Members phkrause Posted May 22, 2025 Author Members Posted May 22, 2025 Trump’s Social Security Chief Just Scored A Mammoth Tax Break As the Trump administration hollows out the country’s safety net for retirees and those with disabilities, the agency’s new chief has just been approved for a massive tax break for his Wall Street riches, according to new ethics documents reviewed by The Lever. https://www.levernews.com/trumps-social-security-chief-just-scored-a-mammoth-tax-break/? ps:This is what we get when we think we know a person but really don't!! Once again he's more interested in giving tax breaks to the wealthy!!!!! Pentagon announces it has accepted jet from Qatar that will be used by Trump once it is modified Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar that President Donald Trump will use once the Pentagon upgrades it to include “proper security measures and functional-mission requirements,” according to a Defense Department spokesperson. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/21/politics/pentagon-jet-qatar-trump? ps:Of course they will and why not!!!!! Judge says the Trump administration violated a court order on deportations to third countries The Trump administration violated a court order on deportations to third countries with a flight linked to the African nation of South Sudan, a federal judge said Wednesday, hours after the administration said it had expelled eight migrants convicted of violent crimes in the United States but refused to reveal where they would end up. Read More. Justice Department moves to cancel police reform settlements reached with Minneapolis and Louisville The Justice Department moved Wednesday to cancel settlements with Minneapolis and Louisville that called for an overhaul of their police departments following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that became the catalyst for nationwide racial injustice protests in the summer of 2020. Read More. Defense Department accepts Boeing 747 from Qatar for Trump's use Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted a gifted Boeing 747 aircraft from Qatar for President Donald Trump to use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 23, 2025 Author Members Posted May 23, 2025 Trump ambushes South African president South African President Cyril Ramaphosa got the Zelensky treatment while meeting with President Trump today, with added special effects, including a video compilation and invite for Elon Musk. Why it matters: The Oval Office is officially a danger zone for visiting dignitaries, Axios' Dave Lawler writes. ? The visit immediately evoked the disastrous Feb. 28 meeting in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, shocking the world and setting a precedent. Even leaders who avoid a public flogging, such as Canada's Mark Carney, face some prolonged and unpredictable on-camera spectacles. ?️ The big picture: Ramaphosa came to D.C. in need of an urgent reset. Disputed claims of "white genocide" pushed by Musk and others in his orbit prompted Trump to cut off aid to South Africa, expel South Africa's ambassador, and fast-track white South Africans for refugee status. Reality check: White people make up 7.3% of South Africa's population and own 72% of the farmland. Ramaphosa made clear that he hoped to reassure Trump on that topic and pivot to trade, with South Africa desperate to escape tariffs and renew a U.S.-Africa trade deal. He lavished praise on Trump, while Trump described the South African president as well-respected "in some circles." ? About 20 minutes in, after Ramaphosa said "listening to the stories" of South Africans would help Trump better understand the situation, Trump sprung his trap. He subjected Ramaphosa to a five-minute compilation purporting to show evidence of violence against white people in the country, before flipping through a stack of news printouts describing such attacks. The cameras kept rolling for another half-hour, with Ramaphosa remaining determinedly upbeat and Trump firmly in control. When the press was finally ushered out, Ramaphosa's meeting with Trump officially began. By then, all the headlines had already been written. Go deeper. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 23, 2025 Author Members Posted May 23, 2025 On Not Knowing (Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty.) View in browser One of the key predecessors of the modern Republican Party was the Know Nothing Party, so called because of its secrecy. When asked about the organization, members would reputedly reply, “I know nothing.” The Donald Trump–era GOP shares some things with its 19th-century ancestor: populist politics, xenophobia, and staunch opposition to immigration. And like their forebears, many current Republican officials profess to know nothing. But whether they are also equivocating or simply unaware is not clear. Yesterday on Capitol Hill, Senator Dick Durbin quizzed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on cuts to research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, reading off a list of terminated employees and grants. “I do not know about any cuts to ALS research, and I’m happy to—” Kennedy started. “I just read them to you!” a frustrated Durbin interrupted. “I will have to go and talk to Jay Bhattacharya,” Kennedy said, referring to the head of the National Institutes of Health. If Kennedy wasn’t selected for his medical expertise—“I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me,” he said last week—and he also doesn’t have the administrative capacity to track what’s going on in his department, one wonders why Kennedy is leading HHS. In a different Senate hearing yesterday, on the confirmation of former Representative Billy Long to lead the IRS, Senator Elizabeth Warren asked the nominee whether it’s legal for the president to direct the IRS to revoke an organization’s nonprofit status. Warren said she’d raised the question with Long during a meeting three weeks ago, at which time Long had said he needed to consult with lawyers. Now Warren wanted to circle back. Yet even with time to check and the statute’s language in front of him, Long deflected: “I’m not able to answer the question.” (Somehow, this was not the most cringe exchange in Long’s hearing.) Later in the day, in Boston, Justice Department lawyers were struggling to answer questions from federal judge Brian E. Murphy, who hurriedly convened a hearing after claims by lawyers that the administration put several people, including a Vietnamese man, aboard a plane for deportation to war-ravaged South Sudan, in possible defiance of a judicial order. “Where is the plane?” Murphy asked, according to The New York Times. “I’m told that that information is classified, and I am told that the final destination is also classified,” a DOJ lawyer said. Murphy wanted to know under what authority the government was classifying the flight’s location. The attorney replied—you guessed it—“I don’t have the answer to that.” (The plane landed in Djibouti this morning, according to the Times. Murphy said today that the flight “unquestionably” violated his order.) Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, in yet another Senate hearing, might have been better off pleading ignorance. Instead, she confidently and incorrectly told Senator Maggie Hassan that “habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.” Though she thought she knew, she didn’t know either. In their unawareness, these officials are taking their lead from the president. Trump once promised, “I alone can fix it,” but now he has a different message: I have no idea. Is the administration deporting people to Libya? “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Homeland Security.” Why did Trump choose Casey Means to be surgeon general, even though she didn’t finish her medical residency? “Bobby [Kennedy] really thought she was great. I don’t know her.” Why did Trump’s Truth Social account post an image of him dressed as the pope, ahead of the conclave? “That’s not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from—maybe it was AI. But I know nothing about it.” Had Trump been briefed on U.S. soldiers missing during an exercise in Lithuania? “No, I haven’t.” Would Trump direct his administration to provide any evidence that the graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was snatched off the street by plainclothes ICE officers, was connected to Hamas? “I’ll look into it, but I’m not aware of the particular event.” (Ultimately, the DOJ failed to produce any convincing evidence, and a judge ordered Öztürk’s release.) Why did Trump sign a proclamation authorizing his administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants? “I don’t know when it was signed, because I didn’t sign it. Other people handled it.” (Trump did, in fact, sign it.) Given this pattern, it’s little surprise that when NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Trump, “Don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?” he had a less-than-reassuring answer: “I don’t know.” Some of this disengagement stems from Trump’s tendency to approach the presidency not as an executive but rather as a pundit. He’d prefer to watch from the sidelines and comment than actually get into the messy work of governance. Like a witness conspicuously unable to recall things, Trump and his aides may also sometimes find it easier to claim they don’t know what’s happening than to accept responsibility. Trump’s first administration was dysfunctional and ineffective, in part because of Trump’s detachment and inattention. So far, his second term has been much more effective. Because Trump doesn’t appear to have experienced any radical transformation, that’s more likely a factor of the people who are now working in his administration—though not, apparently, Kennedy or Noem. Trump and his allies have questioned who was really in charge from 2021 to 2025 if President Joe Biden was struggling to manage the presidency. The president’s professed unawareness of what’s going on inside his administration raises the same question about his White House. Who, exactly, does know what’s going on? Related: Trump is hiding behind his lawyers. Kristi Noem should probably know what habeas corpus is. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 23, 2025 Author Members Posted May 23, 2025 ? Axios interview: Lutnick's bold promise Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told me onstage last night he's convinced of two things: The U.S. will make a long list of trade deals by mid-summer. The tariffs forcing those deals won't raise retail prices. Why it matters: Investors, business leaders and consumers are praying he's right, Axios' Ben Berkowitz notes. ? Zoom in: Lutnick, a billionaire Wall Street CEO before entering government, was nothing but optimistic at our Building the Future event in D.C. Asked how many of America's 18 key trading partners would have a deal by the time a tariff pause ends July 8, he said: "I think most countries, we'll have an idea of what we want to do with them." The big picture: Lutnick is at the forefront of the Trump administration's sweeping efforts to rewrite the rules of global trade, a campaign that has disrupted the U.S. and international economies and created deep uncertainty for businesses and consumers. The president's argument: The U.S. has been treated unfairly by the world for decades, at the cost of valuable American jobs — a situation that can only be fixed by a more aggressive approach. ? Between the lines: Over the last few days, the single most important question about the tariffs has been what they'll do to the American consumer. Lutnick recently decried "silly arguments" that tariffs raise prices. A few days later, Walmart said they'd do exactly that, and a number of other companies have hinted at the same since. The commerce secretary didn't flinch last night, though. "The president has to stand strong, and you can't fix things in a day, and that's still going, but I would expect that prices in America will be unaffected." Watch the interview. ps:I think it already has raised retail prices and things that don't have anything to do with tariffs??? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 23, 2025 Author Members Posted May 23, 2025 Trump's "gold card" launch The "gold card" website allowing people to buy U.S. permanent residency for $5 million will launch within a week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told me last night. Why it matters: President Trump has suggested the U.S. could sell 1 million of the cards — enough to retire the national debt. Lutnick said trumpcard.gov would initially allow people to register their interest in buying one of the cards. "Everyone I meet who's not an American is going to want to buy the card if they have the fiscal capacity," he said. ? Zoom out: Trump announced the gold card in late February, offering permanent U.S. residency to anyone who shelled out the $5 million fee. It was meant to replace the EB-5 investor visa, which gives out green cards in return for a much smaller investment in the U.S. economy. ps:I wonder who profits from this?? Definitely not the United States!!!!! Budget cuts The House voted 217 to 212 overnight to clear a key procedural hurdle and bring President Donald Trump’s domestic policy bill to the floor for a full vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson is determined to pass the bill before Memorial Day, which has prompted weeks of difficult negotiations within the GOP and a visit from the president to tell Republicans to get on board. Although all of the details about the massive legislative package have not yet been released, it does include: Nearly $1 trillion in cuts from Medicaid and food stamps Work requirements for Medicaid starting at the end of 2026 Raising the debt ceiling by $4 trillion Spending $150 billion on defense programs Limiting judges’ power to hold the Trump administration in contempt Phasing out Biden-era energy tax credits sooner than planned Increasing the state and local tax deduction Making trillions of dollars of income tax breaks permanent Allocating $45 billion to build new immigration detention facilities Allowing certain taxpayers to deduct income from tips on tax returns The Congressional Budget Office said the bill will increase the budget deficit by $3.8 trillion between 2026-2034. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 24, 2025 Author Members Posted May 24, 2025 Trump Is Prosecuting a Congressional Democrat for Doing Her Job. The Media’s Response: No Big Deal. You’d never know reading the New York Times that charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver are nothing but an authoritarian attack. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/20/trump-prosecuting-democrat-mciver-ice-media/? The Questionable Case of Kristi Noem’s $50 Million Luxury Jet Coast Guard search and rescue planes need fixing, but DHS argues Noem suddenly requires a fancy new jet for safety reasons. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/20/kristi-noem-coast-guard-50-million-gulfstream-luxury-jet/? How Trump’s Embrace of Afrikaner “Refugees” Became a Joke in South Africa Untangling the “white genocide” narrative from propaganda to punchline, as South Africa’s president meets with Trump in the White House. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/21/south-africa-trump-afriforum-white-refugees/? Nonprofit Killer Provision Quietly Disappears From Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” Trump tried to sneak the controversial measure in, but after far-right Republicans tanked the larger bill, the nonprofit provision disappeared. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/19/nonprofit-killer-trump-big-beautiful-bill/? ICE Agents Are Camped Outside Immigration Courts to Make Arrests The tactical shift accelerates the erosion of limits on ICE — and appears to be aimed at speeding up the pace of deportations. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/21/ice-agents-courts-arrests-immigrants-deport/? Pro-Trump 2020 “Stop the Count” Activist Lands Top Job at the Interior Department Interior Department appointee Daniel Gustafson is a longtime Trump loyalist who participated in a protest to “stop the count” of Michigan ballots in 2020. https://theintercept.com/2025/05/21/trump-2020-election-denial-daniel-gustafson/? Trump admin cut weather service staff in Kentucky, where tornadoes killed 19. But there's more to the story Residents did receive advance warning of the tornado before it hit. https://www.snopes.com/news/2025/05/20/trump-doge-nws-cuts-kentucky-tornadoes/? Kristi Noem said habeas corpus gives Trump right 'to remove people from this country.' Here's what it really does The homeland security secretary was wrong. We take a look at the actual meaning of the legal term. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/kristi-noem-habeas-corpus-trump/? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 24, 2025 Author Members Posted May 24, 2025 Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Sold Stocks Two Days Before Trump Announced a Plan for Reciprocal Tariffs Duffy is the second member of Trump’s Cabinet who sold securities shortly before the president’s tariff announcements sent markets plunging. A spokesperson for Duffy said an account manager made the trades and that Duffy had no input on the timing. https://www.propublica.org/article/sean-duffy-stock-sales-trump-tariffs? ps:Insider trading comes to mind!!!!! More Than a Dozen U.S. Officials Sold Stocks Before Trump’s Tariffs Sent the Market Plunging Records show well-timed trades by executive branch employees and congressional aides. Even if they had no insider information, ethics experts say such trading undermines faith in government and the markets. https://www.propublica.org/article/us-officials-stock-sales-trump-tariffs? TSMC to White House: You Want US-Made Chips? Knock It Off With the Tariffs Plans to tariff foreign-made semiconductors could derail TSMC's plans to spend $165 billion on semiconductor factories in Arizona. https://www.pcmag.com/news/tsmc-to-white-house-you-want-us-made-chips-knock-it-off-with-the-tariffs? Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 24, 2025 Author Members Posted May 24, 2025 Big Tech’s dreams come true. After spending millions on campaign contributions and lobbying, the country’s biggest tech companies and their industry allies submitted artificial intelligence policy wish lists they want the Trump administration to grant — and some of those provisions made it into the “big beautiful” budget House Republicans advanced this morning. While slashing Medicaid, SNAP, and other aid programs, the current budget would set $1.2 billion aside for lucrative private-public AI contracts with the Defense Department. It would also effectively bar states from regulating AI. Kiss the ring. Firms that responded to the Trump administration’s request for guidance on its AI regulatory framework — including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, venture capitalist firm Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI, defense-technology company Palantir, Meta, Amazon-backed Scale AI, and trade association Data Center Coalition — have spent more than $26.4 million lobbying the Trump White House, lawmakers, and regulators on AI and other issues since January, disclosures show. Meanwhile, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman each donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration despite prior rocky relationships. The firms’ AI feedback reveals some of the powerful Trump-connected companies’ deepest desires — and hints at what’s to come. Big Tech vs. Earth. The Data Center Coalition, which counts Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft as members, is asking Trump to roll back the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act so that Trump can implement quicker approval timelines for environmental reviews of tech’s sprawling infrastructure empire. Additionally, the group wants to roll back regulations on diesel-powered backup generators for data centers and withhold federal infrastructure funds from states that impose stricter regulations. Anything for AI. Meanwhile, Andreessen Horowitz, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI all asked the Trump administration to effectively gut copyright laws, claiming they need other creators’ work to train their AI algorithms. Andreessen Horowitz claimed a mass conspiracy is hampering AI development, accusing media companies of “waging war against using their data for AI training.” Palantir is asking Trump to allocate 1 percent of all federal agencies’ budgets, up to $68 billion, to be spent on AI. And Microsoft wants the federal government to pay scientific journals to remove their paywalls so its AI can access the studies. “If someone uses a hammer to hurt someone, the law holds them to account, but lawmakers don’t create a separate legal regime to dictate how hammers are made,” argued Andreesen Horowitz. Judge blocks Trump’s orders to dismantle the Education Department and fire employees A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs. The administration said it would challenge the ruling. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Hard MAGA target Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images President Trump's political operation has been fielding calls from Republicans interested in waging a primary challenge to Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, according to a person familiar with the talks. Why it matters: The conversations are evidence that Trump — and his $500 million political apparatus — is actively entertaining the best way to back a primary opponent against Massie, who has drawn Trump's ire for voting against his "one big, beautiful bill." "Massie is about to be in the fight of his life," said Kentucky-based GOP strategist Jake Cox. "Just wait until he sees the money a Trump-backed candidate can raise simply from the president saying their name into a camera or opening up his email list." ? Trump has privately wondered what the point is of having a Republican in Massie's seat if "they're going to vote with Democrats and trash Republicans all the time." Trump's anger boiled on Tuesday, when he told reporters in the Capitol the congressman should be "voted out of office." ? Behind the scenes: During the transition, Trump privately asked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for advice on how to deal with Massie. "Give him raw milk," DeSantis said, referring to one of Massie's legislative priorities, according to a person briefed on the conversation. The bottom line: "If somebody got in this race and they were a reasonable person, not crazy to run against me, I would call them up and say: 'You know what you should do before you dedicate the next year and a half of your life to getting your a** kicked? You should do a poll,'" Massie said. — Alex Isenstadt ps:They keep cowering to this criminal!!!!!!!!!