badthingstrumpdidtoday - Tumblr blog

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Text

And last time because this is today! If you're in Alabama, take some time to vote in the statewide primary election.

Voting - Alabama Special Election for US Senate

Are you in Alabama? Do you know anyone in Alabama? Were you aware there’s a Primary soon?

This year, Alabama will hold a Special Election for the Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions earlier this year. On Tuesday, August 15, Alabama’s Democratic and Republican parties will hold a Primary Election to determine the candidates on the general ballot. Here’s what you need to know.

Details

Originally, when Jeff Sessions ® was selected to be Attorney General, former Governor Bentley ® was not going to hold a special election for the seat until 2018 and selected former Attorney General Luther Strange ® to fill the seat. However, when Bentley stepped down from office, new Governor Ivey ® announced a special election would be held in 2017.

Alabama runs an Open Primary, meaning any registered voter can vote in any party’s primary. You do not need to be a registered Democrat to vote D or a registered Republican to vote R.

Alabama is considered a Safe Republican state by many pollsters, meaning it’s difficult for a Democratic candidate to gain footing or win.

If a runoff is to be held, it will happen on September 26.

The General Election will be on December 12.

Where Can I Find More Info

alabamavotes.com

Ballotpedia

Polling Times and Locations

Polls open at 7 am CST and close at 7 pm CST

Alabama does not have Early Voting

Find Polling Locations Here

Who’s Running?

There are 9 Republicans and 7 Democrats running in the Primary. The below list includes their names, small background, and policy. In order to present you the information from the candidate’s mouth, I am linking campaign websites, if they have one.

Take this information with a grain of salt, as these are only high level platform positions.. For example, “Tax cuts” or “affordable healthcare” sounds good on a high level, but what does that really mean coming from that person?

Research and form your own analysis of the issues to see if candidates align with your interests.

Democrats

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

Doug Jones - Former US Attorney appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

Jones identified increasing the minimum wage, prioritizing education as a job creator, encouraging renewable energyand conservation, abortion rights, and preventing discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions as policy priorities.

Robert Kennedy Jr. - Former naval officer, no relation to the Kennedy political family.

Kennedy named improving the Affordable Care Act, public education, gun ownership rights, abortion rights, and combatting voter suppression as policy priorities.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

Will Boyd - Florence-based minister

Boyd lists growing the middle class, protecting the poor, fighting for women’s rights, and fighting for civil rights for all as platform.

Vann Caldwell - Executive Officer for Talladega County and business owner.

His website states his main goals are economic growth, protecting the environment, education reform, and military/homeland security.

Jason Fisher - Former Executive Director of the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society

His website states his main issues are affordable healthcare reform, empowering the middle class, reducing the wealth gap, strengthening public education, promoting increased wages and benefits from employers for parents, investing in science and energy, immigration reform, and promoting disability and LGBTQ rights.

Michael Hansen - Executive Director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp

His website states his priorities are economy and jobs, affordable healthcare reform, strengthening public education, environmental protection, climate change, and anti-discrimination against LGBTQ and people of colour.

Charles Nana - Immigrant from Cameroon, West Africa and business consultant

His website states his issues are ensuring livable wages, care for veterans and poor, criminal justice reform, and ensuring free education from Pre-K to college.

Republicans

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

(Current Incumbent) Luther Strange - Former Attorney General of Alabama.

On his campaign website, Strange listed defending religious freedom, supporting the Trump administration’s agenda, and repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act as top issues. His tenure as attorney general of Alabama focused on challenging the Obama administration’s healthcare agenda and environmental regulations in court.

Strange enjoys the support of current Senate leadership.

Mo Brooks - Currently sits in the US House of Representatives (AL-5).

Brooks identified the national debt, border security, and promoting free enterprise as three policy priorities.

Roy Moore - Former AL Supreme Court Justice.

On his campaign website, he identified implementing a flat tax, giving tax credits for employee health care coverage, encouraging coal mining and oil drilling, and eliminating the Common Core as policy priorities.

