https://thinkprogress.org/the-senators-who-opposed-devos-represent-36-million-more-people-than-her-supporters-do-4705655a2bc7#.lzvixzyez
"DeVos did not appear to understand the difference between testing that measures growth (how much a student has learned since their last test) and proficiency (whether a student has reached a certain baseline). She blanked on a major law protecting children with disabilities. At one point, she said guns might be needed in schools to “protect from potential grizzlies.” And yet the Senate was evenly divided over whether DeVos should be placed in charge of a cabinet agency that she seems to know little about. That is because the Senate is itself malapportioned to give voters in smaller states much greater voices than other voters. The 50 senators who opposed DeVos represent 179,381,386 people, while the 50 senators who supported her represent only 143,064,962 individuals."
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Crimes of the Trump Era (a Preview)
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/39385-crimes-of-the-trump-era-a-preview
"From health care and tax policy to environmental protections, this will undoubtedly be a government of the looters, by the looters, and for the looters, and a Congress of the same. As of yet, however, we've seen only the smallest hints of what is to come. In such a leave-no-billionaires-behind era, forget the past swamps of Washington (which wasn't really built on swampland). The government of Donald J. Trump seems slated to produce an American swamp of swamps and, somewhere down the line, will surely give new meaning to the phrase conflict of interest. Yet these processes, too, are barely underway. From a government of 1% looters, what can you expect but to be looted and to experience crimes of every sort?"
"From health care and tax policy to environmental protections, this will undoubtedly be a government of the looters, by the looters, and for the looters, and a Congress of the same. As of yet, however, we've seen only the smallest hints of what is to come. In such a leave-no-billionaires-behind era, forget the past swamps of Washington (which wasn't really built on swampland). The government of Donald J. Trump seems slated to produce an American swamp of swamps and, somewhere down the line, will surely give new meaning to the phrase conflict of interest. Yet these processes, too, are barely underway. From a government of 1% looters, what can you expect but to be looted and to experience crimes of every sort?"
Mitch McConnell And The Republican Party Have Memory Loss | Crooks and Liars
Mitch McConnell And The Republican Party Have Memory Loss | Crooks and Liars
"And after eight years of Republican lies, sedition and obstruction under Obama, the same Conservative scum are now being allowed to pretend that none of it ever happened and that Democratic opposition to The Bastard President's objectively insane policies and corrupt and incompetent appointments is "reckless and unprecedented"."
"And after eight years of Republican lies, sedition and obstruction under Obama, the same Conservative scum are now being allowed to pretend that none of it ever happened and that Democratic opposition to The Bastard President's objectively insane policies and corrupt and incompetent appointments is "reckless and unprecedented"."
House GOP Quietly Moves to Kill Commission Charged With Securing Elections
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/07/house-gop-quietly-moves-kill-commission-charged-securing-elections
"Amid national outrage over possible foreign interference in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump's own lies about so-called voter fraud, House Republicans on Tuesday quietly advanced two bills that "could profoundly impact the way we administer and finance national elections," watchdogs are warning. The GOP-dominated Committee on House Administration voted along party lines to approve the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Termination Act (HR 634), which would abolish the only "federal agency charged with upgrading our voting systems" and "helping to protect our elections from hacking," as Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at NYU School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, put it. During the same session, the committee also reportedly voted to abolish public financing for presidential elections, passing the Eliminating the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act (HR 133)."
"Amid national outrage over possible foreign interference in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump's own lies about so-called voter fraud, House Republicans on Tuesday quietly advanced two bills that "could profoundly impact the way we administer and finance national elections," watchdogs are warning. The GOP-dominated Committee on House Administration voted along party lines to approve the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Termination Act (HR 634), which would abolish the only "federal agency charged with upgrading our voting systems" and "helping to protect our elections from hacking," as Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at NYU School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice, put it. During the same session, the committee also reportedly voted to abolish public financing for presidential elections, passing the Eliminating the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act (HR 133)."
McConnell Silences Warren. Women Respond On Twitter - Read Letter She Was Forbidden From Reading.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/7/1631253/-Mitch-McConnell-Silences-Elizabeth-Warren-Women-Respond-We-Will-Not-Be-Silenced-LetLizSpeak
"Sen. Warren was “silenced” tonight by a southern Senator for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King objecting to the confirmation of a racist as a federal district judge. Think about that. Women did. They decided to read the letter themselves. And publish their readings on Twitter. Because we will not be silenced."
"Sen. Warren was “silenced” tonight by a southern Senator for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King objecting to the confirmation of a racist as a federal district judge. Think about that. Women did. They decided to read the letter themselves. And publish their readings on Twitter. Because we will not be silenced."
Henry A. Giroux | Combating Trump's Neo-Fascism and the Ghost of "1984"
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/39378-combating-trump-s-neo-fascism-and-the-ghost-of-1984
"The current onslaught of revenge and destruction produced by Trump's updated version of authoritarianism is glaringly visible and deeply brutal, and points to a bleak future in the most immediate sense. We live at a time in which totalitarian forms are with us again. US society is no longer at the tipping point of authoritarianism; we are in the midst of what Hannah Arendt called "dark times." Individual and collective resistance is the only hope we have to move beyond this ominous moment in our history. Fortunately, the arrogant presence of this neo-fascist regime is not going entirely unchecked: The great collective power of resistance has ignited. Hope and a sense of humanity are in the air and the relevance of mass action has a renewed urgency. Demonstrations are taking place every day; some mayors are refusing to allow their cities to be placed under Nazi influence; and marginalized people and their co-strugglers are marching in record-breaking numbers to protect their rights. This resistance will continue to grow until it becomes a movement whose power is on the side of justice not injustice, bridges not walls, dignity not disrespect, compassion not hate. Let's hope this resistance will dispel Orwell's nightmarish vision of the future in our own time."
"The current onslaught of revenge and destruction produced by Trump's updated version of authoritarianism is glaringly visible and deeply brutal, and points to a bleak future in the most immediate sense. We live at a time in which totalitarian forms are with us again. US society is no longer at the tipping point of authoritarianism; we are in the midst of what Hannah Arendt called "dark times." Individual and collective resistance is the only hope we have to move beyond this ominous moment in our history. Fortunately, the arrogant presence of this neo-fascist regime is not going entirely unchecked: The great collective power of resistance has ignited. Hope and a sense of humanity are in the air and the relevance of mass action has a renewed urgency. Demonstrations are taking place every day; some mayors are refusing to allow their cities to be placed under Nazi influence; and marginalized people and their co-strugglers are marching in record-breaking numbers to protect their rights. This resistance will continue to grow until it becomes a movement whose power is on the side of justice not injustice, bridges not walls, dignity not disrespect, compassion not hate. Let's hope this resistance will dispel Orwell's nightmarish vision of the future in our own time."
The House just moved toward eliminating the agency that protects elections from hacking
https://thinkprogress.org/house-eliminate-eac-6317e6889258#.k9qr7xej0
"Just months after an election plagued with foreign influence, a Republican-controlled House committee voted Tuesday to eliminate the independent, bipartisan agency tasked with helping states secure their voting systems."
"Just months after an election plagued with foreign influence, a Republican-controlled House committee voted Tuesday to eliminate the independent, bipartisan agency tasked with helping states secure their voting systems."
Jason Chaffetz uses meeting with Trump to promote disposal of public lands
https://thinkprogress.org/chairman-of-house-ethics-committee-uses-meeting-with-trump-to-promote-disposal-of-public-lands-3270703a3198#.bogau0daw
"Chaffetz also seems to have quickly forgotten the intense public backlash to his recent efforts to privatize or dispose of public lands. Last Thursday, in response to massive protests in Montana and New Mexico, Chaffetz was forced to pull a bill he had introduced that would have sold off 3.3 million acres of public lands."
"Chaffetz also seems to have quickly forgotten the intense public backlash to his recent efforts to privatize or dispose of public lands. Last Thursday, in response to massive protests in Montana and New Mexico, Chaffetz was forced to pull a bill he had introduced that would have sold off 3.3 million acres of public lands."
Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Conduct
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-administration-leaks_us_589a45f1e4b04061313a1fbb
"White House leaks are common, but leakers suggesting the president might be unfit for office are not."
"White House leaks are common, but leakers suggesting the president might be unfit for office are not."
Read the Coretta Scott King letter that got Elizabeth Warren silenced by the Senate
http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/1/11/14236810/jeff-sessions-king-letter
"Sessions has long been an opponent of voting rights protections. He previously said that the Voting Rights Act, which allowed the federal government to oversee elections in states with histories of racism, is a “piece of intrusive legislation.” And when the US Supreme Court struck down parts of the law, Sessions argued that Shelby County, Alabama, where the Supreme Court challenge came from, “has never had a history of denying voters and certainly not now” — even though the county, like Alabama generally, has a long, long history of discrimination of all kinds."
"Sessions has long been an opponent of voting rights protections. He previously said that the Voting Rights Act, which allowed the federal government to oversee elections in states with histories of racism, is a “piece of intrusive legislation.” And when the US Supreme Court struck down parts of the law, Sessions argued that Shelby County, Alabama, where the Supreme Court challenge came from, “has never had a history of denying voters and certainly not now” — even though the county, like Alabama generally, has a long, long history of discrimination of all kinds."
