Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Inside House Dems' 11th-hour plot to sabotage Trump's agenda
House Democrats are strategizing ways to put a damper on the Trump administration's sweeping plans while their party still retains some control in Washington, Axios has learned…
Elizabeth Warren accuses Donald Trump of violating transition law
"Breaking the precedent set by every other presidential candidate since 2010, you have rejected these resources and refused to commit to a smooth transition," Raskin wrote.
"Your actions depart from well-established norms of the federal government and demonstrate a spectacular disregard for the successful continuation of the essential institutions of American democratic government," he added…
Trump names Lee Zeldin to EPA administrator role
Zeldin would be expected to look to roll back regulations on the environment as part of the Trump administration, something the president signaled in his statement...
White House pushes back on Donald Trump call to halt lame-duck confirmations
A White House spokesperson on Monday pushed back on President-elect Trump's demand that the Democratic Senate stop confirming judges during the lame-duck period before he takes office and the upper chamber flips to GOP control...
Trump picks former congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA - The Washington Post
But the League of Conservation Voters gave him a 14 percent lifetime score for his votes against numerous environmental bills. While he voted in 2020 to support greater regulation of "forever chemicals," also known as PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, he voted against closing a loophole in the Clean Water Act that allows companies to discharge unlimited amounts of PFAS into waterways.
"A 14 percent lifetime score is not what you want from someone who could potentially be charged with protecting the air we breathe, protecting the water we drink and fighting the climate crisis," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president for government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters...
Abortion ‘never medically necessary’ late in pregnancy? Doctors say that’s wrong. - PolitiFact
A Threads post claimed that "abortion is never medically necessary in the last trimester. Literally never. They just do a C-section."
This is a misunderstanding and oversimplification of how abortion and reproductive care works throughout pregnancy, OB-GYNs and other reproductive health care experts said.
There are multiple complex medical situations that can affect a fetus or pregnant patient that — while rare — can result in medically-necessary abortion later in pregnancy. Abortions can be performed in different ways, experts said, and although a C-section is typically not the preferred method, it may be used depending on the patient's case…
Stephen Miller to return as Trump's deputy chief of staff
President-elect Trump has chosen Miller to serve as deputy chief of staff for policy. Miller is expected to take on a leading role implementing Trump's immigration agenda, which includes plans for mass deportations of immigrants without legal status…
Women stockpile abortion pills before Trump term - The Washington Post
Reproductive-health organizations and companies said demand for "morning after" pills, intrauterine devices and vasectomies has also increased...
Anti-Trump protests erupt across US from New York City to Seattle | Protest | The Guardian
Thousands of people take to streets to protest threats to reproductive rights and pledges of mass deportations…
Authoritarianism Expert Shatters A Trump ‘Illusion’: ‘One Of The Biggest Scams Of All’ | HuffPost Latest News
Many people "would like to be relieved of the burden of choice" when it comes to voting in elections, and that is what Trump promised during the campaign to evangelical Christians, Ben-Ghiat noted….
Ex-DOJ Official Names 1 Issue Where Trump Will Lose 'Every Day' | HuffPost Latest News
"Last I checked, the president can't override the Constitution," he said. "The Fourteenth Amendment is as clear as day that there is no way he can do that. If he tries that, he will lose in court every day of the week."
“Reigning In the Beast: Male Sexuality” (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast; It’s in the Code Ep 121)
Conservative, high-control American religion conceives of only two genders (male and female), and understands human sexuality as inherently heteronormative—women are sexually drawn to men, and men are sexually drawn to women.
But within this overarching understanding, men and women are perceived as expressing radically different sexualities. Within this world, how is male sexuality understood? What are its defining features? And what are the dangers that come with this way of perceiving male sexuality?
Take a listen as Dan offers his thoughts on these and other issues in this week’s episode.
Interview:
Monday, November 11, 2024
Biden and Harris gave the working class plenty before Trump's election win
It simply isn't true that Democrats abandoned the working class...
Sunday, November 10, 2024
UH OH! Trump Supporters INSTANTLY REGRET Their Vote
Gee… If only there were some reliable news sources that had been explaining over and over for months how tariffs really work that they could have made some effort to listen to…
I spent hours trying to persuade US voters to choose Harris not Trump. I know why she lost
As a phone bank volunteer, I hoped to counter the Republican attacks and half-truths, but people really believed them…
It’s in the Code Ep 120: “They Can’t Get Enough” (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
High-control Christian communities in America are critical of “secular” society for being sex-obsessed and for creating a culture of lust. And yet, these communities are actually obsessed with issues related to sex, sexuality, and gender. From before people within those communities enter adolescence, all the way through their adult lives, they will be inundated with teachings about these issues.
