Day: February 27, 2017

Continue reading Under Trump, government takes new position in Texas voter ID lawsuit

The Department of Justice under President Donald Trump will support Texas officials’ claim that the state’s voter identification law did not specifically target minority voters, retreating from the federal government’s previous stance that state lawmakers intentionally discriminated when crafting the law. The law’s opponents were notified of the switch one day before the question of discriminatory intent is set to be argued in federal court, according to officials at the Campaign Legal Center.

Trump urges insurers to work together to “save Americans from Obamacare”

President Donald Trump met with major health insurers Monday morning, in the midst of intensifying public pressure to preserve the law and political divisions over how to best dismantle and replace former President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement, the Affordable Care Act. The meeting included leaders from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Anthem, Kaiser Permanente and the industry lobbying group, America’s Health Insurance Plans.

Trump seeks ‘historic’ defence build-up, IS offensive

President Donald Trump is seeking what he called a “historic” increase in military spending of more than 9%, a huge rise even as the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and remains the world’s strongest military power. Also Monday, a Pentagon-led preliminary plan to defeat Islamic State was delivered to the White House and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis briefed senior administration officials.

BREAKING. Department Of Justice To Drop Opposition To Texas Voter ID Law

BREAKING NEWS! Sessions’ DOJ is abandoning its 6-year old claims that TX Photo ID law was enacted w/discriminatory intent. We will fight on! The whole idea behind the lawsuit is ridiculous and is based on the unsupported and unsupportable notion that requiring proof of identity to vote is racially discriminatory because, presumably, select minority populations are just too dumb to figure out how to comply with the law.

George W. Bush on press and presidency: a Power can be very addictive, and it can be corrosivea

Former President George W. Bush said Monday “we all need answers” on the extent of contact between President Donald Trump’s team and the Russian government, and didn’t rule out the idea that a special prosecutor could be necessary to lead an investigation. The Republican also defended the media’s role in keeping world leaders in check, noting that “power can be addictive,” and warned against immigration policies that could alienate Muslims.

Court may strike law barring sex offenders from social media

The Supreme Court appeared likely Monday to strike down a North Carolina law that prohibits sex offenders from using Facebook and other social networking sites. At least five justices suggested during argument that they would rule for North Carolina resident Lester Packingham Jr. He was convicted of violating a 2008 law aimed at keeping sex offenders off internet sites children might use.

Devin Nunes: ‘No Evidence’ So Far Trump Campaign Spoke With Russians

The House Intelligence Committee has “not seen any evidence of anyone from President Donald Trump’s campaign, or any other one, communicating with the Russian government, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes insisted in a press conference Monday morning, but he is concerned about “major leaks” that have come from the White House. “Right after the leak of the transcript that President Trump had with the Australian ambassador, I mean, with the Australian prime minister, I was in contact with the Australian ambassador,” the California Republican told reporters.

Cost of the Cadillac: The Obamacare story reporters are missing

In the deluge of recent media stories about who will lose if Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act , one crucial provision has received short shrift from journalists: the so-called Cadillac tax, written into the law as a way to raise money for government subsidies for the uninsured. The Cadillac tax, which will affect nearly everyone with employer-sponsored coverage when it takes effect in 2020, is currently the target of bipartisan repeal efforts.

U.S. justices weigh immigrant’s bid to avoid deportation over sex conviction

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday considered a Mexican immigrant’s claim that he should not be deported for having consensual sex with his under-age girlfriend, with several justices indicating sympathy for his plight. The case involving Juan Esquivel-Quintana, a lawful permanent U.S. resident who came to the country at age 12, was argued before the eight justices as President Donald Trump’s administration plans to ramp up deportations and broaden the categories of immigrants targeted.

Wasserman Schultz condemns wave of anti-Semitism and bomb threats,…

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center Beth Jacob appear at a news conference condemning anti-Semitic actions on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Sunrise. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center Beth Jacob appear at a news conference condemning anti-Semitic actions on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Sunrise.

