants work permits to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children . Sessions says President Obama 's creation of that program was `` an unconstitutional exercise of authority '' since only Congress has the power to do so .
President Trump issued a statement saying : `` As President , my highest duty is to defend the American people and the Constitution of the United States of America . At the same time , I do not favor punishing children , most of whom are now adults , for the actions of their parents . But we must also recognize that we are nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws . ''
Before the big announcement , Trump had tweeted it 's time for Congress to fix America 's immigration system , hinting that his administration will end DACA but delay enforcing the decision to give Congress time to act .
Congress , get ready to do your job - DACA ! — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) September 5 , 2017
The administration is hoping six months is enough time for Congress to finally come up with a legislative fix before the government stops renewing permits for people already covered by the program .
`` The legislative branch , not the executive branch , writes these laws – this is the bedrock of our Constitutional system , which I took a solemn oath to preserve , protect , and defend , '' Trump said .
`` In referencing the idea of creating new immigration rules unilaterally , President Obama admitted that ' I can ’ t just do these things by myself ' – and yet that is exactly what he did , making an end-run around Congress and violating the core tenets that sustain our Republic , '' he continued .
The DACA program was established in 2012 and was implemented to protect young immigrants known as `` dreamers '' who did not choose to violate U.S. immigration law since they were brought into the country by their parents or other family members .
DACA has protected roughly 800,000 people from deportation , allowing them to work legally as long as they have the required work permit which is renewable every two years .
The president has been going back and forth for months over what to do about the program as Republican state officials have threatened to sue the administration if the president did not end the program .
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Friday Trump was in the process of finalizing a decision .
`` He loves children and wants to make sure this decision is done correctly , '' she said .
Trump has publicly wrestled with the decision since he took office , saying in February that the topic was `` a very , very difficult subject for me , I will tell you . To me , it 's one of the most difficult subjects I have . ''
`` You have some absolutely incredible kids - I would say mostly , '' he said . `` I love these kids . ''
Many people have protested ending the program because of its economic impact . According to a survey from the Center for American Progress , 91 percent of DACA recipients are employed .
`` Because of DACA , I opened a restaurant . We are contributing to the economic growth of our local community . We pay our fair share of taxes and hire employees ... It will be hard to maintain my business if DACA ended , '' a survey respondent said . `` I depend on my ( social security ) for a lot of my business , such as when getting licenses , permits , leases , and credit . ''
Some members of President Trump 's evangelical advisory board have asked him to protect the `` dreamers . ''
The Washington Post reports Atlanta pastor Jentzen Franklin and others pleaded with the president to preserve DACA last week in a meeting in the Oval Office .
A White House official said they hope delaying the enforcement by six months will give Congress time to act on a broader solution for immigration reform . | 43ab4aeff48550b7 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
economy_and_jobs | The Hill | https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/534365-biden-calls-for-swift-action-while-outlining-19-trillion-virus-relief | Biden calls for swift action while outlining $1.9 trillion virus relief package | 2021-01-14 | Economy And Jobs, Economic Policy, Coronavirus, Joe Biden, Life During Covid-19 | This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. End of dialog window. President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday outlined his $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal and called for swift action on it, warning that the health of the nation and its economy hang in the balance. “The crisis of human suffering is in plain sight. We have to act and we have to act now,” Biden said during a speech in Wilmington, Del. “We cannot afford inaction.” Speaking six days before he will be inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States, Biden laid out a plan that would support coronavirus vaccination efforts, help reopen schools, deliver critical aid to workers and small businesses, tackle the hunger crisis and send funding to state and local governments. He said that his plan would be two-pronged. The first element is the “American Rescue Plan” the president-elect is asking Congress to pass immediately. The second is a forthcoming recovery package that he plans to lay out in February that will involve investments in infrastructure, research and development and clean energy. Biden said that he plans to describe his recovery package during an address to a joint session of Congress in February. Biden is proposing a $1.9 trillion relief package that includes $415 billion focused on combating the COVID-19 pandemic, over $1 trillion in direct aid to individuals and families and $440 billion in assistance to businesses. The plan includes funding for $1,400 in additional stimulus checks to Americans who qualify for them, adding to $600 checks already enacted in December; an extension for key unemployment programs from mid-March to the end of September; and an increase in weekly additional unemployment assistance from $300 to $400. The proposal also calls for increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour over time. The proposal also sets aside $20 billion for a national vaccination program and $50 billion to scale up coronavirus testing. Biden said Thursday evening that he looked forward to working with Congress to act on legislation quickly, calling for unity as the country confronts the dueling crises of a deadly pandemic and economic recession. “Unity is not some pie in the sky dream. It’s a practical step to getting the things that we have to get done as a country, get done together,” Biden said. The president-elect applauded Congress for passing the $900 billion package in December after months of stalled negotiations, but he emphasized repeatedly that more action is needed quickly to heal the ailing economy and address the widening wealth gap. “The decisions we make in the next few weeks and months are going to determine whether we thrive in a way that benefits all Americans or that we stay stuck in place where those at the top do great while economic growth for everyone else is just a spectator sport and where American prospects dim, not brighten,” Biden said. Biden’s remarks signaled that he plans to hit the ground running once he takes office next Wednesday to tackle the pandemic, including by pressuring Congress to swiftly work to come together in bipartisan fashion to approve a relief package to address the surging virus and its impact on American life. The U.S. set another daily record for coronavirus deaths this week, with the country recording 4,327 deaths on Tuesday related to the virus. And while two successful coronavirus vaccines yield promise in the fight against the virus, Biden sharply criticized the Trump administration’s vaccine rollout as an “dismal failure thus far.” He plans to lay out his own vaccine plan in an address on Friday afternoon. Getting a package through Congress will be an early test for Biden and his push for unity amid high partisan tensions in the country. Democrats hold control of the White House and narrow majorities in the House and Senate, but Biden has consistently signaled a desire to work with lawmakers across the aisle in order to get things done. It seems doubtful at this juncture, however, that the measure he outlined would gain much Republican support given the cost. Congress has already approved over $4 trillion to address the virus and the economic fallout, and Republicans were opposed to a $2.2 trillion plan proposed by Democrats last fall. Senior officials with the incoming administration told reporters earlier Thursday that Biden’s package was the result of negotiations with members of Congress, governors and mayors. “I know what I just described does not come cheaply, but failure to do so will cost us dearly,” Biden said. “The consensus among leading economists is we simply cannot afford not to do what I am proposing.” The Senate will have a full slate of business once it reconvenes on Jan. 19, a day before the inauguration, including moving forward with President Trump’s impeachment trial and processing Biden’s Cabinet nominations. Biden, who has declined to take a position on impeachment, said earlier this week he hoped the Senate would be able to balance its work so as to make progress on his nominees and economic relief while also handling the impeachment trial. Updated 9:12 p.m. Get notified of breaking news THE HILL 400 N CAPITOL STREET NW, SUITE 650 WASHINGTON DC 20002 © 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings). 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immigration | Washington Times | http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/24/immigration-bill-advances-in-senate-border-surge-a/ | Immigration bill advances in Senate; border ‘surge’ amendment exposes GOP rift | 2013-06-24 | immigration | Senators voted Monday to add 20,000 more Border Patrol agents to the southwestern border and require a total of 700 miles of fencing within a decade , clearing the way for the broad immigration bill to pass the chamber this week — but opening deep divisions within the Republican Party .
In the 67-27 vote , 15 Republicans joined Democrats in backing the manpower and infrastructure , but the other Senate Republicans balked , saying the enhancements were chimerical and shouldn ’ t be used to cover over what they argued was a bad bill that doesn ’ t do enough to enforce the laws and stop another wave of illegal immigration .
“ I don ’ t know how any Republican who supports border security can vote against this , ” said Sen. Bob Corker , the Tennessee Republican who helped write what he called a border “ surge . ”
“ Easy , ” Sen. Tom Coburn , Oklahoma Republican , said to him moments later as the two men had a stern face-to-face talk on the floor . “ The answer is to get real border security . ”
The fight over the amendment — and the two senators ’ words — underscore the broader battle over immigration . All sides say they want this legalization to be the last for the U.S. and that they want to boost enforcement to prevent a third wave of illegal entries .
SEE ALSO : Rep. Paul Ryan : Senate action makes final passage on immigration ‘ even more likely ’
The vote signals the beginning of the end of the Senate immigration debate .
Because the vote was on a 1,200-page amendment that included all of the original bill , the 67-27 tally shows the full measure probably has sufficient support to pass .
Although more than 450 amendments were filed , the Senate held votes on just 13 of them . The vote on strengthening the border was the only major change to pass .
Earlier Monday , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , Nevada Democrat , filed several procedural motions to force final filibuster votes Wednesday that would keep him on schedule to pass the bill out before lawmakers leave at the end of the week for a weeklong July Fourth vacation .
The chamber has not considered any amendments from Democrats to alter the number of guest workers , or to constrict gun rights , expand gay rights or provide better protections to illegal immigrants who would be caught .
Sen. Marco Rubio , a key Florida Republican , has signaled that he is trying to win amendments dealing with how many criminal violations an illegal immigrant can have and still be eligible for legalization , and raising the bar on the kinds of English language skills someone must demonstrate to earn legal status .
“ There is simply no reason we need to end this debate now in order to meet some artificial deadline determined by the majority leader ’ s summer schedule , ” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , Kentucky Republican .
But a large chunk of his own members might desert him and vote to move the bill along on the Democrats ’ schedule .
Reid spokesman Adam Jentlesen said many of the amendments awaiting votes are from lawmakers who have no intention of supporting the final bill anyway .
He blamed Republicans for refusing to allow votes on Democratic amendments , which has led to a virtual stalemate on the floor .
If the bill does clear the Senate this week , it faces a tougher time in the House , where Republicans run the chamber and are moving ahead with piecemeal bills that would toughen enforcement , create more guest-worker slots and try to boost legal immigration for those who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced technology or science degrees .
The Senate bill ’ s enforcement is less strict , and senators also included a pathway to citizenship for more than 7 million of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the U.S .
Democrats have said granting illegal immigrants the chance at citizenship is not negotiable and that the path can not be tied to performance or decisions .
The compromise on border security was intended to increase spending in a way that would prevent more illegal immigration .
Late Monday , the Congressional Budget Office released a rough preliminary analysis that said the added manpower would reduce illegal immigration further than the original bill , though it could not say by how much . The initial bill was projected to reduce illegal immigration by 25 percent .
Sen. Charles E. Schumer , the New York Democrat who has led the immigration negotiations , said he was shocked that any Republicans would vote against additional border security after arguing for years that it was a prerequisite to immigration reform .
“ They just won ’ t take yes for an answer , ” he said .
But Sen. Ted Cruz , Texas Republican , said his colleagues were being snookered .
“ Fundamentally , this is about political cover . It ’ s not about solving the problem , ” Mr. Cruz said .
All of the Democrats who were in the chamber Monday voted for the amendment — braving pressure from immigrant rights groups that said the border surge amounted to an unneeded “ militarization ” that would lead to more migrant deaths in the desert .
“ This amendment is based on the false notion that our border is not secure or there hasn ’ t been adequate enforcement up to this point . The pain in our communities , the deportations and the empirical evidence prove otherwise , ” said Evelyn Rivera , an illegal immigrant who has been granted tentative legal status under President Obama ’ s nondeportation policies .
