Tag: Trump

Marcia Fudge Accuses Betsy DeVos of ‘Picking Winners and Losers’ in Education Budget

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11) grilled Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during a recent hearing before the House Education and Labor Committee over her new “Education Freedom Scholarships” incentive. The scholarship program was included in the Trump administration’s federal education budget, but there has been much debate about how exactly the program will work. The Department of Education describes the program as a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for individuals and businesses that donate to state-identified Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). “A private donation isn’t a public resource. Is a donation to a non-profit that you claim on your taxes a public resource?” the Department of Education said on Twitter in response to claims that the new program will use public resources to expand school choice. A private donation isn’t a public resource. Is a donation to a non-profit that you claim on your taxes a public resource? — ED Press Secretary (@EDPressSec) April 4, 2019 “Despite what some may try to tell you, Education Freedom Scholarships are privately funded and do not take any money from public schools,” DeVos herself wrote on Twitter along with a graphic explaining how the scholarships are funded. Despite what some may try to tell you…Education Freedom Scholarships…

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President Trump Planning Tax Day Event in Minnesota

Anthony Gockowski

President Donald Trump plans to visit Minnesota Monday for an event celebrating the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the April 15 tax filing deadline. Details of the event are still unclear, but White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed that the trip will happen while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday. The Star Tribune reports that the event will be held in the Twin Cities area, and points out that the Federal Aviation Administration has posted a “VIP Movement Notification” for Minneapolis on April 15. Trump visited Duluth and Rochester in 2018 for rallies to bolster Republican candidates, and claimed during both events that he would flip Minnesota red in 2020. Both districts Trump visited (Minnesota’s First Congressional District and Eighth Congressional District) ended up going to Republicans in the 2018 midterms. Trump narrowly lost to Democrat Hillary Clinton in Minnesota in 2016 by just 1.5 percent, or 44,593 votes. DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement that “if Donald Trump expects a warm welcome in Minnesota, he’ll be sorely disappointed.” “He’s here to sell a record of broken promises, lies, and attacks of families across our great state. It won’t work,” Martin…

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Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Blasts Trump on Obamacare Repeal, Calls on Governor and Attorney General to ‘Do More’

Andrew Shirley

Monday, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, in a joint press conference at PrimaryOne Health in Ohio, pledged to oppose President Trump’s recent efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nicknamed “Obamacare.” As previously reported, the court case Texas v. Azar ruled that the ACA was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had previously ruled that the Individual Mandate component of the law was “unconstitutional under the Interstate Commerce Clause, but could fairly be read as an exercise of Congress’ Tax Power,” but upheld the bulk of the law. From this, Texas Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that because the mandate was unconstitutional, the ACA is, by default, unconstitutional. For several months, the ruling has sat pending with the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. In late March, the Department of Justice, at the behest of President Trump sent a letter to the court, stating that they agreed with the Fifth Circuit Court’s ruling and, “Because the United States is not urging that any portion of the district court’s judgment be reversed, the government intends to file a brief on the appellees’ schedule.” Should the court affirm this ruling, the ACA could be overturned within the year. On August…

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Keith Ellison Joins Another Multi-State Effort to Protect Abortion Access

Anthony Gockowski

Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined 20 fellow attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of a Kentucky abortion provider. EMW Women’s Surgical Center is Kentucky’s only licensed abortion facility, but in 2017 the state’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services informed the clinic that it had violated state law and its license was incorrectly renewed. The abortion provider was later informed that its transfer agreements with a hospital and ambulance company were “deficient,” but the District Court for the Western District of Kentucky found that these agreements imposed an undue burden on women seeking abortions. Last month, Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services appealed the lower court’s decision in federal court. Since EMW Women’s Surgical Center is currently the state’s only abortion provider, women seeking abortions would have to travel to a neighboring state. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford filed an amicus brief in support of the Kentucky abortion clinic, and was later joined by 20 fellow attorneys general, including Ellison. According to a press release from Ellison’s office, the brief argues that “the availability of abortion services in neighboring states does not excuse a state from the Constitution’s prohibition on unduly burdening a woman’s ability…