For His Next Trick, Steve Bannon Will Undermine the Pope
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a52901/bannon-pope-francis/
"He wants to establish himself at the head of a new, worldwide authoritarian elite that will reach into every institution and that will demolish any of those institutions that stand in the way of what he wants. The man is a political thug, and Burke is a theological thug. Marriage made somewhat lower than heaven."
"He wants to establish himself at the head of a new, worldwide authoritarian elite that will reach into every institution and that will demolish any of those institutions that stand in the way of what he wants. The man is a political thug, and Burke is a theological thug. Marriage made somewhat lower than heaven."
EPA Nominee Pruitt Sued for Withholding Thousands of Energy Co. Emails
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/07/epa-nominee-pruitt-sued-withholding-thousands-energy-co-emails
"The suit alleges Pruitt has failed to respond to multiple records requests seeking access to more than 3,000 emails with Koch Industries and other coal, oil, and gas corporations, as well as the corporate-funded Republican Attorney General’s Association (RAGA)."
"The suit alleges Pruitt has failed to respond to multiple records requests seeking access to more than 3,000 emails with Koch Industries and other coal, oil, and gas corporations, as well as the corporate-funded Republican Attorney General’s Association (RAGA)."
Trump still getting credit for money he didn't save, jobs he didn't create
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/7/1631014/-Trump-still-getting-credit-for-money-he-didn-t-save-jobs-he-didn-t-create
"Donald Trump likes to claim credit for jobs he didn’t create, and for money he didn’t save. When it comes to the F-35 fighter, Donald Trump has claimed credit for chopping the price of the expensive jets and for bolstering the number of people working to build them. "I have already saved more than $700 million when I got involved in the negotiation on the F-35," Trump said Monday during remarks to U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. The media has rushed to reprint those claims despite the fact that last week, Sen. Jack Reed made it clear that Trump didn’t deserve credit for savings on the F-35. "This is simply taking credit for what's been in the works for many months," Reed told CNBC in a telephone interview. "These are savings that would have happened anyway." Trump had nothing to do with the reduction. He didn’t negotiate it. He didn’t even suggest it. In fact, if anyone should get a nod, it’s Barack Obama—and everyone involved seems to agree."
"Donald Trump likes to claim credit for jobs he didn’t create, and for money he didn’t save. When it comes to the F-35 fighter, Donald Trump has claimed credit for chopping the price of the expensive jets and for bolstering the number of people working to build them. "I have already saved more than $700 million when I got involved in the negotiation on the F-35," Trump said Monday during remarks to U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. The media has rushed to reprint those claims despite the fact that last week, Sen. Jack Reed made it clear that Trump didn’t deserve credit for savings on the F-35. "This is simply taking credit for what's been in the works for many months," Reed told CNBC in a telephone interview. "These are savings that would have happened anyway." Trump had nothing to do with the reduction. He didn’t negotiate it. He didn’t even suggest it. In fact, if anyone should get a nod, it’s Barack Obama—and everyone involved seems to agree."
Melania Trump's Lawyers Admit She Hoped to Cash in on Being First Lady by Selling Clothes and Fragrances @alternet
Melania Trump's Lawyers Admit She Hoped to Cash in on Being First Lady by Selling Clothes and Fragrances @alternet:
"Apparently, Melania does not understand the emoluments clause either."
"Apparently, Melania does not understand the emoluments clause either."
President Trump once again says he has no connections to Russia or Putin, negating what he’s said about them before
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/07/president-trump-once-again-says-he-has-no-connections-to-russia-or-putin-negating-what-hes-said-about-them-before/
"Trump’s relationship with Russia can be traced at least as far back as when he began turning to that nation’s financiers after American banks stopped lending him money due to his numerous failed business ventures. These included a partnership with a company backed by Russian and Kazakhstani money known as the Bayrock Group, which helped him develop properties in Florida and New York, and a decision to sell one of his Palm Beach mansions to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev. In addition to getting Russian funds for projects in this country, Trump has had quite a few business ventures in Russia itself, including a Trump Tower in Moscow, a Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Trump Vodka, and at least eight trademarks in Russia between 1996 and 2008. This may explain why Donald Trump Jr. admitted in 2008 that “in terms of high-end product influx into the U.S., Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets; say in Dubai, and certainly with our project in SoHo and anywhere in New York. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” Trump’s son’s comments aren’t nearly as damning as remarks made by his father in 2013 and 2015. The president admitted in 2013, “I do have a relationship [with Putin], and I can tell you that he’s very interested in what we’re doing here today.” In 2015, he bragged, “I had the Miss Universe pageant, believe it or not, in Moscow two years ago. I got many of the Russian leaders, the top people in Russia, honestly . . . These are people, they are looking to do things.” This doesn’t even scratch the surface of the past and present Trump aides with connections to Russia, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn, and secretary of state Rex Tillerson."