The Republicans who voted for the additional Border Patrol agents and fencing were : Sens . Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire , Jeff Chiesa of New Jersey , Susan M. Collins of Maine , Mr. Corker , Jeff Flake of Arizona , Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , Orrin G. Hatch of Utah , John Hoeven of North Dakota , Mark Kirk of Illinois , John McCain of Arizona , Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , Mr. Rubio and Roger F. Wicker of Mississippi . | p59gI1Pc7waYqewz | 2 | Immigration | -0.4 | US Senate | -0.2 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
religion_and_faith | CBN | https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2020/january/trump-fighting-to-put-prayer-back-in-schools-we-will-not-allow-faithful-americans-to-be-bullied | Trump Fighting to Put Prayer Back in Schools: 'We Will Not Allow Faithful Americans to Be Bullied' | 2020-01-16 | Religion And Faith, Public Schools, Secularism, Prayer | President Donald Trump unveiled new federal guidelines today to protect the constitutional right to pray in public schools .
The president previewed his idea earlier this month at the Evangelicals for Trump rally at the King Jesus International Ministry in Florida , saying he would take action to safeguard students ' and teachers ' First Amendment rights to pray in school .
`` We will not allow faithful Americans to be bullied by the hard Left , '' Trump said .
Now the US Department of Education is sending letters to officials in all 50 states to ensure students and teachers do n't face discrimination for practicing their right of religious freedom .
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos explained the new rules protect students ' right to pray , but they also go beyond that to protect faith-based student groups and much more : `` The Department 's efforts will level the playing field between religious and non-religious organizations competing for federal grants , as well as protect First Amendment freedoms on campus and the religious liberty of faith-based institutions . ''
White House Domestic Policy Director Joe Grogan said , `` We 're going to be making it clear that students have the right to pray publicly in school if they so choose . ''
Due to cases where the law has been misunderstood , today 's announcement reinforces what 's on the books . Grogan says it will `` remind the chief education officers in all 50 states that students have the right to pray at their own direction , to gather at their own direction , to bring the Bible to school if they choose to , to bring the Koran or the Torah in . ''
The bottom line is this : Public schools now risk losing federal funds if they violate students ' rights to religious expression .
The prayer announcement comes on Religious Freedom Day , an annual event held on January 16 to mark America 's long history of protecting religious liberty going all the way back to the 1786 passage of Thomas Jefferson 's Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom .
`` A society without religion can not prosper . A nation without faith can not endure , because justice , goodness and peace can not prevail without the glory of Almighty God , '' Trump said this month at his evangelical rally . `` For America to thrive in the 21st Century we must renew faith and family as the center of American life . ''
`` These angry radicals want to impose absolute conformity by censoring speech , tearing down crosses and symbols of faith and banning religious believers from public life , '' he said . `` But we will not back down , we are standing tall for the values that we hold dear . ''
`` I will be taking action to safeguard students ' and teachers ' First Amendment rights to pray in our schools , '' Trump said . `` They want to take that right along with many other rights . ''
`` My administration will never stop fighting for Americans of faith , '' he said . `` I really do believe we have God on our side . ''
Franklin Graham tweeted , `` Thank you President Trump for protecting and empowering the right to student-led prayer in schools . ''
Dr. David Jeremiah , pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church , praised the president 's effort to defend the right to pray in school .
`` President Trump has made the right decision to give America 's children permission to pray again in our public schools . It 's absurd that generations of our children , in our public schools , have been raised to think that there 's little to no place for faith outside of one 's church , one 's home or one 's heart . Our public schools ought to be places where people of faith feel free to be who they are , and -of course- no one really believes doing so constitutes enforcing one 's personal faith on another . Our founding fathers would be utterly astonished that the one thing we thought wise was to deprive our children of their faith through America 's education system . Ca n't we just agree that America is better off when people of faith pray , beginning with our children ? ''
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said , `` For years , we 've watched secularists pressure school administrators into telling students that they ca n't pray , read their Bibles , or talk about their faith in class . Some school officials are willing participants in the secularists ' intimidation campaign while others fear the lack of funding to fight threatened lawsuits . Now the tables are turned . The onus is now on states to certify that they are compliant with U.S. Department of Education guidelines which protect students ' religious freedom . If schools fail to protect religious freedom , they now run the risk of losing federal funding . With this and his other announced rules , President Trump is continuing the drumbeat of religious freedom and the long march toward restoring religious freedom in the public square . ''
Rev . Johnnie Moore , a commissioner for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom , is applauding the move , saying it 's just the latest proof that President Trump is a champion of religious freedom .
`` The White House is n't saying whether one should pray or to whom or what they should pray to , they are simply making it clear that in the United States students have First Amendment rights also , and our 'separation of church and state ' was n't intended to suppress a vibrant religious life in America but to facilitate it . Jefferson 's letter to the Danbury Baptists , where he referenced this separation , was actually more about protecting the church from the State than the State from the church , '' Moore said .
He says he experienced a taste of the discrimination that other faith-filled students often experience in America 's public schools .
`` I found my personal faith in middle and high school as my family moved several times among multiple states and I attended multiple public schools . When I became passionate about my Christianity , I decided to start prayer meetings at each of my schools . I generally did so outside of school - before school - because these public schools , even in the Bible Belt , had a total paranoia about the separation of church and state which required us students to pray in the cold or rain , outside , '' Moore recalls .
`` Even in those environments that were more open , the approval processes seemed intentionally burdensome . I was once called into a principal 's office in one of my high schools for trying to have a Bible study during the lunch hour . It was totally absurd . ''
Rev . Samuel Rodriguez , president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference , said , `` This is a decision that should be celebrated by Democrats and by Republicans , by the religious and the irreligious , by all Americans from sea to shining sea who recognize the brilliance of the American idea was n't in a fear of religion but in the vibrancy of faith . Faith to believe that God exists or that he does n't , faith to pray before we legislate or anchor our pledge and our currency in subservience to a higher power . Faith to sing the song of freedom as the arc of history bends toward justice . Our children need not fear faith , especially in our sacred institutions of learning . '' | 5fb635557c08a3b6 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
culture | Vox | https://www.vox.com/recode/22418060/bill-melinda-gates-divorce-foundation-charity | Bill and Melinda Gates’s divorce could rock the world of charity | 2021-05-04 | Culture, World, Arts And Entertainment, Charity, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Technology | There’s an overwhelming amount of news, but not enough context. At Vox, we do things differently. We’re not focused on being the first to break stories — we’re focused on helping you understand what actually matters. We report urgently on the most important issues shaping our world, and dedicate time to the issues that the rest of the media often neglects. But we can’t do it alone. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today? The billionaire couple is getting a divorce. by Theodore Schleifer Bill and Melinda Gates, the leaders of the world’s most venerated and powerful philanthropy, said on Monday that they were getting a divorce — an earthquake moment in the nonprofit sector. The billionaire couple sets the strategic vision for the $50 billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which they co-founded and which spends more than $5 billion a year on causes like US education and worldwide disease eradication. Their divorce potentially has enormous implications for their work. The Gateses are America’s most famous billionaire philanthropists, with the power and profile to corral foreign governments, lobby for policy change, and inspire other billionaires to donate their money to charity. During the coronavirus pandemic, Bill Gates in particular has been one of the nation’s leading public health experts, appearing seemingly everywhere in the media and encouraging people to take the virus seriously. The couple made the surprise announcement in concurrent posts on their personal Twitter pages. Upon posting the announcement, Melinda Gates added her maiden name, French, to her Twitter profile, suggesting that she may use the full name “Melinda French Gates” going forward. In their statement, the Gateses said they would “continue our work together at the foundation.” “But we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.” A Gates Foundation spokesperson said that the philanthropy did not anticipate changes to its work. Both Bill Gates and Melinda Gates will remain co-chairs and trustees of the foundation in their name, a spokesman said. “They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundation’s issues, and set the organization’s overall direction,” a Foundation spokesman said. Bill Gates founded Microsoft decades ago but has increasingly turned more and more to his charitable work, resigning from Microsoft’s board last year. Melinda Gates was an early employee at Microsoft herself and has been a hands-on presence for years at their foundation; she also has her own interest in women’s issues that she coordinates through a separate outfit called Pivotal Ventures. Disentangling a fortune of this size — the Gates family, for instance, is the country’s largest private owner of farmland — is sure to be complicated. The Gates family has a net worth over $100 billion, and their separation could set records for the largest divorce settlement to date. The largest settlement ever was recorded a few years ago when Jeff Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man, finalized a divorce from MacKenzie Scott for about $36 billion. While a divorce proceeding is typically a private affair, given how important Bill and Melinda Gates are to the world, this separation could have massive consequences for public life. You’ve read 1 article in the last month Here at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you — threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country. Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change. We rely on readers like you — join us. Swati Sharma Vox Editor-in-Chief We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day, compiled by news editor Sean Collins. Why we should start caring about the right to brain privacy now. Elon Musk’s group is pushing for access the IRS’ most sensitive information. OpenAI’s conversion to for-profit is sketchy. Musk’s $97 billion offer shows why. What should the main Democratic message to Americans be right now? Elon Musk is using the anti-teacher playbook against the entire civil workforce. The lawsuit asks a very simple question: Who appointed Musk, and what, exactly, does he do? © 2025 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved As a valued user, we are providing you the ability to opt-out from the sharing of your personal information to advertisers and social media companies at any time across business platform, services, businesses and devices. You can opt-out of the sharing of your personal information by using this toggle switch. For more information on your rights and options see our privacy notice. | 1523b36e3b7537cc | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
sports | FiveThirtyEight | https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-best-and-worst-of-pro-sports-in-the-2010s/ | The Best — And Worst — Of Pro Sports In The 2010s | 2019-12-31 | sports | The Best — And Worst — Of Pro Sports In The 2010s We measured the decade in the NBA , WNBA , NFL , NHL and MLB .
The end of a decade is always a good chance to look back and reflect on where we started , where we ended up and how far we ’ ve come . In sports , the decade of the 2010s supplied plenty of highs and lows , so we wanted to highlight the best ( and worst ) of the past 10 years in five major professional leagues : the NBA , WNBA , NFL , NHL and MLB . We ’ ll cover both the top teams ( overall and in single seasons ) and the best players ( according to advanced metrics ) from the decade that was — a decade that we had the privilege of covering more than half of here at ███ as it unfolded .
MLB ’ s decade was defined early by a dynasty — that of the San Francisco Giants , who won three World Series in five years from 2010 to 2014 — and late by a historic glut of great teams ( and bad ones ) . The best franchise of the 2010s by regular-season wins was the New York Yankees , though they infamously failed to win a title all decade long ; the teams with the most postseason wins were the aforementioned Giants ( 36 ) , along with the St. Louis Cardinals ( 35 ) , Los Angeles Dodgers ( 33 ) and Houston Astros ( 28 ) . According to our method of judging single seasons using Elo ratings , the best champion of the decade was the 2018 Red Sox , who enjoyed one of the all-time great single seasons in MLB history and beat out the 2016 Cubs for the top spot on this list . Interestingly , the Giants ’ dynasty teams occupy three of the bottom four places on the list :
Elo ’ s best MLB champs of the 2010s Best MLB championship seasons of the 2010s , according to a mix of a team ’ s peak , final and seasonlong mean Elo rating Elo Ratings Season Team Peak Mean End AVG 1 2018 Red Sox 1610 1586 1610 1602 2 2016 Cubs 1592 1577 1589 1586 3 2017 Astros 1593 1571 1575 1580 4 2019 Nationals 1586 1541 1583 1570 5 2013 Red Sox 1585 1539 1585 1570 6 2015 Royals 1557 1542 1557 1552 7 2010 Giants 1564 1528 1564 1552 8 2012 Giants 1561 1522 1561 1548 9 2011 Cardinals 1555 1523 1555 1545 10 2014 Giants 1544 1519 1541 1535 Mean and Peak Elo ratings exclude the first quarter of the regular season to avoid crediting teams for simply carrying over their rating from the previous season .
By this measure , the worst season of the 2010s belonged to the 2019 Tigers , who had an abysmal 1410 combined Elo between their peak , mean and end-of-season ratings . ( Not really a surprise there . )
The 2010s also saw the debut of one of the greatest players of all-time in Angels outfielder Mike Trout . Trout not only accumulated the most total wins above replacement ( WAR ) of any player from 2010 through 2019 , but he also accounted for five of the eight best seasons of the decade . But he didn ’ t have the No . 1 season — that belonged to Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts , who put up an astounding 10.6 WAR in 2018 .
The best MLB players of the 2010s According to wins above replacement ( WAR ) , MLB players who had the most total value and the best single seasons , 2010-19 Most Total Value Best Seasons Player WAR Player Year WAR Mike Trout 73.0 Mookie Betts 2018 10.6 Clayton Kershaw * 61.8 Mike Trout 2012 10.3 Max Scherzer * 57.0 Mike Trout 2016 10.1 Justin Verlander * 54.7 Mike Trout 2018 10.0 Robinson Cano 50.2 Jacob deGrom * 2018 9.7 Joey Votto 50.2 Bryce Harper 2015 9.7 Zack Greinke * 48.0 Mike Trout 2013 9.6 Buster Posey 47.4 Mike Trout 2015 9.3 Adrian Beltre 46.9 Mookie Betts 2016 9.0 Chris Sale * 45.0 Jacoby Ellsbury 2011 8.9 * Pitcher . Source : Baseball-Reference.com , FanGraphs
The NBA of the 2010s was mostly characterized by two things — LeBron James ’ s greatness and the Golden State Warriors ’ dynasty . Although the San Antonio Spurs led all teams in regular-season wins this decade with 559 — and Gregg Popovich ’ s crew did also win the 2014 NBA title — the Warriors led in playoff wins ( 86 ) and championships ( three ) . Meanwhile , if you combine all of LeBron ’ s Cavaliers and Heat teams into a single entity , that team would have won 120 postseason games , easily the most of any team or player in the league . ( Kevin Durant , with 88 wins between the Warriors and Thunder , would rank second . )
For single seasons , the best championship team of the 2010s by Elo was the 2017 Warriors , who scorched the league in Durant ’ s first season playing alongside Stephen Curry , Draymond Green , Klay Thompson and company . But there are also a lot of Warrior teams to choose from on the list — three of the top five champs of the 2010s belong to Golden State :
Elo ’ s best NBA champs of the 2010s Best NBA championship seasons of the 2010s , according to a mix of a team ’ s peak , final and seasonlong mean Elo rating Elo Ratings Season Team Peak Mean End AVG 1 2017 Warriors 1865 1772 1846 1828 2 2015 Warriors 1822 1744 1822 1796 3 2013 Heat 1774 1714 1754 1747 4 2014 Spurs 1764 1697 1764 1742 5 2018 Warriors 1780 1691 1745 1739 6 2016 Cavaliers 1759 1670 1759 1729 7 2012 Heat 1729 1679 1712 1707 8 2011 Mavericks 1736 1644 1736 1705 9 2019 Raptors 1729 1649 1729 1702 10 2010 Lakers 1724 1681 1695 1700 Mean and Peak Elo ratings exclude the first quarter of the regular season to avoid crediting teams for simply carrying over their rating from the previous season .
And who was the worst team of the teens ? While some of the tanking Philadelphia 76ers teams made strong bids , the 2012 Charlotte Bobcats scraped the bottom of the barrel after setting a new league record for the lowest winning percentage in a season ( 10.6 percent , or the equivalent of 8.7 wins per 82 games ) .
As for players , the best of the 2010s — in perhaps the decade ’ s least surprising development — was James , who racked up 185 WAR according to RAPTOR , our new NBA player value metric , between the regular season and playoffs . James ’ s lead over No . 2 Chris Paul ( 151 WAR ) was roughly the same as the gap between Paul and No . 6 Russell Westbrook , so it was a comfortable title for The King . But in terms of single seasons , LeBron is not No . 1 — Curry ’ s 2016 campaign ranks first with 26.7 WAR . Curry actually owns the two most valuable seasons of the decade , as his 2015 tally ( 25.1 WAR ) checks in ahead of James ’ s 2010 ( 24.8 ) for the second-best campaign of the teens .
The best NBA players of the 2010s According to RAPTOR wins above replacement ( WAR ) , NBA players who had the most total value and the best single seasons , 2010-19 Most Total Value Best Seasons Player WAR Player Year WAR LeBron James 185.0 Stephen Curry 2016 26.7 Chris Paul 150.6 Stephen Curry 2015 25.1 Stephen Curry 150.5 LeBron James 2010 24.8 James Harden 144.0 LeBron James 2013 24.2 Kevin Durant 141.5 Draymond Green 2016 23.5 Russell Westbrook 113.7 James Harden 2019 22.8 Kyle Lowry 100.8 Chris Paul 2015 22.6 Paul George 93.7 Jimmy Butler 2019 22.3 Kawhi Leonard 91.8 LeBron James 2012 21.6 Draymond Green 88.5 LeBron James 2011 21.1 Source : NBA Advanced Stats
In the WNBA , the 2010s were the decade of the Minnesota Lynx . The team led all franchises in regular-season wins ( 231 ) , playoff wins ( 40 ) , Finals appearances ( six ) and total championships ( four ) . The only other team to win multiple titles this decade was the Seattle Storm , who did it twice — but the Lynx won nearly double the postseason contests this decade that the Storm ( 23 ) did , so there really isn ’ t much doubt about who owned the 2010s as a whole . In terms of single seasons , however , the best champion of the decade — at least , according to net rating ( as calculated by Basketball-Reference.com ) — was the most recent WNBA champ , the Washington Mystics , who outscored foes by nearly 16 points per 100 possessions . ( Minnesota had both of the next two best seasons . )
The best WNBA champions of the 2010s Best WNBA championship seasons of the 2010s , according to net efficiency rating Record Efficiency Ratings Season Team W L Off . Def . Net 1 2019 Mystics 26 8 115.9 100.3 +15.6 2 2017 Lynx 27 7 109.3 95.1 14.2 3 2013 Lynx 26 8 107.9 95.7 12.2 4 2014 Mercury 29 5 107.8 95.7 12.1 5 2010 Storm 28 6 108.2 97.7 10.5 6 2011 Lynx 27 7 107.1 96.7 10.4 7 2018 Storm 26 8 111.1 101.5 9.6 8 2016 Sparks 26 8 107.8 98.6 9.2 9 2012 Fever 22 12 104.4 96.4 8.0 10 2015 Lynx 22 12 100.5 95.5 5.0 Source : Basketball-Reference.com
The worst performance of the decade was owned by the 2011 Tulsa Shock , who were in their second season after moving from their longtime home in Detroit . ( They would later move to Dallas and become the team now known as the Wings . ) There , they had been perennial championship contenders , but all of that was a distant memory by 2011 , when the team went 3-31 — the worst record in pro hoops history — and were outscored by an astonishing 16.9 points per 100 possessions .
Player-wise , the Lynx also dominate the decade ’ s leaderboard . According to Wins Created , which blends Win Shares and the Player Efficiency Rating-based Estimated Wins Added metric into a single estimate of victories added , the best WNBA player of the 2010s was Sylvia Fowles , who has been with Minnesota since 2015 ; No . 2 was Maya Moore , who sat out in 2019 but spent her previous eight seasons in Minneapolis . The pair outproduced a number of familiar names , including Nneka Ogwumike , Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne .
For single seasons , the best of the decade was Ogwumike ’ s 2016 campaign , when the L.A. Sparks forward created 10.0 wins in one of the most exceptional superstar breakouts in any sport . She beat out a few seasons by Fowles , Delle Donne , Moore and the final great season of Lauren Jackson ’ s storied career to earn the top spot .
The best WNBA players of the 2010s According to Wins Created ( WC ) , WNBA players who had the most total value and the best single seasons , 2010-19 Most Total Value Best Seasons Player WC Player Year WC Sylvia Fowles 63.4 Nneka Ogwumike 2016 10.0 Maya Moore 55.7 Sylvia Fowles 2017 9.6 Nneka Ogwumike 50.8 Elena Delle Donne 2015 9.6 Candace Parker 46.4 Maya Moore 2014 9.1 Elena Delle Donne 45.6 Maya Moore 2013 8.8 Tina Charles 42.7 Nneka Ogwumike 2017 8.7 Tamika Catchings 41.1 Lauren Jackson 2010 8.5 Brittney Griner 37.9 Breanna Stewart 2018 8.3 DeWanna Bonner 37.7 Tamika Catchings 2010 8.2 Angel McCoughtry 34.9 Elena Delle Donne 2019 8.2 Source : Basketball-Reference.com
The NFL is the only sport on our list whose 2010s are technically not over yet . ( All of the other sports will be embarking on their “ 2020 season , ” or have begun it already . ) But there isn ’ t much mystery about who the best team of the decade has been : The New England Patriots have recorded the most wins in the regular season ( 124 ) , the playoffs ( 16 ) and the Super Bowl ( three titles ) since the start of the 2010 season . Various teams seemed poised to legitimately challenge them at times , from the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos to the Seattle Seahawks and their Legion of Boom defense . Other opponents enjoyed brief , brilliant successes at the Pats ’ expense — shoutout to the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles . But no team has managed to consistently deny Bill Belichick ’ s squad . ( Maybe the Ravens will do it this season ? )
The best champion of the decade according to Elo was one of those New England squads — the 2016 Patriots . They required an epic comeback in the Super Bowl to even qualify for this list , but the Pats were also the only champ this decade to win 17 games in their Super Bowl season , entering the season as favorites and essentially dominating from wire to wire . Coming in a close second were the 2013 Seahawks , whose +235 point differential was the best in a season for a champion during the 2010s .
Elo ’ s best NFL champions of the 2010s Best NFL championship seasons of the 2010s , according to a mix of a team ’ s peak , final and seasonlong mean Elo rating Elo Ratings Season Team Peak Mean End AVG 1 2016 Patriots 1779 1693 1779 1750 2 2013 Seahawks 1766 1699 1766 1744 3 2014 Patriots 1743 1694 1743 1727 4 2010 Packers 1740 1639 1740 1706 5 2017 Eagles 1718 1648 1718 1695 6 2018 Patriots 1709 1651 1709 1689 7 2015 Broncos 1703 1661 1703 1689 8 2012 Ravens 1690 1630 1690 1670 9 2011 Giants 1661 1548 1661 1623 Mean and Peak Elo ratings exclude the first quarter of the regular season to avoid crediting teams for simply carrying over their rating from the previous season .
