Category: US Politics

Biden, other mourners choke up in tribute to John Glenn

The nation’s vice president and a retired Marine Corps general were among the dignitaries, family members and other mourners who choked up Saturday during a memorial tribute to the late space hero John Glenn. for the former fighter pilot, history-making astronaut and longtime Democratic U.S. senator from small-town Ohio.

Indianaa s electors expected to cast ballots for Trump

Indiana’s eleven representatives to the Electoral College will gather at the Statehouse on Monday to formally cast votes to make Donald Trump president. Anti-Trump activists across the country have encouraged citizen electors to reject the Republican, who won a majority of Electoral College votes during the election, but lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Vice President-Elect Governor Mike Pence Issues Statement Regarding…

The state of Indiana urges motorists to avoid unnecessary travel as freezing rain, snow, and other winter weather continues to affect Hoosiers across the state. As the threat of winter weather continues, Vice President-elect Governor Mike Pence issued the following statement: “We cannot underestimate the hazards presented by freezing rain and frigid temperatures.

Outsiders selected by Trump aim to unnerve Washington

President-elect Donald Trump wishes supporters a Merry Christmas to kick off his “thank you” rally in Hershey, Pa., on Thursday. Seven men and one woman named by Trump to run vast government agencies share a common trait: once confirmed, their presence is meant to unnerve – and maybe even outright undermine – the bureaucracies they are about to lead.

Despite heavy lobbying, Utah electors say theya ll vote Trump

Utah’s six Republican presidential electors say they will all cast their votes next week for Donald Trump, as required under state law, but they’re being flooded with letters, calls and even full-page ads in Salt Lake City’s two newspapers urging them to vote for someone else. Jeremy Jenkins, an elector from Logan, said he’s been inundated with letters and emails from people – almost all out of state – urging him to vote for Clinton, someone else, or abstain.

Mourners pack auditorium for John Glenna s life celebration

Mourners who braved cold and icy roads packed an Ohio State University auditorium Saturday for a memorial service for space pioneer John Glenn as his casket advanced through the center of the his home state’s capital city in a somber processional. Roughly 2,500 people gathered at Mershon Auditorium for a memorial service called “a celebration of life” for the former fighter pilot, astronaut and longtime Democratic U.S. senator from small-town Ohio.

Kansas electors remain steadfast for Trump, defend college

The six Republican members of the Electoral College from Kansas feel bound to honor the state’s popular vote for Donald Trump in the presidential race and defend the college as a necessary to make sure the wishes of most voters in the nation aren’t ignored. Like their counterparts across the country, the Kansas electors say they received thousands of emails, most from outside Kansas, urging them not to vote for Trump, who received 57 percent of the vote in the state.

Arizonaa s Electoral College voters urged not to back Trump

Arizona’s 11 Electoral College voters have each been inundated with tens of thousands of emails, hundreds of letters and untold numbers of phone calls urging them not to cast their ballots for president-elect Donald Trump. They say the anti-Trump effort is a waste of time, and that’s a generous description of their reaction.

Rohrabacher sees his out-of-mainstream Russia views taking hold under Trump

From left, Congressmen Steve Cohen , Dana Rohrabacher , William R. Keating and Steve King lay a wreath at the site of a terrorist attack in 2000 in Moscow’s Pushkin Square. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher is finding himself newly relevant, after nearly three decades in Washington, as Donald Trump’s presidential win provides his out-of-the-mainstream views on Russia a new foothold.

A campaign rival bites on Trumpa s a Evan McMuffina remark, and the comeback is delish

At one point in October, it looked as though independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin might throw a wrench in the whole electoral process, and President-elect Donald Trump has not forgiven him for that. Into early November, the little-known conservative on the ballot in 11 states appeared to be polling close to Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton in Utah, according to RealClearPolitics .

Trump Risks U.S. Default with Debt Ceiling Denier Mulvaney as Budget Chief

So far, the defining trait of the incoming Trump administration is its staffing with extremists dedicated to destroying the agencies they are supposed to head. Friday was no exception, as President-elect Trump made the latest addition to his Kamikaze Cabinet by selecting South Carolina Republican Congressman Mick Mulvaney to direct the Office of Management and Budget .

Drug overdose deaths increased significantly in past 5 years

Drug overdose deaths have increased by 33 per cent in the past five years across the country, with some states seeing jumps of nearly 200 per cent. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 states saw increases in overdose deaths resulting from the abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers, a class of drugs known as opioids.

Hillary blames Comey letter, Putin orchestrated hacking behind her stunning loss

Defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has blamed her presidential election loss on the “unprecedented” events of Russian cyber hacking and the FBI’s probe into her use of her personal email server. The cyber attacks — which US intelligence sources believe were approved by Vladimir Putin — were the result of a “personal beef” the Russian leader had with her, Clinton told the gathering of fundraisers, who had given a total of about USD 1 billion to her campaign.

Here’s an early, easy GOP win for reform: Republicans should scrap the CFPB

If Republicans want a quick jump-start on government reform with their new electoral mandate in January, a top agenda item would be scrapping the Orwellian-named Consumer Financial Protection Bureau . The CFPB, part of the Dodd-Frank regulatory regime adopted by Democrats in 2010, is an agency meant to stop racism and anti-woman bias, President-elect Donald Trump has promised to dismantle the Dodd-Frank Act and, thankfully, this could very well mean the CFPB also.

I am very proud of the work I’ve done as president – Obama

Outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama has given himself a pass mark, telling Americans that he has done well in office as president in the last eight years. Obama, who made the remarks in his final press conference of the year, justified his actions on issues ranging from the economy to Syria, and from the Russia hacking scandal to the passage of Obamacare.

