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2019 State of the Union Address: Fact or Fiction

by with No Comment FeaturedGen ZPolitics

Various news organizations and media outlets analyzed the SOTU transcript. 

According to the U.S. Constitution, The President “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

President Donald Trump gave this address to a polarized Congress on Feb. 5, 2019, after a 35-day partial government shutdown – the longest in U.S. history. Topics covered included his continued call for immigration reform to the strong economy to the record number of women serving in Congress. 

Starting off his agenda, Trump states he wants to “reduce the price of health care and prescription drugs, to create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern and secure, and to pursue a foreign policy that puts America’s interests first.” According to POLITICO, the Trump administration has indeed lowered those costs, particularly on prescription drug prices.

Immigration reporter Ted Hesson confirmed Trump’s claim that in two years he has launched an “unprecedented economic boom.” The Bureau of Economic Analysis reported the U.S. gross domestic product has increased 4.2 percent in the second quarter of 2018, but Hesson added former President Barack Obama surpassed that level four times during his presidency.

We get into a sticky situation when Trump says unemployment has reached the lowest rate in over half a century. Politico staff counter this with links to articles that say in September, unemployment fell to 3.7 percent, the lowest it has been since December 1969. Last month, the unemployment rate was 4 percent.

Trump used his usual rhetoric towards illegal immigration from Mexico, “As we speak, large, organized caravans are on the march to the United States.” The Atlantic criticized President Trump for not devoting more time to speaking on Afghanistan, trade with China, or Venezuela. They reported he “devoted 463 words to immigration and 180 to the wall—a total of 643 words on a subject where he is bound to lose.”

Looming over the State of the Union address was the approaching Feb. 15 deadline to avoid another government shutdown. PBS Newshour reported Democrats have refused to accept Trump’s demands for a border wall, Republicans are increasingly unwilling to shut down the government, and the GOP does not support his plan to declare a national emergency if Congress won’t fund the wall. 

Trump continued by stating, “Year after year, countless Americans are murdered by criminal illegal aliens.” He brought Deborah Bissell, a woman whose parents were burglarized and shot to death in their home by “an illegal alien.” The couples granddaughter Heather and great-granddaughter Madison were also present. Politifact reported there is no quantitative proof specifically documenting how many U.S. citizens have been killed. This is because we do not have a national database on murders committed by immigrants in the country illegally. 

A striking display of applause from female Democrats dressed in white in solidarity for the suffrage movement came after Trump’s comment that women have filled 58% of the new jobs created in the last year. “You were not supposed to do that. Thank you very much,” Trump joked after the freshman congresswoman erupted in applause.

The internet more specifically erupted at the manner in which Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi clapped. Pelosi, who remained seated for a majority of the address, rose to her feet and clapped at President Donald Trump’s call to end the “politics of revenge.”

Although the Washington Post said Pelosi’s clap wasn’t sarcastic, it still made for some fantastic memes amidst the 82-minute speech.

A detailed fact check of the entire State of the Union address can be found at POLITICO.

SOTU Reactions… From the Left, Center, and Right

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

The president delivered his State of the Union speech last night (2/5/19) under a different set of circumstances… with a new speaker of the House in Nancy Pelosi and a Democratic-led House of Representatives, not to forget a government shutdown looming, all eyes were on Trump. The fear of socialism, immigration, and the border wall were just a few of the many topics he spoke about.

We asked a few of our contributors to weigh in and this is what they had to say…

“In regards to the State of the Union address, I had a hard time deciphering if it was truly the annual update on the process of our Nation or a cameo-filled tribute to the President by the President, flashing all the cool things he has done. One thing I will say is the President has improved his cadence while speaking, as I thankfully didn’t cringe during the entire speech. He hid his usual brash outbursts; however, his viewpoints, particularly on the issues of the Southern border and international relations, were not the most unifying. I found it particularly offensive that he did not address, or better yet THANK, all the federal employees and contractors who worked for 30+ days without getting paid. I pray for the sake of our Nation that the President and Congress come to a middle ground so we don’t have a second government shutdown.” – Left Healthcare Professional 