The worst team of the 2010s was looking like it might be this year ’ s Dolphins earlier in the season , but they started playing less poorly as the schedule progressed ( and Ryan Fitzpatrick provided them a relatively professional level of quarterbacking ) . That means the honor of decade ’ s worst was secured by the 2017 Cleveland Browns , who went 0-16 and had a 1240 blended Elo rating , a level only “ surpassed ” in modern history by the expansion 1999 Browns ( 1230 ) and the infamous 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 1206 ) .
For our top NFL players of the decade , let ’ s focus on quarterbacks , who are almost always the most valuable players in the league — and the only players who ever really significantly swing betting lines . ( Apologies to the hundreds of players who don ’ t take their snaps from under center . ) According to ESPN ’ s Total Quarterback Rating points above replacement , the best QB of the 2010s was Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints , whose 913 points above replacement edged out Matt Ryan of the Falcons ( 865 ) and Tom Brady of the Patriots ( 813 ) . Brees also owned the best single season of the decade , beating out Aaron Rodgers of the Packers in 2011 as both QBs posted historically dominant campaigns . Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has a chance to move up that list this year ; he ’ s currently on pace for the seventh-best QB PAR season of the decade if we prorate his total to 16 games ( though he sat out the Ravens ’ regular season finale ) — and he could move up even more , depending on how much value he adds in the playoffs .
The best NFL quarterbacks of the 2010s According to ESPN ’ s QBR points above replacement , NFL QBs who had the most total value and the best single seasons , 2010-19 * Most Total Value Best Seasons Player QB PAR Player Year QB PAR Drew Brees 912.9 Drew Brees 2011 123.5 Matt Ryan 865.4 Aaron Rodgers 2011 118.6 Tom Brady 812.9 Peyton Manning 2013 115.1 Aaron Rodgers 730.7 Drew Brees 2014 114.2 Philip Rivers 697.9 Peyton Manning 2010 114.2 Ben Roethlisberger 639.5 Patrick Mahomes 2018 112.2 Matthew Stafford 613.0 Peyton Manning 2012 108.0 Russell Wilson 567.7 Ben Roethlisberger 2018 104.6 Eli Manning 531.6 Tom Brady 2012 102.7 Joe Flacco 505.3 Tom Brady 2011 100.0 * Through Week 16 of the 2019 NFL regular season Source : ESPN Stats & Information Group
The NHL offered fans a little bit of everything in the 2010s . The Chicago Blackhawks formed a dynasty early in the decade , winning a league-best three Stanley Cups ( all by 2015 ) , while the Pittsburgh Penguins became the NHL ’ s only back-to-back champs since the late 1990s in 2016 and 2017 . And just last season , the St. Louis Blues went from having the NHL ’ s second-worst record at midseason to winning the Cup .
The most successful regular-season team of the decade was the Penguins , whose 466 wins narrowly bested the Washington Capitals ’ tally of 462 — and the winningest playoff team of the decade was the Boston Bruins , who won 69 times in the postseason en route to three Cup Final appearances and one victory during the decade . According to an experimental Elo rating I made for hockey , the top champion of the decade was the 2010 Blackhawks , who had the best regular-season goal differential ( +62 ) of any eventual Cup champ this decade , and never faced elimination at any point during the playoffs . Led by Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Duncan Keith and star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews , Chicago set the tone for its dynastic run with an all-time championship season .
Elo ’ s best NHL teams of the 2010s Best NHL single seasons of the 2010s , according to a mix of a team ’ s peak , final and seasonlong mean ( experimental ) Elo rating Elo Ratings Season Team Peak Mean End AVG 1 2010 Blackhawks 1628 1603 1626 1619 2 2017 Penguins 1621 1594 1621 1612 3 2013 Blackhawks 1621 1598 1611 1610 4 2014 Kings 1618 1585 1616 1606 5 2018 Capitals 1613 1566 1613 1597 6 2011 Bruins 1610 1561 1610 1594 7 2015 Blackhawks 1610 1577 1589 1592 8 2012 Kings 1616 1542 1612 1590 9 2016 Penguins 1609 1539 1609 1585 10 2019 Blues 1590 1540 1590 1574 Mean and Peak Elo ratings exclude the first quarter of the regular season to avoid crediting teams for simply carrying over their rating from the previous season . Source : Hockey-Reference.com
Elo ’ s worst team of the decade in the NHL was the 2015 Buffalo Sabres , who were outscored by a league-worst 1.4 goals per game during the back half of a two-season stretch in which Buffalo averaged just 22 wins a year . The 2015 Sabres ’ Elo started low and never rose above 1400 all season long , something no other team this decade can say .
To judge the 2010s ’ top individual performers , we ’ ll use Goals Above Replacement ( GAR ) and add up each player ’ s total value across the entire decade . Nos . 1 and 2 — in that order — come out to be Alex Ovechkin ( 198 GAR ) and Sidney Crosby ( 192 ) … although it should be noted that GAR , as a partially cumulative stat , gives players credit for staying on the ice . ( Sid the Kid was better on a per-game basis , for what it ’ s worth . ) And the top goalie of the decade ? Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist gets the extremely well-tailored nod at No . 1 .
In terms of great seasons , the top GAR performances tend to be from goaltenders ( who are singularly valuable when in peak form ) , and none was better than Tim Thomas of the Bruins in 2011 . His save percentage ( .938 ) was 29 percent better than league average , which is tied for 18th all-time , and he was worth 45.1 GAR . Among skaters , Ovechkin ’ s countryman Evgeni Malkin ( 29.3 GAR ) netted the top season of the 2010s when he produced 50 goals and 109 points in 2012 , despite the league ’ s low-scoring offensive environment that year . | ptdRvtNtCYfAd8sH | 1 | NBA | 2.5 | WNBA | 2.4 | MLB | 2.2 | NFL | 1.6 | Sports | 0 |
foreign_policy | NPR Online News | https://www.npr.org/2019/07/06/739171142/iran-could-surpass-uranium-enrichment-limits-on-sunday-according-to-top-aide | Iran Will Surpass Uranium Enrichment Limits, Officials Say | 2019-07-06 | foreign_policy | Iranian officials said Sunday that for the second time the country will exceed limits set in the 2015 nuclear deal , this time enriching uranium beyond levels in the agreement .
`` Today we went beyond the 3.67 % ceiling of uranium enrichment , and the level of purity will be fixed as per our need , '' Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters , according to state-run IRNA news .
That percentage , 3.67 , was the percentage to which Iran had agreed to limit uranium enrichment and is far short of enrichment needed for making nuclear weapons .
Iran 's deputy foreign minister , Abbas Araghchi , said Iran will take another step back from the deal in another 60 days .
The move is part of Iran 's campaign to get economic benefits under the deal that it failed to realize because the U.S. pulled out of the deal last year .
At a news conference in Tehran , officials said the country was taking this second step back from reductions to Iran 's nuclear program since the country had not seen benefits from the deal .
Iran blamed European leaders , who had pushed to salvage the deal , for not protecting the country from reimposed U.S. sanctions .
In May , Iran set a 60-day deadline for France , Germany , the U.K. , Russia and China — the other countries signed on to the 2015 nuclear deal — to take measures to protect Iran from those damaging sanctions .
But Araghchi said Iran considers the 2015 deal to be valid and wants it to continue , according to The Associated Press . Iranian officials said Sunday they are open to diplomacy .
In an earlier video message posted late Friday , top Iranian aide Ali Akbar Velayati said the Iranian establishment was fully aligned on a plan to boost uranium enrichment .
The increase in enrichment levels on Sunday is Iran 's second violation of the nuclear deal . Iran has already exceeded the limit , also set by the 2015 deal , for its stockpile of enriched uranium .
Velayati said Iran would go back to following its commitments under the 2015 accord if the U.S. and European countries `` go back to fulfilling their commitments . ''
After the U.S. abandoned the deal in 2018 , European countries have since had trouble maintaining their commitments under the accord as a result .
NPR 's Peter Kenyon explained Saturday on Weekend Edition that Iran is `` nowhere near weapons grade fuel , '' which is 90 % enriched ( the enrichment limit set out by the 2015 deal is 3.67 % , an amount that is only useful in nuclear power reactors ) . But the combination of Iran having more fuel than the deal allows , plus possibly enriching it to a higher level , has been enough to cause significant anxiety over the country 's nuclear program .
NPR 's Geoff Brumfiel has reported that holding Iran to a 3.67 % enrichment limit was meant to help ensure that if Iran ever decided to make a bomb , it would be about a year away from getting the uranium needed to do so .
The U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal — also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) — in May 2018 , and has reimposed sanctions it had previously promised to lift . The Trump administration is seeking to pressure Iran into negotiating a tougher nuclear deal and changing its behavior in the Middle East . Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that as a result , Iran no longer has the responsibility to uphold the restrictions on enriched uranium set out in the deal .
The U.S. has called a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency , the U.N. 's nuclear weapons watchdog , to discuss the situation with Iran on Wednesday in Vienna . `` The international community must hold Iran 's regime accountable , '' the U.S. mission said in a statement .
The level of tension around Iran was exemplified on Saturday , when a U.K.-flagged supertanker came to a stop in the Persian Gulf and , according to NPR 's Kenyon , set off concerns across social media . U.K. Maritime Trade Operations later weighed in to say that the ship , called the Pacific Voyager , had simply stopped so that it would arrive at its intended destination on time and not early .
The BBC reported earlier this week that British Royal Marines had seized a ship suspected of carrying oil from Iran to Syria — a violation of EU sanctions . An adviser to Iran 's supreme leader Ali Khamenei then threatened to seize a British oil tanker in retaliation .
The U.S. Defense Department has deployed thousands of additional troops to the Middle East `` for defensive purposes . '' The U.S. has also sent an aircraft carrier strike group to the region , along with Patriot missile batteries . The Trump administration has accused Iran of executing a series of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman .
Last month , the White House imposed additional economic sanctions with the goal of targeting Khamenei and cutting his office off from financial assets — but as NPR 's Franco Ordoñez has noted , it was not immediately clear what this latest round of sanctions can be expected to achieve .
Khamenei responded to the recent sanctions by saying they had caused `` the permanent closure of the path of diplomacy . ''
Other economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. have had a significant impact on the lives of the Iranian people . The country currently faces double-digit unemployment , and inflation is estimated at around 40 % . A health care worker in Tehran recently told NPR 's All Things Considered that food prices `` have soured three or four times , '' and sanctions have affected the availability and price of medicine and medical equipment . | nxq76pBeZkKRTfLK | 1 | Iran Nuclear Deal | 0.1 | Iran | -0.1 | Foreign Policy | 0 | null | null | null | null |
world | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/middleeast/warplane-crashes-near-syria-turkey-border/index.html | Putin calls plane's downing by Turkey 'stab in the back' | 2015-11-24 | world | Istanbul ( CNN ) One of the world 's most volatile regions was roiled further Tuesday when Turkey shot down a Russian warplane near the Turkish-Syrian border . Turkey said it hit the plane after it violated Turkey 's airspace and ignored 10 warnings .
One of the two pilots was killed in the air by fire from the ground , according to Russia 's state-run news agency RIA Novosti . The fate of the second pilot was n't disclosed .
Meanwhile , a Russian marine was killed on Tuesday during an operation to rescue the two pilots , who were flying an Su-24 warplane in a combat sortie , according to RIA Novosti .