Roy Moore was removed from his position as Supreme Court Justice twice. Once for refusing to comply with an order to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments and the second for refusing to uphold Obergefell v Hodges.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

James Beretta - Pelham-based physician

His website lists his platform as repeal Affordable Care Act and the McCarran-Ferguson Act, restructure tax grades, remove Common Core standards, raise standard of living for active duty military, secure borders, and end free tax for foreign nationals starting businesses in the US.

Joseph Breault - Montgomery-based USAF Chaplain

Breault does not appear to have a website or easily accessible platform information.

Randy Brinson - Montgomery-based gastroenterologist and founder of faith-based Redeem the Vote

Website states his policies focus on jobs and trade, reduced government spending, reduced government regulations, ending Common Core, increasing national security, and repealing Affordable Care Act.

Mary Maxwell - Researcher from Australia

Her website states her platform is heavy on states right, strict following of the US Constitution, and having no women in the military.

Bryan Peeples - Birmingham-based business consultant

His website states his platform focuses on healthcare reform, tax cuts, corporate and small business tax reform, restricting usage of executive orders, and term limits on Congress.

Tripp Pittman - Current AL State Senator (District 32, Montrose)

His website states support for reducing taxes and government spending, religious freedom, fighting for agriculture industry, increased national security, better care for veterans, border wall and immigration changes, and pro-life stances.

#Alabama #election #Senate

151 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Text

Friendly reminder!

Voting - Alabama Special Election for US Senate

Are you in Alabama? Do you know anyone in Alabama? Were you aware there’s a Primary soon?

Details

Alabama runs an Open Primary, meaning any registered voter can vote in any party’s primary. You do not need to be a registered Democrat to vote D or a registered Republican to vote R.

Alabama is considered a Safe Republican state by many pollsters, meaning it’s difficult for a Democratic candidate to gain footing or win.

If a runoff is to be held, it will happen on September 26.

The General Election will be on December 12.

Where Can I Find More Info

alabamavotes.com

Ballotpedia

Polling Times and Locations

Polls open at 7 am CST and close at 7 pm CST

Alabama does not have Early Voting

Find Polling Locations Here

Who’s Running?

Research and form your own analysis of the issues to see if candidates align with your interests.

Democrats

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

Doug Jones - Former US Attorney appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

Robert Kennedy Jr. - Former naval officer, no relation to the Kennedy political family.

Kennedy named improving the Affordable Care Act, public education, gun ownership rights, abortion rights, and combatting voter suppression as policy priorities.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

Will Boyd - Florence-based minister

Boyd lists growing the middle class, protecting the poor, fighting for women’s rights, and fighting for civil rights for all as platform.

Vann Caldwell - Executive Officer for Talladega County and business owner.

His website states his main goals are economic growth, protecting the environment, education reform, and military/homeland security.

Jason Fisher - Former Executive Director of the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society

Michael Hansen - Executive Director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp

Charles Nana - Immigrant from Cameroon, West Africa and business consultant

His website states his issues are ensuring livable wages, care for veterans and poor, criminal justice reform, and ensuring free education from Pre-K to college.

Republicans

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

(Current Incumbent) Luther Strange - Former Attorney General of Alabama.

Strange enjoys the support of current Senate leadership.

Mo Brooks - Currently sits in the US House of Representatives (AL-5).

Brooks identified the national debt, border security, and promoting free enterprise as three policy priorities.

Roy Moore - Former AL Supreme Court Justice.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

James Beretta - Pelham-based physician

Joseph Breault - Montgomery-based USAF Chaplain

Breault does not appear to have a website or easily accessible platform information.

Randy Brinson - Montgomery-based gastroenterologist and founder of faith-based Redeem the Vote

Website states his policies focus on jobs and trade, reduced government spending, reduced government regulations, ending Common Core, increasing national security, and repealing Affordable Care Act.

Mary Maxwell - Researcher from Australia

Her website states her platform is heavy on states right, strict following of the US Constitution, and having no women in the military.

Bryan Peeples - Birmingham-based business consultant

His website states his platform focuses on healthcare reform, tax cuts, corporate and small business tax reform, restricting usage of executive orders, and term limits on Congress.

