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Wealth after all is a relative thing




Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more. --Charles Caleb Colton



I WONDER WHAT THE KING IS DOING TONIGHT










FROM DAVOS PLAYBOOK -- Ryan Heath, Florian Eder and Matt Kaminski: "Top Trump administration figures [expected] here this week are: Trump himself, of course; Rex Tillerson (State); Steven Mnuchin (Treasury); Robert Lighthizer (Trade); Rick Perry (Energy); Wilbur Ross (Commerce); Kirstjen Nielsen (Homeland Security); Elaine Chao (Transportation); and Alexander Acosta (Labor). Kevin McCarthy, the Republican majority house leader, is registered, along with Jared Kushner and Gary Cohn from the White House and Dina Powell, formerly of the White House. Anthony Scaramucci, the prodigal cousin from Queens who last year was a lone Trump world representative, is back too -- though his bio fails to mention his 10-day stint in the White House last summer. Nancy Pelosi doesn't like the heavy delegation, but overlooks that there are as many Democratic members of Congress and governors here as Republicans." [PoliticoPlaybook, January 22, 2018]

TRUMP'S THURSDAY -- The president is in Davos. He will participate in separate bilateral meetings with the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He will later meet and attend a reception hosted by World Economic Forum Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab. He will have dinner with European business leaders. [POLITICOPLAYBOOK, January 25, 2018]








YDEN ADVOCATES FOR BANKING CYBERSECURITY MEASURES - Sen. Ron Wyden today is asking a council of U.S. banking regulators to require greater adoption of multi-step authentication in consumer banking transactions. "As a formal interagency body with the power to create uniform standards for financial institutions, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council has tremendous power to protect consumers from threats to their bank accounts, lines of credit, and other investments," Wyden wrote in a letter to Judith Dupre, executive secretary of the council.

The council recommended multi-factor authentication in 2011 guidance, but Wyden said the threat has evolved since then. "Given the seriousness of the cyber threats now faced by financial institutions and their customers, the FFIEC should update its guidance to institutions to better protect against internet-enabled banking fraud," he wrote. "Specifically, the FFIEC should require financial institutions to utilize multi-factor authentication for consumer bank accounts, and require institutions to provide opt-in support for more advanced, phishing-resistant forms of multi-factor authentication." [POLITICO Morning Cybersecurity, January 19.2018]



READ













SENATOR BOB CORKER 






CYBERSECURITY








DEMOCRATIC PARTY 






















MOST OF IDAHO AG-GAG LAW STRUCK DOWN: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit struck down most parts of Idaho's law that prohibits undercover investigations at livestock facilities. The decision upholds most of a 2015 lower court ruling, which found that the law violates the First Amendment's right to free speech and 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. The Idaho Dairymen's Association drafted a bill that became a 2014 law, while several animal welfare and environmental groups filed suit to challenge it.
Not a complete win: While the appeals court acknowledged being "sensitive to journalists' constitutional right to investigate and publish exposés on the agricultural industry," it kept in place two parts of the law that crack down on misrepresentations made to obtain records or gain employment with the intent of causing injury to farm ownership.
Next up could be Iowa: In October, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and four other public interest groups filed a lawsuit challenging Iowa's law. Multiple other states - including Arkansas, Montana and Kansas - still have their own versions of an ag-gag law in place [POLITICO's Morning Agriculture, January 5, 2018]

Drug charity sues HHS. A pharma-funded charity that helps patients pay their health insurance premiums and drug co-pays filed suit on Monday, arguing that HHS is unlawfully restricting its communication with donors.  Patient Services Inc. says that guidance issued by the agency's inspector general last year violates the company's First Amendment free speech rights. The guidance prevents the charity from obtaining information from corporate donors about drugs and patient populations that PSI says is crucial to operating the charity.  The lawsuit comes as the inspector general and the DOJ have ramped up scrutiny of such charities and their relationship with drug companies. OIG pulled its stamp of approval from the medical charity Caring Voice Coalition in late November after it found the organization gave drug companies too much influence over how it doled out assistance. Politico Pulse, January 9, 2018]