Turkey and Russia exchanged bellicose language after the downing of the plane , raising fears in the international community that the Syrian conflict could spiral into something wider .
The Russian plane was dealt with because it `` did not answer our warning , '' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday .
ISIS is n't present at that border area , but Turkmen were there , Erdogan said . Anyone who bombs that area attacks `` our brothers and sisters -- Turkmen , '' Erdogan said in Ankara . Turkmen are a Turkic-speaking , traditionally nomadic people who live primarily in Central Asia , but a small minority of them can be found in the Middle East , primarily in northern Iraq , Iran and Turkey .
Erdogan said the plane incident was not something Turkey wanted to see happen , and `` this does not indicate any animosity '' toward any country .
He added the downed jet was `` one of two '' planes but did n't elaborate beyond that .
It 's been Turkey 's cool approach that has prevented similar incidents up to now , he added .
Turkey 's ambassador to the United States , Serdar Kilic , tweeted : `` Understand this : Turkey is a country whose warnings should be taken seriously and listened to . Do n't test Turkey 's patience . Try to win its friendship . ''
A U.S. official told CNN that a calculation shows the Russian jet was in Turkish airspace for 30 seconds or less . The Turkish government has said that it issued 10 warnings over five minutes but did not say all of those warnings occurred while the jet was in their airspace .
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the downing of the plane would have `` serious consequences for Russia 's relationship with Turkey . ''
JUST WATCHED Russia : Pilot dead , marine killed in rescue attempt Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Russia : Pilot dead , marine killed in rescue attempt 03:45
The shooting of the plane , Putin said , `` represents a stab in the back by the terrorists ' accomplices . I ca n't describe what has happened today in any other way . Our plane was downed over Syrian territory by an air-to-air missile from a Turkish F-16 jet .
`` The plane fell on Syrian territory 4 kilometers ( 2.5 miles ) away from the Turkish border . It was flying 1 kilometer away from the Turkish border when it was attacked . In any case , neither our pilots nor our jet posed any threat to Turkey . That is obvious . They were carrying out an operation fighting against ISIL in Northern Latakia . '' ( ISIL is another acronym for ISIS . )
The two Russian pilots managed to eject their Su-24 plane , the Russian military said .
Two Russian Mi-8 helicopters performed a search-and-rescue operation , but one of them was damaged by small arms fire and made an emergency landing , Russian Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy said . One Russian marine was killed .
`` The helicopter was destroyed by mortar fire conducted from the territory controlled by illegal , armed groups , '' Rudskoy said .
Future Russia airstrikes `` will be carried out only under cover of fighter aircraft , '' Rudskoy said .
Also , the Russian cruiser Moskva will go to the shore zone of Syrian port of Latakia , and the military `` warns that all the potentially dangerous targets will be destroyed , '' Rudskoy said .
New video published on social media by a Syrian rebel group allegedly shows Turkmen rebels shooting at the two ejected pilots landing on the border between Turkey and Syria .
Speaking in Turkish language , a man shouts off-camera , `` do n't shoot at them '' and `` capture them alive , '' referring to the two Russian pilots .
Heavy gunfire can be heard on the video . The rebels also shout , `` God is great ! ''
Erdogan on Tuesday pointed how Turkey has been hosting 2 million Syrian refugees while European countries have panicked over smaller numbers seeking refuge there .
It 's not possible to resolve terrorism or refugee problems without finding a sustainable solution to Syria , but the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad and countries that support it have started a new assault that does not fit with finding a resolution for the area , Erdogan said .
Turkey vehemently opposes the Assad regime . Russia is backing it .
After holding an emergency meeting in Brussels on Tuesday , NATO 's governing body , the North Atlantic Council , said Turkey informed the body about the plane 's downing .
Turkey is a member of NATO , which considers an attack on one of its members to be an attack on them all .
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged `` calm and de-escalation '' to resolve the Turkey-Russia situation , but he noted how Russian forces approach allies ' borders .
`` I have previously expressed my concern about the implications of the military actions of the Russian Federation close to NATO 's borders , '' the Stoltenberg said . `` This highlights the importance of having and respecting arrangements to avoid such incidents in the future .
`` As we have repeatedly made clear , we stand in solidarity with Turkey and support the territorial integrity of our NATO ally , Turkey , '' he added .
A NATO official told CNN that `` when Russian jets violated Turkish airspace a few weeks ago , the Council did meet in an extraordinary session , which resulted in a condemnation of the incursion . ''
Not long after the plane was shot down Tuesday morning , spitting fire and diving nose-first toward the ground , Turkey took responsibility . Turkey 's semiofficial outlet , the Anadolu Agency , quoted Turkish presidential sources as saying the Russian Su-24 was `` hit within the framework of engagement rules '' in Syria 's Bayirbucak area , near the border with Turkey .
While ISIS does not operate in the area where the plane went down , other rebel groups do , including al Nusra Front -- al Qaeda 's affiliate in Syria -- along with more moderate U.S.-backed groups .
A Russian plane is seen crashing nose-first in northern Syria .
Abu Ibrahim al-Sheghri , the military leader in the 10th coastal brigade and part of the Turkmen Mountain Military Operation Room , told CNN that the body of one of the pilots had been found in the Nibh Almur area of Syria . The brigade is searching for the other pilot in the same area , he said .
Early this year , Moath al-Kasasbeh , a Jordanian pilot whose plane crashed in Syria the previous December , was burned alive by ISIS while he was trapped in a cage .
U.S. President Barack Obama said Tuesday that `` Turkey has the right to defend its country and its airspace , '' but he acknowledged that U.S. officials `` do n't have all the information yet . ''
Obama said it was important that Russia and Turkey are in contact with one another to `` take measures to discourage any kind of escalation . ''
He said the plane incident `` points to an ongoing problem with the Russian operations '' in Syria , which are taking place very close to the Turkish border . Russia has been going after `` moderate opposition '' that has the support of Turkey , Obama said .
If Russia instead focused on fighting only ISIS , `` some of those conflicts or potential for escalation are less likely to occur , '' Obama said .
He said the encounter also `` underscores the importance of our moving the political track along as quickly as possible '' when it comes to resolving the Syrian civil war .
Obama made his remarks at a news conference with French President Francois Hollande at the White House , held to discuss the recent terror attacks on Paris .
Hollande called the plane incident `` a serious one '' and said Turkey is providing information to NATO `` so that we can find what really happened . ''
Hollande will be traveling to Russia this week to meet with Putin and discuss taking action against ISIS .
`` We must find a solution to the Syrian crisis , '' Hollande said .
Turkey released a purported image of the flight path of the plane showing it had violated Turkish airspace . Two Turkish F-16s responded `` within engagement rules , '' the country 's officials said .
# BREAKING Flight radar track on downed warplane issued by Turkish military pic.twitter.com/xREQbclVwK — CNN Türk ENG ( @ CNNTURK_ENG ) November 24 , 2015
But the Russian Defense Ministry said `` objective monitoring confirmed '' the plane was not in Turkish airspace .
`` The Su-24 bomber jet was in Syrian airspace at the altitude 6,000 meters , the Russian Defense Ministry said , '' according to Sputnik . `` The pilots were reportedly able to parachute out of the jet before it crashed . ''
Syria has been embroiled for more than four years in a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people , sent millions of families fleeing and laid waste to cities .
Skirmishes between Turks and Syrians have taken place in the past , with Turkish officials accusing Syrian planes of violating Turkish air space .
Sajjan Gohel , international security director for the Asia-Pacific Foundation , a think tank , described the downing of the plane as `` a very significant escalation . ''
`` It 's very much the last thing that 's needed right now , especially in the aftermath of the Paris attacks , when there was hope that Russia could form an alliance with France and with the United States against ISIS , '' Gohel said . `` This is going to complicate things . This is going to add unnecessary tensions that really were n't required at this critical juncture . ''
He said the downing of the Russian plane would hamper efforts to form a united front against ISIS .
`` This is a situation that unfortunately was almost inevitable at some point , because Turkey has long been accusing Russia of interfering in their airspace , '' Gohel said . `` They 've threatened them in the past . And even though economic relations between the two countries are strong -- politically , there have been tensions recently . ''
Syria 's internal conflict has become a massive proxy war for numerous international powers , both in the region and outside it -- a situation that has added to the perception that incidents such as Tuesday 's plane downing were inevitable .
Currently , the United States , Russia , France , Australia , the Gulf states , Turkey , Israel , Iran , Jordan and Hezbollah are involved , one way or another , in military activity in Syria .
In March 2014 , Turkey shot down a Syrian fighter jet after the warplane strayed into its airspace , according to Erdogan , the current president , who was prime minister at the time .
`` Our F-16s went up in the air and shot that plane down . Why ? Because if you violate my airspace , then from now on , our slap will be hard , '' Erdogan told supporters at a campaign rally in 2014 .
But state-run media in Syria called it an act of `` blatant aggression '' and said the downed plane was over northern Syria at the time . | zc4wRHka0ze0E08W | 0 | War On Terror | -0.1 | Russia | -0.1 | World | -0.1 | Turkey | 0 | null | null |
joe_biden | The Blaze | https://www.theblaze.com/news/biden-kill-keystone-xl-pipeline | Biden plans to kill Keystone XL pipeline project in first days in office | 2021-01-18 | Joe Biden, Keystone Pipeline, Oil, Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability, Biden Transition, Canada, Renewable Energy | Flashback to the Obama years In a notable return to Obama-era policies, President-elect Joe Biden is reportedly planning to use executive power to cancel the federal permits needed to construct the Keystone XL pipeline in his first days in office. The pipeline — a project intended to move oil from the Canadian province of Alberta to the state of Nebraska and estimated to create tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue — was repeatedly fettered over environmental concerns during the Obama administration when Biden was vice president. President Barack Obama finally axed the advance of the pipeline in 2015, siding with environmentalists. The move was derided by then-candidate Donald Trump, who in 2017 as president announced final approval for the pipeline, granting the necessary federal permits to TransCanada Energy, the company building the project. But according to a Canadian Broadcasting Company report, Biden plans to rescind the federal permits as early on as his first day in office. The CBC News report states: The news has since been confirmed by several major media outlets, including Reuters and Politico. Despite reports, in a statement to Politico Sunday evening, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, said the Canadian government would continue to push the project. "The Government of Canada continues to support the Keystone XL project," she said. "Keystone XL fits within Canada's climate plan. It will also contribute to U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness." Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said on Twitter that he is "deeply concerned" by the reports signaling the cancellation of the pipeline. "Doing so would kill jobs on both sides of the border, weaken the critically important Canada-U.S. relationship, and undermine U.S. national security by making the United States more dependent on OPEC oil imports in the future," he added. Construction of the pipeline is well under way in Canada, with the international border crossing already complete, Reuters noted. And in the U.S., work has begun on pump stations in every state along the path. Phil Shiver | f22a187dc75ecfbf | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
elections | Politico | http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79368.html?hp=l1_b1 | The lighter side of raising cash | 2012-08-04 | elections | Welcome to the frontier of campaign fundraising , where gimmicks rule . | REUTERS Putting the fun in fundraising
Slay a dragon for Ron Paul ? Cash for car repairs ? Raffle for a semi-automatic assault rifle ?
Welcome to the frontier of campaign fundraising , where gimmicks rule as even the most staid candidates seek better opportunities to cut through the media clutter and raise record amounts of cash .
