Wednesday, August 31, 2022
What Republicans refuse to grasp about the ‘Clinton standard’
Trump's scandal bears little resemblance to his former rival's. Clinton didn't take physical documents. She didn't ignore pleas for cooperation. She didn't store highly sensitive secrets at a private club that had an unfortunate habit of letting foreign spies walk around...
The Police Are Defunding Minneapolis – Mother Jones
A combination of costs that all emerge directly from the police department has sent the city into a fiscal crisis...
Businesses associated with these GOP politicians had pandemic loan program borrowings forgiven - PolitiFact
An Instagram post listed 13 Republican politicians who criticized Biden's plan to cancel student debt but took out Paycheck Protection Program loans that the government forgave.
Businesses owned by or associated with the politicians named in the post did receive Paycheck Protection Program loans…
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Trump's Bad Defenses and Worse Lawyering - YouTube
Big difference between criming in office and out of office.
Greenland ice sheet set to trigger nearly a foot in sea level rise - The Washington Post
The findings in the journal Nature Climate Change project that it is now inevitable that 3.3 percent of the Greenland ice sheet will melt — equal to 110 trillion tons of ice, the researchers said. That will trigger nearly a foot of global sea-level rise...
Proud Boy accused of menacing Chuck Schumer on Jan. 6 sentenced to 55 months - The Washington Post
Joshua Pruitt also faced down police in the Crypt and Visitors Center but did not assault officers…
Most Trump voters see civil war as likely within a decade - The Washington Post
Four in 10 Americans think that a civil war may be likely within the next decade. Among those who say they voted for Trump in 2020, it's more than 50 percent — a group that also expects political violence to increase "a lot" over the coming years...
Trump Demands Either New Election ‘Immediately’ or Make Him ‘Rightful’ President Now
Trump's latest rant came shortly after his pal Lindsey Graham warned of "riots in the streets" if the ex-president was indicted...
Lindsey Graham warns of 'riots in the streets' if Trump is prosecuted - The Washington Post
Others viewed the senator's words as more threat than prognostication. Former congressman Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), a tea party adherent turned frequent Trump critic, called Graham "shameful" and a "coward," writing on Twitter that "threats of violence should NEVER stop the pursuit of justice. NEVER."…
Biden to deliver prime-time address on democracy Thursday - The Washington Post
The speech, one of Biden's few in prime time, reaffirms his rhetorical shift to a greater stress on the threat to democratic values…
Trump’s Truth Social Is in Trouble – Mother Jones
...News of the federal scrutiny has contributed to the company's stock price falling 75 percent since its peak, with reported losses to the tune of $6.5 million.
The Trump company has also stopped paying a key vendor. Fox Business reportedthis week that Truth Social owes a web-hosting company called RightForge $1 million and has failed to make contractually required payments since March...
The abortion emergency in the federal courts | The Hill
It is now notorious that the criminalization of abortion, in the wake of the Supreme Court's overruling of Roe v. Wade, doesn't do much to lower the abortion rate but has had devastating effects on the ability of doctors to treat pregnancies that go wrong. Horror stories accumulate. Opponents of abortion have claimed that the press has exaggerated the danger. Yet two recent lawsuits have made clear that this harm is very real. Efforts to preserve women's health are being resisted, with some success, even in cases where the fetus is doomed...
Extreme China heatwave could lead to global chaos and food shortages - NZ Herald
Cars. Batteries. Solar panels. Food. Global shortages and soaring prices are almost certain as China's seemingly never-ending heatwave sears on...
...Now China is facing severe shortfalls in the autumn harvest of rice and wheat in the Yangtze basin. And analysts say that's likely to be yet another stressor on global food prices...
Bernie Sanders rebukes GOP for backing corporate tax breaks but not student debt relief | Bernie Sanders | The Guardian
"Look, I know it is shocking … to some Republicans, that the government actually, on occasion, does something to benefit low income families and working people," the progressive from Vermont said during an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News's This Week. "I don't hear any of these Republicans squawking when we give massive tax breaks to billionaires."
A mutated virus, anti-vaxxers and a vulnerable population: how polio returned to the US | US news | The Guardian
…growing distrust of government public health agencies and the spread of anti-vaccine talking points has taken a toll…
Billions in ‘dark money’ is influencing US politics. We need disclosure laws
A donor secretly transferred $1.6bn to a Republican political group. Because of America's lax laws, the donation was never disclosed in any public record or database...
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/29/billions-in-dark-money-is-influencing-us-politics-we-need-disclosure-laws
We Don’t Have to Speculate About Trump’s Next Term - The Atlantic
No prosecution is above suspicion of political influence, and no Trump adversary is exempt from fear. Just as important is whom the government chooses not to prosecute or harass: It stays its hand against MAGA street militias, election shysters, and other allies of the president. The result is that federal law enforcement and the security apparatus become under Trump what Trump claims they are under Biden: political enforcers...
