It has been another head-spinning week of political news. Today was no exception. But, more than trying to capture some of it for this post, I think we need to take a breather for the weekend.
So, I invite you to check back on Monday. If you must have some chaos to keep from going into withdrawal, I suggest you look at the interview that Chris Hayes did on MSNBC Friday night with Russian-born, American citizen Felix Sater, a man of many hats who may or may not have been Trump's contact with Russian oligarchs and Russian Mafia. Or he may have been working for the CIA. It's hard to know.
Check out the podcast at: http://www.msnbc.com/all
Ralph
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Friday, March 16, 2018
The loss of Stephen Hawking
It's fitting to quote the British newspaper, The Guardian, on the death of one of its most revered citizens, Stephen Hawking, about whom they wrote:
"Stephen Hawking was a brilliant, complex man and scientist. Diagnosed at 21 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, he had been expected to live a few more years. Hawking last another 55. He made his name as a young Cambridge cosmologist with breakthroughs as awesome as anything religion offers: proving that big bang theory must hold true and elucidating the link between gravity and quantum mechanics. From his wheelchair, Hawking's mind roamed the multiverses. It was his 1988 bestseller A Brief History of Time, about the advances in cosmology, that made him a pop icon. It kindled Hawking's showmanship: when asked what his book was about, he replied 'the mind of God.' . . . "
"Stephen Hawking was a brilliant, complex man and scientist. Diagnosed at 21 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, he had been expected to live a few more years. Hawking last another 55. He made his name as a young Cambridge cosmologist with breakthroughs as awesome as anything religion offers: proving that big bang theory must hold true and elucidating the link between gravity and quantum mechanics. From his wheelchair, Hawking's mind roamed the multiverses. It was his 1988 bestseller A Brief History of Time, about the advances in cosmology, that made him a pop icon. It kindled Hawking's showmanship: when asked what his book was about, he replied 'the mind of God.' . . . "
Zeroing in on Trump and Russia
Things are coalescing here, folks, on the Trump-Russia nexus.
1. Prime Minister Theresa May has expelled a large number of Russians from the U.K., -- and taken other measures as well -- in retaliation for the Putin regime's using an extremely toxic nerve gas on a Russian exile/former spy and his daughter, now living in the U.K., which also seriously injured a British police officer and endangered other citizens. This is a specific toxin that only the Russians make and possess.
The European Union, NATO and other allies have joined in condemnation of Russia, like good allies do. Like the U.K. did immediately when we were attacked on 9/11, and in fact as they did in supplying us with some of the intelligence that helped prove that Russia hacked into our election process.
But Trump had remained virtually silent. His silence is consistent with the "see no evil" attitude toward Putin from the beginning.
Today, the Treasury Department announced the imposition of sanctions on a number of Russians -- but it's mostly just what Congress authorized by a near-unanimous vote last year. Trump had let the deadline for imposing the sanctions go by without doing anything.
He did finally yesterday give a weak acknowledgement that maybe Russia did the nerve gas attack in the U.K. But he had already sent the message he wanted to send.
2. It was also reported yesterday by the New York Times that Robert Mueller had issued supboenas to the Trump Organization for business records involving Russia. This is the red line that Trump had said, in the past, that would be a step too far, hinting that it could lead to his getting rid of Mueller.
Ty Cobb, one of Trump's White House lawyers, spoke with MSNBC's Ari Melber about their response to the subpoena and said that they would "do the right thing" about complying.
3. Also yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a public warning that Russian hackers have now penetrated into the computer networks that control some of our nation's power plants, both nuclear and conventional. Their initial hacking of the administrative networks of these plants occurred in 2015-16 at the same time of their attacks on our political systems.
But now they've been able to get into the systems that control the operations of the power machinery itself, which means they can shut them down or cause sabotage. So far, they have not acted, but they are there and could do so at any time. Our government has definitely identified them as Russian hackers.
The problem in fixing this, as explained by the New York Times reporter who broke the story, is that these are mostly private companies that have old or very unsophisticated software programs. So our government can't just simply go in and fix things. This warning is to make them aware; some did not know they had been hacked.
4. This all comes just days after the Republican majority of the House Intelligence Committee issued its partisan "status report" and abruptly and unilaterally shut down the investigation. That has been the goal of its chairman, Devin Nunes, all along, who has been acting solely to protect Donald Trump and not in the best interests of the American people.
And Paul Ryan has enabled Nunes' and the Republicans' hyper-partisan destruction of the previously highly effective intelligence oversight committee. Even when the FBI Deputy Director went to Ryan to ask him to intervene when Nunes wanted to release his earlier report, which the FBI had given strong warning about the classified material in it, Ryan sided with Nunes. It's all been to protect Trump.
5. The Democrats on this same committee have issued their own status report, which is quite, quite different. Among a long list of questions and people that need to be pursued, or questioned further, they have hinted at some things that they know that had not been previously revealed. Their status report contains this statement:
"The committee has learned that candidate Trump's private business was actively negotiating a business deal in Moscow with a sanctioned Russian bank during the election period." At the same time, of course, candidate Trump was vociferously denying on the campaign trail that he had any business deals in Russia or with Russians, including no debt to Russians.' It is a crime to do business with a sanctioned bank -- and, if it's a foreign national, it may also violate campaign finance laws.
This is a crucial point in this investigation. If Trump is going to try to get rid of Mueller and shut it down, this is probably the point at which he would do it. He's on a roll of pushing people out (Tillerson and others to come, he says); he has said that he's tired of "being reined in," and getting into his business affairs before the campaign would be the red line.
Ralph
1. Prime Minister Theresa May has expelled a large number of Russians from the U.K., -- and taken other measures as well -- in retaliation for the Putin regime's using an extremely toxic nerve gas on a Russian exile/former spy and his daughter, now living in the U.K., which also seriously injured a British police officer and endangered other citizens. This is a specific toxin that only the Russians make and possess.
The European Union, NATO and other allies have joined in condemnation of Russia, like good allies do. Like the U.K. did immediately when we were attacked on 9/11, and in fact as they did in supplying us with some of the intelligence that helped prove that Russia hacked into our election process.
But Trump had remained virtually silent. His silence is consistent with the "see no evil" attitude toward Putin from the beginning.
Today, the Treasury Department announced the imposition of sanctions on a number of Russians -- but it's mostly just what Congress authorized by a near-unanimous vote last year. Trump had let the deadline for imposing the sanctions go by without doing anything.
He did finally yesterday give a weak acknowledgement that maybe Russia did the nerve gas attack in the U.K. But he had already sent the message he wanted to send.
2. It was also reported yesterday by the New York Times that Robert Mueller had issued supboenas to the Trump Organization for business records involving Russia. This is the red line that Trump had said, in the past, that would be a step too far, hinting that it could lead to his getting rid of Mueller.
Ty Cobb, one of Trump's White House lawyers, spoke with MSNBC's Ari Melber about their response to the subpoena and said that they would "do the right thing" about complying.
3. Also yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a public warning that Russian hackers have now penetrated into the computer networks that control some of our nation's power plants, both nuclear and conventional. Their initial hacking of the administrative networks of these plants occurred in 2015-16 at the same time of their attacks on our political systems.
But now they've been able to get into the systems that control the operations of the power machinery itself, which means they can shut them down or cause sabotage. So far, they have not acted, but they are there and could do so at any time. Our government has definitely identified them as Russian hackers.
The problem in fixing this, as explained by the New York Times reporter who broke the story, is that these are mostly private companies that have old or very unsophisticated software programs. So our government can't just simply go in and fix things. This warning is to make them aware; some did not know they had been hacked.
4. This all comes just days after the Republican majority of the House Intelligence Committee issued its partisan "status report" and abruptly and unilaterally shut down the investigation. That has been the goal of its chairman, Devin Nunes, all along, who has been acting solely to protect Donald Trump and not in the best interests of the American people.
And Paul Ryan has enabled Nunes' and the Republicans' hyper-partisan destruction of the previously highly effective intelligence oversight committee. Even when the FBI Deputy Director went to Ryan to ask him to intervene when Nunes wanted to release his earlier report, which the FBI had given strong warning about the classified material in it, Ryan sided with Nunes. It's all been to protect Trump.
5. The Democrats on this same committee have issued their own status report, which is quite, quite different. Among a long list of questions and people that need to be pursued, or questioned further, they have hinted at some things that they know that had not been previously revealed. Their status report contains this statement:
"The committee has learned that candidate Trump's private business was actively negotiating a business deal in Moscow with a sanctioned Russian bank during the election period." At the same time, of course, candidate Trump was vociferously denying on the campaign trail that he had any business deals in Russia or with Russians, including no debt to Russians.' It is a crime to do business with a sanctioned bank -- and, if it's a foreign national, it may also violate campaign finance laws.
This is a crucial point in this investigation. If Trump is going to try to get rid of Mueller and shut it down, this is probably the point at which he would do it. He's on a roll of pushing people out (Tillerson and others to come, he says); he has said that he's tired of "being reined in," and getting into his business affairs before the campaign would be the red line.
Ralph
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Multiple news stories
1. Rex Tillerson has been fired from his position as Secretary of State and will be replaced (if confirmed by the Senate) by current CIA Director Mike Pompao. The main reason seems to be that Pompao is more attuned to Trump, both in policy and in "chemistry." Pompao will be succeeded as CIA Director by his deputy, Gina Haspel, a 30 year career CIA officer. If she is confirmed, she will be the first woman CIA Director. Objections will be raised over her having presided over an "enhanced interrogation" site during the Bush administration. Defenders say that she was carrying out orders and was only doing what was considered legal by the President at the time.
2. Another White House staffer was also fired on Tuesday. John McEntee has been Trump's personal assistant since his election, but he's one of the WH staff whose security clearance has been held up. Suddenly on Tuesday, he was forcefully ousted from the WH, without even being allowed to get his belongings. Claims are that he is under investigation for "serious financial crimes." It was later revealed by knowing sources that McEntee has a gambling addiction. Just one more example of the serious failure of this White House to do even cursory vetting of WH staff.
3. Democrat Conor Lamb has apparently won the special election in Pennsylvania's District 18. His lead is 627 votes, which does not trigger an automatic recount, but the losing candidate can request one. This is a massive reversal in a district that Trump won by 20 points just 16 months ago, and where Trump campaigned for the Republican a few days before the election. Lamb is 33 years old, a former Marine and a prosecutor; he will be among the more conservative Democrats having announced his opposition to Nancy Pelosi for another term as Democratic House leader. He's also described as a conservative Democrat who is "pro-union and pro-gun, backs bipartisan deals for fixing Obamacare and the nation's infrastructure, wants more job training and less college debt, and says he's pro-fracking but pro-environment, too." It also makes him a smart politician, given the district he was running in. His win certainly revs up the "blue wave" enthusiasm for the November election.
