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Unprecedented Spending by Outside Groups Already Fueling Trump’s 2020 Bid

Fundraising for Trump's re-election bid in 2020 is already setting records in 2019. (Center for Responsive Politics) Outside groups supporting President Donald Trump’s re-election bid kicked off 2019 with a barrage of spending, an early opening salvo with the 2020 general election still nearly 21 months away. Independent expenditures for multiple hybrid-PACs advocating for Trump’s candidacy totaled over $1.27 million since the start of this year. As outside spending for former President Barack Obama at this time in 2011 only totaled a few hundred thousand dollars, the ongoing push for Trump is an unprecedented blitz in outside spending for an incumbent president. And the three outside spending groups dominating this effort are all linked to the same man. Dan Backer, principal attorney for the law firm political.law, signed off on spending for two of the groups which are clients of his firm: The Committee to Defend the President and the Great America PAC, according to FEC records. The Great America PAC spent $821,280 since the start of this year, with the Committee to Defend the President spending $441,038. Another group, America Fighting Back PAC, which spent $10,000 on television ads, is another client of Backer and lists the same address and the same employee as The Committee to Defend the President. “The Trump-hating left … has worked to defeat this president every day since he got elected,” Backer wrote in an email response to questions regarding the spending push in favor of Trump. “That’s why my clients have worked every day since then to re-elect him and advance his America First Agenda.” Backer played a role in shaping contemporary campaign finance law. He represented the plaintiff in McCutcheon v. FEC, the Supreme Court case that ruled unconstitutional the limit on aggregate contributions an individual can make to a political party or a candidate’s campaign committee over two years. Other groups supporting Trump have taken a different approach in reporting expenditures for ads. Groups like “America First Policies” consider their ads to date as “pro-Trump agenda” issue advocacy ads, which do not require disclosure. However Backer said his clients consider their ads as expressly advocating for a candidate and disclose their spending as such. The three outside spending groups affiliated with Backer have pumped substantial sums of money into previous election cycles. The Committee to Defend the President, which was previously named the Stop Hillary PAC, spent $16.2 million over the last three election cycles. The Great America PAC respectively spent $35.6 million. Some of its notable donors include GOP mega-donor Robert Mercer, former Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac Perlmutter, and Robert McNair, the late owner of the Houston Texans. America Fighting Back PAC, the newest of the three, spent $341,000 in the 2018 midterms. Some of the activities bankrolled by these groups include voter contact online and by phone, gaining access to conservative donors lists, and television advertisements. One of the ads purchased by Great America PAC features Ed Rollins, a former campaign manager for Ronald Reagan. The ad urges viewers to call Congress in support of Trump’s border wall before the Feb. 15 government shutdown deadline. Another ad features Rollins saying: “The Left will pull out all stops to defeat President Trump in 2020” and asks for support of the president. The Committee to Defend the President and Great America PAC are also actively purchasing ads on Facebook. Recent ads asking users to rate Trump’s State of the Union address were overwhelmingly targeted at Florida, Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania — states essential to any Trump 2020 victory in the electoral college. These ads ask for the user’s email, which allows the group to build its contact list and identify potential donors. “Every client has its own strategy and message,” Backer said, “and I’m fortunate to work with some very smart clients who (evidently) know how to win.” Read the full article

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"A Tale of Two Countries," Or, the 2019 State of the Union Address

Donald Trump preached unity in the 2019 State of the Union and shared an agenda based on a vision of America. Unfortunately, it's a vision for an America which doesn't exist coming from a man who actively divides his constituents. (Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0) President Donald Trump finally got to deliver his State of the Union address with the recent partial government shutdown in the rear-view mirror (although we could totally have another one in the near future if we don't figure out how to decouple the subject of a border wall from funding federal agencies, so yay?). The good news is the president stopped short of calling for a state of emergency to advance construction of a border wall. The bad news is Trump had a national platform by which to spew his rhetoric at the American people. Before we get to the veracity of what Trump said or lack thereof, let's first address what the man spoke about. Trump's agenda, at least in principle, was devoted to the areas where members of both parties can find consensus. These major topics included promoting fair trade and other policies which help American jobs/workers, rebuilding our infrastructure, reducing the price of health care (including prescription drugs), creating a more modern and secure immigration system, and advancing foreign policy goals that align with American interests. On the economy, it was jobs, jobs, jobs! Wages are rising! Unemployment is declining! Regulations are going away! Companies are coming back! And it's all because of me! So let's stop all these needless investigations into my affairs. You don't want THE AMERICAN PEOPLE to suffer on account of me, do you? Trump also addressed tariffs and the USMCA, but rather than calling out countries like China for abuse of workers' rights or currency manipulation or anything like that, he expressed respect for Xi Jinping and instead laid blame at the feet of past leaders and lawmakers. As always, thanks, Obama. On immigration, well, you probably know the story by now. Immigrants enrich our society in many ways—except when they don't, taking away jobs, lowering wages, bringing drugs and violent crime, encouraging the trafficking of human beings, and taxing our public services. ICE is a bunch of heroes, gosh darn it! And we need that wall! On infrastructure, Trump indicated we need both parties to work together and that he is "eager" to work with Congress on new, cutting-edge investments that the country requires to keep pace in a rapidly developing world. That's it. Not a lot of what these infrastructural improvements would look like or how we'd go about funding them. But, huzzah, infrastructure! On lowering drug prices/health care, Congress, wouldja put something together already? Sheesh? Also, HIV and AIDS—why are they still a thing? Let's cut that out. Cancer? You're next. Really, we need to recognize that all life is precious. Looking at you, Democrats, and your whole insistence on women's right to choose. #NotMyAbortions Lastly, on foreign policy, Trump extolled the virtues of our Armed Forces and thus explained why we need to shower them with money on an annual basis. Also, NATO was being very mean to us but now its members are going to spend more on defense. Also also, Russia is being a doo-doo head and that's why we pulled out of the INF Treaty. Also also also, Kim Jong-un and I are BFFs and we're going to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. Also also also also, Guaidó > Maduro and socialism never works. Also 5x, Israel is super cool, the Holocaust was bad, ISIS is defeated, and did I mention we love our troops? In conclusion, America is awesome and greatness awaits us. So ladies and gents, let's not screw the pooch on this one and work together. Because if we fail, it will because you all couldn't figure out how to rise above our differences. #NotMyFault Depending on your political views, it may not surprise you to know that several of President Trump's remarks were characterized as either "false" or "misleading" by fact-checkers. Among Trump's misrepresentations, according to The New York Times: Our economy isn't growing twice as fast today as when Trump took office, and in fact, American economic growth in 2018 fell short of that of even Greece. Greece! Trump claimed his administration has cut more regulations than any other administration in U.S. history, but according to experts, these rollbacks aren't at the level of the Carter and Reagan administrations. Job creation during Trump's tenure isn't some miraculous, near-impossible feat. It's roughly on par with the state of affairs during the Obama administration and down from job creation in the 1990s. Also, more people are working in the United States than ever before because more people live here. Unless he wants to take credit for helping populate America too. On immigration, phew, where do we start? El Paso was never one of America's most dangerous cities. San Diego's border fencing "did not have a discernible impact" on lower border apprehension rates, according to the Congressional Research Service. In addition, the idea that "large, organized caravans" of migrants are on their way to the U.S. is exaggerated. Not only has the USMCA not been approved by Congress yet, but it might not bring as many manufacturing jobs back to America—or for that matter, the North American continent—as anticipated. On Nicolás Maduro and Venezuela, it's not so much that Maduro is a socialist as much as he's a dictator whose rule has been marked by corruption, deficiency in the rule of law, and the circumvention of democracy. But keep parroting conservative talking points. Trump claimed we'd be at war with North Korea if he hadn't been elected. Bullshit. Especially in the incipient stages of his presidency, Trump notably egged on Kim Jong-un, referring to him as "Little Rocket Man." Back the trolley up there, Mr. President. On abortion, more misleading remarks. Trump suggested New York's Reproductive Health Act allows abortions until shortly before birth, but rather, the law permits abortions after 24 weeks in cases where the fetus is not viable or the mother's health would be imperiled. Trump also invoked Virginia governor Ralph Northam's comments about discussing abortion with physicians up until birth and end-of-life care in instances where a child wouldn't live, though Trump treated them as tantamount to advocating for babies' execution after birth. Sadly, Northam's ongoing controversy involving whether or not he appeared dressed in blackface or a Ku Klux Klan costume in a college yearbook photo was not part of Trump's deceptive commentary. That's on you, Ralph, and I wish you would resign already. The State of the Union address, especially under Pres. Donald Trump, is a bizarre bit of theater. Here is a function outlined in the Constitution and adapted by means of tradition that makes for much pomp and circumstance amid the formal procedures and recognitions which occur within, presided over by a president who consistently flouts convention and other semblances of decorum. The Trump presidency has been one marked by chaos and one which encourages division within the electorate. The very date of the address was postponed by a shutdown characterized by partisan gridlock—which went curiously unmentioned during Trump's speech—and was a bone of contention between the president and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. To have members of Congress from both parties smiling and clapping for him seems rather jarring. It's particularly jarring to witness this spectacle and the parade of "Lenny Skutniks" that presidents trot out in the name of bolstering their credibility (Trump called upon World War II veterans, a minister who had her non-violent drug offense commuted by Trump, another former inmate who sold drugs and has since reformed, the family of victims of a undocumented immigrant's violence, an immigrant-turned-ICE special agent, a cancer survivor, the father of someone lost in the attack on the USS Cole, a SWAT officer on the scene at last year's synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, and a Holocaust survivor) when the Democrats offered an official rebuttal, as is custom. Stacey Abrams, who came within two percentage points of winning the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election and might've won if not for then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp's shenanigans, delivered the Dems' response. She assailed the Republican Party for crafting an immigration plan that tears families apart and puts children in cages, for working to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, for failing to take action on climate change, for rigging elections and judiciaries, and for repeatedly attacking the rights of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community, among other things. Abrams closed her speech with these thoughts: Even as I am very disappointed by the president’s approach to our problems—I still don’t want him to fail. But we need him to tell the truth, and to respect his duties and the extraordinary diversity that defines America. Our progress has always found refuge in the basic instinct of the American experiment—to do right by our people. And with a renewed commitment to social and economic justice, we will create a stronger America, together. Because America wins by fighting for our shared values against all enemies: foreign and domestic. That is who we are—and when we do so, never wavering—the state of our union will always be strong. Abrams's sentiments may seem a bit schmaltzy at points, but alongside Trump's rhetoric since he began his presidential campaign, she is much better equipped to talk about the state of the union and bipartisan solutions than our Commander-in-Chief. And while this message serves an obvious partisan purpose, criticism of Trump's divisiveness is deserved, notably in light of his numerous falsehoods and distortions. That's what makes this all so disorienting. Donald Trump speaks to solving problems which may or may not exist, leaving existing problems unaddressed and creating phantoms where bogeymen are needed. As senator Richard Blumenthal wrote on Twitter, Trump's State of the Union speech was a "tale of two countries." To entertain the absurdities of his presidency with any degree of normalcy, applauding him and dignifying his comments with formality and a primetime audience, is therefore to acknowledge two different speeches: the one that the president gave and the one that Americans actually deserved. It creates a sort of cognitive dissonance that requires some degree of mental gymnastics to try to sort out. Is Trump the uniter and Democrats the dividers? Was it all a farce, his plea for unity and his presidential tone an exercise in cynicism? Or was it just an unofficial rally for his base and potential voters heading into 2020? Does anything he say truly matter? Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? The questions abound, as do the anxiety, probable headaches, and possible additional Queen references. I'm not sure what the answer is here, if there is only one. I chose not to watch the live broadcast and to read a transcript, view photos, and watch video clips after the fact. I would've liked to see more lawmakers do the same, though I suppose Nancy Pelosi did get in some epic eye-rolls. Maybe we should do away with the whole spectacle altogether. At least as far as Trump is concerned, he's already made his true feelings known via social media countless times over. Why bother with the charade when we can just read a written report or his tweets instead? If nothing else, it would save time. Read the full article