Stated simply, conservative Christians in American simply can’t get enough of talking and thinking about sex. But why? Dan explores this issue in this first episode of a multi-episode series—listen in and check it out!
Interview:
Saturday, November 9, 2024
The News Roundup – Domestic and International (The 1A) 2024-11-08
Domestic
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Tuesday. His victory saw big shifts in voting demographics, with one in three people of color voting for the GOP candidate.The dollar, Bitcoin, the global stock market, and Wall Street all saw monumental jumps in value at the announcement of a Trump presidency.
A brushfire swept across more than 14,000 acres of Southern California on Thursday, burning many homes, injuring residents, and requiring hundreds of firefighters to quell.
Interview:
International
As congratulations for the president-elect rolled in this week, officials and analysts from around the world are trying to figure out what a Trump presidency means for issues dominating global assets and attention.Hurricane Rafael hit Cuba on Wednesday, bringing with it 115 mph winds and the threat of storm surges.
Despite being embroiled in conflicts on multiple fronts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, this week.
Interview:
Weekly Roundup: It Happened Here. Again. (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)
In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad and Dan dive deep into the ramifications of the 2024 elections. They explore how religion and nationalism shape political behavior and examine the powerful draw of fascist ideologies in today’s climate.
Tune in as they analyze voter trends across diverse demographics and offer practical strategies for maintaining hope and resilience. Whether you’re feeling disillusioned, overwhelmed, or simply curious about what lies ahead, this episode provides guidance and solidarity in uncertain times.
Interview:
Bonnie Garmus, Author of "Lessons in Chemistry" and "Emperor Has No Clothes" awardee | FFRF Convention 2024
Bonnie Garmus humorously reflects on her journey from a skeptical child in a Presbyterian choir to becoming an atheist. Through personal anecdotes, like ditching choir practice to play baseball and broadcasting a Monkees song during Easter service, Garmus shares how her curiosity and love for science led her to question religious teachings. She explains how doubt became her most valuable tool for seeking truth, and she encourages the audience to embrace curiosity and skepticism as paths to understanding the world.
Bonnie Garmus will accept FFRF’s Emperor Has No Clothes Award. Her charming, satiric, thought-provoking novel, “Lessons in Chemistry,” has sold in the multimillions. The award-winning global phenomenon, translated into 42 languages and on the bestseller list for more than a year, has been turned into a series on Apple TV starring Brie Larson. While the book’s feminism has been much remarked upon, almost every main character in it is a pronounced atheist.
Interview:
Bonnie Garmus will accept FFRF’s Emperor Has No Clothes Award. Her charming, satiric, thought-provoking novel, “Lessons in Chemistry,” has sold in the multimillions. The award-winning global phenomenon, translated into 42 languages and on the bestseller list for more than a year, has been turned into a series on Apple TV starring Brie Larson. While the book’s feminism has been much remarked upon, almost every main character in it is a pronounced atheist.
Interview:
Lessons in Chemistry (Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freethought Radio podcast)
After the election results, FFRF is determined to keep fighting.
We hear the song “Keep Marching On” from the Broadway musical “Suffs.”
Then, Bonnie Garmus, author of the award-winning best-selling feminist/freethought novel Lessons in Chemistry, tells the charming and funny story about how she lost her faith as a teenager in the Presbyterian Church. (See elsewhere in today's posts for a video of her speech.)
Interview:
Friday, November 8, 2024
‘No man will touch me until I have my rights back’: why is the 4B movement going viral after Trump’s win? | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
The basic idea: women swear off heterosexual marriage, dating, sex and childbirth in protest against institutionalized misogyny and abuse. (It is called 4B in reference to these four specific no-nos.) The mostly online movement began around 2018 protests against revenge porn and grew into South Korea's #MeToo-esque feminist wave…
Abortion access for 2 million women will be changing. Here’s how. - The Washington Post
Protective abortion ballot measures passed in 7 states and failed in 3 others....
California preps war plans against Trump 2.0 - POLITICO
"Trump mentioned that his campaign was a campaign to protect America," Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas told POLITICO on election night. "What you can expect is California will do everything we can to protect America from Donald Trump."…
"If he comes into office and follows the law … then there's nothing for us to do," Bonta said. "But if he violates the law, as he has said he would, as Project 2025 says he will, then we are ready. We have gone down to the detail of what court do we file in."
