The House leadership just released their draft of the Affordable Health Care repeal/replace bill and it will increase costs for older Americans, and hurts poor and middle class Americans. Millions will lose coverage. It will make healthcare less affordable. It includes a tax break for insurance companies that pay their CEO more than $500,000. It freezes the Medicaid expansion and caps federal funding in order to cut taxes for the rich. It defunds Planned Parenthood. It also requires that insurance plans not cover abortion.
Please call your senators and representative and ask them to oppose this plan.
We have also prepared a script for you to use in calling your Representatives:
Script: Hi, my name is [name] and I am calling to ask Senator/Representative [name] to oppose the newly release ACA repeal plan. This bill would lead to millions losing coverage and those with coverage paying more for less comprehensive coverage. It will also hurt millions of poor Americans. Thank you.
Here’s your dose of “What the Fuck Is Going On” news (3/3/2017 Edition)
The Department of Homeland Security is considering forcefully separating adults and children who are apprehended illegally crossing the border together. Part of the reason for separating children from the adults who cross with them was to discourage illegal family crossings. Under such a policy, parents could be kept in custody while they await deportation, while the children would be kept under protective Department of Health and Human Services custody. (source)
An investigation for the Indianapolis Star revealed that VP Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct government business while he was governor of Indiana. The investigations shows that Pence used his personal AOL account to communicate with top advisors and that the account was hacked last summer. (source)
According to the White House, the Keystone XL pipeline will not have to comply with Trump’s executive order order prioritizing the use of American steel in pipeline projects. “The Keystone XL Pipeline is currently in the process of being constructed, so it does not count as a new, retrofitted, repaired or expanded pipeline.” This news comes after Trump has continually bragged in speeches and in meeting that the pipeline would be required to use U.S steel. (source)
A group of senators is urging the White House not to crack down on legalized marijuana. A letter was sent to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has signaled his desire to crack down on legal marijuana, requesting that the Department of Justice continues to allow individual state determine their pot laws. (source)
There is some concern over the House GOP tax reform plan that would would tax imports but exempt exports. Critics are saying the border-adjustment proposal will hike prices on essential goods and hurt working class Americans in regards to their personal budgets. (source)
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who was just confirmed on Wednesday, told employees that he is “not happy” about the agency’s upcoming budget request crafted by the White House. Zinke also spoke to reporters and expressed several concerns regarding the cuts being considered for his agency. One big worry is how these cuts might cause a state of disrepair when it comes to national parks. (source)
The Log Cabin Republicans are urging Trump to reinstate transgender protections stating that they have “deep concerns” about the decision. The Log Cabin Republicans are a group of gay conservatives who made news for their endorsement of Trump back in October. The group wrote a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos requesting that this move be reconsidered. (source)
The State Department released its annual report on the state of human rights across the globe, however Secretary of State Rex Tillerson chose not to hold the traditional press conference that has accompanied the release of the report. Instead, senior administration official took questions and comments by the press on the report under the condition of anonymity. Some worry that this signals a low priority on advancing human rights, something that Tillerson was questioned about during his confirmation hearings due to his vague answers. (source)
The White House is searching for a way via technology to stop leaks from coming out of the Oval Office. White House IT officials are looking to control how staffers use computers and cellphones, and have met with at least of private firm selling a network security system that would allow for this control. (source)
Trump and his advisors are having an internal debate on whether or not the U.S should pull out of the Paris climate deal. Trump has repeatedly promised to cancel the deal, and senior advisor Steve Bannon wants to follow through with the plan ASAP. However, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Ivanka Trump are urging Trump to keep the US in the treaty, fearing that an abrupt withdrawal would have “broad and damaging diplomatic ramifications.” (source)
Trump has officially granted his military commanders the power to authorize military strikes in certain countries without his permission. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and military leaders who serve under him now have the power to make decisions on their own, they say that Trump will still be kept up to date on the situations. (source)
More news has followed the revelations that Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with the Russian ambassador and then lied about it during his confirmation hearings: – Trump came out to defend Sessions again, stating he did nothing wrong. (source) – A White House spokesperson downplayed the news by saying that Sessions was just a “volunteer,” when he met with the ambassador. (source) – Legal experts say that Sessions has the risk of facing legal repercussions if a special counsel takes over Trump-Russia probe. (source)
Planned cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency are set to hurt Black and Latino communities disproportionately. Environmental groups are already warning that this will cause major problems in these communities due to abandoned industrial facilities, toxic pollutants, lead poisoning and cleanup, air pollution, marine pollution, etc. (source)
Here’s your dose of “What the Fuck Is Going On” news extended edition (2/11/2017 – 2/14/2017)
