After receiving approval by a 49-48 vote in the Senate on Monday, legislation headed for President Trump’s signature will discard an Obama administration rule that punishes federal contractors who have cheated their workers on overtime pay and the minimum wage. The bill would repeal an executive order that also targeted companies cited for unsafe workplaces or discriminatory … [Read more...] about Trump ready to sign bill protecting contractors that cheat workers
A Bluelander in Redland, Part I of 3
A Bluelander in Redland, Part I by Daniel Sherman Even after years of travel, my heart joyfully skips a beat when the whine of a commuter jet’s engines picks up and we began trundling down the runway. Big planes are quiet and large enough that you’re just in a sort of filed into a mailing tube, being delivered to a place where by definition lots of other people are going. … [Read more...] about A Bluelander in Redland, Part I of 3
Blow to U.S. intelligence: Wikileaks releases purported CIA secret hacking tools
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks said on Tuesday it had obtained a top-secret trove of hacking tools used by the CIA to break into phones, communication apps and other electronic devices, and released documents related to those programs. If verified, the information would amount to yet another stunning breach of classified material stolen in recent years from U.S. … [Read more...] about Blow to U.S. intelligence: Wikileaks releases purported CIA secret hacking tools
House Republicans unveil plan to repeal and replace Obamacare: huge downsizing
WASHINGTON — House Republicans released a long-awaited Obamacare replacement Monday that would dismantle the health care law's extensive system for expanding health insurance coverage to millions of Americans. The legislation, the first such bill House Republican leaders have produced, would eliminate hundreds of billions of dollars of federal aid that has allowed states to … [Read more...] about House Republicans unveil plan to repeal and replace Obamacare: huge downsizing
Cartoon: The Conspiratweeter
Cartoon: The Russian Connection
Trump, Russia and the limits of misdirection
WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump shows us what happens when a healthy skepticism about politics gives way to a debilitating cynicism. If democratic citizens come to see all politicians as liars, then lying can become the new norm. And those who regard their domestic political opponents as the greatest threat to the nation have little problem welcoming a foreign power's help … [Read more...] about Trump, Russia and the limits of misdirection
Trump signs revised Muslim country travel ban order, leaves Iraq off
By Steve Holland and Julia Edwards Ainsley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump signed a revised executive order on Monday banning citizens from six Muslim-majority nations from traveling to the United States but removing Iraq from the list, after his controversial first attempt was blocked in the courts. The new order, which the White House said Trump had … [Read more...] about Trump signs revised Muslim country travel ban order, leaves Iraq off
Open Investing in Start-Ups
Small entrepreneurial businesses are the heart of an innovative economy. They have been the backbone of the creative US dominance for our entire history. Brilliant, creative, hard-working minds dream and then build businesses. They start in the proverbial “garage,” grow into a small incubator space, then into a small building and ultimately into large companies. See Microsoft, … [Read more...] about Open Investing in Start-Ups
As ’18 Approaches, House Rs Want To Minimize Members Seeking Higher Office
In many election cycles, it's not unusual to see a friendly tug of war between leaders of the House and Senate urging their members to both stay and go. The House contingent tries to talk members of their party out of making Senate bids or seeking their state’s Governorships. The fear is that by quitting the House to go higher, they would be leaving their House seats vulnerable … [Read more...] about As ’18 Approaches, House Rs Want To Minimize Members Seeking Higher Office
(UPDATED) Russia Scandal Math: How The President Called Trump Can Be Brought Down Hard
Everything, as they say, is now perfectly clear. Except what still isn't clear at all. If you, like many millions of Americans, are praying that the Donald Trump presidency crashes and burns, the clearest path not involving a Caine Mutiny moment in which he gets frog-walked from the Oval Office in a straightjacket as he clutches his smartphone and madly tweets is to follow … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) Russia Scandal Math: How The President Called Trump Can Be Brought Down Hard
Trump through the looking glass
WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump's astonishing and reckless accusation that he was wiretapped on orders from President Obama should finally be the tipping point in how the country views him and his presidency. Obama, through a spokesman, said the charges were "simply false." It appears that Trump issued his wild tweet storm Saturday morning largely on the basis of reports in … [Read more...] about Trump through the looking glass
The First Republican to Show Some Spine. His Name? TBD
“Saturday Night Live” has a great movie trailer, promising “a Republican ‘patriot’ who will [finally] put country over party.” The only problem, it hasn’t found the lead character yet who will stand up to Trump. Read more here, and watch it below. Perhaps one day "To Be Determined" will be a Republican man or woman determined to be a game changer for America's … [Read more...] about The First Republican to Show Some Spine. His Name? TBD
Everything you need to know about Trump and Russia
WASHINGTON -- Having trouble following the fast-moving developments about the Trump team's ties to Russia? Here's a primer to get you up to speed: President Trump got to know Russian President Vladimir Putin "very well," but he doesn't "know Putin." Putin sent Trump "a present" and they spoke, but Trump has "no relationship with him." Trump has "nothing … [Read more...] about Everything you need to know about Trump and Russia
And I saw fear in her eyes
A few days ago, I visited with a family that I very much like. They happen to hail from Mexico and have two kind and winning young children who were born and are being raised in the United States. The children speak fluent English; they look and sound like my own children when they were that age. They love America, television, sports, In-N-Out Burgers, and creating their own … [Read more...] about And I saw fear in her eyes
Cartoon: TAPPED WIRE OR FRIED WIRES?
Tapped wires or friend wires? by Clay Jones Donald Trump has lost his mind. This is not a new development. Before he ran for president he was behind the birther campaign accusing President Obama of being born in Kenya. He swore he’d reveal the truth and claimed he hired investigators that would expose all. Years later near the end of the presidential campaign he finally … [Read more...] about Cartoon: TAPPED WIRE OR FRIED WIRES?
Trump Deflects With Wild Obama Wiretapping Accusations
In an apparent bid to deflect attention from the mounting controversy over whether his administration has ties to Russia, the commander-in-chief deployed his favorite weapon in the early hours of Saturday morning: dropping a Twitter bomb on the world that accuses President Obama of a conspiracy on the scale of Watergate. The president, whose administration is… … [Read more...] about Trump Deflects With Wild Obama Wiretapping Accusations
More Americans are trying to become refugees in Canada
Canada is world famous for welcoming refugees, but one group has had a tough time getting in: US citizens. A small but increasing number of Americans want refuge in Canada. In fact, the number of them requesting asylum north of the border more than doubled between 2015 and 2016, from 80 to 187, according to Canada… … [Read more...] about More Americans are trying to become refugees in Canada
Cartoon: Trump’s White House remodeling
This cartoon is licensed to run on The Moderate Voice by Cagle Cartoons. … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump’s White House remodeling
Trump Claims Wiretaps by Obama
Jonathan Chait analyzes Trump's claim of Obama wiretapping Trump Tower in New York Magazine. Before this morning, Trump’s message on the Russia scandal has emphasized his innocence. He and his associates have done nothing wrong, and all the charges reflect baseless Democratic attempts to make excuses for Crooked Hillary’s sad defeat. (i.e., “Russia talk is FAKE NEWS put out … [Read more...] about Trump Claims Wiretaps by Obama