Saturday, March 24, 2018
'You Should Be Fired, Not Rewarded': Warren Slams Scandal-Ridden Wells Fargo CEO for 35 Percent Raise
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/16/you-should-be-fired-not-rewarded-warren-slams-scandal-ridden-wells-fargo-ceo-35
"Warren tweeted her outrage after regulatory documents revealed Sloan's 2017 pay rose significantly from the previous year, even as Wells Fargo was facing rebuke after its employees opened millions of fraudulent accounts in customers' names. The bank has been forced to pay nearly $200 million in fines due to its actions. The bank was also sanctioned this week by regulators over another scandal in which it signed up and charged customers for auto insurance that they didn't need or request. Wells Fargo will have to give refunds to about 570,000 consumers."
"Warren tweeted her outrage after regulatory documents revealed Sloan's 2017 pay rose significantly from the previous year, even as Wells Fargo was facing rebuke after its employees opened millions of fraudulent accounts in customers' names. The bank has been forced to pay nearly $200 million in fines due to its actions. The bank was also sanctioned this week by regulators over another scandal in which it signed up and charged customers for auto insurance that they didn't need or request. Wells Fargo will have to give refunds to about 570,000 consumers."
Inside the Trump Circus of Corruption @alternet
Inside the Trump Circus of Corruption @alternet:
"There's skimming from the taxpayers and leveraging government policy for personal gain. As in a banana republic or a mob-run kleptocracy, it's pervasive in every part of the administration, woven into the fabric of everyday business. But because this presidency is such an epic disaster in every way, all of this looks like a third-order scandal."
"There's skimming from the taxpayers and leveraging government policy for personal gain. As in a banana republic or a mob-run kleptocracy, it's pervasive in every part of the administration, woven into the fabric of everyday business. But because this presidency is such an epic disaster in every way, all of this looks like a third-order scandal."
Selection of Pompeo Solidifies Trump’s Position with Koch Brothers
Selection of Pompeo Solidifies Trump’s Position with Koch Brothers:
"Whatever one thinks of Paul Manafort, the former manager of Trump’s presidential campaign who has since been indicted for conspiracy against the United States, he exercised keen political judgment when he pushed Trump to offer Koch toady Mike Pence the running-mate slot, even after the Republican standard-bearer had reportedly promised it to Chris Christie, who was then the reviled governor of New Jersey. That ensured a measure of Koch support for Trump in the general election. But it also provided the Kochs with an insurance policy of their own: Should Trump get out of control, the Koch brothers not only had a Congress that would likely serve up impeachment papers should they give the signal; they had a doer of their biddings in line to take Trump’s place. With his pick of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Trump shows once again that he knows on which side his bread is buttered. Pompeo joins a cabinet that is already heavily sprinkled with Koch acolytes and pals, including Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, a Koch network donor; Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, friend of David Koch; and Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, the former congressman who is determined to make it possible for Koch Industries to mine uranium on public lands. But Pompeo holds the distinction, in his former guise as a member of Congress, of being described by OpenSecrets.org in a 2016 tweet as “the #1 all-time recipient of #KOCH Industries $$$"."
"Whatever one thinks of Paul Manafort, the former manager of Trump’s presidential campaign who has since been indicted for conspiracy against the United States, he exercised keen political judgment when he pushed Trump to offer Koch toady Mike Pence the running-mate slot, even after the Republican standard-bearer had reportedly promised it to Chris Christie, who was then the reviled governor of New Jersey. That ensured a measure of Koch support for Trump in the general election. But it also provided the Kochs with an insurance policy of their own: Should Trump get out of control, the Koch brothers not only had a Congress that would likely serve up impeachment papers should they give the signal; they had a doer of their biddings in line to take Trump’s place. With his pick of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Trump shows once again that he knows on which side his bread is buttered. Pompeo joins a cabinet that is already heavily sprinkled with Koch acolytes and pals, including Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, a Koch network donor; Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, friend of David Koch; and Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, the former congressman who is determined to make it possible for Koch Industries to mine uranium on public lands. But Pompeo holds the distinction, in his former guise as a member of Congress, of being described by OpenSecrets.org in a 2016 tweet as “the #1 all-time recipient of #KOCH Industries $$$"."
Exclusive: Defense Dept. charged nearly $140,000 at Trump branded properties
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/politics/defense-department-trump-branded-properties/index.html
"Charges on the department-issued Visa cards, which span from Honolulu to Washington, DC, are the most recent evidence that taxpayer money flows to Trump's company, once again emboldening critics who say these payments violate ethical norms and possibly the US Constitution."
"Charges on the department-issued Visa cards, which span from Honolulu to Washington, DC, are the most recent evidence that taxpayer money flows to Trump's company, once again emboldening critics who say these payments violate ethical norms and possibly the US Constitution."
Larry Kudlow Isn’t an Economist, but He Plays One on TV
https://www.thenation.com/article/larry-kudlow-isnt-an-economist-but-he-plays-one-on-tv/
"let’s just note how consistently wrong Kudlow has been over the years. He denied the existence of a housing bubble, even after it collapsed. He touted the “Bush boom” and boasted that there wouldn’t be any recession in December 2007—the month the recession began. Once the downturn was undeniable, Kudlow dismissed it, said it would be mild, predicted the bottom over and over as the economy continued to sink. He recommended buying stocks in September 2008, the month the market lost a substantial amount of its value. Baghdad Bob looks at this guy and thinks he might need to get his facts straight."
"let’s just note how consistently wrong Kudlow has been over the years. He denied the existence of a housing bubble, even after it collapsed. He touted the “Bush boom” and boasted that there wouldn’t be any recession in December 2007—the month the recession began. Once the downturn was undeniable, Kudlow dismissed it, said it would be mild, predicted the bottom over and over as the economy continued to sink. He recommended buying stocks in September 2008, the month the market lost a substantial amount of its value. Baghdad Bob looks at this guy and thinks he might need to get his facts straight."
Further Debunking GOP Claims, Small Businesses Say Tax Bill Won't Bring Benefits to Workers
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/12/further-debunking-gop-claims-small-businesses-say-tax-bill-wont-bring-benefits
"Large corporations made clear even before the plan was passed in December that they would use the $1.3 trillion they expect to save as a result of the law to line the pockets of their shareholders—not invest in their employees and new hires as Republicans claimed. Now, small businesses are saying that their workers aren't benefiting much from the tax law either."
"Large corporations made clear even before the plan was passed in December that they would use the $1.3 trillion they expect to save as a result of the law to line the pockets of their shareholders—not invest in their employees and new hires as Republicans claimed. Now, small businesses are saying that their workers aren't benefiting much from the tax law either."
Pennsylvania voters say the GOP’s health care antics cost Saccone their vote
https://thinkprogress.org/pennsylvania-voters-say-health-care-is-top-priority-704c7fcf0783/
"Election night exit polling by Public Policy Polling found that among PA-18 voters who said health care was the most important issue, Democrat Conor Lamb beat Republican Rick Saccone by a margin of 64 to 36. Saccone’s support of the Republican health care agenda — namely, efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — made 41 percent of voters less likely to vote for him. Fifty-three percent of voters disapproved of GOP efforts to repeal the health care law and 48 percent believed Republicans are trying to sabotage the law since they failed to repeal it. These numbers are all the more surprising given the fact that PA-18 is a Republican district that gave Donald Trump a 20-point victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. But as Forbes’ Bruce Japsen previously reported, health care is especially important in Western Pennsylvania. Although health care premiums have risen (a rise which officials in Pennsylvania attribute to Trump’s “refusal to make cost-sharing reduction payments for 2018”), the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) — the region’s largest non-governmental employer — has grown substantially under the ACA. Pennsylvanians — namely, those living in rural areas — have also benefited from the state’s Medicaid expansion under the ACA, which went into effect in 2015 and has been touted by health experts as means of addressing the state’s opioid crisis. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) declared the epidemic a statewide disaster emergency earlier this year. While Lamb has acknowledged that Obamacare has its flaws, he ran his campaign on fixing and building upon the law, rather than repealing it. If Medicaid expansion were repealed, approximately 585,000 Pennsylvanians would lose health coverage."
"Election night exit polling by Public Policy Polling found that among PA-18 voters who said health care was the most important issue, Democrat Conor Lamb beat Republican Rick Saccone by a margin of 64 to 36. Saccone’s support of the Republican health care agenda — namely, efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — made 41 percent of voters less likely to vote for him. Fifty-three percent of voters disapproved of GOP efforts to repeal the health care law and 48 percent believed Republicans are trying to sabotage the law since they failed to repeal it. These numbers are all the more surprising given the fact that PA-18 is a Republican district that gave Donald Trump a 20-point victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. But as Forbes’ Bruce Japsen previously reported, health care is especially important in Western Pennsylvania. Although health care premiums have risen (a rise which officials in Pennsylvania attribute to Trump’s “refusal to make cost-sharing reduction payments for 2018”), the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) — the region’s largest non-governmental employer — has grown substantially under the ACA. Pennsylvanians — namely, those living in rural areas — have also benefited from the state’s Medicaid expansion under the ACA, which went into effect in 2015 and has been touted by health experts as means of addressing the state’s opioid crisis. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) declared the epidemic a statewide disaster emergency earlier this year. While Lamb has acknowledged that Obamacare has its flaws, he ran his campaign on fixing and building upon the law, rather than repealing it. If Medicaid expansion were repealed, approximately 585,000 Pennsylvanians would lose health coverage."
Ben Carson claimed he was ‘shocked’ by $31,000 dining set, but emails show he knew all along
https://thinkprogress.org/ben-carson-31k-dining-set-lie-3994a4d084d9/
"Emails obtained by watchdog group American Oversight appear to catch the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a lie over Secretary Ben Carson’s involvement in the planned purchase of a $31,000 dining set for a dining room in his office. In a March 1 statement, Carson said that he was “shocked” by the dining set’s pricetag and “made it known that I was not happy about the prices being charged and that my preference would be to find something more reasonable.” HUD spokesman Raffi Williams denied that Ben or his wife Candy had any involvement in the purchase process at all, telling CNN at the time that “Mrs. Carson and the secretary had no awareness that the table was being purchased.” But the newly released emails show that the Carsons in fact selected the furniture themselves."
"Emails obtained by watchdog group American Oversight appear to catch the Department of Housing and Urban Development in a lie over Secretary Ben Carson’s involvement in the planned purchase of a $31,000 dining set for a dining room in his office. In a March 1 statement, Carson said that he was “shocked” by the dining set’s pricetag and “made it known that I was not happy about the prices being charged and that my preference would be to find something more reasonable.” HUD spokesman Raffi Williams denied that Ben or his wife Candy had any involvement in the purchase process at all, telling CNN at the time that “Mrs. Carson and the secretary had no awareness that the table was being purchased.” But the newly released emails show that the Carsons in fact selected the furniture themselves."
Team of Sycophants
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/dirty-work-trump-administration/555617/
"The president will hear no forceful disagreements; he will not be contradicted; he will believe that his instincts and whims are invariably correct. Those around him may not be quite as honest in admitting their lack of integrity as Peter Navarro, the economic adviser who recently described his job as finding the data to support Trump’s instincts. To stay in favor, however, they will have to do as he does—and hope that the president will forget his really stupid or dangerous decisions while they undo the damage. The dangers of an executive branch run this way, with public groveling and private deceit the order of the day, are evident."
"The president will hear no forceful disagreements; he will not be contradicted; he will believe that his instincts and whims are invariably correct. Those around him may not be quite as honest in admitting their lack of integrity as Peter Navarro, the economic adviser who recently described his job as finding the data to support Trump’s instincts. To stay in favor, however, they will have to do as he does—and hope that the president will forget his really stupid or dangerous decisions while they undo the damage. The dangers of an executive branch run this way, with public groveling and private deceit the order of the day, are evident."
More than one-half of births in rural America are covered by Medicaid
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/12/1748454/-More-than-half-of-births-in-rural-America-are-covered-by-Medicaid
"If Republicans succeed in slashing Medicaid, they'll succeed in doing away with maternity care in much of rural America. Even now, about 45 percent of rural hospitals don’t have maternity care, with almost 1 in 10 rural counties losing hospital-based obstetrics programs between 2004 and 2014. "When rural hospitals are squeezed, they have to look at what fixed costs they can shed," Katy Kozhimannil, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health told KHN. She continued, "The fixed costs of providing obstetrics services are very clear, and very distinct." Obstetrics is expensive. And supposedly “pro-life” Republicans want to make childbirth not just more common, but more dangerous and more expensive by cutting Medicaid even further."
"If Republicans succeed in slashing Medicaid, they'll succeed in doing away with maternity care in much of rural America. Even now, about 45 percent of rural hospitals don’t have maternity care, with almost 1 in 10 rural counties losing hospital-based obstetrics programs between 2004 and 2014. "When rural hospitals are squeezed, they have to look at what fixed costs they can shed," Katy Kozhimannil, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health told KHN. She continued, "The fixed costs of providing obstetrics services are very clear, and very distinct." Obstetrics is expensive. And supposedly “pro-life” Republicans want to make childbirth not just more common, but more dangerous and more expensive by cutting Medicaid even further."