4. President Trump flew to California where he inspected a series of prototype sections vying to be the design for Trump's "Wall," which he still insists will be built, despite congress's continuing lack of funding for it. Another purpose of the trip was a fund-raising dinner in a private home, where the entry price was said to be $35,000 per person. Yes, Trump is building a war chest, already, for his 2020 campaign.
5. Trump's choice to replace chief economics adviser Gary Cohn is Larry Kudlow, who has experience working both in the Reagen White House and on Wall Street but is better known as a television personality and economic analyst on CNBC. He has been an informal adviser to Trump during the campaign and since. What's a bit odd is that supposedly a main reason Cohn left was his difference with the president over imposing tariffs -- and Kudlow is himself a proponent of free trade and opposed to generalized tariffs. But, as we see time and again, Trump seems less concerned with policy differences and more with personal chemistry (which is also code for not being too blunt in challenges to the president). Trump supposedly admires Kudlow because he looks and speaks well on television. Advice to Kudlow: Yes, but don't be too good. Trump doesn't like to be overshadowed.
6. Heather Nauert, who one year ago was a co-host of "Fox and Friends," one of Trump's favorite TV shows, was appointed in April 2017 to be spokesperson for the State Department. Two days ago, Steve Goldstein was dismissed from his position as State Department Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs for putting out a notice about Rex Tillerson's firing that was contradictory and unflattering to President Trump. Ms. Nauert has been named to replace Goldstein temporarily as Acting Undersecretary, making her the fourth highest ranked person in the State Department. From "Fox and Friends" to #4 at State in less than a year!!! Pretty remarkable -- except that it's Trump and a "Fox and Friends" flatterer.
7. Yesterday, March 14, was the one-month anniversary of the massacre at the high school in Parkland, Florida. Students had organized an 17 minute walk-out in memory of the 17 people who died in the attack. But it was not just at the Stoneman Douglas High School. They were joined by students in schools all over the U.S. and even in some foreign countries. In recent years, we've been impressed by the power of women in organized protest. Now we're seeing the power of these organized, determined, smart, articulate teenagers -- future leaders in the making. Wait until we see what they accomplish with the March 24th Washington, DC march and counter-parts everywhere.
The students have three demands they're making of lawmakers:
1. Ban assault weapons
2. Require universal background checks before gun sales
3. Pass a gun violence restraining order law that would allow courts to disarm people who display warning signs of violent behavior.
They're also committing themselves to help get out the votes -- and to vote themselves as they become 18. Many of them will run for office in the future.
Ralph
2. Another White House staffer was also fired on Tuesday. John McEntee has been Trump's personal assistant since his election, but he's one of the WH staff whose security clearance has been held up. Suddenly on Tuesday, he was forcefully ousted from the WH, without even being allowed to get his belongings. Claims are that he is under investigation for "serious financial crimes." It was later revealed by knowing sources that McEntee has a gambling addiction. Just one more example of the serious failure of this White House to do even cursory vetting of WH staff.
3. Democrat Conor Lamb has apparently won the special election in Pennsylvania's District 18. His lead is 627 votes, which does not trigger an automatic recount, but the losing candidate can request one. This is a massive reversal in a district that Trump won by 20 points just 16 months ago, and where Trump campaigned for the Republican a few days before the election. Lamb is 33 years old, a former Marine and a prosecutor; he will be among the more conservative Democrats having announced his opposition to Nancy Pelosi for another term as Democratic House leader. He's also described as a conservative Democrat who is "pro-union and pro-gun, backs bipartisan deals for fixing Obamacare and the nation's infrastructure, wants more job training and less college debt, and says he's pro-fracking but pro-environment, too." It also makes him a smart politician, given the district he was running in. His win certainly revs up the "blue wave" enthusiasm for the November election.
4. President Trump flew to California where he inspected a series of prototype sections vying to be the design for Trump's "Wall," which he still insists will be built, despite congress's continuing lack of funding for it. Another purpose of the trip was a fund-raising dinner in a private home, where the entry price was said to be $35,000 per person. Yes, Trump is building a war chest, already, for his 2020 campaign.
5. Trump's choice to replace chief economics adviser Gary Cohn is Larry Kudlow, who has experience working both in the Reagen White House and on Wall Street but is better known as a television personality and economic analyst on CNBC. He has been an informal adviser to Trump during the campaign and since. What's a bit odd is that supposedly a main reason Cohn left was his difference with the president over imposing tariffs -- and Kudlow is himself a proponent of free trade and opposed to generalized tariffs. But, as we see time and again, Trump seems less concerned with policy differences and more with personal chemistry (which is also code for not being too blunt in challenges to the president). Trump supposedly admires Kudlow because he looks and speaks well on television. Advice to Kudlow: Yes, but don't be too good. Trump doesn't like to be overshadowed.
6. Heather Nauert, who one year ago was a co-host of "Fox and Friends," one of Trump's favorite TV shows, was appointed in April 2017 to be spokesperson for the State Department. Two days ago, Steve Goldstein was dismissed from his position as State Department Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs for putting out a notice about Rex Tillerson's firing that was contradictory and unflattering to President Trump. Ms. Nauert has been named to replace Goldstein temporarily as Acting Undersecretary, making her the fourth highest ranked person in the State Department. From "Fox and Friends" to #4 at State in less than a year!!! Pretty remarkable -- except that it's Trump and a "Fox and Friends" flatterer.
7. Yesterday, March 14, was the one-month anniversary of the massacre at the high school in Parkland, Florida. Students had organized an 17 minute walk-out in memory of the 17 people who died in the attack. But it was not just at the Stoneman Douglas High School. They were joined by students in schools all over the U.S. and even in some foreign countries. In recent years, we've been impressed by the power of women in organized protest. Now we're seeing the power of these organized, determined, smart, articulate teenagers -- future leaders in the making. Wait until we see what they accomplish with the March 24th Washington, DC march and counter-parts everywhere.
The students have three demands they're making of lawmakers:
1. Ban assault weapons
2. Require universal background checks before gun sales
3. Pass a gun violence restraining order law that would allow courts to disarm people who display warning signs of violent behavior.
They're also committing themselves to help get out the votes -- and to vote themselves as they become 18. Many of them will run for office in the future.
Ralph
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Why America is changing on guns - #2art
This is a continuation of yesterday's post, and this article is about the effective activist campaign launched by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida -- and how they can be so knowledgeable and articulate. It's a profile of their remarkable teacher, Jeffrey Foster, for the popular advanced placement course on U.S. Government and Politics.
Splinter News, a print division of Univision, reported on an interview that I will excerpt below. The Splinter article is by Jorge Rivas.
Splinter News, a print division of Univision, reported on an interview that I will excerpt below. The Splinter article is by Jorge Rivas.
* * *
Stoneman Douglas High school senior Emma Gonzalez spoke before a crowd of thousands at a vigil in memory of the students who had died in the shooting massacre at their school -- only three days before.
"After she delivered her speech, Gonzalez was so confident in front of news cameras that conspiracy theorists quickly accused her of being a crisis actor. Critics questioned how a high school senior could have such tight talking points. Rumors spread on YouTube and Twitter that the Stoneman Douglas students like her who were making repeat appearances on cable news networks were actually 30 year old pawns of gun-control advocates. . . .
"But it turns out that Stoneman Douglas students being scrutinized are just teens with really good teachers at a school with resources. They are a testament to what public schools can produce if students have support at home and in well-funded schools.
"Many of the high-profile Stoneman Douglas seniors are in the same [Advanced Placement] United States Government and Politics program this year, helmed by Jeff Foster, who helped create the AP government curriculum for the entire Broward County Public Schools system.
"Foster is going on 20 years teaching AP government classes. He worked in finance for a few years before his mother suggested he try substitute teaching. He fell in love with it and went on to get his masters in education. . . .
"When [classes begin again] he's going to also start teaching geography. Like his other colleagues, Foster has volunteered to absorb a period left behind by a teacher who was killed. . . .
"On the day of the shooting, Foster taught the AP Gov students about special interest groups, like the NAACP, American Medical Association, and the National Rifle Association. His lesson plan that day included a discussion about the Columbine and Sandy Hook school shootings, with emphasis on how every politician comes out after a tragedy to say the right thing about changing gun regulation. The students learned how the NRA goes to work as soon as news reporters and the public move on to the next story.
"'That's not the NRA's fault; that's our fault,' Foster says. 'We lost attention and that's why interest groups run the country. If it's not the NRA then it's another group.'
"Foster teaches AP Government all day. It's the only subject he teaches. He had taught this particular special interest lesson four times [that day] by the time the gunman started shooting.
"The following day the students were scheduled to have a test on the special interest chapter. The exam was supposed to include a free response question asking students what techniques the NRA used to be successful. The students were supposed to discuss how the NRA used mass mobilization, campaign contributions, and litigation to push their agenda forward. . . .
"Emma Gonzalez had already taken Foster's lesson by the time the shooting happened. So did fellow student David Hogg, who has made multiple appearances on cable news networks. . . .
"These students are clear-eyed, media-ready, and sophisticated, often rejecting the premise of interview questions or entirely reframing them. Foster says it's not surprising to him which kids are getting repeated interview requests and continue to speak publicly. He's seen these same students shine in his classroom debating controversial issues like gun control, abortion, and Colin Kaepernick. Foster says he stirs the discussion to both sides. When students don't bring up counter-arguments, he brings them up himself. . . .
"'It's unfortunate not all schools are funded the way we are. We have a lot of resources at our school,' Foster says. [The school serves an area where both economic and educational levels of the families are higher than average.] Only about 24% of the student at [this] school are considered economically disadvantaged [compared to some schools in the district as high as 89%]. . . . About 40% of the senior class takes the AP Government class. . . .
"Foster helped organize a field trip of about 100 student to [the state capital] to meet with legislators. . . . Some critics have accused Foster of pushing the Communist Manifesto. . . . [But] he's not even a bleeding hear Bernie bro. He's a registered Republican who voted for Hillary Clinton. . . .
"Foster thinks the students are running on adrenaline. He wants to prepare [them] to be emotionally ready for when and if the media attention goes away. And he hopes the students can continue to stay positive and not crash or move into depression. He wants his students to leave class and vote, run for office, or join a special interest group for an issue they care about.
"'You can't bitch,' he tells his students, 'if you don't participate.'"
* * *
There are many lessons in this article. First is how good quality public education can be when you have the combination of affluent, educated families, school resources to offer such courses, and the ability to hire and retain talented teachers, like Jeff Foster. Second, is the corollary: so many of our public schools lack all of those factors -- the sad fact of the inequality in our public schools.
But that's a problem to solve another day. The involvement of these prepared students as activists to bring about change has already shown some results in the gun control law just passed by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott (neither of which was pro-gun control before). The bill doesn't ban semi-automatic rifles, but it does raise the purchase age from 18 to 21; it bans the sale of bump stocks; it imposes a three day waiting period on rifle purchases; and it allows school personnel to be armed.
It's a start. As one of the students said: "It's baby steps."
And then there's the March 24th March on Washington (and everywhere) for Gun Safety that was initiated by these students. Great teacher, great kids.
Ralph
It's a start. As one of the students said: "It's baby steps."
And then there's the March 24th March on Washington (and everywhere) for Gun Safety that was initiated by these students. Great teacher, great kids.
Ralph
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Why America is changing on guns - #1
There are two articles of interest about the more enduring movement in response to the recent mass shooting at the high school in Parkland, Florida. We've now gone well past the usual time when apathy sets in, as nothing is done to change things.
The first article, by Michael Hobbes of HuffPost, focuses on how change in the private business sector has been part of this. He approaches it from a business analysis perspective.
"Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Kroger announced they would no longer sell firearms to kids under 21. REI [sports retailer] cut one of its suppliers for failing to produce a 'clear plan of action' on guns. BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, said it was considering 'gun-free investment funds.' Delta ended its discount program for NRA members. Others, from car rental companies to oil companies, severed connections from them too.
"Takes on corporate Americas's newfound social conscience have ranged [widely] from optimistic . . . to galactic. . . . But they're all missing the point. . . . the reality is that this latest wave of progress on gun control says less about these companies' feelings about AR-15s and more about what public pressure can -- and cannot -- achieve.
"Companies are taking a stand because they think it's good business."
The author goes on to explain that those who have responded will not lose much from lost gun sales, because gun sales are a small part, or none at all, of their overall inventory -- unlike the relatively small gun shop or firearms dealer.
Contrast this with protests that demand that companies make fundamental changes in aspects of their business-- like asking Walmart to stop selling clothes made in third-world sweatshops. Back to Hobbes:
"The progress of the past few weeks doesn't mean these companies have become enlightened -- it means they sense a shift in consumers and are rushing to
capitalize on it. Three-quarters of Americans say they want stricter gun laws (that's a 7% increase in the past few weeks). . . .
"The second thing to know about the post-Parkland corporate calculation is that boycotts aren't about sales -- they're about generating media coverage [and fear of damage to their reputation, which impacts the ability to recruit talented workers, which was such a factor in the North Carolina and Indiana trans bathroom controversies and what led Georgia's governor to veto a similar bill.]
"It's a useful way to think about consumer pressure: Not as pointless or perfect, visionary or futile, but simply as a form of regulation. Government . . . regulation -- is binding, but it's also painfully slow . . . and susceptible to capture by lobbyists and the weaknesses of our electoral system.
"Private regulation -- boycotts, shareholder advocacy, shouting on Twitter -- is more responsive, but it's inconsistent, unpredictable and only works when it fits a narrative that resonates with the media and the public.
"In other words, the past few weeks show that what's moving left isn't the corporations. It's the country."
The first article, by Michael Hobbes of HuffPost, focuses on how change in the private business sector has been part of this. He approaches it from a business analysis perspective.
"Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Kroger announced they would no longer sell firearms to kids under 21. REI [sports retailer] cut one of its suppliers for failing to produce a 'clear plan of action' on guns. BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, said it was considering 'gun-free investment funds.' Delta ended its discount program for NRA members. Others, from car rental companies to oil companies, severed connections from them too.
"Takes on corporate Americas's newfound social conscience have ranged [widely] from optimistic . . . to galactic. . . . But they're all missing the point. . . . the reality is that this latest wave of progress on gun control says less about these companies' feelings about AR-15s and more about what public pressure can -- and cannot -- achieve.
"Companies are taking a stand because they think it's good business."
The author goes on to explain that those who have responded will not lose much from lost gun sales, because gun sales are a small part, or none at all, of their overall inventory -- unlike the relatively small gun shop or firearms dealer.
Contrast this with protests that demand that companies make fundamental changes in aspects of their business-- like asking Walmart to stop selling clothes made in third-world sweatshops. Back to Hobbes:
"The progress of the past few weeks doesn't mean these companies have become enlightened -- it means they sense a shift in consumers and are rushing to
capitalize on it. Three-quarters of Americans say they want stricter gun laws (that's a 7% increase in the past few weeks). . . .
"The second thing to know about the post-Parkland corporate calculation is that boycotts aren't about sales -- they're about generating media coverage [and fear of damage to their reputation, which impacts the ability to recruit talented workers, which was such a factor in the North Carolina and Indiana trans bathroom controversies and what led Georgia's governor to veto a similar bill.]
"It's a useful way to think about consumer pressure: Not as pointless or perfect, visionary or futile, but simply as a form of regulation. Government . . . regulation -- is binding, but it's also painfully slow . . . and susceptible to capture by lobbyists and the weaknesses of our electoral system.
"Private regulation -- boycotts, shareholder advocacy, shouting on Twitter -- is more responsive, but it's inconsistent, unpredictable and only works when it fits a narrative that resonates with the media and the public.
"In other words, the past few weeks show that what's moving left isn't the corporations. It's the country."
* * *
It turns out that reporting both articles will result in an overly long post, so I'll save the other one for tomorrow.
It's about the remarkable young people from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, their unusually mature and articulate activism, and their remarkable government teacher who is responsible for their good education on the subject of government and politics -- how they all work.
The school may have been ill-prepared to stop an active shooter -- but at least some student leaders were extremely well-prepared to take up the fight to get something done about gun laws -- including a planned March for Gun Safety in Washington and around the country, on March 24
Ralph
It's about the remarkable young people from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, their unusually mature and articulate activism, and their remarkable government teacher who is responsible for their good education on the subject of government and politics -- how they all work.
The school may have been ill-prepared to stop an active shooter -- but at least some student leaders were extremely well-prepared to take up the fight to get something done about gun laws -- including a planned March for Gun Safety in Washington and around the country, on March 24
Ralph
Monday, March 12, 2018
Kansas' "Voter fraud" claim challenged in US District Court
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has made a political career (he's now running for governor) out of the aggressive pursuit of the virtually non-existent "fraudulent voters."
Besides having the most stringent laws and restrictions in his own state, he was appointed to co-chair (with VP Mike Pence as figure-head co-chair) a White House commission on election integrity, a dog whistle, code word for "voter fraud." Kobach demanded extensive data from states' voter registration rosters, which led to suspicion and non-compliance by many states. What was to be done with the data? Was this the beginning of a national registry with sensitive data all in one place? Too risky, many thought.
So the commission languished and was eventually de-activated after a democratic member of the group complained that he received no communications for months from the commission and there were no meetings.
Not to worry that Kobach has abandoned (or escaped) this controversial issue. In a U. S. District Court last week, Kobach was being sued over a Kansas law that requires Kansas residents to prove they are U.S. citizens when they register to vote. The suit was brought by several residents who were not allowed to vote in the 2016 election; they are represented by the ACLU.
According to Sam Levine of HuffPost, who is reporting this, the scene in the courtroom pitted the ACLU's top voting rights lawyer, Dale Ho, against the notorious Hans von Spavovsky, who has long been a zealot in the pursuit of "voter fraud." He is serving as Kobach's expert witness.
A former member of the Justice Department and a Trump appointee to the Pence-Kobach Commission on Election Integrity, von Spavovsky might be thought of as the idealogue behind the politician Kobach in their fight to keep "illegals" off the voting rolls.
They, of course, use the language of "election integrity" and "non-citizens" and "voter fraud." But repeated studies have shown, not only that this is not a major problem anywhere, but that in fact it is practically non-existent. In some studies, the few cases that are found usually turn out to have been mistaken attempts by people who thought they were eligible -- or actually were eligible to vote in another location. Or the quoted studies lack scientific methodology.
Now, let's pick up Sam Levine's description of the ACLU's Ho with the witness von Spavovsky, who is testifying as an expert witness for Kobach in the case.
* * *
Besides having the most stringent laws and restrictions in his own state, he was appointed to co-chair (with VP Mike Pence as figure-head co-chair) a White House commission on election integrity, a dog whistle, code word for "voter fraud." Kobach demanded extensive data from states' voter registration rosters, which led to suspicion and non-compliance by many states. What was to be done with the data? Was this the beginning of a national registry with sensitive data all in one place? Too risky, many thought.
So the commission languished and was eventually de-activated after a democratic member of the group complained that he received no communications for months from the commission and there were no meetings.
Not to worry that Kobach has abandoned (or escaped) this controversial issue. In a U. S. District Court last week, Kobach was being sued over a Kansas law that requires Kansas residents to prove they are U.S. citizens when they register to vote. The suit was brought by several residents who were not allowed to vote in the 2016 election; they are represented by the ACLU.
According to Sam Levine of HuffPost, who is reporting this, the scene in the courtroom pitted the ACLU's top voting rights lawyer, Dale Ho, against the notorious Hans von Spavovsky, who has long been a zealot in the pursuit of "voter fraud." He is serving as Kobach's expert witness.
A former member of the Justice Department and a Trump appointee to the Pence-Kobach Commission on Election Integrity, von Spavovsky might be thought of as the idealogue behind the politician Kobach in their fight to keep "illegals" off the voting rolls.
They, of course, use the language of "election integrity" and "non-citizens" and "voter fraud." But repeated studies have shown, not only that this is not a major problem anywhere, but that in fact it is practically non-existent. In some studies, the few cases that are found usually turn out to have been mistaken attempts by people who thought they were eligible -- or actually were eligible to vote in another location. Or the quoted studies lack scientific methodology.
Now, let's pick up Sam Levine's description of the ACLU's Ho with the witness von Spavovsky, who is testifying as an expert witness for Kobach in the case.
* * *
"Von Spakovsky has said that voter fraud is a serious problem both in Kansas and nationally. Questioned by Kobach in court . . . he pointed to a handful of cases in Kansas and hundreds of allegations of noncitizens on the voter rolls that date back to the 1980s.
"But Ho noted that von Spakovsky had . . . voiced support for the idea that being born in the United States doesn't guarantee U.S. citizenship. Ho intended to show that von Spakovsky had formed an opinion about the Kansas law before he knew much about it and had written an expert report on unreliable information.
"Von Spakovsky admitted that he was not aware of a single election in which noncitizen votes determined the outcome. He also conceded that his research into voter fraud had not been subjected to the same kind of rigorous peer review that academic work would face.
"Ho noted that von Spakovsky's expert report in the case contained incomplete information that allowed him to inflate the likelihood of noncitizens getting on the rolls. . . . Von Spakovsky also admitted that his entire understanding of voter fraud in Kansas was based on a spreadsheet prepared by Kobach's office of about 30 noncitizens who attempted to get on the voter rolls in one county in the state over the course of 18 years. Pressed if he knew the circumstances behind any of the cases, such as if any of the reports were caused by an administrative error or confusion, von Spakovsky said he did not.