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/08/trump-2024-reelection-viktor-orban-hungary/671264/
Why Trump World is suddenly focused anew on the Russia scandal
Now seems like a good time to review five core truths about the Russia scandal.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-world-suddenly-focused-anew-russia-scandal-rcna45243
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-world-suddenly-focused-anew-russia-scandal-rcna45243
China’s dim prospects turn disastrous | The Hill
China's immediate past has been truly impressive. It has lifted itself out of abject poverty. But given Xi's economic mismanagement, combined with his loyalty to Putin, who is the sworn enemy of all his Western customers, China's future looks not only dim but potentially disastrous…https://thehill.com/opinion/international/3619006-how-chinas-dim-prospects-may-turn-into-disaster/
Monday, August 29, 2022
Student Loan Forgiveness! (Opening Arguments podcast OA625)
Biden not only kept his campaign promise, but expanded on it! Andrew breaks down the history of the student loan debt problem and what Biden’s plan is. It’s good news!
Interview:
‘The US could lose the right to vote within months’: Top official warns on threat to democracy
"What we can expect from the extreme Republicans running across this country is to undermine free and fair elections for the American people, strip Americans of the right to vote, refuse to address security breaches and, unfortunately, be more beholden to Mar-a-Lago than the American people," Griswold, 37, said in an interview with the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/27/jena-griswold-colorado-elections-secretary-of-state-democracy
US investigates fake heiress who infiltrated Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort
"It's unheard of," a deputy national security adviser to Joe Biden in the Barack Obama White House said at the time. "These people operate behind the scenes.
I don't think this team has any appreciation about the vulnerabilities they are creating for themselves and how dangerous this is."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/27/fake-heiress-infiltrates-mar-a-lago-trump
The Black mothers finding freedom in mushrooms: ‘They give us our power back’
"Drugs have been racialized in the US since the early 20th century. Cocaine was an over-the-counter medicine for 50 or 60 years – then it became racialized when Black people started using it," said Dr Jason Ruiz, an American studies associate professor and department chair at the University of Notre Dame. "When white people use drugs, those media forms tend to frame white people as the victims of the drug rather than the perpetrators of the drug. Black and brown people get framed as the villains in how we narrate the war on drugs."…
Dorothy Roberts on reproductive justice: ‘Abortion isn’t the only focus’
"Together with other activists of color, we reframed how we should approach reproductive freedom, away from choice and toward social justice."
Sunday, August 28, 2022
How Minds Change (with David McRaney) - YouTube
David McRaney is a science journalist, host of the "You Are Not So Smart" podcast, and author of several books, including his latest, "How Minds Change."
Feds Probe Fake Heiress Who Infiltrated Mar-a-Lago and Trump’s Inner Circle
"How did they allow it?" one guest wondered to the Post-Gazette. The ease with which Yashchyshyn repeatedly strolled into the ex-president's residence last year using a fake ID raises additional questions about the overall security at Mar-a-Lago, especially in light ofthe FBI's recent raid to seize classified documents...
Inventing Anna: The tale of a fake heiress, Mar-a-Lago and an FBI investigation
The idea that a person with a fake identity can get into the former president's estate — even if they're looking to find investors — "is not OK," he said. "Who else can get in there? Who is behind that person? It's just wrong on so many [levels]."…
FBI reportedly examines yet another Mar-a-Lago security breakdown
…The year after Trump left the White House — but while he continued to hold onto classified materials — Yashchyshyn allegedly finagled her way into the club, several times, and managed to hang out with the former president and a sitting Republican U.S. senator.
This is the venue where Trump kept highly classified national security secrets that he wasn't supposed to have…
Houston is under federal investigation over whether its response to illegal dumping reports harmed Black residents | CNN
…She and others in her neighborhood have sent countless photos of the debris to the city's 311 system but tired of not getting help, they filed a federal complaint in December accusing the city of prejudice and discrimination about its response to illegal dumping complaints in this majority Black and Latino area.
Now, the Department of Justice is investigating how city officials respond to those calls and whether their response discriminates against Black and Latino residents across Houston…
'This will change everything for me': Americans react to Biden's plan to forgive up to $20k in student loan debt - CNN
Jo Ann Hardy, a 66-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, says her family is middle-class African American. She and her husband, Jerry, paid for her daughter to earn her master's degree in 2004. The three of them made sacrifices and worked hard to pay for her daughter to attend college with the help of a few academic scholarships, she says.