Here’s the One Part of the House GOP’s Russia Investigation Report That Proves It’s Total B.S.
https://forwardprogressives.com/heres-the-one-part-of-the-house-gops-russia-investigation-report-that-proves-its-total-b-s/
"Then again, this whole process was led by Trump stooge Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), so it was never a legitimate “investigation.” It was nothing more than a Republican-led farce meant to give off the perception that they were truly trying to find out if this “president” was a traitor, but I’m sure every person reading this knew from the very beginning that they’d always conclude that they found “no evidence of collusion.” Luckily for all of us, not only is the Senate Intelligence Committee still wrapping up a separate investigation, but Robert Mueller’s investigation is still ongoing. You know, the one that’s already gotten 3 guilty pleas from Trump associates for lying to the FBI about their contact with Russians, and currently has Trump’s former campaign manager under indictment on so many charges he could very well spend the rest of his life in prison. That’s the investigation that Trump needs to worry about because it’s not being conducted by a bunch of spineless bureaucrats who weren’t legitimately looking for the truth about what happened because they’re terrified of ticking off his supporters — it’s being led by a professional law enforcement expert who couldn’t care less what Trump says about him or the fact that the majority of the GOP is too afraid to tell the truth about this “president"."
"Then again, this whole process was led by Trump stooge Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), so it was never a legitimate “investigation.” It was nothing more than a Republican-led farce meant to give off the perception that they were truly trying to find out if this “president” was a traitor, but I’m sure every person reading this knew from the very beginning that they’d always conclude that they found “no evidence of collusion.” Luckily for all of us, not only is the Senate Intelligence Committee still wrapping up a separate investigation, but Robert Mueller’s investigation is still ongoing. You know, the one that’s already gotten 3 guilty pleas from Trump associates for lying to the FBI about their contact with Russians, and currently has Trump’s former campaign manager under indictment on so many charges he could very well spend the rest of his life in prison. That’s the investigation that Trump needs to worry about because it’s not being conducted by a bunch of spineless bureaucrats who weren’t legitimately looking for the truth about what happened because they’re terrified of ticking off his supporters — it’s being led by a professional law enforcement expert who couldn’t care less what Trump says about him or the fact that the majority of the GOP is too afraid to tell the truth about this “president"."
His name may be gone but Trump’s Panama hotel troubles are far from over
https://thinkprogress.org/lawmakers-push-dea-for-answers-c31625f4dd54/
"President Donald Trump may have watched his name come down from his former property in Panama this month — but his troubles stemming from years of alleged cartel money laundering at the property aren’t yet over."
"President Donald Trump may have watched his name come down from his former property in Panama this month — but his troubles stemming from years of alleged cartel money laundering at the property aren’t yet over."
Director of offshore safety and environment bureau meets almost exclusively with industry
https://thinkprogress.org/scott-angelle-meets-almost-exclusively-with-industry-f2e52ffb4a69/
"Documents show that Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director Scott Angelle has spent more than 98 hours meeting with oil and gas lobbyists and executives since he began the role last May. In contrast, during this same time he only spent 1.75 hours with NGOs. According to an analysis of Angelle’s calendar released by watchdog group Documented, the director has met with companies that have previously contributed more than $88 thousand to his failed 2012 and 2016 campaigns for elected office. This includes Targa Resources, LLOG, Louisiana Mid Continent Oil and Gas Association (LMOGA), Chevron, Hilcorp, Arena Energy, Fieldwood Energy, and Taylor Energy. But the list of meetings goes well beyond previous campaign contributors. It includes other big names such as BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Halliburton, as well as the American Petroleum Institute. The news comes days after an investigation by the New York Times showed how the Trump administration, with help from Angelle, has been working to roll back Obama-era safety measures implemented following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster."
"Documents show that Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Director Scott Angelle has spent more than 98 hours meeting with oil and gas lobbyists and executives since he began the role last May. In contrast, during this same time he only spent 1.75 hours with NGOs. According to an analysis of Angelle’s calendar released by watchdog group Documented, the director has met with companies that have previously contributed more than $88 thousand to his failed 2012 and 2016 campaigns for elected office. This includes Targa Resources, LLOG, Louisiana Mid Continent Oil and Gas Association (LMOGA), Chevron, Hilcorp, Arena Energy, Fieldwood Energy, and Taylor Energy. But the list of meetings goes well beyond previous campaign contributors. It includes other big names such as BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Halliburton, as well as the American Petroleum Institute. The news comes days after an investigation by the New York Times showed how the Trump administration, with help from Angelle, has been working to roll back Obama-era safety measures implemented following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster."
Trump is clearly not ‘the ultimate deal-maker and negotiator’
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-clearly-not-the-ultimate-deal-maker-and-negotiator
"Trump has struggled at deal-making because he doesn’t care to do the work necessary to reach agreements. To strike big deals, negotiators need to do their homework. They need to be able to listen to competing arguments. They need to be creative. They need to be consistent and show follow-through. They need patience and an appreciation for nuance. Whatever strengths Donald J. Trump may bring to the table, he has none of these qualities. It’s precisely why there’s reason for skepticism about our amateur president leading diplomatic talks with a nuclear-armed rogue dictator, and why it’s hard to take seriously the idea that the American president is “the ultimate negotiator and dealmaker when it comes to any type of conversation"."
"Trump has struggled at deal-making because he doesn’t care to do the work necessary to reach agreements. To strike big deals, negotiators need to do their homework. They need to be able to listen to competing arguments. They need to be creative. They need to be consistent and show follow-through. They need patience and an appreciation for nuance. Whatever strengths Donald J. Trump may bring to the table, he has none of these qualities. It’s precisely why there’s reason for skepticism about our amateur president leading diplomatic talks with a nuclear-armed rogue dictator, and why it’s hard to take seriously the idea that the American president is “the ultimate negotiator and dealmaker when it comes to any type of conversation"."
Trump fires Tillerson aide who confirmed Tillerson learned of being fired via Twitter
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/13/1748668/-Trump-fires-Tillerson-aide-who-confirmed-that-Tillerson-was-only-told-of-his-firing-this-morning
"It is clear the White House lied about intending to fire Tillerson earlier. The plain facts are that Trump fired him this morning, less than one day after Tillerson delivered a harsh statement supporting the United Kingdom's assessment that the exposure of 500 Londoners to a Russian-developed nerve agent was a Russian act. The summary firing of Goldstein, immediately after he contradicted White House spin, suggests that Trump is extremely invested in the notion that Rex Tillerson was fired for reasons other than Tillerson's Russia comments. And for good reason: a president firing the nation's top diplomatic official for refusing to avert his eyes from an act of Russian terrorism would be an enormous story."
"It is clear the White House lied about intending to fire Tillerson earlier. The plain facts are that Trump fired him this morning, less than one day after Tillerson delivered a harsh statement supporting the United Kingdom's assessment that the exposure of 500 Londoners to a Russian-developed nerve agent was a Russian act. The summary firing of Goldstein, immediately after he contradicted White House spin, suggests that Trump is extremely invested in the notion that Rex Tillerson was fired for reasons other than Tillerson's Russia comments. And for good reason: a president firing the nation's top diplomatic official for refusing to avert his eyes from an act of Russian terrorism would be an enormous story."
UK prime minister blames Kremlin for Russian spy poisoning
https://thinkprogress.org/uk-blames-kremlin-for-poisoning-30e60d61b4fa/
"The British government has officially blamed the Kremlin for the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent. Sergei, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Julia remain in a critical condition after being found slumped on a bench in the town of Salisbury, Wiltshire, last Sunday. A police officer who was one of the first responders on the scene also remains seriously ill, although he is now described as stable and conscious."
"The British government has officially blamed the Kremlin for the attempted murder of former spy Sergei Skripal with a nerve agent. Sergei, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter Julia remain in a critical condition after being found slumped on a bench in the town of Salisbury, Wiltshire, last Sunday. A police officer who was one of the first responders on the scene also remains seriously ill, although he is now described as stable and conscious."
Asked about U.S. election meddling, Putin resorts to an anti-Semitic smear
https://thinkprogress.org/asked-about-us-election-meddling-putin-resorts-to-an-anti-semitic-smear-25e5d0a97db5/
"Vladimir Putin, who repeatedly has denied meddling in the 2016 US election, suggested in a new interview that the massive cyber operation targeting the presidential vote might have been carried out by “Ukrainian, Tatars or Jews — but with Russian citizenship.” The Russian leader pointed the finger at Jews and ethnic minorities in his country during an interview broadcast late Friday on NBC television, in which he frostily dismissed any knowledge of the cyber-intrusions into the American electoral system. But Putin added that he “couldn’t care less” if operatives from his country were, in fact, found to have been responsible for operation."
"Vladimir Putin, who repeatedly has denied meddling in the 2016 US election, suggested in a new interview that the massive cyber operation targeting the presidential vote might have been carried out by “Ukrainian, Tatars or Jews — but with Russian citizenship.” The Russian leader pointed the finger at Jews and ethnic minorities in his country during an interview broadcast late Friday on NBC television, in which he frostily dismissed any knowledge of the cyber-intrusions into the American electoral system. But Putin added that he “couldn’t care less” if operatives from his country were, in fact, found to have been responsible for operation."
A Brief Survey of Michael Cohen Doing Genius Lawyer Things
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a19366207/michael-cohen-trump-lawyer/
"When the story first broke, Cohen characterized the entire business as fake news. Then he admitted to The New York Times that he made the payment, but said Trump had no knowledge of the hush money agreement and he'd done it all on his own. The idea that a lawyer is running around without his client's knowledge, making six-figure payments on his client's behalf with no expectation of being paid back, is absurd—a point Daniels' lawyer is now making in the lawsuit recently filed. When the Times story hit, Daniels' manager responded by suggesting Cohen may have violated the terms of the NDA by saying publicly that he made the payment. Certainly, Cohen proved that he'd lied previously in public statements suggesting the WSJ story was entirely fabricated. Cohen then pursued and won a gag order on Daniels in arbitration, according to the terms of the original agreement. But Daniels has now filed suit against Donald Trump himself, alleging that since Trump never signed the original NDA, the entire agreement—including the arbitration procedure outlined in it, which Cohen used to secure the gag order—was invalid. Cohen's exploits have been examined as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether Trump associates colluded with Russian officials during the 2016 election. He also must have missed the (many?) classes in law school that highlight the downsides of putting your shady business in writing. During the 2016 campaign, Cohen was working with Trump Organization executive Felix Sater—who himself has alleged ties to organized crime and Russian oligarchs—to secure a deal for a Trump Tower Moscow. When they ran into obstacles in securing permits, Cohen responded by reaching out to top Vladimir Putin lieutenant Dmitry Peskov. Except, being a genius brain working for one of the world's most prominent businessmen—with all the high-powered connections that offers—Cohen sent the email to a generic Kremlin email address"
"When the story first broke, Cohen characterized the entire business as fake news. Then he admitted to The New York Times that he made the payment, but said Trump had no knowledge of the hush money agreement and he'd done it all on his own. The idea that a lawyer is running around without his client's knowledge, making six-figure payments on his client's behalf with no expectation of being paid back, is absurd—a point Daniels' lawyer is now making in the lawsuit recently filed. When the Times story hit, Daniels' manager responded by suggesting Cohen may have violated the terms of the NDA by saying publicly that he made the payment. Certainly, Cohen proved that he'd lied previously in public statements suggesting the WSJ story was entirely fabricated. Cohen then pursued and won a gag order on Daniels in arbitration, according to the terms of the original agreement. But Daniels has now filed suit against Donald Trump himself, alleging that since Trump never signed the original NDA, the entire agreement—including the arbitration procedure outlined in it, which Cohen used to secure the gag order—was invalid. Cohen's exploits have been examined as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into whether Trump associates colluded with Russian officials during the 2016 election. He also must have missed the (many?) classes in law school that highlight the downsides of putting your shady business in writing. During the 2016 campaign, Cohen was working with Trump Organization executive Felix Sater—who himself has alleged ties to organized crime and Russian oligarchs—to secure a deal for a Trump Tower Moscow. When they ran into obstacles in securing permits, Cohen responded by reaching out to top Vladimir Putin lieutenant Dmitry Peskov. Except, being a genius brain working for one of the world's most prominent businessmen—with all the high-powered connections that offers—Cohen sent the email to a generic Kremlin email address"
Big Pharma Bro broke down in tears as he was sentenced to 7 years in prison for fraud
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/9/1747801/-Big-Pharma-Bro-broke-down-in-tears-as-he-was-sentenced-to-7-years-in-prison-for-fraud
"Shkreli got off lucky because the prosecutor was seeking a 15-year sentence. He’s also going to have to pay hefty penalties"
"Shkreli got off lucky because the prosecutor was seeking a 15-year sentence. He’s also going to have to pay hefty penalties"
Mueller Is Teaching This Country a Lesson on the Nature of Corruption
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19160099/robert-mueller-trump-corruption/
"Ah, we’re back in the Seychelles again with Erik Prince, mercenary, money-grubber, and brother of the current Secretary of Education. This episode had faded from my mind until the news about Mueller’s interviews with Nader brought things back around to it again. Here, from The Intercept, is a reminder of what that was all about. The Washington Post reported in April that the FBI was looking into the Seychelles meeting as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Prince is scheduled to testify on November 30 before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its Russia investigation. During the same period in January when Dmitriev and Prince were in the Seychelles, Alexander Mashkevich, a Kazakh businessman linked to a shady Trump investment vehicle known as Bayrock, also arrived to meet with Zayed, who was “holding court” at his mansion on the island, a source familiar with the meetings said. Abdulrahman Khalid bin Mahfouz, a Saudi billionaire whose grandfather founded the first Saudi private bank and whose father allegedly helped Al Qaeda, was also present. The meetings came several weeks after Zayed flew to New York to meet with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, and Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who is now a subject in the federal Russia probe. Once more, it’s clear that the working assumption of the Mueller investigation is that the entire Trump presidency*, and the Trump campaign that preceded it, is a vast corrupt empire, and that the roots of that empire are to be found in the Trump Organization, which was a slightly less vast, but no less corrupt, empire built on deceit and incompetence, bailed out by its lawyers. To understand the corruption of the administration*, Mueller is teaching the nation, you have to understand the corruption of the businesses. And to understand the corruption of the businesses, you have to understand the ability of the man to corrupt everything and everyone he touches."
