Pump's Testy Call to the Australian P.M.
About the same time as Donald Trump called the Mexican President Nieto in January 2017, he made a call to the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Trump got embroiled over the subject of some Syrian refuges that former President Barack Obama had agreed to resettle in the United States. Trump said: "I hate taking these people." "I guarantee you they are bad. That is why they are in prison right now. They are not going to be wonderful people who go to work for the local milk people." "I think it is a horrible deal, a disgusting deal that I would have never made."
Fiduciary Rule
The Labor Department disclosed an 18-month delay in the fiduciary rule that requires brokers to act in the retirement savers'best interests rather than their own. The Economic Policy Institute's Heidi Shierholz says the 18-month deferral of the deferral rule -- past the current implementation date of January 1, 2018 -- will cost Americans saving or retirement an additional $10.9 billion over the next ten years.
Corporations' Taxes Far Less Than Commonly Believed
The Economic Policy Institute's Hunter Blair says that corporations actually pay an effective tax rate ranging from 13 to 19 percent. The deferral loophole allows large multinational corporations to avoid paying their taxes indefinitely on profits they made offshore. The deferred loophole has been used to book $2.6 trillion in profits offshore.
President Trump is proposing that the deferred loophole be made permanent.
DACA Deferred
Under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children were given work permits and protected from deportation. United States District Judge Andrew Hanen blocked enforcement of DACA in 2015, in a case that ultimately resulted in a 4-4 tie in the U.S/. Supreme Court.
The Trump administration has only until September 5 to defend the program or let it expire.
Trump on Trade
Trump tweet (August 14): "The Obstructionist Democrats have given us (or not fixed) some of the worst trade deals in World History. I am changing that fast!"
President Trump ordered the top trade adviser to determine whether to investigate Chinese trade practices that force U.S. firms operating in China to turn over intellectual property. If such turnover is occurring, it could lead to stiff tariffs on Chinese goods.
DeVos Prefers Private Over Public School Funding
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has cut $9 billion from her FY 2018 budget, including a $2.3 billion cut in teacher training grants, and $1.2 billion for after-school programs that serve children in some of the nation's poorest communities, while investing $1.4 billion on new public and private school choice opportunities.
DeVos joined Attorney General Jeff Sessions in rescinding guidance directing schools to let transgender students use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
Voter Retaliation and Suppression; Ethical Shortfalls; and Funding Problems
Trump Voters Want to Retaliate Against Enemies
"Like many parts of America that strongly supported Trump. Grand Junction, [Colorado] is a rural place with problems that have traditionally been associated with urban areas." "Far from Denver and Boulder, there are many places where an atmosphere of decline has lasted for two or more generations, leaving a profound impact on the outlook of young people."
"Trump's negative qualities, which once had been described as a means to an end, now had value of their own. The point wasn't necessarily to get things done; it was to retaliate against the media and other enemies." The reporter, Peter Hessler, said that in eight months he had never heard anyone express regret for voting for Donald Trump. [1]
The Trump Family Ethical Delinquencies
"The Republicans, the self-proclaimed party of family values, remain squarely behind a family and a Presidency whose most salient features are amorality, greed, demogoguery, deception, vulgarity, race-baiting, misogyny, and potentially -- only time and further investigation will tell -- a murky relationship with a hostile foreign government." "Meanwhile, as the Trump family consumes the nation's attention with its colossal self-absorption and ethical delinquencies, the temperature keeps rising." [2]
Voter Suppression
Ari Berman, a noted researcher of voter suppression, writes that "even though 36 states use paper ballots or electronic machines with paper backups, that paper is rarely checked thoroughly enough to ensure the returns are accurate (only a little more than half the states require even basic post election audits)." [3]
According to a new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, twelve percent of the electorate in 2016 -- 16 million Americans -- encountered a problem voting, including long lines at polls, difficulty registering, or faulty voting machines. And as Berman points out, the November 2016 election for president was decided by just 80,000 votes in three states.
According to the Brennan Center, 99 bills to limit access to the ballot have been introduced in 31 states this year, and more than in 2015 and 2016 combined.