"Trump’s relationship with Russia can be traced at least as far back as when he began turning to that nation’s financiers after American banks stopped lending him money due to his numerous failed business ventures. These included a partnership with a company backed by Russian and Kazakhstani money known as the Bayrock Group, which helped him develop properties in Florida and New York, and a decision to sell one of his Palm Beach mansions to Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev. In addition to getting Russian funds for projects in this country, Trump has had quite a few business ventures in Russia itself, including a Trump Tower in Moscow, a Miss Universe pageant in Moscow, Trump Vodka, and at least eight trademarks in Russia between 1996 and 2008. This may explain why Donald Trump Jr. admitted in 2008 that “in terms of high-end product influx into the U.S., Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets; say in Dubai, and certainly with our project in SoHo and anywhere in New York. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.” Trump’s son’s comments aren’t nearly as damning as remarks made by his father in 2013 and 2015. The president admitted in 2013, “I do have a relationship [with Putin], and I can tell you that he’s very interested in what we’re doing here today.” In 2015, he bragged, “I had the Miss Universe pageant, believe it or not, in Moscow two years ago. I got many of the Russian leaders, the top people in Russia, honestly . . . These are people, they are looking to do things.” This doesn’t even scratch the surface of the past and present Trump aides with connections to Russia, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn, and secretary of state Rex Tillerson."
Trump official admits administration misuses the term “fake news” to discredit media criticism
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/07/trump-official-admits-administration-misuses-the-term-fake-news-to-discredit-media-criticism/
"The Trump administration is faking their cries of "fake news" to silence the media"
"The Trump administration is faking their cries of "fake news" to silence the media"
One Type Of Terrorism Really Is Underreported -- Right-Wing Terrorism
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2017/02/07/trumps-list-underreported-terrorism-completely-ignores-domestic-right-wing-extremism/215260
"In many of these cases, the terrorists had direct ties to the white nationalist movement, a key component of what has been coined the “alt-right,” or were inspired by conservative media misinformation. Here are just a few of the examples that didn’t make Trump’s list"
"In many of these cases, the terrorists had direct ties to the white nationalist movement, a key component of what has been coined the “alt-right,” or were inspired by conservative media misinformation. Here are just a few of the examples that didn’t make Trump’s list"
Amid Russia’s election hacking, House Republicans vote to terminate voting security agency
Amid Russia’s election hacking, House Republicans vote to terminate voting security agency
"The Republican-controlled Committee on House Administration voted along party lines on Tuesday to disband the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which assists states with meeting voting system security guidelines. By a 6-3 vote, lawmakers approved the Election Assistance Commission Termination Act. The bill states that, upon being signed into law, the EAC will be “terminated and may not carry out any programs or activities"."
"The Republican-controlled Committee on House Administration voted along party lines on Tuesday to disband the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which assists states with meeting voting system security guidelines. By a 6-3 vote, lawmakers approved the Election Assistance Commission Termination Act. The bill states that, upon being signed into law, the EAC will be “terminated and may not carry out any programs or activities"."
Trump's HHS nominee: 'Dr. Personal Enrichment'
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/7/1630939/-Trump-s-HHS-nominee-Dr-Personal-Enrichment
"In the pantheon of corruption that is Popular Vote Loser Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) is fighting hard for a place at the top. Nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Price has had to answer for an ever-growing list of ethical problems, most seriously the very credible appearance of insider-trading on his part while he serves in Congress."
"In the pantheon of corruption that is Popular Vote Loser Donald Trump's cabinet nominees, Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) is fighting hard for a place at the top. Nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Price has had to answer for an ever-growing list of ethical problems, most seriously the very credible appearance of insider-trading on his part while he serves in Congress."
Steve Bannon is trying to undermine Pope Francis through an ultra-conservative American cardinal: report
Steve Bannon is trying to undermine Pope Francis through an ultra-conservative American cardinal: report
"President Donald Trump’s chief strategist has been cultivating a bond with a right-wing cardinal who’s waging war against Pope Francis. Steve Bannon met with archconservative Cardinal Raymond Burke, who has openly challenged the pope, during a 2014 trip to Rome to cover the canonization of John Paul II for Breitbart News, reported the New York Times."
"President Donald Trump’s chief strategist has been cultivating a bond with a right-wing cardinal who’s waging war against Pope Francis. Steve Bannon met with archconservative Cardinal Raymond Burke, who has openly challenged the pope, during a 2014 trip to Rome to cover the canonization of John Paul II for Breitbart News, reported the New York Times."
