Saturday, May 4

United States

The U.S. political situation grew increasingly polarized in the last two decades with both parties moving away from the ideological center. What started as intense partisanship has turned into outright extremism, in some cases. Extremism peaked after the 2020 presidential election. It culminated in a violent and deadly scene as the defeated candidate denied he lost the election and encouraged a mob to “fight like hell” at the U.S. Capitol. Several factors are increasing the divide, including gerrymandering–or carving out–districts, the primary system for selecting candidates in the two parties, the amplification of partisanship in cable news and mass media, and campaign finance.

Trump Fires Top U.S. Diplomat Rex Tillerson
13Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Types of News: Brief, United States

Trump Fires Top U.S. Diplomat Rex Tillerson

March 13-With a simple tweet, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is replacing his top diplomat with a former congressman and the current head of the Central Intelligence Agency. CIA Director Mike Pompeo will replace Rex Tillerson as the Secretary of State, Trump posted on Twitter this morning. Meanwhile, he is appointing an intelligence officer named Gina Haspel, known for running a "black site" facility in Thailand for the U.S. government, as the new CIA director. Both Pompeo and Haspel would need to clear the Senate confirmation process to take office. Pompeo is a former congressman from Kansas who served on the House intelligence and energy committees. A tea party affiliate, Pompeo is considered a hard-line Republican and Trump loyalist. Prior to serving in Congress,...
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U.S.: Top Economic Adviser to Trump Resigns on Brink of New Tariffs
7Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, Types of News: Brief, United States

U.S.: Top Economic Adviser to Trump Resigns on Brink of New Tariffs

March 7--A top White House economic advised resigned yesterday, reportedly over a disagreement about a recent decision by President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum. Gary Cohn, held the position of the director of the National Economic Council since Trump took office January 20, 2017. Cohn is a 25-year veteran on Wall Street and is the former chief operating officer at Goldman Sachs. His departure from the White House is one of several recent staff changes. Six Trump administration officials resigned in 2018 and several more, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, face difficulties with their U.S. security clearances. Trump's spokesperson Sarah Sanders brushed aside reporters' concerns about the staff changes in her March 7 press briefing. "This is an inte...
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Russia Spends Millions to Interfere in U.S. Politics, DOJ Says
21Feb By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Types of News: Brief, United States

Russia Spends Millions to Interfere in U.S. Politics, DOJ Says

February 21-The U.S. Justice Department filed an indictment on Feb. 16 against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies for conducting an "information warfare against the United States." The indictment comes as a result of an ongoing Special Counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller. None of the individuals or companies charged are currently in the United States and are unlikely to be extradited from Russia for trial. The 37-page indictment is significant in that it may indicate the methods in which Russian intelligence officers use tools of democracy against its rivals. It also begins to establish some clarity about Russia's activities in the U.S. political system after more than a year of widespread speculation on the issue, focused mainly on possible collusion with th...
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U.S. Grand Jury Indicts Two in Counterintelligence Investigations
30Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, United States

U.S. Grand Jury Indicts Two in Counterintelligence Investigations

October 30, 2017--Six months into a counterintelligence investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has filed a criminal indictment against Paul J. Manafort, Jr., and Richard W. Gates, former campaign manager and deputy campaign manager to the Donald Trump presidential campaign from June to August 2016. The 31-page indictment speaks to the shadowy inner workings of Washington and the interplay between the political and for-profit lobbying worlds. The charges involve hiding and laundering "tens of millions of dollars" through foreign nominee companies and offshore bank accounts across the globe, including Cyprus, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Seychelles. According to the indictment, more than $75 million flowed ...
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American Populism Gains Strength Under Trump
26Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
United States

American Populism Gains Strength Under Trump

Nine months into President Trump's term in office as head of the U.S. Executive Branch, the populist movement that led him to power is shaking the very foundation of the Republican party. The political fracture is relevant not only for the health of America's two-party system, but also because the outcome determines the course of American leadership in the world. In contrast to past presidents who championed democratic ideals and a global rules-based trading system, President Trump promotes economic nationalism, tighter borders, realpolitik and trade protection. Moreover, Trump's verbal assaults on media outlets and his use of Twitter to attack political opponents and comment on foreign policy have some led members of his own party to assert that American democracy itself is at risk....
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Peaceful transfer of power in America
9Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Democracy, Domestic Politics, United States

Peaceful transfer of power in America

America's 18-month presidential election has come to a close, with Hillary Clinton conceding defeat to Donald Trump. It was an election that at times felt like a reality-TV show gone wrong, with one candidate fending off multiple investigations and the other communicating one outlandish comment after another. It was a low period for America. With 61 percent of Americans reporting an "unfavorable" opinion of Donald Trump and 52 percent reporting an "unfavorable" opinion of Hillary Clinton, Trump and Clinton set records for the worst and second-worst liked U.S. presidential candidates in Gallup-polling history. Issues took a backseat, but they were, nonetheless, there: Deficiencies with the Affordable Care Act, Obama's signature healthcare law, that were never fixed and that ca...
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U.S. Congress Gives President Authority to Negotiate Trade Deals
24Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Global Trade, United States

U.S. Congress Gives President Authority to Negotiate Trade Deals

Not since 2007 has a U.S. president had authority to negotiate trade deals with other nations on behalf of the country. The authority, known as "fast-track" because it will allow the executive branch to hammer out the details of a trade deal and send the bill to Congress for an up-or-down vote, expired in 2007. Today President Obama achieved a major breakthrough in restoring that authority to the Executive branch. The Senate voted 60-38 on a bill to grant the president Trade Promotion Authority. The House voted 218-208 a week earlier. The bill faced major political and procedural hurdles in both branches of Congress. H.R. 2146 spells out trade priorities for the United States and establishes rules for Congress to consider trade agreements. Once President Obama signs the bill, he'll set ...
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