"Von Spakovsky's testimony is crucial to Kobach's defense of the Kansas law. Kobach, who was also on the voter fraud commission with von Spakovsky, has to show that noncitizens getting on the voter rolls is a substantial problem and that nothing short of asking people to provide proof of citizenship can prevent it. . . .
"[U.S. District Judge Julie] Robinson also questioned von Spakovsky's understanding of voter fraud. In his Friday testimony, von Spakovsky said that any ineligible voter who cast a ballot was committing voter fraud because they were diluting the vote of a legitimate citizen.
"[Judge] Robinson wanted to know if he believed it would also be voter fraud if thousands of legitimate voters were blocked from casting ballots because of a voting restriction (the ACLU estimates the Kansas law affected more than 35,000 people). Von Spekovsky said that he didn't consider it to be fraud because every voter had an opportunity to obtain the necessary documents to register.
"Pressed later by Ho, he was unable to name any voting restriction in the United States that he believed to be a burden to voters."
"But Ho noted that von Spakovsky had . . . voiced support for the idea that being born in the United States doesn't guarantee U.S. citizenship. Ho intended to show that von Spakovsky had formed an opinion about the Kansas law before he knew much about it and had written an expert report on unreliable information.
"Von Spakovsky admitted that he was not aware of a single election in which noncitizen votes determined the outcome. He also conceded that his research into voter fraud had not been subjected to the same kind of rigorous peer review that academic work would face.
"Ho noted that von Spakovsky's expert report in the case contained incomplete information that allowed him to inflate the likelihood of noncitizens getting on the rolls. . . . Von Spakovsky also admitted that his entire understanding of voter fraud in Kansas was based on a spreadsheet prepared by Kobach's office of about 30 noncitizens who attempted to get on the voter rolls in one county in the state over the course of 18 years. Pressed if he knew the circumstances behind any of the cases, such as if any of the reports were caused by an administrative error or confusion, von Spakovsky said he did not.
"Von Spakovsky's testimony is crucial to Kobach's defense of the Kansas law. Kobach, who was also on the voter fraud commission with von Spakovsky, has to show that noncitizens getting on the voter rolls is a substantial problem and that nothing short of asking people to provide proof of citizenship can prevent it. . . .
"[U.S. District Judge Julie] Robinson also questioned von Spakovsky's understanding of voter fraud. In his Friday testimony, von Spakovsky said that any ineligible voter who cast a ballot was committing voter fraud because they were diluting the vote of a legitimate citizen.
"[Judge] Robinson wanted to know if he believed it would also be voter fraud if thousands of legitimate voters were blocked from casting ballots because of a voting restriction (the ACLU estimates the Kansas law affected more than 35,000 people). Von Spekovsky said that he didn't consider it to be fraud because every voter had an opportunity to obtain the necessary documents to register.
"Pressed later by Ho, he was unable to name any voting restriction in the United States that he believed to be a burden to voters."
* * *
Hans von Spakovsky has been cast in the public eye as someone who has consistently acted to disenfranchise poor and minority voters, in the guise of protecting voter integrity. He worked at the Justice Department and later at the Federal Elections Commission in the George W. Bush Administration. His FEC nomination was opposed both by Justice Department lawyers who knew him, as well as by Democrats in the Senate, and his 2005 nomination was withdrawn -- only to have Bush then appoint him during the congressional recess in January 2006. His current position is with the Heritage Foundation as head of Election Law Reform initiative.
Von Spakovsky and Kobach are two leading public figures in the battle against protecting voting rights for those who tend to vote for liberal and progressive candidates, especially the poor, elderly, and socially marginalized groups. If they think that proving citizenship is no burden, consider just this one example:
An elderly black woman who was born at home in a time when black people's births were often not recorded in court records. She can't get a birth certificate because her birth was never officially recorded; but she was born here and has never lived anywhere else. She lives in a rural area, far from the county registrar's office, with no public transportation. She has never had a bank account, credit cards, or charge accounts; and her utilities are paid for by a relative with whom she lives. What proof of citizenship is she supposed to supply?
Ralph
Sunday, March 11, 2018
At Gridiron Club dinner remarks, Trump refers to himself as a madman
I was still puzzling over this one-liner quote from President Trump's remarks at the Gridiron Club dinner for journalists -- almost a week before the meeting with Kim was announced. As published by CNN, this comment referred to Trump's openness to direct talks with Kim Jong Un.
"I won't rule out direct talks with Kim Jong Un. I just won't. As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that's his problem, not mine."
HUH? Was this a misquote? Is he really saying that he, himself, is the madman? So I looked up the full transcript -- and learned that it was in the self-deprecatory humor part of his speech. Oh. So, Trump is actually capable of being ironic, if someone else writes the lines for him.
It didn't last. The first part was indeed self-deprecatory, as is the usual thing at this kind of good-humored, public roasting. But, being Trump, he couldn't leave it at that. He then turned to his usual vicious attacks on his enemies, and then finally to extolling his own greatness.
But for one brief, shining moment, it was almost as if we were in a different time and place. Not Camelot exactly, but in a land of irony and intelligence and good will. And then Trump returned to being Trump.
Ralph
"I won't rule out direct talks with Kim Jong Un. I just won't. As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that's his problem, not mine."
HUH? Was this a misquote? Is he really saying that he, himself, is the madman? So I looked up the full transcript -- and learned that it was in the self-deprecatory humor part of his speech. Oh. So, Trump is actually capable of being ironic, if someone else writes the lines for him.
