Category: National Issues

‘Why let ’em in?’ Understanding Bannon’s worldview and the policies that follow.

The following article by Frances Stead Sellers and David A. Fahrenthold was posted on the Washington Post website January 31, 2017:

Stephen K. Bannon walks in before a listening session with cybersecurity experts in the Roosevelt Room in the White House on Tuesday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

In November 2015, Stephen K. Bannon — then the executive chairman of Breitbart News — was hosting a satellite radio show. His guest was Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), who opposed President Obama’s plan to resettle some Syrian refugees in the United States.

“We need to put a stop on refugees until we can vet,” Zinke said.

Bannon cut him off. Continue reading “‘Why let ’em in?’ Understanding Bannon’s worldview and the policies that follow.”

Resistance from within: Federal workers push back against Trump

The following article by Juliet Eilperin, Lisa Rein and Marc Fischer was posted on the Washington Post website January 31, 2017:

The signs of popular dissent from President Trump’s opening volley of actions have been plain to see on the nation’s streets, at airports in the aftermath of his refu­gee and visa ban, and in the blizzard of outrage on social media. But there’s another level of resistance to the new president that is less visible and potentially more troublesome to the administration: a growing wave of opposition from the federal workers charged with implementing any new president’s agenda. Continue reading “Resistance from within: Federal workers push back against Trump”

Trump’s hard-line actions have an intellectual godfather: Jeff Sessions

The following article by Philip Rucker and Robert Costa was posted on the Washington Post website January 30, 2017:

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 10. (Melina Mara/The Washington Pos1

In jagged black strokes, President Trump’s signature was scribbled onto a catalogue of executive orders over the past 10 days that translated the hard-line promises of his campaign into the policies of his government.

The directives bore Trump’s name, but another man’s fingerprints were also on nearly all of them: Jeff Sessions. Continue reading “Trump’s hard-line actions have an intellectual godfather: Jeff Sessions”

Trump’s claim taking credit for cutting $600 million from the F-35 program

The following article by Michelle Ye Hee Lee was posted on the Washington Post website January 31, 2017:

“But we cut approximately $600 million off the F-35 fighter, and that only amounts to 90 planes out of close to 3,000 planes. And when you think about $600 million, it was announced by Marillyn, who’s very talented, the head of Lockheed Martin. I got involved in that about a month ago. A lot was put out, and when they say a lot, a lot meant about 90 planes. They were having a lot of difficulty. There was no movement and I was able to get $600 million approximately off those planes.”
— President Trump, remarks to the press, Jan. 30, 2017

Trump met privately with Lockheed Martin chief executive Marillyn Hewson, following his pre-inauguration criticism in December of the company and the cost of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes. Then, in a Jan. 30, 2017, meeting, Trump announced a dramatic cut of $600 million from the program. Is that correct? Continue reading “Trump’s claim taking credit for cutting $600 million from the F-35 program”

Mar-a-Lago: Such A Sweet Deal At Twice The Price

The following article by Carl Hiaasen was posted on the National Memo website January 30, 2017:

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks about the results of the Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois and Missouri primary elections during a news conference held at his Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida March 15, 2016. REUTERS/Joe Skipper

Welcome future members!

We here at beautiful Mar-a-Lago appreciate your enthusiasm at the prospect of joining our luxurious club, located on the almost-private island of Palm Beach.

Since November, we’ve been swamped with so many applications that we’ve decided to increase our initiation fee by 100 percent. Contrary to numerous fake news reports, we’re not doing this to cash in on Mr. Trump’s being elected president. That would be greedy and low-class. Continue reading “Mar-a-Lago: Such A Sweet Deal At Twice The Price”

The number of people affected by Trump’s travel ban: About 90,000

“Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning.”
— President Trump, tweet, Jan, 30, 2017

“Remember we’re talking about a universe of 109 people. There were 325,000 people that came into this country over a 24 hour period from another country. 109 of them were stopped for additional screening.”
— White House press secretary Sean Spicer, press briefing, Jan. 30, 2017

President Trump and his aides love to cite a small number and a big number in order to minimize the impact of the president’s executive order suspending the visas of citizens of seven countries.

But these figures are incredibly misleading, so let’s go through the math. Continue reading “The number of people affected by Trump’s travel ban: About 90,000”

The Saudi Hypocrisy Behind Trump’s Muslim Ban

The following article by Ahmed Khan was posted on the National Memo website January 31, 2017:

Ivanka Trump, DAMAC CEO Hussain Sajwani, and Donald Trump (trumpgolfdubai.com)

Last Friday, President Trump delivered on one of his most controversial campaign pledges by banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. He claims that the ban will protect America from terrorists. Yet, shockingly, the ban doesn’t include citizens of arguably the world’s largest exporter of “Islamic” terror—the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, home of 15 of the 9/11 hijackers and global financier of the extremist Wahhabi sect of Islam.

Why isn’t the Kingdom on the list? The reason is as simple as it is disturbing: Saudi leaders have helped the president and his friends make billions. Now, thanks to Trump, a Syrian widow and her children, running for their lives, will encounter a locked door in America — while a Saudi oil tycoon kicks back and relaxes at Trump Tower. Continue reading “The Saudi Hypocrisy Behind Trump’s Muslim Ban”

Trump sacking acting A.G. raises new questions about his respect for the rule of law

The following article by James Hohmann and Breanne Deppisch was posted on the Washington Post website January 31, 2017:

THE BIG IDEA: Back in 2015, when the idea of Donald Trump in the Oval Office seemed far-fetched, Jeff Sessions wanted to know whether Sally Yates was willing to stand up to the president.

“You have to watch out, because people will be asking you to do things you just need to say no about,” the Alabama senator told her during her confirmation hearing to become deputy attorney general. “Do you think the attorney general has the responsibility to say no to the president if he asks for something that’s improper? A lot of people have defended the [Loretta] Lynch nomination, for example, by saying: ‘Well, he appoints somebody who’s going to execute his views. What’s wrong with that?’ But if the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, should the attorney general or the deputy attorney general say no?” Continue reading “Trump sacking acting A.G. raises new questions about his respect for the rule of law”

Democrats escalate their attacks on Trump, while Republicans accuse him of leaving them in the dark

The following article by Ed O’Keefe, Sean Sullivan and Kelsey Snell was posted on the Washington Post website January 30, 2017:

Democrats on Monday all but abandoned their pledge to find common ground with President Trump after he banned some foreign nationals from entering the United States, while Republicans angrily accused him of not telling them ahead of time about the controversial order.

Seizing on growing public outcry over Trump’s executive order temporarily banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from across the globe, Democrats on Capitol Hill launched what they said would be a protracted fight on several fronts. It will include public protests against the ban, delaying Cabinet confirmations and an attempt to reject Trump’s pick to serve on the Supreme Court, an announcement expected Tuesday. Continue reading “Democrats escalate their attacks on Trump, while Republicans accuse him of leaving them in the dark”