https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/15/voters-should-see-trumps-contemptuous-conduct-what-it-is-evidence-guilt/?fbclid=IwAR1u7BV6bGM8U9SpKXfB3z5df2eVk-WALMzSwnG6CBJ_3ZoIIHOhyKDIfzk&utm_term=.27a92507757e
"The notion that Congress does not have the right to investigate matters plainly within its purview — and which are essential to determining whether impeachment hearings will be appropriate — flies in the face of the Constitution and our system of checks and balances. Even lawyer John Yoo, who has an expansive view of executive power, says such blanket rejection of Congress’s role is “unprecedented.” Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tells me, “The House has full power of impeachment under the Constitution and (Trump’s staffers] are withholding evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the president. If they can get away with doing that, the president — now and in the future — can break the law without fear of consequences.” Likewise, constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe explains, “The White House Counsel is now taking the same astonishing position that Trump’s personal attorney took with Judge [Amit] Mehta yesterday — the position that the federal judge presiding over that subpoena hearing rightly found unbelievable and is bound to reject.” Tribe notes, “As a strictly legal matter, the position is one the US Supreme Court decisively repudiated decades ago: it’s the position that the only permissible role of congressional investigations is to help in enacting legislation. If that were the law, then Congress could do nothing at all to oversee how well or badly — including how honesty or corruptly — its laws are being enforced and administered, to ferret out waste, fraud, and abuse by federal agencies or in the executive office of the president.” He concludes: “The administration’s argument comes down to Louis XIV’s ‘L’etat, c’est moi!’ ” Second, making bogus, unsubstantiated arguments to Congress violates the code of ethics that all lawyers, especially prosecutors, must follow."
News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Despite heavy opposition Trump administration opens up Minnesota wilderness area to copper mining
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/05/15/trump-administration-opens-up-minnesota-wilderness-area-to-copper-mining.html?fbclid=IwAR3UxownVnuIlgXsBquwPIpgq9ZwxNaD-B1LF4PHM7GGeFhyzZqA2wPAclI
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two long-mothballed leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, a key step in opening up the popular wilderness and recreation area to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups."
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two long-mothballed leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, a key step in opening up the popular wilderness and recreation area to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups."
Trump’s speech on energy policy goes off the rails
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-speech-energy-policy-goes-the-rails?fbclid=IwAR2OG-dzfFBS_3A_QnePVjlzCJupNutjq0JN0P0S8nE-r9Uj0fbUjlcZdNk
"Trump peddled discredited nonsense about energy policy during a speech devoted to energy policy. Is it any wonder substantive debates with this White House are so difficult? Postscript: The last time Trump shared his thoughts on wind turbines, he suggested they cause cancer. I suppose we should be thankful he showed some restraint yesterday?"
"Trump peddled discredited nonsense about energy policy during a speech devoted to energy policy. Is it any wonder substantive debates with this White House are so difficult? Postscript: The last time Trump shared his thoughts on wind turbines, he suggested they cause cancer. I suppose we should be thankful he showed some restraint yesterday?"
Bureau Of Land Management Scrubs Stewardship Language From News Releases
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/blm-news-releases-stewardship-languaged_n_5cdb8196e4b0437438c39e09?guccounter=1&fbclid=IwAR0z4RgO-G6tzRS-H3weKAq6f-Kz3_avJtfDLvpvex9ZFSspTL6O9P-I52c
"Aaron Weiss, media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities, called the change “a perfect representation” of how Trump and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt view America’s public lands. “In their world, our lands are only here for exploitation and financial gain, not protection and preservation,” Weiss told HuffPost. “Bernhardt’s clients profit; our kids and grandkids pay the price.” Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist with a slew of potential conflicts of interest, served as Interior’s deputy secretary before being confirmed to the top post last month. He replaced former secretary Ryan Zinke, who stepped down in January amid mounting ethics scandals. Together, Zinke and Bernhardt gutted numerous Obama-era policies aimed at tackling climate change and have worked to boost fossil fuel and mineral production on federal lands. They also led the largest reduction of national monuments in American history, carving a collective 2 million acres from a pair of protected sites in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments ― a move that opened the door for oil, mining and other development. The Trump administration has on numerous occasions come under fire for scrubbing climate change language from agency websites. And, in its quest for so-called energy dominance, the Interior Department has prioritized development over conservation, at times celebrating its role in governing the exploitation of natural resources from public lands."