Tripp Pittman - Current AL State Senator (District 32, Montrose)

151 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Video

tumblr

Caroline is a student at George Mason University. She was hit by the car that plowed through a crowd in Charlottesville.

Mary was also hit by the car. She rolled off the hood and was rushed to the hospital with a deep laceration on her leg.

These are their first-person accounts of the attack.

2K notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Text

Voting - Alabama Special Election for US Senate

Are you in Alabama? Do you know anyone in Alabama? Were you aware there’s a Primary soon?

Details

Originally, when Jeff Sessions (R) was selected to be Attorney General, former Governor Bentley (R) was not going to hold a special election for the seat until 2018 and selected former Attorney General Luther Strange (R) to fill the seat. However, when Bentley stepped down from office, new Governor Ivey (R) announced a special election would be held in 2017.

Alabama runs an Open Primary, meaning any registered voter can vote in any party’s primary. You do not need to be a registered Democrat to vote D or a registered Republican to vote R.

Alabama is considered a Safe Republican state by many pollsters, meaning it’s difficult for a Democratic candidate to gain footing or win.

If a runoff is to be held, it will happen on September 26.

The General Election will be on December 12.

Where Can I Find More Info

alabamavotes.com

Ballotpedia

Polling Times and Locations

Polls open at 7 am CST and close at 7 pm CST

Alabama does not have Early Voting

Find Polling Locations Here

Who’s Running?

Research and form your own analysis of the issues to see if candidates align with your interests.

Democrats

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

Doug Jones - Former US Attorney appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997.

Robert Kennedy Jr. - Former naval officer, no relation to the Kennedy political family.

Kennedy named improving the Affordable Care Act, public education, gun ownership rights, abortion rights, and combatting voter suppression as policy priorities.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

Will Boyd - Florence-based minister

Boyd lists growing the middle class, protecting the poor, fighting for women’s rights, and fighting for civil rights for all as platform.

Vann Caldwell - Executive Officer for Talladega County and business owner.

His website states his main goals are economic growth, protecting the environment, education reform, and military/homeland security.

Jason Fisher - Former Executive Director of the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society

Michael Hansen - Executive Director of Alabama environmental advocacy group Gasp

Charles Nana - Immigrant from Cameroon, West Africa and business consultant

His website states his issues are ensuring livable wages, care for veterans and poor, criminal justice reform, and ensuring free education from Pre-K to college.

Republicans

Front Runners - Front Runners are candidates that have received 20 or more percentage points in a public opinion poll

(Current Incumbent) Luther Strange - Former Attorney General of Alabama.

On his campaign website, Strange listed defending religious freedom, supporting the Trump administration's agenda, and repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act as top issues. His tenure as attorney general of Alabama focused on challenging the Obama administration's healthcare agenda and environmental regulations in court.

Strange enjoys the support of current Senate leadership.

Mo Brooks - Currently sits in the US House of Representatives (AL-5).

Brooks identified the national debt, border security, and promoting free enterprise as three policy priorities.

Roy Moore - Former AL Supreme Court Justice.

Everyone Else - These candidates did not receive 20+% on a public opinion poll. Check out their websites for more information on them.

James Beretta - Pelham-based physician

Joseph Breault - Montgomery-based USAF Chaplain

Breault does not appear to have a website or easily accessible platform information.

Randy Brinson - Montgomery-based gastroenterologist and founder of faith-based Redeem the Vote

Website states his policies focus on jobs and trade, reduced government spending, reduced government regulations, ending Common Core, increasing national security, and repealing Affordable Care Act.

Mary Maxwell - Researcher from Australia

Her website states her platform is heavy on states right, strict following of the US Constitution, and having no women in the military.

Bryan Peeples - Birmingham-based business consultant

His website states his platform focuses on healthcare reform, tax cuts, corporate and small business tax reform, restricting usage of executive orders, and term limits on Congress.