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Unprecedented Spending by Outside Groups Already Fueling Trump’s 2020 Bid

Fundraising for Trump's re-election bid in 2020 is already setting records in 2019. (Center for Responsive Politics) Outside groups supporting President Donald Trump’s re-election bid kicked off 2019 with a barrage of spending, an early opening salvo with the 2020 general election still nearly 21 months away. Independent expenditures for multiple hybrid-PACs advocating for Trump’s candidacy totaled over $1.27 million since the start of this year. As outside spending for former President Barack Obama at this time in 2011 only totaled a few hundred thousand dollars, the ongoing push for Trump is an unprecedented blitz in outside spending for an incumbent president. And the three outside spending groups dominating this effort are all linked to the same man. Dan Backer, principal attorney for the law firm political.law, signed off on spending for two of the groups which are clients of his firm: The Committee to Defend the President and the Great America PAC, according to FEC records. The Great America PAC spent $821,280 since the start of this year, with the Committee to Defend the President spending $441,038. Another group, America Fighting Back PAC, which spent $10,000 on television ads, is another client of Backer and lists the same address and the same employee as The Committee to Defend the President. “The Trump-hating left … has worked to defeat this president every day since he got elected,” Backer wrote in an email response to questions regarding the spending push in favor of Trump. “That’s why my clients have worked every day since then to re-elect him and advance his America First Agenda.” Backer played a role in shaping contemporary campaign finance law. He represented the plaintiff in McCutcheon v. FEC, the Supreme Court case that ruled unconstitutional the limit on aggregate contributions an individual can make to a political party or a candidate’s campaign committee over two years. Other groups supporting Trump have taken a different approach in reporting expenditures for ads. Groups like “America First Policies” consider their ads to date as “pro-Trump agenda” issue advocacy ads, which do not require disclosure. However Backer said his clients consider their ads as expressly advocating for a candidate and disclose their spending as such. The three outside spending groups affiliated with Backer have pumped substantial sums of money into previous election cycles. The Committee to Defend the President, which was previously named the Stop Hillary PAC, spent $16.2 million over the last three election cycles. The Great America PAC respectively spent $35.6 million. Some of its notable donors include GOP mega-donor Robert Mercer, former Marvel Entertainment CEO Isaac Perlmutter, and Robert McNair, the late owner of the Houston Texans. America Fighting Back PAC, the newest of the three, spent $341,000 in the 2018 midterms. Some of the activities bankrolled by these groups include voter contact online and by phone, gaining access to conservative donors lists, and television advertisements. One of the ads purchased by Great America PAC features Ed Rollins, a former campaign manager for Ronald Reagan. The ad urges viewers to call Congress in support of Trump’s border wall before the Feb. 15 government shutdown deadline. Another ad features Rollins saying: “The Left will pull out all stops to defeat President Trump in 2020” and asks for support of the president. The Committee to Defend the President and Great America PAC are also actively purchasing ads on Facebook. Recent ads asking users to rate Trump’s State of the Union address were overwhelmingly targeted at Florida, Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania — states essential to any Trump 2020 victory in the electoral college. These ads ask for the user’s email, which allows the group to build its contact list and identify potential donors. “Every client has its own strategy and message,” Backer said, “and I’m fortunate to work with some very smart clients who (evidently) know how to win.” Read the full article

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With the Super Bowl Around the Corner, NFL Money Blitzes Washington

Rather than staying on the sidelines of politics, the NFL takes control of their fate through lobbying and its PAC. (Center for Responsive Politics) The youngest head coach in NFL history and his high-flying offense dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf 2.0.” versus one of the most-storied quarterbacks in NFL history at age 41 seeking yet another ring. In a rematch of the famous 2002 Super Bowl XXXVI, the revitalized Los Angeles Rams are taking on the always dominant New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII on February 3. And much like politics can be, the NFL is all about the money. The Super Bowl is the most valuable sports event on Earth and in 2018 Super Bowl LII generated $414 million from ad revenue alone. For the Super Bowl LII host city of Minneapolis, hosting the most-watched television event every year brought in $370 million in new spending. And now that sports betting is legal in all 50 states, estimates are $6 billion is expected to be gambled on the game. The owners of the two Super Bowl LIII teams donated $1 million each to Donald Trump’s inaugural committee. Russian President Vladimir Putin also allegedly took one of the Patriots’ Super Bowl rings. The NFL itself is a powerful institution flowing with cash. It regularly hauls in $14 billion per year and continues to grow. A massive, culturally significant business can’t afford to stay on the sidelines of American politics and rather than waiting on a Hail Mary pass, the NFL takes control of their fate through lobbying and its PAC. The outcome of an NFL game even got a Senate floor speech during the longest government shutdown in history. Faced with continued controversy over national anthem protests, domestic violence and spotty officiating during the playoffs, the NFL is likely trying to tackle their PR problems and spent a high of $1.64 million on lobbying in 2018. Primarily, the NFL focused their lobbying efforts on legislation affecting broadcasting policies, regulatory policies regarding players’ health and antitrust, stadium security, franchise relocation and had opposed the Supreme Court’s decision allowing states to legalize sports betting. It also lobbied Congress on the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act and criminal justice reform and on the Republican tax reform bill. The NFL also operates a PAC which has alternated between majority Democratic or Republican each cycle since its creation in 2010. In 2018, Gridiron PAC handed off $988,345 in political contributions, slightly more of which went to Democrats than Republicans. The top four House recipients of the PAC’s money in 2018 were bipartisan leaders — House Majority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (R-Calif.), House Majority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) all caught $10,000 donations — the max allowed by a PAC in a single cycle. The Gridiron PAC also gave generously to other PACs, favoring Republicans with $156,500 compared to $125,500 for Democratic PACs. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee received $34,000 and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee got $30,000. The National Republican Congressional Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee received $30,000 each and Paul Ryan’s joint fundraising committee, Team Ryan got $15,000. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA), the union representing the players, also maintains a PAC and lobbying presence. The NFLPA has a much-diminished lobbying presence compared to the NFL, the union spent only $240,000 in 2018 which it has spent for the past four years. They paid two firms to lobby on various issues including the Republican tax reform bill, collective bargaining agreements and player safety, sports gambling and the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill. This year marked the debut of the NFLPA’s new PAC, One Team PAC. In its first election cycle, the PAC raised $723,537 and only spent $102,562. Contributions from the PAC favored Republican candidates getting 54 percent to Democrat’s 46 percent. One of the top recipients was newly-elected Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas) who played four seasons in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and received $5,000. The five top donors to the union’s PAC are mostly current players who gave $5,000 each —  Dwayne Allen, tight end for the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots, Jermey Parnell, offensive tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Eric Reid, full safety for the Carolina Panthers, Demaurice Smith, the executive director of the NFLPA and Tom Brady. Lamarcus Joyner, cornerback for the Rams, was the largest Rams donor to the PAC in 2018 with a $1,000 donation. With the Super Bowl coming down to a battle between the Rams and Patriots, the owners of both teams have duked it out in the arena of political spending. According to Center for Responsive Politics data, Stan Kroenke, of the Rams, and Robert and Jonathan Kraft, of the Patriots, have spent considerably over the past 26 years. !function(e,t,s,i){var n="InfogramEmbeds",o=e.getElementsByTagName("script"),d=/^http:/.test(e.location)?"http:":"https:";if(/^\/{2}/.test(i)&&(i=d+i),window&&window.initialized)window.process&&window.process();else if(!e.getElementById(s)){var r=e.createElement("script");r.async=1,r.id=s,r.src=i,o.parentNode.insertBefore(r,o)}}(document,0,"infogram-async","https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js"); Super Bowl Story Chart Combined Infogram Since 1992, Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group which owns the Patriots, and his wife Myra contributed $428,496, the vast majority of which, $301,046, has gone to Democratic candidates or groups. Jonathan Kraft, son of Robert and president of the Kraft Group, and his wife Patricia donated $336,200, mostly to Republicans ($236,300), since 1992. Stan Kroenke, owner of the Rams, and his wife Ann, have given a combined $459,235, primarily to Republican candidates and groups ($342,472), since 1992. Read the full article