After a weekend of controversy, Michael Flynn has resigned from his position as national security advisor. Flynn appears to have lied about his communications with Russia and had conversation about lifting the sanctions against them. He did this before Trump even took office and it was also revealed that the DoJ had warned the Trump administration about Flynn. It was revealed today that Trump actually knew about Flynn’s conversations with Russia for weeks. Retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Keith Kellogg Jr. will serve as acting national security advisor until another replacement is named. (source)
Raids conducted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency continued to be carried out this weekend. Trump tweeted on Sunday that he’s merely keeping his promise to get rid of immigrants who are “drug dealers” and “gang members” however ICE confirmed that 25% of those picked up had no prior felony convictions. This is just the start of the broadened scope of powers given to ICE agents from Trump’s executive order. ICE then promised to meet with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss these raids, however ICE backed out of the meeting. (source) (source)
Former Goldman Sachs banker Steven Mnuchin was confirmed as the Secretary of Treasury. Mnuchin for Secretary of Treasury has been controversial because his professional history highlights the actions that led the country into financial crisis and he gained a large chunk of his wealth by foreclosing the homes of elderly homeowners and running a bank that hastily foreclosed on homeowners. (source)
Today Trump signed into law legislation that repeals a securities disclosure rule aimed at curbing corruption at energy and mining companies. This rule of the Dodd-Frank Act requires oil and gas companies to reveal taxes paid to foreign countries. Trump stated that this resolution “is a big signing, very important signing.” (source)
Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver has sponsored a bill in Tennessee that would no longer consider children born from artificial insemination as legitimate offspring to their parents. The bill is controversial and noted for it’s obvious attack against same-sex couples. Weaver claims that she’s doing this because of constitutional concerns raised by the Tennessee Attorney General in a divorce case between two women. (source)
Former Breitbart editor and deputy assistant to Trump, Sebastian Gorka, is the subject of some controversy due to some pictures of him during Trump’s inauguration. Some have noted that Gorka is wearing a medal originally issued by the Hungarian Order of Heroes, Vitézi Rend, a group who collaborated with Nazi Germany. Hungarians who came across the interview pointed out the medal and some Hungarian scholars have noted the medal does appear to identify with the Order of Vitéz. It’s also been noted that Gorka signed his PhD dissertation in as “Sebestyén L. v. Gorka” – “L. v.” being initials representing members of Vitézi Rend. This comes after he defended the White House’s omission of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. (source) (source)
After the border wall estimates came out (21.6 billion) and the numbers showed a much higher price than Trump and the GOP claimed it would be, Trump took to Twitter. He claims that he has not gotten involved in the negotiations yet and that the prices will come “way down.” (source)
A temporary restraining order was sought to halt the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. However on Monday, a federal judge, James Boasberg, denied their request. Another hearing to attempt to block the pipeline is scheduled for Feb. 27th 2017. (source)
Senior White House policy adviser Stephen Miller was asked on ABC News about the Trump administration’s claims of voter fraud. He repeated the same lie that millions voted illegally and then refused to provide evidence but ensured the audience that it’s true and when repeatedly asked to prove how it’s true said to go to New Hampshire and talk to the people there because everyone knows it’s true. He then whined about the media refusing to cover the mass voter fraud – despite there being no evidence and it being an outright lie. Miller also gave other interviews the same day where he said in regards to the travel ban that “the president’s powers here are beyond question,” and “that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned.” Naturally Trump later praised Miller for representing him and defending him in these interviews. (source) (source)
The Justice Department has begun it’s rollback of transgender rights for students. This all came quickly after Sen. Jeff Sessions was confirmed as attorney general, who has consistantly voted against LGBTQ rights and issues. It’s been a concern what Sessions could do in his position regarding active LGBTQ-related lawsuits and what this all means for the Justice Department as a whole. (source)
Trump complained on Sunday that the media refused to run stories on the “big crowds” of supporters lining the roads to the airport as he returned to Washington. However, the crowds were reported on but they were almost entirely protesters, largely protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline. (source)
Several conservative pundits keep trying to compare the protests against Trump’s secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, to segregation. Some even referencing Ruby Bridges, the first first Black child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in Louisiana. (source)
Trump’s most recent approval rating is lower than that of any president who has been in office less than a month, and is currently similar to the numbers former President Bush saw after Hurricane Katrina. Forty percent of Americans currently approve of Trump’s job performance, and 54 percent disapprove. (source)
Secret Service director, Joseph Clancy, has announced that he is stepping down and retiring next month. This resignation means that Trump will now be able to appoint his own choice or Secret Service director. (source)
[T]he
Government has taken the position that the President’s decisions about
immigration policy, particularly when motivated by national security
concerns, are unreviewable, even if those actions potentially contravene
constitutional rights and protections. The Government indeed asserts
that it violates separation of powers for the judiciary to entertain a
constitutional challenge to executive actions such as this one.