Tripp Pittman - Current AL State Senator (District 32, Montrose)

#alabama #vote #voting #voting 2017 #special elections #election #senate

151 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

New study projects a stunning drop in 2018 millennial voter turnout in battleground states

The 2016 presidential election — and its outcome — may have given plenty of Americans a new sense of urgency when it comes to civics.

But a new study projects that 40 million Americans who voted last year will likely not show up at the polls for the 2018 midterms.

And that two-thirds of those “drop-off” voters will be millennials, unmarried women and people of color.

The report, just out from the Voter Participation Center and Lake Research Partners, “Comparing the Voting Electorate in 2012-2016 and Predicting 2018 Drop-off,” notes that many of those expected not to cast a ballot next year live in key battleground states like Arizona, Nevada, Florida and Ohio. Read more (7/21/17)

60K notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

Breaking: Sean Spicer resigns as White House press secretary

Sean Spicer resigned from his post as White House press secretary Friday morning following President Donald Trump’s decision to name hedge fund financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, the New York Timesreported.

Spicer reportedly objected to Scaramucci’s appointment, telling the president it was a major mistake, according to the Times.

Spicer came on as press secretary in January. His tenure was characterized by a combative and elusive relationship with the White House press corps. Read more (7/21/17 12 PM)

877 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

While everyone watched Comey, The House voted to kill Wall Street reform and the Senate made moves to fast-track the AHCA

While former FBI Director James Comey’s Thursday testimony blanketed the news congressional Republicans quietly moved forward some of their major agenda items.

The House debated the Financial Choice Act — a bill that would kill many of the Wall Street regulations created following the 2008 financial crisis.

The House ultimately passed the bill along party lines Thursday afternoon, sending it to the Senate.

And Senate Republicans have moved closer to coming up with a health care bill they say will make good on their promise to “repeal and replace Obamacare.” Read more (6/8/17)

862 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

Trump’s first budget proposal to slash $800 billion from Medicaid

Trump’s first major budget proposal on Tuesday would cut more than $800 billion from Medicaid over 10 years.

The cuts would terminate benefits for up to 10 million people over 10 years and give states more power to cut off benefits from federal anti-poverty programs, the Washington Post reported Sunday.

According to the Post, the Medicaid cuts in Trump’s budget plan are the same as those proposed in the American Health Care Act.

It’s a clear signal Trump is aligning his priorities with House conservatives, who are reportedly looking to cut an additional $400 billion from social safety net programs like food stamps and income assistance. Read more (5/22/17)

882 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

What has Trump actually done in his first 100 days?

In late October, the president made 28 promises for his first 100 days. These were not the only promises the president made for his first 100 days, but they comprised the “contract with the American voter” Trump introduced immediately before the election.

Here are Trump’s promises, followed by where they stand:

• "Propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.“ Not proposed.

• "A hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety and public health).” Done, then rolled backthis month.

• "A requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated.“ Done.

• "A five-year ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service.” Done for White House officials, with loopholes.

• "A lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government.“ Done.

• "A complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.” Not done.

• "I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205.“ Done.

• "I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.” Done.

• "I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator.“ Not done — says he won’t.

• "I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately.” Done.

• "I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.“ In process: Trump ordered a review of what regulations to cut.

• "Lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward.” Done.

• "Cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure.“ Not done.

• "Cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama.” Done.

• "Begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.“ Done. Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court.

• "Cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities.” Done, but blocked by federal judge.

• "Begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back.“ Done.

• "Suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.” Done, but blocked by federal courts — twice.

Overall, Trump is 14 for 18 on these actions and measures.

Trump also promised to introduce ten pieces of legislation in his first 100 days. He has introduced or announced three of them.

• Cut taxes for the middle class and businesses. Announced: Trump’s tax plan cuts the corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%, but it’s unclear how the plan will help the middle class.

• Establish tariffs on goods created by U.S. companies overseas and shipped back. Not done.

• Leverage public-private partnerships to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. Not done.

• Let parents send their child to the school of their choice. Not done.

• Fully repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace with a conservative option. Introduced.

• Allow Americans to deduct child care and elder care from their taxes. Not done.

• Fully fund construction of a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Not done.

