Labels

Denial is one of the most common defense mechanisms that we all use, pretending that an uncomfortable thing did not happen.



Russian interference in the 2016 election   






WILBUR ROSS
Secretary of Commerce   






REPUBLICAN PARTY








"Hell on earth." That's how the UN Secretary-General described the situation in Syria this week. Entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Families trapped and hoping to survive another day.

As the conflict in Syria drags on with recent appalling violence in Eastern Ghouta, families displaced by the war are at even greater risk. Despite the immense scale of the crisis, it risks becoming another forgotten emergency.

Brutal and unrelenting bombing continues and the Syrian people are in desperate need.  The UN Refugee Agency is on the ground coordinating a massive response throughout the region. With help from people like you, UNHCR is leading efforts to protect and shelter refugees — working across conflict lines to provide critical aid under extremely dangerous circumstances.
We don’t have any time to waste.

Sincerely,

Anne-Marie Grey
Executive Director and CEO
USA for UNHCR

March 7, 2018

UNHCR is leading efforts to protect and shelter refugees PLEASE DONATE


Kurds withdraw from ISIS front lines, citing disappointment with U.S. "The Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they were pulling fighters off the front lines in the province of Deir al-Zour, where Islamic State fighters have been putting up a fierce fight in a pocket of territory on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River… "The move follows an effort by the Trump administration to assuage Turkish ire over the U.S. military's close relationship with Syrian Kurdish forces." [The D Brief, March 7, 2018]



INFRASTRUCTURE

ABOUT THOSE PAY-FORS: Meanwhile, Senate Democrats Wednesday unfurled their own $1 trillion infrastructure proposal, which they revamped with offsets by undoing some of the biggest tax code changes made last year. That amounts to funneling two-thirds of the deficit spending enabled by the 2017 tax law for infrastructure - a move Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended, saying the federal government has long financed roads and bridges "because the external benefits are far greater" than cutting taxes for the top earners and for corporations... . The latest rollout serves mainly as a political marker on jobs and the economy ahead of the midterm elections in November. "This will be a major thing we will talk about, and the contrast between tax cuts for the wealthiest people as opposed to middle-class jobs is one that we will forcefully advocate in the fall," Schumer said during a press conference. While some numbers were adjusted here and there, the plan is largely derivative of the Dems' January 2017 infrastructure blueprint.
Thought bubble: If Senate Democrats are already saying they're making infrastructure a campaign issue by juxtaposing their plan with the GOP tax overhaul, that doesn't bode well for a sweeping bill's chances of passage before the midterms.
And about those tunnels: Schumer also sounded an optimistic note about Congress including funding for the Gateway program in the fiscal 2018 omnibus package expected soon, saying he wouldn't "get into the politics of it." "The good news is, we have bipartisan support for getting it done, and from everything I hear, it's all-systems-move-ahead, despite what the president had to say," he added. 
Budget nugget: "It's also trickier than it sounds to strip out specific Gateway funding. As [Rep. Mario] Diaz-Balart told us today, there's no actual mention of 'Gateway' in the bill. The money comes from a broader account, which has been funded on a yearly basis. The only way to ensure Gateway doesn't get the cash is to write new language, which Diaz-Balart said he doubts would happen. The final decision will be made by leadership." [POLITICO's Morning Transportation, March 8, 2018]





ELECTIONS





READ













REFUGEES






RACE












ENVIRONMENT

GOING NUCLEAR: Led by House Energy and Commerce Environment Chairman John Shimkus, a group of lawmakers took to the floor for a special hour Monday night to rally support for their bipartisan nuclear waste legislation H.R. 3053 (115) . "We want to highlight to our leadership in the House and our Appropriators that we need to get money into the final omnibus to do the adjudication, to fight for the science," Shimkus said on the floor. As for the broader bill's prospects if it hits the floor? Shimkus confidently projected his measure would "get probably 300 votes out of 435." Joining more than a dozen lawmakers speaking during the special session was Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden. Shimkus' bill made it through committee last year on a 49-4 vote, though Rep. Joe Barton said last month lawmakers were at an "impasse." [POLITICO's Morning Energy, March 6, 2018]







JEFFERSON BEAUREGARD SESSIONS III
Attorney General






POLITICS







NOTE: The news sources here vary.  Not all sources have the same credibility, but in an effort to share some different perspectives, they are included here.  This compendium itself cannot claim to be unbiased.  Please take into consideration where these different perspectives originate in assessing their value.  Thank you

NOTE: I have no official connection to any organization from which information is shared.. Occasionally, I post informational material and/or an opportunity to donate or join as  a "community service" announcement.  These again are shared for their varying perspectives.

Any books listed are random or topic-related to something else in the post.  Think of these as a "library bookshelf" to browse.  They are shared for informational or entertainment value only, not as being recommended
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment