Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Trump talks through solemn military ceremony: “Are they playing that for you or me?”
https://www.salon.com/2017/10/12/trump-talks-through-solemn-military-ceremony-are-they-playing-that-for-you-or-me/
"As the president spoke to Hannity at an Air National Guard hangar in Middletown, Pennsylvania, the tune of "Retreat" was heard over the loudspeakers. The song is "part of a firmly rooted tradition that predates the American Revolutionary War; the US military tune signals the start and end of the official duty day," Task and Purpose reported. "When the American flag is lowered and raised on US military installations, a bugle blares on loudspeakers as service members and civilians pay their respects to the flag." The tune "Retreat" is played at 5 p.m. every day and "is traditionally a time to secure the flag and pay respect to what it stands for," according to the Defense Logistics Agency. Trump heard the song on Wednesday, and instead — like everything else — made it about himself. "What a nice sound that is," he said, before asking Hannity, "Are they playing that for you or for me?" But before Hannity could answer, Trump added, "They’re playing that in honor of his ratings. He’s beating everybody"."
"As the president spoke to Hannity at an Air National Guard hangar in Middletown, Pennsylvania, the tune of "Retreat" was heard over the loudspeakers. The song is "part of a firmly rooted tradition that predates the American Revolutionary War; the US military tune signals the start and end of the official duty day," Task and Purpose reported. "When the American flag is lowered and raised on US military installations, a bugle blares on loudspeakers as service members and civilians pay their respects to the flag." The tune "Retreat" is played at 5 p.m. every day and "is traditionally a time to secure the flag and pay respect to what it stands for," according to the Defense Logistics Agency. Trump heard the song on Wednesday, and instead — like everything else — made it about himself. "What a nice sound that is," he said, before asking Hannity, "Are they playing that for you or for me?" But before Hannity could answer, Trump added, "They’re playing that in honor of his ratings. He’s beating everybody"."
CNN’s Jake Tapper calls out Trump for trying to ‘make as much money as possible off the government’
CNN’s Jake Tapper calls out Trump for trying to ‘make as much money as possible off the government’
"CNN Money uncovered that the U.S. Secret Service has been forced to pay over $63,000 to stay at Mar-a-Lago while protecting President Donald Trump for just a few months. This is the “rack rate,” according to reporter Cristina Alesci, who spoke to Tapper Thursday. The agents weren’t given a government rate or any kind of “deal” since they were forced to be there to do their job. As a result, Trump is directly profiting off of his position and those tax dollars are flowing directly into his pocket. Tapper noted to his political panel that it “boggles the mind,” how it’s been able to happen. The report revealed that the majority of the money spent was between February and April, and classified as hotel costs on government expense forms. An August report from USA Today cited the budget of the Secret Service and sources claimed that they were “tapped out” because of the lavish costs of the Trump administration."
"CNN Money uncovered that the U.S. Secret Service has been forced to pay over $63,000 to stay at Mar-a-Lago while protecting President Donald Trump for just a few months. This is the “rack rate,” according to reporter Cristina Alesci, who spoke to Tapper Thursday. The agents weren’t given a government rate or any kind of “deal” since they were forced to be there to do their job. As a result, Trump is directly profiting off of his position and those tax dollars are flowing directly into his pocket. Tapper noted to his political panel that it “boggles the mind,” how it’s been able to happen. The report revealed that the majority of the money spent was between February and April, and classified as hotel costs on government expense forms. An August report from USA Today cited the budget of the Secret Service and sources claimed that they were “tapped out” because of the lavish costs of the Trump administration."
The Obamacare Repeal Back-Up Plan
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a12838399/trump-undermine-obamacare-markets/
"The sheer meanness of the calculations behind the effort to deprive millions of people of their health insurance, including the millions of people who found relief from this nightmare only in the past eight years, is hard for the decent mind to comprehend. On Thursday, the president* signed an order guaranteed to corrupt health insurance marketplaces all across the country, and that corruption will not be an unintended consequence. It will be a deliberate act of vandalism, like cutting a gas line into a house and waiting for the explosion that inevitably will occur. Trump and that pack o'bastards applauding him are the perps, giggling and sweating into their palms across the street, waiting for the detonation that will shatter so many lives."
"The sheer meanness of the calculations behind the effort to deprive millions of people of their health insurance, including the millions of people who found relief from this nightmare only in the past eight years, is hard for the decent mind to comprehend. On Thursday, the president* signed an order guaranteed to corrupt health insurance marketplaces all across the country, and that corruption will not be an unintended consequence. It will be a deliberate act of vandalism, like cutting a gas line into a house and waiting for the explosion that inevitably will occur. Trump and that pack o'bastards applauding him are the perps, giggling and sweating into their palms across the street, waiting for the detonation that will shatter so many lives."
After NFL kneeling controversy, Trump talks through Retreat bugle that honors military
http://www.newsweek.com/after-nfl-kneeling-controversy-trump-talks-through-retreat-bugle-honors-683058
"President Donald Trump is embroiled in a long-running verbal spat with NFL players over their kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice toward African-Americans. He has taken objection to their perceived disparagement of the star-and-striped flag, the national anthem and the military. But on Wednesday night, the president talked through the “Retreat” bugle, a military tradition that serves to honor soldiers and veterans. The president was speaking to one of his strongest supporters in the American media, Fox News’ Sean Hannity, at the Air National Guard in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Mid-interview the “Retreat’ anthem started to play, and while others have stopped in their tracks to salute, stand to attention or pay their respects for the bugle, Trump sat with Hannity and continued to speak throughout it. "What a nice sound that is," Trump said. "Are they playing that for you or for me?" "They're playing that in honor of his ratings,” he said, referring to Hannity. "He's beating everybody.” When it plays, soldiers stop and salute, and civilians place their hands on their hearts in a patriotic act observed by the military. But the president did neither for the sound that has served as a tradition since before the American Revolutionary War, in spite of his criticism of NFL players for protesting during the national anthem"
"President Donald Trump is embroiled in a long-running verbal spat with NFL players over their kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice toward African-Americans. He has taken objection to their perceived disparagement of the star-and-striped flag, the national anthem and the military. But on Wednesday night, the president talked through the “Retreat” bugle, a military tradition that serves to honor soldiers and veterans. The president was speaking to one of his strongest supporters in the American media, Fox News’ Sean Hannity, at the Air National Guard in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Mid-interview the “Retreat’ anthem started to play, and while others have stopped in their tracks to salute, stand to attention or pay their respects for the bugle, Trump sat with Hannity and continued to speak throughout it. "What a nice sound that is," Trump said. "Are they playing that for you or for me?" "They're playing that in honor of his ratings,” he said, referring to Hannity. "He's beating everybody.” When it plays, soldiers stop and salute, and civilians place their hands on their hearts in a patriotic act observed by the military. But the president did neither for the sound that has served as a tradition since before the American Revolutionary War, in spite of his criticism of NFL players for protesting during the national anthem"
Top Trump congressional ally being investigated for insider trading
Top Trump congressional ally being investigated for insider trading
"Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), who is one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent allies in Congress, is under investigation for insider trading. The Buffalo News reports that the Office of Congressional Ethics released a report on Thursday that concluded there was “substantial reason to believe” that Collins had broken federal law regarding insider trading."
"Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), who is one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent allies in Congress, is under investigation for insider trading. The Buffalo News reports that the Office of Congressional Ethics released a report on Thursday that concluded there was “substantial reason to believe” that Collins had broken federal law regarding insider trading."
Twitter Bots Distorted the 2016 Election—Including Many Likely From Russia
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/twitter-bots-distorted-the-2016-election-including-many-controlled-by-russia/
"The day Donald Trump was elected president, nearly 2,000 Twitter accounts that had pumped out pro-Trump messages in the run-up to the vote suddenly went dark. Then, in spring 2017, these bot-controlled accounts reemerged to campaign en français for Marine Le Pen in the French election, and then once again this fall, to tweet auf Deutsch on behalf of the far-right party in Germany’s election. The bots were part of a larger group tracked over a month-long period before the US election by University of Southern California researchers, who discovered that bots were deeply entwined in political conversation on Twitter—accounting for 1 in 5 election-related tweets."