"Aaron Weiss, media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities, called the change “a perfect representation” of how Trump and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt view America’s public lands. “In their world, our lands are only here for exploitation and financial gain, not protection and preservation,” Weiss told HuffPost. “Bernhardt’s clients profit; our kids and grandkids pay the price.” Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist with a slew of potential conflicts of interest, served as Interior’s deputy secretary before being confirmed to the top post last month. He replaced former secretary Ryan Zinke, who stepped down in January amid mounting ethics scandals. Together, Zinke and Bernhardt gutted numerous Obama-era policies aimed at tackling climate change and have worked to boost fossil fuel and mineral production on federal lands. They also led the largest reduction of national monuments in American history, carving a collective 2 million acres from a pair of protected sites in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments ― a move that opened the door for oil, mining and other development. The Trump administration has on numerous occasions come under fire for scrubbing climate change language from agency websites. And, in its quest for so-called energy dominance, the Interior Department has prioritized development over conservation, at times celebrating its role in governing the exploitation of natural resources from public lands."
Senate refuses to consider bills protecting elections from foreign interference
https://thinkprogress.org/senate-wont-consider-legislation-protect-elections-interference-dc608486a9f6/?fbclid=IwAR1sLH6PvaYk8FBDyXDDCQn76gvRKxICAgHN1Re_djn-aOxRCoccNLOJAN0
"The second sentence of the Mueller report states clearly that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” The Senate, however, doesn’t plan to do anything about it. According to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), election security legislation is not on the agenda. “At this point I don’t see any likelihood that those bills would get to the floor if we mark them up,” Blunt said in a Senate Rules Committee meeting Wednesday. “I think the majority leader is of the view that this debate reaches no conclusion. And frankly, I think the extreme nature of H.R. 1 from the House makes it even less likely we are going to have that debate.” H.R. 1, known as the “For the People Act,” is a massive election reform bill that House Democrats passed earlier this year. Republican lawmakers and their conservative supporters have opposed the legislation, in part because it would add a lot of transparency to campaign funding, and in part because its crackdowns on voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering would dismantle the unfair advantages Republicans hold in many parts of the country. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has insisted that he won’t even allow a vote on the bill in the Senate, describing it as a “radical, half-baked socialist proposal.” But McConnell isn’t allowing votes on any legislation."
"The second sentence of the Mueller report states clearly that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” The Senate, however, doesn’t plan to do anything about it. According to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), election security legislation is not on the agenda. “At this point I don’t see any likelihood that those bills would get to the floor if we mark them up,” Blunt said in a Senate Rules Committee meeting Wednesday. “I think the majority leader is of the view that this debate reaches no conclusion. And frankly, I think the extreme nature of H.R. 1 from the House makes it even less likely we are going to have that debate.” H.R. 1, known as the “For the People Act,” is a massive election reform bill that House Democrats passed earlier this year. Republican lawmakers and their conservative supporters have opposed the legislation, in part because it would add a lot of transparency to campaign funding, and in part because its crackdowns on voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering would dismantle the unfair advantages Republicans hold in many parts of the country. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has insisted that he won’t even allow a vote on the bill in the Senate, describing it as a “radical, half-baked socialist proposal.” But McConnell isn’t allowing votes on any legislation."