“Listening to the SOTU left me angry and confused.  It felt like a lot of fluff about unity and being morally correct in the same speech he demonized immigrants.  Once again #45 finds way to instill fear instead of understanding just in an effort to get his way. I would have loved to hear about a real threat to America, such as gun control, our crippling education system, immigration reform, and police brutality.  But none of that was mentioned, just another way to push his agenda of fear.”  – Center Single Mom 

“It was much less divisive than anything we have seen from DC in months. The president remains at odds from the House, but undoubtedly he’s going to get a bounce off the floor he’s been on since January. I don’t know that it changes much in the long-term. The wall is coming – and with it will be the court challenges of what’s pretty certain to be an executive action. The Mueller probe will likely bring a House effort against the president no matter what the findings, and polarization is likely to get more poignant rather than less. But for now, the president has some breathing room, and there is still a lot left of his agenda that’s out there to capture. ” – Right Army Veteran   

Perspectives are important, from the Left, Center, and Right. We should not focus on Trump’s approval rating, which will get an inevitable bump similar to most presidents after they rally the country in their SOTU speech. Instead, we should focus on the citizens who are impacted by his leadership and the gridlock in Washington.

Do you agree with our perspectives?

Venezuela 2.0: The Insanity Continues

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobal

Once upon a time, Venezuela used to be the wealthiest nation in South America. Unfortunately, for years, the country has been caught in a violent downward spiral over political discontent, insane hyperinflation, food scarcity, and gaps in power and electricity. 

Three million and counting Venezuelans have left the nation in the last few years to survive. In my last take on Venezuela, I explained in detail the insanity that had taken over and the driving force (Maduro) that is pushing the nation over the edge. I want to provide an update on the situation and what you, as a reader need to know.

Two presidents?

Yes, you read it right. Asking that question in most countries would be absurd, but as of January 23rd, 2019, the question makes perfect sense in Venezuela. On this day, Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself to be the new acting president of the nation and would assume the executive branch of powers moving forward.

This move was a direct “come at me bro” to Nicolás Maduro, who had been sworn into office again just two weeks ago. As expected, good ol’Maduro did not take it kindly to someone attempting to wrest power from his hands. Going as far as to call this move a ploy from the U.S. to remove him from power. 

Why are there two presidents?

Nicolås Maduro received power directly from his socialist mentor and predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Even with the direct line of succession going to him, he only won by a thin margin of 1.6%. From the very first few months of being in office, Nicolås Maduro’s government sent the Venezuelan economy into a free fall, which led to the people of the nation to blame Maduro for the nation’s woes. 

To make people hate him even more, Maduro went as far as to stage a sham election in 2018 to cement his power for a 6-year term, which most opposition parties boycotted.

His opponents were either barred from running the election against him and fled the country in fear for their lives, or were merely put into jail to remove the threat of Maduro losing completely.

How is this all coming together now?  

After being re-elected to a second term in elections in May 2018, Mr. Maduro announced in a very odd way that he would serve out his remaining first term and only then be sworn in for a second term on January 10th. It was because of this swearing-in process that the opposition got its second wind to resist and oppose. The national assembly states that because of Mr. Maduro going through some ridiculous process of becoming president, that his election was not fair, which currently makes Mr. Maduro a dictator of sorts to the people of Venezuela.

This is the narrative that is being pushed forth specifically by Juan Guaidó. Citing the articles of the Venezuelan constitution 233, and 333, the legislative body declared that in such cases like the current one, requires for the national assembly to take over as acting president hence why Juan Guaidó declared himself as president on January 23, 2019.

How is the rest of the world taking it so far? 

Well, our great commander In-Chief has officially recognized Juan Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela, literally moments after Juan stated he would be taking on the role of acting president. Of course, that sparked a response from Mr. Maduro, who once again started with the same rhetoric that the U.S. government was out to get him. In an idiotic attempt to show some measure of control, Mr. Maduro broke off ties with the U.S and told the diplomats they had 72 hours to leave, which he abandoned three days later stating that each country should keep an “interest-section” open in their respective capitals.

What’s going to happen now?