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Power and Institutional Change

Institutions. What are they? “Long-held customs or practices.” “Organizations founded on religious, educational, social or cultural beliefs for a purpose.....to promote a cause.” Society is held together by institutions. People rally around commonly held beliefs and values. But, enter even one question, one challenge, and a threat to these emerges: change. Changes made outside of one’s own realm of power can be gut-wrenching when they directly impact what one has been lulled into thinking are necessary institutions in one’s own life. People scramble for power over such institutions and, in these times, leaving valuable individuals in their wake is of less and less consequence. If you have been left in such a wake, it can really do a number on your sense of self-worth, your perception of your relative worth, and your perception of the relative worth of everything you have been born to, worked toward and achieved. You can be made to feel like a casualty. Putting the inevitable anxiety all this causes "into a box" takes it out of your body to a place where such havoc can no longer be wreaked on either your soul or your psyche. Naming the cause, and then dispensing with it, also removes your toxic connection to those who have been party to it. You can begin, anew, and maintain a neutral position with all entities. No one person, place, or thing has power over your life but you and your God. Relinquishing the errant belief that the power rests anywhere else is the truest freedom. Meantime, there are those who put all their trust in institutions. These are they who grasp after preserving them, at all costs. Fear drives the belief that without them, society will collapse and, with it, everything invested. And, such fear is driven by another belief, one which errantly teaches that society defines us as individuals. Certain political ideologies come to mind, here. But, a durable society must be populated by strong and fearless individuals. Granted, as soon as institutions are threatened, catastrophe is imminent. Casualties are possible. But, catastrophe is defined as major change. Don’t die just because some outside source with its own agenda has dispensed with you. Weather the upheaval. Personal rebirth can be a glorious thing. Read the full article

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How Frigid Polar Vortex Blasts are Connected to Global Warming

A handful of studies offer compelling evidence that the stratospheric polar vortex is changing. (By Jennifer Francis, Rutgers University The Conversation) A record-breaking cold wave is sending literal shivers down the spines of millions of Americans. Temperatures across the upper Midwest are forecast to fall an astonishing 50 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) below normal this week – as low as 35 degrees below zero. Pile a gusty wind on top, and the air will feel like -60 F.

Predicted near-surface air temperatures (F) for Wednesday morning, Jan. 30, 2019. Forecast by NOAA’s Global Forecast System model. Pivotal Weather, CC BY-ND This cold is nothing to sneeze at. The National Weather Service is warning of brutal, life-threatening conditions. Frostbite will strike fast on any exposed skin. At the same time, the North Pole is facing a heat wave with temperatures approaching the freezing point – about 25 degrees Fahrenheit (14 C) above normal.

Predicted near-surface air temperature differences (C) from normal, relative to 1981-2010. Pivotal Weather, CC BY-ND What is causing this topsy-turvy pattern? You guessed it: the polar vortex. In the past several years, thanks to previous cold waves, the polar vortex has become entrenched in our everyday vocabulary and served as a butt of jokes for late-night TV hosts and politicians. But what is it really? Is it escaping from its usual Arctic haunts more often? And a question that looms large in my work: How does global warming fit into the story? Jimmy Fallon examines the pros and cons of the polar vortex.

Rivers of Air

Actually, there are two polar vortices in the Northern Hemisphere, stacked on top of each other. The lower one is usually and more accurately called the jet stream. It’s a meandering river of strong westerly winds around the Northern Hemisphere, about seven miles above Earth’s surface, near the height where jets fly. The jet stream exists all year, and is responsible for creating and steering the high- and low-pressure systems that bring us our day-to-day weather: storms and blue skies, warm and cold spells. Way above the jet stream, around 30 miles above the Earth, is the stratospheric polar vortex. This river of wind also rings the North Pole, but only forms during winter, and is usually fairly circular.

Dark arrows indicate rotation of the polar vortex in the Arctic; light arrows indicate the location of the polar jet stream when meanders form and cold, Arctic air dips down to mid-latitudes. L.S. Gardiner/UCAR, CC BY-ND Both of these wind features exist because of the large temperature difference between the cold Arctic and warmer areas farther south, known as the mid-latitudes. Uneven heating creates pressure differences, and air flows from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, creating winds. The spinning Earth then turns winds to the right in the northern hemisphere, creating these belts of westerlies.

Why Cold Air Plunges South

Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have warmed the globe by about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (1 C) over the past 50 years. However, the Arctic has warmed more than twice as much. Amplified Arctic warming is due mainly to dramatic melting of ice and snow in recent decades, which exposes darker ocean and land surfaces that absorb a lot more of the sun’s heat. Because of rapid Arctic warming, the north/south temperature difference has diminished. This reduces pressure differences between the Arctic and mid-latitudes, weakening jet stream winds. And just as slow-moving rivers typically take a winding route, a slower-flowing jet stream tends to meander. Large north/south undulations in the jet stream generate wave energy in the atmosphere. If they are wavy and persistent enough, the energy can travel upward and disrupt the stratospheric polar vortex. Sometimes this upper vortex becomes so distorted that it splits into two or more swirling eddies. These “daughter” vortices tend to wander southward, bringing their very cold air with them and leaving behind a warmer-than-normal Arctic. One of these eddies will sit over North America this week, delivering bone-chilling temperatures to much of the nation.

Deep Freezes in a Warming World

Splits in the stratospheric polar vortex do happen naturally, but should we expect to see them more often thanks to climate change and rapid Arctic warming? It is possible that these cold intrusions could become a more regular winter story. This is a hot research topic and is by no means settled, but a handful of studies offer compelling evidence that the stratospheric polar vortex is changing, and that this trend can explain bouts of unusually cold winter weather. Undoubtedly this new polar vortex attack will unleash fresh claims that global warming is a hoax. But this ridiculous notion can be quickly dispelled with a look at predicted temperature departures around the globe for early this week. The lobe of cold air over North America is far outweighed by areas elsewhere in the United States and worldwide that are warmer than normal.

Predicted daily mean, near-surface temperature (C) differences from normal (relative to 1979-2000) for Jan. 28-30, 2019. Data from NOAA’s Global Forecast System model. Climate Reanalyzer, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine., CC BY-ND Symptoms of a changing climate are not always obvious or easy to understand, but their causes and future behaviors are increasingly coming into focus. And it’s clear that at times, coping with global warming means arming ourselves with extra scarfs, mittens and long underwear.

Jennifer Francis, Visiting Professor, Rutgers University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Read the full article

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Execution of Filipino Woman Points to Saudi Arabia’s Appalling Record on Work Conditions, Executions