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Kasich Launches New Non-Profit With Fellow Never-Trumpers, Announces Fifth Book

Anthony Gockowski

Former Gov. John Kasich has launched a new non-profit with several fellow never-Trumpers and is planning to release his fifth book amid endless speculation that he may make another run for the White House. Almost immediately after leaving the Ohio Governor’s Residence, Kasich announced that he was joining CNN as a senior political commentator. Now he has launched a non-profit with several prominent Trump critics called “Two Paths America,” based on the title of his 2017 book “Two Paths: America Divided or United.” “A dozen of America’s most prominent thought leaders have been named as members of a new National Advisory Committee for Two Paths America, helping to promote center-right solutions to some of the major issues facing our nation,” the non-profit’s website states. Among those who have joined the effort are Bill Kristol, former editor-at-large of the now-defunct Weekly Standard, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. “Two Paths America is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization created to promote reasonable and proven solutions to America’s challenges,” the group’s website states. “Two Paths America is focused broadly on public policy that encourages a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States…

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Gas Prices Spike as Ohio Legislature Approves Gas Tax Hike

Andrew Shirley

The American Automobile Association (AAA) announced Monday that only three months into 2019, the nation’s average gas price has spiked by almost 45 cents. Ohio prices increased as well, but by slightly less than the national average. While Ohioans may be relieved, experts are predicting that these price increases are expected to continue indefinitely. According to AAA, the current average gas price is $2.69 for regular unleaded gas. Though this is far from the historical high of $4.16 in May of 2011, it’s still more expensive than gas has been in the previous three years. At the state level: The nation’s top 10 largest weekly increases are: Florida (+13 cents), California (+12 cents), Indiana (+11 cents), Georgia (+11 cents), Idaho (+9 cents), Kentucky (+9 cents), Washington (+9 cents), Oregon (+8 cents), Nevada (+8 cents) and Ohio (+8 cents). “Three months ago motorists could find gas for less than $2.50 at 78 percent of gas stations. Today, you can only find gas for that price at one-third of stations, which is likely giving sticker shock to motorists across the country,” AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said. “Gasoline stocks have been steadily decreasing since early February causing spikes at the pump that are likely…

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Tim Ryan Goes After Trump, NRA at Iowa Event Alongside 2020 Dems

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) was a panelist Saturday at the Heartland Forum in Iowa, and was the only speaker at the event who hasn’t officially declared candidacy for president. The event, sponsored by Huffington Post, Open Markets Action, and the Iowa Farmers Union, featured panelists such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro—all of whom have declared candidacy. Ryan, who said in February that he’s “seriously considering” a run, was asked what his vision for the country would be if he were to do so. “The stock market’s as high as it’s ever been. Unemployment’s as low as it’s ever been, and yet there is a chronic level of stress in our society today because of chronic uncertainty,” he said. “I think it’s time for a new way of doing things.” “The only way forward is for us to come together politically. It’s the division today in our country that’s preventing us from getting to where we need to be, and that’s innovating our way out of this thing, caring about each other, loving each other, being concerned about each other, respecting each other, and then building an…

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Ohio Attorney General Opposes Scrapping All of Obamacare, Breaking With President Trump

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday he would oppose President Donald Trump’s plan to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. On December 14, 2018, shortly before the 2019 open enrollment period ended, a contentious and controversial case was finally ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas v. Azar challenged that the entire Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. The case noted that the Supreme Court previously ruled “the Individual Mandate was unconstitutional under the Interstate Commerce Clause but could fairly be read as an exercise of Congress’ Tax Power because it triggered a tax.” However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “eliminated that tax,” and “thus compels the conclusion that the Individual Mandate may no longer be upheld under the Tax Power.” “And because the Individual Mandate continues to mandate the purchase of health insurance, it remains unsustainable under the Interstate Commerce Clause—as the Supreme Court already held,” the case added. Based on this, Texas Federal District Court Judge Reed O’Connor made three conclusions: First, the Court finds the Parties satisfy the applicable standing requirements. Second, the Court finds the Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress’s Tax Power and is…