The Fallacy of Tax Credits
During the campaign for president, Donald Trump proposed $550 billion for rebuilding America's infrastructure, which was exactly double what Hillary Clinton was proposing. After Trump was elected, the conventional wisdom was that Trump was proposing $1 trillion in infrastructure spending. What Trump is proposing now is to provide $200 billion in tax credits, which would then leverage $1 trillion in investment over a decade.
Two regular contributors to The Nation magazine demolish the argument that the Trump scheme would work. "First, the federal government would offer tax credits to private firms like investment banks, private-equity investors, and private electric and water companies. Then these firms would use the credits to raise the rest of the money they needed to fund the upkeep of roads or the creation of new bridges. But for a private firm to have any interest in a project, it will need some way to turn a profit when the project is completed." Covert and Konczal also point out that those in remote or low-income areas, where there aren't enough people to squeeze money from, won't attract private investors. [4]
Is there any evidence to support the article's title of "Soaring Prices?" Tolls for a privatized road in Indiana more than doubled. Water rates for a New Jersey town's privatized system have climbed almost 28 percent.
As an apt illustration of how President Trump takes actions or makes proposals that directly contradict each other, Trump's FY 2018 budget cuts $206 billion from federal programs that directly fund infrastructure projects.
Cutting Payments to Insurers
If President Trump cuts payments to insurers, the Kaiser Family Foundation's Larry Levitt has said the government would need to increase tax credits for those with cost-sharing reduction policies to offset the increase in premium prices. The Foundation also forecasts an immediate premium increase of about 20 percent for those who need premium assistance. Levitt says it could cost the government about $2.3 billion more than if it had paid the insurers at the outset. It's a case of pay me now or pay me later.
Members of the National Governors Association have warned that ending the payments to insurers would destabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.
SPECIAL NOTE: Please God, if you want me to support the impeachment of President Trump, give me a sign. Blot out the sun sometime during the next week.
Footnotes
[1] Peter Hessler, "Follow the Leader," The New Yorker, July 24, 2017.
[2] David Remnick, "Things Fall Apart," The New Yorker, July 24, 2017.
[3] Ari Berman, "American Democracy Besieged," The Nation, July 31/August 7, 2017.
[4] Bryce Covert + Mike Konczal, "Soaring Prices," The Nation, July 17/24, 2017.
"Like many parts of America that strongly supported Trump. Grand Junction, [Colorado] is a rural place with problems that have traditionally been associated with urban areas." "Far from Denver and Boulder, there are many places where an atmosphere of decline has lasted for two or more generations, leaving a profound impact on the outlook of young people."
"Trump's negative qualities, which once had been described as a means to an end, now had value of their own. The point wasn't necessarily to get things done; it was to retaliate against the media and other enemies." The reporter, Peter Hessler, said that in eight months he had never heard anyone express regret for voting for Donald Trump. [1]
The Trump Family Ethical Delinquencies
"The Republicans, the self-proclaimed party of family values, remain squarely behind a family and a Presidency whose most salient features are amorality, greed, demogoguery, deception, vulgarity, race-baiting, misogyny, and potentially -- only time and further investigation will tell -- a murky relationship with a hostile foreign government." "Meanwhile, as the Trump family consumes the nation's attention with its colossal self-absorption and ethical delinquencies, the temperature keeps rising." [2]
Voter Suppression
Ari Berman, a noted researcher of voter suppression, writes that "even though 36 states use paper ballots or electronic machines with paper backups, that paper is rarely checked thoroughly enough to ensure the returns are accurate (only a little more than half the states require even basic post election audits)." [3]
According to a new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, twelve percent of the electorate in 2016 -- 16 million Americans -- encountered a problem voting, including long lines at polls, difficulty registering, or faulty voting machines. And as Berman points out, the November 2016 election for president was decided by just 80,000 votes in three states.
According to the Brennan Center, 99 bills to limit access to the ballot have been introduced in 31 states this year, and more than in 2015 and 2016 combined.
The Fallacy of Tax Credits
During the campaign for president, Donald Trump proposed $550 billion for rebuilding America's infrastructure, which was exactly double what Hillary Clinton was proposing. After Trump was elected, the conventional wisdom was that Trump was proposing $1 trillion in infrastructure spending. What Trump is proposing now is to provide $200 billion in tax credits, which would then leverage $1 trillion in investment over a decade.