The 39-year-old woman was executed earlier this week on charges of murdering her employer. Rights organizations have long criticized the horrible conditions in which domestic workers are forced to work in Saudi Arabia, with the women facing abuse and rape. (The People's Dispatch) Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, executed a Filipino domestic worker who was found guilty of murder, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday. The 39-year-old woman was sentenced to death by the Saudi Supreme Judicial Council and executed after the court ruled out the possibility of her case being eligible for a ‘blood money’ settlement, known as ‘diya’ under Shariah law. Diya is a method of monetary compensation by the accused to the murdered victim’s relatives, in lieu of the capital punishment. The family of the domestic worker was informed of her execution only the next day. The issue has brought to the forefront the issue of the horrible conditions endured by domestic workers in the Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia’s appalling record on the issue of capital punishment. More than 10 million Filipino workers go abroad seeking better employment and economic opportunities. Close to 2.3 million of them work in the Middle East Gulf countries and North Africa, out of which 1 million are in Saudi Arabia alone. Migrante, a group that supports the rights of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), said the worker executed on Tuesday was just “another casualty of the Philippine government’s decades-old labor export program.” The group called upon the government to “find out what led to the OFW to commit the murder, instead of readily accepting with certainty the guilt of the OFW.” In January 2018, the Philippines declared that it would not send any more domestic workers to Kuwait following reports of four women committing suicide due to exploitative working conditions. In 2011, the Committee on Overseas Workers’ Affairs (COWA) of the House of Representatives of the Philippines published a report following a visit to Saudi Arabia, chronicling the condition of OFW in the country. The report by the team, chaired by Walden Bello, was damning and recommended decertifying Saudi Arabia as a destination for Overseas Filipino Workers. “While professionals do not appear to be greatly dissatisfied with their lot, many domestic workers are cast into very oppressive conditions of work, where physical abuse and rape are rampant,” the report noted.  It pointed out how rape was a constant specter for women domestic workers and highlighted the dubious circumstances behind a number of deaths, as well as cases of capital punishment. The execution of the Filipino domestic worker follows the execution of an Indonesian domestic worker, Tuti Tursilawati, just months ago. She was sentenced to death for allegedly killing her employer after he tried to rape her. The Indonesian government registered a symbolic protest with Saudi Arabia in response, also saying that they weren’t even informed before the execution of one of its citizens took place. In 2015, two Indonesian domestic workers were beheaded after being found guilty of murder, leading to angry demonstrations by Indonesians in Jakarta. Then too, the Indonesian government had registered official complaints with Saudi Arabia, protesting the fact that they were not informed prior to the executions taking place. In another instance, eight Bangladeshi migrant workers were beheaded in public in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia in 2011 after they were found guilty of killing an Egyptian. The latest execution is just one more in the long trail of instances of cruel and inhumane treatment and extremely tortuous mental, physical and sexual abuse of foreign domestic workers from the Philippines and other countries in Saudi Arabia. There is also the issue of death sentences and executions meted out to them in very suspicious, secretive circumstances. One of the most outrageous cases of ill-treatment was in 2014 when a Sri Lankan domestic worker returned from Saudi Arabia with 24 nails inside her body. The woman alleged that her Saudi employer had tortured her and driven nails into her body as punishment. In another case in 2010, 23-year-old Sumiati Binti Mustapa was beaten violently by her Saudi employer. Burns were inflicted on her head with a hot iron and she was mutilated with scissors, leaving her with internal bleeding and several broken bones. The employer only faced 3 years in jail for his crimes. Human rights organizations have been for many years highlighting the extremely abusive and harmful conditions and circumstances in which domestic workers have to live and work in Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch published findings it had collected based on 142 interviews with domestic workers, senior government officials, labor recruiters in Saudi Arabia and labor sending countries. The report talked about a wide range of abusive employment practices prevalent in the country, such as excessive workload, unpaid wages, no weekly rest days, no overtime pay, working hours of 18 hours per day and seven days a week, among others. The kafala (sponsorship) system that effectively binds and chains foreign workers’ visas to their employers was also a major cause of concern. It can end up making the worker wholly dependent on his/her employer, who can also prevent the workers from changing jobs or stop them from leaving the country. HRW came across several women during their interviews, who revealed that their employers had forced them to work against their will for months or years. Instances such as taking away of the workers’ passports and locking them inside the home, were also reported. HRW concluded that this kind of treatment and conditions qualify as forced labor, trafficking, and slavery-like conditions. What makes matters worse is the flimsy investigation procedures in place and a heavily biased criminal justice system that in most cases translates into the employers escaping punishment for their abuse and crimes, while domestic workers have to undergo arbitrary arrests, unfair trials and unusually severe punishments. Not only do Saudi nationals escape with little to no punishment, domestic workers are also slapped with counter accusations of witchcraft, theft, adultery etc. This results in many of the women not filing complaints at all, for fear of countercharges. In some cases, they drop the charges against their employers to escape living in overcrowded shelters for a long period of time, and very faint hopes of justice, due to the abysmal justice system. Saudi Arabia is ranked as one of the top countries in terms of executions in the world. In 2018, 143 people were executed in Saudi Arabia, according to the European-Saudi organization for human rights. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia’s strict version of Islamic law. It is estimated that more than 45 foreign domestic workers are facing execution on death row in Saudi Arabia, according to Amnesty International. The actual number is likely to be much higher since the Saudis don’t publish official figures. Most of these are from Indonesia, but activists and human rights groups say there are also domestic workers from Sri Lanka, Philippines, India and Ethiopia who are facing the death penalty. Read the full article

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US vs Russia: Cold War Era Brinkmanship As Venezuela Crisis Deepens

As relations worsen between the US and Russia, is Venezuela beginning to look like the first contested battleground in a new Cold War? Tensions between the U.S and Russia are threatening to get out of hand over the deepening crisis in Venezuela.  Moscow has already fired a warning shot over Washington's recognition of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president. The crux of the issue is Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the U.S. calls his administration a dictatorship and asserts it is undemocratic, whereas Russia asserts U.S. support of Guaido in Venezuela goes against international law. “His regime is morally bankrupt, it’s economically incompetent and it is profoundly corrupt. It is undemocratic to the core,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Mike Pompeo told a meeting in Washington last Thursday of the 35-member Organization of American States. Russian President Vladimir V. Putin telephoned Maduro last Thursday and “emphasized that destructive external interference is a gross violation of the fundamental norms of international law,” according to a statement on the Kremlin’s official website.

Venezuelan Crisis 

Thousands of Venezuelans marching on 20 May 2017 during the We Are Millions march. (Photo via VOA) Maduro is under immense pressure to vacate office amidst widespread protests over the ailing economy that has seen inflation levels soar 1500 percent. Maduro is barely a year into a new six-year term after being elected in May, in an election that the opposition boycotted. The country has since emerged as a battleground, pitting the U.S. and its allies against Russia and its allies. The U.S. is at loggerheads with Maduro over what it claims is a humanitarian catastrophe that has left citizens poverty-stricken and struggling for basic necessities. Washington is on record blaming the current administration of looting government coffers and plunging Venezuela into abject poverty and starvation. Maduro can heave a sigh of relief having received support not only from Russia but as well from China, Mexico, Bolivia, Cuba and Turkey. However, soaring pressure from the U.S. and its allies continues to pressure Maduro and wreak instability in the country. Just as it did with Russia over its Crimea involvement, the U.S. has imposed stringent economic sanctions on Venezuela, the most recent coming after in May of 2018 just a day after Maduro won re-election. Washington has also made it impossible for Maduro's government to secure funds abroad to battle the high levels of inflation. With Russia moving to take a key role in the crisis, Venezuela is beginning to look like a Cold War era battleground. The crisis peaked last week when Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled congress, declared that he had assumed presidential powers and vowed to hold a free election to oust Maduro. The U.S. and its allies quickly backed Guaido, prompting Venezuela to order all U.S. diplomats out of the country within 72 hours. Venezuela later walked back the demand and suspended it for 30-days in an effort to open a dialogue.

Russia Venezuela Interest

The Russian government has already had to refute claims that it sent mercenaries to back the embattled Maduro administration. The claims stem from an article by Reuters published last Friday which cited three sources in a report that said Russian private security contractors linked to the Wagner Group traveled to Venezuela to provide Maduro with support. The Wagner Group is a Russian paramilitary organization which has previously operated in Syria and Ukraine. Russia has not directly denied the Reuters report but they have attempted to downplay it. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said in response to reports of Russian mercenaries in Venezuela, “We have no such information” and has also dismissed reports by stating, "Fear has a hundred eyes." Claims that the Kremlin could have sent hundreds of mercenaries to shield Maduro from a coup raises serious concerns about what could unravel in the coming days or weeks. However, it would not come as a surprise that Russia is considering direct or indirect military action considering Russia's investment in the country. Venezuela is host to some of the biggest investments by Russia in the western Hemisphere hence, a move to shield Maduro from any interference by the U.S. The European superpower has reportedly spent $17 billion in investments in the cash strapped nation. Russia has already agreed to restructure over $3 billion worth of debt to Venezuela.  Russian oil giant Rosneft also owns shares in Venezuela oil production and Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves, bigger than that of Saudi Arabia. While Venezuela is a battleground for influence in the Western hemisphere it is also a battleground for access and influence over the large Venezuelan oil reserves.

US Bank Rolling Opposition

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim president, and the US is backing him. (Screenshot via YouTube) The U.S. and Russia clashed outright during an emergency meeting called by the U.S. at the U.N Security Council on Saturday when the U.S. urged the security council to recognize opposition leader Guaido as the leader of Venezuela. The U.S. insisted that an exit of Maduro would mark a return to democracy. Russia on its part insisted that the U.S. is meddling in the sovereignty of a nation by acknowledging an opposition leader as the president. “The time is now to support the Venezuelan people, recognize the new democratic government led by interim President Guaido, and end this nightmare. No excuses. .Now, it is time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays; no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you are in league with Maduro and his mayhem,” said U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo The U.S. has already granted Guaido and his forces $20 million in what it claims to be humanitarian aid and to support his claim for power. The financing seeks to cancel out the financial, political and military support that the Maduro administration continues to receive from China, Russia, and Cuba.  The crisis in Venezuela appears to have split the world into two with one faction supporting the current Maduro administration as the other echoes support for the opposition. The U.S. on its bid has received support from over 15 countries led by France and Germany. The countries insist they will continue to recognize Guaido as the president unless Maduro calls new elections. Russia and its allies led by Mexico, Turkey and Cuba have opposed the proposal.