Thursday, November 7, 2024
What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Too Much Sugar? - The New York Times
Over time, excess consumption of these added sugars can increase the risk of health problems. Here's how that may play out in various parts of your body...
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
‘Collapse is how we win’: US far right aims to make gains on election division | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
To them, who wins or loses is less important than the effect: with already two assassination attempts on Donald Trump and both mainstream parties more at rhetorical war than ever before, they see signs of hope the US government is beginning to lose control of the country.
For example, one popular Telegram account on the fringes of the far right gleefully asked followers in a survey what they think the outcome of the election could be.
"Trump wins, civil war kicks off" was among the options, followed by "Kamala 'wins,' civil war kicks off".…
How a grandma became the focus of a ‘misinformed’ Trump ad on trans athletes - The Washington Post
Gabrielle Ludwig is a trans woman who played on a college sports team a decade ago. Now she is being featured in Republican ads that have upended her life...
Trump votes in Florida, tells lies about immigration, crime and Oprah - The Washington Post
The former president couldn't resist repeating his greatest hits on crime, immigration, elections and Oprah's last show...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/05/trump-votes-then-utters-15-falsehoods-15-minutes/
Election security bolstered in U.S. as poll worker arrested over bomb threat
A Georgia poll worker was arrested and charged with mailing a bomb threat to election workers on Monday, the Department of Justice announced…
Russian Plot Placed Incendiary Devices on Cargo Planes in Europe, Officials Say - The New York Times
The goal of the plot, orchestrated by Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, is not entirely clear, according to two of the officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters. It could have been what ultimately occurred: to set fires with incendiary devices placed at logistics hubs belonging to the package shipping company DHL, perhaps meant to instill fear or deliver a warning.
But Western intelligence agencies are also investigating whether Moscow intended something more ambitious, and menacing, such as destroying planes on American runways, setting off bombs at U.S. warehouses or even blowing up aircraft midair. Officials said that both the U.S. and its European allies were potential targets of the Russian plot...
Russia blamed for bomb threats that briefly shut Georgia polling stations - The Washington Post
"The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains," the agency told The Washington Post. "None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far."…
Real estate faces climate change risks. This investor is betting on it. - The Washington Post
Their argument: As Americans wake up to the threat of climate change, the value of homes in risky markets will begin to slide. That's created opportunities to profit by betting against housing markets exposed to weather catastrophes or investing in places that will attract people who want to avoid the worst.
Boeing workers end bitter seven-week strike after clinching new pay deal
The union said members voted 59% in favor of the new contract, which includes a 38% pay rise spread over four years, easing pressure on new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg after two previous offers were voted down in recent weeks...
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Trump donor fined for pollution leads a fight to end methane emission penalties
"Trump promised a room full of fossil fuel billionaires that he'd let them pollute our air and water, let them off the hook for dangerous spills, and fight to make them a fortune, even if it means forfeiting critical health protections," Jones said.
The leaked documents, obtained by research group Fieldnotes and first reported upon by the Washington Post, outline a comprehensive blueprint to overturn climate policies put in place during Joe Biden's presidency. Trump has called the climate crisis a "hoax", attacked a major climate bill signed by Biden as "one of the great scams of all time" and vowed to undo it if elected, with the aid of Republicans in Congress...
VP vows at Michigan rally to ‘do everything in my power to end the war in Gaza’
"It is devastating, and as president, I will do everything in my power to end the war in Gaza, to bring home the hostages, end the suffering in Gaza, ensure Israel is secure and ensure the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom, security and self-determination."…
‘Ghost network’ of US healthcare providers amounts to fraud
They called the first 100 providers listed in Anthem's directory but could only make appointments with seven. Some no longer accepted the insurance, others were listed with erroneous specialties or wrong phone numbers, or were not accepting patients within the next six months.
The alleged "ghost network" in the new lawsuit occurred in a plan for people in the Federal Employee Health Benefits plan. Attorneys said the insurer engaged "in a deceptive advertising campaign intended to lure people" to their plans...
