January 28, 2017

Americas liberal cities are readying to battle Donald Trump on almost every front

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As a candidate and now as US president, Donald Trump has seemed hellbent on alienating urban voters.
During the campaign, the New Yorker repeatedly and, some would argue, offensively spoke of America’s “inner cities” as “war zones” where life was “hell” for African-Americans. City voters returned the slight—Trump lost badly in urban areas on Nov. 8. Showing little interest in making amends with this slice of the electorate, he then nominated Ben Carson, a neurosurgeon with zero experience in either government or urban policy, as secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
So it was somewhat surprising when Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, dropped in on the US Conference of Mayors winter meeting on Jan. 17, three days before taking the oath of office as US vice president, and told the 300 assembled city leaders that “this administration is going to be a friend to America’s mayors.”
When guessing at Pence’s motives for reaching out to urban leaders, one fact stands out: Cities are the only major layer of US government where Democrats are in control—and massively so. While Republicans hold the presidency, both houses of Congress, and 31 of 50 state governorships, Democrats are in charge of all but three of the country’s 20 biggest cities. And the political leanings of the 32 million residents they represent tend to align very closely. Trump garnered just 10% of votes (paywall) cast in Manhattan, his longtime home, and 4% in his new stomping grounds of Washington DC.
With the blessing of their base, liberal big-city mayors have been among the only elected US politicians to openly and meaningfully defy Trump. Right after his election, the heads of over a dozen major cities said that, even at the risk of losing federal funding, they would refuse to cooperate with any Trump-ordered immigrant deportation force. On Jan. 25, the new president signed an executive order officially declaring he would defund them—and they’re still refusing to acquiesce, with Boston mayor Marty Walsh noting Trump’s inability to reroute funding without authorization from Congress and New York’s Bill de Blasio threatening a lawsuit.

Entire Article @ Link: https://qz.com/862380/americas-liberal-cities-are-readying-to-battle-trump-on-every-front/

January 27, 2017

This is really, really great news for all of us. Crowd typically measured by dozens balloons to

hundreds at KC political groups monthly meeting because it shows we are ready for the fight.

This is just KC. This shows you that we are mobilized (especially women) because if this is what is happening in KC or one place, think about what is going on all over the US. I think all of us should report these good happenings whenever because it helps, great moral support, gives us what we know "that we can do this" and "that we must do this for our children, our grandchildren".
Video of Meeting at link.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- More than 600 women, men and children pledged to get politically active Thursday night by showing up in droves to support the Greater Kansas City Women’s Political Caucus.

GKCWPC describes itself as “a multipartisan, multicultural, grass roots organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in politics and creating a power base designed to achieve equality for all women.”

Thursday’s crowd size was a big uptick from the group’s usual 50 participants at monthly meetings, which usually take place in the sanctuary at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church off Walnut Street in Kansas City.

It quickly became clear the usual meeting space wasn’t going to be big enough, so organizers streamed the event on Facebook Live, set up an overflow room, and allowed some people sat on the floor.

Organizers said they’re excited about the turnout, with many first-timers telling FOX 4 it is President Trump’s policies that inspired them to get politically active.

“There are a lot of people who are really scared right now with the policies that are coming out, not only state-wide in Missouri and Kansas, but across our country,” said Cara Hoffart. “So I think this is a great time for women to come together.”

“We’re all human,” said Michelle Branson. “We all bleed. We all love. We all have family. We all want to work. We want to have a good life and I feel that the current administration, they are only for the people at the top and they don’t care about any of the people at the bottom, and that’s why I’m here.”

GKCWPC’s President Rebecca Richardson agreed the current political climate spurred people who usually shy away from politics to show up for the first time.

“Our current political situation is bad enough that people are motivated to come out,” Richardson said. “I think people are very concerned, very worried, and they think it’s worth it to come and try to make a difference.”

Missouri State Rep. Greg Razer (D), who represents areas near the Plaza, Brookside, Waldo and South Kansas City, also spoke at the meeting.

“Since this November election,” he said, “we have over 600 Progressives here that are fired up and ready to take everything back and it’s exciting.”