Two regular contributors to The Nation magazine demolish the argument that the Trump scheme would work. "First, the federal government would offer tax credits to private firms like investment banks, private-equity investors, and private electric and water companies. Then these firms would use the credits to raise the rest of the money they needed to fund the upkeep of roads or the creation of new bridges. But for a private firm to have any interest in a project, it will need some way to turn a profit when the project is completed." Covert and Konczal also point out that those in remote or low-income areas, where there aren't enough people to squeeze money from, won't attract private investors. [4]
Is there any evidence to support the article's title of "Soaring Prices?" Tolls for a privatized road in Indiana more than doubled. Water rates for a New Jersey town's privatized system have climbed almost 28 percent.
As an apt illustration of how President Trump takes actions or makes proposals that directly contradict each other, Trump's FY 2018 budget cuts $206 billion from federal programs that directly fund infrastructure projects.
Cutting Payments to Insurers
If President Trump cuts payments to insurers, the Kaiser Family Foundation's Larry Levitt has said the government would need to increase tax credits for those with cost-sharing reduction policies to offset the increase in premium prices. The Foundation also forecasts an immediate premium increase of about 20 percent for those who need premium assistance. Levitt says it could cost the government about $2.3 billion more than if it had paid the insurers at the outset. It's a case of pay me now or pay me later.
Members of the National Governors Association have warned that ending the payments to insurers would destabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.
SPECIAL NOTE: Please God, if you want me to support the impeachment of President Trump, give me a sign. Blot out the sun sometime during the next week.
Footnotes
[1] Peter Hessler, "Follow the Leader," The New Yorker, July 24, 2017.
[2] David Remnick, "Things Fall Apart," The New Yorker, July 24, 2017.
[3] Ari Berman, "American Democracy Besieged," The Nation, July 31/August 7, 2017.
[4] Bryce Covert + Mike Konczal, "Soaring Prices," The Nation, July 17/24, 2017.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Trump Sees Equivalency in Charlottesville Clash
When President Trump initially commented on the clash between white supremacists and those gathered in opposition to them in Charlottesville, Virginia, he said "many sides" were responsible for the violence. Two days later, after reportedly being urged to do so by his chief of staff, Trump issued a condemnation of the alt-right, he singled out the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists -- or white nationalists -- as being responsible for the violence. He didn't, however, disavow their support.
Yesterday, Trump came down the elevator at the Trump Tower in New York City, accompanied by high officials in his administration. What he had been expected to do by his staff was to read a short statement on a method for getting the rebuilding of the nation's infrastructure under way. Instead, Trump had come prepared to make the case for blaming the two sides for the violence that had occurred over the weekend. What he did was to essentially pull back the statement he had made the day before and go back to his Saturday statement, substituting "two sides" for "many sides."
There is much to chew over in Trump's exchanges with reporters in Trump Tower. One thing that really stuck out to me was Trump's insistence that he is different from most politicians, because he gathers all the facts before making a statement. This is about as far as one can get from the truth, as Trump is notorious for making snap judgments, such as labeling an attack as an act of international terrorism immediately upon learning of it. Trump even admitted that he didn't yet know all the facts and neither did the reporters. Perhaps, then, he should have let his Monday statement stand until more information conflicted with his earlier statement.
President Trump created a new grouping when he referred to those opposed to the white supremacists as the "alt-left." He challenged one reporter to characterize the violence of this alt-left group charging at their opponents with clubs in their hands. It was a reporter from, I believe, MSNBC, who said that almost all the white supremacists were armed and most of those protesting against them were unarmed. What can be gleaned from televised images of the conflict, the reporter's perspective seems to be accurate.
Trump also spoke of those fighting the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee quietly protesting on Friday night and he said there were "nice people" in each group. A woman who had helped to arrange a standing-only service at the nearby United Church of Christ was interviewed at length on MSNBC. She spoke of the loud chanting going on outside from the torch-bearers, hearing
"Blood and Soil," "You will not replace us," "White lives matter." Those in the church couldn't leave by the front door because of the danger outside but exited by the side and rear doors. Nonetheless, they were subjected to angry threats when they left the service.