"The day Donald Trump was elected president, nearly 2,000 Twitter accounts that had pumped out pro-Trump messages in the run-up to the vote suddenly went dark. Then, in spring 2017, these bot-controlled accounts reemerged to campaign en français for Marine Le Pen in the French election, and then once again this fall, to tweet auf Deutsch on behalf of the far-right party in Germany’s election. The bots were part of a larger group tracked over a month-long period before the US election by University of Southern California researchers, who discovered that bots were deeply entwined in political conversation on Twitter—accounting for 1 in 5 election-related tweets."
False Facebook groups created by Russia generated 340 Million views and shares
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/12/1706407/-False-Facebook-groups-created-by-Russia-generated-340-Million-views-and-shares
"Similarly the Facebook Group “Heart of Texas” was also a front group for Russia which was used to stoke anti-Muslim propaganda and foment a seccessionist anti-Clinton frenzy."
"Similarly the Facebook Group “Heart of Texas” was also a front group for Russia which was used to stoke anti-Muslim propaganda and foment a seccessionist anti-Clinton frenzy."
Deregulating AIG Was a Mistake
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/reports/2017/10/11/440570/deregulating-aig-mistake/
"The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), under the direction of Secretary of the Treasury and FSOC Chairman Steven Mnuchin, recently voted to deregulate American International Group (AIG) by removing its designation as a systemically important financial institution (SIFI)—basically declaring that the mega-insurer no longer warrants heightened scrutiny from regulators. The $500 billion international insurance giant received a $182 billion federal bailout during the global financial crisis of 2007 through 2008. While significantly smaller and less complex than it was at the height of the crisis, it is not fundamentally different than it was in 2013 when the FSOC determined that it was systemically important. That is why removing AIG’s SIFI designation—which comes with enhanced oversight and regulation by the Federal Reserve Board—is a serious mistake. The 6-3 vote to deregulate AIG pitted the Obama-era regulators on the FSOC representing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)—all of whom opposed this decision—against four President Donald Trump-appointed FSOC members who were joined by Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen and an independent FSOC member with insurance expertise. The vote to deregulate AIG was even more disturbing, given remarks made by AIG’s new CEO, Brian Duperreault, who said in May, “I didn’t come here to break the company up. I came here to grow it.” One of the many wake-up calls coming out of the global financial crisis was that systemic risks in the financial sector can build up outside of traditional banks. The failure or potential failure of massive, interconnected financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers and AIG demonstrated the need for enhanced regulations and oversight for systemically important, nonbank financial institutions."
"The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), under the direction of Secretary of the Treasury and FSOC Chairman Steven Mnuchin, recently voted to deregulate American International Group (AIG) by removing its designation as a systemically important financial institution (SIFI)—basically declaring that the mega-insurer no longer warrants heightened scrutiny from regulators. The $500 billion international insurance giant received a $182 billion federal bailout during the global financial crisis of 2007 through 2008. While significantly smaller and less complex than it was at the height of the crisis, it is not fundamentally different than it was in 2013 when the FSOC determined that it was systemically important. That is why removing AIG’s SIFI designation—which comes with enhanced oversight and regulation by the Federal Reserve Board—is a serious mistake. The 6-3 vote to deregulate AIG pitted the Obama-era regulators on the FSOC representing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)—all of whom opposed this decision—against four President Donald Trump-appointed FSOC members who were joined by Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen and an independent FSOC member with insurance expertise. The vote to deregulate AIG was even more disturbing, given remarks made by AIG’s new CEO, Brian Duperreault, who said in May, “I didn’t come here to break the company up. I came here to grow it.” One of the many wake-up calls coming out of the global financial crisis was that systemic risks in the financial sector can build up outside of traditional banks. The failure or potential failure of massive, interconnected financial institutions such as Lehman Brothers and AIG demonstrated the need for enhanced regulations and oversight for systemically important, nonbank financial institutions."
Conflicts of Interest? NOAA’s Nominees AccuWeather CEO Barry Myers, and Dr. Neil Jacobs of Panasonic
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/10/12/conflicts-interest-noaas-nominees-accuweather-ceo-barry-myers-and-dr-neil-jacobs
"Simply put, NOAA does a wide range of basic and applied scientific research to better understand our oceans and atmosphere, from deep sea exploration to space weather. (If you can’t imagine why we care about weather in space, you can find out how it can affect everything from satellites to cellphones!) NOAA’s research provides information to the public, policy makers, and other scientists in the US and around the world. NOAA scientists partner with a huge number of scientists in academia, industry, and private institutions in collaborative research in addition to providing critical long-term data series that no one else has the resources nor the mandate to collect and share with the public. So NOAA is a science agency, but its science is applied to create weather forecasts, manage fisheries, protect whales and other marine mammals, help states manage coastal areas, create charts, inform international negotiations on addressing the challenges of management of shared resources in the oceans and atmosphere, forecast tsunami risks, measure and monitor the ongoing process of climate change, and more. The leadership of the agency can impact all of us in one way or another. Care about severe weather and risks to your life and property? Better thank NOAA. Care about your favorite beach and whether it is eroding or will it be clean and safe? Better thank NOAA. Care about your farm and the coming growing season’s weather? Better thank NOAA. Or the fish you enjoy to catch or eat? Better thank NOAA."
"Simply put, NOAA does a wide range of basic and applied scientific research to better understand our oceans and atmosphere, from deep sea exploration to space weather. (If you can’t imagine why we care about weather in space, you can find out how it can affect everything from satellites to cellphones!) NOAA’s research provides information to the public, policy makers, and other scientists in the US and around the world. NOAA scientists partner with a huge number of scientists in academia, industry, and private institutions in collaborative research in addition to providing critical long-term data series that no one else has the resources nor the mandate to collect and share with the public. So NOAA is a science agency, but its science is applied to create weather forecasts, manage fisheries, protect whales and other marine mammals, help states manage coastal areas, create charts, inform international negotiations on addressing the challenges of management of shared resources in the oceans and atmosphere, forecast tsunami risks, measure and monitor the ongoing process of climate change, and more. The leadership of the agency can impact all of us in one way or another. Care about severe weather and risks to your life and property? Better thank NOAA. Care about your favorite beach and whether it is eroding or will it be clean and safe? Better thank NOAA. Care about your farm and the coming growing season’s weather? Better thank NOAA. Or the fish you enjoy to catch or eat? Better thank NOAA."
In embarrassing display, Trump flubs test on how money works
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/embarrassing-display-trump-flubs-test-how-money-works
"Before launching his presidential campaign, Donald Trump struggled throughout his adult life in his private-sector ventures. The New York Republican was often over-leveraged, faced multiple bankruptcies, and routinely tried to cut costs by refusing to pay contractors what they were owed. He’s one of those rare people who managed to lose money running a casino. With Trump now in the White House, we’re starting to get a better sense of why he had so many difficulties in the business world. As The Daily Beast noted, the president tried to argue last night that he’s already managed to shave off a huge chunk of the national debt. “The country – we took it over and owed over $20 trillion. As you know the last eight years, they borrowed more than it did in the whole history of our country. So they borrowed more than $10 trillion, right? And yet, we picked up $5.2 trillion just in the stock market,” Trump told Sean Hannity. “So you could say, in one sense, we’re really increasing values. And maybe in a sense, we’re reducing debt. But we’re very honored by it.” This wasn’t just some verbal gaffe. Yesterday afternoon in Harrisburg, during a speech on taxes, he pushed a related point: “Very proudly, just in the stock market alone, we have increased our economic worth by $5.2 trillion, that’s right, since Election Day. $5.2 trillion. Think about that, that’s a quarter of the $20 trillion that we owe.” This is gibberish. They’re the remarks of someone who doesn’t know what the national debt is. Or how the nation’s finances work. Or even how money works. Let’s try to make this plain. When the government spends more than it takes in over the course of a year, it runs an annual budget deficit. When this happens repeatedly over the course of several years, the cumulative totals of these deficits serves as the basis for the national debt. Currently, the national debt is, as Trump noted, about $20 trillion. This was, however, pretty much the only thing he got right."