HEALTHCARE






LGBTQ 













U.S. AGRICULTURE 







HOUSE LAUNCHES BIPARTISAN EFFORT ON NUTRITION: Who says Republicans and Democrats can't get along? On Wednesday, a small group of New England Ds and Kansas Rs kicked off a confab that will focus on ways to improve nutrition as a means to improve the nation's health.  The Food Is Medicine Working Group, which is part of the House Hunger Caucus, was started by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan). The group aims to emphasize the link between nutrition programs and health outcomes - a small step toward better aligning agriculture and health policy.
Fruit and veggie Rx: "My hope for this working group is that we're able to explore our nation's anti-hunger safety net and to discuss ways to make it even better," McGovern said during a standing-room-only briefing on Capitol Hill.  McGovern listed several policies the group might take up, including: providing incentives to buy fruits and vegetables; bolstering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program education; looking at "medically tailored" meals to help people fight disease; and exploring programs that allow doctors to give their patients prescriptions for produce rather than medicine.
Both sides of the aisle: The briefing was notable for in part for its overarching theme of bipartisanship. Marshall, a conservative, heaped praise on McGovern and celebrated their friendship.  "If anything, we agree on the same goals, the same objectives: that we don't want any kids going to bed hungry at night, we want to make sure the elderly have access to nutrition. Truly, food is health," Marshall said. "Sometimes we may disagree on how we get there, but we certainly agree on the goals and objectives, and I appreciate your leadership."
Prenatal health in the spotlight: Marshall, an OB-GYN who said he has delivered an average of one baby per day during his career, discussed the importance of proper nutrition for pregnant women. He offered strong praise for the WIC program, which supports pregnant women, infants and young children.

A thumbs-up for milk and beef: The Kansas Republican, who represents one of the most farm-centric districts in the country, also touted milk and beef as particularly nutritious options for pregnant women, who are often deficient in iron, as well as vitamins D and B6. "I'm actually a big fan of whole milk," he said. "Where do you get iron from? Lean Kansas beef!" [POLITICO's Morning Agriculture, January 18, 2018]









In 2013, with a right-wing majority the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the 1965 bill that protected communities of color against racist voter suppression. Since then Republicans have had a field day eroding voting rights with voter ID laws, gerrymandered districts, huge purges from voter registration rolls, closing polling locations--all of which disproportionately suppress black and brown votes. Trump created a bogus voter fraud commission to advance the lie that rampant voter fraud--repeatedly proven to be nothing more a right-wing myth--threatens our elections. We sit at a crucial moment in history. Trump is attacking modern civil rights and dragging us closer each day to fascist rule. We cannot put up our best fight if Republicans continue to disenfranchise the people most harmed by Trump's agenda.
Before the 2013 Supreme Court decision to gut the VRA, the DOJ could block changes to election law in states with histories of voter suppression before they went into effect. Now, voter suppression rules can only be challenged after the fact, when people of color have already been blocked from the polls. 

The VRAA would establish the strongest voting rights laws ever passed by Congress. Not only would it require states with a recent history of voting discrimination to have any changes to voting laws approved by the DOJ, but it would also give the attorney general the authority to send federal election observers to monitor elections where there’s a risk of voting discrimination. 

We need Congress to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act, but it won't happen without a massive push from the left. 

Keep fighting,
Irna Landrum, Daily Kos


TRUMP – RUSSIA PROBE


Mueller's interest in a mysterious White House visitor
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team has been talking with George Nader, a little-known Bannon associate who boasts of his well-placed connections in the Middle East, Axios has learned.
Nader has spoken with Mueller's team at least twice, according to a source briefed on the investigation. A second source briefed on the investigation confirmed that Mueller's team has brought Nader in for questioning in the past week. The Special Counsel's office declined to comment.
Nader visited the White House frequently during the early months of the Trump administration. He became friendly with former chief strategist Steve Bannon, visiting his office regularly. A source familiar with the White House meetings said Jared Kushner also met Nader. After asking around about Nader, Kushner decided not to continue meeting with him, according to the same source.
Sources said Nader represented himself as being personally close to Mohammed bin Zayed — the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. But several sources who've observed Nader in action say he frequently name-drops, and that while he might be part of MbZ's extended entourage, it's unclear how influential he actually is.
A number of well-connected and experienced Middle East hands in Washington told me they'd never heard of Nader. I could only find a few people who have met him. Nobody was quite clear about what he does for a living.
A source who knows Nader told me he's originally Lebanese, and is now a U.S. citizen. I couldn’t reach him for comment. [Axios Sneak Peek, January 19, 2018]



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
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