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Ohio Democrat Mocks Barron Trump, Says He ‘May Need’ the Special Olympics Someday

Anthony Gockowski

An Ohio Democrat suggested Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cut funding for the Special Olympics because his 13-year-old son Barron “may need it someday.” Ellen Connally, former Cuyahoga County Council president and Cleveland Municipal Court judge, made the comments in a Facebook post that has since been deleted, but was obtained by PJ Media. “Trump kills funds for Special Olympics. Baron [sic] may need it someday,” she wrote. In the comments section of her post, another Ohio Democrat, Jocelyn Conwell, said she’s heard “from a reliable source” that Trump’s “kid does have special needs.” “He attend [sic] some school in Maryland. Haven’t you noticed how you hardly ever see this kid, and he never says anything. I am not making light of it, just stating some observations. Even though I can’t stand his father,” Conwell said. Barron’s birthday was last week; he turned 13-years-old. The comments came amid controversy over Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ proposed $17.6 million cut to the Special Olympics, which was included in the $4.75 trillion budget the Trump administration submitted to Congress. During a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, DeVos defended the cuts to the Special Olympics by noting that it’s not a…

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Jim Jordan Reminds Nation That Democrats Used to Talk About Mueller Like He’s ‘Next to Jesus’

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) sat down for an interview with George Stephanopoulos Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” where he said his Democratic colleagues viewed Robert Mueller as “next to Jesus” heading into the Russia investigation. Prior to his interview, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-28) was on the show and suggested that a lack of indictments in the Mueller report doesn’t necessarily vindicate President Donald Trump. “Well we’ve got to read the report, but what I do know is to date not one bit of evidence to show any type of coordination, collusion, conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the election. And that was the charge, George, when this thing started almost two years ago,” Jordan said in response. “The Democrats were all saying that the president of the United States worked with a hostile foreign country to steal the election, and again, there has not been one bit of evidence to suggest that any of that happened.” Jordan repeatedly emphasized that the focus of the special counsel investigation was to determine whether or not there was “collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to impact the election.” “And again, remember, this is Bob Mueller, this was the guy…

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Beto Slams Trump Over Lordstown Comments During Visit to Ohio

Anthony Gockowski

During his recent visit to Ohio, 2020 Democratic hopeful Beto O’Rourke slammed President Donald Trump for his criticisms of Lordstown union leader David Green. Green is president of United Auto Workers Local 1112, which represents the workers at Lordstown’s General Motors plant. After the plant was unallocated earlier this month, Trump said Green “ought to get his act together and produce.” “The president with his actions has added insult to injury,” O’Rourke told NBC in a recent interview after meeting one-on-one with Green. “Not only has he done nothing to prevent this job loss, he actually blames the workers and their leadership in the UAW president here in 1112 for something GM and his administration caused.” O’Rourke went on to suggest that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “financed GM’s ability” to “move jobs elsewhere” and to “choose their shareholders over the community that has created their value.” “Not only has President Trump failed in his commitment and failed this town of Lordstown, he’s also done nothing to reverse the losses that we’ve seen here,” O’Rourke continued. O’Rourke said, as president, he would make sure the country’s “trade policies and our tax code” don’t “incentivize offshoring these jobs.” “GM pays…

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Sherrod Brown Lashes Out at Trump, Calls Wall ‘Vanity Project’

Anthony Gockowski

National Senate Democrats released a report Monday showing that President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration could divert $112 million in funding away from military projects in Ohio. According to The Columbus Dispatch, the cuts could impact a $61 million plan for a new building for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Other cuts could include $8.8 million in funding just to relocate the main gate at Youngstown Air Reserve Station. Projects like a $7.4 million machine gun range at Camp James A. Garfield, and a $15 million hangar at Toledo Express Airport were also on the list. Morgan Rako, spokeswoman for Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH-10), noted that the “list does not indicate which projects specifically will have delayed funding, if any.” She also pointed out that Trump’s fiscal year 2020 budget proposal actually includes $121 million in funding for the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base intelligence center. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), however, claimed that Trump is “hurting military missions by taking money away from Ohio military installations to pay for his vanity project.” “President Trump claims he wants to help workers and support our military, yet his actions tell a different story,” Brown said in…