Military Role

Senior figures in the Venezuelan military came out in support of President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday, a day after the US said it no longer recognised him as the country’s leader and backed the opposition’s Juan Guaidó instead. (Screenshot via YouTube) Venezuela remains on edge and the involvement of Eastern and Western superpowers in the tussle will have huge ramifications going forward. The ultimate prize as it stands is the Venezuela military. Both Maduro and Guaido are vying for the allegiance of the country's military.  On Sunday, the Washington Post reported that supporters of Guaido handed leaflets to soldiers detailing a proposed amnesty law that would protect them for help in overthrowing Maduro. On the same day, Maduro was wearing tan fatigues and watching military exercises. He then appeared on state TV surrounded by the military's top brass in an address to soldiers where he asked them if they were plotting with "imperialist" U.S. in leading a coup against him. “No, my commander-in-chief,” they shouted in unison, and Maduro responded: “We’re ready to defend our homeland — under any circumstance.” The military holds the key to a successful coup that the U.S. wants. However, with Russia involved, there are no guarantees that the U.S will have its way.   Read the full article

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Don't Trust Your Lying Eyes, Say the Liars

What's the matter, Nick? Don't feel like wearing your MAGA hat now? What about that smirk? Stop it before I throw up. (Image Credit: Savannah Guthrie/Twitter) A while back, I attended a Saturday morning meeting for a group of Democratic Party supporters in northern New Jersey. Former FOX News personality and Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky was the special guest. She talked about, among other things, having conversations with people who hold different political views, and at one point, fielded questions from those in attendance. Anna Wong, a tireless activist and someone I know from her work with Indivisible NJ-5, stepped up to the mic, and with a sense of due frustration, asked how we're supposed to reach across the aisle when we can't even agree on a set of facts, let alone whether facts matter. Anna's question and how she delivered it prompted laughter from the audience—myself included—but she was very earnest in her query. Thinking back to this scene, as I frequently do, I too wonder how having a dialog with people of opposing ideologies is possible when both can't agree to the same qualitative or quantitative data—right down to what we see. The episode which jumps to mind, especially as a tone-setter for the Trump administration, is the whole business about whose inauguration crowd was bigger: Donald Trump's or Barack Obama's. It seems like eons ago when Sean Spicer—remember him?—was trying to persuade us to believe that the president's detractors were manipulating camera angles of aerial views to diminish Trump and his achievements. Meanwhile, in the real world, objective visual analysis showed Obama's numbers clearly bested Trump's. Like, it wasn't even close. If Washington, D.C. transit numbers are any indication, Obama walloped Trump in attendance, managing 513,000 trips on the Metro by 11 A.M. in 2009 to his successor's 193,000 by the same time. The numbers, at least in this case, don't lie. And yet, Trump et al. held to their erroneous claim. As Groucho Marx would say or is thus attributed, who are you going to believe: me or your lying eyes? Like some errant, erratic philosopher, President Trump seemed to be arguing against the very existence of verifiable truth. To borrow a phrase from Kellyanne Conway, there were no lies—only "alternative facts." Seeing is believing? No, no—believing is believing. If you're not on the side of the president, you're not on the side of America. How are we supposed to make the country great again if you don't buy in? We're in 2019 now, but the same tactics are being used by conservative commentators and, in turn, centrist media outlets to make us question what we see and know. Back in November, there was an uproar from the right after CNN reporter Jim Acosta was alleged to have manhandled a female aide who tried (unsuccessfully) to grab his microphone during a Trump press conference. Abuser, they cried! Assault, they railed! Of course, there was a proportionate uproar from the other direction when the Trump administration moved to revoke Acosta's credentials (and deservedly so), but with various critics calling for his ouster at CNN, one might've been concerned the network would give in to the calls for Acosta's head. What was truly disturbing about the whole episode was not Acosta's conduct—the CNN correspondent may have been a bit defensive about giving up the mic but he did excuse himself as the young woman grasped for it—but rather the attempts to discredit him. Instrumental in the effort to get Acosta canned was a video shared on social media by InfoWars editor-at-large Paul Joseph Watson and later passed along by Sarah Sanders that showed the interaction between Acosta and the aide. The clip appeared to show Acosta arresting the woman's arm with a "karate chop" of sorts. Casually omitted from proliferation of this video segment, however, was the knowledge that the action had been slowed or sped up at points to make Acosta's movement seem harsher than it actually was. The audio of Acosta excusing himself also was removed. The footage from the press conference was, in a word, doctored. By the time the clarifications could be assigned a day later, the right was already off and running with its narrative. To this day, conservative trolls maintain that Acosta should've been fired for his "attack" on the aide. In doing so, they have chosen a very convenient point at which to come to the defense of a young woman when members of the Republican Party are generally so intent on circumscribing women's power and freedom. But I digress. These cases are a little bit different in their presentation. With the aerial shots that proved Obama's crowds were bigger beyond the shadow of a doubt, there was little Donald Trump and his cronies could do outside of arguing for the relativity of truth in the abstract. Re Jim Acosta vs. the female White House aide, there was intentional manipulation at work(Watson denies it, but it's not like he and InfoWars have built a strong sense of credibility), though there were other versions of the clip from more trustworthy sources available. Either way, you were made to doubt what you saw or thought you saw. The eyes, they play tricks. And as we know, tricks are for kids. You're not a kid, are you? It is within this context that we can view the much-talked-about interaction between Covington Catholic High School (KY) students in Washington for a March for Life and Nathan Phillips, a Native American and veteran present for the Indigenous Peoples March. The iconic moment, if you will, happened when Nick Sandmann, one of the students and one of a number of them wearing a MAGA hat, stood face to face with Phillips while the latter beat a drum and sang. As Phillips has said in interviews, he was attempting to intercede between the students and members of the Black Hebrew Israelites, who shouted epithets at the high schoolers and preached about how they were "cursed Edomites." In the initial reaction to video from the interaction, most people regarded the Covington Catholic H.S. students fairly negatively. They were akin to a mob, standing in menacing opposition to Phillips, who was but one man. And that smirk. The enduring image of Sandmann staring motionless and speechless with a smirk on his face conveyed notions of racism and white privilege. Here were a bunch of white kids ganging up on an older person of color, a veteran and Native American no less. What better symbol of Trump's effect and how discriminatory values are inculcated in future generations? Not soon after, though, the narrative began to change. Additional videos were released that showed additional footage, including the students being egged on by the Black Hebrew Israelites. All of a sudden, these boys were the victim or were regarded with less contempt than before given the circumstances. Actually, now that I look closer, Phillips accosted them, not the other way around! We owe them an apology! We're so sorry, Covington Catholic High! Our mea culpas and retractions can't come fast enough! Thankfully, not everyone is buying the "both sides" arguments and self-flagellation many among the media, their associated outlets, and Hollywood's elite have begun to make. Laura Wagner, reporter at Deadspin, for one, advises us not to doubt what we saw with our own eyes. Recounting the predictable shift from immediate condemnation of the boys' conduct to downplaying if not outright denying any wrongdoing, Wagner addresses the notion that the kerfuffle on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial is nothing more than a Rorschach test for what you personally believe: One lesson of the past two days is that you will see what you want to see here, if you are determined to do so; that does not mean that there is anything to be seen but what is there. I see a frothing mass of MAGA youth—who, since we’re taking in all angles here, go to a school where students fairly recently wore blackface to a basketball game—frenzied and yelling and out of control. I see four black men who seem to belong to the Black Israelites—a threat to women in their orbit, but not to random white people they’re heckling—yelling insults at the students. Then I see Phillips, as he has stated from the beginning that he did, walk up to the teens, in what seems to be an attempt to diffuse the situation. I see them laughing and dancing, red MAGA hats bobbing up and down in glee. I see them yell in Phillips’ face, and I see that he doesn’t falter. I see the smugness of a group secure in its relative power over someone more vulnerable than they are. Nothing about the video showing the offensive language of Black Israelites changes how upsetting it was to see the Covington students, and Sandmann in particular, stare at Phillips with such contempt. I don’t see how you could watch this and think otherwise unless you’re willing to gaslight yourself, and others, in the service of granting undeserved sympathy to the privileged. And yet, that's exactly what happened. Various individuals backtracked, excused themselves, blamed their "reptile brains." They ignored their initial emotional responses and, without much else informing their decision-making, reversed their position. I apologize. I regret. I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. As far as Wagner is concerned, the reason for this is simple: it makes them seem more reasonable and trustworthy. They're not among the followers of the news who react impassionedly to it, betraying their better judgment for the sake of an outrage fix. Even if that means, as Wagner puts it, "siding with some shithead MAGA teens and saying that 2 + 2 = 5 in the face of every bit of evidence there is to be had." Whatever the reason, the final outcome still stands. These people failed to believe what they had seen with their own eyes. One criticism from people tracking this story is that these kids are being demonized by some, but what would you have them do instead? Unfortunately for promoters of this line of thinking, the answers are pretty easy. Walk away. Find a chaperone. Certainly, don't make mocking tomahawk chants. For those suggesting "boys will be boys" or pointing to the folly of youth, that shouldn't be an excuse. If Gillette can make an advertisement about toxic masculinity (which you may hate for being too preachy, but that's another story), these Catholic school kids can behave in a respectful manner. Blame the parents if you want, but let's have some responsibility assigned. Otherwise, some might point to the remarks made by Nick Sandmann and agree with his side of the story. But come the eff on. Why would this kid and his family need to hire a PR firm if, as the saying goes, the truth shall set you free? And that smirk. I know I'm harping on it, but it's pretty hard to get past. Sandmann says he was trying to diffuse the situation, but he could've taken any of the prescribed actions to do that rather than standing within feet of Nathan Phillips and smiling like an entitled little asshole. That Savannah Guthrie would encourage his defense of his "right" to stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and listen to Phillips as part of a softball interview is downright nauseating. The last objection to deliberation on this altercation may be perhaps the most valid: "Who cares?" That is, why are we spending so much time on whether some high schooler was smirking at an older Native American man when there's a crisis in Yemen, lead is still being found in drinking water, and other catastrophes abound? Relatively speaking, the events of this past weekend are a blip on the proverbial radar. Their symbolic value, meanwhile, carries more weight. It's about media portrayal of members of different ethnicities. It's about how pressure by conservative commentators and right-wing trolls—including threats of violence and release of personal information—can influence individuals and media outlets to spin the national conversation toward white victimhood. And it's about how people irrespective of gender or political ideology can be made to doubt what they see. It has nothing to do with "intelligence" either. When group dynamics are at work, the pressure to conform is a powerful force. We're all susceptible. Returning to the anecdote from the start of this piece, if it's hard to agree on what is factual or whether that matters, it's that much more difficult to have a meaningful conversation when something is right before our eyes and we can't come to a consensus on what we see. That's the most disturbing implication of the Covington Catholic/Nathan Phillips standoff and why people like Laura Wagner invoke 1984's dystopia. When you're made to question your own judgment, you're liable to believe anything. Should Nick Sandmann or anyone else involved herein be sent death threats? Of course not. But should he and his peers be absolved of all culpability? I submit no, and neither should the antagonists of the Black Hebrew Israelites. If you saw what I saw, you're not wrong—lying eyes and all. Read the full article

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China/US Trade War Slows China’s Economy to 28 Year Low

China’s economic growth slowed to 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in the previous year, the slowest pace in the past 28 years as the impact of the trade battle with the US endures. China, the world’s second-largest economy, grew 6.6 percent in 2018 marking the country's slowest economic growth in almost three decades. The slowdown is attributed to both decreased domestic demand and the trade war with the U.S. China’s statistics bureau data showed that the economy has suffered the most stagnant expansion since 1990. In the third quarter of 2018, the mainland’s economy dropped slightly from 1.7 percent to 1.6 percent on quarter-on-quarter. China’s recorded fixed asset investment growth expanded at 5.9 percent throughout 2018, below analysts’ estimate of 6 percent and the slowest since 1996. China’s economy has lost its growth momentum amid efforts to control its high debt level due to weakening domestic demand and the increase in US-imposed tariffs. Such conditions have triggered concerns about the global economy given China contributed almost one-third to global growth in the past decade.