When President Trump referred to the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee, he wondered if General Stonewall Jackson would be next. And in the next week would it be monuments to George Washington and the week after, Thomas Jefferson? Trump doesn't understand that there is a fundamental distinction among these four men: Lee and Jackson were committing treason against constituted government, while Washington and Jefferson are being honored for being giants in the formation of the new government. We can be very critical of both Washington and Jefferson for being slave owners and yet honor them for the many valuable contributions they made to the new nation.
In summary, what can be said of the impromptu meeting with the media yesterday is that President Trump elevated the status of the white supremacists, minimized the level of the violence they engaged in this past weekend, and very likely energized them to conduct more of these violence-laden gatherings in the future.
Yesterday, Trump came down the elevator at the Trump Tower in New York City, accompanied by high officials in his administration. What he had been expected to do by his staff was to read a short statement on a method for getting the rebuilding of the nation's infrastructure under way. Instead, Trump had come prepared to make the case for blaming the two sides for the violence that had occurred over the weekend. What he did was to essentially pull back the statement he had made the day before and go back to his Saturday statement, substituting "two sides" for "many sides."
There is much to chew over in Trump's exchanges with reporters in Trump Tower. One thing that really stuck out to me was Trump's insistence that he is different from most politicians, because he gathers all the facts before making a statement. This is about as far as one can get from the truth, as Trump is notorious for making snap judgments, such as labeling an attack as an act of international terrorism immediately upon learning of it. Trump even admitted that he didn't yet know all the facts and neither did the reporters. Perhaps, then, he should have let his Monday statement stand until more information conflicted with his earlier statement.
President Trump created a new grouping when he referred to those opposed to the white supremacists as the "alt-left." He challenged one reporter to characterize the violence of this alt-left group charging at their opponents with clubs in their hands. It was a reporter from, I believe, MSNBC, who said that almost all the white supremacists were armed and most of those protesting against them were unarmed. What can be gleaned from televised images of the conflict, the reporter's perspective seems to be accurate.
Trump also spoke of those fighting the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee quietly protesting on Friday night and he said there were "nice people" in each group. A woman who had helped to arrange a standing-only service at the nearby United Church of Christ was interviewed at length on MSNBC. She spoke of the loud chanting going on outside from the torch-bearers, hearing
"Blood and Soil," "You will not replace us," "White lives matter." Those in the church couldn't leave by the front door because of the danger outside but exited by the side and rear doors. Nonetheless, they were subjected to angry threats when they left the service.
When President Trump referred to the removal of the statue of General Robert E. Lee, he wondered if General Stonewall Jackson would be next. And in the next week would it be monuments to George Washington and the week after, Thomas Jefferson? Trump doesn't understand that there is a fundamental distinction among these four men: Lee and Jackson were committing treason against constituted government, while Washington and Jefferson are being honored for being giants in the formation of the new government. We can be very critical of both Washington and Jefferson for being slave owners and yet honor them for the many valuable contributions they made to the new nation.
In summary, what can be said of the impromptu meeting with the media yesterday is that President Trump elevated the status of the white supremacists, minimized the level of the violence they engaged in this past weekend, and very likely energized them to conduct more of these violence-laden gatherings in the future.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Some Short Subjects to Mostly Burden One's Mind
I. Environmental Protection
*A 2016 poll by Colorado's College's State of the Rockies Project found that 76 percent of Republicans in Western states -- and nearly 80 percent of all registered voters in Western states --support common-sense rules that cut natural-gas waste on public lands.
*A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. blocked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, allowing EPA methane standards to go forward. The court ruled that the agency illegally implemented a 90-day stay of the rule, while opening a two-year study, intending to essentially remove the rule.
*On June 27, Pruitt started the process to repeal the Clean Water Act, putting the sources of drinking water for more than 117 million Americans at risk and increasing threats to streams and wetlands that filter pollution and provide habitat for wildlife. (Source: Rachel Corn, "EPA move endangers drinking water," Rio Grande Sierran, July/August/September 2017).