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Lordstown Union Leader: ‘President Trump Didn’t Unallocate Our Location Here, General Motors Did’

Anthony Gockowski

The union leader for Lordstown, Ohio’s General Motors plant is speaking out after being called out by name by President Donald Trump over the weekend. The General Motors plant was officially “unallocated” earlier this month, meaning it’s not yet closed, but isn’t producing any cars. In a Sunday tweet, Trump called out United Auto Workers Local 1112 President David Green, saying he “ought to get his act together and produce.” But Green said in a recent Fox News interview that he’s “really trying to stay out of the feud,” and just wants to “see better policies.” “President Trump didn’t unallocate our location here, General Motors did. We think General Motors has an obligation. We want to be part of their family for 53 more years. We build great quality products here. We just want to keep doing that,” he said. Host Dana Perino pointed out that Green and Trump should actually be allies in the matter, since General Motors is to blame for putting Ohioans out of work. “Yeah, it could very well be. That’s why, you know, I haven’t taken any of this personal. He obviously doesn’t know me personally. I’ve been working really hard here in the valley.…

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Trump Touts Economic Success in Visit to Last Manufacturer of M1 Abrams Tank in Ohio

Anthony Gockowski

President Donald Trump spoke Wednesday to a crowd gathered at Ohio’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, the last remaining manufacturer of the U.S. Army’s main battle tank. The facility, based in Lima, Ohio, nearly shut its doors five years ago, but was saved in January when the Trump administration reinvigorated the plant with a $714 million order for 174 M1 Abrams tanks. “Well, you better love me. I kept this place open,” Trump began his address Wednesday to chants of “USA” from the audience. “And now, you’re doing record business. The job you do is incredible and I’m thrilled to be here in Ohio.” “This is some tank plant. There’s nothing like it in the world. You make the finest equipment in the world. You really know what you’re doing,” he continued, joking that he wanted to get into one of the tanks, but then “remembered when a man named Dukakis got into a tank.” According to the White House, the Lima plant has added more than 150 workers since the last year of President Barack Obama’s second term, and plans to hire 400 more workers over the next year and a half. “We’re here today to celebrate a resounding victory…

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Congressman Ryan Makes Surprise Visit to Canton to Attack Trump Ahead of Fundraiser

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH-13) made a surprise appearance Wednesday at an Ohio Democratic Party event organized in response to President Donald Trump’s visits to Lima and Canton. Trump spoke Wednesday afternoon to a crowd gathered at Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, which nearly closed down five years ago but turned around in January after the Trump administration ordered 174 M1 Abrams tanks at a cost of $714 million. The president then flew to Canton, Ohio for a closed-door fundraising event at Brookside Country Club. Prior to his stops in Canton and Lima, the state Democratic Party hosted two “We Stand With Ohio Workers” events in response to what it called “an attack on those fighting to save thousands of Ohio jobs.” As The Ohio Star reported, Trump tore into United Auto Workers Local 1112 President David Green in a recent tweet, saying he “ought to get his act together and produce” to save the General Motors plant in Lordstown. During Wednesday’s rally in Canton, Congressman Ryan called the criticisms “shameful,” “mean-spirited,” and “one more opportunity for him to distract from what’s going on.” “The man in the middle of this entire sh– storm, and I intentionally said that,” Ryan said.…

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Beto Defends Late-Term Abortions, Slams Trump Over Lordstown Comments During Cleveland Campaign Stop