"Before launching his presidential campaign, Donald Trump struggled throughout his adult life in his private-sector ventures. The New York Republican was often over-leveraged, faced multiple bankruptcies, and routinely tried to cut costs by refusing to pay contractors what they were owed. He’s one of those rare people who managed to lose money running a casino. With Trump now in the White House, we’re starting to get a better sense of why he had so many difficulties in the business world. As The Daily Beast noted, the president tried to argue last night that he’s already managed to shave off a huge chunk of the national debt. “The country – we took it over and owed over $20 trillion. As you know the last eight years, they borrowed more than it did in the whole history of our country. So they borrowed more than $10 trillion, right? And yet, we picked up $5.2 trillion just in the stock market,” Trump told Sean Hannity. “So you could say, in one sense, we’re really increasing values. And maybe in a sense, we’re reducing debt. But we’re very honored by it.” This wasn’t just some verbal gaffe. Yesterday afternoon in Harrisburg, during a speech on taxes, he pushed a related point: “Very proudly, just in the stock market alone, we have increased our economic worth by $5.2 trillion, that’s right, since Election Day. $5.2 trillion. Think about that, that’s a quarter of the $20 trillion that we owe.” This is gibberish. They’re the remarks of someone who doesn’t know what the national debt is. Or how the nation’s finances work. Or even how money works. Let’s try to make this plain. When the government spends more than it takes in over the course of a year, it runs an annual budget deficit. When this happens repeatedly over the course of several years, the cumulative totals of these deficits serves as the basis for the national debt. Currently, the national debt is, as Trump noted, about $20 trillion. This was, however, pretty much the only thing he got right."
Is Trump dragging his feet on Russian sanctions?
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-dragging-his-feet-russian-sanctions
"It was one of the more embarrassing failures of Trump’s presidency to date. As lawmakers prepared new sanctions against Russia in response to its attack on the American election, the president opposed the move and tried to shield Moscow from punishment. This, naturally, made Trump look pretty bad. Congressional Republicans proceeded to ignore the White House’s appeal and approved the sanctions anyway – the Senate vote was 98 to 2. This, naturally, made Trump look quite a bit worse. Left with limited choices, the president ultimately signed the legislation he opposed, but not before whining and blaming the Republican-led Congress for undermining relations with Putin’s government. At that point, it was widely assumed the administration would honor the law and implement the sanctions. As Foreign Policy noted yesterday, that hasn’t happened just yet."
"It was one of the more embarrassing failures of Trump’s presidency to date. As lawmakers prepared new sanctions against Russia in response to its attack on the American election, the president opposed the move and tried to shield Moscow from punishment. This, naturally, made Trump look pretty bad. Congressional Republicans proceeded to ignore the White House’s appeal and approved the sanctions anyway – the Senate vote was 98 to 2. This, naturally, made Trump look quite a bit worse. Left with limited choices, the president ultimately signed the legislation he opposed, but not before whining and blaming the Republican-led Congress for undermining relations with Putin’s government. At that point, it was widely assumed the administration would honor the law and implement the sanctions. As Foreign Policy noted yesterday, that hasn’t happened just yet."
Billionaire Trump backer's data firm under investigation for Russia connections
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/12/1706365/-Data-firm-owned-by-Robert-Mercer-under-investigation-for-Russia-connections
"the detailed data that drove the design of the Russian campaigns—information that included personal information on individual voters—may have come from elsewhere, such as a firm whose specialty is providing exactly this information. And the ties between Cambridge Analytica and the Trump campaign go beyond just Mercer: Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, had holdings in Cambridge Analytica worth between $1 million and $5 million as recently as April of this year, Bloomberg reported. Bannon, now back as the chairman of the pro-Trump media outlet Breitbart, hasn’t been publicly mentioned as a potential witness for or target of Russia investigators. He previously sat on the board of Cambridge Analytica. Cambridge Analytica is an outgrowth of a British company, SCL Group, a behavioral research company that uses massive consumer databases to shape opinions for multiple purposes. … SCL Group, which provides governments, political groups and companies around the world with services ranging from military disinformation campaigns to social media branding and voter targeting. The micro-targeted information from Cambridge helped Ted Cruz win the Iowa caucuses, but when Trump became the nominee, Mercer put both his funds and his data firm behind efforts to promote Trump. Jared Kushner took the controls of Trump’s data operations, and used Cambridge Analytica to mimick what they did in other countries."
"the detailed data that drove the design of the Russian campaigns—information that included personal information on individual voters—may have come from elsewhere, such as a firm whose specialty is providing exactly this information. And the ties between Cambridge Analytica and the Trump campaign go beyond just Mercer: Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, had holdings in Cambridge Analytica worth between $1 million and $5 million as recently as April of this year, Bloomberg reported. Bannon, now back as the chairman of the pro-Trump media outlet Breitbart, hasn’t been publicly mentioned as a potential witness for or target of Russia investigators. He previously sat on the board of Cambridge Analytica. Cambridge Analytica is an outgrowth of a British company, SCL Group, a behavioral research company that uses massive consumer databases to shape opinions for multiple purposes. … SCL Group, which provides governments, political groups and companies around the world with services ranging from military disinformation campaigns to social media branding and voter targeting. The micro-targeted information from Cambridge helped Ted Cruz win the Iowa caucuses, but when Trump became the nominee, Mercer put both his funds and his data firm behind efforts to promote Trump. Jared Kushner took the controls of Trump’s data operations, and used Cambridge Analytica to mimick what they did in other countries."
GOP senator asks whether Trump is ‘recanting’ his oath of office
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gop-senator-asks-whether-trump-recanting-his-oath-office
"Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), an occasional Trump critic who nevertheless votes with the White House’s position in nearly every instance, responded by asking whether the president is “recanting” his oath of office – since it was nine months ago when Trump swore to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, which includes the First Amendment."
"Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), an occasional Trump critic who nevertheless votes with the White House’s position in nearly every instance, responded by asking whether the president is “recanting” his oath of office – since it was nine months ago when Trump swore to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, which includes the First Amendment."
Science proves that the Trump administration is lying to deny women access to birth control
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/11/1706185/-Science-proves-that-the-Trump-administration-is-lying-to-deny-women-access-to-birth-control
"Basically, under Trump’s Health and Human Services Department, lies about contraception and birth control are being used to justify taking contraception away from women. Of course, this is linked to the Republicans’ obsession with controlling women’s bodies and our right to decide whether or not to procreate. But it’s also reflective of the fact that they know absolutely nothing (and don’t care) about women’s bodies, health, or well-being. Women use birth control for a variety of reasons—some of which have nothing to do with sex."
"Basically, under Trump’s Health and Human Services Department, lies about contraception and birth control are being used to justify taking contraception away from women. Of course, this is linked to the Republicans’ obsession with controlling women’s bodies and our right to decide whether or not to procreate. But it’s also reflective of the fact that they know absolutely nothing (and don’t care) about women’s bodies, health, or well-being. Women use birth control for a variety of reasons—some of which have nothing to do with sex."
Trump’s nonsensical comments to Hannity reveal he has no idea how the national debt works
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-national-debt-works-8ac0421a2aa3/
"But it just doesn’t work like that. As CNBC details, to see why this doesn’t make sense, consider the relationship (or lack thereof) between the stock market and debt during the Obama administration. “For evidence that the two metrics have little to no bearing on one another, look no further than the eight years of the Obama presidency: Between 2009 and 2017, the S&P 500 returned 235 percent while the national debt soared,” CNBC’s Christina Wilkie writes. The national debt is a tough topic for Trump these days. Though candidate Trump repeatedly promised to pay down the national debt before the end of his term, it has actually expanded under his watch. And the tax cuts for corporations and the ultra wealthy he’s currently pushing would only make the debt bigger. As Reuters explains: The Republican tax plan unveiled last week calls for as much as $6 trillion in tax cuts that would sharply reduce federal revenues. No commensurate spending cuts have been proposed. So, on their own, the tax cuts being sought by Trump would hugely expand the deficit and add to the debt. Trump’s comments to Hannity were not the first time he’s revealed deep confusion about how the economy works. While he was pushing Obamacare repeal over the summer, Trump did an interview where he indicated he thinks it’s possible to purchase health insurance for $12 annually."
"But it just doesn’t work like that. As CNBC details, to see why this doesn’t make sense, consider the relationship (or lack thereof) between the stock market and debt during the Obama administration. “For evidence that the two metrics have little to no bearing on one another, look no further than the eight years of the Obama presidency: Between 2009 and 2017, the S&P 500 returned 235 percent while the national debt soared,” CNBC’s Christina Wilkie writes. The national debt is a tough topic for Trump these days. Though candidate Trump repeatedly promised to pay down the national debt before the end of his term, it has actually expanded under his watch. And the tax cuts for corporations and the ultra wealthy he’s currently pushing would only make the debt bigger. As Reuters explains: The Republican tax plan unveiled last week calls for as much as $6 trillion in tax cuts that would sharply reduce federal revenues. No commensurate spending cuts have been proposed. So, on their own, the tax cuts being sought by Trump would hugely expand the deficit and add to the debt. Trump’s comments to Hannity were not the first time he’s revealed deep confusion about how the economy works. While he was pushing Obamacare repeal over the summer, Trump did an interview where he indicated he thinks it’s possible to purchase health insurance for $12 annually."