"Ah, we’re back in the Seychelles again with Erik Prince, mercenary, money-grubber, and brother of the current Secretary of Education. This episode had faded from my mind until the news about Mueller’s interviews with Nader brought things back around to it again. Here, from The Intercept, is a reminder of what that was all about. The Washington Post reported in April that the FBI was looking into the Seychelles meeting as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Prince is scheduled to testify on November 30 before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its Russia investigation. During the same period in January when Dmitriev and Prince were in the Seychelles, Alexander Mashkevich, a Kazakh businessman linked to a shady Trump investment vehicle known as Bayrock, also arrived to meet with Zayed, who was “holding court” at his mansion on the island, a source familiar with the meetings said. Abdulrahman Khalid bin Mahfouz, a Saudi billionaire whose grandfather founded the first Saudi private bank and whose father allegedly helped Al Qaeda, was also present. The meetings came several weeks after Zayed flew to New York to meet with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, and Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser who is now a subject in the federal Russia probe. Once more, it’s clear that the working assumption of the Mueller investigation is that the entire Trump presidency*, and the Trump campaign that preceded it, is a vast corrupt empire, and that the roots of that empire are to be found in the Trump Organization, which was a slightly less vast, but no less corrupt, empire built on deceit and incompetence, bailed out by its lawyers. To understand the corruption of the administration*, Mueller is teaching the nation, you have to understand the corruption of the businesses. And to understand the corruption of the businesses, you have to understand the ability of the man to corrupt everything and everyone he touches."
Wednesday in Trumplandia: Back channels, witness tampering, and Betsy's bro is in trouble
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/8/1747416/-Wednesday-in-Trumplandia-Back-channels-witness-tampering-and-Betsy-s-bro-is-in-trouble
"Prince told lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee that he did not plan to meet Dmitriev in Seychelles but that once he was there discussing possible business deals with UAE officials, they unexpectedly suggested that he visit the hotel bar and meet Dmitriev. In fact, Prince went on at some length about the trivial nature of his discussion with Dmitriev, which he claimed lasted no more than 30 minutes. Since Prince was under investigation by the FBI a year ago, it seems likely that all of those lies—including the idea that he wasn’t there to represent Trump—were repeated to FBI agents. Which is exactly the kind of thing that has generated a neat indictment for others in the investigation. That Seychelles meeting is also getting a look because of concerns that foreign contributions may have reached the Trump campaign."
"Prince told lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee that he did not plan to meet Dmitriev in Seychelles but that once he was there discussing possible business deals with UAE officials, they unexpectedly suggested that he visit the hotel bar and meet Dmitriev. In fact, Prince went on at some length about the trivial nature of his discussion with Dmitriev, which he claimed lasted no more than 30 minutes. Since Prince was under investigation by the FBI a year ago, it seems likely that all of those lies—including the idea that he wasn’t there to represent Trump—were repeated to FBI agents. Which is exactly the kind of thing that has generated a neat indictment for others in the investigation. That Seychelles meeting is also getting a look because of concerns that foreign contributions may have reached the Trump campaign."
Is Donald Trump Fueling a Mass Extinction of Democracy Across the Planet? @alternet
Is Donald Trump Fueling a Mass Extinction of Democracy Across the Planet? @alternet:
"Autocrats are learning that they can get away with more than they have in a decade."
"Autocrats are learning that they can get away with more than they have in a decade."
Making America Great Again by rolling back protections for Americans with disabilities
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/4/1745284/-Making-America-Great-Again-by-rolling-back-protections-for-Americans-with-disabilities
"Now the United States Congress, led by the fearless Paul Ryan (recipient of the $500,000 Koch go-fer award), has passed the ADA Education and Reform Act, or H.R. 620, which rolls back hard-won protections of the ADA. (Paul Ryan may claim Ayn Rand as his spiritual guide, but I am willing to bet that Orwell taught him his vocabulary.)"
"Now the United States Congress, led by the fearless Paul Ryan (recipient of the $500,000 Koch go-fer award), has passed the ADA Education and Reform Act, or H.R. 620, which rolls back hard-won protections of the ADA. (Paul Ryan may claim Ayn Rand as his spiritual guide, but I am willing to bet that Orwell taught him his vocabulary.)"
Republicans Don’t Want to Stop Russia’s Meddling in Our Elections Because it Benefits Them
https://forwardprogressives.com/republicans-dont-want-to-stop-russias-meddling-in-our-elections-because-it-benefits-them/
"Let’s face it, we have a good portion of the Republican party that couldn’t care less if Russia is trying to interfere in our elections, create chaos in this country, and undermine our democracy. While I’m sure there are still some who place more emphasis on putting the best interests of this country over their political party, the GOP’s embrace (and defense) of Trump proves that most of them place more loyalty with their political party than their country. To make matters worse, most of Trump’s supporters couldn’t care less if he colluded with Russia, either. As sad and disheartening as it is to think about, there are tens of millions of people in this country who would be perfectly fine with Trump stating publicly that he colluded with the Russian government to undermine the 2016 election."
"Let’s face it, we have a good portion of the Republican party that couldn’t care less if Russia is trying to interfere in our elections, create chaos in this country, and undermine our democracy. While I’m sure there are still some who place more emphasis on putting the best interests of this country over their political party, the GOP’s embrace (and defense) of Trump proves that most of them place more loyalty with their political party than their country. To make matters worse, most of Trump’s supporters couldn’t care less if he colluded with Russia, either. As sad and disheartening as it is to think about, there are tens of millions of people in this country who would be perfectly fine with Trump stating publicly that he colluded with the Russian government to undermine the 2016 election."
Mueller gathering evidence Team Trump sought secret back channel to Kremlin at Seychelles meeting
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/7/1747325/-Mueller-gathering-evidence-Team-Trump-sought-secret-back-channel-to-Kremlin-at-Seychelles-meeting
"The Washington Post is reporting that special counsel Robert Mueller is gathering evidence that a Seychelles meeting in January 2017 involving a U.A.E. adviser and Trump-connected Erik Prince was aimed at creating a secret back channel between the incoming Trump administration and Russia. The U.A.E. adviser, George Nader, is now reportedly cooperating with Mueller. Prince had originally painted the meeting in a very different light during a Congressional interview last year."
"The Washington Post is reporting that special counsel Robert Mueller is gathering evidence that a Seychelles meeting in January 2017 involving a U.A.E. adviser and Trump-connected Erik Prince was aimed at creating a secret back channel between the incoming Trump administration and Russia. The U.A.E. adviser, George Nader, is now reportedly cooperating with Mueller. Prince had originally painted the meeting in a very different light during a Congressional interview last year."
Erik Prince Set Up Meeting In Seychelles For Trump-Putin Backchannel, Report Says
Erik Prince Set Up Meeting In Seychelles For Trump-Putin Backchannel, Report Says:
"Just about a year ago, news broke that Erik Prince had gone to the Seychelles to broker a secret communications channel for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to communicate. At the time of the report, Prince denied it vehemently before admitting that yes, he had a meeting but it was just incidental, nothing to see here. Indeed, it appears there was something to see there. The Washington Post reports that Robert Mueller is gathering evidence that the January, 2017 meeting in question was indeed intended to establish backchannel communications between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin before Trump was sworn into office."
"Just about a year ago, news broke that Erik Prince had gone to the Seychelles to broker a secret communications channel for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to communicate. At the time of the report, Prince denied it vehemently before admitting that yes, he had a meeting but it was just incidental, nothing to see here. Indeed, it appears there was something to see there. The Washington Post reports that Robert Mueller is gathering evidence that the January, 2017 meeting in question was indeed intended to establish backchannel communications between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin before Trump was sworn into office."
Scott Pruitt's EPA Aide Has a Side Hustle in the Private Sector
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19134741/scott-pruitt-epa-private-sector-conflcit/
"Scott Pruitt, the energy industry sockpuppet installed as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is one very small step from selling off the public lands from a card table on the sidewalk along Seventh Avenue in midtown Manhattan. We find that he’s also very broad-minded as regards his subordinates. From the AP via The Denver Post: The ethics official noted that Konkus’ outside contracts presented a “financial conflict of interest” and barred him from participating in matters at EPA that would have a “direct and predictable” financial benefit for his clients. Pruitt named Konkus, a Republican political consultant, to serve as the EPA’s deputy associate administrator for public affairs. His duties have included signing off on hundreds of millions in federal grants. The letter gave Konkus approval to work for at least two clients. Those names were blacked out by the agency before a copy was provided to Congress, citing a privacy exemption more typically used to protect personnel records and medical files. The letter said Konkus was also expected to take on additional private clients, advising them about “strategy, mail and media production"."
"Scott Pruitt, the energy industry sockpuppet installed as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, is one very small step from selling off the public lands from a card table on the sidewalk along Seventh Avenue in midtown Manhattan. We find that he’s also very broad-minded as regards his subordinates. From the AP via The Denver Post: The ethics official noted that Konkus’ outside contracts presented a “financial conflict of interest” and barred him from participating in matters at EPA that would have a “direct and predictable” financial benefit for his clients. Pruitt named Konkus, a Republican political consultant, to serve as the EPA’s deputy associate administrator for public affairs. His duties have included signing off on hundreds of millions in federal grants. The letter gave Konkus approval to work for at least two clients. Those names were blacked out by the agency before a copy was provided to Congress, citing a privacy exemption more typically used to protect personnel records and medical files. The letter said Konkus was also expected to take on additional private clients, advising them about “strategy, mail and media production"."
Break up the Intelligence Committee: Devin Nunes can’t be trusted with national secrets
https://www.salon.com/2018/03/07/break-up-the-intelligence-committee-devin-nunes-cant-be-trusted-with-national-secrets/
"If ignorance is the key that opens the door for charlatans like Trump, improved education, whether in school or in the public square, would seem to provide an obvious solution. But here we confront the perverse Dunning-Kruger Effect identified by psychologists—essentially, the less we know, the more certain we become of our superior knowledge. We have also discovered that exposure to facts and evidence does not always have the expected impact. Many people, when confronted by irrefutable proof that some core belief is incorrect, don’t change their minds but dig in their heels. What feels right to them must be right and no amount logic and reasoning will dissuade them. Emotion trumps evidence."
"If ignorance is the key that opens the door for charlatans like Trump, improved education, whether in school or in the public square, would seem to provide an obvious solution. But here we confront the perverse Dunning-Kruger Effect identified by psychologists—essentially, the less we know, the more certain we become of our superior knowledge. We have also discovered that exposure to facts and evidence does not always have the expected impact. Many people, when confronted by irrefutable proof that some core belief is incorrect, don’t change their minds but dig in their heels. What feels right to them must be right and no amount logic and reasoning will dissuade them. Emotion trumps evidence."
The Problem Isn’t Just Trump. It’s Our Ignorant Electorate.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-problem-isnt-just-trump-its-our-ignorant-electorate?ref=home
"If ignorance is the key that opens the door for charlatans like Trump, improved education, whether in school or in the public square, would seem to provide an obvious solution. But here we confront the perverse Dunning-Kruger Effect identified by psychologists—essentially, the less we know, the more certain we become of our superior knowledge. We have also discovered that exposure to facts and evidence does not always have the expected impact. Many people, when confronted by irrefutable proof that some core belief is incorrect, don’t change their minds but dig in their heels. What feels right to them must be right and no amount logic and reasoning will dissuade them. Emotion trumps evidence."
"If ignorance is the key that opens the door for charlatans like Trump, improved education, whether in school or in the public square, would seem to provide an obvious solution. But here we confront the perverse Dunning-Kruger Effect identified by psychologists—essentially, the less we know, the more certain we become of our superior knowledge. We have also discovered that exposure to facts and evidence does not always have the expected impact. Many people, when confronted by irrefutable proof that some core belief is incorrect, don’t change their minds but dig in their heels. What feels right to them must be right and no amount logic and reasoning will dissuade them. Emotion trumps evidence."
Stormy Daniels goes nuclear on Trump, reveals all in new lawsuit
https://thinkprogress.org/stormy-daniels-goes-nuclear-on-trump-in-new-lawsuit-0642869a4b4a/
"In a new lawsuit filed in a California court, the adult film star, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, claims her agreement with Donald Trump to keep their alleged affair secret is not binding because Trump never signed it. The lawsuit provides embarrassing new details about the nature of her relationship with Trump and the elaborate effort to keep it under wraps. Attached to Daniels’ new lawsuit is the full “Hush Agreement” between Daniels, Trump, and a shell company created by Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen. The agreement refers to Daniels and Trump by special pseudonyms — Trump goes by David Dennison and Daniels by Peggy Peterson. Daniels also attached the “Side Letter Agreement” between the parties to the lawsuit, which discloses the true identities of the pseudonyms."