Well, as of now Juan Guaidó is urging the people of Venezuela to keep protesting and resisting until the nation is liberated. He hopes with the majority of western powers on his side, and for his cause, he will be able to take control completely and bring Venezuela back from the edges of total ruin. Though he is president of the national assembly, this body of the government was rendered powerless in 2017 by the creation of the National Constituent Assembly.

Currently, the military is the only force that can indeed make an impact and break the stalemate between Maduro and Guaidó. Though currently, they are loyal to Maduro, because of consistent pay raises and reasonably good treatment of the armed forces. Following the election on Jan 23, top Venezuelan commanders tweeted their support for Maduro, so this situation does not bode all too well to providing any stability to an already unstable country.

We will have to pay close to attention to the next move either president makes now. The biggest challenge, and possibly the most significant opportunity as well falls on the man who can reduce the insane hyperinflation that the country is going through right now. The world’s the stage, and Venezuela has just started Act II. 

Rich, White, and Male – The Perfect Recipe For Privilege

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedGen Z

By now, it feels like most everyone has seen the viral video of Covington Catholic High School student, Nick Sandmann’s encounter with elder of the Omaha Nation, Nathan Phillips at the Indigenous People’s March that took place in Washington D.C. Phillips sings and beats his drum as Sandmann (wearing a Make America Great Again hat, a well-known symbol of hatred) stands in an uncomfortably close proximity to him, staring him down and smirking tauntingly. The video was shared on social media and instantly sparked national conversation.

According to an article from The Washington Post, Nathan stated that he “felt threatened” by Sandmann and the group of teenage boys, some who were also wearing MAGA hats. As public outrage continued to increase, defense of Nick and his peers began to pour in as well. Some Twitter users — including Donald Trump — felt that the backlash was unfair.

However, other Twitter users were aware of the double standard that these defenses represent.

Donald Trump’s defense of Sandmann and his classmates is especially hypocritical, considering that he took out full page advertisements in all four of New York City’s major newspapers, calling for The Central Park 5 (a group of Black and Latino boys accused of rape and assault) to be given the death penalty. Even after they were exonerated by DNA evidence, Trump has refused to apologize. The difference between the boys at Covington High and The Central Park 5?

The boys at Covington High are White.

Nick and his classmates that attended the Indigenous People’s March wearing MAGA hats and making racist gestures have been made out to be victims of persecution. Defenders say that the general public is being too hard on them because they are just children. However, when Black children are murdered by the police, they don’t receive this type of empathy. When 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed within seconds of police arrival at the park that he was sitting in, he was blamed for his death and repeatedly referred to as a man, a reminder that victimhood and youthful innocence are often denied to Black children. This is similar to the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who at the time of his death was no more than a couple of years older than Sandmann, who is a junior in high school. After being shot and killed in Ferguson, Missouri, many did not perceive Brown to be a victim or anyone’s child. Michael Brown was blamed for his death for a variety of factors, including his height, weight, and an allegedly checkered past that led the New York Times to refer to him as “no angel.” Michael Brown, unlike Nick Sandmann, was not given the chance to make a television appearance and tell his side of the story. He, like Tamir Rice, was denied humanity even in death. Childhood is something that Black children are routinely stripped of, yet it is given to white children in abundance.

White male privilege allows Nick Sandmann to antagonize a Native American man and be given the chance to do a segment on the Today Show. His wealth — another form of privilege — is what allowed his family to hire a PR team to spin the story. White male privilege is what allows him and his peers to be defended due to their youth, meanwhile, Black children are told they deserve bullets, and Brown children much younger than them are separated from their parents, then locked in cages while being told they deserve to be there. The second chances, forgiveness, patience, and protection that White males like Sandmann, along with Brock Turner and Brett Kavanaugh are often given, are not provided to children of color. White children often have racist behavior written off as nothing more than a “youthful indiscretion”, while Black and Brown children are often jailed or killed for actual mistakes made during our youth. We as a society must continue pushing back, demanding accountability, and working to dismantle the system of white supremacy that allows such privilege to exist. As long as white privilege continues to be upheld in this country, White boys like Nick Sandmann will continue to escape facing consequences for their actions, and we will continue to suffer as a result.