The US/Chinese Trade War’s Effect

A trade war between the US and China saw Washington applying numerous import tariffs on Chinese goods with Beijing responding in kind. The tariff battle continued until November 2018, but then both countries agreed to a 90-day truce to last from December until March 2019. The trade war broke out after the US accused China of conducting unfair trade practices and forcing the world’s tech firms to open their businesses in China to transfer their technology to get business permits. Signs of sluggish growth were evident in November 2018 based on reports on retail and industrial output released by China’s statistical agency. Industrial profit expanded 5.4 percent in November 2018, a bit lower than the Reuters’ analysts’ estimate of 5.9 percent. Sales in the retail sector went up only 8.1 percent, the weakest rate since 2003, down from 8.6 percent in the previous month. China’s car sales also slumped 13.9 percent in November 2018, the worst fall since 2012, the country’s automotive industry association reported.

China’s Slow Growth Affects Several Asian Countries

Global weakening growth is expected to hurt Japan. According to a Reuters poll, Japan will face a risk of recession in the upcoming fiscal year (April 2019-April 2020). Japan has felt an indirect impact of the trade dispute. The country’s exports fell in November 2018 due to declining shipments to the US and China, as the latest data revealed. In December 2018 Japan’s exports shrank 3.8 percent from a year earlier. Indonesia should anticipate a negative impact of China’s idle growth as Josua Pardede, an economist at PermataBank, explained. China is Indonesia’s primary trading partner, and Indonesia’s exports to China account for 15 percent of the archipelago’s total export, mostly coal. But Indonesia’s coal shipments to China have declined as the latter demands eco-friendly types of coal, Pardede added. Several emerging markets will likely suffer from China’s economic meltdown throughout 2018 as analysts predicted the slowing growth will continue this year. The manufacturing industry in Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia and Myanmar also weakened in the fourth quarter of 2018. Smartphone maker Apple has slashed its revenue and sales forecasts for 2019  due to the trade war. The tech giant lowered the sales target for 2018 to $84 billion from between $89 billion and $93 billion. China is Apple’s third largest market, with $52 billion in sales in the company’s most recent fiscal year. After announcing the forecast revision, Apple’s shares plummeted drastically 10 percent, with losses of more than $55 billion.

Washington Cancels Trade Meeting with China

The White House canceled a meeting with China, which was supposed to take place Jan. 21 to Jan. 25 to discuss ongoing negotiations related to the trade dispute. As CNBC reported Wednesday, the cancellation was due to disagreements on regulations on intellectual property. The White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow denied the meeting was canceled, saying there had been no meeting so far. However, a CNBC source said negotiations might be possible on the phone. Yet, the postponement of a one-on-one meeting may signal that reaching an agreement to solve the trade issue will still be a long way off. It is reported that China offered to boost its imports from the US for six years with a combined value of imported products worth $1 trillion when both sides negotiated in early January. “I would kind of characterize negotiations as generally moving in the right direction. Last week, China offered a fig leaf in lowering tariff rates and agreed to import a trillion dollars of US goods by 2024,” Joseph Lupton, global economist at J.P. Morgan, said.

China’s Case for Optimism Despite Tariffs

Despite the pressure, Chinese officials still voiced optimism that the economy will grow “normally” since China has capacity and confidence. “China has ample room for macro policy support,” Ning Jizhe, head of the National Bureau of Statistics, said. China’s unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent at the end of December 2018, up from 4.8 percent in the previous month. Throughout 2018 the government recorded that there were 13.61 million new job opportunities, exceeding the administration’s annual forecast.   Read the full article

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Mueller Nabs Roger Stone, Trump Confidant Arrested in Florida

Roger Stone is getting his day in court after being woken up by FBI agents Friday morning. Special counsel Robert Mueller and the FBI arrested long-time Trump ally Roger Stone in a pre-dawn raid at his home in Florida on Friday morning. Stone is a political lobbyist and consultant and considered by many a "Republican operative" who specialized in opposition research for Republican candidates. Stone worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole and Donald Trump. In the 1980s Stone found the lobbying firm Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly along with Charles R. Black Jr, Paul Manafort and Peter Kelly. Paul Manafort was also indicted by Mueller and convicted on five charges of tax fraud, one count of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud in 2018 and is expected to be sentenced in February of 2019. Now Roger Stone will stand trial before the same no-nonsense judge that threw Paul Manafort in jail for alleged witness tampering. According to Bloomberg, the judge, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, also issued a gag order on Paul Manafort, reprimanded Manafort's attorney for a sidewalk speech and issued a gag order on both parties from talking to the press. Stone is usually fond of talking to the press.

The Charges Against Roger Stone

Stone will face charges related to attempting to obstruct Mueller's investigation by impeding others' testimony and lying about his communication with WikiLeaks. The 24-page indictment includes text from emails and text messages that include an argument between Stone and Person 2 about testifying before the House and the FBI. Stone encourages Person 2 to pull a "Frank Pentangeli," Pentangeli is a character in the Godfather: Part II who testifies before a congressional committee and tells the committee he does not know information that he in fact does. The indictment alleges Person 2 pleaded the 5th so as not to testify before Congress and provide testimony that would have proven Stone lied to Congress, but Stone and Person 2 continued conversations about what if any information would be provided to investigators. The conversation devolved into threats from Stone to keep Person 2 from cooperating with investigators. "You are a rat. A stoolie. You backstab your friends-run your mouth my lawyers are dying Rip you to shreds," Stone says in a text to Person 2. "I am so ready. Let's get it on. Prepare to die ," Stone says later that day. One of the most revealing lines out of the indictment comes on page 4 where it says, "After the July 22, 2016 release of stolen DNC emails by Organization 1, a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact STONE about any additional releases and what other damaging information Organization 1 had regarding the Clinton Campaign." The additional releases mentioned refer to releases of transcripts from hacked emails related to Hillary Clinton and the DNC. Stone is the 34th person to be charged in the two-year old Mueller investigation and the sixth Trump aide.

"Circus-Like" Atmosphere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SAEtJj14vk The scene outside the courthouse where Roger Stone was arraigned was described as "circus-like" by the Associated Press. While Stone stood outside the courthouse to declare his innocence and paint the charges as politically motivated, supporters cheered him on and protestors yelled chants of "Lock Him Up." Stone also affirmed his commitment to not testify against President Trump. “As I have said previously, there is no circumstance whatsoever under which I will bear false witness against the president, nor will I make up lies to ease the pressure on myself,” Stone said. Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow responded to the news of Stone's arrest by saying the indictment “does not allege Russian collusion by Roger Stone or anyone else.” Trump himself on Friday called the investigation the “Greatest Witch Hunt in the History of our Country!”   Read the full article

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Deal Reached! Government Shutdown Ends At Least For Now...

We have a deal, but will it last? Trump announced Friday that a deal had been reached between the President and U.S. lawmakers to fund and open the government through February 15. The announcement came on the 35th day of the government shutdown, making it the longest in history and amid mounting pressure over the negative consequences of the shutdown. “I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and reopen the federal government,” Trump said in the White House Rose Garden before reporters and members of his cabinet. The deal for temporary stopgap funding still needs to be passed by both the House and Senate and would then require Trump's signature. Both chambers of Congress are likely to pass the deal as both legislative bodies have been clamoring to temporarily open the government while negotiations over border wall funding continue. According to CNN, on Thursday Trump said that he would only accept a temporary stopgap funding deal if it included a "prorated down payment" on the border wall, but on Friday there was no mention of such a deposit. While the deal will be a relief for the 800,000 federal workers who have gone without pay as a result of the shutdown, there's no guarantee the government won't shut down again once the temporary funding measure expires. Trump is still demanding a physical wall, a demand Democrats have repeatedly said is a firm no. “We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don’t get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shut down on Feb. 15 - again - or I would use the powers afforded to me under the laws and the Constitution of the United States to address this emergency,” Trump said. What the deal does is allow the government to reopen with both sides committed to continuing negotiations over border wall funding. Looming crises in the aviation industry and increased publicity on federal workers struggling to make ends meet during the shutdown have increased the pressure on Trump and the GOP party in recent days. Just yesterday associations representing pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers released a statement warning of the deteriorating safety conditions in the industry and their lack of confidence in the FAA's ability to maintain safety protocol. Additionally, on Friday delays blamed on a lack of staffing as a result of the government shutdown started to ripple through airports on the East Coast. Flights leaving New York City's LaGuardia airport were averaging an hour and a half delay. Other delays were seen at Boston, Washington and Florida airports according to the New York Times. The increasing publicity on the plight of unpaid workers to put food on the table likely also increased the pressure on Trump to reach a deal. According to polls, most Americans blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown and with federal workers turning to GoFundMe to support themselves, desperate furloughed government workers would likely pull Trump's polling numbers down further. While there is no guarantee there won't be a second government shutdown, at least furloughed workers will get a chance to be paid. "I will make sure that all employees receive their back pay very quickly or as soon as possible. It'll happen fast," Trump said on Friday.   Read the full article

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Human Toll Grows As The Government Shutdown Continues

"I am asking for assistance to keep a roof over my family’s head. The government shutdown is leaving us unable to pay for all of our bills and rent." "Senate Republicans blocked a stopgap measure to end the partial shutdown on Thursday, the second of two failed efforts to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Senators voted 52-44 on the legislation, falling short of the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster," The Hill reported after votes were cast in the United States Senate. The vote came after the White House-backed measure, which included the $5.7 billion for the initial stages of border fencing received less support, failing with a 50-47 tally. The two competing amendments can be read between S327-474 and S474-482 "It would have allowed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients and some temporary protected status holders to apply for a three-year extension of some legal protections, but included new restrictions on asylum seekers," The Hill continued. Of note, Donald Trump's administration is responsible for DACA recipients no longer having protected status. While President Trump continues to push for $5.7 billion for a fencing project estimated to cost between $12 - $70 billion, his approval rating continue to drop and federal workers are beginning to feel the strain of going without pay.