Trump: the murder rate is at a 45-year high. Actual statistics: that’s not remotely true.
http://www.vox.com/2016/10/12/13255466/trump-murder-rate
"The false claim echoes remarks Trump made on the campaign trail and afterward, including several rallies where he said that “the murder rate in the United States is the highest it’s been in 45 years.” That would be very worrying if it were true. Thankfully, it’s not. At all."
"The false claim echoes remarks Trump made on the campaign trail and afterward, including several rallies where he said that “the murder rate in the United States is the highest it’s been in 45 years.” That would be very worrying if it were true. Thankfully, it’s not. At all."
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Eichenwald: Kellyanne Conway throws gutter ball, massacres facts
http://www.newsweek.com/eichenwald-kellyanne-conway-massacres-facts-553860
"Officials there have been burning through their credibility as if it was soaked in gasoline. Just because Trump spins falsehoods does not mean that his staff has to back them up."
"Officials there have been burning through their credibility as if it was soaked in gasoline. Just because Trump spins falsehoods does not mean that his staff has to back them up."
Here’s The Coretta Scott King Letter Mitch McConnell Suppressed
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/coretta-scott-king-jeff-sessions-letter_us_589a8dd7e4b09bd304beb9eb
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wouldn’t let Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) read Coretta Scott King’s blistering takedown of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) on the Senate floor on Tuesday night. But there’s no reason you can’t."
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wouldn’t let Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) read Coretta Scott King’s blistering takedown of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) on the Senate floor on Tuesday night. But there’s no reason you can’t."
Trump Lends the Banksters a Hand
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/39358-trump-lends-the-banksters-a-hand
"Back when he was a presidential candidate, Trump said things about the big banks that made him sound like a Bernie Sanders Democrat. In his final ad before Election Day, for example, he blasted the "global power structure" that he said was robbing the country blind and enriching the wealthy at the expense of working Americans. That campaign ad -- and really the entire Donald Trump campaign -- will now go down in history as a con job of epic proportions."
"Back when he was a presidential candidate, Trump said things about the big banks that made him sound like a Bernie Sanders Democrat. In his final ad before Election Day, for example, he blasted the "global power structure" that he said was robbing the country blind and enriching the wealthy at the expense of working Americans. That campaign ad -- and really the entire Donald Trump campaign -- will now go down in history as a con job of epic proportions."
So begins the war on science, fact and the environment
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/1/25/1625116/-So-begins-the-war-on-science-fact-and-the-environment
"What he thinks about crowd size is one thing, but what he believes about our environment has direct and serious potential impacts for all of us."
"What he thinks about crowd size is one thing, but what he believes about our environment has direct and serious potential impacts for all of us."
Republicans Want to Make the EPA Great Again by Gutting Health Regulations
https://theintercept.com/2017/02/05/republicans-want-to-make-the-epa-great-again-by-gutting-health-regulations/
"This bald industry bid to subvert public health-based regulations that can cut into profit isn’t new. What’s new is that this upside-down environmental attack, in which those who benefit directly from polluting industries are policing the independent scientists who can show the harms of their products, could now succeed. Although the House passed the “secret science” bill in 2014 and 2015, it never made it to the Senate floor. After it passed the House in 2015, Barbara Boxer called the bill “insane,” Bernie Sanders called it “laughable,” and President Obama promised to veto it. This time, it’s not a joke. With a Republican majority in both houses and Trump in the White House, the Secret Science act could easily become law. The small group of lawyers and PR strategists orchestrating the secret science effort are closely tied to those attacking the EPA from within. All have connections to either big tobacco, oil, or both — and almost all have been affiliated with a small, right wing group called the Energy & Environment Legal Institute. It’s interesting that E&E should fixate on transparency since the group has gone to great lengths to conceal its donors. Nevertheless, public records document some of the group’s ties to big coal companies, including the now bankrupt Alpha Natural Resources, Peabody Coal, and Arch Coal."
"This bald industry bid to subvert public health-based regulations that can cut into profit isn’t new. What’s new is that this upside-down environmental attack, in which those who benefit directly from polluting industries are policing the independent scientists who can show the harms of their products, could now succeed. Although the House passed the “secret science” bill in 2014 and 2015, it never made it to the Senate floor. After it passed the House in 2015, Barbara Boxer called the bill “insane,” Bernie Sanders called it “laughable,” and President Obama promised to veto it. This time, it’s not a joke. With a Republican majority in both houses and Trump in the White House, the Secret Science act could easily become law. The small group of lawyers and PR strategists orchestrating the secret science effort are closely tied to those attacking the EPA from within. All have connections to either big tobacco, oil, or both — and almost all have been affiliated with a small, right wing group called the Energy & Environment Legal Institute. It’s interesting that E&E should fixate on transparency since the group has gone to great lengths to conceal its donors. Nevertheless, public records document some of the group’s ties to big coal companies, including the now bankrupt Alpha Natural Resources, Peabody Coal, and Arch Coal."