The U.S. Constitution Demands the House Undertake a Trump Impeachment Inquiry
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/05/15/us-constitution-demands-house-undertake-trump-impeachment-inquiry?fbclid=IwAR0Pqx-tRZRTnjUnqjQdU9yZ-v0-MezGL6Zwll-VInfMcjbS2SIa-odm08Y
"Every child in America is supposed to learn about the Constitution’s basic principles of separation of powers, and checks and balances. But these days, every child and every adult in America is learning from Donald Trump that these principles are bunk. By issuing a blanket refusal to respond to any congressional subpoena, Trump is saying Congress has no constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch. He’s telling America that Congress is a subordinate branch of government rather than a co-equal branch. Forget separation of powers."
"Every child in America is supposed to learn about the Constitution’s basic principles of separation of powers, and checks and balances. But these days, every child and every adult in America is learning from Donald Trump that these principles are bunk. By issuing a blanket refusal to respond to any congressional subpoena, Trump is saying Congress has no constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch. He’s telling America that Congress is a subordinate branch of government rather than a co-equal branch. Forget separation of powers."
The Nixon Impeachment—a Blueprint for Today
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/nixon-impeachment-model-donald-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR1U3lN6jjE7YaILU5XjCpG1NSdLs6MqT40BEM5XVJa7J_toV4UTAeD5DsU
"Donald Trump’s misdeeds, at least as spelled out in the Mueller report, appear to replicate some of Nixon’s worst acts. For example, Trump and his attorneys apparently dangled pardons before several witnesses to keep them from cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. One witness stated that Trump called the director of national intelligence asking for his help in shutting down the Russia investigation. And Trump fired the FBI director and tried to remove Mueller to impede that investigation, too. It all began with Russia’s breaking into the Democratic National Committee electronically and using the information to help Trump in the presidential election (with outreach to the Trump campaign)—paralleling the burglary of the DNC headquarters by Nixon campaign operatives in connection with the 1972 presidential campaign. Covering up election tampering is bad enough, but it’s much worse when the tampering involves connivance with a foreign power—even though the degree of that connivance has been obscured by the Trump cover-up itself. Ironically, long after the Nixon presidency ended, we learned that Nixon had conspired with a foreign power, in this case South Vietnam, to scuttle Vietnam peace talks in order to help his election prospects. Had we known this at the time, Nixon’s treason-like conduct would have figured prominently in the articles of impeachment."
"Donald Trump’s misdeeds, at least as spelled out in the Mueller report, appear to replicate some of Nixon’s worst acts. For example, Trump and his attorneys apparently dangled pardons before several witnesses to keep them from cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. One witness stated that Trump called the director of national intelligence asking for his help in shutting down the Russia investigation. And Trump fired the FBI director and tried to remove Mueller to impede that investigation, too. It all began with Russia’s breaking into the Democratic National Committee electronically and using the information to help Trump in the presidential election (with outreach to the Trump campaign)—paralleling the burglary of the DNC headquarters by Nixon campaign operatives in connection with the 1972 presidential campaign. Covering up election tampering is bad enough, but it’s much worse when the tampering involves connivance with a foreign power—even though the degree of that connivance has been obscured by the Trump cover-up itself. Ironically, long after the Nixon presidency ended, we learned that Nixon had conspired with a foreign power, in this case South Vietnam, to scuttle Vietnam peace talks in order to help his election prospects. Had we known this at the time, Nixon’s treason-like conduct would have figured prominently in the articles of impeachment."
Team Trump pushes to make president immune from scrutiny
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/team-trump-pushes-make-president-immune-scrutiny?fbclid=IwAR0KY49tdyU2t7XqDO5TpdIvNITpg7TWS8KhJHDuZrFOIfwLYepOkLNXeZQ
"Between Attorney General Bill Barr, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and the president’s private attorneys, we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump can’t be charged with a crime, can’t be investigated by Congress, and has the authority to end any investigation of which he disapproves. This president, in other words, should effectively be seen as immune from scrutiny."