"We made it! No loans! Although we did not require loan support, we are delighted that President Biden has announced a plan to help provide some relief for students who had to take loans," Hardy said. "We are smart enough and compassionate enough to know that not all students and families can pull this off without help!" …
Actually, Canceling Student Debt Will Cut Inflation - The Atlantic
Biden's targeted loan forgiveness will help, not harm, the economy...
Omaha archdiocese releases new ‘human sexuality’ policy for Catholic schools – The Hill
…A student cannot be enrolled in — and may be dismissed from — a Catholic school in the archdiocese if they "resist" the school's instruction on "respecting the human person" by using a different name or pronouns than those they were assigned at birth or receive gender-affirming medical care including puberty blockers or hormones.
Students are required to conduct themselves in accordance with their sex assigned at birth "at all times publicly" — including online — and adhere to their school's dress code or uniform policy. Access to facilities like multiperson restrooms and locker rooms will be determined by students' sex assigned at birth…
Liberty Counsel Donor Records Exposed in Data Breach
"Noticing a worrying trend of far-right and anti-abortion activists aligning themselves with the evangelical Christian movement, hiding their funding sources behind laws that allow church ministries to keep their donations secret," the hacker wrote in a press release, "we decided to bring about some much-needed radical transparency."…
North Carolina's Mark Robinson reportedly floats ban on science, history in elementary schools
In May, Robinson claimed God intended men to lead society, citing the Bible's reference to David — "not Davita" — being sent to face off against Goliath. He's called homosexuality and the transgender experience "filth." He's suggested people who think Christianity shouldn't dictate U.S. law should leave the country. He claimed an "agnostic Jew" and "satanic Marxist" created the movie "Black Panther" to pull "shekels" out of Black people's pockets. And he's threatened to fill government officials "with some led" using an AR-15 if the government "gets too big for its britches."
Opinion: Trump supporters who clamored for the release of the affidavit should be careful what they wish for - CNN
We know that the documents also included some marked as "derived from the monitoring of foreign communications signals by other than the intended recipients"; "human intelligence-derived information"; "derived from the collection of information authorized under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act"; "not releasable to foreign nationals/US citizens"; and "originator controlled," meaning that the document is so sensitive that only its originator can authorize additional dissemination -- even to those who already have the highest security clearance...
Ted Cruz Worries Working Class Might 'Get Off the Bong' and Vote After Student Debt Relief
Educator Chris Williams tweeted: "Apparently myself, a public school teacher who joined the Peace Corps out of college, and currently with over 20k in student loans after graduating in 2009, is a slacker according to Ted Cruz. Good to know."…
Saturday, August 27, 2022
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2022-08-26
Domestic
President Joe Biden unveiled a plan to forgive some student debt and change the repayment structure for some loans this week. Americans making under $125,000 can receive $10,000 in forgiveness, while students who went to school using Pell grants can receive $20,000. The plan also caps interest at 5 percent and sets a 20-year maximum repayment schedule.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won his primary this week after attacking the “mainstream media” in an ad styled after the “Top Gun” franchise.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is stepping down from his post as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases this December. He will also leave his role as chief medical advisor to President Biden.
Interview:
International
President Joe Biden announced an additional $3 billion in military aid to Ukraine as it continues to fight back against Russian invaders. The conflict has raged for six months.Former NBA superstar Dennis Rodman will not be going to Russia to negotiate the release of WNBA player Brittney Griner, despite offering to do so earlier this week. The about-face came after the State Department “strongly discouraged” him from going, saying “anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts.” Aside from his playing career, Rodman is famous for his friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin was the subject of a sexist “scandal” after footage of her partying with friends at a private residence began circulating on social media.
Interview:
https://the1a.org/segments/dennis-rodman-finland-scandal/
FBI affidavit for Trump's Mar-a-Lago says 184 classified documents found - The Washington Post
The affidavit suggests that if some of the classified documents voluntarily returned from Mar-a-Lago to the National Archives and Records Administration in January had fallen into the wrong hands, they could have revealed sensitive details about human intelligence sources or how spy agencies intercept the electronic communications of foreign targets. Over the spring and summer, the affidavit states, the FBI came to suspect that Trump and his team were hiding the fact that he still had more classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, leading agents to want to conduct a search of the property...
Trump Mar–a-Lago affidavit reveals ‘handwritten notes,’ highly classified material led to warrant request - POLITICO
"As I previously indicated to you, Mar-a-Lago does not include a secure location authorized for the storage of classified information," DOJ wrote in a letter to Corcoran at the time. "As such, it appears that since the time classified documents [redacted] were removed from the secure facilities at the White House and moved to Mar-a-Lago on or around January 20, 2021, they have not been handled in an appropriate manner or stored in an appropriate location."...