President Barack Obama ’ s campaign has suggested that brides and grooms include his campaign on their wedding registries , in part because a donation “ goes a lot further than a gravy bowl. ” Obama ’ s also merchandising Vice President Joe Biden ’ s gaffes — a “ Health Reform Still a BFD ” t-shirt , anyone ? — and peddling opportunities to buy presidential dog , Bo , a bone , with the proceeds benefiting his master .
Pam Gulleson , the Democratic congressional candidate from North Dakota , tried turning a minor setback into fundraising gold in late June after her Ford Five Hundred broke down on the campaign trail .
She sent an email to supporters , saying , “ If 80 people give just $ 25 , that ’ ll pay for the repairs . And don ’ t forget – our fundraising deadline ends tonight at midnight ! ”
Whether the fundraiser paid off is uncertain : the Gulleson campaign , which reported $ 378,477 in available cash through June 30 , declined requests for comment . Kevin Cramer , the Republican running against Gulleson , acknowledged his opponent ’ s creativity , but wonders if it hasn ’ t backfired .
“ She ’ s taking so much ridicule and ribbing for it up here on the blogs and talk radio that I ’ m not sure it was worth it for her , ” Cramer said . “ Who knows – maybe she raised $ 10,000 . But I kind of doubt it . ”
Gimmicky ( and fixed ) raffles where political candidates offer access to themselves at dinners or sporting events — or face time with Hollywood royalty — are also increasingly standard fundraising fare .
The traditional rubber chicken lunches and stuffy after-work receptions aren ’ t exactly dead , but with the 2012 election certain to be the most expensive in U.S. history — the Center for Responsive Politics says it will cost at least $ 5.8 billion — candidates running in even the sleepiest of congressional races often require seven-figure fundraising to merely ensure competitiveness .
Novel fundraisers also dovetail with a rash of new donation options this cycle — text message , Twitter , mobile credit card readers — that have made making political contributions easier than ever .
Campaigns are desperate to connect with younger voters , said Kristin Oblander , president of Atlanta-based political fundraising firm The Oblander Group .
“ They work because you literally get buy-in with young professionals in particular who will stay on your email lists , like you on Facebook , connect on Twitter , ” she said . “ You just can ’ t have the same old 100 folks in a smoky back room anymore . ”
Compare that to the mid-1980s , when Rep. Bart Gordon ( D-Tenn. ) first ran for Congress . His campaign cash solicitations via direct mail seemed downright revolutionary .
“ I ’ d have balloon rides and parachute jumping , ” said Gordon , now a partner at law and lobbying firm K & L Gates , without a whiff of sarcasm . “ Candidates just have to find more and more novel ways to break through the clutter of so many fundraisers . ”
San Francisco-based video game designer Alex Beltramo supported Ron Paul ’ s presidential campaign by promising to contribute $ 5 to the Texas Republican for every player that logged on to his new online video game , Dungeoneers , and killed a dragon — should they agree . | u63FT1NEKu49pb3E | 0 | Presidential Elections | 0.6 | Elections | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
healthcare | USA TODAY | http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/02/19/superbug-ucla-medical-center/23663747/ | 'Superbug' linked to 2 deaths at UCLA hospital | 2015-02-19 | healthcare | CLOSE Outbreaks of the superbug CRE have been linked to specialized endoscopes that are threaded down patients ' throats to treat gallstones , certain cancers , tumors and blockages . ███
WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and hospitals Thursday to use extra caution in disinfecting a hard-to-clean medical scope that has been linked to the spread of powerful `` superbugs '' in outbreaks across the country .
The agency said that even meticulous cleaning of the duodenoscopes , which are used on about 500,000 patients a year , may not entirely eliminate the risk . And it advised doctors and hospitals that it is studying possible solutions , including new disinfection protocols .
The FDA announcement followed a report from Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center that seven patients — including two who died — were infected with the superbug CRE in an outbreak tied to contaminated duodenescopes . The hospital said in a statement that as many as 179 patients who had undergone procedures using the scopes were potentially exposed to the bacteria from January 2013 to January 2014 .
The UCLA cases are the latest of several CRE outbreaks nationwide that have been linked to duodenoscopes , which are used to treat gallstones , certain cancers and other disorders in the digestive system . ███ first reported on the outbreaks in an investigation published last month , and other cases have come to light since .
CRE bacteria are formally known as Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae , reflecting their resistance to carbapenem antibiotics — the last line of defense in the medical toolbox . While it is possible that other infections also may be transmitted from contaminated duodenoscopes , CRE cases generate particular concern because of their risks -- fatality rates for patients with CRE infections can run as high as 40 % -50 % .
`` Meticulously cleaning duodenoscopes prior to high-level disinfection should reduce the risk of transmitting infection , but may not entirely eliminate it , '' the FDA said in its advisory . It noted that the agency is working with duodenoscope manufacturers `` to identify the causes and risk factors for transmission of infectious agents and develop solutions to minimize patient exposure . ''
The scopes are used for a procedure called ERCP , or Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography , in which the devices are used with contrast dyes and X-rays to help doctors locate and treat blockages in the bile and pancreatic ducts . The scopes have `` elevator '' mechanisms at their tip that control tiny tools used to trim tissue or insert stents .
While there are surgical options for much of the work done in ERCP procedures , the duodenoscopes typically are considered the less invasive and less dangerous option .
Colleen Schmitt , a physician and president of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy , says that ERCP remains a relatively safe procedure that generally carries lower risks of complications than surgery .
`` Some of these patients ( needing ERCP ) are very sick and to take them into a surgical procedure could be risky , '' she says , noting that ERCP is `` less invasive than surgical options . ''
Still , she says , more research is needed `` so we can be sure we understand the scope of this ( infection ) problem , '' as well as the best strategies for minimizing risks to patients . In the meantime , she adds , the society is looking to raise awareness among doctors and hospitals on the need for special attention in cleaning duodenoscopes .
Lawrence Muscarella , a biomedical engineer and independent consultant who advises hospitals on endoscope safety , says more need to be done to advise patients of the risks so they can make informed decisions on their treatment options . He also called for better tracking of infections associated with contaminated duodenoscopes , noting that many outbreaks likely are going unreported .
The FDA says in its advisory that it is aware of 135 patients nationwide who may have contracted bacterial infections from contaminated endoscopes . However , the agency acknowledges that `` it is possible that not all cases have been reported . ''
███ 's investigation identified three CRE outbreaks linked to duodenoscopes -- in Pittsburgh , Chicago and Seattle . Another outbreak subsequently was reported in Philadelphia . In the UCLA case , like the others , fatalities of infected patients could n't necessarily be linked directly to the CRE , because most of those patients had other conditions that also could have contributed to their deaths .
In the Seattle outbreak , which occurred in 2012 and was particularly large , 32 patients were diagnosed with CRE and seven died within 30 days -- a window health officials used in identifying potentially associated deaths . Another four patients who had the infection died later . | oXclHfydMVvFNwcc | 1 | Health | -1.6 | Healthcare | 0.1 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
tea_party | Salon | http://www.salon.com/2013/10/14/debt_limit_defeat_turns_conservative_into_neo_confederate_fantasists/ | Debt limit defeat turns conservatives into neo-Confederate fantasists | 2013-10-14 | Debt Ceiling, Tea Party, Politics | Debt limit defeat turns conservatives into neo-Confederate fantasists A deal is close and the contours are clear . The Tea Party has been routed : So why are true believers delusional ?
There are apparently two ways to interpret the debt limit fight , now in its waning hours . One , based on the comically small zone of disagreement between principals , suggests the entire stand off has been a bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing .
Another , based on the sensational fantasies of movement conservatives , re-imagines the drama as a Battle of Gettysburg for the 21st century .
There 's an inverse relationship between these two perspectives . With the deadline approaching , it 's natural that the parties are now haggling over relatively minor details . But the proximity of a resolution is making dead-enders desperate and thus prone to delusion .
The article is by the Associated Press , but the picture above it really tells the whole story . Conservatives see Sarah Palin and Ted Cruz and imagine a national groundswell is forming . They do not perceive two widely loathed politicians who bespeak the House GOP 's total isolation so exquisitely . They believe the latest small crowd of white conservatives protesting the closure of war monuments ( which would be open had they not shut down the government ) will upend the whole debate and reverse the tide of public opinion against them .
Moments after the story overtook nearly every significant conservative news outlet in the country , the narrative those outlets were trying to create ran headlong into the reality that the constituency for continuing to fight overlaps significantly with the constituency that bemoans the outcome of the War of Northern Aggression .
There was this guy , waving both a Marine Corps and a Confederate flag , who was perhaps unaware which side the Marines were on in the Civil War .
Then there was this guy , who thinks it might be time to refresh the tree of liberty with the president 's blood , or perhaps just the blood of the tyrants fighting under him for the cause of not intentionally destroying the U.S. economy for no reason .
And finally there was this guy -- one of the invited speakers -- who was less interested in bloodshed , but still demanded that President Obama `` put the Quran down … get up off his knees , and … figuratively come out with his hands up . '' His hands do n't have to literally be up , because they wo n't shoot him if he relinquishes the presidency voluntarily .
So this is House conservatives ' game changer . These are the people John Boehner is so scared of . Over the weekend , his loose grip on the House slipped completely , and in large part because he 's unwilling to cut that faction loose . We know that because Mitch McConnell has suddenly become the lead Republican negotiator and all the action has shifted to the Senate . If McConnell had any confidence that Boehner could pull this off , Boehner would still be at the center of the story . McConnell has a primary challenger . He wants to oppose deals , not cut them . If there were any way for Boehner to get out of the mess on his own , McConnell would have let him try . His return to relevance demonstrates a complete loss of faith in his counterpart .
That 's particularly embarrassing for Boehner because there are only three blanks left to fill in .
While that merry band of neo-confederates fantasists marched to the White House , McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid were quibbling . The fight now turns to details that are trivial compared to the consequences of inaction : How large should the debt limit increase be ? For how long should Congress extend funding to the government , so it can reopen ? And at what funding level ?
`` I have had a productive conversation with the Republican leader this afternoon , '' Reid said on the floor Sunday evening . `` Our discussions were substantive and we 'll continue those discussions . I 'm optimistic about the prospects for a positive conclusion to the issues before this country today . ''
Democrats want a large debt limit increase , and a brief stopgap funding bill . Republicans want a small debt limit increase and a funding bill that reopens the government for several months . Democrats would accept the latter , but not at the low annualized spending level ( $ 986 billion ) they agreed to for the six-week bill Boehner is refusing to put on the House floor for a vote . They want an opportunity to negotiate over sequestration , and wo n't be able to do so effectively if its cuts have been locked in for half of the fiscal year with their consent .
After everything Republicans put themselves and the country through , these are the final points of contention . No Obamacare delay . No Medicare cuts . No real hostages . It would be amusing if it were n't so dangerous . We 've almost reached the point at which a determined senator could use the chamber 's arcane procedural rules to push a deal past October 17 .
On Sunday , Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , told Costa he 'll do just that unless he 's guaranteed a vote on a measure to strip members and aides of their employer-provided health care compensation . Giving Graham a politically motivated vote like that is n't a huge deal . And if it passed , it would be pretty devastating for some professional political staffers , but the consequences would be limited .