House urges EPA to rescind veto on Alaskan mine, despite local opposition

Workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region near the village of Iliamma. Some Republican lawmakers and mining executives are hoping that the appointment of Scott Pruitt as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency will reverse the agency’s veto of a controversial mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay, despite widespread local opposition to the project and a dearth of investors.

Detained Philippine senator asks court to nullify arrest

A Philippine senator and leading critic of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly crackdown on illegal drugs petitioned the Supreme Court on Monday to nullify an arrest warrant for her on drug charges and release her from jail. Sen. Leila de Lima’s petition said the court had no jurisdiction over the case.

Newly renovated Aldi set to reopen on March 1

Aldi supermarket on North Olden Avenue, which has been closed for several months for renovations, has announced that it will reopen its doors on March 1. “We are pleased to showcase the new look of Aldi with this updated store and continue to help customers stretch their dollars,” said Bob Grammer, Center Valley division vice president for Aldi.

Hollywood mobilizes against Trump

But the call to action in this town is hitting a new level during the early days of President Donald Trump’s administration. The entertainment industry’s general antipathy toward Trump was on full display Sunday at the Oscars, where references to the President’s controversial actions during his first month in office were center stage.

With Trump at helm, US takes seat at UN rights council

The US claimed its seat Monday on the Human Rights Council under the new presidency of Donald Trump, whose election has provoked deep concern over the body’s future. Over its 11-year history, the council has come in for criticism, including allegations that it has, at times, been co-opted by rights abusers who push resolutions attacking their geopolitical rivals, with genuine rights issues marginalised.

Why Trumpa s Presidency Isna t the Worst Thing Ever

I remember the ease with which my friend said the words: ‘I don’t see the point in voting’. To her, the system seemed eternally rigged in favour of two parties, rich sponsors and people older and wiser than us, and the futility of this meant scribbling an ‘x’ onto a piece of paper had no meaning.

The Latest: Buffett says $143B Unilever talks soured quickly

Warren Buffett says the proposed $143 billion offer to acquire Unilever, a deal with links to his company, fell apart quickly because the European company wasn’t interested. Buffett said Monday on CNBC that his Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital abandoned Kraft Heinz Foods’ bid for Unilever because they were interested only in a mutually agreed upon tie-up, not a hostile takeover.

Donald Trump

President Donald Trump toasted the nation’s governors Sunday night, welcoming state leaders to a black-tie ball at the White House ahead of discussions about his plans to repeal and replace the so-called Obamacare law. Trump welcomed 46 governors and their spouses to the annual Governors’ Ball at the White House, the first major social event of his administration.

Mitch McConnell

Congress returns to Washington this week to confront dramatic decisions on health care and the Supreme Court that may help determine the course of Donald Trump’s presidency. First, the president will have his say, in his maiden speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

AP sources: Trump to propose boosting defense spending

The White House will propose boosting defense spending and slashing funding for longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency in a set of marching orders to agencies as it prepares its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. President Donald Trump’s proposal for the 2018 budget year, which will be sent to agencies Monday, won’t make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare, according to an administration official.

An FDA Regulation Is Snuffing Out Small Cigar Manufacturers

FDA attacks on small cigar makers are eliminating consumer choice with an illegal new rule, the nonprofit government watchdog Cause of Action Institute argued in an amicus brief filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The FDA failed to conduct a full cost-benefit analysis – as required by executive orders under former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama – before issuing the “Deeming Rule,” which placed all tobacco products under FDA regulation in August 2016, according to the brief.

Refugees at the border causing concern

As much as there has been considerable attention on how the new American administration may impact Canada from an economic perspective, overlooked thus far has been the impact to Canada on illegal refugee entry. As you may be aware, in parts of Manitoba and Quebec, there has been a significant increase of refugees illegally crossing into Canada creating considerable concern about the overall integrity of Canada’s immigration and refugee system.