The Unknown Heroes of Rojava

by with No Comment FeaturedGen ZGlobal

When people think of war, they imagine the US Marine Corps or the British Royal Air Force. These are the men who receive our gratitude and respect. There are many men and women; however, that seem to go unnoticed. In 2014, The Islamic State declared their “Caliphate” inside of a Mosque in the city of Mosul, Iraq. The videos posted by the Islamic State horrified many people across the world striking fear into their hearts. There were some men and women who couldn’t sit idly and let the Islamic State continue their brutal oppression, so these everyday people, many of whom had zero military experience, left for Rojava (Western Kurdistan) to fight alongside US-backed YPG and YPJ forces. 

It is believed, around a thousand western volunteers have joined their ranks, many of whom have since lost their lives. These men and women live and die for the sake of humanity without anyone knowing their names. An IT technician named Jac Holmes from Bournemouth, UK had joined them. He quickly became infamous for his drive and skill. He carried out many operations and helped liberate the de-facto capital of the Islamic State, Raqqa. On October 23, 2017, Jac lost his life, he stepped on an IED left behind by the Islamic State. Nobody knows his name, not even most British people. He had fought bravely and with honor yet receives zero recognition for his selfless acts.

Why are his actions deemed less honorable than those in the military? He died fighting against the Islamic State and should be honored as a hero. When Trump wants to withdraw from Syria it disgusts me, it is a blatant betrayal to our loyal Kurdish allies and to all western volunteers. Jac had given his life to bring peace to Rojava; however, this peace is threatened by Turkey’s looming invasion. The best way to honor these unknown heroes is by rejecting Trump’s rash decision and demanding we stay and protect our Kurdish partners.  

Trump Pulls Troops… Kurds Turn to Assad?

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobal

As a result of Trump deciding to pull troops out of Syria, the Kurds have decided to turn to President Bashar Hafez al-Assad and the Syrian government for protection, which only complicates an already complex situation. The Kurds, who were backed by the US, are now relying on Assad for help, which is less than ideal for the US and our allies.

Similar Read: Trump’s December, A Week To Remember 

What could all this possibly mean in the near future…

1. Turkey moves on the Kurds in Syria (meaning they also attack their Kurds), which brings Kurdistan to fight with Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syrian Kurds, and possibly Azerbaijan and Armenia in an extreme case.

2. Syria backs up the Kurds, which means Russia also backs the Kurds.

2a. Syria, in turn, supports a free Kurdistan in order to garner further support, which would ultimately disrupt Turkey, Iraq, and Iran from holding on to their Kurdish population.

2b. Russia still wants a piece of Turkey for shooting down that fighter jet a while back. If confirmed Russia intervention on behalf of Kurds, does Turkey try to activate NATO, which by treaty pulls the US in?

3. Syria, with Russian support, gives the Kurds a new ally and, in turn, means we potentially lose a foothold in the region as we’ve burned the Kurdish population too many times.

Trump’s December, A Week To Remember

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

This has been a rough month for the Trump presidency, especially the week of December 17th, 2018… certainly a week to remember…  

The government shutdown, although a partial shutdown, it’s still significant considering Trump requested $5 billion for border wall funding and failed to get the votes needed from Congress. It’s important to note that Republicans currently control the three branches of government, yet have failed to deliver on the Trump’s campaign promise. The Dems won the House in the November midterms, so expect this fight to continue with Trump and Republicans losing leverage as he prepares for the second half of his first term.

Pulling troops from Syria and Afghanistan, an announcement that came from left field has everyone including our allies shaking their heads and trying to prepare for the aftermath of such a decision. It’s rumored that Turkey President Erdoğan informed Trump of his plan to move in on the Kurds and Trump made the decision to pull our troops shortly thereafter. It’s the ultimate betrayal to our allies and the news certainly shook members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans.

James Mattis, Secretary of Defense, immediately resigned following Trump’s announcement to pull troops. Mattis, a highly respected military official, leaving the White House is a historic resignation. His resignation letter didn’t even include the generic salutation most cabinet resignations mention. Scheduled to officially leave his post in February, Trump has decided to replace him much sooner… on January 1st, former Boeing Executive Patrick Shannahan will assume the position as acting Secretary of Defense. Shannahan’s authority will be extremely limited until he’s confirmed by the Senate. 