But if Graham gets his way , and other senators treat it as a precedent to start making bigger demands , we might breach the debt limit deadline by accident . | 3782974d785be5a5 | 0 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
federal_budget | CNN (Web News) | http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/01/politics/forced-spending-cuts/index.html | Obama signs order activating deep spending cuts | 2013-03-01 | federal_budget | Story highlights Obama signs order that is required by law
`` We will get through this , '' President Obama says of the forced spending cuts
Obama , congressional leaders fail to bridge gaps on cuts , letting them take effect
Speaker Boehner says the House will take up a government funding measure
Politics trumped progress on Friday as President Barack Obama and Republican leaders traded blame for $ 85 billion in forced spending cuts after they failed to come up with a compromise to avert the harshest impacts .
The president signed an order required by law that set in motion the automatic , government-wide cuts .
Obama and congressional leaders from both parties met for about 45 minutes at the White House , but no agreement emerged to avert the cuts that both sides oppose .
After weeks of campaign-style events intended to inspire public outrage over the cuts , Obama sought to temper his description of their impact while making clear he thinks Republican intransigence prevented a deal to avoid the economic harm they 'll cause .
`` We will get through this , '' he told reporters . `` This is not going to be an apocalypse as some people have said . It 's just dumb and it 's going to hurt . ''
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Still , a White House budget office report sent to Congress and released with Obama 's order said the cuts would be `` deeply destructive to national security , domestic investments , and core government functions . ''
The action was described in the report as `` a blunt and indiscriminate instrument '' that was `` never intended to be implemented and does not represent a responsible way '' for the country to realize deficit reduction .
In a sign of the potential impact , the Department of Justice sent furlough notices to employees that warned they may be forced to take days off without pay in coming months .
Similar furloughs , as well as reduced services , were expected at other agencies if the cuts do n't get replaced or eliminated . Military leaders have warned of impaired readiness of U.S. forces .
However , the full impact of the cuts were n't expected until April at the earliest .
The cuts amount to roughly 9 % for a broad range of non-defense programs and 13 % for the Pentagon over the rest of the current fiscal year , which ends on September 30 .
They were included in a 2011 deal to raise the federal borrowing limit as an unacceptable outcome if Congress failed to agree on a comprehensive deficit reduction plan .
However , election-year politics stymied progress on such a deal , leading to the situation Friday in which both sides acknowledged being unable to prevent something neither wanted .
`` There are smarter ways to cut spending , '' said House Speaker John Boehner , R-Ohio , after the meeting with Obama .
Boehner repeated his past assertion that the GOP-led House has offered proposals to replace the forced spending cuts while the Democratic-led Senate has not , as well as his party 's opposition to any increased tax revenue to offset the forced spending cuts .
Others who also took part in the White House gathering were Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi .
In the White House briefing room , Obama told reporters that Republicans in Congress `` allowed these cuts to happen because they refuse to budge on closing a single wasteful ( tax ) loophole to help reduce the deficit . ''
`` As recently as yesterday , they decided to protect special interest tax breaks for the well off and the well connected and they think that that 's apparently more important than protecting our military or middle class families from the pain of these cuts , '' Obama said .
He was referring to a procedural vote on Thursday in which Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic proposal that called for eliminating some tax loopholes as part of a package with spending cuts .
Boehner and Republicans say the president and Democrats have yet to propose a serious plan to reduce spending , including costly entitlement programs , on a scale necessary to bring chronic federal deficits and debt under control .
Both Obama and Boehner foreshadowed the next major spending showdown - a March 27 deadline for Congress to authorize funding to keep the government running for the rest of the fiscal year .
Boehner told reporters that the House will take up a measure next week to authorize federal funding beyond that deadline .
`` The president and leaders agreed legislation should be enacted this month to prevent a government shutdown while we continue to work on a solution to replace the '' forced spending cuts , said a statement by Boehner 's office .
Although the funding measure is unconnected to the spending cuts , Obama indicated he was open to a broader agreement that would resolve both issues .
`` I do know that there are Republicans in Congress who privately , at least , say that they would rather close tax loopholes then let these cuts go through , '' said Obama in response to questions from reporters .
`` ... In the coming days and the coming weeks , I 'm going to keeping on reaching out to them -- both individually and as groups of senators or members of the House -- and say to them , 'Let 's fix this , not just for a month or two , but for years to come , ' because the greatest nation on Earth does not conduct its business in month-to-month increments or by careening from crisis to crisis , '' Obama said . | 7CK1OvT7ytFSpzez | 0 | Federal Budget | -0.5 | Sequester | -0.3 | Economy And Jobs | 0.2 | null | null | null | null |
defense | Townhall | http://townhall.com/tipsheet/GuyBenson/2012/12/12/three-months-later-no-justice-many-questions-in-benghazi-n1465289 | Three Months Later: 12 Unanswered Questions on Benghazi | 2012-12-12 | defense | Three months ago today , President Obama woke up to the news that US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans had been murdered during a terrorist attack on our consulate in Benghazi . The president had been informed that an active attack was underway the night before -- but how actively he followed the developing raid , and what ( if any ) orders he issued , remains a mystery . On September 12 , the president skipped his daily intelligence briefing and flew to Las Vegas for a campaign rally . This much we know . The Obama campaign eventually accused Republicans of `` politicizing '' the massacre by asking questions about it , asserting that the `` entire reason '' it was a major national story was due to rank exploitation of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan . Even with the president 's re-election safely tucked away , the White House has continued to defend its UN Ambassador ( and possible Secretary of State in waiting ) against charges that she dissemminated false information to mislead the public about the true nature of the deadly attack . The president and his top lieutenants have repeatedly dodged difficult questions , changed their stories , and hidden behind the dubious fig leaf of `` ongoing investigations . '' Obama has vowed to track down those responsible for the atrocities and bring them to justice . He has also stated his desire to find out exactly what happened in Benghazi that night . The federal investigation into the attacks got off to a stupefyingly dreadful start , and three months later , justice and accountability remain in short supply :
Three months after Ambassador Christopher Stevens , a diplomat and two CIA contractors were murdered in Benghazi , there is no sign of the killers being brought to justice by the United States . The investigation into the attacks has been hampered by the reluctance of the Libyan authorities to move against the Islamist terrorists identified by the FBI as responsible for the killing , according to American officials briefing the 'New York Times ' . None of the suspects has been arrested or killed and some have fled Libya . Last month , the FBI issued a global appeal asking anyone with information about the killers to send information in an e-mail , text message or via Facebook . Stevens , the first U.S. ambassador to be killed in the line of duty since 1979 , diplomat Sean Smith and CIA contractors and former U.S. Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods , were killed in an attack on the U.S. consultate in Benghazi on September 11 . The following day , President Barack Obama vowed : 'Make no mistake , justice will be done . ' But that promise may remain unfulfilled if there is not more cooperation from the Libyan authorities .
The White House and its allies now insist that most questions on Benghazi have already been asked and answered -- a claim that even some members of the mainstream media are finding hard to swallow . Here 's a question : Is this report accurate ?
A source with personal knowledge of the security situation in Benghazi told Breitbart News that Senators who listened to closed door testimony about the Benghazi attack were shocked to learn State Department security personnel agents were not immediately armed . Additionally , agents separated from Ambassador Chris Stevens left to retrieve their M4 weapons in a separate building . Only one returned to protect the Ambassador , while the other two hunkered down in the barracks , the source relayed . “ From the accounts I read , those guys were not ready . When the attack came that night , they had to go back to the other room and grab their weapons . Then the worse part about it was they never even returned to be with the Ambassador . One returned to be with the Ambassador with his rifle ... There were no shots fired in return . On the embassy property , just the embassy property , none of those security agents blasted a single bullet from a single pistol or rifle at all in defense of the Ambassador—nothing . ”
We already knew that the security situation at the consulate was woefully inadequate , but this is the first we 've heard about zero shots being fired in the ambassador 's defense ( which is not to be confused with the subsequent , prolonged firefight at the CIA safehouse ) . Jay Carney may not be able to think of a single question on Benghazi that has n't been sufficiently addressed , but I certainly can . Here are a dozen relevant and important inquiries , just off the top of my head :
( 1 ) Who , specifically , denied repeated requests for increased security resources and personnel from American officials on the ground in Libya ? Why were these requests shot down ?
( 2 ) A senior State Department official testified that the US had the `` correct '' number of security assets in Benghazi . Amb . Susan Rice stated that our security presence at the Benghazi mission was `` substantial . '' Does the president stand by those assessments ? If not , why were they made in the first place ?
( 3 ) Why were US security personnel pulled out of Libya , even as Amb . Stevens warned of heightened risks ?
( 4 ) Why was the Benghazi consulate operating below the bare minimum standards for a US diplomatic compound , especially after our government learned that at least ten known Islamist militias were operating in the city ?
( 5 ) Why was n't security beefed up after a series of attacks on western targets in Benghazi , including previous attempted bombings at the American consulate itself ?
( 6 ) Where was the president during the raid itself ? How closely did he follow what was happening , and for how long ?
( 7 ) Was the president made aware of the numerous desperate pleas for help from two former SEALs , who battled the terrorists for seven hours before being killed ? If not , why not ? If so , what was his response ?
( 8 ) Which government officials , specifically , watched the attack unfold in real time -- hour after excruciating hour -- via footage from an American drone ? Was that drone armed ?
( 9 ) Why were American forces and resources not deployed to help defeat the enemy , particularly while several Americans were alive and urgently seeking reinforcements ? Why was a key counterterrorism task force not convened during the attack ?
( 10 ) Who , specifically , changed Susan Rice 's public talking points by excising references to Al Qaeda , and why ? If there was a national security concern , what was it ? Where did the inaccurate `` spontaneous protest '' narrative originate ? Why was that story deemed more fit for publication than the accurate terrorism evidence ? And if Rice had little direct knowledge of the facts on the ground in Benghazi , why was she selected as the administration 's spokesperson on the subject ?
( 11 ) Why was the president still publicly hedging on the terrorism question several weeks after the attack , especially if a terrorist link had been established `` almost immediately . ''
( 12 ) Why did it take the FBI weeks to arrive at the unsecured , bombed-out consulate after the attack ? Why were sensitive documents left in the rubble , even after they 'd left ? Without jeopardizing any leads , what -- if any -- progress has been made in identifying , capturing , or killing those responsible for the assault ?