Trump Cronies Rewarded as House GOP 'Dirty Trick' Bolsters Big Oil
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/03/trump-cronies-rewarded-house-gop-dirty-trick-bolsters-big-oil
"The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to repeal a rule curbing methane emissions on public lands, delivering a win, say environmental groups, to big oil and cronies of President Donald Trump. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulation, finalized under the Obama administration in November, limited methane venting, flaring, and leaks from fossil fuel production on federal and tribal lands, thereby aiming to "avoid wasting up to 41 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas per year," as Reuters wrote at the time. The Associated Press adds Friday: "A government report said about 40 percent of gas being flared or vented could be captured economically and sold"."
"The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to repeal a rule curbing methane emissions on public lands, delivering a win, say environmental groups, to big oil and cronies of President Donald Trump. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regulation, finalized under the Obama administration in November, limited methane venting, flaring, and leaks from fossil fuel production on federal and tribal lands, thereby aiming to "avoid wasting up to 41 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas per year," as Reuters wrote at the time. The Associated Press adds Friday: "A government report said about 40 percent of gas being flared or vented could be captured economically and sold"."
Is Steve Bannon Donald Trump's Rasputin? Da!
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/5/1628195/-Is-Steve-Bannon-Donald-Trump-s-Rasputin-Da
"Bannon has described himself as a “Leninist.” Of course, many others in Trumpland, including past campaign officials, current White House staff, and Trump family members, have ties to Russia as well, especially financial ones."
"Bannon has described himself as a “Leninist.” Of course, many others in Trumpland, including past campaign officials, current White House staff, and Trump family members, have ties to Russia as well, especially financial ones."
How The Fast-Food Chain Led By Trump’s Labor Nominee Stiffed Workers Again And Again
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andy-puzder-hardees-labor-law-violations_us_5893b7ade4b09bd304ba7f14
"In each of those cases, Labor Department investigators found that Hardee’s restaurants had violated federal wage-and-hour regulations and workers were entitled to thousands of dollars in backpay. Throughout this time, the Hardee’s brand has been overseen by Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next labor secretary. If he is confirmed by the Senate, Puzder would be responsible for enforcing the same worker protections that his company and its franchisees were caught violating, sometimes repeatedly."
"In each of those cases, Labor Department investigators found that Hardee’s restaurants had violated federal wage-and-hour regulations and workers were entitled to thousands of dollars in backpay. Throughout this time, the Hardee’s brand has been overseen by Andrew Puzder, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next labor secretary. If he is confirmed by the Senate, Puzder would be responsible for enforcing the same worker protections that his company and its franchisees were caught violating, sometimes repeatedly."
Eichenwald: Can Trump tell the difference between truth and his lies?
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-difference-truth-lies-552292
"As Newsweek reported during the campaign, Trump has made innumerable false statements under oath. That’s obviously important—former President Clinton was impeached because he lied under oath once to hide an affair; Trump did it numerous times, and usually just to puff himself up. He testified to Congress in 1993 that he had never tried to arrange any business deals with Indian casino operators; Newsweek discovered phone records, memos and an affidavit proving that was a lie. He said in a sworn deposition he had been paid $1 million for a speech when he had only received $400,000—he attempted to explain away the falsehood by saying the pre-speech publicity was worth $600,000 to him. He told Deutsche Bank in loan applications in 2004 he was worth billions; the bank concluded that was a lie and set his net worth at $788 million. Of Trump’s many past fantasies, two stand out for what they reveal about how his mind works. He claimed to own 50 percent of a real estate project although he owned only 30 percent. When asked about the discrepancy in a deposition, he did not say he’d simply made a mistake; instead, he said, “I’ve always felt I owned 50 percent.” In another instance, he said that he knew companies had decided not to bring proposals to him after a journalist publicly questioned his net worth; when asked under oath what businesses had declined to deal with him, he said he could not name them because none of them had told him they’d made this decision, but he just knew they had snubbed him. Think about that: the President of the United States said under penalty of perjury that he knew people had refused to bring him business even though he did not know who they were, had no facts to confirm they existed, and could not explain what deals their decisions involved. And he said that a contractual ownership of 30 percent was in fact 50 percent because that was how he felt. This is not normal."