Anthony Gockowski

2020 Democratic hopeful Beto O’Rourke slammed President Donald Trump for his criticisms of Lordstown union leaders and defended late-term abortions during a campaign stop in Cleveland Monday. During one stop, O’Rourke was asked how he was “going to protect the lives of third-trimester babies.” “There’s really not a medical necessity for abortion. It’s not a medical emergency procedure because typically third-trimester abortions take up to three days to have. So, in that sense, if there was an emergency, the doctors would just do a c-section and you don’t have to kill the baby. So are you for or against third-trimester abortions?” an audience member asked. O’Rourke, however, framed the question to the audience as being about “abortion and reproductive rights.” “My answer to you is: that should be a decision that the woman makes. I trust her,” O’Rourke responded. Here’s Beto O’Rourke at a campaign event in Cleveland responding to a question about third-trimester abortions: “That should be a decision that the woman makes. I trust her.” pic.twitter.com/nBrlazlMob — Alexandra DeSanctis Marr (@xan_desanctis) March 18, 2019 O’Rourke also responded to Trump’s latest criticism of the leaders behind the closure of the General Motors factory in Lordstown. “Democrat UAW Local 1112…

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Amidst Rocky Campaign Rollout, 2020 Hopeful Beto O’Rourke Comes to Cleveland

Andrew Shirley

Monday, 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke made his first appearance in the Buckeye State. It’s safe to say that former Congressman was hoping the visit could shake off what has been somewhat of a mixed campaign rollout. The Republican National Committee (RNC) Spokesperson Mandi Merritt was quick to note that: It’s been a rough few days for 2020 candidate Beto O’Rourke. From his campaign turning into an apology tour less than 48 hours after announcing, to flip-flopping on the issues and his past GOP ties, O’Rourke is going to have a tough time living up to his party’s litmus tests and convincing the progressive base that he should be their nominee. While the RNC has made their feelings about Beto’s presidential campaign clear, the onetime Senate candidate has now earned bipartisan criticism. Within the first few days of announcing his campaign, Beto committed a litany of gaffes, political faux pas, and some minor scandals. His campaign announcement, coinciding with what was intended to be a glowing Vanity Fair cover story about his intent to run. He stated “I’m just born to be in it,” which was met with widespread criticism from progressive opinion leaders, accusing him of abusing his “privilege.” Many criticized the media for sexist coverage, as he received a far more positive media…

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Commentary: From Brexit to Trump, Elite Contempt Shines Through

Admin

by Christopher Gage   Not long ago, to support Great Britain’s departure from the European Union remained the hoppy heady preserve of the corduroyed English fruitcake. Only the niche, and utterly mental clung to such opinions. Those trifling oddities, blimpish and better suited to reliving colonial exploits in faraway lands, were not of polite society. To be a Euroskeptic invited the label of weirdo, or, if they liked you—“eccentric.” That argument was settled. Britain, and indeed the world, owed and pinned its future not to outdated concepts such as nationhood, borders, or common culture­­—oddities, pined for by oddities. To be British was embarrassing, and old hat. David Cameron, our ex-prime minister, an alleged conservative, pretended himself to share this turbulence of brain. That Euroskepticism. Until he won his leadership election. Then he called such people, “fruitcakes, loonies, and closet racists.” Then he called for a European referendum. To settle the issue for generations. To smite, finally, those surely dwindling numbers of decaying old white men who still believed in that fatuous list of oddities they held so pathetically dear. Of course, the weirdos won. And ever since, the Camerons of this world have worked tirelessly to overturn our decision. Like…

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Ohio’s Republican Senator Rob Portman Joins Senate Democrats in Voting Against Trump’s National Emergency Declaration

Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and 11 of his Republican colleagues joined Senate Democrats Thursday in voting against President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration. In a 59-41 vote, the Senate passed a bill that would terminate Trump’s emergency declaration, though the president has already said he will veto the resolution. Portman announced his intention to vote in line with his Democratic colleagues during a Thursday morning speech on the Senate floor. “From the outset of this process I’ve had two objectives. One, to support the president on the crisis at the border. I believe his plan to address that crisis is a good one—we should support it. But second, to do it in the right way without setting a dangerous new precedent counter to a fundamental constitutional principle, without tying up the needed funds for the border in the courts, and without taking funds away from important military construction projects for our troops” Portman said. Portman later said of Ohio, which has “been devastated by the opioid epidemic,” that “over 90 percent of the heroin is coming across the southern border.” “Yesterday I learned from Customs and Border Protection that fentanyl seizures along the border between the ports of entry has…