Three months later , the American people and the families of the fallen still deserve answers . | UFcHq9mqCTnq1yed | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
media_industry | New York Post (News) | https://nypost.com/2023/04/20/buzzfeed-news-shuts-down-as-company-lays-off-15-of-staffers/ | BuzzFeed News shuts down as parent company lays off 15% of staffers | 2023-04-20 | Media Industry, Economy And Jobs, Steele Dossier | BuzzFeed News has published its last listicle. The parent company of the site that first gained popularity with lists such as “10 Important Life Lessons You Can Learn From Cats” — and also published the now-debunked Steele dossier — is being shut down, according to a memo from BuzzFeed Inc. CEO Jonah Peretti on Thursday. Peretti said scrapping the site was part of a broader shakeup that includes laying off 15% of staffers companywide — which amounts to 180 jobs. BuzzFeed Inc. also owns the online news sites HuffPost and the Complex Networks. “While layoffs are occurring across nearly every division, we’ve determined that the company can no longer continue to fund BuzzFeed News as a standalone organization,” Peretti wrote in the memo with the subject line “Difficult News.” “Moving forward, we will have a single news brand in HuffPost, which is profitable, with a loyal direct front page audience,” Peretti added. In a final act of rebellion, BuzzFeed News staffers sent out a push notification to mobile devices that read: “buzzfeed news is logging off with a reminder that blippi pooped on his friend.” In 2019, BuzzFeed News reported that Blippi, a popular YouTube children’s entertainer whose legal name is Stevin John, was seen in a 2013 video defecating on his friend who was naked. Many of the laid-off staffers are members of the NewsGuild of New York union, which they joined in 2019. “We are concerned both about their future and the broader impact of this announcement on the media industry at large” said NewsGuild of New York President Susan DeCarava. The group signed a three-year collective bargaining contract in 2021 which includes protections that ensure workers aren’t left with nothing in case of sudden layoffs, DeCarava said. Peretti said some union members may be rehired by the company. “HuffPost and BuzzFeed Dot Com have signaled that they will open a number of select roles for members of BuzzFeed News,” Peretti wrote. He also announced a shakeup in the executive ranks. “As part of today’s changes, both our CRO (chief revenue officer) Edgar Hernandez and COO (chief operating officer) Christian Baesler have made the decision to exit the company,” Peretti wrote. “I’m grateful to both of them for their passion and dedication to Complex and to BuzzFeed, Inc.” Peretti said company president Marcela Martin would assume all revenue-related responsibilities “effective immediately.” The company’s new head of sales, Andrew Guendjoian, and Ken Blom, the head of revenue operations, will report to Martin, according to Peretti. Peretti wrote that the changes are aimed at “reducing layers in their organization, increasing speed and effectiveness of pitches, streamlining our product mix, doubling down on creators, and beginning to bring AI enhancements to every aspect of our sales process.” The CEO listed several factors that have combined to create severe economic headwinds, including “a pandemic, a fading SPAC market that yielded less capital, a tech recession, a tough economy, a declining stock market, a decelerating digital advertising market and ongoing audience and platform shifts.” Peretti acknowledged that he “could have managed these changes better as the CEO of this company and our leadership team could have performed better despite these circumstances.” “Our job is to adapt, change, improve, and perform despite the challenges in the world,” the CEO wrote. “We can and will do better.” In December, BuzzFeed reduced headcount by some 12% by axing 1,522 employees across six countries. Peretti wrote in a regulatory filing that the company would face a severe economic downturn well into this year. At the time of its initial public offiering in March 2021, BuzzFeed was valued at around $9.80 a share. The company’s stock closed Thursday at 75 cents a share — a 93% decline. Its revenue fell 7.6% in the fourth quarter compared to the same period last year, while its net income nosedived by a whopping 360%. The stock price spiked in January when the company announced it would partner with OpenAI to use artificial intelligence to create some content. BuzzFeed said AI will not replace any of the jobs being cut, according to the Wall Street Journal. Peretti had reportedly come under pressure from shareholders to close down the newsroom, which has lost millions of dollars in recent years despite winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2021 Last year, the newsroom was stunned at the exodus of top executives, including then-editor in chief Mark Schoofs and two of his deputies, Tom Namako and Ariel Kaminer. Advertisement Unknown | fab495a361aa9388 | 2 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
free_speech | National Review | http://www.nationalreview.com/article/451825/free-speech-america-right-to-be-wrong-endangered | Does America Still Believe in the Right to Be Wrong? | 2017-09-26 | free_speech | The idea on which free societies are based seems more endangered than ever .
The whole idea of a free society is based on a very simple idea that is very hard to live by : People have the right to be wrong .
This idea has ancient roots , but it was always and everywhere a minority opinion , unpopular with both the masses and the rulers , until relatively recently .
In the “ modern ” era , its status as one of the defining ideas of Western civilization can be traced to the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 . After a century of bloody religious wars between Catholics and Protestants — with Jews often getting caught in the crossfire — the exhausted rulers of Europe reluctantly agreed to a fragile truce . While every nation would still officially follow the faith of the ruler , it was understood that religious minorities would be afforded some tolerance . Persecuting religious dissenters in one nation might reignite war , as rulers of other countries would feel obliged to defend their coreligionists abroad . ( To see how that dynamic works today , just look at how Sunni and Shia governments in the Middle East send aid or troops to defend their brethren in neighboring lands . )
With Westphalia , as historian C.V. Wedgwood put it , the West had begun to understand “ the essential futility of putting the beliefs of the mind to the judgment of the sword . ”
In England , the Puritan despot Oliver Cromwell , who had deposed and executed the king , recognized that he couldn ’ t hold on to power without reassuring Catholics and dissident Protestant denominations that they would be safe , so he introduced new measures of tolerance . He beseeched Parliament to allow some measure of liberty “ to all who fear God . ”
Now , Europe in the 1600s wasn ’ t some libertarian nirvana . True freedom of conscience did not exist in England , France , or anywhere else in the world . For instance , Cromwell ’ s Puritan-dominated parliament declared a real “ war on Christmas , ” banning celebration of the holiday . The Colonial city of Boston followed a similar practice , imposing a fine on anyone who celebrated Christmas .
Why revisit this history ? For two reasons . First , to underscore how culture wars are nothing new in the West , and as bad as ours are today , they could get much , much worse . Second , to illustrate a point lost on culture warriors of the left and the right . Pluralism and tolerance are not simply nice ideals , like good manners . They are what management gurus call “ best practices , ” learned after millennia of gory trial and error .
Very few people who embraced doctrines of religious and political liberty did so at first because they thought it was the right way to organize society . Cromwell was more a religious zealot than any Christian right-winger today . If he thought he could get away with it , he would have made mandatory compliance with his faith the law of the land . But Cromwell recognized that he had to compromise with reality if he was going to end the religious conflicts plaguing his country .
Thomas Jefferson had strong views on religion , but his Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom disestablished the Church of England and established religious liberty for Christians , Muslims , Jews , Hindus , even pagans . The statute became the foundation for the First Amendment .
You might think that the current controversy over NFL players refusing to stand for the National Anthem , the vandalizing or removal of statues — not just of Confederate generals , but of any real or alleged historical villains — and the P.C . firestorms erupting across American campuses aren ’ t about religion , so this history doesn ’ t have much relevance for today .
The religious conflicts of the past were ultimately about which values , rituals , customs , and ideas should be imposed on everybody . Traditional religion may be receding in many parts of American culture , but politics is taking on a decidedly religious flavor — and religion is becoming increasingly politicized .
People are growing intolerant of any dissent from their idea of what everyone should believe . Agree with me and you ’ re one of the good guys ; disagree with me and you ’ re not just wrong , you ’ re my enemy , a heretic , a traitor , a bigot . Opportunists recognize that exacerbating this polarization redounds to their own benefit , because at least for now , doing so helps raise money , ratings , clicks , and poll numbers .
We are a long way off from putting beliefs of the mind to the judgment of the sword , but that is the logical destination of the path we are on , because we have lost faith in the utility of upholding the right to be wrong . | PXvLUyJsVEp4JjNH | 2 | Freedom | 0.6 | Free Speech | 0.6 | null | null | null | null | null | null |
polarization | Oxford University Press | https://blog.oup.com/2017/07/american-revolution-political-division/ | The perils of political polarization | 2017-07-25 | Polarization, Political Polarization | Political polarization in the United States seems to intensify by the day . In June 2016 , surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center revealed that majorities in both parties held highly unfavorable opinions of their opponents . Many Democrats and Republicans even admitted to fearing the rival party ’ s political agenda . Such strong feelings have scarcely dissipated—and likely escalated—since those surveys were completed .
This is hardly the first time in American history when polarization has plagued the nation . Divisions over slavery sparked a civil war in the 1860s . A century later , the war in Vietnam and the civil rights movement generated fierce dissension . Less well known ( except to historians ) , the 1790s witnessed such ferocious discord between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans regarding the French Revolution and domestic policy that some contemporaries feared the United States might not survive into the nineteenth century .
America ’ s experience with partisanship actually goes back even farther than that , right to the birth of the nation . The Revolution was not only a struggle against Britain ; it was also a civil war , dividing colonists who supported independence from those who did not . Then , as now , one of the greatest dangers of extreme partisanship is the way it drives people to question the motives of their adversaries and even to contemplate violence against them . At the time of the Revolution , anyone who advocated compromise or tried to remain neutral was suspected of being a secret ally of one of the rival groups . For one Connecticut farmer who sought to distance himself from both patriots and loyalists , failure in this endeavor to find a middle ground meant death
Moses Dunbar made no secret of his allegiance to the king , but that did not mean that he endorsed the Parliamentary taxes and other measures that drove patriots into opposition to Britain . What he rejected , as the imperial crisis escalated in 1774 , was the patriots ’ eagerness to resort to arms instead of seeking a peaceful resolution to what Dunbar called the “ Unhappy Misunderstanding ” between Britain and the colonies . Once the war began in April 1775 , such calls for moderation had even less chance of being heard .
Fear of British military retaliation drove Connecticut patriots to try to identify suspected loyalists and subdue them by any means possible before they could aid the enemy . Some were confined deep underground in the infamous Newgate prison , an old copper mine . Others—including Moses Dunbar—suffered beatings from patriot gangs . After such an attack and repeated attempts to imprison him , Dunbar beseeched authorities to let him retreat to his farm and avoid the political fray . Neutrality , however , was no longer an option .
Dunbar ’ s decision to go to British-occupied New York in September 1776 and enlist in a loyalist regiment had far less to do with his allegiance to Britain than with a beleaguered man ’ s quest for safety for himself and his family . While he was in New York , Connecticut ’ s legislature declared such an enlistment to be a capital crime . When Dunbar returned home in late December 1776 to fetch his wife and children , a neighbor—likely induced by a desire to deflect patriot concerns about his own political allegiance—alerted authorities to Dunbar ’ s presence . Dunbar was arrested , convicted of treason , and executed on 19 March 1777 .
As it turned out , Moses Dunbar was the only loyalist executed for treason by the state of Connecticut . The authorities clearly wished to make an example of him , but having done so were willing to retreat from using extreme measures against suspected British sympathizers . Perhaps unnerved by the deadly consequences of turning neighbor against neighbor , officials exercised greater restraint in assessing true threats and acknowledged that some people genuinely wished to remain neutral .
Passions inflamed by war typically exceed those generated by peacetime partisanship . Yet the fate of Moses Dunbar in Revolutionary Connecticut offers an unusually vivid example of what can happen when fear and suspicion lead people to translate a far more complex situation into a stark opposition of friends versus foes . At the same time , what happened in the aftermath of Dunbar ’ s execution demonstrates how a fractured society could begin to heal its wounds .
Once the War for Independence ended , many loyalists fled the United States to live in England or one of its remaining colonial possessions . But many more loyalists—including would-be neutrals mis-characterized by their opponents—stayed in the new nation . Dunbar ’ s descendants belonged to this group , and some of them continued to reside among the very people who had harassed and betrayed him . Although they never recorded their reasons in doing so , former adversaries exhausted by years of conflict evidently made a decision to cease making enemies of their neighbors . Concentrating on what they had in common rather than what drove them apart promised to be a far more productive way to escape a divisive past and head into the future .
Featured image credit : ” Postcard depicting Old Newgate Prison ” by Unknown . Public domain via Wikimedia Commons . | 74a091baf4706f63 | 1 | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null | null |
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