"In a new lawsuit filed in a California court, the adult film star, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, claims her agreement with Donald Trump to keep their alleged affair secret is not binding because Trump never signed it. The lawsuit provides embarrassing new details about the nature of her relationship with Trump and the elaborate effort to keep it under wraps. Attached to Daniels’ new lawsuit is the full “Hush Agreement” between Daniels, Trump, and a shell company created by Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen. The agreement refers to Daniels and Trump by special pseudonyms — Trump goes by David Dennison and Daniels by Peggy Peterson. Daniels also attached the “Side Letter Agreement” between the parties to the lawsuit, which discloses the true identities of the pseudonyms."
Trump’s tariffs are a scary look at what happens when he actually tries to govern
https://www.vox.com/2018/3/6/17072226/trump-tariffs-steel-aluminum-governing-style
"The bigger issue, though, is the window the proposal provides into the presidency of a man who has no idea what makes good policy. His policy ideas, again and again, have been disasters in theory and would be in execution."
"The bigger issue, though, is the window the proposal provides into the presidency of a man who has no idea what makes good policy. His policy ideas, again and again, have been disasters in theory and would be in execution."
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Trump has done nothing to stop Russia from meddling in the 2018 midterms
https://www.vox.com/2018/3/1/17062036/trump-russia-midterm-election-2018
"Adm. Michael Rogers, who leads US Cyber Command, told lawmakers on Tuesday that Trump has yet to direct him to strike Russia’s cyber operations where they start. That means Russian President Vladimir Putin — who directed the campaign to disrupt the last US presidential election — has yet to see any serious repercussions for his country’s actions. Worse, there are almost no substantive measures in place to prevent Russia from meddling in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections."
"Adm. Michael Rogers, who leads US Cyber Command, told lawmakers on Tuesday that Trump has yet to direct him to strike Russia’s cyber operations where they start. That means Russian President Vladimir Putin — who directed the campaign to disrupt the last US presidential election — has yet to see any serious repercussions for his country’s actions. Worse, there are almost no substantive measures in place to prevent Russia from meddling in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections."
Trump’s Real Scandal Is Hiding in Plain Sight
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/diogenes-on-the-potomac/554240/
"The scale of dishonesty and criminality that is now apparent is an enormous scandal in its own right."
"The scale of dishonesty and criminality that is now apparent is an enormous scandal in its own right."
'Truly Wicked': Trump EPA Dissolves Program That Studies Effects of Chemical Exposure on Children
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/27/truly-wicked-trump-epa-dissolves-program-studies-effects-chemical-exposure-children
"As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the leadership of Scott Pruitt moves to make it easier for big industry to dump dangerous chemicals into the nation's air and water, the agency announced late Monday that it is dissolving a program that funds studies on the effects of pollution and chemical exposure on America's children."
"As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the leadership of Scott Pruitt moves to make it easier for big industry to dump dangerous chemicals into the nation's air and water, the agency announced late Monday that it is dissolving a program that funds studies on the effects of pollution and chemical exposure on America's children."
Congress has been a serious ally for Trump’s anti-environment agenda
https://thinkprogress.org/congressional-republicans-environmental-scorecard-2017-dba844da6fb9/
"The Trump administration’s first year was marked by a barrage of environmental rollbacks, from announcing the United States’ intention to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement to the repeal of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, which would have set the nation’s first-ever emissions limits on carbon emissions from power plants. But on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda has found eager allies in Congressional Republicans. According to a new scorecard of environmental votes released today by the League of Conversation Voters, Congressional Republicans have done little to stand in the way of the administration’s anti-environmental policies. The League of Conversation Voters’ annual scorecard tracks how each member of Congress votes on key environmental legislation. As this year’s report shows, a majority of both Senate Republicans and House Republicans received an annual score of zero percent, meaning they voted against every piece of environmental legislation or nomination tracked by the scorecard. In the Senate, 46 Republicans received a score of zero, bringing the overall Republican Senate average to a historic low of just 1 percent. In the House, 124 representatives received a score of zero, bringing the overall Republican House average to just 5 percent. The overall average for both the House and the Senate in 2017 was 45 percent — a marked decline from 2009, when the scorecard tallied a record-high 60 percent for the House and 63 percent for the Senate. “When you’ve got 46 Republican Senators with a score of 0 percent … you very clearly show a party that has been completely captured by the polluting industries,” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said on a press call announcing the scorecard’s release. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen that happen in the administration as well, with political appointees. Clearly, the polluters are now in charge at EPA"."
"The Trump administration’s first year was marked by a barrage of environmental rollbacks, from announcing the United States’ intention to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement to the repeal of the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, which would have set the nation’s first-ever emissions limits on carbon emissions from power plants. But on Capitol Hill, the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda has found eager allies in Congressional Republicans. According to a new scorecard of environmental votes released today by the League of Conversation Voters, Congressional Republicans have done little to stand in the way of the administration’s anti-environmental policies. The League of Conversation Voters’ annual scorecard tracks how each member of Congress votes on key environmental legislation. As this year’s report shows, a majority of both Senate Republicans and House Republicans received an annual score of zero percent, meaning they voted against every piece of environmental legislation or nomination tracked by the scorecard. In the Senate, 46 Republicans received a score of zero, bringing the overall Republican Senate average to a historic low of just 1 percent. In the House, 124 representatives received a score of zero, bringing the overall Republican House average to just 5 percent. The overall average for both the House and the Senate in 2017 was 45 percent — a marked decline from 2009, when the scorecard tallied a record-high 60 percent for the House and 63 percent for the Senate. “When you’ve got 46 Republican Senators with a score of 0 percent … you very clearly show a party that has been completely captured by the polluting industries,” Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said on a press call announcing the scorecard’s release. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen that happen in the administration as well, with political appointees. Clearly, the polluters are now in charge at EPA"."
White House uses a lie to downplay latest Mueller indictment
https://thinkprogress.org/sanders-lies-about-rick-gates-guilty-plea-mueller-653e9bd48929/
"During the White House news briefing on Monday, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked if former Trump campaign official Rick Gates’ guilty plea for conspiring against the United States and making false statements to the FBI says “anything about the president’s judgment that three people linked to his campaign have now turned out to be criminals?” Sanders responded with a blatant lie."
"During the White House news briefing on Monday, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked if former Trump campaign official Rick Gates’ guilty plea for conspiring against the United States and making false statements to the FBI says “anything about the president’s judgment that three people linked to his campaign have now turned out to be criminals?” Sanders responded with a blatant lie."
Janus and fair share fees: The organizations financing the attack on unions’ ability to represent workers
Janus and fair share fees: The organizations financing the attack on unions’ ability to represent workers:
"Many of the organizations financing the legal challenges to workers’ rights have also been funding legislative battles focused on limiting workers’ rights. How do these groups benefit by limiting workers’ rights? Anti-worker policies shift a greater share of economic gains to corporate players and away from ordinary workers. This is evident in the relationship between declining union membership and rising inequality. As union membership has fallen over the last few decades, the share of income going to the top 10 percent has steadily increased. When union membership was at its peak (33.4 percent in 1945) the share of income going to the top 10 percent was only 32.6 percent. In 2015, union membership was 11.1 percent, while the share of income going to the top 10 percent was 47.8 percent—the largest share going to the top 10 percent since 1917 (the earliest year data are available). The erosion of collective bargaining is a core part of our nation’s problems of wage stagnation and rising inequality. Workers who are not in a union have much less power to negotiate with their employers for higher pay (or more hours, or better working conditions). Further, the erosion of union coverage hurts workers who aren’t in a union; research shows that when the share of workers who are union members falls, wages of nonunion workers are lower. For example, wages of nonunion male workers in 2013 would have been 5 percent higher (that’s an additional $2,704 in earnings for year-round workers) had union density remained at its 1979 levels. The decline in union membership rates does not reflect a declining desire to organize in the workplace and collectively bargain. In fact, surveys show that nearly half of nonunion, nonmanagerial workers would vote for union representation if they could. Furthermore, a majority of Americans support the right of workers to join a union."
"Many of the organizations financing the legal challenges to workers’ rights have also been funding legislative battles focused on limiting workers’ rights. How do these groups benefit by limiting workers’ rights? Anti-worker policies shift a greater share of economic gains to corporate players and away from ordinary workers. This is evident in the relationship between declining union membership and rising inequality. As union membership has fallen over the last few decades, the share of income going to the top 10 percent has steadily increased. When union membership was at its peak (33.4 percent in 1945) the share of income going to the top 10 percent was only 32.6 percent. In 2015, union membership was 11.1 percent, while the share of income going to the top 10 percent was 47.8 percent—the largest share going to the top 10 percent since 1917 (the earliest year data are available). The erosion of collective bargaining is a core part of our nation’s problems of wage stagnation and rising inequality. Workers who are not in a union have much less power to negotiate with their employers for higher pay (or more hours, or better working conditions). Further, the erosion of union coverage hurts workers who aren’t in a union; research shows that when the share of workers who are union members falls, wages of nonunion workers are lower. For example, wages of nonunion male workers in 2013 would have been 5 percent higher (that’s an additional $2,704 in earnings for year-round workers) had union density remained at its 1979 levels. The decline in union membership rates does not reflect a declining desire to organize in the workplace and collectively bargain. In fact, surveys show that nearly half of nonunion, nonmanagerial workers would vote for union representation if they could. Furthermore, a majority of Americans support the right of workers to join a union."
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Trump on Parkland: “I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-parkland-id-run-there-even-if-i-didnt-have-weapon
"Donald Trump was a multiple-deferment draft dodger, claiming “bone spurs” kept him from serving heroically in the military. Decades later, the president divides much of his time between watching television and playing golf. But in Trump’s mind, he’s effectively an action star. We’re supposed to believe the 71-year-old president when he boasts to a room full of people that he’d run into a mass-shooting crisis, where he’d confront a teen armed with an assault rifle, carrying with him nothing but his wits and his bare hands. Obviously, it’s difficult to take such delusions of grandeur seriously, but I wonder, do Trump’s loyalists actually believe such boasts? Do the president’s supporters in uniform find such ridiculous chest-thumping compelling? How is it, exactly, that Trump’s toughness never emerges when it matters, but he’s eager to tell us how tough he is when his boasts cannot be tested and come with no consequences?"
"Donald Trump was a multiple-deferment draft dodger, claiming “bone spurs” kept him from serving heroically in the military. Decades later, the president divides much of his time between watching television and playing golf. But in Trump’s mind, he’s effectively an action star. We’re supposed to believe the 71-year-old president when he boasts to a room full of people that he’d run into a mass-shooting crisis, where he’d confront a teen armed with an assault rifle, carrying with him nothing but his wits and his bare hands. Obviously, it’s difficult to take such delusions of grandeur seriously, but I wonder, do Trump’s loyalists actually believe such boasts? Do the president’s supporters in uniform find such ridiculous chest-thumping compelling? How is it, exactly, that Trump’s toughness never emerges when it matters, but he’s eager to tell us how tough he is when his boasts cannot be tested and come with no consequences?"
A Democratic governor confronted Trump on arming teachers and Trump was not happy
https://thinkprogress.org/jay-inslee-donald-trump-arming-teachers-612582a8ccaa/
"During an event at the White House on Monday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) challenged President Trump on his plan to arm teachers — to his face. And the president was visibly not happy about it."
"During an event at the White House on Monday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) challenged President Trump on his plan to arm teachers — to his face. And the president was visibly not happy about it."
Trump (aka Cadet Bone Spurs) Brags: "I'd Run in There Even If I Didn't Have Weapon"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/02/26/trump-aka-cadet-bone-spurs-brags-id-run-there-even-if-i-didnt-have-weapon
"President Donald Trump, who famously ducked the draft during the Vietnam War by receiving multiple medical deferments, bragged on Monday that if he was given the opportunity to stop a school shooting he would do so even if he was unarmed. "You don't know until you're tested, but I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon," the president announced during remarks at a luncheon with state governors at the White House."
"President Donald Trump, who famously ducked the draft during the Vietnam War by receiving multiple medical deferments, bragged on Monday that if he was given the opportunity to stop a school shooting he would do so even if he was unarmed. "You don't know until you're tested, but I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon," the president announced during remarks at a luncheon with state governors at the White House."
Trump is tearing up the system that protects ordinary Americans from financial scams
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/26/17008864/trump-cfpb-mulvaney-investor-consumer-protections
"Donald Trump ran for office promising to protect the “forgotten man and woman” and to Make America Great Again for Americans who feel left behind. “It’s not just the political system that’s rigged, it’s the whole economy,” he told supporters during a 2016 speech on the campaign trail. But now in office, Trump isn’t doing much to “un-rig” the system. His administration has systematically dismantled consumer protections for ordinary Americans and compromised protections for everyday investors as well. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the guide of interim director Mick Mulvaney has moved to rein in many of the consumer protection and enforcement actions taken by his predecessor, Richard Cordray. The bureau has dropped cases against predatory payday lenders, reportedly rolled back its investigation of the Equifax data breach, and reformulated its mission to scale back its reach. Federal regulators in September released AIG from special government oversight mandated after the financial crisis and set aside a legal fight with MetLife. Enforcement actions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodities Futures Trading Commission, Wall Street’s top regulators, have declined, meaning they appear to be going after fewer bad actors and imposing less fines. Mulvaney over at the CFPB hasn’t taken any enforcement actions since taking over at the CFPB in November. “The top line is that the Trump administration is probably the most anti-investor and consumer protection administration in decades, if not ever,” said Dennis Kelleher, president and CEO of Better Markets, a watchdog group that advocates for stricter financial regulations. “It’s hard not to concede that investor and consumer protections are not a priority for this administration"."