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We Build the Wall, Inc. Heads to Detroit for Third Town Hall

Anthony Gockowski

We Build the Wall, Inc. is hitting the road for Detroit Thursday night. The Ohio Star was there for We Build the Wall, Inc.’s stop Tuesday night in Cincinnati, which featured panelists such as former White House strategist Steve Bannon, Sheriff David Clarke, and former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. We Build the Wall, Inc., which now counts Bannon as its chairman, was formed out of veteran Brian Kolfage’s famous GoFundMe page that he started to help raise funds for the border wall. Now, the group’s plan is to start building sections of the wall on private land, with private money, and with the help of private citizens. “We are thrilled to sponsor the ‘We Build the Wall’ rallies this week in Ohio and Detroit,” said Jim Hoft of The Gateway Pundit, one of the organizations sponsoring the town halls. “The border issue is not just something that affects those Americans in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico. The unbelievable flood of refugees and illegal immigrants streaming across the southern border is truly a national emergency. No country can handle this constant flow of tens of thousands of civilians and the strain it puts on an already stressed welfare system.”…

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What Sherrod Brown Refusing to Run Means for 2020 and the Future of Ohio

Andrew Shirley

Ohio’s only potential 2020 contender announced Thursday that he wouldn’t run for president. After taking a three-month tour of key battleground states, dubbed the “Dignity of Work” Tour, Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown’s decision shocked many who saw him as one of the best chances to defeat President Trump. No one can say for certain why he chose not to run, but a great deal can be said about what his not running means. As previously reported, Sherrod Brown’s entire campaign strategy revolved around him being able to harmonize a message that would appeal to the blue-collar working class that turned away from Democrats in 2016, with the recent Democratic-Socialist philosophy that currently dominates that 2020 Democratic political conversation. His plan was to reach out to blue-collar workers across America and declared; “dignity of work means hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are or what kind of work you do.” That having a job wasn’t enough; one must have security and prosperity. From here, he inferred that he would tack into Democratic-socialist programs like major healthcare expansions, free college tuition, and a $15 minimum wage. This would give him a cross-base advantage as he would be able to appeal to…

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After 50 Years, Ohio’s Lordstown Assembly Complex Ceases Production

Andrew Shirley

COLUMBUS, Ohio– On Wednesday, with dignity and uncertainty, the workers of Lordstown Assembly Plant assembled their last vehicle. The plant will still make certain parts but the Chevy Cruze, which had been produced and assembled at the plant since 2011, will no longer be produced in Ohio. As previously reported, in November of last year General Motors, the plant’s current operators, announced that five plants across America would be permanently shut down, or, as they referred to it in their public statement:”unallocated.” The plan was met with immediate backlash. President Donald Trump personally decried the decision, demanding that GM find a way to keep these plants open. After months of failed negotiations between GM, the federal government, the Ohio state government, labor leaders, national unions, and other car manufacturers, GM officially began their mass layoffs on February 5. Wednesday, Lordstown became the first of the five plants to cease operations. Almost all of the 1,700 employees have been, or will be, laid off. GM maintains that the plant will remain in a “state of readiness” should they find cause to reopen it for a new operator. However, this remains unlikely. GM has made it clear that its future with the plant is over. The Lordstown plant workers are currently represented by…

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US Imposes Sanctions on Venezuelan Officials for Blocking Aid

Admin

The United States increased its pressure on Venezuela Friday, imposing sanctions on six high-ranking security officials as well as revoking the visas of dozens of other high officials. The Trump administration said the sanctions were a response to Venezuelan military officials, who last weekend blocked an opposition-backed effort to bring food into the country. At one border point, aid trucks caught fire and several people died. “We are sanctioning members of (President Nicolas) Maduro’s security forces in response to the reprehensible violence, tragic deaths, and unconscionable torching of food and medicine destined for sick and starving Venezuelans,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Those being sanctioned include National Guard Commander Richard Lopez along with police and military officials based near the Colombian or Brazilian borders. The sanctions block any assets the officials have in the United States and bar Americans from doing business with them. The U.S. State Department also revoked the travel visas of 49 Venezuelans that it said were “individuals responsible for undermining Venezuela’s democracy.” The measures are part of an effort to pressure Maduro to step down. The United States sees his re-election last year as illegitimate and has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido…