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 EPI condemns House passage of dangerous tax and spending bill Today, the Trump administration and nearly all Republicans in the House of Representatives took another step toward advancing their top economic priority: keeping taxes for the wealthy and corporations at rock-bottom rates, by any means necessary. The budget reconciliation bill that the House passed today, H.R. 1, represents a massive redistribution of income to the richest households in the country at the expense of some of the poorest. Under this legislation, the bottom 40% of households would lose income and resources while the top 1% of households—those making nearly $800,000 a year—would gain enormously. Further, the tax cuts in the bill are such massive giveaways to the rich that despite draconian cuts for the most vulnerable, they would still increase the deficit by trillions. https://www.epi.org/press/epi-condemns-house-passage-of-dangerous-tax-and-spending-bill/? ? Harvard ban backfire Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images President Trump's decision to prevent international students from studying at Harvard could hurt America's economy by reducing the number of startup founders, Axios' Dan Primack writes. Why it matters: Trump is aiming at Harvard, but buckshot may hit the innovation engine that America needs to stay ahead of China. ? By the numbers: Around 44% of U.S. unicorn companies — startups valued at $1 billion or more — are founded or cofounded by immigrants. Some of them moved to the U.S. as children, but many came for school, then stayed to build their businesses. An Axios analysis shows that around two dozen U.S. unicorns were founded or cofounded by international students who studied at Harvard. Under Trump's rule, none of them would have been allowed to enroll. Among those unicorns are payments giant Stripe, cybersecurity firm CloudFlare, crypto brokerage FalconX and generative AI startup Writer. ? Zoom in: Harvard ranks as one of America's top schools for educating startup founders, ranking third for undergrads, second for grad students, and first for MBAs, according to PitchBook. The big picture: Harvard is just one U.S. university out of thousands, but it has an outsized global reputation. Trump's move could discourage other foreign students from coming here at all, particularly after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News that the Harvard halt "should be a warning to every other university." For the more than 6,000 current Harvard students, some may seek to transfer — although it could be quite onerous, particularly for those in the midst of scientific graduate degrees that are tied to specific professors. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Racial justice whiplash Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photo: Jeenah Moon, Bill Pugliano via Getty Images The America that marched for George Floyd five years ago is gone, buried beneath a backlash that has hardened — for now — into a new political and cultural order, Axios' Delano Massey, Russell Contreras and Zachary Basu write. Why it matters: Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer shocked the national conscience. But what looked like historic momentum for racial justice has collapsed — eclipsed by a reactionary movement backed by the full force of the U.S. government. The big picture: While the killings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery stirred anger and protests in early 2020, it was Floyd's murder on May 25 — captured on camera and seen around the world — that ignited a global uprising. Statues toppled. Streets filled. Cities pledged reforms. Fortune 500 companies embraced diversity initiatives. For a moment, it felt like transformative change was coming. Five years later, the pendulum has swung hard in the opposite direction. DEI: On his first day in office, President Trump ordered a government-wide purge of DEI programs and offices. Civil rights: The Trump administration has moved aggressively to unravel President Lyndon Johnson's civil rights legacy, including by reorienting DOJ priorities to focus on "anti-white racism." History: Trump ordered a federal review of Confederate monuments toppled during the 2020 protests. Police reform: Days before the anniversary of Floyd's murder, the Justice Department scrapped proposed consent decrees for the Minneapolis and Louisville police departments — and dropped nearly a dozen other investigations into alleged police abuse. Refugee policy: The administration has effectively ended most refugee programs, except for one tailored to white South African farmers. ? Zoom out: The racial justice backlash hasn't been confined to government. Major corporations that once championed diversity initiatives have slashed DEI staff, removed racial equity language from mission statements, and dropped even the appearance of activism. Open racism, antisemitism, and white nationalism have flourished online, with viral incidents fueling toxic tribalism and fundraising. Prominent MAGA influencers have launched a campaign to convince Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, the police officer convicted of murdering Floyd. The other side: Civil rights groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, Urban League and NAACP are investing in long-term infrastructure. "Progress isn't a straight line. It swings like a pendulum," NAACP president Derrick Johnson told Axios. "And for some people, especially younger folks, it can feel like we're going backward. But the truth is we're still perfecting democracy, and the Black community has always been at the center of that work." Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 ? Trump's meme coin party Via Truth Social President Trump hosted a highly anticipated "exclusive" dinner for the largest holders of his meme coin at his golf club in Sterling, Va., last night, Axios Crypto author Brady Dale writes. Why it matters: A company linked to President Trump's family sold a digital token that gave anyone in the world a chance to pay for a night of access to the commander-in-chief. Inca Digital, a data intelligence firm, estimates that the top 220 holders of the token collectively spent more than $140 million to ensure they got a spot in the celebration. Some 220 of the biggest investors in the $TRUMP meme coin dined on filet mignon, pan-seared halibut and "Trump organic field green salad." According to participants' social-media posts, Trump spoke for about half an hour from a lectern adorned with the presidential seal — before dancing to "YMCA." (AP/NYT) Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 ? How killing an oil deal saved Trump's bill Facing a revolt from Miami Republicans, President Trump salvaged his giant spending plan in Congress late Wednesday by ensuring the death of a Chevron oil deal in Venezuela that the lawmakers lividly opposed, Axios' Marc Caputo writes. Why it matters: Trump's decision was a matter of political necessity and a nod to his secretary of state, Marco Rubio — a longtime critic of Nicolas Maduro's socialist dictatorship in Venezuela and Chevron's oil export license that helps enrich the regime. Trump's move also offered a window into the last-minute dealmaking that saved his priority legislation in the House. "Ultimately, he trusts Marco," a senior White House official said of the president. ? The intrigue: The decision marked an abrupt reversal of Trump's special Venezuela envoy, Ric Grenell. As a special envoy, Grenell wants to engage with Maduro. As secretary of state, Rubio wants to enforce policies on Venezuela set in Trump's first term. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Budget bill President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending cuts package, which passed in the House yesterday, is running into some resistance from his own party in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune does not agree with the big tax deduction win it gives New York's House Republicans. Sen. Lisa Murkowski railed against the bill’s work requirements for Medicaid. Sen. Josh Hawley wants a bigger child tax credit. And Sen. Rand Paul has vowed to oppose the bill because it raises the debt limit. Fiscal hawks also want bigger cuts to federal spending. “Somebody’s got to be the dad that says, ‘I know y’all want to go to Disney World, but we can’t afford it.’ I guess I’m going to be that guy,” Sen. Ron Johnson said. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats are slamming their rivals for slashing federal support of safety net programs like Medicaid and food stamps. Harvard The Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll international students by terminating its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. Now, it’s considering doing the same to other universities. “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox News. Harvard and Trump officials have been at odds for months over the administration’s demands that the Ivy League school change its hiring and admission requirements, eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and alter rules for on-campus protests or face major losses of federal funding. Harvard has resisted the orders and filed a lawsuit claiming the government’s actions violate the First Amendment. Charter schools A deadlocked Supreme Court will leave in place a ruling from Oklahoma’s top court blocking the first religious charter school in the US. The 4-4 vote was made possible because conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case. Although Barrett didn’t say why, she has multiple ties to the attorneys representing the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. Some 8,000 charter schools are currently operating nationwide and serving 3.8 million students. These schools, which offer an alternative to traditional public schools, are privately run but funded with taxpayer dollars. When the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled on the case last year, it determined that the Catholic school had violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause. Had the case succeeded at the US Supreme Court, it could have cleared the way for taxpayer-funded religious schools. FEMA shakeup Less than two weeks before the start of hurricane season, there’s been yet another major shakeup at FEMA. According to multiple sources and an internal memo obtained by CNN, the Department of Homeland Security is replacing several experienced FEMA leaders with a half-dozen of its own officials. The new hires will serve in critical advisory positions under the agency's new acting administrator, David Richardson, who is also a Homeland Security official. Based on their biographies, these new FEMA officials appear to have limited experience managing natural disasters. Like Richardson, most have been working in the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office at DHS. Sources say only two of Richardson’s seven advisers currently hold positions at FEMA, and neither has served in such a senior role. Roughly 10% of FEMA’s staff have left since January. The agency is projected to lose close to 30% of its workforce by the end of the year. Embassy shooting The Department of Justice is investigating the murder of two Israeli Embassy staff members as both an act of terrorism and a hate crime. The couple, Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were standing with others outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night when they were gunned down. A video showed the alleged shooter, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, yelling, “Free, free Palestine” as he was detained. Rodriguez was charged on Thursday with first-degree murder, murdering foreign officials and using a firearm during a violent crime. “Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital,” interim US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students The Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school, saying thousands of current students must transfer to other schools or leave the country. Read more. Why this matters: Harvard called the action unlawful and said it’s working to provide guidance to students. Harvard enrolls almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, accounting for more than a quarter of its student body. Most are graduate students, coming from more than 100 countries. The Department of Homeland Security announced the action Thursday, saying Harvard has created an unsafe campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus. It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, saying it hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024. The Trump administration’s clash with Harvard, the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university, has intensified since it became the first to openly defy White House demands for changes at elite schools it has criticized as hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Federal judge blocks immigration authorities from revoking international students’ legal status How the Trump administration’s move will affect Harvard’s international students China criticizes US ban on Harvard’s international students Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Supreme Court declines to reinstate independent agency board members fired by President Trump The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Thursday said President Donald Trump likely has the authority to fire independent agency board members, endorsing a robust view of presidential power. Read more. Why this matters: While not a final ruling, the court said in an unsigned order that the Constitution appears to give the president the authority to fire the board members “without cause.” The court, did however, suggest it could block an attempt to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who Trump has complained has not cut interest rates aggressively. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Work requirements could transform Medicaid and food aid under US budget bill Things to know about ‘no tax on tips,’ Trump’s tax pledge that’s in the GOP budget bill RFK Jr.'s MAHA report raises concerns about vaccines, American foods and prescription drugs FDA panel is split on updates to COVID shots as questions loom for fall vaccinations Trump administration seeks to end protections for immigrant children in federal custody A look at the deportees on the plane that headed for South Sudan from US US to impose sanctions on Sudan for chemical weapons use UK agrees to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a deal it says protects a key US base Lawmakers ask major hotel chains not to use the term ‘Taiwan, China’ Trump hosts top crypto investors as some industry leaders fear he’s putting personal profits first Trump’s $600 million war chest: How he plans to wield his power in the midterms and beyond Why Kamala Harris could run for California governor and bypass another White House bid DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure Education Department opens investigation of admissions at selective Virginia high school Senate votes to block California’s rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 Louisiana stifles community air monitoring with threat of million-dollar fines, federal lawsuit says Ex-Los Angeles deputy mayor will plead guilty in fake bomb threat to city hall Hate groups in the US decline but their influence grows, report shows North Dakota governor vetoes the housing budget – by mistake The first lady’s new audiobook is in her own voice — but she didn’t narrate it Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Trump threatens 25% tariff on Apple and says Samsung and other tech companies could be next President Donald Trump on Friday demanded Apple and other smartphone makers like Samsung make their phones in the United States or face a 25% tariff. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/23/economy/trump-threatens-tariff-apple? ps:Why not he only paid him $1 million dollars!!!!! I guess that wasn't enough????? Federal judge halts Trump administration ban on Harvard’s ability to enroll international students A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s ban on Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/22/us/harvard-university-trump-international-students? Venezuelan workers at Disney put on leave from jobs after losing protective status Federal judge halts Trump administration ban on Harvard’s ability to enroll international students A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s ban on Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/22/us/harvard-university-trump-international-students? Venezuelan workers at Disney put on leave from jobs after losing protective status Almost four dozen Venezuelan workers who had temporary protected status have been put on leave by Disney after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to strip them of legal protections. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/05/23/venezuelan-workers-at-disney-put-on-leave-from-jobs-after-losing-protective-status/? ps:They must be so proud of themselves for voting for this man!! Who is just throwing them under the bus as usual!! This is what he does to everyone!! Trump threatens 50% tariffs on EU and 25% penalties on Apple as his trade war intensifies President Donald Trump on Friday threatened a 50% tax on all imports from the European Union as well a 25% tariff on Apple products unless iPhones are made in America. Read More. Live updates: Federal judge blocks Trump administration decision to bar foreign students at Harvard A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration decision to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. The temporary restraining order stops the government from pulling Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows the school to host international students with visas to study in the U.S. Read More. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 ☢️ Trump goes nuclear Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images President Trump signed several executive orders today meant to speed construction of advanced nuclear reactors at federal sites, Axios Pro's Daniel Moore reports. Why it matters: The White House's emphasis on spinning up new reactors marks a dramatic shift in U.S. nuclear policy. Trump's orders seek to: ⏩ Hasten reactor testing at Energy Department laboratories. ?✈️ Set up a pilot program for reactor construction. ? Establish an Energy Department-Pentagon partnership to build reactors. ⛏️ Expand uranium mining and enrichment. The Trump administration wants to deploy a new reactor before Trump leaves office in early 2029, a senior White House official told reporters. ? Nuclear power enjoys bipartisan support as a zero-carbon energy source that can meet rising demand from data centers and manufacturing. ? But cost challenges and fuel supply concerns are slowing development. Go deeper ... Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 Humphrey’s Executioners (Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Dea Picture Library / De Agostini / Getty.) View in browser To understand how much the American right has changed, consider its journey from fiercely resisting President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s efforts to expand executive power to surpassing them. A Supreme Court opinion yesterday gave Donald Trump a big win by allowing him to fire members of the so-called independent regulatory agencies. (At least, they used to be independent.) The majority ruled that the president could remove these officials for now, with arguments to come later. The opinion is not conservative in any meaningful sense. It essentially overturns 90 years of precedent, and it does so using the Court’s “shadow docket,” which means an unsigned opinion delivered typically without oral arguments. Although couched in mild terms as a stay on lower-court rulings, this ruling—if it holds—will signal a radical shift that heralds a new era of big government. These agencies—such as the Federal Communications Commission and the National Labor Relations Board—have a hybrid structure established by law. The president appoints members, and the Senate confirms them; they make their own decisions and are not directed by the White House. For the authors of Project 2025, the blueprint for Trump’s administration, they are a major problem. “What we’re trying to do is identify the pockets of independence and seize them,” Russell Vought, the head of the Office of Management and Budget and an intellectual architect of Project 2025, told The New York Times in 2023. (I lay this out in detail in my recent book about Project 2025.) In allowing the firings of members of these agencies, the right-wing majority would invalidate Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, a 1935 Supreme Court ruling. At the time, Roosevelt was looking to seize power for the executive branch, and American conservatives were horrified. The Democrat had found that William Humphrey, a staunch small-government member of the Federal Trade Commission, was an impediment to his agenda, and fired him. Humphrey sued and ultimately triumphed—posthumously—with a 9–0 Supreme Court ruling agreeing that Roosevelt could not remove him. The right has long resisted centralization of power in the presidency and viewed Roosevelt as a boogeyman. But the MAGA right has embraced his approach, if not his policies. Congress very clearly did not intend for these agencies to be under presidential control, but Vought and his circle believe that the structure is unconstitutional. “There are no independent agencies. Congress may have viewed them as such—SEC or the FCC, CFPB, the whole alphabet soup—but that is not something that the Constitution understands,” Vought told Tucker Carlson in November. A major goal of Project 2025 is to get the Supreme Court to overturn Humphrey’s, and now that goal is in sight. The reasoning of yesterday’s opinion is sometimes bizarre. The Trump administration argues that because these agencies function to execute the law, they ought to be under the control of the executive—that is, the president. The majority wrote that it believes that the administration is likely to prove that the agencies do indeed “exercise considerable executive power.” Having accepted that argument, it concludes that “the Government faces greater risk of harm from an order allowing a removed officer to continue exercising the executive power than a wrongfully removed officer faces from being unable to perform her statutory duty.” In other words, the majority argues that even though the existing system has been in place for 90 years, it is too dangerous to leave in place for a short time longer and must be set aside—even if the Court ultimately changes its mind and reinstates the members after oral arguments. This is not conservative: It neither takes a cautious approach toward change nor conforms to stare decisis, the idea that courts should defer to precedent. As Justice Elena Kagan wrote in dissent, “Our emergency docket, while fit for some things, should not be used to overrule or revise existing law.” The majority also excludes the Federal Reserve from its ruling, protecting Fed Chair Jerome Powell from Trump’s ire. This is probably a good thing for the nation’s economy, but as Kagan notes, the reasoning is flimsy. The carve-out simply reinforces the idea that the right-wing majority is functioning as politicians in robes, willing to assist Trump but wary of the economic impact of a Powell defenestration. If the ruling stands, the Supreme Court will have decreed a big shift of power from Congress to the White House. The opinion came the same day that the Government Accounting Office concluded that the administration is violating the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by withholding funds appropriated by Congress for an electric-vehicle-charger program. This case may be coming to 1 First Street NE soon enough: Trump and Vought also want to get the Court to declare the ICA unconstitutional. These changes may sound dry and academic, but giving new powers to the president will have direct and serious effects on the way Americans live their lives. We can already glimpse what post-Humphrey’s America might look like, because agency leaders appointed by Trump are already proceeding not as independent actors but as surrogates for the White House. At the Federal Communications Commission, Chairman Brendan Carr (a Project 2025 author) has used his power to threaten the broadcast license of outlets that