"As Newsweek reported during the campaign, Trump has made innumerable false statements under oath. That’s obviously important—former President Clinton was impeached because he lied under oath once to hide an affair; Trump did it numerous times, and usually just to puff himself up. He testified to Congress in 1993 that he had never tried to arrange any business deals with Indian casino operators; Newsweek discovered phone records, memos and an affidavit proving that was a lie. He said in a sworn deposition he had been paid $1 million for a speech when he had only received $400,000—he attempted to explain away the falsehood by saying the pre-speech publicity was worth $600,000 to him. He told Deutsche Bank in loan applications in 2004 he was worth billions; the bank concluded that was a lie and set his net worth at $788 million. Of Trump’s many past fantasies, two stand out for what they reveal about how his mind works. He claimed to own 50 percent of a real estate project although he owned only 30 percent. When asked about the discrepancy in a deposition, he did not say he’d simply made a mistake; instead, he said, “I’ve always felt I owned 50 percent.” In another instance, he said that he knew companies had decided not to bring proposals to him after a journalist publicly questioned his net worth; when asked under oath what businesses had declined to deal with him, he said he could not name them because none of them had told him they’d made this decision, but he just knew they had snubbed him. Think about that: the President of the United States said under penalty of perjury that he knew people had refused to bring him business even though he did not know who they were, had no facts to confirm they existed, and could not explain what deals their decisions involved. And he said that a contractual ownership of 30 percent was in fact 50 percent because that was how he felt. This is not normal."
SNL's Alec Baldwin taunts Trump again, but Melissa McCarthy steals the show playing Sean Spicer
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/4/1630164/-Melissa-McCartney-hilariously-steals-the-show-as-Press-Secretary-Sean-Spicer-on-SNL
"It was a great show with superb writing, but it was actress/comedian Melissa McCarthy of Bridesmaids, Spy and Ghostbusters who swept the audience into a frenzy of roaring laughter as she played the role of the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer."
"It was a great show with superb writing, but it was actress/comedian Melissa McCarthy of Bridesmaids, Spy and Ghostbusters who swept the audience into a frenzy of roaring laughter as she played the role of the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer."
‘This guy is a fraud’: Bernie Sanders blasts Trump for selling out voters to help Wall Street
‘This guy is a fraud’: Bernie Sanders blasts Trump for selling out voters to help Wall Street
"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Sunday accused President Donald Trump of perpetrating a “fraud” on American voters by cozying up to Wall Street bankers instead of keeping his campaign promises."
"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Sunday accused President Donald Trump of perpetrating a “fraud” on American voters by cozying up to Wall Street bankers instead of keeping his campaign promises."
WATCH: Alex Baldwin is Donald Trump on SNL with a favorite sidekick, Grim Reaper Steve Bannon
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/05/watch-alex-baldwin-is-donald-trump-on-snl-with-a-favorite-sidekick-grim-reaper-steve-bannon/
"the Grim Reaper joins Donald Trump in the oval office, and he’s actually Steve Bannon."
"the Grim Reaper joins Donald Trump in the oval office, and he’s actually Steve Bannon."
'Populist' Trump Punks His Credulous Fans | Crooks and Liars
'Populist' Trump Punks His Credulous Fans | Crooks and Liars
"Voters enchanted by Trump's promises may not have known that he owed his wealth and the continued existence of his business - despite multiple bankruptcies - to bankers at places like Goldman Sachs, UBS, and Deutsche Bank (and still owed them hundreds of millions of dollars). They probably didn't know how quickly he abandoned his bogus promise to fund his own campaign, turning to Steven Mnuchin, a Goldman Sachs veteran and predatory mortgage lender, to raise millions. And they surely didn't know that Mnuchin openly boasted he would become Treasury Secretary, the very reward that Trump awarded him - or that various other Wall Street figures, from Commerce nominee Wilbur Ross to National Economic Council chief Gary Cohn, would dominate Trump's appointments. Now they do know - or they should, if they've been paying attention. But do they realize yet how badly Trump punked them? On Friday, he delivered a multi-billion dollar gift to Wall Street by eviscerating the Dodd-Frank financial regulations passed in the wake of the 2008 crash. One of his two executive orders instructed the Department of Labor to delay and ultimately destroy the fiduciary rule that required financial firms to offer advice only in their clients' best interest - rather than self-serving schemes for self-enrichment. With that single stroke he encouraged the banks to fleece working Americans of their retirement savings, with an implicit promise that the government will do nothing to stop or punish them. According to a report released last year by the Obama administration, the fiduciary rule would save Americans from $18 billion in financial cheating annually. Goldman Sachs estimated that the rule would cost financial firms as much as $25 billion per year. Either way, undoing the rule is an enormous favor to Wall Street - and a gigantic gouge of consumers."