Rep. Razer said his big message to the crowd was to get motivated and inspired – not discouraged.

“There’s very little we can do to stop them at the moment,” he said of the majority party. “But we can stop at them at the ballot box in two years and that’s what we’re fired up and ready to do.”

Much of the meeting’s message was focused on the next election cycle and telling women how to get involved in their communities. For more information, go to this link. Also video of the meeting.

http://fox4kc.com/2017/01/26/crowd-typically-measured-by-dozens-balloons-to-hundreds-at-kc-political-groups-monthly-meeting/

January 27, 2017

42% Of Trump Voters Think He Should Be Allowed To Use a Private Email Server

Here is a fun tidbit from a recent PPP poll.

42% of Trump voters think he should be allowed to have a private email server to just 39% who think he shouldn’t be allowed to.

As the author who summed up the results of the poll said, “Maybe cyber security wasn’t such a big issue in last year’s election after all.”

Meanwhile, the FBI’s decision to reopen an investigation into Hillary Clinton‘s use of a private server mere days before the election has been credited as a large part of why she didn’t win the election against Trump.

Finally, the poll cited above also found that American voters believe Trump will be the worst president since Richard Nixon. They also believe that the intelligence community, CNN, and Today Show are all more credible than the president.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/42-of-trump-voters-think-he-should-be-allowed-to-use-a-private-email-server/

January 26, 2017

The Netherlands welcomes Trump in his own words

January 25, 2017

As Trump Rails Against Voter Fraud, His Own Daughter And Top Adviser Are Registered In Two States

Donald Trump Is Concerned About Voters Being Registered In Two States – Like Steve Bannon And Tiffany Trump Are
So, according to Donald Trump’s tweet, he is concerned about people are registered to vote in two states.

Well, it turns out that two people very close to him just happen to be registered in two states: His controversial senior adviser Steve Bannon and his daughter Tiffany Trump.

The address he is registered with in Florida isn’t even his. It is the home of a friend who did some work for Bannon during his Breitbart days named Andy Badolato, according to The Guardian.

Now, according to Heat Street, Tiffany Trump just happens to be registered to vote in both New York and Pennsylvania. She recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and that is why she was registered there.

Deputy Election Commissioner for Philadelphia explains that, technically, this isn’t a problem.

“There is nothing illegal about that. The illegality only occurs if one votes in two places, not if you’re registered in both.”

Indeed, neither parties have done anything illegal, apparently, but the optics isn’t great and shows once again the hypocrisy surrounding the President who seems upset that people are registered to vote in two states, while being closely associated with people registered to vote in two states.

Ooops.

New York Magazine reports that, apparently, Steve Bannon is registered to vote in Florida as confirmed by the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office. And, the New York State Board of Elections also says that he is registered at an address in New York City. That is where he voted in the presidential election, via absentee ballot.

January 25, 2017

Trump Announces Major Investigation Plans Into Voter Fraud Including by Those Who Are Dead

This is real life.

Moments ago, the President of the United States Tweeted that he will be asking to launch a “major investigation” — using actual government resources, I can only assume, unless he plans on personally bankrolling that himself, too

Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
I will be asking for a major investigation into VOTER FRAUD, including those registered to vote in two states, those who are illegal and....
6:10 AM - 25 Jan 2017
9,555 9,555 Retweets 38,439 38,439 likes
Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
even, those registered to vote who are dead (and many for a long time). Depending on results, we will strengthen up voting procedures!
6:13 AM - 25 Jan 2017

Mediaite Article: http://www.mediaite.com/online/trump-announces-major-investigation-plans-into-voter-fraud-including-by-those-who-are-dead/

January 25, 2017

Democrats Want To Pick Their Battles With Trump. Their Base Wants All-Out War.

Senators get that progressives want a fight, but they want to be pragmatic.


WASHINGTON ― Shortly after the November election, a close associate of Dr. Ben Carson conceded the famed pediatric neurosurgeon turned Republican presidential candidate wasn’t right for a position in Donald Trump’s Cabinet since he had no experience running a federal agency.