are critical of Trump and to bully CBS News over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. And just this week, the Federal Trade Commission reportedly sent the liberal watchdog group Media Matters a letter aligning with a lawsuit from Elon Musk’s X over a report it published about anti-Semitism on X. (Media Matters has denied wrongdoing.) If a Democratic administration took the same action against a similar conservative group, the shouts of “censorship” from the right would be deafening. With the Supreme Court appearing ready to grant the president this new control, the only obstacle to growing authoritarian power is for Congress to defend its prerogatives—to write laws and create structures for agencies that function without White House interference. The current Congress doesn’t offer much reason for optimism. Related: Independent agencies never stood a chance under Trump. The Project 2025 presidency Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 25, 2025 Author Members Posted May 25, 2025 From courthouse ambushes to citizen deportations, Trump is weaponizing immigration fear Trump’s persecution is designed to instill terror in immigrant communities https://azmirror.com/2025/05/22/from-courthouse-ambushes-to-citizen-deportations-trump-is-weaponizing-immigration-fear/? The ‘Fix Our Forests Act’ is no fix As a proud Nevadan and Lake Tahoe resident who cherishes our public lands and forests, I feel compelled to speak out against the so-called “Fix Our Forests Act” (FOFA). Don’t let the title fool you! This federal legislation is no fix. In fact, it’s a reckless attempt to hand over the keys to our national forests to corporate logging interests under the guise of wildfire prevention. If passed, FOFA would open the floodgates to massive, unchecked logging projects that threaten the very landscapes we hold dear in Nevada and across the country. https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/05/21/the-fix-our-forests-act-is-a-formula-for-clear-cutting/? ?️ Scoop: Trump, Rubio target NSC President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have orchestrated a vast restructuring of the National Security Council, reducing its size and transferring many of its powers to the State and Defense departments, Axios' Marc Caputo and Alex Isenstadt report. Why it matters: Trump's White House sees the NSC as notoriously bureaucratic and filled with longtime officials who don't share the president's vision. ? "The NSC is the ultimate Deep State. It's Marco vs. the Deep State. We're gutting the Deep State," a White House official said of the move, which will cut the NSC staff to about half of its current 350 members. Those cut from the NSC will be moved to other positions in government, officials said. "The right-sizing of the NSC is in line with its original purpose and the president's vision," Rubio told Axios in a statement. "The NSC will now be better positioned to collaborate with agencies." Zoom in: White House officials point to an NSC structure that's filled with committees and meetings that they say slow down decision-making and produce lots of jargon and acronyms. Supporters of the NSC's system have long said it promotes healthy debate and discussion about policies. ?? Administration officials cite the example Trump's move last week to call for the elimination of sanctions against Syria. After Trump made the announcement, a White House official said, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Rubio all told their deputies to follow Trump's orders. Attorney General Pam Bondi, whose department had classified Syria's leader as a terrorist, did as well. "It was complete reverse workflow: Here's what the president wants, get it done," the official said. "It wasn't, 'Oh, let's get the sub-PCC [Policy Coordination Committees] to send it to the PCC to go to the DC [Deputies Committee] to go to the PC [the Principals Committee of the Cabinet secretaries].'" ? What we're watching: Rubio will continue to also be the acting national security adviser, according to two people familiar with the shuffle. Trump wants Rubio there "as long as possible," according to one person with direct knowledge of the move. Read on. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2025 Author Members Posted May 26, 2025 'This was a message': Bloody 'massacre' said to be 'direct result' of Trump move Donald Trump is "directly" responsible for a massive "massacre" in which many civilians lost their lives, according to a former Trump insider. https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4022550661903-this-was-a-message-bloody-massacre-said-to-be-direct-result-of-trump-move? Walmart got an angry message from Trump on tariffs. Then Home Depot and Target downplayed them America’s highest-profile retail chains are walking a difficult tightrope — trying to blunt the financial hit from tariffs by raising prices for consumers without angering them or President Donald Trump. https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/23/business/walmart-home-depot-target-tariffs-prices Trump Instructs Republicans to 'Erase' January 6 Riots From History, Congressman Says Donald Trump has instructed Republican lawmakers to "erase" the events of January 6, a Democratic congressman said, as efforts to honor Capitol police officers with a memorial plaque remain stalled more than two years after its legal deadline. https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4021282326806-trump-instructs-republicans-to-erase-january-6-riots-from-history-congressman-says? ps:Of course he does! Why do you think he wants to get rid of the Department of Education? It has nothing to do with anything, but not wanting history to tell the story of the worst president in history!!!!! Donald Trump Suffers Triple Legal Blow Within Hours The Trump administration suffered three legal defeats within hours on Friday as opposition to its policies continues to be channeled through the courts. https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-suffers-triple-legal-defeat-hours-2076684 Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2025 Author Members Posted May 26, 2025 Senators Probe Cash Funneled To Trump IRS Nominee. Citing The Lever’s reporting, top Senate Dems say “unusually timed contributions” to Trump’s stalled IRS nominee Billy Long “potentially violate federal bribery laws.” Senators Turn To The Lever To Challenge Billy Long’s Nomination. Senators are challenging Trump’s IRS pick Billy Long, repeatedly citing The Lever’s reporting on his shady industry donors and plans to weaponize the IRS against his political enemies. ?MUST WATCH: Senators are grilling Trump IRS nominee Billy Long about The Lever's report on donors with IRS business enriching Long right after he was nominated. Story here: https://t.co/2a8MN9V26n Subscribe to help us do more: https://t.co/i4C9TlmCd7pic.twitter.com/Tlm31G6p0P — David Sirota (@davidsirota) May 20, 2025 Trump’s Social Security Chief Just Scored A Mammoth Tax Break. Financial disclosures reveal that new Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano won an indefinite tax break on an estimated $484 million windfall. The New War On State Regulators. After kneecapping and culling federal agencies, corporate interests have a coordinated plan to defang government protections, state by state. Live And Let Dividend. Trump’s U.K. ambassador helped negotiate a trade deal that stands to benefit his investments. Big Tech’s Big, Beautiful Bill. The tech industry is boldly asking the White House for favors — including provisions which ended up in Republicans’ budget bill. A Crypto Giant Buried A Data Scandal Then Made It Too Late To Sue. Coinbase waited months to inform consumers it had sold their data to criminals while changing its terms of service to limit future class-action lawsuits. The Endangered Species Act Is At Risk Of Extinction, Thanks To Trump. The Trump administration is seeking to gut the Endangered