“I Hate Everyone”: Trump Seethes as Advisers Fear He Is “Unraveling”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/donald-trump-is-unraveling-white-house-advisers
"Even before Corker’s remarks, some West Wing advisers were worried that Trump’s behavior could cause the Cabinet to take extraordinary Constitutional measures to remove him from office. Several months ago, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversation, former chief strategist Steve Bannon told Trump that the risk to his presidency wasn’t impeachment, but the 25th Amendment—the provision by which a majority of the Cabinet can vote to remove the president. When Bannon mentioned the 25th Amendment, Trump said, “What’s that?” According to a source, Bannon has told people he thinks Trump has only a 30 percent chance of making it the full term."
"Even before Corker’s remarks, some West Wing advisers were worried that Trump’s behavior could cause the Cabinet to take extraordinary Constitutional measures to remove him from office. Several months ago, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversation, former chief strategist Steve Bannon told Trump that the risk to his presidency wasn’t impeachment, but the 25th Amendment—the provision by which a majority of the Cabinet can vote to remove the president. When Bannon mentioned the 25th Amendment, Trump said, “What’s that?” According to a source, Bannon has told people he thinks Trump has only a 30 percent chance of making it the full term."
Trump is falling apart, and nobody knows what to do about it
https://www.salon.com/2017/10/12/trump-is-falling-apart-and-nobody-knows-what-to-do-about-it/
"For the most part, elected GOP officials remain craven, cowering before the throne and hoping to get their precious tax cuts passed and their right-wing judges seated before Trump hits the nuclear button. But even Trump's close friends are worried enough that they are going public, and dozens of others are speaking to reporters off the record."
"For the most part, elected GOP officials remain craven, cowering before the throne and hoping to get their precious tax cuts passed and their right-wing judges seated before Trump hits the nuclear button. But even Trump's close friends are worried enough that they are going public, and dozens of others are speaking to reporters off the record."
Trump would rather destroy American credibility than admit that something Obama did is working
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/12/1706337/-Trump-would-rather-destroy-American-credibility-than-admit-that-something-Obama-did-is-working
"When Trump’s own advisors are coming forward to inform that the Iran deal is providing stability and blocking Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and the State Department certified that Iran was in compliance with the deal … what was causing Trump to throw a no-deal fit? It’s not really a surprise. “He doesn’t want to certify the Iran deal for more domestic reasons than international ones,” said Vali Nasr, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “He doesn’t want to certify that any piece of the Obama strategy is working.” Trump’s refusal to listen to reason made White House staff come up with a plan that would let Donald Trump stomp his foot and scream about the plan, but actually throw in a roadblock to eliminating the deal. Coming up with elaborate ways to soothe the fury of Trump while desperately working behind the scenes to stop the world from blowing up fits in with a series of actions where staff has attempted to keep Trump from either exploding, or blowing up the rest of us. That’s how things work at the White House daycare. The occasion during which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Donald Trump a f#$%ing moron, was a meeting where Trump looked at a graph showing the number of US nuclear weapons, and declared that he wanted to put the US back at the top by building 68,000 new warheads—ten times what we currently have. Not because we need the weapons. Because Trump didn’t like being at “the bottom of the curve” on the graph. Clearly, Tillerson’s declaration was well-earned. But handling Donald Trump with kid gloves and scrambling to find ways to work around his temper tantrums is putting the nation, and the world, at constant risk."
"When Trump’s own advisors are coming forward to inform that the Iran deal is providing stability and blocking Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and the State Department certified that Iran was in compliance with the deal … what was causing Trump to throw a no-deal fit? It’s not really a surprise. “He doesn’t want to certify the Iran deal for more domestic reasons than international ones,” said Vali Nasr, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “He doesn’t want to certify that any piece of the Obama strategy is working.” Trump’s refusal to listen to reason made White House staff come up with a plan that would let Donald Trump stomp his foot and scream about the plan, but actually throw in a roadblock to eliminating the deal. Coming up with elaborate ways to soothe the fury of Trump while desperately working behind the scenes to stop the world from blowing up fits in with a series of actions where staff has attempted to keep Trump from either exploding, or blowing up the rest of us. That’s how things work at the White House daycare. The occasion during which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Donald Trump a f#$%ing moron, was a meeting where Trump looked at a graph showing the number of US nuclear weapons, and declared that he wanted to put the US back at the top by building 68,000 new warheads—ten times what we currently have. Not because we need the weapons. Because Trump didn’t like being at “the bottom of the curve” on the graph. Clearly, Tillerson’s declaration was well-earned. But handling Donald Trump with kid gloves and scrambling to find ways to work around his temper tantrums is putting the nation, and the world, at constant risk."
This is the pro-Trump propaganda being quietly broadcast on local stations across the country
https://thinkprogress.org/sinclair-trump-propaganda-caa27f5146db/
"Hyman’s segment, which runs daily between a minute and a half and two minutes long, is one of several must-run “news” segments that spread misinformation, echo Trump administration talking points, and function as nationalist and right-wing propaganda. Sinclair often defends the must-run segments by arguing that they don’t take up much time, but the short packaging is part of what makes the programming so insidious. They’re slotted into local newscasts easily and not clearly marked as opinion or required programming. The segments run on 174 stations currently owned by Sinclair, which is aggressively expanding. Approval of Sinclair’s acquisition of Tribune Media Company is currently pending. Should the deal be approved, it would add 42 stations to Sinclair’s empire, and the broadcasting company would reach 87.3 million homes. Nielsen estimates 119.6 million households in the U.S. own a TV. And the massive expansion, which would reach 72 percent of U.S. households, wouldn’t have been possible without the Trump administration. Congress has imposed a 39 percent cap — and Sinclair already reaches about 38 percent of households. Last spring, Trump’s FCC Chairman Ajit Pai reinstituted a loophole that allows broadcasting networks to cover more than the Congressionally-instituted cap. Pai says he never discussed the Sinclair deal with Trump and said in a letter to House Democrats that the FCC has “not been fueled by a desire to help any particular company.” But the deal, should it be approved, could be a boon for Trump. One of the must-run segments is anchored by a former Trump adviser, Boris Epshteyn, who consistently shares misleading talking points and echoes misinformation from the Trump administration under the guise of “political analysis.” Epshteyn is a central figure in the Trump universe. He served as a senior adviser to Trump during the campaign and made the rounds on cable news for the then-candidate. After Trump won, Epshteyn took a role in the White House, where he worked for three months."
"Hyman’s segment, which runs daily between a minute and a half and two minutes long, is one of several must-run “news” segments that spread misinformation, echo Trump administration talking points, and function as nationalist and right-wing propaganda. Sinclair often defends the must-run segments by arguing that they don’t take up much time, but the short packaging is part of what makes the programming so insidious. They’re slotted into local newscasts easily and not clearly marked as opinion or required programming. The segments run on 174 stations currently owned by Sinclair, which is aggressively expanding. Approval of Sinclair’s acquisition of Tribune Media Company is currently pending. Should the deal be approved, it would add 42 stations to Sinclair’s empire, and the broadcasting company would reach 87.3 million homes. Nielsen estimates 119.6 million households in the U.S. own a TV. And the massive expansion, which would reach 72 percent of U.S. households, wouldn’t have been possible without the Trump administration. Congress has imposed a 39 percent cap — and Sinclair already reaches about 38 percent of households. Last spring, Trump’s FCC Chairman Ajit Pai reinstituted a loophole that allows broadcasting networks to cover more than the Congressionally-instituted cap. Pai says he never discussed the Sinclair deal with Trump and said in a letter to House Democrats that the FCC has “not been fueled by a desire to help any particular company.” But the deal, should it be approved, could be a boon for Trump. One of the must-run segments is anchored by a former Trump adviser, Boris Epshteyn, who consistently shares misleading talking points and echoes misinformation from the Trump administration under the guise of “political analysis.” Epshteyn is a central figure in the Trump universe. He served as a senior adviser to Trump during the campaign and made the rounds on cable news for the then-candidate. After Trump won, Epshteyn took a role in the White House, where he worked for three months."