Deepak and GoFundMe Team Up

Deepak Chopra and GoFundMe recently teamed together to create a fund to help federal workers affected by the shutdown, "The money raised on this GoFundMe will be distributed to nonprofit organizations across the country that are offering general relief to government workers, including but not limited to, food, counseling, and housing support," reads the beginning of the Government Shutdown Direct Relief Fund which had already raised $421,642 at the writing of this article. "We want to provide a place for people to take action and help someone in need, because, together, we have power to make a difference and provide critical short-term relief. The over 800,000 federal workers furloughed or working without pay don’t deserve this hardship, but we have the opportunity to take action and deliver a message of hope and solidarity," the posting continued encapsulating the struggle many are currently going through.

Federal Workers In Need Of A Helping Hand

The individual stories of federal workers throughout GoFundMe further tell the story of the human toll the shutdown is having on citizens of the United States. The Atlanta Public Schools (APS) share the story of workers in the city affected by the shutdown: We need your help and resources for spouses, domestic partners, and household members of Atlanta Public Schools Employees Impacted by the Federal Government Shutdown. Several hundred Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Employee households are estimated to be impacted by the federal government shutdown and are struggling without their paychecks. APS and the APS Foundation want to help! Please donate to our Go Fund Me to help them during this difficult time. We are grateful for your support!   Angela Kelley of Milwaukee, Wisconsin shares her story: I am a furloughed employee, veteran and single parent raising my 3 year old granddaughter. We live paycheck to paycheck. I have bills, car payment, insurance and rent that are currently due. I have been trying driving Uber to help but I am finding it's difficult due to a knee injury to drive for long periods of time. Being a single parent, I’m in panic mode right now. If you’d like to help, any donations are appreciated.   Jessica Appel writes about the struggle her family is currently enduring: I am asking for assistance to keep a roof over my family’s head. The government shutdown is leaving us unable to pay for all of our bills and rent. I work for an agency that is not getting any pay, not even from the holidays. My boyfriend works in DC where the effects of the shutdown are hurting business and money substantially. We have a two year old son to take care of and it’s extemely scary not knowing if we’ll be able to afford food or even diapers for him. Even with my boyfriend picking up extra shifts we cannot afford our apartment and bills without my usual income to help. My car is in need of repair and currently not working. I can not afford to make those repairs due to not receiving any income at this time. We also have the cost of daycare, taking him out would still cost us two weeks advance notice and the possibility of losing his place to another child and not having the care for him when the government reopens. I’m asking for any assistance to help us get through our bills and rent for this month and next, until we can get back on our feet. Please feel free to share! Anything helps, thank you!   Laura Johnson Clark details the struggle her family is facing: Prayers needed for my sweet girl..Kell is ok but has a serious injury which resulted in two ambulance trips, two hospital stays and a partial amputation of one of her fingers. She already had a broken foot from cheering 10 days ago, and now this. We are devastated to say the least. To top it off my husband who works for the USDOJ has not been paid since Dec 22nd because of the Government shutdown. We are stressed now more than we have ever been and are reaching out for huge prayers and possible donations to help with the medical costs which have already started with the broken foot. Yes there is medical insurance, but the beginning of the year resets all deductibles. The estimated costs for her hand after insurance are approximately 5K. Normally this would be an anticipated expense, but with dwindling savings to cover mortgage and all other living expenses it is something that is a tremendous worry now since there is no anticipated end to the shutdown. At first we thought it would be over before anyone missed a paycheck, but it just keeps going. Anything helps at this point, including prayers and well wishes. Thank you so much to all of you that have donated to this point, it is so very humbling. We love you all.   Alecia Lane, a single mother of two shares her shutdown story: I'm a single mom with 2 boys (ages 12 and 8). We have been impacted by the government shutdown, I thought I was prepared but I wasn't prepared for it last this long especially so soon after Christmas.  It has taken me days to ask for help through GoFundMe.  I haven't struggled like this since I was growing up.  My kids don't know the kind of life I had cause I never wanted them to grow up the way I did.  I've never wanted to tell my kids we can't do this or eat this because I don't have the money.  This shutdown became really real when we missed my first paycheck and we are about to miss the next one.  I am retired Navy and blessed to at least get a retirement check , but I still have bills to cover. I  am normally the one that helps people out, I have given my last to family and friends.  I have opened my home to people in need.  I am hoping someone can do the same for my family. I like to consider myself a strong individual but truth is this shutdown has broke me down. Any assistance that my family and I can get will be much appreciated.  Also any amount over my goal I will pay it forward and help another furlough employee(s).  Thank you in advance for the acts of kindness.   Kyla Daniels tells her story of working without pay during the shutdown: The government shutdown is putting a real strain on my family. Right now I'm forced to work without pay. I wasn't worried about the government shutdown at first, it happened before but being on day 31 makes me nervous for me and family. I'm not getting paid, yet I still get up every morning and burn gas to go to work; I'm paying to go to work... That is not what I signed up for.  A check will come eventually but until then I still have to provide shelter, food, and a substantial way of life for my family . This is not something I ask lightly. There are many others in the same situation I'm in. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Brad Williams explains his situation as a government contractor: My story has been featured on CNN. I hadn't set up this campaign yet at that point. My name is Brad Williams. I'm a married father of two teenagers in Hillsborough, NC, and I'm an IT contractor with the federal government who's been impacted by the ongoing government shutdown. I have only worked two days in total since the shutdown began. Unlike federal employees, contractors will not receive any back pay once the shutdown finally ends; we're at the mercy of our contracting company, and most of us - myself included - simply aren't paid if we don't work. We're an average, everyday middle-class family, and losing income like this, through no fault of our own, has the potential to be catastrophic. We can cut back or eliminate discretionary spending, but our mortgage, car payment, and utility bills are non-negotiable. Additionally, I have a $615 bill for my vehicle registration coming due, and my vehicle needs new tires. I've had to put off my daughter getting braces because of the uncertainty of my health insurance situation as well as simply not having the money to start her treatment. My son is already in the midst of treatment, so we're playing that one by ear; fortunately, we paid for a significant portion of his treatment up-front. I need to fill the financial hole left by Washington's inability to function. I'm looking for another job, but that doesn't happen overnight. Daniel Guerra, a recent graduate of Air Traffic Control Academy tells how the shutdown has disrupted his life: I am an air traffic controller currently working without pay.  I graduated from ATC Academy in September and was assigned to the control tower in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.   I purchased a Jeep the following month and within the same month it had proven unreliable.  I spent two months on a rental while the Jeep was being worked on but, the issue was not resolved.  Finally, I decided it would be best to ship a vehicle out from back home, another major expense.  Early December I planned a trip for the end of January to go to Florida, just to get off of the island for a few days.  Due to the shutdown, I had to cancel on the trip.  Both Spirit Airlines and JetBlue could not refund me for the tickets. Managing finances for this new career move has been stressful enough as it is, especially on Academy Graduate pay.  The cost of living on the island is quite high and bills are beginning to stack against me.  It is now nearing the second pay period during the shutdown that I will have worked 40hrs and not receive compensation. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.   If you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask! These and hundreds of thousands of others are suffering through similar hardship as the shutdown draws closer to its 40th day.   Read the full article

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VIDEO: Detained Iranian Journalist Hashemi Released; Protest Planned

The FBI released Marzieh Hashemi, 59, an American-born Iranian journalist from a 10-day detention in Washington, DC, as a material witness in a criminal matter before a grand jury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RElBSfscF9E&list=PLlKNQhWTXfCf8AKICCej-tFvoH3w4NgVL Read the full article

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White Supremacist Confesses To Killing Black Man to Incite “Extermination of the Negro Race”

A white man was convicted on the rare charge of murder as terrorism for killing an elderly black man in hopes of inciting a race war. A white supremacist and former Army veteran from Baltimore confessed on Wednesday to killing a black man in New York in hopes of starting a "race war" that would lead to the “complete extermination of the Negro race.” James Harris Jackson said he did not regret stalking, stabbing and killing 66-year-old Timothy Caughman in 2017. At Jackson's pretrial hearing on Wednesday, the judge asked Jackson if he killed Caughman because he was black and Jackson wanted to start a race war. Jackson said, "Yes."