The markets are down… a lot. In fact, the markets are having their worst year since the Great Recession. Trump often brags about the markets regarding the success of his Presidency and policy decisions, but he’s avoided the topic as of late. Many fear that the run might be over. On Sunday (12/23/18), Steven Mcuchin, Secretary of Treasury, called the Chief Executives of the United States 6 largest banks (Goldman, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, BOA, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley). He reported that they have “ample liquidity” to continue lending to consumers and businesses, unlike times during the 2008 financial crisis. But why is such a confirmation needed? 

Trump signed First Step into law, aka the Criminal Justice Reform Act. While it only impacts the criminal justice system at the federal level, which is roughly 10% (181,000) of the total US prison population (2.1 million), it’s certainly a historic piece of legislation; yet, failed to get the news coverage it deserved. So what exactly does the bill do…

  • It further reduces the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences at the federal level, which partially addresses the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people in this country.
  • It takes several meaningful steps to ease mandatory minimum sentences under federal law.
  • Inmates can now get “earned time credits” by participating in more vocational and rehabilitative programs. Such credits would grant them early release to halfway houses, which would increase their opportunities to participate in educational programs and likely reduce the recidivism rate.

All of this news is amidst Mueller’s Russia investigation which continues to be a staple in the daily news. Rumors have surfaced that Mueller will release his report as early as February, but who knows. Either way, this has been a rocky December, especially the week of December 17th. And with Dems taking over the House, it won’t get any easier for Trump and top Republicans to govern. 

Mueller’s Russia Investigation: Why this Big NothingBurger will be Trump’s Saving Grace

by with No Comment Gen Z

Let’s face it folks… It’s been over two years since the FBI used real Russian Collusion via Hillary’s Campaign financing, the infamous Trump Dossier through Fusion GPS, and Russian Operatives to start investigating Trump for fake Russian Collusion.  And it’s been a year and a half since Mueller started spending millions of dollars trying to prove Russian Collusion… and NOTHING.  They used the Hillary-financed fake (or at least unverified) dossier to start surveilling Trump’s associate, Carter Page, and others.  And yes, they did ‘tap’ Trump Tower looking for information. They said they did all this to protect poor vulnerable Mr. Trump from the big bad Russians, yet they did not surveil the Hillary campaign who actually did get hacked by the Russians!  Hmmm? Seems odd… almost like they had other reasons for doing so? 

So after two years and many lives of very decent (Gates, Papadoplous & Flynn) and some not so decent (Manafort & Cohen) people being ruined by this investigation, there have been many indictments.  The charges so far include tax evasion and lying to the FBI, but nothing to tie any of these men to Russia and certainly not collusion. Mueller is ruining lives by trying to force these men and others to take plea deals so he can squeeze them for other information on Trump or bury them with legal fees if they don’t falsely admit to lying.  It’s a sad time for our Constitution when an individual’s rights and freedoms are violated for political reason or any reason for that matter.

So how is Mueller’s Russia Investigation Trump’s Saving Grace?  

It starts with the fact that after 2 years, NO American citizen has been charged with anything even close to collusion with the Russians.  Zero.  And that is very significant.  Trump has tweeted ‘no collusion’ and ‘witch hunt’ with regard to Mueller’s investigation hundreds of times, which in essence established the benchmark Mueller needs to hit to prove that the investigation was worthwhile — proof of Trump working with Russia to influence the election. For many of his supporters, anything short of that mark is indeed a sign that Mueller has come up dry.  And that may prove to be Trump’s saving grace. 

One of the main issues facing the President is campaign financing.  That story alone is exceptional in the history of presidential campaign behavior.  Even the idea that a President would be implicated in an illegal payoff to secure an election would be an unusual occurrence in U.S. history, especially one where he won by less than 100,000 votes in 3 key states. 

