Tag: State of the Union

Trump ignored the biggest threat to the union


Election meddling? Never heard of it.

Pres. Trump delivers the State of the Union address on January 30, 2018. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) Credit: Mandel Ngan, AFP, Getty

President Donald Trump used Tuesday’s State of the Union address as a platform to double down on the unfounded argument that undocumented immigrants are pouring into the country and harming Americans. But his speech failed to mention what the intelligence community uniformly agrees is one of the top threats facing the country and democracy as a whole: Russian meddling in U.S. elections.

Just last week, the intelligence community told Congress that Russia meddled in the 2016 and 2018 elections — and that they were certain, based on the assessment of every branch of the intelligence apparatus, that Russia was actively planning to interfere in the upcoming 2020 election. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats put it bluntly in his prepared statement to Congress on January 29.

“We expect our adversaries and strategic competitors to refine their capabilities and add new tactics as they learn from each other’s experiences, suggesting the threat landscape could look very different in 2020 and future elections,” Coats said.

View the complete February 6 article by Danielle McLean on the Think Progress website here.

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Federal Meat Inspector: ‘We Are Being Hurt, Tremendously Hurt’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch Lyn Wright, a federal meat inspector, talk about the struggle to get by during Trump’s shutdown:

“We’re being held hostage, but we are being hurt, tremendously hurt, through no fault of our own. That hurts. It really hurts.” – Federal worker

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Wife Of A Furloughed Federal Worker: ‘It’s Pretty Scary’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch Angela Kabana, the wife of a federal employee, talk about not knowing when her family’s next paycheck would come, thanks to Trump’s shutdown:

“It’s pretty scary not knowing when you are going to be paid.” –Wife of a federal worker

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Federal Worker: ‘All I Do Is Cry’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch this furloughed federal worker talk about the Trump Shutdown’s toll on her mental health:

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster. If I could afford it, I’d probably need to be in therapy right now because that’s all I do is cry. And I don’t want to cry.” – Federal worker

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Marine Corps Veteran: ‘My Children Don’t Care About Walls’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch Marine Corps veteran Sarah Watterson talk about not being able to pay for basic necessities because of Trump’s shutdown:

“My children don’t care about walls. They do care about having a warm house to live in, a car to ride in, clothes to wear, and food in their bellies – none of which is possible if their mom can’t go to work.” – Marine Corps veteran

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Mother Of A Child With A Pre-Existing Condition: ‘I’m Worried About Our Whole Family’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch the mother of a child with a pre-existing condition talk about the struggle to pay for her family’s health care as her son recovers from a brain tumor.

“Well, I’m worried about our whole family, honestly. … Medical bankruptcies are a reality and they were a much bigger reality before the Affordable Care Act.” – California resident

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Veteran: ‘I Shouldn’t Have To Stress Over Something That I Worked For And Risked My Life For’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch veteran Shaye Washington talk about how delays at Trump’s VA prevented her from getting the benefits she needed and deserved.

“I’ve been deployed and been through war, so I feel like I shouldn’t have to stress over something that I worked for and risked my life for.” – Veteran Shaye Washington

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Person Who Works With Wounded Veteran Students: ‘It’s Live Or Die For Them’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch Garrett Anderson, who works with wounded veterans in higher education, talk about how veterans are struggling to get by after not receiving the GI Bill benefits they deserve due to delays at Trump’s VA.

“It’s live or die for them, if they’re not getting those payments, which I’m not really sure why the federal government or the GI Bill benefits aren’t receiving these payments.” – Garrett Anderson, Chez Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Auto Supplier: ‘This Is A Trickle-Down Effect’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union. Watch Mark Thornberry, who works at a General Motors supplier, talk about how everyone in his community has been hurt by recent layoffs at local manufacturing plants.

“It affects everybody. It’s not just GM. This is a trickle-down effect.” – Mark Thornberry, who works at a GM supplier

WATCH HERE

THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION: Seniors Facing Health Care Costs: ‘We Just Can’t Do It Anymore’

Take a break from Trump and hear from regular Americans about the real state of our Union.  Watch seniors in Pennsylvania as they talk about often having to decide between buying food and buying medicine:

“The cost of the insurances, the cost of your medication is going up. We just can’t do it anymore. It’s very sad that people have to like live from day to day.” – Pennsylvania resident

WATCH HERE