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Sherrod Brown Makes Final Stop in Dignity of Work Tour

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown arrived in South Carolina Friday in the final planned stop on his three-month “Dignity of Work” tour. The official aim of the tour, which began in January, was to share “some of his ideas to make hard work pay off for everyone.” Unofficially, the tour has been an attempt to “test the waters” to see if he would be a viable candidate for a potential 2020 run. The tour took the Senator to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina, which are all considered critical battleground states in presidential elections. While it appears he will conclude the tour without announcing his candidacy, the tour did, as far his public statements are concerned, seem to fully convince him that his campaign would have one unassailable advantage over his opponents. In an interview with Buzzfeed, Brown stated: It has surprised us that this many people, including Republicans, that this many people have begun to talk about the dignity of work. I don’t think they flesh it out well enough yet or extensively enough. I think they mean it. I don’t mean there’s any insincerity in it. But I think we can’t do it enough … I carry it better than anybody else…

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Taxpayer Funded Minnesota State Arts Board Paid Artist $10,000 to Paint Picture of Trump Groping Lady Justice

Anthony Gockowski

The taxpayer-funded Minnesota State Arts Board shelled out $10,000 to a local artist who used the money to paint a seven-foot-tall picture of President Donald Trump groping Lady Justice. As part of the Minnesota State Arts Board FY 2018 grants program, Shafer artist Jim Denomie created a series “of large paintings in response to Standing Rock and other contemporary events from a Native American perspective.” Minnesota Public Radio recently sat down with Denomie for an interview to discuss his completed series of paintings, which includes a more than seven-foot-tall painting called “Standing Rock 2016.” In that picture, Trump is seen groping a topless Lady Justice while four men in suits stand watching. “I’ve learned over my experience making paintings especially about important events that I receive information from the spirit world,” Denomie told MPR. “It comes to me from somewhere, I don’t know exactly where—but I often come away from these paintings with a better understanding of the story of the events.” His paintings are currently on display at the Bockley Gallery in Minneapolis, which says of Denomie’s paintings: “With this body of work, Denomie has cast his discriminating eye onto real-world events, specifically the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy and…

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Ohio State Democratic Legislator Introduces Bill to Move Presidential Primary From March to May

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Democratic State Rep. Jack Cera (D-96) has introduced a bill that would permanently delay the Ohio presidential primary by two months, a move that could have major implications for Ohio. House Bill 101 (HB 101) would officially move the Ohio primary from March to “the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May.” Currently, Ohio’s early March primary has made it one of a handful of seminal states in several recent presidential primaries. The state has already lost a significant amount of presidential election “clout” with its number of electoral votes dropping to a historical low of 16. The move would also have a significant effect on state revenues just as the amount of money spent on electoral races continues to climb at shocking rates. By delaying the primary, the value of airtime in the state is also delayed. In addition, it could be the death knell of one prominent Ohioan’s presidential aspirations. Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown had long maintained that his resonance in Ohio is one of his key political advantages, should he decide to run in 2020. The Ohio senator was one of the only Democrats to win re-election in the 2018 midterm. Most surprising, he did so by close to…

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Sherrod Brown: If I Run I Will be ‘The Most Pro-Union, Pro-Worker Candidate’