Trump's tax plan would do to America what disastrous Republican plan did to Kansas
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/11/1706070/-Trump-s-tax-plan-would-do-to-America-what-disastrous-Republican-plan-did-to-Kansas
"Not only does Trump’s plan operate on the same Laffer-Curve, Supply Side, Trickle-Down theory that has failed to work since the time when George H. W. Bush dubbed it “voodoo economics,” Trump has recreated the worst feature of Brownback’s catastrophe—a system designed to allow the wealthy to avoid income tax by masquerading as “small businesses."
"Not only does Trump’s plan operate on the same Laffer-Curve, Supply Side, Trickle-Down theory that has failed to work since the time when George H. W. Bush dubbed it “voodoo economics,” Trump has recreated the worst feature of Brownback’s catastrophe—a system designed to allow the wealthy to avoid income tax by masquerading as “small businesses."
As Trump Pushes Massive Deregulatory Agenda, One Key Beneficiary: Donald Trump
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/10/11/trump-pushes-massive-deregulatory-agenda-one-key-beneficiary-donald-trump
"As President Donald Trump and his cabinet move aggressively to implement their far-reaching and "potentially devastating" deregulatory agenda—slashing everything from environmental rules protecting the public water supply to labor standards shielding workers from harmful chemicals—many have begun to loudly raise the all-important question: who benefits? According to a Public Citizen report unveiled Wednesday, the answer in many cases is Trump himself."
"As President Donald Trump and his cabinet move aggressively to implement their far-reaching and "potentially devastating" deregulatory agenda—slashing everything from environmental rules protecting the public water supply to labor standards shielding workers from harmful chemicals—many have begun to loudly raise the all-important question: who benefits? According to a Public Citizen report unveiled Wednesday, the answer in many cases is Trump himself."
The lies Donald Trump likes a little too much
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-lies-donald-trump-likes-little-too-much
"It’s not exactly a secret that Donald Trump tells a staggering number of lies on a nearly daily basis, but I’m especially interested in the ones he returns to, over and over again, even after being told he’s wrong. In this week’s interview with Forbes, for example, the president boasted, “I’ve had just about the most legislation passed of any president, in a nine-month period, that’s ever served. We had over 50 bills passed. I’m not talking about executive orders only, which are very important. I’m talking about bills.” This is, of course, demonstrably ridiculous, as Trump surely knows. But there’s a rationale behind the lie: the president is embarrassed by his failures, and he can’t explain his lack of accomplishments, so he’s made up a legislative record that exists only in his imagination. Similarly, Trump needs a rationale to sell his plan for massive tax cuts. The truth won’t do, so as Politico noted, the president is clinging to a specific lie."
"It’s not exactly a secret that Donald Trump tells a staggering number of lies on a nearly daily basis, but I’m especially interested in the ones he returns to, over and over again, even after being told he’s wrong. In this week’s interview with Forbes, for example, the president boasted, “I’ve had just about the most legislation passed of any president, in a nine-month period, that’s ever served. We had over 50 bills passed. I’m not talking about executive orders only, which are very important. I’m talking about bills.” This is, of course, demonstrably ridiculous, as Trump surely knows. But there’s a rationale behind the lie: the president is embarrassed by his failures, and he can’t explain his lack of accomplishments, so he’s made up a legislative record that exists only in his imagination. Similarly, Trump needs a rationale to sell his plan for massive tax cuts. The truth won’t do, so as Politico noted, the president is clinging to a specific lie."
Why You Really Should Be Terrified About Trump and Nuclear Weapons
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/why-you-should-be-scared-about-trump-and-nuclear-weapons/
"So for decades, it seems, Trump has been haunted by the feeling that nuclear war may be inescapable. Now he is in a position to do something about the matter. But instead of taking steps to reduce the number of nuclear weapons, he has repeatedly discussed increasing the number of nukes within the US arsenal and abroad. (At the July 20 meeting, Trump essentially said he wanted the US nuclear stockpile to expand from about 4,000 to about 32,0000 weapons.) And the threats Trump has hurled at North Korea— it will face “fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before”—imply that he has considered the use of nuclear weapons against Kim Jong Un. (By the way, should Trump order a nuclear strike, it would be damn hard for anyone around him to stop it.) There is much that is alarming about Trump’s nuclear posture. His attitude toward nuclear policy is cavalier. (Hey, this stuff is easy!) He lacks basic knowledge of nuclear matters. And he is reckless in issuing nuclear-ish threats. (During the 2016 campaign, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reported that Trump had thrice asked a national security adviser why a president couldn’t use nuclear weapons.) But what renders this terrifying trifecta even more frightening is the nuclear fatalism Trump has voiced throughout the years. If he thinks nuclear war is inevitable, might he feel less restrained when it comes to unleashing weaponry that can destroy human civilization? Tillerson’s use of the m-word has received much media attention, justifiably. But the bigger story by far is that Tillerson’s “moron” is in command of the nuclear arsenal and years’ worth of evidence indicates that Trump wants it to grow, that he’s interested in putting it to use, and that he believes a nuclear catastrophe is bound to happen. That’s a prophecy his own actions and ignorance could well end up bringing about."
"So for decades, it seems, Trump has been haunted by the feeling that nuclear war may be inescapable. Now he is in a position to do something about the matter. But instead of taking steps to reduce the number of nuclear weapons, he has repeatedly discussed increasing the number of nukes within the US arsenal and abroad. (At the July 20 meeting, Trump essentially said he wanted the US nuclear stockpile to expand from about 4,000 to about 32,0000 weapons.) And the threats Trump has hurled at North Korea— it will face “fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before”—imply that he has considered the use of nuclear weapons against Kim Jong Un. (By the way, should Trump order a nuclear strike, it would be damn hard for anyone around him to stop it.) There is much that is alarming about Trump’s nuclear posture. His attitude toward nuclear policy is cavalier. (Hey, this stuff is easy!) He lacks basic knowledge of nuclear matters. And he is reckless in issuing nuclear-ish threats. (During the 2016 campaign, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reported that Trump had thrice asked a national security adviser why a president couldn’t use nuclear weapons.) But what renders this terrifying trifecta even more frightening is the nuclear fatalism Trump has voiced throughout the years. If he thinks nuclear war is inevitable, might he feel less restrained when it comes to unleashing weaponry that can destroy human civilization? Tillerson’s use of the m-word has received much media attention, justifiably. But the bigger story by far is that Tillerson’s “moron” is in command of the nuclear arsenal and years’ worth of evidence indicates that Trump wants it to grow, that he’s interested in putting it to use, and that he believes a nuclear catastrophe is bound to happen. That’s a prophecy his own actions and ignorance could well end up bringing about."
Rick Perry's Department of Energy Is Worse Than You Could Even Imagine
Rick Perry's Department of Energy Is Worse Than You Could Even Imagine:
"It appears that the Trump administration's budget-cutting, its search of short-term solutions to long-term problems, and its "willful ignorance," as Michael Lewis termed it, is being writ large over how the DOE is proceeding. Given current indicators, Rick Perry's greatest "Oops" moment is yet to come."
"It appears that the Trump administration's budget-cutting, its search of short-term solutions to long-term problems, and its "willful ignorance," as Michael Lewis termed it, is being writ large over how the DOE is proceeding. Given current indicators, Rick Perry's greatest "Oops" moment is yet to come."
“Insanity and folly”: experts on Trump’s proposal to build tens of thousands of nukes
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/11/16458104/trump-nukes-nbc-thousands
"President Donald Trump asked his top national security officials to build tens of thousands of new nuclear weapons during a July 20 meeting, according to an NBC News report published on Wednesday morning. The president’s request, experts say, is simultaneously impossible and terrifying."
"President Donald Trump asked his top national security officials to build tens of thousands of new nuclear weapons during a July 20 meeting, according to an NBC News report published on Wednesday morning. The president’s request, experts say, is simultaneously impossible and terrifying."
Republicans entirely ignore election security—practically inviting Russia to interfere in 2018
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/11/1706051/-Republicans-entirely-ignore-election-security-practically-inviting-Russia-to-interfere-in-2018
"The negligence of Republican lawmakers in trying to protect the integrity of our elections systems in advance of 2018 is stunning, though perhaps not surprising. From declining to get briefings from the Department of Homeland Security to stifling election security measures, Republicans show no interest in combatting what GOP Sen. Richard Burr, Senate Intelligence Chair, called a near certainty—that Russia is actively "trying to create chaos in our election process." Politico writes: Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, complained in a letter to DHS last month that his call for a briefing on election security concerns had been rejected because Republicans weren't planning to attend. Senate Democrats sought to attach a package of election security measures to a recently passed defense bill — and were turned down by Republicans who lead the chamber. And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently said it asked its Republican counterpart to work together on cybersecurity issues but never heard back. “We absolutely need to get ahead of this,” [Sen. Heidi] Heitkamp, one of the GOP’s top targets in the midterm elections, told POLITICO. “We need to understand the threat. But more importantly, states need to understand this is real"."