• Increase training and support for local police to fight violent and drug crimes. Not done.

• Increase funding for the military, reform the Veterans Administration. Announced.

• Enact new ethics reforms to “drain the swamp.” Not done.

Trump is 0 for 10 on passage of those pieces of legislation, and 3 for 10 on introducing or announcing them. Read more (4/28/17)

329 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

Trump thought being president would be “easier”

Trump reflected on his first 100 days in office in an interview with Reuters, during which he expressed that he — somehow — believed being president of the whole United States would be “easier.”

“I loved my previous life. I had so many things going,” Trump said. "This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier.“

Trump — who called the 100 day benchmark a ”ridiculous“ standard for judging his performance — has had a rocky start to his presidency.

His first stretch in office has been characterized by high profile failures on health care and his travel bans, along with infighting among staff and large-scale protests. Read more (4/28/17 7 AM)

3K notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

The GOP thinks their health care bill is so great, they’re shielding themselves from it

Republicans appear close to reintroducing an Affordable Care Act replacement bill — legislation they apparently think is so good that they are protecting themselves from being impacted by it.

The new GOP-crafted bill would allow states to waive popular protections currently guaranteed in the ACA.

Those protections include mandating that insurance plans cover so-called “Essential Health Benefits,” such as prescription drugs and hospitalization, as well as preventing insurance companies from charging Americans with pre-existing conditions more for coverage.

If passed, that means insurance companies could charge Americans with pre-existing conditions more for insurance plans that might not even cover the services they need.

However, the GOP’s new bill would not allow insurance companies to waive those protections for members of Congress and their staff.

Members of Congress and their staff are currently required to purchase their health care coverage through the ACA exchanges under section 1312(d)(3)(D) of the ACA. Read more (4/26/17 8 AM)

1K notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Photo

The GOP is trying to resurrect Trumpcare — and nuke pre-existing condition protections

House Republicans will attempt to resurrect their plan to repeal Obamacare before President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office elapse on April 29.

On Thursday, they released details of their new plan that, if passed, would gut protections for Americans with pre-existing health conditions.

The new proposal, first reported by the Huffington Post, would allow states to opt-out oftwo key provisions in the Affordable Care Act that effectively protect Americans with pre-existing conditions from being charged more for coverage. Read more (4/20/17 10:45 AM)

661 notes · View notes

badthingstrumpdidtoday · 8 years ago

Text

A Summary of Bad Things Trump Did This Week, 4/9/17-4/15/17

Ahhh! Life is crazy and busy, which I’m sure is the case for everyone reading this. We at Bad Things Trump Did Today definitely want to bring you accurate and timely news about the doings of the Trump administration and Congress in general, however we can be limited by our own personal time constraints. We absolutely appreciate everyone’s understanding, and without further ado here’s the summary of Bad Things Trump Did This Week!

This summary mainly includes the bad things Trump and Congress did this week, as well as some news that’s important to note.

Monday, April 10, 2017

Republican leaders avoid town halls after House health care vote

Source: USA Today

The migration away from public forums has been going on for months, despite complaints from constituents and local media. There have been roughly 30 recent newspaper editorials slamming lawmakers for avoiding town halls and calling on members to face their voters, not only in bluer portions of the country like New York but also in critical battlegrounds like Pennsylvania’s 6th and 7th districts[...]

Trump on track to surpass 8 years of Obama’s travel expenses in just 1 year

Source: CNN

Trump's frequent weekend travel makes it all but certain the 45th President will surpass Obama's spending in his first term, likely within months.

The spending comes as Trump asks the federal government to slash non-defense spending by $54 billion, including deep cuts to the State Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and the wholesale elimination of other federal programs. The proposed cuts, which are unlikely to be adopted in total, will correspond with $54 billion in increases to defense spending.

As CNN reports, Trump’s expenses for his Mar-a-Lago trips has already surpassed a fifth of what Obama spent on travel in his entire 8 years as presidency. Obama’s expenses included both personal and work trips.

Sessions orders an end to forensic science commission and suspension of policy review

Source: The Washington Post

The commission was a partnership started in 2013 between the Justice Department and independent scientists. It’s purpose was to evaluate and elevate the standards of forensic science in the U.S., and Session’s decision has led to criticism from members:

Several commission members who have worked in criminal courts and supported the input of independent scientists said the department risks retreating into insularity and repeating past mistakes, saying that no matter how well-intentioned, prosecutors lack scientists’ objectivity and training.

U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff of New York, the only federal judge on the commission, said, “It is unrealistic to expect that truly objective, scientifically sound standards for the use of forensic science . . . can be arrived at by entities centered solely within the Department of Justice.”

In suspending reviews of past testimony and the development of standards for future reporting, “the department has literally decided to suspend the search for the truth,” said Peter S. Neufeld, co-founder of the Innocence Project, which has reported that nearly half of 349 DNA exonerations involved misapplications of forensic science. “As a consequence innocent people will languish in prison or, God forbid, could be executed,” he said.

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Two members of extreme anti-immigration groups hired in high-level advisory roles

Source: CNN

Jon Feere, a former legal policy analyst for the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), has been hired as an adviser to the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Meanwhile, Julie Kirchner, former executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), has been hired as an adviser to the acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. Both CIS and FAIR are both anti-immigration groups representing the extreme far-right, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center:

"CIS has published articles that labeled immigrants 'third world gold diggers' and that blamed Central American asylum seekers for the 'burgeoning street gang problem' in the US, while Dan Stein has said that many immigrants that come to the US hate America and everything the country stands for," said Heidi Beirich, director of Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, which oversees the center's yearly count of anti-immigrant groups. "We take these designations very seriously, and CIS and FAIR are far-right fringe groups that regularly publish racist, xenophobic material and spread misinformation about immigrants and immigration."

Despite claims from anti-immigration groups that they are willing to enter discussions with immigration rights groups and the government, many immigration rights organizations fear what these appointments could mean:

"This isn't exactly the same situation as having Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, both in the same room," countered one pro-immigrant advocate. "The fundamental difference is that their agenda is driven by a nativist white supremacist approach to policy. So, to sit together in a room, not only does it have a chilling effect, but I think that many of the advocacy organizations, including ours, fear that we would be normalizing the nativist agenda as it gets into the halls of our government."

Spicer claims that Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons while discussing Assad’s use of such weapons in Syria

Source: The Hill

“We did not use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who did not even sink to using chemical weapons,” Spicer said. “If you are Russia, ask yourself, is this a country and regime that you want to align yourself with?”

Given an opportunity to clarify his comments, Spicer misspoke again by trying once more to draw a distinction between Assad and Hitler, whom the press secretary said did not gas “his own people.”

“When it comes to sarin gas, [Hitler] was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing,” Spicer said to audible groans from some reporters. He also referred to concentration camps as “Holocaust centers.”

Spicer’s remarks, made during Passover, have drawn criticism from numerous groups, including the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect:

“On Passover no less, Sean Spicer has engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable, by denying Hitler gassed millions of Jews to death,” said Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Trump switches sides on four policies over the course of a day, backing away from some campaign promises

Source: The Hill

Trump swapped positions on the future of NATO, naming China a currency manipulator, the Federal Reserve chairwoman, and the Export-Import bank. The Hill provides a breakdown in their article above.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Trump signs law allowing states to choose to defund Planned Parenthood

Source: NPR

This law was one of a number that was passed using the Congressional Review Act, which allows the house to overturn legislation made during the last 6 months of the previous President’s administration. The legislation overrules the regulation put in place under Obama that protects federal funds from being withheld by individual states:

Now that the rule has been repealed, states can effectively block Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from funds associated with the Title X Family Planning program, which was established in 1970 to subsidize organizations that offer services related to contraception, pregnancy care, fertility and cancer screenings primarily for low-income people.

Breaking: US drops America’s largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan

Source: CNN

The bomb drop, which targeted an ISIS cave and tunnel complex, has never before happened in combat:

The US military dropped America's most powerful non-nuclear bomb on ISIS targets in Afghanistan Thursday, the first time this type of weapon has been used in battle, according to US officials.

A GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), nicknamed the "mother of all bombs," was dropped at 7:32 p.m. local time, according to four US military officials with direct knowledge of the mission. A MOAB is a 30-foot-long, 21,600-pound, GPS-guided munition.President Donald Trump called it "another successful job" later Thursday.

The bomb was dropped by an MC-130 aircraft, stationed in Afghanistan and operated by Air Force Special Operations Command, Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump told CNN.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Concrete evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia has reportedly been handed to the investigation

Source: The Independent

The official investigation into relations between Donald Trump and Russia now has "specific, concrete and corroborative evidence of collusion", it has been reported.

New evidence proves discussions took place “between people in the Trump campaign and agents of [Russian] influence relating to the use of hacked material,” a source allegedly told the Guardian.

The developments come as it has emerged that Britain’s spy agencies were among the first to alert their American counterparts to contact between members of Mr Trump’s campaign team and Russian intelligence operatives.

The Secret Service has spent $35,000 on gold cart rentals since inauguration

Source: The Hill

The Secret Service has spent over $35k on gold cart rentals at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort since January 20. This information, first reported by CBS news, came as Trump settles in at the resort over the holiday weekend:

CBS' new report comes as Trump spends the full three-day Easter weekend at Mar-a-Lago. No senior staff took the Air Force One flight to Florida, according to a report.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Trump says that he can’t be sued for inciting violence at rallies because he won election

Source: The Washington Post

Trump’s team rebuffed a suit filed by protesters claiming that Trump incited a riot against them in May of last year at a rally in Louisville. According to his team, Trump is immune to lawsuit since he is the President. The Washington Post reports more:

Trump's team challenged the accusations — negligence and incitement to riot — on many other grounds, too.

But a federal judge already rejected their attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out earlier this month.

And in another new filing in the same case, a Trump supporter accused of assaulting protesters agreed with the plaintiffs that Trump wanted a riot — while denying he actually harmed anyone.

Alvin Bamberger, who was seen in a video pushing a protester through a jeering crowd at the Louisville convention center, “would not have acted as he did without Trump and/or the Trump Campaign’s specific urging and inspiration,” Bamberger's lawyer wrote.

Bamberger denied “shoving … and striking” anyone, as the lawsuit accuses him of. But he admitted to touching plaintiff Kashiya Nwanguma, a 21-year-old college student who had gone to the rally with a protest sign.

And he accepted as true her claims that Trump's speech “was calculated to incite violence” against the protesters.

Trump continues hiring lobbyists without input from the Office on Government Ethics

Source: Propublica

Despite claims during his campaign that he would be willing to ban lobbyists from his administration, Trump has hired lobbyists from over 300 different corporations:

One striking case involves Michael Catanzaro, an appointee on the National Economic Council whose portfolio includes energy and environmental issues. Catanzaro was formerly a lobbyist for oil and coal companies that strenuously opposed the Obama administration’s clean power regulation. Three industry sources told the Times that Catanzaro is now working on that same issue in the Trump administration.

Even under Trump’s weakened ethics rules, former lobbyists like Catanzaro are not supposed to work on issues that they formerly had lobbied on.

Still, under Trump’s executive order, he can issue waivers at any time to staffers, Catanzaro included, for any reason, and never disclose it.

Even the federal government’s top ethics official, Walter Shaub, who runs the Office of Government Ethics, is being kept in the dark.

“There’s no transparency, and I have no idea how many waivers have been issued,” Shaub told the Times.

Want to learn more about how we can stop more bad sh*t from happening?

Donate to charities dedicated to fighting against the Trump agenda.

Learn from former congressional staffers on best practices for making your representative listen to you.

Learn how to run for office or get involved in your local political party.

Attend peaceful political protests and know your rights as a protestor.

Support organizations dedicated to investigative journalism and protecting our First Amendment rights.

Be sure to follow for more Bad Things Trump Did Today.

#politics #bad things trump did this week #bad things congress did this week #april 2017 #donald trump #trump #presidential election #president trump #resist

232 notes · View notes