"Voters enchanted by Trump's promises may not have known that he owed his wealth and the continued existence of his business - despite multiple bankruptcies - to bankers at places like Goldman Sachs, UBS, and Deutsche Bank (and still owed them hundreds of millions of dollars). They probably didn't know how quickly he abandoned his bogus promise to fund his own campaign, turning to Steven Mnuchin, a Goldman Sachs veteran and predatory mortgage lender, to raise millions. And they surely didn't know that Mnuchin openly boasted he would become Treasury Secretary, the very reward that Trump awarded him - or that various other Wall Street figures, from Commerce nominee Wilbur Ross to National Economic Council chief Gary Cohn, would dominate Trump's appointments. Now they do know - or they should, if they've been paying attention. But do they realize yet how badly Trump punked them? On Friday, he delivered a multi-billion dollar gift to Wall Street by eviscerating the Dodd-Frank financial regulations passed in the wake of the 2008 crash. One of his two executive orders instructed the Department of Labor to delay and ultimately destroy the fiduciary rule that required financial firms to offer advice only in their clients' best interest - rather than self-serving schemes for self-enrichment. With that single stroke he encouraged the banks to fleece working Americans of their retirement savings, with an implicit promise that the government will do nothing to stop or punish them. According to a report released last year by the Obama administration, the fiduciary rule would save Americans from $18 billion in financial cheating annually. Goldman Sachs estimated that the rule would cost financial firms as much as $25 billion per year. Either way, undoing the rule is an enormous favor to Wall Street - and a gigantic gouge of consumers."
Town Of Newtown, CT, Calls On Trump To Sever Ties With Sandy Hook Truther Alex Jones
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2017/02/03/town-newtown-ct-calls-trump-sever-ties-sandy-hook-truther-alex-jones/215237
"The Los Angeles Times reported parents of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting believe Donald Trump is “nurturing the culture of exaggeration and paranoia” that leads conspiracy theorists to harass them, by not publicly denouncing Alex Jones. After noting “President Trump and his national security advisor, Michael T. Flynn, have been open enthusiasts of Alex Jones’ Infowars,” which promotes the baseless conspiracy theory “that Sandy Hook was staged by Democrats to advance a gun control agenda,” the L.A. Times reported “The town of Newtown is drafting an official letter to the White House demanding that Trump sever his ties to Jones"."
"The Los Angeles Times reported parents of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting believe Donald Trump is “nurturing the culture of exaggeration and paranoia” that leads conspiracy theorists to harass them, by not publicly denouncing Alex Jones. After noting “President Trump and his national security advisor, Michael T. Flynn, have been open enthusiasts of Alex Jones’ Infowars,” which promotes the baseless conspiracy theory “that Sandy Hook was staged by Democrats to advance a gun control agenda,” the L.A. Times reported “The town of Newtown is drafting an official letter to the White House demanding that Trump sever his ties to Jones"."
How To Get Away With White Supremacy In Trump's White House
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2017/02/03/stephen-bannon-white-supremacist-or-just-1-fan-white-supremacists/215232
"White nationalists and white supremacists were overjoyed when Trump appointed Bannon as his chief strategist. Former KKK grand wizard David Duke told CNN, "You have an individual, Mr. Bannon, who's basically creating the ideological aspects of where we're going." Duke added on his radio show that Bannon had “been right on about a lot of the issues facing European Americans.” A neo-Nazi website described Bannon’s White House position as “pure awesomeness.” Richard Spencer, the Nazi who was punched during inauguration weekend, lauded Bannon’s ability to chart Trump’s “macro trajectory.” Andrew Breitbart himself reportedly called Bannon “the Leni Riefenstahl of the Tea Party movement,” referring to the German filmmaker who made propaganda films for the Nazis. And yet the mainstream media is still insistent upon protecting Stephen Bannon’s reputation."
"White nationalists and white supremacists were overjoyed when Trump appointed Bannon as his chief strategist. Former KKK grand wizard David Duke told CNN, "You have an individual, Mr. Bannon, who's basically creating the ideological aspects of where we're going." Duke added on his radio show that Bannon had “been right on about a lot of the issues facing European Americans.” A neo-Nazi website described Bannon’s White House position as “pure awesomeness.” Richard Spencer, the Nazi who was punched during inauguration weekend, lauded Bannon’s ability to chart Trump’s “macro trajectory.” Andrew Breitbart himself reportedly called Bannon “the Leni Riefenstahl of the Tea Party movement,” referring to the German filmmaker who made propaganda films for the Nazis. And yet the mainstream media is still insistent upon protecting Stephen Bannon’s reputation."
Trump Brags About Job Growth That Happened Under Obama
http://www.motherjones.com/media/2017/02/donald-trump-jobs-report-obama-administration
"Conservative outlets, including Fox News and Breitbart, also misleadingly implied that the reported job growth came under Trump"
"Conservative outlets, including Fox News and Breitbart, also misleadingly implied that the reported job growth came under Trump"
Say Goodbye to Your Life Savings (Again)
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a52809/trump-financial-deregulation/
"President Trump's team of Goldman Sachs alums are in the hen house."
"President Trump's team of Goldman Sachs alums are in the hen house."
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