"Between Attorney General Bill Barr, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and the president’s private attorneys, we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump can’t be charged with a crime, can’t be investigated by Congress, and has the authority to end any investigation of which he disapproves. This president, in other words, should effectively be seen as immune from scrutiny."
Trump Trade War Just Raised Taxes On Consumers By Tens Of Billions of Dollars
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tariff-taxes_n_5cd5c12ae4b054da4e891e11?fbclid=IwAR2r9fvaCS8gda6fziHOYuDxrGd3B9OZI2xZ9m7tsKLTA8uIl9zjvyURSX0
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
Decade in the Red: Trump Tax Figures Show Over $1 Billion in Business Losses
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/07/us/politics/donald-trump-taxes.html?fbclid=IwAR0OQ6uCiUx899Rz43oxZpJAhI_yMLgHcbCtLgerUnFZntLM2UyQXIlM8MM
"In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than nearly any other individual American taxpayer, The Times found when it compared his results with detailed information the I.R.S. compiles on an annual sampling of high-income earners. His core business losses in 1990 and 1991 — more than $250 million each year — were more than double those of the nearest taxpayers in the I.R.S. information for those years."
"In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than nearly any other individual American taxpayer, The Times found when it compared his results with detailed information the I.R.S. compiles on an annual sampling of high-income earners. His core business losses in 1990 and 1991 — more than $250 million each year — were more than double those of the nearest taxpayers in the I.R.S. information for those years."
Even GOP Voters Are Applauding AOC and Sanders for Taking on Lenders
https://truthout.org/articles/even-gop-voters-are-applauding-aoc-and-sanders-for-taking-on-lenders/
"At the moment, the most predatory of lenders understand that the Trump administration has their back. But as an array of consumer protection measures start being voted on in the House, and as more states begin passing caps on payday lending and pushing other regulatory measures, a new politics is taking shape around consumer rights. As with so much else, Trump’s regressive politics on consumer protections are spawning a furious backlash."
"At the moment, the most predatory of lenders understand that the Trump administration has their back. But as an array of consumer protection measures start being voted on in the House, and as more states begin passing caps on payday lending and pushing other regulatory measures, a new politics is taking shape around consumer rights. As with so much else, Trump’s regressive politics on consumer protections are spawning a furious backlash."
Thinning Five Times Faster Than Just Two Decades Ago, Study Shows Antarctic Ice Melting at Terrifying Rate
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/16/thinning-five-times-faster-just-two-decades-ago-study-shows-antarctic-ice-melting?fbclid=IwAR2JYypK7kXnnTVOP3bfqJPjOKwiln08iw0WMcqL5WagSVsIXZQHZt7Jm6g
"Some areas, researchers at Leeds University in the U.K. reported, are now about 328 feet (100 meters) thinner than they were less than three decades ago—putting the planet in danger of a major sea level rise which could wipe out coastal cities. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, also detailed how scientists are accustomed to observing such changes in glaciers over geological time periods—not portions of people's lifetimes."
"Some areas, researchers at Leeds University in the U.K. reported, are now about 328 feet (100 meters) thinner than they were less than three decades ago—putting the planet in danger of a major sea level rise which could wipe out coastal cities. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, also detailed how scientists are accustomed to observing such changes in glaciers over geological time periods—not portions of people's lifetimes."
415: The Most Dangerous Number
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/climate-change-mauna-loa-carbon-dioxide-measurement-834627/?fbclid=IwAR0Bi27XourATdqzJhcHaJf-7X4xmSlUTrzyjlO4YYS-mXYSM2LVK3_H4GM
"Last week, an exquisitely sensitive instrument located in a metal shack on the top of Mauna Loa, a 13,679-foot-high volcano in Hawaii, recorded a terrifying human achievement: Thanks to our ever-increasing addiction to burning fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen to 415 parts per million. This is the highest level it has been since human beings have lived on Earth. And it is further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on."