There
is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs
contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.
See Boumediene v. Bush, 553 U.S. 723, 765 (2008) (rejecting the idea
that, even by congressional statute, Congress and the Executive could
eliminate federal court habeas jurisdiction over enemy combatants,
because the “political branches” lack “the power to switch the
Constitution on or off at will”). Within our system, it is the role of
the judiciary to interpret the law, a duty that will sometimes require
the “[r]esolution of litigation challenging the constitutional authority
of one of the three branches.” Zivotofsky ex rel. Zivotofsky v.
Clinton, 566 U.S. 189, 196 (2012) (quoting INS v. Chadha, 462 U.S. 919,
943 (1983)). We are called upon to perform that duty in this case.
This evening: OH HERE IT IS. WaPo has nine sources who say Mike Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador during
the campaign. Flynn has said he didn’t. Mike Pence said there had been
no contact between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Neither
of those assertions is consistent with the fuller account of Flynn’s
contacts with Kislyak provided by officials who had access to reports
from U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies that routinely
monitor the communications of Russian diplomats. Nine current and former
officials, who were in senior positions at multiple agencies at the
time of the calls, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss
intelligence matters.
When
Putin raised the possibility of extending the 2010 treaty, known as New
START, Trump paused to ask his aides in an aside what the treaty was,
these sources said.
Trump then told Putin the treaty was one of
several bad deals negotiated by the Obama administration, saying that
New START favored Russia. Trump also talked about his own popularity,
the sources said.
Kushner,
36, has no traditional foreign policy experience yet has become the
primary point of contact for presidents, ministers and ambassadors from
more than two dozen countries, helping lay the groundwork for deals. His
influence extends throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and
the Asia-Pacific region.
Alabama
Gov. Robert Bentley has managed to sideline a key player in the ongoing
effort to investigate – and potentially impeach or prosecute – him by
appointing the state’s attorney general to succeed Sen. Jeff Sessions
in the US Senate. … The governor, who denies doing anything illegal,
now gets to name Strange’s replacement, an opportunity he could use to
install an official less interested in pursuing a case against him.
A
number of observers noted that Manchin’s daughter, Heather Bresch, was
chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Mylan when it dramatically hiked the price of EpiPens. The matter is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice, which Sessions will now helm.
Empowering
Patients makes the individual market more advantageous for healthier
people. It eliminates the essential health benefits package, which
mandated that all insurers cover a set of 10 different types of care,
including maternity services and pediatric care. Empowering Patients
would allow insurers to cut whatever benefits they no longer want to
cover — they could stop covering maternity benefits, for example, to
make their plans less attractive to women who plan to become pregnant.
This would likely benefit healthy people, who generally want less robust
coverage at a cheaper price. But it’ll send the cost of more
comprehensive plans — the plans sicker people need — skyrocketing. And
it could leave someone who wants, say, health insurance to cover her
maternity costs completely out of luck.
His confirmation vote has been scheduled for 2a.m. tonight. We see you, Mitch McConnell.
I think this is important to consider. A lot of people I know have taken the time to make phone calls, write e-mails, be heard by their representation (or most normally their staffers) and they’re probably wondering about their impact…
The vote on Tom Price for the Secretary of Health and Human Services is imminent. My Senator, Patty Murray, has attempted to push the vote back, but I don’t believe she has been successful. Price is wrong for America. He wants to:
✔ Repeal ACA
✔ Privatize Medicare
✔ Cut Medicaid
✔ Roll back women’s access to health care
We ask that you take a moment today and call your Senators! I spent the morning calling mine and they are concerned about this appointment.
Our friends at theoppofile.com put together a fantastic script to help you!
“Hi, my name is [Your name] and I am a constituent of [Senator’s name]. I am calling to urge you to vote no on Tom Price for Health and Human Services Secretary. He has dangerous beliefs on women’s health, healthcare funding, and other medical issues such as HIV/AIDS. Please join senate democrats such as Chuck Schumer and block Price’s confirmation. Thank you.”
I love the way all these Senators and Representatives are so baffled by all the angry calls they’re getting that they’re like “Who could these callers possibly be? They definitely can’t be from my district. They must be fakes and impostors.”
No fuckwits. You know that ‘silent majority’ you kept talking about? This is them. Turns out they’re liberal, they’re pissed and you’re going to be hearing a hell of a lot more from them until you start to actually fucking represent them.
Meg's Mumbles 