*The EPA dismissed at least half of its Board of Scientific Counselors with the intent of replacing the scientist members with industry representatives. (Source: Phil Carter, "States will suffer from EPA cuts," Rio Grande Sierran, July/August/September 2017).
*Over 1,800 tons of highly-radioactive waste is being stored at San Onofre, a shuttered nuclear power plant on the Pacific coast between Los Angeles and San Diego.
II. The Business of Business
*Nearly half the country has $0 invested in the stock market. Most families with incomes over $100,000 have at least some money in the stock market.
*"And corporate profits are at record levels as a percentage of GDP, but revenues from corporate taxes are lower than the industrial-world average as a percentage of federal income." (Source: Robert Borosage).
*A June survey by Hart Research for Americans for Tax Fairness found that only 16 percent of respondents supported lower corporate tax rates.
*By 1920, there were 925,000 black-owned farms, representing about 14 percent of all farms in the United States. By 1975, just 45,000 black-owned farms remained." "Today, African Americans comprise less than two percent of the nation's farmers and one percent of its rural landowners." (Source: Leah Douglas, "Stolen Birthright," The Nation, July 17/24, 2017).
*A 2001 report from the U.S. Agricultural Census estimated that about 80 percent of black-owned farmland had disappeared in the South since 1969. Approximately half of that land was lost through partition sales.
III. Miscellaneous
*When Trump said that prosecutors should be looking at Hillary Clinton's 33,000 missing emails, the West Virginia crowd shouted "Lock her up!"
*In a tweet, Trump claimed that Hillary sold uranium to angry Russians.
*According to Prison Policy Initiatives, 74 percent of jails banned in-person visits when they implemented video visitation.
*President Trump told Mexican President Nieto: "I won New Hampshire because New Hampshire is a drug-infested den." Hillary won New Hampshire.
*A 2016 poll by Colorado's College's State of the Rockies Project found that 76 percent of Republicans in Western states -- and nearly 80 percent of all registered voters in Western states --support common-sense rules that cut natural-gas waste on public lands.
*A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. blocked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, allowing EPA methane standards to go forward. The court ruled that the agency illegally implemented a 90-day stay of the rule, while opening a two-year study, intending to essentially remove the rule.
*On June 27, Pruitt started the process to repeal the Clean Water Act, putting the sources of drinking water for more than 117 million Americans at risk and increasing threats to streams and wetlands that filter pollution and provide habitat for wildlife. (Source: Rachel Corn, "EPA move endangers drinking water," Rio Grande Sierran, July/August/September 2017).
*The EPA dismissed at least half of its Board of Scientific Counselors with the intent of replacing the scientist members with industry representatives. (Source: Phil Carter, "States will suffer from EPA cuts," Rio Grande Sierran, July/August/September 2017).
*Over 1,800 tons of highly-radioactive waste is being stored at San Onofre, a shuttered nuclear power plant on the Pacific coast between Los Angeles and San Diego.
II. The Business of Business
*Nearly half the country has $0 invested in the stock market. Most families with incomes over $100,000 have at least some money in the stock market.
*"And corporate profits are at record levels as a percentage of GDP, but revenues from corporate taxes are lower than the industrial-world average as a percentage of federal income." (Source: Robert Borosage).
*A June survey by Hart Research for Americans for Tax Fairness found that only 16 percent of respondents supported lower corporate tax rates.
*By 1920, there were 925,000 black-owned farms, representing about 14 percent of all farms in the United States. By 1975, just 45,000 black-owned farms remained." "Today, African Americans comprise less than two percent of the nation's farmers and one percent of its rural landowners." (Source: Leah Douglas, "Stolen Birthright," The Nation, July 17/24, 2017).
*A 2001 report from the U.S. Agricultural Census estimated that about 80 percent of black-owned farmland had disappeared in the South since 1969. Approximately half of that land was lost through partition sales.
III. Miscellaneous
*When Trump said that prosecutors should be looking at Hillary Clinton's 33,000 missing emails, the West Virginia crowd shouted "Lock her up!"
*In a tweet, Trump claimed that Hillary sold uranium to angry Russians.