"The negligence of Republican lawmakers in trying to protect the integrity of our elections systems in advance of 2018 is stunning, though perhaps not surprising. From declining to get briefings from the Department of Homeland Security to stifling election security measures, Republicans show no interest in combatting what GOP Sen. Richard Burr, Senate Intelligence Chair, called a near certainty—that Russia is actively "trying to create chaos in our election process." Politico writes: Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, complained in a letter to DHS last month that his call for a briefing on election security concerns had been rejected because Republicans weren't planning to attend. Senate Democrats sought to attach a package of election security measures to a recently passed defense bill — and were turned down by Republicans who lead the chamber. And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently said it asked its Republican counterpart to work together on cybersecurity issues but never heard back. “We absolutely need to get ahead of this,” [Sen. Heidi] Heitkamp, one of the GOP’s top targets in the midterm elections, told POLITICO. “We need to understand the threat. But more importantly, states need to understand this is real"."
5 Things Trump Lied About Inventing @alternet
5 Things Trump Lied About Inventing @alternet:
"For Donald Trump, lying comes as easily as breathing, and perhaps it's even more effortless. He makes up falsehoods about not only big political issues or even sensitive personal matters, but everything. That includes the small stuff, especially if he thinks the lie will make him look good. If he were smarter, he might choose not to lie about things that can be disproven with a Google search. As it stands, Trump’s claims about his achievements are pretty easy to discredit. That includes his lies about things he’s invented, a list that includes words, ideas, even nicknames."
"For Donald Trump, lying comes as easily as breathing, and perhaps it's even more effortless. He makes up falsehoods about not only big political issues or even sensitive personal matters, but everything. That includes the small stuff, especially if he thinks the lie will make him look good. If he were smarter, he might choose not to lie about things that can be disproven with a Google search. As it stands, Trump’s claims about his achievements are pretty easy to discredit. That includes his lies about things he’s invented, a list that includes words, ideas, even nicknames."
Trump Just Blew Off a Deadline for Implementing Russian Sanctions He Approved
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/trump-just-blew-off-a-deadline-for-implementing-russian-sanctions-he-approved/
"The bill required the Trump administration to issue by October 1 “regulations or other guidance to specify the persons that are a part of, or operate for or on behalf of, the defense and intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation.” The administration has yet to do so. The Treasury and State departments also have not issued guidance on their plans for imposing the measure, a Senate aide said. The aide said that members of the White House’s National Security Council have assured senators that they are “getting to” the sanctions and “it’s gonna happen.” But lawmakers are wary. Cardin and McCain said the White House has also ignored a September 28 letter they sent asking for information on implementation plans. “In addition to the administration’s lack of responsiveness on this deadline, there does not appear to be a significant diplomatic effort to engage our allies in Europe and lead an effort to increase pressure on Moscow,” they said in their joint statement. “Congressional intent was clear, reflected in the overwhelming bipartisan majority in favor of the legislation.” The legislation’s primary thrust was to prevent the president from removing sanctions without congressional approval. Trump has mulled unilaterally rescinding earlier US sanctions imposed on Russia after its incursion into Ukraine. The new sanctions bill passed both chambers of Congress overwhelmingly amid bipartisan concern about Trump’s frequent praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and congressional and Justice Department investigations into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during last year’s presidential race. Trump opposed the new legislation, agreeing to sign it only after it became clear Congress could override his veto."
"The bill required the Trump administration to issue by October 1 “regulations or other guidance to specify the persons that are a part of, or operate for or on behalf of, the defense and intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation.” The administration has yet to do so. The Treasury and State departments also have not issued guidance on their plans for imposing the measure, a Senate aide said. The aide said that members of the White House’s National Security Council have assured senators that they are “getting to” the sanctions and “it’s gonna happen.” But lawmakers are wary. Cardin and McCain said the White House has also ignored a September 28 letter they sent asking for information on implementation plans. “In addition to the administration’s lack of responsiveness on this deadline, there does not appear to be a significant diplomatic effort to engage our allies in Europe and lead an effort to increase pressure on Moscow,” they said in their joint statement. “Congressional intent was clear, reflected in the overwhelming bipartisan majority in favor of the legislation.” The legislation’s primary thrust was to prevent the president from removing sanctions without congressional approval. Trump has mulled unilaterally rescinding earlier US sanctions imposed on Russia after its incursion into Ukraine. The new sanctions bill passed both chambers of Congress overwhelmingly amid bipartisan concern about Trump’s frequent praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and congressional and Justice Department investigations into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during last year’s presidential race. Trump opposed the new legislation, agreeing to sign it only after it became clear Congress could override his veto."
Marsha Blackburn forces Twitter to change policy, allowing her to promote lies in her campaign ad
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/11/1706081/-Marsha-Blackburn-forces-Twitter-to-change-policy-allowing-her-to-promote-lies-in-her-campaign-ad
"While Twitter may believe there is room to refine policies around language, it might be worth asking them where they stand on outright lies. Blackburn’s line about Planned Parenthood selling “baby body parts” is simply untrue. She was behind the congressional investigation into the video that alleged that Planned Parenthood doctors were selling fetal tissue. Not only did that turn out to be untrue, the anti-abortion activists behind it were eventually charged with 15 felony counts of unlawfully recording people without permission and conspiracy."
"While Twitter may believe there is room to refine policies around language, it might be worth asking them where they stand on outright lies. Blackburn’s line about Planned Parenthood selling “baby body parts” is simply untrue. She was behind the congressional investigation into the video that alleged that Planned Parenthood doctors were selling fetal tissue. Not only did that turn out to be untrue, the anti-abortion activists behind it were eventually charged with 15 felony counts of unlawfully recording people without permission and conspiracy."
Google: Russians bought U.S. political ads on our sites, too
https://www.salon.com/2017/10/09/google-russians-bought-u-s-political-ads-on-our-sites-too/
"Google has become the latest American technology company to disclose that it allowed user accounts apparently operated by Russians to purchase advertisements targeting last year's presidential election."
"Google has become the latest American technology company to disclose that it allowed user accounts apparently operated by Russians to purchase advertisements targeting last year's presidential election."
House Intel Committee targets shady RNC-aligned data firm Cambridge Analytica in Russia probe: report
House Intel Committee targets shady RNC-aligned data firm Cambridge Analytica in Russia probe: report
"One of the major investors in Cambridge Analytica is Robert Mercer, the billionaire Trump backer who also helped bankroll Breitbart."
"One of the major investors in Cambridge Analytica is Robert Mercer, the billionaire Trump backer who also helped bankroll Breitbart."
Trump officials ignored ethics rules, creating 'ethical crises' that are still going on
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/11/1706058/-Trump-officials-ignored-ethics-rules-creating-ethical-crises-that-are-still-going-on
"In fact, Trump is still ignoring ethics rules. Trump has ignored rules laid down by previous administrations, analysis of the GAO, and advice from the Office of Government Ethics. He’s failed to resolve clear conflicts of interest, provide adequate information, or provide information to nonpartisan auditors. And why not? No one is doing anything about it. Overall, the GAO findings show a lack of attention to ethics and that precedents from previous Administrations were frequently broken - with little recourse from Congress. Trump has taken this position as blanket permission to do what he wants, take what he wants, and answer to no one. In theory, it shouldn’t work that way. In practice, the Republican Congress has done nothing to check Trump’s constant ethical violations and reign in the misuse of government resources."
"In fact, Trump is still ignoring ethics rules. Trump has ignored rules laid down by previous administrations, analysis of the GAO, and advice from the Office of Government Ethics. He’s failed to resolve clear conflicts of interest, provide adequate information, or provide information to nonpartisan auditors. And why not? No one is doing anything about it. Overall, the GAO findings show a lack of attention to ethics and that precedents from previous Administrations were frequently broken - with little recourse from Congress. Trump has taken this position as blanket permission to do what he wants, take what he wants, and answer to no one. In theory, it shouldn’t work that way. In practice, the Republican Congress has done nothing to check Trump’s constant ethical violations and reign in the misuse of government resources."