Trump fan who assaulted police with Trump flag, billboard on Jan. 6 gets over 3.5 years in prison
Howard Richardson told the FBI he was "pissed off" about the election and angry about alleged voter fraud...
Trump MELTDOWN intensifies, Biden's BOMBSHELL announcement, Republicans PANIC as tide shifts + MORE - YouTube
On today's episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the brothers bring you an action-packed show breaking down the latest news of the week to keep you informed! We discuss Donald Trump's latest meltdown, how Republicans are in complete disarray, Democrats & President Biden delivering for the people (most recently with a student loan relief package for those making less than $125,000), how Tuesday's primary elections show positive signs for Democrats and much more!
Defendants targeted in DeSantis’ voter fraud crackdown were told they could vote - POLITICO
DeSantis' office has ignored questions about local elections office sending voting cards to ex-felons before their arrests last week…
Republicans EXPOSED as communists, CNN’s rightward shift, ROEVEMBER + MORE with Seth Magaziner - YouTube
On today's episode of the MeidasTouch Podcast, Ben and Brett are joined by General Treasurer of Rhode Island and candidate for U.S. Congress, Seth Magaziner. Magaziner is taking on a radical right Republican who has been caught cozying up to big money donors and brushing shoulders with the likes of Harriet Hageman, Kevin McCarthy and others, and Magaziner's race it essential to keeping control of House of Representatives. Throughout the episode, the brothers discuss the National Republican Senatorial Committee's vanishing funds under the leadership of career crook Rick Scott, polling that shows Americans now care about democracy over any other issue, and the right-wing turn of CNN under its new leadership.
These states were the best at protecting their residents during the pandemic – The Hill
On average, Democratic states tended to fare better than Republican states over the course of the crisis...
Read the affidavit the FBI used to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home - Vox
The newly released affidavit sheds light on the classified documents at the center of Trump's growing legal problems...:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71288466/1242716900.0.jpg)
DOJ seeking more than 17 year sentence for ex-NYPD officer in Jan. 6 case | The Hill
Webster's attorneys, meanwhile, asked the court to honor his 127 days in custody that immediately followed his arrest and only further sentence him to supervised release…https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3616991-doj-seeking-more-than-17-year-sentence-for-ex-nypd-officer-in-jan-6-case/
‘Democrats have their mojo’: has the tide shifted for Biden and his party?
"Democrats have their mojo after passing numerous policies that will tangibly impact people's lives, and now the key is to really sell it with confidence before the midterms," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "Lowering prescription drug prices, lowering healthcare costs and making water and air healthier for people's kids is a very good message to take to voters who wonder, does it matter if I vote Democrat or vote at all?"…
Floridians charged over voting believed they were eligible, documents show
The delayed notification illustrates the byzantine bureaucracy Florida Republicans created in 2019 when they passed legislation to implement Amendment 4. In addition to laying out the murder and sexual crimes that would cause someone to permanently lose their voting rights, the measure, SB 7066, required people to repay outstanding fines and fees they owed before they could vote again. Extensive litigation over the measure ultimately exposed that Florida officials had no way of easily checking new registrants' eligibility and that there was no way for anyone uncertain of their status to figure out how much money they owed or if they were eligible.
‘This you?’: the seven letters exposing rightwing hypocrisy
…Marjorie Taylor Greene said it was "completely unfair" for the government to "say your debt is completely forgiven" – after her loan of more than $180,000 was forgiven, the official White House account noted. It was just one of a series of digs at critics: the Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, the White House said, had more than $482,000 in PPP loans forgiven, while the Pennsylvania congressman Mike Kelly got off the hook for more than $987,000…
Revealed: leaked video shows Amy Coney Barrett’s secretive faith group drove women to tears
…Barrett's question also appears to echo the People of Praise culture in which she was raised and has chosen to remain a part of, which emphasizes the importance of childbirth, pregnancy, and the abandonment of autonomy and privacy it supposedly entails, as a core part of what it means to be a woman…
Friday, August 26, 2022
‘All they had to do was ask,’ said Trump: A timeline of efforts to retrieve presidential records - PolitiFact
"Trump and his associates have not been cooperative," said Michael Gerhardt, a law professor at the University of North Carolina, who said the argument made by Trump and Crenshaw "makes no legal sense" because items the government was seeking were ultimately found in Trump's possession…
Why Steve Bannon is trying to mobilize Christian nationalists
Summoning Christian Republicans to work the polls is part of a broader strategy to make November's midterm elections as chaotic as the 2020 election...
Long Covid is keeping 2-4 million Americans out of workforce, report says | Coronavirus | The Guardian
About 16 million working-age Americans have long-term Covid and 2-4 million are out of work because of its ill effects, according to a new report from the Brookings Institution...
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