*According to Prison Policy Initiatives, 74 percent of jails banned in-person visits when they implemented video visitation.
*President Trump told Mexican President Nieto: "I won New Hampshire because New Hampshire is a drug-infested den." Hillary won New Hampshire.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Trump Voters Verge on Cult Worship
Public Policy Polling did a survey in July 2017 that found disturbing signs that Trump voters verge on cult worship:
#Only 45% of Trump voters believe Donald Trump Jr. had a meeting with Russians about information that might be harmful to Hillary Clinton., even though Donald Jr. admitted it. 32% say the meeting didn't happen and 24% say they're just not sure.
#72% of Trump voters consider the Russia story overall to be "fake news." Only 14% disagree.
#Only 24% of Trump voters even want an investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. 64% are opposed to an investigation.
#Only 26% of Trump voters admit that Russia wanted Trump to win the election. 44% claim Russia wanted Hillary Clinton to win, and 31% said they they'e not sure one way or the other.
#Even if there was an investigation and it found that the Trump campaign did collude with Russia to aid his campaign, 77%f his supporters think he should still say in office to just 15% who believe he should resign.
During the election campaign, Donald Trump said that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose any voters. 45% of Trump voters in the PPP survey say they would still approve of him if he shot someone.
The PPP survey asked all respondents to indicate who they trust more: Trump or various media organizations. Trump lost in every match up:
The voters say they trust NBC and ABC each more than him, 56/38. They say they trust CBS more than him, 56/39. They say they trust the New York Times more than him, 55/38. They say they trust CNN more than him, 54/39. And they say they trust the Washington Post more than him, 53/38.
Although the media sources cited show the media well ahead on a percentage basis, the fact that nearly four in ten respondents trust Trump more is disturbing, given Trump's penchant for lying.
ADDENDUMS:
*"Below ground, the practice of "long-wall" mining, which removes an entire coal seam, can crack buildings' foundations and damage springs and wells, destroying water supplies." (Source: Eliza Griswold, "Undermined," The New Yorker, July 3, 2017).
*"Undermined streams can vanish entirely, and companies are legally permitted to repair them by pumping water through a hose set in the dry stream bed." (Source: Griswold).
*In June, the Pennsylvania senate passed a bill to exempt underground mining from state clean-water regulations.
*Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $696.5 billion defense policy bill: $621.5 billion for the Pentagon's base budget and Energy Department nuclear programs, and $75 billion for war funding, known as the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) budget.
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Dwindling Tiger Population and G20 Meetings
Dwindling Tiger Population
"Only a century ago, an estimated 100,000 tigers prowled the planet -- some 40,000 in India alone. Then intense hunting and habitat loss devastated tiger populations, and by 1970, fewer that 25,000 remained worldwide. In India, fewer than 2,000 survived." India has expanded its wildlife sanctuary system from just ten national parks to more than 100, to the point that there are over 600 protected areas in the country, including 50 tiger preserves. [1]
The creation of protected areas resulted in protests against displacement of tribal people and eventually resulted in the passage of the Forests Rights Act (FRA). The FRA guarantees the rights of "traditional forest dwellers" to live on and use the lands they've relied upon for generations, even within national parks.
While tiger numbers in India are on the rise, poaching remains a big concern, with twice as many tigers poached in 2016, as in 2015. Poachers feed a multimillion-dollar market in tiger-based Chinese medicines and luxury products.
There is a debate among conservationists, with some maintaining that the only real hope for saving India's tigers is to keep people out of the less than five percent of land that has been set aside for wildlife habitat.
Trump/Putin Meeting Discrepancies
There are a number of discrepancies that have arisen about the meetings between Trump and Putin at the G20 summit. The major problem revolves around the issue of Russia meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Trump has said that the first time the issue came up, about 20 to 25 minutes was spent in discussing it. Trump then said the issue came up "in a totally different way" and Putin said that Russia absolutely did not meddle in the election. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the issue came up several times.
Both President Putin and the Russian foreign minister contended that Trump accepted the denial and dropped the issue, whereas Trump has not accepted the Russian denial of meddling, nor has he or Tillerson challenged it.