Here’s The Mugshot Of Rep. Greg Gianforte That He Really, Really Didn’t Want You To See
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/greg-gianforte-mug-shot_us_59de7fb3e4b0fdad73b1cd4a?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"A Montana judge on Wednesday released the mugshot of Rep. Greg Gianforte (Mont.), the millionaire Republican who was convicted in June of assaulting a reporter and fought the court to avoid being fingerprinted and photographed."
"A Montana judge on Wednesday released the mugshot of Rep. Greg Gianforte (Mont.), the millionaire Republican who was convicted in June of assaulting a reporter and fought the court to avoid being fingerprinted and photographed."
Trump asked for tenfold increase in US nukes in meeting that prompted Tillerson’s ‘moron’ remark: report
Trump asked for tenfold increase in US nukes in meeting that prompted Tillerson’s ‘moron’ remark: report
"Trump’s advisers, including the joint chiefs of staff and Tillerson, were surprised by the comments and briefly explained the legal and practical hurdles to a nuclear buildup, according to NBC News. They informed the president that current U.S. military posture is stronger than it was in the late 1960s, when the American nuclear arsenal was largest. Trump also complained that his advisors had not yet presented a plan to help U.S. companies obtain mineral rights in Afghanistan, as China had a decade ago. He compared the Afghanistan policy review to the renovation of Manhattan’s 21 Club, which closed for a year in the 1980s and hired a consultant whose only suggestion was to enlarge the kitchen. As the meeting broke up, according to NBC News, Tillerson told officials remaining in the room that the president was a “f*cking moron"."
"Trump’s advisers, including the joint chiefs of staff and Tillerson, were surprised by the comments and briefly explained the legal and practical hurdles to a nuclear buildup, according to NBC News. They informed the president that current U.S. military posture is stronger than it was in the late 1960s, when the American nuclear arsenal was largest. Trump also complained that his advisors had not yet presented a plan to help U.S. companies obtain mineral rights in Afghanistan, as China had a decade ago. He compared the Afghanistan policy review to the renovation of Manhattan’s 21 Club, which closed for a year in the 1980s and hired a consultant whose only suggestion was to enlarge the kitchen. As the meeting broke up, according to NBC News, Tillerson told officials remaining in the room that the president was a “f*cking moron"."
The bizarre situation where only retiring Republicans will talk about Trump’s fitness for office
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/10/16447276/bob-corker-trump-world-war-iii
"Sen. Bob Corker’s warning that President Donald Trump’s recklessness could set the country “on the path to World War III,” issued in a New York Times interview on Sunday, is notable for a few reasons. For one, this is a critique that many Democrats and even some Republicans have made for some time — and that even more Republicans are said to make regularly in private. For another, this is coming publicly from a Republican senator in a conservative state who chairs a major committee, has worked closely with the administration, and has had strong relationships with several of its officials. So when he says he knows “for a fact” that there’s no “good cop, bad cop” act underway, we should take him seriously. But perhaps most noteworthy of all is that Corker only felt empowered to make such a bold critique after he had decided to retire rather than run for reelection in 2018 (as he announced at the end of last month). Only Corker’s liberation from the concerns of electoral politics, it seems, has motivated him to say what he truly thinks. His GOP colleagues in the Senate, though, are not so liberated. So though Corker has also asserted that “the vast majority” of his fellow Republican senators understand “what we’re dealing with here” — that they share his concerns about Trump’s temperament — most of them remain hesitant to publicly discuss the issue in public. Because of that reticence, the discussion about what potentially to do about a president who according to some is dangerously unstable has been choked off. So the seriousness of the dangers Corker is warning about — World War III! — doesn’t seem matched by a similarly serious proposed remedy. Corker’s plan A, it seems, is to hope that Trump will continue to rely on aides and administration officials who Corker thinks will keep his worst impulses in check. There doesn’t seem to be a plan B."
"Sen. Bob Corker’s warning that President Donald Trump’s recklessness could set the country “on the path to World War III,” issued in a New York Times interview on Sunday, is notable for a few reasons. For one, this is a critique that many Democrats and even some Republicans have made for some time — and that even more Republicans are said to make regularly in private. For another, this is coming publicly from a Republican senator in a conservative state who chairs a major committee, has worked closely with the administration, and has had strong relationships with several of its officials. So when he says he knows “for a fact” that there’s no “good cop, bad cop” act underway, we should take him seriously. But perhaps most noteworthy of all is that Corker only felt empowered to make such a bold critique after he had decided to retire rather than run for reelection in 2018 (as he announced at the end of last month). Only Corker’s liberation from the concerns of electoral politics, it seems, has motivated him to say what he truly thinks. His GOP colleagues in the Senate, though, are not so liberated. So though Corker has also asserted that “the vast majority” of his fellow Republican senators understand “what we’re dealing with here” — that they share his concerns about Trump’s temperament — most of them remain hesitant to publicly discuss the issue in public. Because of that reticence, the discussion about what potentially to do about a president who according to some is dangerously unstable has been choked off. So the seriousness of the dangers Corker is warning about — World War III! — doesn’t seem matched by a similarly serious proposed remedy. Corker’s plan A, it seems, is to hope that Trump will continue to rely on aides and administration officials who Corker thinks will keep his worst impulses in check. There doesn’t seem to be a plan B."
Even red states feel the brunt of Trump’s ACA sabotage campaign
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/even-red-states-feel-the-brunt-trumps-aca-sabotage-campaign
"Trump and his team are going out of their way to sabotage the nation’s health care system, motivated entirely by partisan spite. It is no exaggeration to characterize this as a “scorched-earth campaign to destroy Obamacare,” the consequences of which may be severe."
"Trump and his team are going out of their way to sabotage the nation’s health care system, motivated entirely by partisan spite. It is no exaggeration to characterize this as a “scorched-earth campaign to destroy Obamacare,” the consequences of which may be severe."
Kochs spend millions to tell Democrats to vote for a tax cut for the Kochs
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/5/1704376/-Kochs-spend-millions-to-tell-Democrats-to-vote-for-a-tax-cut-for-the-Kochs
"Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers' group that would be better named Americans for the Prosperity of the Kochs, is not at all surprisingly lining up behind Republicans' massive tax cuts for the wealthy."
"Americans for Prosperity, the Koch brothers' group that would be better named Americans for the Prosperity of the Kochs, is not at all surprisingly lining up behind Republicans' massive tax cuts for the wealthy."
The not-at-all-subtle partisanship of Chief Justice Roberts
https://thinkprogress.org/the-not-at-all-subtle-partisanship-of-chief-justice-roberts-a17ebecc3180/
"it is somewhat odd that he has suddenly grown fearful that the Court’s reputation might suffer if it strikes down election laws that benefit one party over the other. Here is a short list of cases where Chief Justice Roberts has voted to strike down such a law. Citizens United v. FEC: The Court’s Citizens United decision, which Roberts joined, permitted unlimited corporate spending on elections, so long as that money was not given to ostensibly independent groups and not to candidates. Citizens United had two effects — it massively increased the amount of outside spending on elections, and it gave Republicans a significant money advantage over Democrats. Shelby County v. Holder: Shelby County, which Roberts authored, struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prevents race discrimination in elections. This decision benefited the Republican Party, as voters of color overwhelmingly prefer Democratic candidates. Davis v. FEC, Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett, and McCutcheon v. FEC: All three of these decisions, which Roberts joined, advantaged wealthy candidates and donors over the less fortunate. Davis struck down the so-called “Millionaire’s Amendment” which allowed the opponents of self-financed candidates to raise additional money in order to compete against their opponent’s wealth. Arizona Free Enterprise Club struck down a law enabling publicly financed candidates to compete with candidates who raise significantly more money in private donations. McCutcheon struck down limits on donations to parties and candidates. All three decisions benefit Republicans, because wealthy individuals who are capable of making substantial political donations are much more likely to prefer Republicans to Democrats. In 2016, for example, exit polls found that 57 percent of individuals earning $250,000 a year or more voted for a Republican congressional candidate, while only 41 percent voted for a Democrat."