"Donald Trump ran for office promising to protect the “forgotten man and woman” and to Make America Great Again for Americans who feel left behind. “It’s not just the political system that’s rigged, it’s the whole economy,” he told supporters during a 2016 speech on the campaign trail. But now in office, Trump isn’t doing much to “un-rig” the system. His administration has systematically dismantled consumer protections for ordinary Americans and compromised protections for everyday investors as well. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the guide of interim director Mick Mulvaney has moved to rein in many of the consumer protection and enforcement actions taken by his predecessor, Richard Cordray. The bureau has dropped cases against predatory payday lenders, reportedly rolled back its investigation of the Equifax data breach, and reformulated its mission to scale back its reach. Federal regulators in September released AIG from special government oversight mandated after the financial crisis and set aside a legal fight with MetLife. Enforcement actions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodities Futures Trading Commission, Wall Street’s top regulators, have declined, meaning they appear to be going after fewer bad actors and imposing less fines. Mulvaney over at the CFPB hasn’t taken any enforcement actions since taking over at the CFPB in November. “The top line is that the Trump administration is probably the most anti-investor and consumer protection administration in decades, if not ever,” said Dennis Kelleher, president and CEO of Better Markets, a watchdog group that advocates for stricter financial regulations. “It’s hard not to concede that investor and consumer protections are not a priority for this administration"."
Trump’s EPA head says his proudest moment was undermining a landmark environmental pact
https://thinkprogress.org/scott-pruitt-proud-achievements-a90d84d4ae20/
"Pruitt cited President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement as the proudest moment in his first year as EPA administrator. Any other EPA administrator — aside from President Ronald Reagan’s controversial EPA chief Anne Gorsuch Burford — would have used this softball question to highlight an actual environmental achievement. But Pruitt views his mission as doing whatever it takes to weaken the EPA in the shortest time possible."
"Pruitt cited President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement as the proudest moment in his first year as EPA administrator. Any other EPA administrator — aside from President Ronald Reagan’s controversial EPA chief Anne Gorsuch Burford — would have used this softball question to highlight an actual environmental achievement. But Pruitt views his mission as doing whatever it takes to weaken the EPA in the shortest time possible."
Donald Trump’s CPAC speech is a reminder that he’s not really in charge of his White House
https://www.vox.com/2018/2/23/17044770/trump-cpac-2018-speech
"Whether it’s because he’s a liar or just because he’s ineffectual, this rhetoric has nothing to do with the actual conduct of the Trump administration."
"Whether it’s because he’s a liar or just because he’s ineffectual, this rhetoric has nothing to do with the actual conduct of the Trump administration."
The Worst News For Trump Yet - Mueller Researching Manafort's Russia Ties
The Worst News For Trump Yet - Mueller Researching Manafort's Russia Ties:
"And watch the video to the end if you don't know that Manafort moved money through Bank of Cyprus which had Trump's Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on the board, etc. etc. etc."
"And watch the video to the end if you don't know that Manafort moved money through Bank of Cyprus which had Trump's Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross on the board, etc. etc. etc."
The Trump Administration’s War on Workers
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/02/19/trump-administrations-war-workers
"When Donald Trump was running for the presidency, he promised that, if he was elected, “American worker[s] will finally have a president who will protect them and fight for them.” Today, though, safely ensconced in the White House, President Trump is waging a fierce campaign against American workers His appointments to federal positions created to defend workers’ rights provide an indication of his priorities. For Secretary of Labor, Trump nominated Andrew Puzder, the CEO of a major fast food chain. When Puzder’s nomination was withdrawn amid allegations of labor law violations, Trump turned to Alexander Acosta, a figure with a long history of aligning with rightwing and corporate interests. As the new Labor Secretary, Acosta served as one of the stars at the annual gathering of the militantly anti-labor American Legislative Exchange Council. For Deputy Secretary of Labor, Trump chose Patrick Pizzella, a former employee of the rabidly anti-union National Right to Work Committee who had lobbied against raising sweatshop-level wages. Other administration appointments had the same orientation. For Assistant Secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Trump nominated David Zatezalo, a former CEO of a coal mining operation with serious mining violations. The Trump administration also took control of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by appointing members with a record of opposing workers’ right to organize. Furthermore, Trump helped ensure an unsympathetic hearing for American workers in the courts by appointing new federal judges known for their deeply-ingrained rightwing views. Assisted by these and other pro-corporate officials, the administration quickly attacked worker health and safety provisions."
"When Donald Trump was running for the presidency, he promised that, if he was elected, “American worker[s] will finally have a president who will protect them and fight for them.” Today, though, safely ensconced in the White House, President Trump is waging a fierce campaign against American workers His appointments to federal positions created to defend workers’ rights provide an indication of his priorities. For Secretary of Labor, Trump nominated Andrew Puzder, the CEO of a major fast food chain. When Puzder’s nomination was withdrawn amid allegations of labor law violations, Trump turned to Alexander Acosta, a figure with a long history of aligning with rightwing and corporate interests. As the new Labor Secretary, Acosta served as one of the stars at the annual gathering of the militantly anti-labor American Legislative Exchange Council. For Deputy Secretary of Labor, Trump chose Patrick Pizzella, a former employee of the rabidly anti-union National Right to Work Committee who had lobbied against raising sweatshop-level wages. Other administration appointments had the same orientation. For Assistant Secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Trump nominated David Zatezalo, a former CEO of a coal mining operation with serious mining violations. The Trump administration also took control of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by appointing members with a record of opposing workers’ right to organize. Furthermore, Trump helped ensure an unsympathetic hearing for American workers in the courts by appointing new federal judges known for their deeply-ingrained rightwing views. Assisted by these and other pro-corporate officials, the administration quickly attacked worker health and safety provisions."
Mueller Just Made Many More People Much More Nervous
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a18369045/mueller-indictments-lawyers/
"It’s pretty much assured that Manafort is securely on a spit right now and that this latest indictment is just another slow turn over the fire. And Manafort is the man who knows all the secrets. One plea at a time, Mueller is establishing that the president* is inherently corrupt and that his candidacy and election were just two unusually successful operations in a continuing criminal enterprise."
"It’s pretty much assured that Manafort is securely on a spit right now and that this latest indictment is just another slow turn over the fire. And Manafort is the man who knows all the secrets. One plea at a time, Mueller is establishing that the president* is inherently corrupt and that his candidacy and election were just two unusually successful operations in a continuing criminal enterprise."
It’s Been One Year of Amazing Scott Pruitt Accomplishments, All of Them Horrible
https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/02/its-been-one-year-of-amazing-scott-pruitt-accomplishments-all-of-them-horrible/
"It’s been one year since Scott Pruitt took control of the Environmental Protection Agency. In that time, he’s undermined dozens of regulations on air and water pollution, made major cuts to agency staff, and curtailed enforcement of environmental rules. Here’s a look at his disturbing record so far"
"It’s been one year since Scott Pruitt took control of the Environmental Protection Agency. In that time, he’s undermined dozens of regulations on air and water pollution, made major cuts to agency staff, and curtailed enforcement of environmental rules. Here’s a look at his disturbing record so far"
Why Are More Cities Divesting From Big Oil? It's Moral -- and Practical
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/43588-why-are-more-cities-divesting-from-big-oil-it-s-moral-and-practical
"The global financial and insurance industries are starting to recognize that fossil fuel investments don't make moral or economic sense."
"The global financial and insurance industries are starting to recognize that fossil fuel investments don't make moral or economic sense."
Razing Arizona: Republican lawmakers assault independent redistricting commission—AGAIN
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/20/1741796/-Razing-Arizona-Republican-lawmakers-assault-independent-redistricting-commission-AGAIN
"If there’s one thing Arizona Republicans LOVE to hate, it’s their state’s Independent Redistricting Commission. After years of trying to control it and impeach its members and even have it declared unconstitutional, they’re attacking it it yet again. This time, they’re attempting to undermine both the commission’s independent nature and bring both it and the maps it draws under the legislature’s control."
"If there’s one thing Arizona Republicans LOVE to hate, it’s their state’s Independent Redistricting Commission. After years of trying to control it and impeach its members and even have it declared unconstitutional, they’re attacking it it yet again. This time, they’re attempting to undermine both the commission’s independent nature and bring both it and the maps it draws under the legislature’s control."
Allies abroad urged to ignore Trump’s intemperate tweets
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/allies-abroad-urged-ignore-trumps-intemperate-tweets
"During a tour of Latin America last summer, Vice President Mike Pence boasted that the world recognizes Donald Trump as “a leader who says what he means and means what he says.” It’s a nice sentiment, which was wholly at odds with reality. I’m not just referring to the Republican president’s penchant for breathtaking dishonesty; I’m also referring to the fact that the world has learned no such thing. In fact, the Washington Post reported over the weekend that U.S. policymakers continue to travel abroad and assure allies that Trump’s bizarre messages are better left ignored. Amid global anxiety about President Trump’s approach to world affairs, U.S. officials had a message for a gathering of Europe’s foreign policy elite this weekend: Pay no attention to the man tweeting behind the curtain. U.S. lawmakers – both Democrats and Republicans – and top national security officials in the Trump administration offered the same advice publicly and privately, often clashing with Trump’s Twitter stream: The United States remains staunchly committed to its European allies, is furious with the Kremlin about election interference and isn’t contemplating a preemptive strike on North Korea to halt its nuclear program. Or put another way, the position of the United States on key international issues is not what the president of the United States says it is. The result, predictably, is widespread confusion. Even our European allies aren’t sure whether to believe the words that come directly from Trump or the reassurances from U.S. officials who insist Trump’s rhetoric is better left ignored."
"During a tour of Latin America last summer, Vice President Mike Pence boasted that the world recognizes Donald Trump as “a leader who says what he means and means what he says.” It’s a nice sentiment, which was wholly at odds with reality. I’m not just referring to the Republican president’s penchant for breathtaking dishonesty; I’m also referring to the fact that the world has learned no such thing. In fact, the Washington Post reported over the weekend that U.S. policymakers continue to travel abroad and assure allies that Trump’s bizarre messages are better left ignored. Amid global anxiety about President Trump’s approach to world affairs, U.S. officials had a message for a gathering of Europe’s foreign policy elite this weekend: Pay no attention to the man tweeting behind the curtain. U.S. lawmakers – both Democrats and Republicans – and top national security officials in the Trump administration offered the same advice publicly and privately, often clashing with Trump’s Twitter stream: The United States remains staunchly committed to its European allies, is furious with the Kremlin about election interference and isn’t contemplating a preemptive strike on North Korea to halt its nuclear program. Or put another way, the position of the United States on key international issues is not what the president of the United States says it is. The result, predictably, is widespread confusion. Even our European allies aren’t sure whether to believe the words that come directly from Trump or the reassurances from U.S. officials who insist Trump’s rhetoric is better left ignored."
Despite reality, Trump insists he’s been ‘tough’ on Russia
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/despite-reality-trump-insists-hes-been-tough-russia
"Hmm. The president wants us to “just look at the facts.” Perhaps that’s a good idea. It’s a fact, for example, that Trump hasn’t implemented congressionally approved sanctions punishing Russia for its attack on American elections. Similarly, it’s a fact that Trump not only has failed to criticize Russia for the attack, he’s also endorsed Vladimir Putin’s denials of responsibility. It’s a fact that when the Russian government moved against U.S. diplomats, Trump thanked Putin. It’s a fact that when Congress approved sanctions against Russia, Trump blamed American lawmakers, not Putin, for undermining relations between the two countries. It’s a fact that Trump has repeatedly and publicly praised Putin’s authoritarian leadership style. It’s a fact that Trump’s political operation weakened the Republican Party’s platform in ways that made Moscow happy. It’s a fact that three weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Trump complained that Hillary Clinton was being too “tough” on Putin. It’s a fact that Trump welcomed Russian officials in the Oval Office, at Putin’s request, and during the chat, the American president shared highly sensitive, classified information with his Russian guests in exchange for nothing. It’s also a fact that Barack Obama, after the 2016 election, imposed tough sanctions on Russia – sanctions that Trump’s incoming White House national security advisor told Russian officials not to worry about. (Trump’s aide later lied to the FBI about the conversations.) So, when Trump says he’s “been much tougher on Russia than Obama,” we’re left with two possibilities: (1) Trump is lying; or (2) Trump is confused about the meaning of “tough"."