The other discrepancy concerns the length of the meeting that occurred during the G20 dinner. Other sources have been saying that Putin and Trump met once more for about an hour; however, Trump describes that meeting as lasting about 15 minutes. Trump said that "Russian adoptions" was included as a topic, which he said was "interesting," because it was "part of the conversation that Don had in that meeting" (referring to the June 2016 meeting).
ADDENDUMS:
*The Government Ethics office warned that a top Trump administration ethics officer may have violated the very ethics rules he is required to enforce by allowing billionaire investor Carl Icahn -- who has frequently advised Trump -- to skirt financial disclosure requirements.
*Approximately half of American jobs could be replaced by automation in the coming years, and roughly one in four are at risk of being lost to foreign competition, according to a study recently published by Ball State University. "The negative long-term impacts of displacement have been found to be worse for low-skilled, less-educated workers, who are likely to work in more vulnerable jobs."
Footnote
[1] Michael Bananav, "The Tiger Watchers," Sierra, July/August 2017.
"Only a century ago, an estimated 100,000 tigers prowled the planet -- some 40,000 in India alone. Then intense hunting and habitat loss devastated tiger populations, and by 1970, fewer that 25,000 remained worldwide. In India, fewer than 2,000 survived." India has expanded its wildlife sanctuary system from just ten national parks to more than 100, to the point that there are over 600 protected areas in the country, including 50 tiger preserves. [1]
The creation of protected areas resulted in protests against displacement of tribal people and eventually resulted in the passage of the Forests Rights Act (FRA). The FRA guarantees the rights of "traditional forest dwellers" to live on and use the lands they've relied upon for generations, even within national parks.
While tiger numbers in India are on the rise, poaching remains a big concern, with twice as many tigers poached in 2016, as in 2015. Poachers feed a multimillion-dollar market in tiger-based Chinese medicines and luxury products.
There is a debate among conservationists, with some maintaining that the only real hope for saving India's tigers is to keep people out of the less than five percent of land that has been set aside for wildlife habitat.
Trump/Putin Meeting Discrepancies
There are a number of discrepancies that have arisen about the meetings between Trump and Putin at the G20 summit. The major problem revolves around the issue of Russia meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Trump has said that the first time the issue came up, about 20 to 25 minutes was spent in discussing it. Trump then said the issue came up "in a totally different way" and Putin said that Russia absolutely did not meddle in the election. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the issue came up several times.
Both President Putin and the Russian foreign minister contended that Trump accepted the denial and dropped the issue, whereas Trump has not accepted the Russian denial of meddling, nor has he or Tillerson challenged it.
The other discrepancy concerns the length of the meeting that occurred during the G20 dinner. Other sources have been saying that Putin and Trump met once more for about an hour; however, Trump describes that meeting as lasting about 15 minutes. Trump said that "Russian adoptions" was included as a topic, which he said was "interesting," because it was "part of the conversation that Don had in that meeting" (referring to the June 2016 meeting).
ADDENDUMS:
*The Government Ethics office warned that a top Trump administration ethics officer may have violated the very ethics rules he is required to enforce by allowing billionaire investor Carl Icahn -- who has frequently advised Trump -- to skirt financial disclosure requirements.
*Approximately half of American jobs could be replaced by automation in the coming years, and roughly one in four are at risk of being lost to foreign competition, according to a study recently published by Ball State University. "The negative long-term impacts of displacement have been found to be worse for low-skilled, less-educated workers, who are likely to work in more vulnerable jobs."
Footnote
[1] Michael Bananav, "The Tiger Watchers," Sierra, July/August 2017.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
The Boy Scout Speech and More
"The Boy Scout Speech
President Trump's speech to tens of thousands of Boy Scouts gathered at a jamboree in West Virginia drew "sincere apologies" from the Scouts' chief executive, Michael Surbaugh. Surbaugh extended his "sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree."
In the speech, Trump criticized both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; also, he singled out congressional Republican lawmakers who were not in lockstep with him on healthcare legislation. He indoctrinated the Scouts with his "fake media" obsession and credited the Scouts for being among the millions who voted for him, although given the ages of the Boy Scouts, any of them voting for him would have been committing voter fraud.