"Last week, an exquisitely sensitive instrument located in a metal shack on the top of Mauna Loa, a 13,679-foot-high volcano in Hawaii, recorded a terrifying human achievement: Thanks to our ever-increasing addiction to burning fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen to 415 parts per million. This is the highest level it has been since human beings have lived on Earth. And it is further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on."
415 ppm: We Are all Part of Exxon’s Unchartered Climate Experiment Now
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/05/16/415-ppm-we-are-all-part-exxons-unchartered-climate-experiment-now?fbclid=IwAR2KvhPZZbt2g_ubigceLNT7Qqqt5rz9bQfA46vlZqQtydviaPG3248TZCA
"We are all now a living experiment. Never before in human history have carbon dioxide levels reached 415 parts per million. These levels were last seen maybe some 2.5-5 million years ago, during the Pliocene, but then the earth was much warmer than it is today and it was way before us. Back then, there was no Greenland and trees grew near the South Pole. Sea levels were much, much higher. Maybe 25 metres higher. 415 ppm is a grim number. It signals we are in deep, deep trouble. And in the words of Rolling Stone magazine: “Further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on.” To show you how much we are changing the climate: Every year another 2-3 ppm of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Before the industrial revolution it was 280 ppm. And now it is 415 ppm. We could have stopped the relentless rise of carbon dioxide, but we did not. In part the reason collectively we have failed to do so is the power of the oil companies and one of the most sophisticated public relations exercises ever undertaken to deny and obfuscate the truth."
"We are all now a living experiment. Never before in human history have carbon dioxide levels reached 415 parts per million. These levels were last seen maybe some 2.5-5 million years ago, during the Pliocene, but then the earth was much warmer than it is today and it was way before us. Back then, there was no Greenland and trees grew near the South Pole. Sea levels were much, much higher. Maybe 25 metres higher. 415 ppm is a grim number. It signals we are in deep, deep trouble. And in the words of Rolling Stone magazine: “Further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on.” To show you how much we are changing the climate: Every year another 2-3 ppm of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Before the industrial revolution it was 280 ppm. And now it is 415 ppm. We could have stopped the relentless rise of carbon dioxide, but we did not. In part the reason collectively we have failed to do so is the power of the oil companies and one of the most sophisticated public relations exercises ever undertaken to deny and obfuscate the truth."
'Spoiler: Because Australia Has Universal Healthcare': Watch Ocasio-Cortez Ask Pharma CEO Why HIV Drug Costs $8 Overseas But $1,780 in the US
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/16/spoiler-because-australia-has-universal-healthcare-watch-ocasio-cortez-ask-pharma?fbclid=IwAR1JLwsjE6n0T_wHIqvySNxEHWktk9AdV4tIcg0jjYOcBXKNn0UHf-SKedw
"During a House hearing on Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the CEO of one of America's largest pharmaceutical companies a simple but crucial question: Why does a life-saving HIV drug that costs $8 a month in Australia have a $2,000 price tag in the U.S.? Gilead chief executive Daniel O'Day declined to comment on the low price of Truvada for PrEP in Australia, but said the reason the cost is close to $2,000—"the current list price is $1,780," he said—in the United States is because the drug has "patent protection." As the Washington Post reported in March, the development of Truvada as a treatment for HIV was "almost fully funded by U.S. taxpayers." The U.S. government patented the treatment in 2015, according to the Post, but has "opted not to file an infringement suit to enforce" the patent even as Gilead—which argues the government patent is invalid—rakes in billions of dollars in profits from Truvada. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted these facts during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Thursday."
"During a House hearing on Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the CEO of one of America's largest pharmaceutical companies a simple but crucial question: Why does a life-saving HIV drug that costs $8 a month in Australia have a $2,000 price tag in the U.S.? Gilead chief executive Daniel O'Day declined to comment on the low price of Truvada for PrEP in Australia, but said the reason the cost is close to $2,000—"the current list price is $1,780," he said—in the United States is because the drug has "patent protection." As the Washington Post reported in March, the development of Truvada as a treatment for HIV was "almost fully funded by U.S. taxpayers." The U.S. government patented the treatment in 2015, according to the Post, but has "opted not to file an infringement suit to enforce" the patent even as Gilead—which argues the government patent is invalid—rakes in billions of dollars in profits from Truvada. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted these facts during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Thursday."