"Hmm. The president wants us to “just look at the facts.” Perhaps that’s a good idea. It’s a fact, for example, that Trump hasn’t implemented congressionally approved sanctions punishing Russia for its attack on American elections. Similarly, it’s a fact that Trump not only has failed to criticize Russia for the attack, he’s also endorsed Vladimir Putin’s denials of responsibility. It’s a fact that when the Russian government moved against U.S. diplomats, Trump thanked Putin. It’s a fact that when Congress approved sanctions against Russia, Trump blamed American lawmakers, not Putin, for undermining relations between the two countries. It’s a fact that Trump has repeatedly and publicly praised Putin’s authoritarian leadership style. It’s a fact that Trump’s political operation weakened the Republican Party’s platform in ways that made Moscow happy. It’s a fact that three weeks before the 2016 presidential election, Trump complained that Hillary Clinton was being too “tough” on Putin. It’s a fact that Trump welcomed Russian officials in the Oval Office, at Putin’s request, and during the chat, the American president shared highly sensitive, classified information with his Russian guests in exchange for nothing. It’s also a fact that Barack Obama, after the 2016 election, imposed tough sanctions on Russia – sanctions that Trump’s incoming White House national security advisor told Russian officials not to worry about. (Trump’s aide later lied to the FBI about the conversations.) So, when Trump says he’s “been much tougher on Russia than Obama,” we’re left with two possibilities: (1) Trump is lying; or (2) Trump is confused about the meaning of “tough"."
Mitt Romney said he wouldn’t accept an endorsement from Trump. Monday night, he did.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/20/17031658/mitt-romney-trump-endorsement
"Observers online were quick to point out that Romney’s thanks and endorsement acceptance is quite a turnaround, given that he was a prominent anti-Trump voice in the 2016 election. Romney conjectured that Trump was hiding a “bombshell of unusual size” in his tax returns and called him a “phony” and a “fraud"."
"Observers online were quick to point out that Romney’s thanks and endorsement acceptance is quite a turnaround, given that he was a prominent anti-Trump voice in the 2016 election. Romney conjectured that Trump was hiding a “bombshell of unusual size” in his tax returns and called him a “phony” and a “fraud"."
Mueller Corners Trump
Mueller Corners Trump:
"Trump and his family relied on massive bailouts of his failing business enterprises from Russian oligarchs close to the Kremlin. When he became a presidential candidate, the Russians treated him as an asset—a useful idiot, as Stalinists used to put it. And when the campaign finalists turned out to be Trump versus the hard-line Clinton, the Russians sought to destroy her and elect Trump. Trump, meanwhile, became the most pro-Russia president in U.S. history, refusing to breathe a word of criticism of Putin, behaving like the head of a client state. This much of the story is hidden in plain view. The details—Russian financing of Trump’s businesses, more campaign contacts—will be spelled out in further indictments. They will almost surely include members of Trump’s family. Mueller’s final report will look very much like a bill of impeachment. What’s astonishing is that this detailed report on Russian manipulation of a U.S. presidential election had to come from a special counsel. Under a normal administration, evidence of a foreign power meddling in a U.S. election would have prompted a presidential order for a full investigation, and retaliation. Instead, Trump mocked the whole idea and used his influence to block such inquiries by House and Senate panels, as well as resisting retaliation. Rather than looking deeply into Russian interference, the president redefined election integrity. He created a commission headed by Vice President Mike Pence and Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state best known for voter suppression, to investigate alleged voter fraud by immigrants and others not qualified to vote had helped Clinton win the national popular vote. This red herring was so preposterous that the commission collapsed of its own weight."
"Trump and his family relied on massive bailouts of his failing business enterprises from Russian oligarchs close to the Kremlin. When he became a presidential candidate, the Russians treated him as an asset—a useful idiot, as Stalinists used to put it. And when the campaign finalists turned out to be Trump versus the hard-line Clinton, the Russians sought to destroy her and elect Trump. Trump, meanwhile, became the most pro-Russia president in U.S. history, refusing to breathe a word of criticism of Putin, behaving like the head of a client state. This much of the story is hidden in plain view. The details—Russian financing of Trump’s businesses, more campaign contacts—will be spelled out in further indictments. They will almost surely include members of Trump’s family. Mueller’s final report will look very much like a bill of impeachment. What’s astonishing is that this detailed report on Russian manipulation of a U.S. presidential election had to come from a special counsel. Under a normal administration, evidence of a foreign power meddling in a U.S. election would have prompted a presidential order for a full investigation, and retaliation. Instead, Trump mocked the whole idea and used his influence to block such inquiries by House and Senate panels, as well as resisting retaliation. Rather than looking deeply into Russian interference, the president redefined election integrity. He created a commission headed by Vice President Mike Pence and Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state best known for voter suppression, to investigate alleged voter fraud by immigrants and others not qualified to vote had helped Clinton win the national popular vote. This red herring was so preposterous that the commission collapsed of its own weight."
Why Republicans and the US mainstream keep going in opposite directions
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/why-republicans-and-the-us-mainstream-keep-going-opposite-directions
"The public urged Republicans not to take away health care coverage from millions of Americans, and yet, GOP policymakers fought tooth and nail to do exactly that. The public then urged Republicans not to cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations, only to have GOP policymakers again do the opposite. The same is true when it comes to policies the American mainstream actually likes. The public wants new measures, such as expanded background checks, to prevent gun violence. The public also wants protections for Dreamers. Republicans who control the levers of power don’t want either of these things, and so these goals are likely to go unmet. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell makes the case today that it’s important to identify the nature of the problem with specificity. Dysfunctional Washington refuses to work out its differences to solve problems that matter to Americans. So say pundits and policy activists, perhaps hoping that diffuse criticism, rather than finger-pointing, will yield a government willing to govern. But the problem isn’t “Washington.” It isn’t “Congress,” either. The problem is elected officials from a single political party: the GOP. That seems more than fair. The next question is why Republican politicians, who ostensibly have to worry about the will of the electorate, are going in one direction while the American mainstream goes in another."
"The public urged Republicans not to take away health care coverage from millions of Americans, and yet, GOP policymakers fought tooth and nail to do exactly that. The public then urged Republicans not to cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations, only to have GOP policymakers again do the opposite. The same is true when it comes to policies the American mainstream actually likes. The public wants new measures, such as expanded background checks, to prevent gun violence. The public also wants protections for Dreamers. Republicans who control the levers of power don’t want either of these things, and so these goals are likely to go unmet. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell makes the case today that it’s important to identify the nature of the problem with specificity. Dysfunctional Washington refuses to work out its differences to solve problems that matter to Americans. So say pundits and policy activists, perhaps hoping that diffuse criticism, rather than finger-pointing, will yield a government willing to govern. But the problem isn’t “Washington.” It isn’t “Congress,” either. The problem is elected officials from a single political party: the GOP. That seems more than fair. The next question is why Republican politicians, who ostensibly have to worry about the will of the electorate, are going in one direction while the American mainstream goes in another."
The sophistication of Putin's trolls. And the Trump supporters who are fine with being duped
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/20/1742461/-The-sophistication-of-the-troll-farm-And-the-Trump-supporters-who-are-fine-with-being-duped
"the fact is, people like this were primed to believe falsehoods and to hate long before the Russians came along, by the Republican Party and the right-wing noise machine. The Russians are just taking advantage, to destroy America, and democracy."
"the fact is, people like this were primed to believe falsehoods and to hate long before the Russians came along, by the Republican Party and the right-wing noise machine. The Russians are just taking advantage, to destroy America, and democracy."
Trump helps put the spotlight back on his women accusers
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-helps-put-the-spotlight-back-his-women-accusers
"During the 2016 presidential campaign, a recording emerged of Donald Trump bragging years earlier about committing sexual assaults. The Republican said, among other things, that he kisses women he considers attractive – “I don’t even wait,” Trump claimed at the time – which he said he can get away with because of his public profile. “When you’re a star, they let you do it,” Trump said on the recording. “You can do anything. Grab ‘em by the p—y.” When the Republican denied ever having done what he’d bragged about doing, 19 women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Trump dismissed his accusers as liars and vowed to sue them. While he never followed through, one of the women is now suing Trump."
"During the 2016 presidential campaign, a recording emerged of Donald Trump bragging years earlier about committing sexual assaults. The Republican said, among other things, that he kisses women he considers attractive – “I don’t even wait,” Trump claimed at the time – which he said he can get away with because of his public profile. “When you’re a star, they let you do it,” Trump said on the recording. “You can do anything. Grab ‘em by the p—y.” When the Republican denied ever having done what he’d bragged about doing, 19 women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct. Trump dismissed his accusers as liars and vowed to sue them. While he never followed through, one of the women is now suing Trump."
America Is Under Attack and the President Doesn't Care
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/america-is-under-attack-and-the-president-doesnt-care/553667/
"The Russian attack in 2016 worked, yielding dividends beyond Vladimir Putin’s wildest hopes. The Russians hoped to cast a shadow over the Clinton presidency. Instead, they outright elected their preferred candidate. Americans once thought it was a big deal that Alger Hiss rose to serve as acting temporary secretary general of the United Nations. This time, a Russian-backed individual was installed in the Oval Office. From that position of power, Trump has systematically attempted to shut down investigations of the foreign-espionage operation that operated on his behalf. He fired the director of the FBI to shut it down. His White House coordinated with the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee to misdirect the investigation. He mobilized the speaker of the House to thwart bipartisan investigations under broadly respected leadership. He has inspired, supported, and joined a national propaganda campaign against the Mueller investigation. And all the while, Trump has done nothing—literally nothing—to harden the nation’s voting systems against follow-on Russian operations. On Sunday, he publicly repudiated his own national-security adviser for acknowledging at the Munich Security Conference the most incontrovertible basics of what happened in 2016. It’s worth thinking about what a patriotic president would have done in Trump’s situation."
"The Russian attack in 2016 worked, yielding dividends beyond Vladimir Putin’s wildest hopes. The Russians hoped to cast a shadow over the Clinton presidency. Instead, they outright elected their preferred candidate. Americans once thought it was a big deal that Alger Hiss rose to serve as acting temporary secretary general of the United Nations. This time, a Russian-backed individual was installed in the Oval Office. From that position of power, Trump has systematically attempted to shut down investigations of the foreign-espionage operation that operated on his behalf. He fired the director of the FBI to shut it down. His White House coordinated with the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee to misdirect the investigation. He mobilized the speaker of the House to thwart bipartisan investigations under broadly respected leadership. He has inspired, supported, and joined a national propaganda campaign against the Mueller investigation. And all the while, Trump has done nothing—literally nothing—to harden the nation’s voting systems against follow-on Russian operations. On Sunday, he publicly repudiated his own national-security adviser for acknowledging at the Munich Security Conference the most incontrovertible basics of what happened in 2016. It’s worth thinking about what a patriotic president would have done in Trump’s situation."
It’s Clear: Donald Trump Welcomes Russia’s Subversion of Our Democracy
https://www.thedailybeast.com/its-clear-donald-trump-welcomes-russias-subversion-of-our-democracy?ref=home
"Trump still promotes divisive anti-American propaganda messaging from the Kremlin, and continues to cover for Putin by misleading Americans about Russian interference. He has also worked to undermine new sanctions on Putin and his co-conspirators, months after begrudgingly signing them into law. If the past two years have taught us anything about Trump, it’s that the conventions of our Republic are of little value to him and quickly discarded when they impede his pursuit of power and wealth. Regardless, they remain critical to our freedom and we must be united in defending them."
"Trump still promotes divisive anti-American propaganda messaging from the Kremlin, and continues to cover for Putin by misleading Americans about Russian interference. He has also worked to undermine new sanctions on Putin and his co-conspirators, months after begrudgingly signing them into law. If the past two years have taught us anything about Trump, it’s that the conventions of our Republic are of little value to him and quickly discarded when they impede his pursuit of power and wealth. Regardless, they remain critical to our freedom and we must be united in defending them."
EPA head’s woes just keep coming
https://thinkprogress.org/pruitt-israel-budget-travel-d7b69e4a88f4/
"The cancellation comes after a series of scandals and controversies surrounding Pruitt and his agency. Last week, the Washington Post reported that Pruitt had spent nearly $100,000 on first class and business travel last June, days after the White House withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement and all in his official capacity working for the federal government. That amount, obtained through months of receipts by the Environmental Integrity Project under the Freedom of Information Act, includes a $1641.43 first class seat from New York City to Washington, D.C. — a ticket six times more expensive than the seats purchased for two media aides who accompanied Pruitt. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Pruitt spent more than $107,000 on first class airfare and charted flights during the first six months of his tenure alone. That amount includes a $14,434 ticket for a charted EPA staff domestic flight, in addition to a Morocco trip to promote natural gas exports, something the EPA is not tasked with overseeing."
"The cancellation comes after a series of scandals and controversies surrounding Pruitt and his agency. Last week, the Washington Post reported that Pruitt had spent nearly $100,000 on first class and business travel last June, days after the White House withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement and all in his official capacity working for the federal government. That amount, obtained through months of receipts by the Environmental Integrity Project under the Freedom of Information Act, includes a $1641.43 first class seat from New York City to Washington, D.C. — a ticket six times more expensive than the seats purchased for two media aides who accompanied Pruitt. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Pruitt spent more than $107,000 on first class airfare and charted flights during the first six months of his tenure alone. That amount includes a $14,434 ticket for a charted EPA staff domestic flight, in addition to a Morocco trip to promote natural gas exports, something the EPA is not tasked with overseeing."
Donald Trump, a Playboy Model, and a System for Concealing Infidelity
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/donald-trump-a-playboy-model-and-a-system-for-concealing-infidelity-national-enquirer-karen-mcdougal
"One woman’s account of clandestine meetings, financial transactions, and legal pacts designed to hide an extramarital affair."
