Category: US Senate

Moving Backward

The following article by Theresa Chalhoub, Aditya Krishnaswamy and the National Partnership for Women and Families was posted on the Center for American Progress Progress website June 21, 2018:

Efforts to Undo Pre-Existing Condition Protections Put Millions of Women and Girls at Risk

A mother and her child visit the doctor, October 2013. Credit: GettyBSIP/UIG

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits discriminatory insurance practices in pricing and coverage in the individual market. Before the law was enacted, women routinely were denied coverage or charged more for insurance based on so-called pre-existing conditions. For example, in the individual insurance market, a woman could be denied coverage or charged a higher premium if she had been diagnosed with or experienced HIV or AIDS; diabetes; lupus; an eating disorder; or pregnancy or a previous cesarean birth, just to name a few. The ACA provided women with protections for pre-existing conditions and access to comprehensive, affordable, and fair health services. Continue reading “Moving Backward”

National Enquirer sent stories about Trump to his attorney Michael Cohen before publication, people familiar with the practice say

The following article by Sarah Ellison was posted on the Washington Post website June 21, 2018:

During the presidential campaign, National Enquirer executives sent digital copies of the tabloid’s articles and cover images related to Donald Trump and his political opponents to Trump’s attorney Michael Cohen in advance of publication, according to three people with knowledge of the matter — an unusual practice that speaks to the close relationship between Trump and David Pecker, chief executive of American Media Inc., the Enquirer’s parent company.

Although the company strongly denies ever sharing such material before publication, these three individuals say the sharing of material continued after Trump took office. Continue reading “National Enquirer sent stories about Trump to his attorney Michael Cohen before publication, people familiar with the practice say”

Health Care Sabotage

Donald Trump and his administration continue their attack on health care:

Trump suspended a program that helps stabilize health insurance markets

In its latest effort to sabotage the working Affordable Care Act, the Trump administration is suspending ACA risk adjustment payments.  These payments actively encourage insurers to participate in the exchanges and cover sicker patients who need more care, not just young and healthy people.  The Trump administration’s move injects uncertainty into the insurance market and could drive up premiums for next year.

Trump’s sabotage of the ACA is increasing premiums

Trump and Republicans have failed to deliver on their promises of making health care more affordable and accessible. In reality, their ongoing sabotage of the ACA has caused premiums to increase and increased the ranks of the uninsured. Continue reading “Health Care Sabotage”

Graham-Cassidy 2.0

The following article by Topher Spiro was posted on the Center for American Progress website June 19, 2018:

New ACA Repeal Plan Revives Threats to Americans’ Health Care

The U.S. Capitol building is seen behind two ambulances on Friday, June 15, 2018. Credit: Getty, Bill Clark

The so-called Health Policy Consensus Group—led by former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) and composed of several conservative think tank groups—just released a new plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.1 The group has been working with Senate Republicans, a group of corporations, and the White House, which supports the plan. Some Senate Republicans aim to take legislative action on the plan by the end of August.2 Their first step would be to pass a budget bill that provides them with the authority to pass the repeal bill on a party-line vote. The House Budget Committee is scheduled to begin that process this week.3

Although this is a new plan, it merely recycles some of the worst elements of the failed Graham-Cassidy repeal bill4—which experts consider the “the most harmful” repeal bill.5Graham-Cassidy 2.0 would lead to the same disastrous results: Continue reading “Graham-Cassidy 2.0”

DNC Announces Historic Organizing Investment In Minnesota Base Communities Ahead of November Elections

Today, the Democratic National Committee is announcing a nearly $88,000 grant to the Minnesota DFL to boost engagement in African American, Latinx, and Hmong communities in Minneapolis-St. Paul ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Combining traditional boots-on-the-ground organizing with innovative digital and technological tools, these investments will support the DNC’s IWillVote initiative, which aims to reach 50 million voters by Election Day. This new investment is in addition to the $100,000 already awarded to the Minnesota DFL through the State Party Innovation Fund.

Most recently, the DNC announced a multimillion-dollar investment, which includes a nationwide cell-phone acquisition, a complete overhaul of the party’s data for voter-registration targeting and further data investments for the party’s voter-protection efforts. As part of the DNC’s IWillVote program, the DNC plans to launch a six-figure digital ad buy across the country to encourage Americans — with a focus on sporadic voters, especially those who​ dropped off in 2014 from 2012 — to commit to vote this November. Continue reading “DNC Announces Historic Organizing Investment In Minnesota Base Communities Ahead of November Elections”

Republicans embrace the ‘cult’ of Trump, ignoring warning signs

The following article by David Weigel, Robert Costa and Seung Min Kim was posted on the Washington Post website June 13, 2018:

Fiercely and undeniably, the Republican Party this week confirmed its rebranding as the party of Trump.

Buoyed by a late Tuesday presidential tweet, voters in South Carolina cast out Rep. Mark Sanford, a firmly conservative member of Congress who had survived earlier scandal, in favor of a state legislator who had condemned Sanford for publicly criticizing the president. In Virginia, Republicans nominated for senator a Trump-like candidate with a history of embracing, as the president has, Confederate symbols and white nationalists. Continue reading “Republicans embrace the ‘cult’ of Trump, ignoring warning signs”

Workers’ wages fall after passage of GOP tax cuts

The following article by Ryan Koronowski was posted on the ThinkProgress website June 13, 2018:

Credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, AFP, Getty Images

The federal government just admitted that workers are earning lower wages since the passage of the GOP tax cuts.

When President Donald Trump was pushing Congress to pass his tax plan last year, which focused on lowering corporate rates and the income taxes of high earners, he pulled out a handy statistic: according to the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, the average family would make $4,000 more under the new plan. Continue reading “Workers’ wages fall after passage of GOP tax cuts”