Abbreviated Pundit Round-up: Russian meddling is believed to have happened by both FBI and CIA

Donald Trump has won the presidency after narrowly carrying a few states to put him above 270 electoral votes.But according… Senate Republicans refused to give President Obama’s pick to replace Supreme Court Justice Scalia even the courtesy of a… One does not have to believe the the meddling decided the election to believe that 1) it happened 2) it is not a good thing 3) in a close election like this one everything mattered and 4) Donald Trump’s denials are both inappropriate and highly suspicious. He was told before the election this was happened, but denies it and denies it happened at all.

Don Surber: Never Trump and its Obamanaut friends think we are a…

Never Trump and its Obamanaut friends think we are a bunch of rubes being played for suckas by President Trump because he held a meeting with Al Gore, or someone in his upcoming Cabinet donated to Planned Parenthood, or someone associated with him lobbied sometime somewhere. Just remember: Never Trump and its Obamanaut friends got the election wrong.

Obama signs bill for Flint water, California drought

President Barack Obama signed a bill Friday authorizing water projects across the country, including $170 million to address lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, and $558 million to provide relief to drought-stricken California. Obama said the bill advances vital projects across the country to restore watersheds, improve flood control and rebuild water infrastructure – including pipes in Flint, where residents have struggled with lead-tainted water for more than two years.

Obama says Putin knew about hacks: President urges Trump to take…

President Barack Obama put Russia’s Vladimir Putin on notice Friday that the U.S. could use offensive cyber muscle to retaliate for interference in the U.S. presidential election, his strongest suggestion to date that Putin had been well aware of campaign email hacking. Caught in the middle of a post-election controversy over Russian hacking, Obama strongly defended his administration’s response, including his refusal before the voting to ascribe motive to the meddling or to discuss now what effect it might have had.

Love Your Homemade Quilt? Thank Capitalism.

A patchwork quilt covering a bed in a country B&B or hanging on a museum wall evokes nostalgia for simpler times. Using simple shapes-triangles, squares, trapezoids, octagons-and the clever arrangement of color and pattern, the quilters of a bygone era created beauty and utility from what we wasteful moderns might simply discard.

North Carolina’s new law pushes the partisan envelope

North Carolina’s Republican-led legislature has fundamentally altered the balance of power, taking power from the governor before a newly-elected Democrat takes office. Jeanne Aaroe protests outside the Senate gallery after it was cleared during a special session of the North Carolina General Assembly in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday.

Here’s what the future of rail travel in the Northeast could be like

WASHINGTON — U.S. transportation officials proposed spending more than $120 billion over the next 30 years to revamp and overhaul railroad tracks in the Northeast Corridor, shaving 80 minutes off the trip between Washington and Boston, and expanding rail service throughout New Jersey. The report by the Federal Railroad Administration said a mixture of funding sources would need to be tapped to fulfill the plan of improved service along the 457-mile corridor, including some new tracks, new stations and new trains.

Trump salutes supporters in Florida, names budget director

President-elect Donald Trump, in the latest stop of his victory lap, told a military veteran-laden crowd in Florida that while he would build up the country’s armed forces, he would use them sparingly as commander-in-chief. “For too long, we’ve moving from one reckless intervention to another, to countries you’ve never heard of before,” Trump said at a rally Friday night in Orlando.

Monday’s letters: Focus on fixing cyber security

Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta is the kind of behavior that the United States needs to address, but the hype about it is poorly focused. First, the hacking effort was likely expected by cyber security folks, but apparently not sufficiently by the DNC and Podesta to take even modest precautions: Shame on the DNC and Podesta.

Obama, rapping Putin, says US could strike back on cyber

President Barack Obama put Russia’s Vladimir Putin on notice Friday that the U.S. could use offensive cyber muscle to retaliate for interference in the U.S. presidential election, his strongest suggestion to date that Putin had been well aware of campaign email hacking. Caught in the middle of a post-election controversy over Russian hacking, Obama strongly defended his administration’s response, including his refusal before the voting to ascribe motive to the meddling or to discuss now what effect it might have had.

Trump taps conservative SC Rep. Mulvaney as budget chief

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Mulvaney as his budget director, naming a tough-on-spending conservativ… WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump has tapped South Carolina GOP Rep. Mick Mulvaney as his budget director, naming a tough-on-spending conservative and an advocate of balancing the federal budget to the important post. An official on Trump’s transition team, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter before it is officially announced, confirmed Trump’s pick Friday evening.

Top Trump aide forming group to back White House agenda

One of President-elect Donald Trump’s top campaign advisers is moving forward with plans to form a nonprofit group that will support the Republican’s agenda in the White House. The group is being formed with the backing of Trump and his family, according to two people with knowledge of the plans.

FLOTUS: White House Needs ‘Grown-Up’ in Times of Crisis

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive for a reception to honor recipients of the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016. Michelle Obama says the White House needs a “grown-up” and the nation will come to appreciate President Barack Obama.

FDA Increases Transparency of Adverse Event Data for Cosmetics and Foods

On December 6th, FDA announced that it is publicly releasing data received by the Agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition about adverse events related to cosmetics and foods, including both conventional foods and dietary supplements. Adverse events can be any negative reaction to a product, such as a serious illness or allergic reactions, or other complaints like packaging problems, that are received through FDA’s voluntary adverse event reporting systems for these classes of regulated products .

Nation-Now 47 mins ago 11:29 p.m.Don’t call it soy milk, Vermont congressman says

Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., is asking the Food and Drug Administration to enforce the definition of “milk” – as in, a beverage that comes from cows – and require non-dairy drinks that currently market themselves as “milk” to find another name. Welch argues that plant-based products using the name “milk” are freeloading off milk ads paid for by dairy farmers, such as the “Got Milk?” campaign.