Exxon predicted in 1982 exactly how high global carbon emissions would be today
https://thinkprogress.org/exxon-predicted-high-carbon-emissions-954e514b0aa9/?fbclid=IwAR3q4c0YTHGerV6GESxGCkwBWBx4gPb6jOKyIHAx0A5YhY6VS-Tu6DVmUAo
"Never before in human history has there been so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The last time scientists believe it may have been this high was 2.5 to 5 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch, when sea levels were 25 meters higher than today and global temperatures were warmer by 2-3 degrees Celsius. Unlike back then, however, the record carbon dioxide emissions being recorded now are the result of humans burning fossil fuels, which releases harmful heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere. And scientists at Exxon predicted this decades ago. According to an internal 1982 document from Exxon Research and Engineering Company — obtained by InsideClimate News as part of its 2015 investigation into what Exxon knew about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change — the company was modeling out the concentration of carbon emissions several years into the future. According to a graph displaying the “growth of atmospheric CO2 and average global temperature increase” over time, the company expected that, by 2020, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would reach roughly 400 to 420 ppm. This month’s measurement of 415 ppm is right within the expected curve Exxon projected under its “21st Century Study-High Growth scenario"."
"Never before in human history has there been so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The last time scientists believe it may have been this high was 2.5 to 5 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch, when sea levels were 25 meters higher than today and global temperatures were warmer by 2-3 degrees Celsius. Unlike back then, however, the record carbon dioxide emissions being recorded now are the result of humans burning fossil fuels, which releases harmful heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere. And scientists at Exxon predicted this decades ago. According to an internal 1982 document from Exxon Research and Engineering Company — obtained by InsideClimate News as part of its 2015 investigation into what Exxon knew about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change — the company was modeling out the concentration of carbon emissions several years into the future. According to a graph displaying the “growth of atmospheric CO2 and average global temperature increase” over time, the company expected that, by 2020, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would reach roughly 400 to 420 ppm. This month’s measurement of 415 ppm is right within the expected curve Exxon projected under its “21st Century Study-High Growth scenario"."
Trump’s Prodigious Lying Threatens Our Democracy
https://www.thenation.com/article/trump-lies-eric-alterman/?fbclid=IwAR1PuM--4p0TALNaAgEGxNoJkpOFtERWAoiUY9po9VBs-YvuYQdc02h-iRA
"Even after 10,000 falsehoods, many in the media find themselves unable to call a president who lies a liar."
"Even after 10,000 falsehoods, many in the media find themselves unable to call a president who lies a liar."
WATCH As Congressman Bawls In Emotional Defense Of Corporate Profits
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/05/watch-congressman-bawls-emotional-defense?fbclid=IwAR1QQ37_T1eyKkfYhORg5GhlclvrhpDQ0sr6sDU0ltIDrt1hNVtrmCtvp68
"When Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) questioned the obscene amount of money a giant pharmaceutical company was making yesterday in a congressional hearing it all proved just too much for Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) to stand. He lit into a fiery and emotional defense of price-gouging the American public, the likes of which not often seen except in dystopian novels."
"When Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) questioned the obscene amount of money a giant pharmaceutical company was making yesterday in a congressional hearing it all proved just too much for Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) to stand. He lit into a fiery and emotional defense of price-gouging the American public, the likes of which not often seen except in dystopian novels."