Weeks later, Trump nominated Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Carson accepted.

Democrats were both befuddled and appalled at what seemed to be a cavalier decision to hand the keys of an agency with 8,300 employees and a $47 billion budget to someone with no apparent qualifications. And, for a while, the Carson nomination appeared to be fairly solid turf for them to put up a fight. But as the confirmation proceedings played out, something remarkable happened Tuesday. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), two of the most liberal members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee ― which has primary jurisdiction over HUD ― supported Carson’s nomination.

In explaining his decision, Brown, who pointedly drilled into Carson’s views on public housing and the minimum wage during his confirmation hearing last week, said that he warmed to the nominee after finding areas of housing policy they both care about during a private meeting.


Article @: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/senate-democrats-trump_us_588817f3e4b0b481c76be1e5?eqee2wt97p7nly2e29&

January 25, 2017

Chicago is not even in the top 25 of cities for crime:

We are puzzled why you do not care about Little Rock, Arkansas Chicago is not even in the top 25 cities.
These are America's most dangerous cities.
Little Rock, Ark. ...
Baltimore. ...
Rockford, Ill. ...
Milwaukee. > Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,596.1. ...
Memphis. > Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,740.1. ...
Birmingham, Ala. > Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,746.2. ...
Detroit. > Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,759.6. ...
St. Louis.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/10/01/most-dangerous-cities-america/91227778/

http://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/09/27/25-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/6/

January 25, 2017

Trumps Tweet About Chicago Carnage Apparently Came in Reaction to OReilly Segment

President Trump‘s tweet tonight about “carnage” in Chicago appears to have been in reaction to a segment on The O’Reilly Factor tonight.

This is the tweet in question, in which the president warned he would send in the feds:

Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible "carnage" going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!
8:25 PM - 24 Jan 2017
22,448 22,448 Retweets 71,161 71,161 likes
The O’Reilly segment (video above) tonight on Chicago featured two important things that may explain the president’s tweet:

Screen Shot 2017-01-24 at 10.03.27 PM

View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter
✔
201 Retweets710 likes
[image via screengrab]

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http://www.mediaite.com/online/tucker-carlson-battles-guest-why-would-you-want-media-to-shun-kellyanne-conway/

January 24, 2017

Climate Change Activists Barefoot Walk Across America Ends in Tragedy

“Sometimes because of my bare feet and the lack of daily contact, I feel like a ghost.”

That was one of the final entries of a blog diary by Mark Baumer, a Rhode Island man who was walking barefoot across the United States to call attention to climate change.

It was written on Day 90 of his trek, but his stream of photographs and anecdotes stopped on Jan. 21, Day 100. At 1:15 p.m. on that day, Mr. Baumer, 33, was walkingon the shoulder of U.S. 90 in northern Florida when an S.U.V. left its lane and hit him, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. He was pronounced dead at the site.

Follow
Mark Baumer @markbaumer
If you're enjoying my journey across America barefoot and want to contribute the best way is to donate to this https://www.youcaring.com/fang-fighting-against-natural-gas-670303 …
9:25 PM - 15 Oct 2016 · Groton, CT
Photo published for Crossing America Barefoot to Save Earth from Climate Change
Crossing America Barefoot to Save Earth from Climate Change
Climate change is humanity's greatest threat. Every day corporations continue to profit from earth's destruction. I decided cross America barefoot to see if I could save earth. I know this is a lofty...
youcaring.com
26 26 Retweets 52 52 likes
The vast expanse of the United States has long been alluring to the men and women who set out on long-distance hikes from coast to coast. Many have added to the tradition of travel literature, describing in their diaries the bouts of loneliness and moments of beauty, chronicling sleeping rough and under the stars, and writing of strangers who became friends.

Mark Phillips was a graphics designer in New York City when he set off from Staten Island in March 2009, ending 4,100 miles later in Los Angeles.



Entire Article @: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/mark-baumer-killed-climate-change-activist.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F01%2F24%2Fus%2Fmark-baumer-killed-climate-change-activist.html%3F_r%3D0&eventName=Watching-article-click&_r=0