May those who are struggling to reveal "truth" stay focused and strong
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REX
TILLERSON
Secretary of State |
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LGBTQ
|
Canadian Eric Radford became the
first openly gay man in Winter Olympics history to earn a gold medal with Team
Canada's figure skating win [Good Morning from CNN, February 12, 2018]
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| JUDICIARY |
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| INFRASTRUCTURE |
History lesson: To recap the fiscal 2018 budget proposal, the White House
suggested a 13 percent cut to DOT's discretionary programs, slashing spending
on Amtrak's long-distance services, zeroing out the TIGER program and phasing
out the popular Capital Investment Grant program for transit projects. We'd be
surprised to see the latest request deviate much from the inaugural one, and an
administration official hinted as much on a call with reporters over the
weekend: The budget has "some reductions in things like transit funding
and TIGER grants, and things where the administration thinks that
infrastructure funds haven't been spent efficaciously. And so, therefore, we
want to do it in a better, more focused way." [POLITICO's Morning Transportation, February 12, 2018]
- Infrastructure Week! (Finally):
Rural lawmakers may be disappointed that President Donald Trump's
infrastructure proposal being rolled out this morning lacks
a pot of money just for broadband. Senior Trump administration officials
confirmed over the weekend that Trump is proposing $200 billion in direct
federal spending, with $50 billion for rural infrastructure in the form of
block grants to states and covering many modes of infrastructure, including
broadband. These rural funds would be fast-tracked and have few strings
attached. Trump expects to pay for the direct infrastructure spending through
cuts proposed in his fiscal 2019 budget, also set for release today,
an official said.
- Some GOP lawmakers as well as Democrats say broadband requires
more. Senate Broadband Caucus co-chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told John
last month that if the White House doesn't include an internet set-aside,
Congress should "reshape" the proposal. She argues that governors
would be more inclined to use cash for roads and bridges than broadband if
infrastructure modes are lumped into one rural fund. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a member of GOP
leadership and senior Commerce Committee member, also upped his rural broadband
talk in recent weeks. An aide said Blunt backs a rural broadband deployment
set-aside, even if the Commerce panel has to fashion it. Trump officials have stressed
a desire to cut the environmental permitting process down to two years or less,
a move they say will help infrastructure deployment. [POLITICO's Morning Tech, February 12, 2018]
Progressive Congress Action Fund:
“Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Is a Scam, Plain and Simple”
February 12, 2018
Press Contact: Olivia Alperstein
olivia@progressivecongress.org
(609) 206-7920
Washington, D.C.—On February 12, 2018, President Donald Trump and his
administration announced a proposal for a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan,
which would privatize roads, bridges, water systems, and other infrastructure
while largely leaving the cost and burden of implementation to state and local
governments. In response, Dr. Gabriela Lemus of Progressive Congress Action
Fund released the following statement:
“Trump’s
infrastructure plan is a scam, plain and simple. Trump’s Wall Street cronies
stand to gain billions, while state and local governments will be forced to
foot the bill. This is highway robbery, and they’re charging us a toll for
being robbed.
“Under the guise of investing in repairing our broken and crumbling infrastructure, the Trump plan would sell off public infrastructure to Wall Street banks and foreign investors, meaning higher tolls and fees for ordinary working families while states are forced to foot the bill. Wall Street and foreign investors will rake in billions and get rewarded with deregulation, giving them a greater opportunity to wreck the environment, implement shoddy cost-cutting plans, and rip off communities, without being held accountable. This won’t fulfill the promise of better jobs for more Americans; this will only open the door to further theft of American infrastructure down the road.
“Under the guise of investing in repairing our broken and crumbling infrastructure, the Trump plan would sell off public infrastructure to Wall Street banks and foreign investors, meaning higher tolls and fees for ordinary working families while states are forced to foot the bill. Wall Street and foreign investors will rake in billions and get rewarded with deregulation, giving them a greater opportunity to wreck the environment, implement shoddy cost-cutting plans, and rip off communities, without being held accountable. This won’t fulfill the promise of better jobs for more Americans; this will only open the door to further theft of American infrastructure down the road.
“Real investment in infrastructure is
critical to our future. 156 Members of
Congress have signed on to principles for
a real infrastructure plan, which could create millions of jobs while repairing
and rebuilding our nation’s roads, bridges and water systems. This plan would
also enable the United States to lead on renewable energy and guarantee us a
true 21st Century economy, while ensuring job training and
assistance for military members, veterans, people transitioning from fossil
fuel jobs, and people from underserved communities directly impacted by climate
change.
“Funding infrastructure by cutting
infrastructure is not the answer. Funding public infrastructure with private
money while burdening state and local governments with the huge cost of implementing
the infrastructure plan is not the answer. We need a real plan, not theft
disguised as public investment. We need a real sustainable development plan for
infrastructure that can withstand the demands of a growing population, a
growing economy and climate change mitigation. This infrastructure scam hurts
communities instead of investing in their potential.”
- School infrastructure funding: There have been no indications that the administration will
include funds for crumbling school buildings in its infrastructure push, but
many public school advocates have been pushing hard for a share and will be
watching to see if any of the funds are targeted for K-12 upgrades. [POLITICO's
Morning Education, February 12, 2018]
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| BUDGET |
BUDGET WATCH - "President Donald Trump's budget will propose a 'ready,
larger, and more lethal military' along with bigger investments in border
security, anti-opioid efforts and veterans' health programs, according to a
preview by the White House. The budget
also offers additional details on the administration's plans for
infrastructure. [POLITICO's Morning Tech, February 12, 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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