The Crime

Jackson rode on a bus from Washington to New York City on St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. He chose to kill black people in New York because he said he believed the attack would generate the widest media coverage there. He even thought of sending emails to CNN or The New York Times to tell them why he killed people after every attack. He was booked into a hotel on West 46th Street. He had with him a short sword and two knives tucked deep into his coat which he then carried with him as he roamed the streets for multiple days hunting for victims. He stalked up to 20 black people and sometimes groups of black people to kill, but he often hesitated and changed his mind when there were too many people around. Security cameras caught him following a black man but he said he changed his mind about killing him because of people around. Then at nearly midnight on March 20, he saw Caughman searching through a garbage can for recyclables. Jackson stabbed him in the back and several times on the chest, leaving him to bleed to death. Bleeding profusely, Caughman managed to stumble into the police station on West 35th Street and officers called for an ambulance. But the wounded man died at Bellevue Hospital. Security cameras had caught Jackson following black people at random, and his photo was splashed on TV screens during news broadcasts. The day following the killing, Jackson reported himself to the police substation in Times Square. In a videotaped confession, Jackson said he killed Caughman as a practice for a larger attack to be unleashed on black men in Times Square. He planned to kill black men dating white women because he hated interracial dating.

Jackson Wanted a “Global Policy Aimed At the Complete Extermination of the Negro Race”

Jackson was charged with the unique crime of murder as terrorism and murder as a hate crime. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the murder when it happened, de Blasio also called the attack a racist act of domestic terrorism at Caughman's funeral. The Manhattan district attorney Cyrus R. Vance agreed with de Blasio. “I looked at this as no different than an Islamist Jihadist coming into the city and attacking a synagogue or attacking a non-Muslim for ideological or political purposes,” Mr. Vance said. “That’s exactly what James Jackson did, except it was based on a bias of white supremacy.” Jackson explained to investigators that he intended to “inspire white men to kill black men, to scare black men and to provoke a race war.” He said all he wanted to carry out murders of black men as a “declaration of global war on the Negro race.” Then he went on to reveal that he wanted to achieve “a global policy aimed at the complete extermination of the Negro race.” Jackson faces a life in prison with no possibility of parole. Read the full article

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Taxing the Homeless For Begging and Street Art

Madrid recently began requiring the homeless to report their income from activities such as begging, performing in the street or selling trinkets and scrap metal for taxing purposes. Social workers and advocates for the homeless claim this is a tax on the city’s poorest inhabitants, but government officials assert this policy has been in effect for years and is simply a method of keeping financial information up-to-date to properly allocate funds for government assistance. Many homeless in Madrid receive monthly minimum income benefits in the form of Renta Mínima de Inserción (RMI). When applying for these benefits, they state how they make a living and report the income they gain from this occupation. The government then deducts that income from the benefits they’re eligible for in the form of a tax on their monthly earnings.

A homeless man in Madrid/photo credit: Alberto Ortega It is very hard for individuals receiving RMI to break the cycle of poverty and/or homelessness, and statistics show that nearly a third of those receiving this financial assistance have received it for five years or more. Many live off government assistance for even longer, about 11.6 percent of individuals currently receiving RMI have done so for more than a decade. Due to the arcane system of taxation and reductions to RMI, it is nearly impossible for many of Madrid’s citizens to do much more than subsist, leaving them with few options to improve their lives and livelihoods. 

Administration of the Tax on Madrid’s Homeless

Besides placing a burden on Madrid’s most underprivileged citizens, the logistics of accurately verifying and keeping track of this information seem nearly impossible. How the homeless can keep track of their income, if they have any, poses a problem for the Spanish bureaucracy. How exactly can the government confirm the income reported to them by people who make their living in the street? Many homeless individuals in Spain do not engage in begging or other forms of alternative commerce to make a living, but when they apply for benefits they will often be accused of lying if they claim no income. Luis Saenz, a social worker who works with the homeless through his job at the organization RMI Tu Derecho says that if the homeless claim they have no income, “The insinuation is that if they are not declaring income of any kind, it’s because they are concealing it.” Due to this, he claims that many people simply make up an occupation and a random number in order to keep receiving benefits.

Government Rationale for Taxing Madrid’s Homeless

Government officials claim they use the figures reported by the homeless to ascertain the financial status of the homeless community in the city and to aid in the calculation of funds used for the RMI. Based upon the subjectivity of figures reported by the homeless community, there is a good chance this information is not accurate, which means it is highly likely the statistics are faulty. The consequences are even worse for people who have to declare income they are not earning, because they will be forced to endure a monetary reduction in their benefits that is not being offset by money earned by informal economic activities. This new policy is based on a law that requires individuals receiving government benefits to self-report income that cannot be objectively assessed. This law is supposed to prevent employees and employers from committing tax fraud in cases where an employee is a temporary employee or works without a contract, and many have labeled its application toward the homeless community as unfair and unjust. Saenz says that the “income statement became a requirement with other activities in mind, chiefly earnings from the underground economy that were not being taxed or subjected to social security contributions. But now they are including survival activities that hardly qualify as economic occupation.” The difference between non-contractual or temporary employment and informal economic activities such as begging is fairly obvious, and it is clear to see how this law cannot be applied consistently to the homeless population without inflicting severe economic distress. An employee has at least some dependable metric to rely on to calculate their earnings, even if this is based on variables such as commission on items sold or the amount of produce picked. A homeless woman attempting to scrape together a living through panhandling or performing in the street has no such reliable way to predict her monthly income. Depending on the day or time of year, her earnings or lack thereof might vary drastically, often seeming to follow a random pattern based on factors beyond her control.

Income Disparity Is Increasing in Madrid

Homelessness, unemployment and poverty are very pressing issues in Spain, which has the third highest rate of economic inequality in the European Union. And rather than improving, the situation is growing ever more serious; since 2007 economic inequality in Spain has risen more than in any other European Union country.  Until government officials find a way to help lift the homeless out of their impoverished situation instead of taxing economic activities, this income gap is likely to grow even wider, meaning that the government will have to spend even more money providing RMI for Madrid’s most impoverished. The bubble is bound to burst sooner or later, and Madrid must find a viable solution that will remedy the city’s epidemic of chronic homelessness.   Read the full article

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Air Safety Environment 'Deteriorating by the Day' as Shutdown Continues

Members of the aviation industry raised concern over the government shutdown's effect on aviation safety but the FAA countered with their own response. On Wednesday associations for air traffic controllers, pilots and flight attendants put out a joint statement expressing their concern at the worsening safety conditions in the airline industry due to the government shutdown. “We have a growing concern for the safety and security of our members, our airlines, and the traveling public due to the government shutdown. This is already the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States and there is no end in sight. In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented," said the statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Air Line Pilots Association and the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The NATCA filed a lawsuit last week against the federal government for not paying its members. The organization had requested an expedited hearing on its request for a temporary restraining order against the U.S. government but a judge denied the request. Previously NATCA president Paul Rinaldi told Fox News in an exclusive interview that air traffic controllers were having to decide between putting food on the table or gas in the car. Rinaldi has repeatedly called for the immediate end to the government shutdown saying, "Every day this goes on it has a negative impact on the people that are keeping airplanes safe throughout the system and it has a negative impact on our nation’s economy.” Trish Gilbert, Executive VP of the NATCA, also went on TV on Thursday to say that the last thing the government needs is "fatigued controllers driving Uber before their shift so they can pay their bills." “The last thing we need is fatigued controllers driving Uber before their shift so they can pay their bills… This shutdown has to stop. It’s ridiculous and unreasonable,” says Trish Gilbert, Executive VP of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association https://t.co/68CVHzKNMn pic.twitter.com/PpBeZHbEcp — CNN (@CNN) January 24, 2019 Wednesday's joint statement expressed frustration over the impact on staffing that the government shutdown was having on the aviation industry. “Due to the shutdown, air traffic controllers, transportation security officers, safety inspectors, air marshals, federal law enforcement officers, FBI agents, and many other critical workers have been working without pay for over a month. Staffing in our air traffic control facilities is already at a 30-year low and controllers are only able to maintain the system’s efficiency and capacity by working overtime, including 10-hour days and 6-day workweeks at many of our nation’s busiest facilities. Due to the shutdown, the FAA has frozen hiring and shuttered its training academy, so there is no plan in effect to fill the FAA’s critical staffing need. Even if the FAA were hiring, it takes two to four years to become fully facility certified and achieve Certified Professional Controller (CPC) status. Almost 20% of CPCs are eligible to retire today. There are no options to keep these professionals at work without a paycheck when they can no longer afford to support their families. When they elect to retire, the National Airspace System (NAS) will be crippled. “The situation is changing at a rapid pace. Major airports are already seeing security checkpoint closures, with many more potentially to follow. Safety inspectors and federal cyber security staff are not back on the job at pre-shutdown levels, and those not on furlough are working without pay. Last Saturday, TSA management announced that a growing number of officers cannot come to work due to the financial toll of the shutdown," the statement read. The joint statement continued on expressing concern over the impact of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) reduced resources. "In addition, we are not confident that system-wide analyses of safety reporting data, which is used to identify and implement corrective actions in order to reduce risks and prevent accidents is 100 percent operational due to reduced FAA resources." However, the FAA released a statement on Thursday assuring Americans that "our nation's airspace system is safe." #FAA Statement: The traveling public can be assured that our nation's airspace is #safe. pic.twitter.com/NS6GyUUgbV — The FAA (@FAANews) January 24, 2019 News on Wednesday brought a glimmer of hope that a compromise was attainable as reports came out that Democrats had an offer for Trump which included $5 billion in funding for a "smart wall", but would not include funding for a physical barrier. Details of the Democrats proposal are expected to be announced Thursday evening. Read the full article