"One woman’s account of clandestine meetings, financial transactions, and legal pacts designed to hide an extramarital affair."
After indictments, Trump lashes out wildly (but not at Russia)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/after-indictments-trump-lashes-out-wildly-not-russia
"The avalanche of bizarre tweets included all kinds of easily discredited falsehoods. What they did not include was (1) any acknowledgement of the fact that Russian operatives took steps to elect him; (2) any concern about the foreign attack on the United States; (3) any evidence that Russia should expect consequences for its crimes; or (4) any assurances that Trump intends to prevent similar attacks in the future. Indeed, the indictments came just a couple of days after the leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies told Congress that they fully expect Russia to try the same tactics again in 2018 and 2020 – though Trump hasn’t specifically directed them to mobilize in preparation for this likelihood. When it comes to congressional Democrats, American news organizations, Barack Obama, the FBI, Oprah, and federal scrutiny of the scandal, we see Donald Trump’s fury. When it comes to our Russian attackers, we see Donald Trump’s passivity. Confronted with powerful evidence of a foreign adversary launching a years-long intelligence operation to undermine our political system, the American president seems oddly detached, indifferent to the intervention, aside from petty efforts to spin the story as some kind of personal validation."
"The avalanche of bizarre tweets included all kinds of easily discredited falsehoods. What they did not include was (1) any acknowledgement of the fact that Russian operatives took steps to elect him; (2) any concern about the foreign attack on the United States; (3) any evidence that Russia should expect consequences for its crimes; or (4) any assurances that Trump intends to prevent similar attacks in the future. Indeed, the indictments came just a couple of days after the leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies told Congress that they fully expect Russia to try the same tactics again in 2018 and 2020 – though Trump hasn’t specifically directed them to mobilize in preparation for this likelihood. When it comes to congressional Democrats, American news organizations, Barack Obama, the FBI, Oprah, and federal scrutiny of the scandal, we see Donald Trump’s fury. When it comes to our Russian attackers, we see Donald Trump’s passivity. Confronted with powerful evidence of a foreign adversary launching a years-long intelligence operation to undermine our political system, the American president seems oddly detached, indifferent to the intervention, aside from petty efforts to spin the story as some kind of personal validation."
Trump budget would undo gains from conservation programs on farms and ranches
Trump budget would undo gains from conservation programs on farms and ranches:
"These programs affect about 50 million acres of land nationwide. They conserve millions of acres of wildlife habitat and provide ecological services such as improved water quality, erosion control and enhanced soil health that are worth billions of dollars."
"These programs affect about 50 million acres of land nationwide. They conserve millions of acres of wildlife habitat and provide ecological services such as improved water quality, erosion control and enhanced soil health that are worth billions of dollars."
Kentucky lawmaker borrows analogy from Koch-funded group to gain support for anti-solar bill
https://thinkprogress.org/kentucky-lawmaker-steals-alec-analogy-100343737a3d/
"A Kentucky state lawmaker borrowed from a Koch-funded group’s playbook in a recent speech arguing against renewable energy. Delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives last week Kentucky Rep. Jim Gooch (R) hoped to garner support for legislation, backed by the state’s large electric utility monopolies, that would drastically slow growth in the state’s fledgling rooftop solar sector. In the speech, Gooch, who introduced the legislation in late January, used an unusual analogy that he borrowed from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing group described as a “corporate bill mill” by its critics. The Koch-funded ALEC drafts model legislation that is primarily aimed at maximizing corporate profits and abridging the rights and freedom of ordinary Americans."
"A Kentucky state lawmaker borrowed from a Koch-funded group’s playbook in a recent speech arguing against renewable energy. Delivering a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives last week Kentucky Rep. Jim Gooch (R) hoped to garner support for legislation, backed by the state’s large electric utility monopolies, that would drastically slow growth in the state’s fledgling rooftop solar sector. In the speech, Gooch, who introduced the legislation in late January, used an unusual analogy that he borrowed from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing group described as a “corporate bill mill” by its critics. The Koch-funded ALEC drafts model legislation that is primarily aimed at maximizing corporate profits and abridging the rights and freedom of ordinary Americans."
Last February, Trump signed a bill making it easier for people with mental illness to buy guns
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/15/17016036/trump-guns-mental-illness
"It did not attract a ton of attention at the time (nothing does these days) but about a year ago on February 28, 2017, Congress passed and Donald Trump signed a law revoking an Obama-era regulatory initiative that made it harder for people with mental illness to buy a gun."
"It did not attract a ton of attention at the time (nothing does these days) but about a year ago on February 28, 2017, Congress passed and Donald Trump signed a law revoking an Obama-era regulatory initiative that made it harder for people with mental illness to buy a gun."
After Parkland shooting, far-right media immediately starts pushing fake news
https://thinkprogress.org/after-parkland-far-right-media-starts-pushing-fake-news-c063120a8e48/
"This isn’t the first time that the Gateway Pundit has pushed fake, unsubstantiated rumors after a deadly shooting."
"This isn’t the first time that the Gateway Pundit has pushed fake, unsubstantiated rumors after a deadly shooting."
Exposing Our 'Populist' President as a Naked Plutocrat
Exposing Our 'Populist' President as a Naked Plutocrat:
"Even before he was sworn in last year, President Trump stripped off the populist garments he wore during his campaign and publicly bared his naked plutocratic essence by naming bankster Gary Cohn to be his top economic advisor. Wait... didn't candidate Trump promise working-class voters that he'd be Wall Street's worst nightmare, cracking down hard on greedy financial thieves whose scams and schemes are wrecking the middle class? Yes, but that was then. Now, President Trump has become Wall Street's wet dream. Cohn is one of five top economic officials our fake populist president brought into his government from just one of Wall Street's most abusive banks, Goldman Sachs. How many officials did he add to bring such legitimate voices as consumers, workers, and poor people to his policy making table? Zero. So, since if we don't have a seat at the table, we're on the menu! Sure enough, Trump and his crew of voracious corporate plutocrats are gorging themselves on new rules that further enrich America's already-rich elites at our expense. For example, they're reducing penalties for Wall Street fraud and gouging; eliminating the requirement that firms advising us on where to invest our savings have to act in our best interests, rather than their own; loosening the few protections we have against predatory lenders; raising the number of temporary, low-wage foreign workers that corporations can bring in to take our jobs; scrapping a rule requiring corporate giants to report their unequal pay to women; opening up Social Security to cuts and privatization; limiting fines on nursing home negligence that harm or even kill residents; eliminating funds for low-income heating and programs to protect kids from lead paint; repealing fracking rules that protect water and air quality; allowing for-profit, private colleges to gouge students; ending funding that provides legal services for poor people; and raising entrance fees at our national parks."
"Even before he was sworn in last year, President Trump stripped off the populist garments he wore during his campaign and publicly bared his naked plutocratic essence by naming bankster Gary Cohn to be his top economic advisor. Wait... didn't candidate Trump promise working-class voters that he'd be Wall Street's worst nightmare, cracking down hard on greedy financial thieves whose scams and schemes are wrecking the middle class? Yes, but that was then. Now, President Trump has become Wall Street's wet dream. Cohn is one of five top economic officials our fake populist president brought into his government from just one of Wall Street's most abusive banks, Goldman Sachs. How many officials did he add to bring such legitimate voices as consumers, workers, and poor people to his policy making table? Zero. So, since if we don't have a seat at the table, we're on the menu! Sure enough, Trump and his crew of voracious corporate plutocrats are gorging themselves on new rules that further enrich America's already-rich elites at our expense. For example, they're reducing penalties for Wall Street fraud and gouging; eliminating the requirement that firms advising us on where to invest our savings have to act in our best interests, rather than their own; loosening the few protections we have against predatory lenders; raising the number of temporary, low-wage foreign workers that corporations can bring in to take our jobs; scrapping a rule requiring corporate giants to report their unequal pay to women; opening up Social Security to cuts and privatization; limiting fines on nursing home negligence that harm or even kill residents; eliminating funds for low-income heating and programs to protect kids from lead paint; repealing fracking rules that protect water and air quality; allowing for-profit, private colleges to gouge students; ending funding that provides legal services for poor people; and raising entrance fees at our national parks."
'The Swamp' scored big time as businesses jockeyed to cash in on Trump's tax giveaway
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/12/1740729/--The-Swamp-scored-big-time-as-businesses-jockeyed-to-cash-in-on-Trump-s-tax-giveaway
"The nonprofit group Public Citizen found that upward of 5,000 lobbyists swarmed the Capitol to make sure their clients profited from the GOP’s tax rewrite. Unfortunately, any American taxpayer who isn’t a millionaire or billionaire didn't have much leverage as Republicans picked the winners and losers of their tax overhaul. So most American taxpayers came out losers in that negotiation. But not corporate America or the top 1 percent—they did just peachy."
"The nonprofit group Public Citizen found that upward of 5,000 lobbyists swarmed the Capitol to make sure their clients profited from the GOP’s tax rewrite. Unfortunately, any American taxpayer who isn’t a millionaire or billionaire didn't have much leverage as Republicans picked the winners and losers of their tax overhaul. So most American taxpayers came out losers in that negotiation. But not corporate America or the top 1 percent—they did just peachy."
Donald Trump, Fox News, and the logic of alternative facts
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/9/16991410/trump-fox-nunes-fbi-warner-texts
"This is the logic of alternative facts, which is a strategy of base mobilization rather than persuasion. You don’t need to win the argument. You don’t need to even have the facts. All you need is to offer your side an alternative story in which to believe, a story that makes you sound trustworthy and your enemies untrustworthy. And over the past week, Fox News and Donald Trump have done exactly that."
"This is the logic of alternative facts, which is a strategy of base mobilization rather than persuasion. You don’t need to win the argument. You don’t need to even have the facts. All you need is to offer your side an alternative story in which to believe, a story that makes you sound trustworthy and your enemies untrustworthy. And over the past week, Fox News and Donald Trump have done exactly that."
Trump ‘rarely if ever’ reads his daily intelligence briefing
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-rarely-if-ever-reads-his-daily-intelligence-briefing
"Intelligence professionals have gone to great lengths to accommodate the president’s toddler-like attention span, preparing reports “with lots of graphics and maps.” National Security Council officials have even learned that Trump is likely to stop reading important materials unless he sees his name, so they include his name in “as many paragraphs” as possible. It’s against this backdrop that the Washington Post had this remarkable report this morning: For much of the past year, President Trump has declined to participate in a practice followed by the past seven of his predecessors: He rarely if ever reads the President’s Daily Brief, a document that lays out the most pressing information collected by U.S. intelligence agencies from hot spots around the world. Trump has opted to rely on an oral briefing of select intelligence issues in the Oval Office rather than getting the full written document delivered to review separately each day, according to three people familiar with his briefings. Sometimes, a report can be both important and not surprising in the least. The article added that he made clear months ago that he’s “not interested in reviewing a personal copy of the written intelligence report known as the PDB, a highly classified summary prepared before dawn to provide the president with the best update on the world’s events.” The president’s reluctance to read the intelligence materials, the article went on to say, “could hamper his ability to respond to crises in the most effective manner, intelligence experts warned.” Well, yes, that makes sense. The trouble is, Trump has a lot of cable news to watch and golf to play, so we’ll all have to adjust our expectations accordingly."
"Intelligence professionals have gone to great lengths to accommodate the president’s toddler-like attention span, preparing reports “with lots of graphics and maps.” National Security Council officials have even learned that Trump is likely to stop reading important materials unless he sees his name, so they include his name in “as many paragraphs” as possible. It’s against this backdrop that the Washington Post had this remarkable report this morning: For much of the past year, President Trump has declined to participate in a practice followed by the past seven of his predecessors: He rarely if ever reads the President’s Daily Brief, a document that lays out the most pressing information collected by U.S. intelligence agencies from hot spots around the world. Trump has opted to rely on an oral briefing of select intelligence issues in the Oval Office rather than getting the full written document delivered to review separately each day, according to three people familiar with his briefings. Sometimes, a report can be both important and not surprising in the least. The article added that he made clear months ago that he’s “not interested in reviewing a personal copy of the written intelligence report known as the PDB, a highly classified summary prepared before dawn to provide the president with the best update on the world’s events.” The president’s reluctance to read the intelligence materials, the article went on to say, “could hamper his ability to respond to crises in the most effective manner, intelligence experts warned.” Well, yes, that makes sense. The trouble is, Trump has a lot of cable news to watch and golf to play, so we’ll all have to adjust our expectations accordingly."
Tea Party Leader and Trump Campaign Chairman Pleads Guilty to Prostituting Kids, plus Other Crimes
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/9/1740165/-Tea-Party-Leader-and-Trump-Campaign-Chairman-Pleads-Guilty-to-Prostituting-Kids-plus-Other-Crimes
"FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2018) – Today, Attorney General Andy Beshear announced that former Campbell County District Judge Timothy Nolan has pleaded guilty to numerous felony charges, including human trafficking of adults, promoting human trafficking of minors and unlawful transaction with minors. As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors from Beshear’s Special Prosecutions Division, Nolan pleaded guilty to 21 counts against 19 victims and prosecutors’ recommended sentences totaling 20 years in prison. Nolan will remain in custody at the Campbell County Detention Center pending his sentencing March 29, 2018, at 9 a.m. Nolan, 71, of California, Ky., a former local school board member, was originally charged in a criminal complaint by the Campbell County Police Department for crimes that occurred between 2010 and 2017. That complaint alleged that Nolan committed human trafficking with a minor by subjecting a child under age 18 to engaging in commercial sexual activity. He was later indicted on 28 felony counts and two misdemeanor counts."
"FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2018) – Today, Attorney General Andy Beshear announced that former Campbell County District Judge Timothy Nolan has pleaded guilty to numerous felony charges, including human trafficking of adults, promoting human trafficking of minors and unlawful transaction with minors. As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors from Beshear’s Special Prosecutions Division, Nolan pleaded guilty to 21 counts against 19 victims and prosecutors’ recommended sentences totaling 20 years in prison. Nolan will remain in custody at the Campbell County Detention Center pending his sentencing March 29, 2018, at 9 a.m. Nolan, 71, of California, Ky., a former local school board member, was originally charged in a criminal complaint by the Campbell County Police Department for crimes that occurred between 2010 and 2017. That complaint alleged that Nolan committed human trafficking with a minor by subjecting a child under age 18 to engaging in commercial sexual activity. He was later indicted on 28 felony counts and two misdemeanor counts."
The Republicans Have Made an Art of Shrinking Democracy, Gerrymandering a Case in Point
The Republicans Have Made an Art of Shrinking Democracy, Gerrymandering a Case in Point:
"Republican legislators have vigorously and successfully used underhanded tactics to gain majorities in statehouses and Congress, even when the majority of statewide votes are Democratic. Although the GOP employs many strategies to suppress non-white voting, its most successful tool has been gerrymandering. After the national Census, state legislatures are responsible for carving up state legislative and congressional districts. In 2010, the cast was set, according to a revealing article in Salon about the way in which Republicans worked to ensure a majority in most statehouses and in Congress: It [the redistricting strategy] proved more effective than any Republican dared dream. Republicans held the U.S. House in 2012, despite earning 1.4 million fewer votes than Democratic congressional candidates, and won large GOP majorities in the Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina state legislatures even when more voters backed Democrats. By diluting the Democratic vote in several districts, while drawing the district lines to include more Republicans, an artificial majority can be created that mocks democracy."
"Republican legislators have vigorously and successfully used underhanded tactics to gain majorities in statehouses and Congress, even when the majority of statewide votes are Democratic. Although the GOP employs many strategies to suppress non-white voting, its most successful tool has been gerrymandering. After the national Census, state legislatures are responsible for carving up state legislative and congressional districts. In 2010, the cast was set, according to a revealing article in Salon about the way in which Republicans worked to ensure a majority in most statehouses and in Congress: It [the redistricting strategy] proved more effective than any Republican dared dream. Republicans held the U.S. House in 2012, despite earning 1.4 million fewer votes than Democratic congressional candidates, and won large GOP majorities in the Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina state legislatures even when more voters backed Democrats. By diluting the Democratic vote in several districts, while drawing the district lines to include more Republicans, an artificial majority can be created that mocks democracy."
The Growing Danger of Ecosystem Collapse and Trump's War on Nature
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/43471-the-growing-danger-of-ecosystem-collapse-and-trump-s-war-on-nature
"At the very moment of frightening decline of planetary ecosystems and accelerating climate change, Trump, his regime and cohorts in Congress, have launched a scorched-earth campaign against the environment -- a war on nature. Trump and his ilk aren't like Nero fiddling as Rome burned; they're stoking the inferno with whole forests. They have purged climate change from government websites, while denying its existence. They've chastised scientists for raising the connections of last summer's hurricanes to warming oceans. Trump has ordered the Clean Power Plan scrapped, is moving to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement and has called for drastic cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget, especially targeting programs to deal with climate change. This administration loves fossil fuels and hates renewable energy so much it announced a plan on February 1 to cut research on renewables 72 percent. The EPA and Interior Department have been turned into shameless instruments of environmental destruction. Scientists and officials in the EPA, the Interior Department and the National Park Service have been forced out, let go, blocked from advising or have resigned in protest. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the last remaining truly pristine wilderness areas left on the planet, is now open for drilling, a provision snuck through in the Republican tax bill. Bears Ears and Grand-Escalante National Monuments -- with all their archaeological and cultural treasures, and particularly precious to Indigenous people -- have been gutted and eviscerated. Now Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, Trump and Republicans in Congress have their sights set on more monuments and national lands to pry open for extractive interests. In January, the regime declared almost all US coastal regions open for drilling. There is no regulation to protect land, water, air, wildlife or people's health that these eco-destroyers are bound to respect."
"At the very moment of frightening decline of planetary ecosystems and accelerating climate change, Trump, his regime and cohorts in Congress, have launched a scorched-earth campaign against the environment -- a war on nature. Trump and his ilk aren't like Nero fiddling as Rome burned; they're stoking the inferno with whole forests. They have purged climate change from government websites, while denying its existence. They've chastised scientists for raising the connections of last summer's hurricanes to warming oceans. Trump has ordered the Clean Power Plan scrapped, is moving to pull the US out of the Paris climate agreement and has called for drastic cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget, especially targeting programs to deal with climate change. This administration loves fossil fuels and hates renewable energy so much it announced a plan on February 1 to cut research on renewables 72 percent. The EPA and Interior Department have been turned into shameless instruments of environmental destruction. Scientists and officials in the EPA, the Interior Department and the National Park Service have been forced out, let go, blocked from advising or have resigned in protest. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the last remaining truly pristine wilderness areas left on the planet, is now open for drilling, a provision snuck through in the Republican tax bill. Bears Ears and Grand-Escalante National Monuments -- with all their archaeological and cultural treasures, and particularly precious to Indigenous people -- have been gutted and eviscerated. Now Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, Trump and Republicans in Congress have their sights set on more monuments and national lands to pry open for extractive interests. In January, the regime declared almost all US coastal regions open for drilling. There is no regulation to protect land, water, air, wildlife or people's health that these eco-destroyers are bound to respect."
If the Russians Got into Voting Machines, I Fear for the Republic
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a16758812/russia-hack-voting-machines-2016/
"We are inching ever closer to the revelation that the actual vote totals were hacked—some very smart people are already there, by the way—and, once that happens, I don’t know where we go from there. The Republican Party already has shown it will tolerate all manner of jacking around with the franchise in pursuit of power and its benefits for the Republican donor class."
"We are inching ever closer to the revelation that the actual vote totals were hacked—some very smart people are already there, by the way—and, once that happens, I don’t know where we go from there. The Republican Party already has shown it will tolerate all manner of jacking around with the franchise in pursuit of power and its benefits for the Republican donor class."
Retired major general torches 'wannabe banana republic strongman' Trump for military parade plan
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/7/1739486/-Retired-Major-General-torches-wannabe-banana-republic-strongman-Trump-for-military-parade-plan
"Major General (Ret) Paul Eton lit into Trump. Donald Trump has continually shown himself to have authoritarian tendencies, and this is just another worrisome example. For someone who just declared that it was ‘treasonous’ to not applaud him, and for someone who has, in the past, admired the tactics of everyone from Saddam Hussein to Vladmir Putin, it is clear that a military parade isn’t about saluting the military—it is about making a display of the military saluting him. The military is not Donald Trump’s to use and abuse this way. Our military is the very best in the world—they are not to be reduced to stagecraft to prop up Donald Trump’s image. Any commander in chief who respects the traditions of the military would understand that. Unfortunately, we do not have a commander in chief, right now, as much as we have a wannabe banana republic strongman."
"Major General (Ret) Paul Eton lit into Trump. Donald Trump has continually shown himself to have authoritarian tendencies, and this is just another worrisome example. For someone who just declared that it was ‘treasonous’ to not applaud him, and for someone who has, in the past, admired the tactics of everyone from Saddam Hussein to Vladmir Putin, it is clear that a military parade isn’t about saluting the military—it is about making a display of the military saluting him. The military is not Donald Trump’s to use and abuse this way. Our military is the very best in the world—they are not to be reduced to stagecraft to prop up Donald Trump’s image. Any commander in chief who respects the traditions of the military would understand that. Unfortunately, we do not have a commander in chief, right now, as much as we have a wannabe banana republic strongman."
WATCH: Putin opposition leader says he can show Paul Manafort’s links to the Kremlin
WATCH: Putin opposition leader says he can show Paul Manafort’s links to the Kremlin:
"Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, posted a video on Thursday claiming to prove ties between onetime Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reports. In the video, Navalny traces Manafort’s link to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, whom the opposition leader alleged acted as an intermediary between the former Trump associate and associates of Putin. Deripaska is the Russian metal tycoon who was offered “private briefings” by Manafort two weeks before then-candidate Trump secured the Republican nomination. Manafort had a $10 million annual contract with Deripaska before he was indicted on charges of money laundering and conspiracy as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation."
"Alexei Navalny, a fierce critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin, posted a video on Thursday claiming to prove ties between onetime Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reports. In the video, Navalny traces Manafort’s link to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, whom the opposition leader alleged acted as an intermediary between the former Trump associate and associates of Putin. Deripaska is the Russian metal tycoon who was offered “private briefings” by Manafort two weeks before then-candidate Trump secured the Republican nomination. Manafort had a $10 million annual contract with Deripaska before he was indicted on charges of money laundering and conspiracy as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation."
The Trump administration refused to enact election-related sanctions on Russia. Fox News barely covered it.
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/02/08/trump-administration-refused-enact-election-related-sanctions-russia-fox-news-barely-covered-it/219317
"Over the course of nine days, Fox News devoted less than 10 minutes to the news that President Donald Trump’s administration refused to enact sanctions on Russia, which Congress mandated last year with overwhelming bipartisan support in response to Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections."
"Over the course of nine days, Fox News devoted less than 10 minutes to the news that President Donald Trump’s administration refused to enact sanctions on Russia, which Congress mandated last year with overwhelming bipartisan support in response to Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections."
Jeff Sessions Says Marijuana Fuels the Opioid Epidemic. Study After Study Finds the Opposite.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/02/jeff-sessions-says-marijuana-fuels-the-opioid-epidemic-study-after-study-finds-the-opposite/
"The latest study, published by the RAND Corporation this week, found that states that allowed liberal access to marijuana through legally protected dispensaries saw reduced deaths from opioid overdoses. States that legalized the drug but didn’t allow dispensaries didn’t see the same pattern."
"The latest study, published by the RAND Corporation this week, found that states that allowed liberal access to marijuana through legally protected dispensaries saw reduced deaths from opioid overdoses. States that legalized the drug but didn’t allow dispensaries didn’t see the same pattern."
Rex Tillerson Says Russia Is Already Trying To Meddle In 2018 Midterms
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tillerson-russia-meddling-2018-midterms_us_5a7a9512e4b0d0ef3c0a9610?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"He said the U.S. is no more prepared now than it was before the 2016 presidential election to prevent Russian interference."
"He said the U.S. is no more prepared now than it was before the 2016 presidential election to prevent Russian interference."
Republicans Trying to Preserve Their Power Are Resorting to a Desperate New Strategy: Judicial Branch Coups @alternet
Republicans Trying to Preserve Their Power Are Resorting to a Desperate New Strategy: Judicial Branch Coups @alternet:
"There’s a larger pattern here that can also be seen in the attacks on law enforcement and the legal process in Washington by President Trump and his loyalists in Congress, who continue to impugn the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into the Trump campaign’s collusion with Russia. Constitutional boundaries long considered red lines not to be crossed—because they relate to the separation of powers, and governing checks and balances—are being breached. What’s emerging is a growing wave of attacks on the judiciary by hyper-partisan Republicans who feel the courts are impeding their power and agenda. The first signs of this dynamic may have been the refusal by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to consider President Obama’s final Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, during Obama’s last year in office. The latest drama to feature the prospect of a judicial coup—removing five of seven state Supreme Court justices—is in Pennsylvania. This is the only state in 2018 where court rulings on extreme Republican-led gerrymandering are poised to see new U.S. House districts created that would lead to fairer elections—and likely Democratic pickup of several seats. Last month was North Carolina. This month it’s Pennsylvania. Where the next GOP attack on the judiciary will come is an open question. But you can be sure it will come. When a political party is cornered and feeling desperate, it will resort to desperate measures like judicial coups."
"There’s a larger pattern here that can also be seen in the attacks on law enforcement and the legal process in Washington by President Trump and his loyalists in Congress, who continue to impugn the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into the Trump campaign’s collusion with Russia. Constitutional boundaries long considered red lines not to be crossed—because they relate to the separation of powers, and governing checks and balances—are being breached. What’s emerging is a growing wave of attacks on the judiciary by hyper-partisan Republicans who feel the courts are impeding their power and agenda. The first signs of this dynamic may have been the refusal by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to consider President Obama’s final Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, during Obama’s last year in office. The latest drama to feature the prospect of a judicial coup—removing five of seven state Supreme Court justices—is in Pennsylvania. This is the only state in 2018 where court rulings on extreme Republican-led gerrymandering are poised to see new U.S. House districts created that would lead to fairer elections—and likely Democratic pickup of several seats. Last month was North Carolina. This month it’s Pennsylvania. Where the next GOP attack on the judiciary will come is an open question. But you can be sure it will come. When a political party is cornered and feeling desperate, it will resort to desperate measures like judicial coups."
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