"it is somewhat odd that he has suddenly grown fearful that the Court’s reputation might suffer if it strikes down election laws that benefit one party over the other. Here is a short list of cases where Chief Justice Roberts has voted to strike down such a law. Citizens United v. FEC: The Court’s Citizens United decision, which Roberts joined, permitted unlimited corporate spending on elections, so long as that money was not given to ostensibly independent groups and not to candidates. Citizens United had two effects — it massively increased the amount of outside spending on elections, and it gave Republicans a significant money advantage over Democrats. Shelby County v. Holder: Shelby County, which Roberts authored, struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prevents race discrimination in elections. This decision benefited the Republican Party, as voters of color overwhelmingly prefer Democratic candidates. Davis v. FEC, Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett, and McCutcheon v. FEC: All three of these decisions, which Roberts joined, advantaged wealthy candidates and donors over the less fortunate. Davis struck down the so-called “Millionaire’s Amendment” which allowed the opponents of self-financed candidates to raise additional money in order to compete against their opponent’s wealth. Arizona Free Enterprise Club struck down a law enabling publicly financed candidates to compete with candidates who raise significantly more money in private donations. McCutcheon struck down limits on donations to parties and candidates. All three decisions benefit Republicans, because wealthy individuals who are capable of making substantial political donations are much more likely to prefer Republicans to Democrats. In 2016, for example, exit polls found that 57 percent of individuals earning $250,000 a year or more voted for a Republican congressional candidate, while only 41 percent voted for a Democrat."
America Held Hostage
http://billmoyers.com/story/america-held-hostage-minority-rule/
"For the first few months of his presidency, Donald Trump delighted in showing guests an electoral map of the country in which huge splotches from the South through the Midwest and into the far West were red, indicating Trump’s support. He was right, of course. Those were areas that voted for Trump. Except that those splotches were sparsely populated. The dark blue dots in urban America were the densely populated Democratic areas — areas with more votes. In most nations, geographical advantages don’t mean much. In our system, however, geography plays an outsized role. It’s not how many votes; it’s where they are cast. A lot of this, as we all know, is the result of gerrymandering — a point that New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg made in her debut op-ed about the “tyranny of the minority.” If you want some sense of how badly gerrymandering hurts Democrats, consider this: In 2012, 224 congressional districts voted for Romney, 221 for Obama, though Obama easily won the overall popular vote by nearly 4 percent. This Republican reward has been referred to as a “seat bonus” — the degree to which Republicans get more seats than their popular vote would warrant. According to the Brookings Institution, Republicans received just under 50 percent of the congressional vote, but wound up with 55 percent of the seats. They also got bonuses in the 2012, 2014 and 2016 congressional elections — again, 5 percent more House seats in the last election than their overall vote count would have entitled them to. But the worst gerrymandering isn’t just politics and it isn’t just in the House; it is constitutional and it is in the Senate, where of course, seats are apportioned by state. Since rural and sparsely populated states are far more likely to vote Republican, and since all states, regardless of population, get the same two Senate seats, the GOP gets a much larger bonus in the Senate than in the House."
"For the first few months of his presidency, Donald Trump delighted in showing guests an electoral map of the country in which huge splotches from the South through the Midwest and into the far West were red, indicating Trump’s support. He was right, of course. Those were areas that voted for Trump. Except that those splotches were sparsely populated. The dark blue dots in urban America were the densely populated Democratic areas — areas with more votes. In most nations, geographical advantages don’t mean much. In our system, however, geography plays an outsized role. It’s not how many votes; it’s where they are cast. A lot of this, as we all know, is the result of gerrymandering — a point that New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg made in her debut op-ed about the “tyranny of the minority.” If you want some sense of how badly gerrymandering hurts Democrats, consider this: In 2012, 224 congressional districts voted for Romney, 221 for Obama, though Obama easily won the overall popular vote by nearly 4 percent. This Republican reward has been referred to as a “seat bonus” — the degree to which Republicans get more seats than their popular vote would warrant. According to the Brookings Institution, Republicans received just under 50 percent of the congressional vote, but wound up with 55 percent of the seats. They also got bonuses in the 2012, 2014 and 2016 congressional elections — again, 5 percent more House seats in the last election than their overall vote count would have entitled them to. But the worst gerrymandering isn’t just politics and it isn’t just in the House; it is constitutional and it is in the Senate, where of course, seats are apportioned by state. Since rural and sparsely populated states are far more likely to vote Republican, and since all states, regardless of population, get the same two Senate seats, the GOP gets a much larger bonus in the Senate than in the House."
Ex-HHS head Price delayed rule fining Big Pharma for price gouging before resigning: report
Ex-HHS head Price delayed rule fining Big Pharma for price gouging before resigning: report
"Less than a day before Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned from his cabinet position amid a week of controversy about his expensive travel habits, his department quietly moved to delay an Obamacare rule that would punish drug companies for knowingly price-gouging."
"Less than a day before Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned from his cabinet position amid a week of controversy about his expensive travel habits, his department quietly moved to delay an Obamacare rule that would punish drug companies for knowingly price-gouging."
The study on corporate tax cuts the Trump administration is desperate to cover up
https://thinkprogress.org/the-study-on-corporate-tax-cuts-the-trump-administration-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about-acec0d59fd33/
"The Treasury Department has removed from its website an economic study that directly undermines a key part of the GOP tax plan that Secretary Steven Mnuchin has been peddling on almost every morning show since before the plan was even announced."
"The Treasury Department has removed from its website an economic study that directly undermines a key part of the GOP tax plan that Secretary Steven Mnuchin has been peddling on almost every morning show since before the plan was even announced."
Trump’s plan gives corporate tax lobbyists nearly everything they want
https://thinkprogress.org/tax-reform-lobbying-big-business-wins-1deb8594acf7/
"50 of the entities that indicated that they had lobbied on tax reform in the second quarter of 2017 alone accounted for nearly $151 million in lobbying expenditures. Additionally, by pouring thousands of dollars from corporate PACs into the campaigns of the Congressional Republican leaders with the most influence on what made it into the bill, these companies and interest groups ensured access, influence, and/or the presence of likeminded allies in positions of power. And because some had longstanding ties with key Trump officials, they may have had even more influence than usual."
"50 of the entities that indicated that they had lobbied on tax reform in the second quarter of 2017 alone accounted for nearly $151 million in lobbying expenditures. Additionally, by pouring thousands of dollars from corporate PACs into the campaigns of the Congressional Republican leaders with the most influence on what made it into the bill, these companies and interest groups ensured access, influence, and/or the presence of likeminded allies in positions of power. And because some had longstanding ties with key Trump officials, they may have had even more influence than usual."
‘Putin’s favorite congressman’ gets slapped with travel restrictions over fears he’s compromised by Russia
‘Putin’s favorite congressman’ gets slapped with travel restrictions over fears he’s compromised by Russia
"Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), who has been regularly lampooned as “Putin’s favorite congressman,” has seen his travel and hearing requests get drastically curtailed over fears that he has been compromised by Russian intelligence agencies."
"Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), who has been regularly lampooned as “Putin’s favorite congressman,” has seen his travel and hearing requests get drastically curtailed over fears that he has been compromised by Russian intelligence agencies."
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Marijuana Is Now a Driving Engine of the American Economy @alternet
Marijuana Is Now a Driving Engine of the American Economy @alternet:
"The legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes is having a positive impact on states’ economies in ways that go well beyond tax revenue. From job creation to increased tourism, marijuana legalization is driving economic markets. Here’s how."
"The legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes is having a positive impact on states’ economies in ways that go well beyond tax revenue. From job creation to increased tourism, marijuana legalization is driving economic markets. Here’s how."
Amazing Graphic Shows Why Cannabis Is a Medication Worth Legalizing @alternet
Amazing Graphic Shows Why Cannabis Is a Medication Worth Legalizing @alternet:
"According to clinical studies, the chemical compounds found in cannabis (CBD and THC) can successfully treat chronic pain and many other health ailments. This was evidenced in the largest ever study on cannabis which examined over 10,000 studies on the drug. The results found that, not only is cannabis an effective defense to chronic pain, but also a wide range of other health problems such as: muscles spasms in those suffering from multiple sclerosis, nausea in those undergoing chemotherapy, inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety, stress, and PTSD."
"According to clinical studies, the chemical compounds found in cannabis (CBD and THC) can successfully treat chronic pain and many other health ailments. This was evidenced in the largest ever study on cannabis which examined over 10,000 studies on the drug. The results found that, not only is cannabis an effective defense to chronic pain, but also a wide range of other health problems such as: muscles spasms in those suffering from multiple sclerosis, nausea in those undergoing chemotherapy, inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety, stress, and PTSD."
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