Monday, May 13, 2019
Trump’s Most Blatant Lie Is His Lie About Tariffs
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-blatant-lies-tariffs-834548/
"The president has repeatedly claimed China pays his import tariffs. It’s actually Americans who foot the bill"
"The president has repeatedly claimed China pays his import tariffs. It’s actually Americans who foot the bill"
Trump’s explanation of the trade fight with China is wrong in a remarkable number of ways
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/10/trumps-explanation-trade-fight-with-china-is-wrong-remarkable-number-ways/?fbclid=IwAR02oXYiq9bIcPZEpZecY0i87Fxlsk-p2kOThHxT94A7TCu2XbaGeCNRQis&utm_term=.4044656cda6d
"A 25 percent tariff on $575 billion would yield about $144 billion, for what it’s worth. But again: This is not money being paid by China. Some of the tariff fees will be paid by the Chinese manufacturers in an effort to keep costs down, sure. Some will be paid by businesses. But much will be paid by consumers. It’s that $767 tax — a $62.5 billion tax increase nationally. Trump’s worried about farmers because much of what the United States exports to China is agricultural. China’s retaliatory tariff on soybeans dramatically reduced exports to that country, the world’s largest consumer of the crop. Farmers, of course, often live in rural red states that are key to Trump’s base of political support. The government has already moved to bolster farmers with financial support to offset the damage done by the trade war. What Trump’s claiming here, though, is that he’ll take money paid by China in the form of tariffs to buy the farmers’ goods and ship them to other countries — leaving lots of money left over for other funding needs. But we can translate his argument in a less flattering way: Trump is taxing American consumers and using some of that money to buy agricultural products to protect part of his political base from his trade war."
"A 25 percent tariff on $575 billion would yield about $144 billion, for what it’s worth. But again: This is not money being paid by China. Some of the tariff fees will be paid by the Chinese manufacturers in an effort to keep costs down, sure. Some will be paid by businesses. But much will be paid by consumers. It’s that $767 tax — a $62.5 billion tax increase nationally. Trump’s worried about farmers because much of what the United States exports to China is agricultural. China’s retaliatory tariff on soybeans dramatically reduced exports to that country, the world’s largest consumer of the crop. Farmers, of course, often live in rural red states that are key to Trump’s base of political support. The government has already moved to bolster farmers with financial support to offset the damage done by the trade war. What Trump’s claiming here, though, is that he’ll take money paid by China in the form of tariffs to buy the farmers’ goods and ship them to other countries — leaving lots of money left over for other funding needs. But we can translate his argument in a less flattering way: Trump is taxing American consumers and using some of that money to buy agricultural products to protect part of his political base from his trade war."
Trump’s confusion over trade policy reaches an unsettling new level
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-confusion-over-trade-policy-reaches-unsettling-new-level?fbclid=IwAR3Y8-L84HGeOiGotWh-7Z3YWJppdsKzBbHrhWC8wTT5Y6EPhzKxl_hON4g
"Donald Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” I realize that the president has a bizarre habit of assuming that he’s an expert in every subject, but his insistence that he’s a world-class authority on trade policy is hopelessly bonkers. Trump started the week with new trade threats directed at China, predicated on the false idea Beijing has been pouring money into the U.S. treasury thanks to his tariff policy. The Republican added soon after that tariffs are contributing to stronger domestic economic growth, which isn’t even close to being true. At his campaign rally in Florida, Trump continued to get the details of his own trade agenda wrong, and at a White House event yesterday, he argued with great confidence that Americans aren’t paying more as a result of his tariffs, which is the exact opposite of the truth."
"Donald Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” I realize that the president has a bizarre habit of assuming that he’s an expert in every subject, but his insistence that he’s a world-class authority on trade policy is hopelessly bonkers. Trump started the week with new trade threats directed at China, predicated on the false idea Beijing has been pouring money into the U.S. treasury thanks to his tariff policy. The Republican added soon after that tariffs are contributing to stronger domestic economic growth, which isn’t even close to being true. At his campaign rally in Florida, Trump continued to get the details of his own trade agenda wrong, and at a White House event yesterday, he argued with great confidence that Americans aren’t paying more as a result of his tariffs, which is the exact opposite of the truth."