Contagious Indignity
"[Trump] descends from the lineage of the Know-Nothings, the doomsayers and the fabulists, the nativists and the hucksters. The thematic shift from Obama to Trump has been from 'lifting as we climb' to 'raising the drawbridge and bolting the door.' " David Remnick asks "when has any politician done so much, so quickly, to demean his office, his country, and even the language in which he attempts to speak?"
"The atmosphere of debasement and indignity in the White House it appears, is contagious. Trump's family and the aides who hastened to serve him have learned to imitate his grossest reflexes, and to hell with the contradictions." (Source: David Remnick, "Dignity and the Fourth," The New Yorker, July 10 & 17, 2017).
Healthcare Polling
A NPR/Marist/PBS News Hour poll taken early in July, found that only 17 percent of adults approved of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). A slight majority approved of single-payer but backed off when presented with trade-offs. For instance, the percentage of approval dropped when presented with the argument that the system would "give the government too much control over health care," but rose to a strong 72 percent when presented with the premise that the system would "reduce health insurance administrative costs." Thus, how single-payer is presented makes a big difference in the percentage of approval.
A Gallup poll taken in 2016 showed 60 percent supporting a governmental responsibility to make sure that people have healthcare insurance.
Strong Approval of Trump
Many of the polls taken of President Trump's approval rating don't indicate what percentage expresses "strong approval" of him. A Washington Post/ABC News poll taken early in July found that 36 percent approved of Trump's performance but only 25 percent expressed "strong approval." 82 percent of self-identified Republicans approved of Trump, but 62 percent expressed "strong approval." 85 percent of self-identified Democrats disapproved of Trump and 75 percent expressed "strong disapproval."
Generally speaking, when questioned on individual issues, about a quarter expressed "strong approval" of his performance.
President Trump's speech to tens of thousands of Boy Scouts gathered at a jamboree in West Virginia drew "sincere apologies" from the Scouts' chief executive, Michael Surbaugh. Surbaugh extended his "sincere apologies to those in our Scouting family who were offended by the political rhetoric that was inserted into the jamboree."
In the speech, Trump criticized both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; also, he singled out congressional Republican lawmakers who were not in lockstep with him on healthcare legislation. He indoctrinated the Scouts with his "fake media" obsession and credited the Scouts for being among the millions who voted for him, although given the ages of the Boy Scouts, any of them voting for him would have been committing voter fraud.
Contagious Indignity
"[Trump] descends from the lineage of the Know-Nothings, the doomsayers and the fabulists, the nativists and the hucksters. The thematic shift from Obama to Trump has been from 'lifting as we climb' to 'raising the drawbridge and bolting the door.' " David Remnick asks "when has any politician done so much, so quickly, to demean his office, his country, and even the language in which he attempts to speak?"
"The atmosphere of debasement and indignity in the White House it appears, is contagious. Trump's family and the aides who hastened to serve him have learned to imitate his grossest reflexes, and to hell with the contradictions." (Source: David Remnick, "Dignity and the Fourth," The New Yorker, July 10 & 17, 2017).
Healthcare Polling
A NPR/Marist/PBS News Hour poll taken early in July, found that only 17 percent of adults approved of the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). A slight majority approved of single-payer but backed off when presented with trade-offs. For instance, the percentage of approval dropped when presented with the argument that the system would "give the government too much control over health care," but rose to a strong 72 percent when presented with the premise that the system would "reduce health insurance administrative costs." Thus, how single-payer is presented makes a big difference in the percentage of approval.
A Gallup poll taken in 2016 showed 60 percent supporting a governmental responsibility to make sure that people have healthcare insurance.
Strong Approval of Trump
Many of the polls taken of President Trump's approval rating don't indicate what percentage expresses "strong approval" of him. A Washington Post/ABC News poll taken early in July found that 36 percent approved of Trump's performance but only 25 percent expressed "strong approval." 82 percent of self-identified Republicans approved of Trump, but 62 percent expressed "strong approval." 85 percent of self-identified Democrats disapproved of Trump and 75 percent expressed "strong disapproval."
Generally speaking, when questioned on individual issues, about a quarter expressed "strong approval" of his performance.
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