It didn't last. The first part was indeed self-deprecatory, as is the usual thing at this kind of good-humored, public roasting. But, being Trump, he couldn't leave it at that. He then turned to his usual vicious attacks on his enemies, and then finally to extolling his own greatness.
But for one brief, shining moment, it was almost as if we were in a different time and place. Not Camelot exactly, but in a land of irony and intelligence and good will. And then Trump returned to being Trump.
Ralph
"Bin Laden's driver acted with more integrity than Trump has shown" - Katyal
In the latest White House news about the Mueller probe, more than one staffer has said that President Trump is asking those who have already talked with Mueller's staff what they testified and what they said about him. This includes both Reince Priebus and Don McGahn, the White House counsel.
Experts are saying this may not in itself constitute obstruction of justice or witness tampering -- both of which are serious crimes -- but it adds to the "consciousness of guilt," which prosecutors try to assess when considering those charges. In other words, does the person act like they're guilty?
In response to questions about this latest behavior by the president, former Acting Justice Department Solicitor General (the #3 position) Neil Katyal, said this: "It looks so bad. Basically, you've got Donald Trump acting like a two-bit criminal." Katyal went on to say that, as a private defense lawyer, he had taken on the challenge of being the defense attorney for Bin Laden's driver. He said that "at every stage of the investigation, "Bin Laden's driver acted with more integrity than Donald Trump has shown in this."
[Please note that Neil Katyal, former #3 person in the Obama Justice Department, is a very careful, lawyerly type speaker. He is not given to spouting off for the media.]
And, here's the thing. All of this is getting reported back to Mueller. Potential witnesses, for their own good, are telling Mueller about any contacts they have with this person (Trump) who is under investigation. Trump's lawyers must have told him to stop talking, stop tweeting, just keep completely silent on the whole matter. But he either can't or defiantly won't.
Just take that last thing by itself. What does this say about Trump's fitness to be president that he is so incapable of taking advice from experts who know more than he does about a matter of such importance? It's not as if this is some abstract matter he won't take advice on -- this goes to his personal, serious liability for felony charges of obstruction of justice. Even here, he won't listen to his lawyers' advice.
Fast-forward a few weeks to a one-on-one meeting with Kim Jung Un. We can't trust Trump, who is delusional about his ability as a negotiator. He's terrible. He'll promise one thing and, the next day, put conditions on it that he didn't mention in the meeting.
Or he will make some rash decision, without knowing anything about the history or risks or alternate thinking of experts -- just going by his "gut instincts" -- and with what appears to be a complete lack of self-observation or consideration of his own prior mistakes.
The latest alarming leak from the White House is that Trump is saying he's "tired of being reined in." People interpret this as his coming close to getting rid of Chief of Staff Gen. Kelly and National Security Adviser McMaster, at least. Perhaps Tillerson as well. If what we've been seeing is a "reined in" Trump, I tremble in fear at what an "unreined in" Trump would do.
Although I want to believe that Kim has reason to be sincere and above board about this, there is reason for real concern that Kim may play Trump for a fool.
Ralph
Experts are saying this may not in itself constitute obstruction of justice or witness tampering -- both of which are serious crimes -- but it adds to the "consciousness of guilt," which prosecutors try to assess when considering those charges. In other words, does the person act like they're guilty?
In response to questions about this latest behavior by the president, former Acting Justice Department Solicitor General (the #3 position) Neil Katyal, said this: "It looks so bad. Basically, you've got Donald Trump acting like a two-bit criminal." Katyal went on to say that, as a private defense lawyer, he had taken on the challenge of being the defense attorney for Bin Laden's driver. He said that "at every stage of the investigation, "Bin Laden's driver acted with more integrity than Donald Trump has shown in this."
[Please note that Neil Katyal, former #3 person in the Obama Justice Department, is a very careful, lawyerly type speaker. He is not given to spouting off for the media.]
And, here's the thing. All of this is getting reported back to Mueller. Potential witnesses, for their own good, are telling Mueller about any contacts they have with this person (Trump) who is under investigation. Trump's lawyers must have told him to stop talking, stop tweeting, just keep completely silent on the whole matter. But he either can't or defiantly won't.
Just take that last thing by itself. What does this say about Trump's fitness to be president that he is so incapable of taking advice from experts who know more than he does about a matter of such importance? It's not as if this is some abstract matter he won't take advice on -- this goes to his personal, serious liability for felony charges of obstruction of justice. Even here, he won't listen to his lawyers' advice.
Fast-forward a few weeks to a one-on-one meeting with Kim Jung Un. We can't trust Trump, who is delusional about his ability as a negotiator. He's terrible. He'll promise one thing and, the next day, put conditions on it that he didn't mention in the meeting.
Or he will make some rash decision, without knowing anything about the history or risks or alternate thinking of experts -- just going by his "gut instincts" -- and with what appears to be a complete lack of self-observation or consideration of his own prior mistakes.
The latest alarming leak from the White House is that Trump is saying he's "tired of being reined in." People interpret this as his coming close to getting rid of Chief of Staff Gen. Kelly and National Security Adviser McMaster, at least. Perhaps Tillerson as well. If what we've been seeing is a "reined in" Trump, I tremble in fear at what an "unreined in" Trump would do.
Although I want to believe that Kim has reason to be sincere and above board about this, there is reason for real concern that Kim may play Trump for a fool.
Ralph
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