Trump Seeks New $15 Billion Subsidy To Protect Farmers From His Own Trade War
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-trade-war-15-billion-farm-subsidy_n_5cd89043e4b054da4e8b5593?fbclid=IwAR21MP8ZP89so2qXOll1VhAUSLtJAf8o5RzY0x8Rtm9w94LTv94df9YPBjs
"President Donald Trump is seeking an additional $15 billion in U.S. subsidies in an effort to protect farmers from the devastating impact of his trade war with China. That’s on top of $12 billion already earmarked for the farmers to help them weather the fallout. That would be an additional bill for U.S. taxpayers already shouldering the cost of increased tariffs in the form of higher costs for products and parts from China."
"President Donald Trump is seeking an additional $15 billion in U.S. subsidies in an effort to protect farmers from the devastating impact of his trade war with China. That’s on top of $12 billion already earmarked for the farmers to help them weather the fallout. That would be an additional bill for U.S. taxpayers already shouldering the cost of increased tariffs in the form of higher costs for products and parts from China."
Trump's Most Nakedly Corrupt Tweet Yet
Trump's Most Nakedly Corrupt Tweet Yet:
"the corrupt backstory is what’s important here. Trump’s lobbyist and business cronies can call him up and get perks whenever they want, as evidenced by this episode. That’s debilitating to the country and should be understood in the light of day. It’s an appropriate area for oversight."
"the corrupt backstory is what’s important here. Trump’s lobbyist and business cronies can call him up and get perks whenever they want, as evidenced by this episode. That’s debilitating to the country and should be understood in the light of day. It’s an appropriate area for oversight."
Over 40 states are suing generic drug companies for alleged conspiracy to hike prices
https://thinkprogress.org/states-are-suing-generic-drug-manufacturers-for-alleged-conspiracy-to-inflate-prices-9ecb18dbffc8/?fbclid=IwAR3gtKx-bcZmfthQRA9ER1jsZG6KsMJNPO7MKyA1xxsLMHGdvoap47oEgKI
"According to the lawsuit filed in Connecticut on Friday by 43 states and Puerto Rico, evidence shows these drug manufacturers embarked upon “one of the most egregious and damaging price-fixing conspiracies in the history of the United States.” Investigators allege that the companies worked together to artificially inflate and manipulate prices for over 100 different types of generic drugs — including diabetes, cancer, and arthritis treatments. The lawsuit implicates 20 firms and names 15 individual senior executives that oversee sales, marketing, and pricing. According to investigators, the drugs named in the suit account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States — a country which already has some of the highest drug prices in the world, especially compared to those where the government regulates or negotiates prices of new drugs."
"According to the lawsuit filed in Connecticut on Friday by 43 states and Puerto Rico, evidence shows these drug manufacturers embarked upon “one of the most egregious and damaging price-fixing conspiracies in the history of the United States.” Investigators allege that the companies worked together to artificially inflate and manipulate prices for over 100 different types of generic drugs — including diabetes, cancer, and arthritis treatments. The lawsuit implicates 20 firms and names 15 individual senior executives that oversee sales, marketing, and pricing. According to investigators, the drugs named in the suit account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States — a country which already has some of the highest drug prices in the world, especially compared to those where the government regulates or negotiates prices of new drugs."
Sunday, May 12, 2019
President Trump has made more than 10,000 false or misleading claims
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/29/president-trump-has-made-more-than-false-or-misleading-claims/?fbclid=IwAR1jw91tJ5VM2AXfb31OI935KoOVFn3gzJtG6jkdV81CWKv7hgXKvpZNKrg&utm_term=.07b3f0c36ebc
"As of April 27, including the president’s rally in Green Bay, Wis., the tally in our database stands at 10,111 claims in 828 days."
"As of April 27, including the president’s rally in Green Bay, Wis., the tally in our database stands at 10,111 claims in 828 days."
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