Species Act by redefining what it means to harm at-risk animals. Not yet reading Lever Daily? You’re missing out on news like this: ? Shifting conversations and inspiring policy. Citing The Lever’s reporting, congressional Democrats are now pressing federal regulators to investigate how companies are using Trump’s tariffs to price-gouge consumers. ?? MAGA dominance, brought to you by aging Dems. The House just passed Republicans’ budget narrowly by a 215-to-214 vote — meaning Democrats could have blocked the bill from moving to the Senate if three of their voting members hadn’t died this session. That includes Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, who passed at 75 yesterday, just hours before the vote. He’s joined by Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, 77, and Rep. Sylvester Turner of Texas, 70. (Turner passed after succeeding longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died in office last year at 74.) Eight members of Congress have died in office since November 2022 — and all were Democrats. ? Getting evicted is good for you. President Donald Trump’s proposed federal budget includes $26 billion in sweeping cuts to federal rental assistance programs that help keep the most vulnerable Americans housed. Federal housing funding would be slashed by 40 percent, while Section 8 and other public housing voucher programs would be essentially shuttered. But if you ask the administration, gutting their social welfare is actually helping poor Americans, because states’ rights. “The Budget empowers States by transforming the current Federal dysfunctional rental assistance programs into a State-based formula grant… allowing States to design their own rental assistance programs based on their unique needs,” the document reads. ✈️ Southwest flies free — but your bags won’t anymore. The Trump administration has dropped a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines after the Department of Transportation under President Biden sued the airline for $140 million — the highest fine in agency history — for purposely overscheduling flights that the company knew it would have to delay or cancel. This comes as the airline is canceling several customer-favorite promotions, most notably its famous free checked baggage policy, which ends on May 28. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2025 Author Members Posted May 26, 2025 Trump the central planner Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Samuel Corum/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Trump may paint China as the enemy. But lately he's been awfully fond of the superpower's command-economy playbook, in which the central government calls the shots, Axios' Emily Peck reports. Why it matters: Trump's extraordinary interventions — which dovetail with what some critics have labeled "MAGA Maoism" — are rattling businesses, consumers and investors, and throwing global markets into turmoil. ?️ The big picture: Trump has already stretched the power of the presidency to remake the government in his image. Now he's trying to do the same with Corporate America. The president spooked markets on Friday by threatening Apple with huge financial risk if it doesn't move iPhone manufacturing to the U.S. — later expanding his threat to Samsung and other phone makers. He has demanded Walmart absorb the cost of his tariffs to avert price hikes for consumers, warning on Truth Social: "I'll be watching." He's ignored a law that was supposed to ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company did not divest, embracing the app after it proved useful to his 2024 campaign. ? Reality check: Politicians routinely use their bully pulpit or pull policy levers to control prices of critical goods. The difference is that Trump was the one who directly set the price hikes in motion by raising tariffs. Between the lines: Trump has not been shy about using his presidential authority to control the economy. In an interview with TIME magazine, Trump compared the U.S. market to "the biggest department store in history" and said he would determine the price of entry with tariffs. "[O]n behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I'll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay." ? The White House says the administration is making an effort to help the free market lower prices, as distinct from traditional notions of "price controls." "Our full suite of supply-side reforms — rapid deregulation, domestic energy production, and tax cuts — along with our America First trade policies have now delivered multiple below-expectation inflation reports, robust jobs reports, trillions in historic investment commitments, and a UK trade agreement that opened up billions of dollars in export opportunities for American producers, with many more custom-tailored trade deals to come," White House spokesman Kush Desai said this week. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2025 Author Members Posted May 26, 2025 ? Robots needed Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The Trump administration's vision for a U.S. manufacturing renaissance includes highly automated factories and a more efficient American workforce — all of which will still require tons of foreign robots, Axios' Joann Muller reports. Why it matters: The administration is trying to fix decades of disinvestment in domestic manufacturing, but can't, for now, without relying on foreign companies to supply the advanced robotics needed to catch up with the rest of the world. ? The big picture: The Trump administration deems re-shoring U.S. manufacturing critical to national and economic security. But labor shortages and pressure from lower-cost competitors mean those factories will need to be more automated than ever. Automation is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity. But the majority of industrial robots used in America are imported. Japan, China, Germany and South Korea produce 70 percent of the world's robots, according to the International Federation of Robotics data. ⚡ Flashback: The U.S. used to dominate the robotics industry in the 1960s, starting with the world's first industrial robot installed at a General Motors plant in 1961. Now, Chinese robot manufacturers are growing rapidly, in part because China's government has made robotics — including humanoid robots — a strategic priority under its Made in China 2025 initiative. Keep reading. Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted May 26, 2025 Author Members Posted May 26, 2025 ? 80% of Americans want a diverse U.S. A woman looks at a mural of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2022. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images Five years after George Floyd's murder led to nationwide protests, many of the corporate and institutional pledges inspired by them have fizzled. But recent polling shows most Americans still support some goals of the 2020 racial reckoning, including increasing diversity in the workplace and recognizing the legacy of slavery, Axios' Russell Contreras reports from a survey from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). ? By the numbers: 54% of Americans agree that "efforts to increase diversity almost always strengthen an organization's workforce." 80% of Americans say they prefer the U.S. be made up of people from all over the world. That group included 91% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 73% of Republicans. Just 15% said they prefer the country be primarily made up of people of Western European heritage. ? 86% agree that the nation's schools "should teach American history that includes both our best achievements and our worst mistakes." Share this story ... Go deeper: Axios Twin Cities' Kyle Stokes reports on the fight for the soul of Minneapolis' George Floyd Square. ps:Isn't that interesting!! Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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