Philly activists look to tap anti-Trump sentiment to push progressive agenda

"We've got some unique energy now, mostly because of the disaster that happened a couple of months ago," David Scholnick, cochair of the progressive advocacy group Philly 4 Change, told about 40 activists gathered last week in the South Street bar. The subject of President-elect Donald Trump's triumph - queasy to them - did not need to be spelled out here, as they discussed what liberal causes to work on this year.

Several Donald Trump picks’ ethics reviews incomplete

Republicans are intent on getting as many of Trump's choices through the arduous confirmation process as quickly as possible. Several of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet choices have not completed a full review to avoid conflicts of interest, the government's ethics office says, even as Republican senators move quickly to hold at least nine confirmation hearings next week.

Ethics Reviews Incomplete for Several of Trump’s Picks

Several of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet choices have not completed a full review to avoid conflicts of interest, the government's ethics office says, even as Republican senators move quickly to hold at least nine confirmation hearings next week. In a letter to Senate leaders, the director of the Office of Government Ethics described the current status of several nominees, some of whom are billionaires and millionaires, in the ethics process and expressed concern about the lack of ethics reviews just days from committee hearings.

Trump Formally Nominates Former Sen. Coats as Intelligence Director

President-elect Donald Trump nominated former Indiana Senator Dan Coats as U.S. director of national intelligence, giving the retired lawmaker oversight of the spy agencies that have drawn skepticism from Trump. Coats, 73, probably would face close questioning by both Republicans and Democrats about how he views the intelligence community's conclusions that Russia hacked Democratic Party computer systems in order to meddle in the U.S. presidential campaign, which Trump has repeatedly questioned.

Trump insists – Mexico will pay us back’ for cost of his border wall

Congressional Republicans are already exploring ways to begin funding a barrier on the US southern border, starting as soon as April US president-elect Donald Trump on Friday tweeted that Mexico will reimburse American taxpayers for a new border wall and that US money spent will be for the "sake of speed". Trump said in a tweet early on Friday: "The dishonest media does not report that any money spent on building the Great Wall , will be paid back by Mexico later!" During his campaign, Trump repeatedly told voters if elected he would build a wall along the US southern border and make Mexico pay for it.

Will Trump let Obama go quietly?

Will Donald Trump deprive President Barack Obama of what we have come to think of as a normal post-presidency, the relatively serene life of reflection, writing, philanthropy and high-minded speeches to friendly audiences? In recent decades, we have become accustomed to the idea of ex-presidents who leave political combat behind. They might occasionally speak out on behalf of their party: Bill Clinton was an effective "explainer in chief" for Obama at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

Most U.S. adults question Trump’s abilities to handle presidential duties

WASHINGTON -- A majority of U.S. adults had little or no confidence that President-elect Donald Trump would be able to prevent a major scandal in his administration, use military force wisely or handle an international crisis, according to a Gallup poll . Trump already had historically low approval ratings for an incoming president.

Trump can get elected, but he can’t get people to like him

Donald Trump and members of his family take part in the grand opening of the Trump International Hotel in Washington on Oct. 26. Perhaps what is fueling President-elect Donald Trump's ongoing venom toward critics and his unquenchable desire for affirmation is his awareness, at some level, that more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton - and worse, a significant majority still do not like him. As Donald Trump prepares to take the presidential oath on Jan. 20, less than half of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis , to use military force wisely or to prevent major scandals in his administration .

January jobs numbers show President Donald Trump is inheriting a strong labor market

This April 22, 2014, file photo shows an employment application form on a table during a job fair at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, N.Y. The Labor Department released its weekly report on applications for unemployment benefits on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016.

Trump’s doubts about cybersecurity alarm experts

Melania Trump, right, looks on as her husband President-elect Donald Trump talks to reporters during a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, in Palm Beach, Fla. Melania Trump, right, looks on as her husband President-elect Donald Trump talks to reporters during a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, in Palm Beach, Fla.

Bolton blasts Obama as ‘vindictive’ for abstaining from UN vote

John Bolton, an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, blasted President Obama Sunday as "vindictive," a week after the U.S. abstained from voting on a UN resolution declaring Israeli settlements in occupied territories illegal. "President Obama has very negative views on the state of Israel.

Letters on Israel settlements, Trump, EPA, divesting, Black Lives Matter

The Peace and Social Justice Center applauds President Obama for not standing in the way of the U.N. Security Council resolution criticizing Israel's illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories, which have been occupied by Israel since the 1967 war. Previous U.S. administrations, from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush, have all taken mild stands against this colonial policy, which violates the Fourth Geneva Convention against transferring civilians into occupied territory.

Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning ask Obama for pardons – but…

He p lead guilty in October to a felony charge for providing a false statement to the authorities; he may get no jail time anyway Kiriakou already served his time for blowing the lid off the CIA's waterboarding program, since defined as torture - he's seeking vindication Obama says he 'can't' pardon Snowden, who's wanted for three felony charges tied to his 2013 exposure of the NSA's bulk data program President Barack Obama is unlikely to grant pardons to whistleblowers who leaked government secrets as he exits office, experts say, but they're asking for clemency anyway.

Letter: U.S. veto an insult to Israel

Letter: U.S. veto an insult to Israel President Obama did not just "rebuke" Israel, but metaphorically spit in the face of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Check out this story on northjersey.com: http://northjersy.news/2iKOS85 When the United States abstained on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, President Barack Obama did not just "rebuke" Israel, but metaphorically spit in the face of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israelis and supporters of Israel everywhere.