Trump set the high standard of misbehavior at ‘direct collusion’ months before any of this other stuff emerged. For every new revelation about criminal activity by people related to the Trump campaign or for every new development in the campaign finance story, the immediate response from Trump and his base is consistent: “Where’s the collusion? Show me the collusion.”

Imagine if this Russia investigation or these campaign finance allegations didn’t exist?  Imagine if Trump’s evolving lies about what happened were the most significant issue the President faced? The direct pressure he faced would probably be more significant.  The Russian Collusion ‘Witch Hunt’ will never implicate Trump in any criminal activity. The fact that it occupies the public’s minds right now instead of the campaign finance issue gives Trump cover.  So, for all of his dislike of the Mueller Russia Investigation, it just might end up being his Saving Grace.

Cohen Stands Alone

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

As my father used to say, “A man without a center can have no sides.” That saying seems perfectly suited to Michael Cohen, former fixer for Donald Trump, as he was sentenced today to three years in prison despite loudly and vehemently decrying his former boss – to whom he once declared fervent loyalty.

And yet the President sent him clear signals in pardoning Scooter Libby – a man with little need of a pardon, having already had his sentence commuted, regained his voting rights and even having been reinstated to the bar.

Libby was, in fact, a good model for a man who finds himself in his initial position. Libby stayed loyal to VP Cheney and (perhaps?) to President Bush, went to jail quietly and returned with a place to go, the same powerful friends, a life and the ability to earn a living. Why side with Mueller when your ally is a multi-billionaire with pardoning power, willing to use that power in the first year of his term? 

Cohen would have been wise to have taken a hint. Manifort surely seemed to in his final days. Upon realizing he was still likely to see prison, Manafort self-destructed as a witness, preferring some time in prison to a lifetime of isolation from friends, colleagues, and his profession.

Cohen it seems was never that smart. Making a career compensating for a lack of skills and work ethic with ethical flexibility, he found himself blowing in the winds of more determined men – and so he finds himself today as he heads off to prison. He is likely to find few friends in jail as a ‘rat’ who turned on his boss, and may find even fewer as he returns home without his profession, friends, or his former self-professed mentor.

Don’t feel sorry for Cohen. He’s a criminal. And what’s more, he’s a buffoon of a criminal who sacrificed his ethics for his boss, and then sacrificed his boss for nothing at all.  

Don Lemon… Domestic Terrorism and Revisionist History

by with No Comment CultureFeatured

A few weeks ago, CNN Host Don Lemmon inflamed the nation when he said, “The biggest threat in this country is White men.”  Well, he didn’t inflame the nation, mainly just Conservative White men, including President Trump.

Side note, writing President Trump still shocks me. It’s like early in the New Year when you haven’t gotten used to writing January yet. 

Anyway. 

The same people Don Lemmon inflamed with his comment are literally the same people who often say don’t talk about race, don’t talk about slavery, so no surprise there. The comment was NOT a comment against White men, it was against the White men who have been the chief architects for most of the recent domestic terror in this nation. While so many people dwelled on his comment, I think it’s important to note that White men have largely been responsible for the gross atrocities in our nation… specifically the genocide and damn near decimation of Native Americans, and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. As much as some people might not want to hear it or dispute it… that’s history. 

The surprise for me is the repeated attempts to push revisionist history and narratives that are completely false. Notions such as “the Civil War was over states rights,” or that slavery does not have deep roots in the minds of extremists. Extremists that have used their boisterous ways and power to influence others. In fact, not only have they minimized the wrongs of this nation, in many cases, they’ve attempted to suggest that said wrongs never occurred.

The storyline is simple… White Conservative/Republican men refuse to acknowledge that the lion share of mass shootings and serial killings in this country are carried out by hate groups and civil militias comprised of White men, or as some media outlets truthfully refer to them, White Supremacists. (Fact.) 

Revisionist history… really bad revisionist history… so bad, it reminds me of an episode on Martin in which Martin and Gina tell very different stories of how they first met. Each told their version of the story with extreme bias. The real truth of how they first met had to be told by a neutral party to avoid bias and blatant lies. It’s a very funny episode because it’s TV… not real life minimized to talking points by the extreme right regarding issues of humanity in this nation.