GOP's closing campaign message on health baffles strategists, worries experts - The Washington Post
"The real danger extends beyond politics to public health," said Kavita Patel, a physician and professor at Stanford University who has previously advised the Harris campaign. "This rhetoric could erode trust in essential health measures, potentially leaving millions vulnerable if these ideas translate into policy."…
Trump indicates he is open to RFK Jr’s proposal to ban vaccines if elected | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
RFK Jr, an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, says Trump promised him control over public health policy if he wins…
Tucker Carlson Blames Abortion For Increase In Hurricanes | HuffPost Latest News
One person noted it's hard to know whether Carlison is "actually a resident of Crazytown or is just trying to sell people lots in Crazytown at inflated prices."…
Ohio sheriff’s lieutenant apologizes after saying he won’t help Democratic voters | Ohio | The Guardian
An Ohio sheriff's lieutenant has apologized – and been only reprimanded – after authoring social media posts boasting about how he would refuse to assist people who voted for Democrats during Tuesday's elections – and would require proof of a person's voting choice before providing aid...
NYTimes.com: Vote to End the Trump Era
From The New York Times Opinion Section
It's time to vote. Donald Trump is a threat to democracy — a case that the New York Times editorial board has made repeatedly. Here's why, in 110 words.
Harris slams Speaker Mike Johnson for saying the GOP may repeal CHIPS Act
"I also want to speak to the comments that have been recently made by the speaker of the House," Harris told reporters in Milwaukee. "It is just further evidence of everything that I've actually been talking about for months now, about [former President Donald] Trump's intention to implement Project 2025."
"We have talked repeatedly — and the American people know what's in it — we've talked repeatedly about their intention to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. Now to get rid of the CHIPS Act," Harris added…
“They Can’t Get Enough” (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast; It’s in the Code Ep 120)
High-control Christian communities in America are critical of “secular” society for being sex-obsessed and for creating a culture of lust. And yet, these communities are actually obsessed with issues related to sex, sexuality, and gender. From before people within those communities enter adolescence, all the way through their adult lives, they will be inundated with teachings about these issues.
Stated simply, conservative Christians in American simply can’t get enough of talking and thinking about sex. But why? Dan explores this issue in this first episode of a multi-episode series—listen in and check it out!
Interview:
Monday, November 4, 2024
Trump statues appear in D.C., Philadelphia and Portland : NPR
It's not clear if the same artist or artists are behind all four installations. But the style of the bronze sculptures and the tone and font of their accompanying plaques look nearly identical...
How the Christian right is twisting the legacy of an anti-Nazi hero | US elections 2024 | The Guardian
... Christian nationalists have embraced Bonhoeffer, frequently invoking his participation in the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler as an example of moral courage. In this interpretation, Bonhoeffer is cast not as the contemplative theologian who agonized over his role in the antifascist resistance, but as a Christian warrior with the political leanings of a 21st-century American evangelical.
Tobias Korenke, Bonhoeffer's great-nephew, has expressed frustration about the use of Bonhoeffer by the religious right, saying in a recent interview with Germany's Die Zeit newspaper that Bonhoeffer's name had been "co-opted by extremists".
At its worst, this interpretation of Bonhoeffer has led to violence. Michael Bray, a pastor who was convicted for his role in bombing numerous abortion clinics in 1984 and 1985, cited Bonhoeffer as an inspiration. Paul Jennings Hill, an anti-abortion zealot who shot and killed a physician at an abortion clinic in 1994, too, invoked Bonhoeffer...
In Letter to the American Church, Metaxas, who narrates much of the documentary-style film, and a roster of rightwing pastors and activists take the Bonhoeffer narrative a step further, casting liberals and Democrats as being as destructive as Nazis and calling on evangelicals to take action and oppose evil.
They insist liberal teachings are destroying the family and religion in an effort to strip away freedoms from the American people. The speakers warn that if evangelicals do not rise up against ideas that they portray as evil, such as LGBTQ+ rights and women's rights, the country is headed for destruction.
At the heart of their argument is Bonhoeffer.
"Bonhoeffer effectively told the church that if we're going to see any effective change for the better, they needed to start taking action and getting political," Metaxas tells his audience in the film. "He said those who call themselves Christians have an obligation to God to get political if necessary, and to take a bold and likely dangerous stance against their own government."...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/03/eric-metaxas-christian-right-dietrich-bonhoeffer
Data brokers are selling the ability to track women at abortion clinics
Finally, it's notable that the vast majority of the phones tracked by Babel Street's Locate X tool used Google's Android operating system. Though Apple changed its privacy settings in 2021 to make it far easier for users to stop apps from hoovering up and selling their personal information, Google has failed to do the same. As a result, people who use Android phones are far more vulnerable to surveillance than people who use iPhones. It doesn't take a genius to understand why the largest online advertising company in the world does not want to make it easy for users to stop tracking by advertising companies and their data broker partners. Google could act immediately to limit data broker access to location information and cut this slimy industry off at the source…
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