Andrew Shirley

Saturday, before an assembly of the Culinary Union – the most powerful workers union in Las Vegas – Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown declared that should he run, he would be “The Most Pro-Union, Pro-Worker Candidate” out of the entire field. He stated, “I will always fight for workers, I will always be on the side of workers.” Brown also announced that should he become president, he would immediately convene a meeting of key industry leaders and encourage them to pay their workers, at least, a minimum wage of $15. He did not say that he would introduce a $15 minimum wage bill, however, only that he would encourage corporations to pay a minimum wage of $15 per hour. The Ohio Senator is in the middle of his “Dignity of Work” tour and has been traveling to key presidential battleground states to advocate for “workers-first policies.” He stated that he would make his formal decision whether or not to run sometime next month. His declaration to be the most “pro-union” candidate is at odds with his oft-repeated campaign positioning strategy of being a center-progressive who can win moderate votes. By vowing to take pro-union positions that would put him to the left…

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St. Paul, Minnesota’s Black Dog Cafe Regularly Hosts Trump Resistance Groups for Political Events

Anthony Gockowski

St. Paul’s popular Black Dog Cafe regularly hosts resistance groups formed in response to President Donald Trump’s 2016 election for political events. A collection of groups calling themselves “The MNLeg Coalition” meet once a month for a “Third Thursdays” event that provides the “progressive-values loving community” a chance to “come together, socialize, strategize, learn, and recharge to continue the good fight for justice and equality in Minnesota.” The coalition says that it is “made up of political resistance groups that started after the 2016 election.” According to the group’s website, at least four of these gatherings have taken place at Black Dog Cafe, including a February 21 event on “climate policy in Minnesota.” “Climate policy in Minnesota is having a moment—and not a moment too soon. Come hear from a range of experts and activists on the statewide movement to save our climate. Learn more about what’s at stake, what’s next, and what we can do locally to stop the damage being done to our climate,” a mailer for Thursday’s event states. Speakers included activists from the 100 Percent Campaign, a group seeking 100 percent renewable energy in Minnesota, as well as MN350, whose representative spoke on resisting the Enbridge…

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Minnesota Activist Groups Protest Trump’s ‘Fake National Emergency’ Across the State

Anthony Gockowski

Resistance groups across the state organized protests Monday against President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration. The statewide protests were part of a national grassroots effort to oppose the president’s “fake national emergency.” According to USA Today, rallies took place all across the country, many of which were organized in conjunction with MoveOn.org. “We’re mobilizing rapid-response events on President’s Day against Trump’s fake crisis and racist deportation force and to stand with immigrant, Muslim, and black and brown communities to stop Trump’s dangerous and illegal power grab,” MoveOn.org explains. A map of events provided by MoveOn.org shows that at least five protests happened across Minnesota, including ones in the Twin Cities, Mankato, Rochester, Winona, and Alexandria. The Minnesota Sun found that these protests were organized by a somewhat covert protest group called “Indivisible Minnesota,” which consists of affiliate groups like “Indivisible MN-03” and “Indivisible St. Peter and Greater Mankato.” “If progressives are going to stop Trump, we must stand indivisibly opposed to him and the members of Congress who would do his bidding,” a Facebook description of Indivisible Minnesota states. One of Monday’s protests took place outside of Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) Minneapolis office, according to a statement from Indivisible MN-03.…

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Rep. Angie Craig Issues Joint Letter to Trump Admin to Oppose Funding of Christian Foster Agencies

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) recently issued a joint letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in response to his department’s decision to allow a South Carolina foster-care agency to refuse housing children with same-sex couples. In January, Azar granted a waiver to Miracle Hill Ministries, a Christian agency that requires foster parents to be Christian and of the opposite sex. President Donald Trump said during last week’s National Prayer Breakfast that his administration would continue to provide agencies such as Miracle Hill Ministries with federal funding so that they can “help vulnerable children find their forever families while following their deeply held beliefs.” Craig and fellow LGBTQ colleague Rep. Sean Maloney (D-NY-18) sent a letter to Azar on February 13 to protest his decision. “We write to you to express strong opposition to a waiver you department granted to South Carolina from nondiscrimination requirements for its state-contracted child welfare agencies,” the letter begins. “This harmful decision allows federally-funded child welfare agencies in South Carolina to discriminate on the basis of religion—an egregious violation of the very principles our nation and our child welfare system were founded upon.” The letter was co-signed by 95 House members, and concludes by…

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Trump Calls on Ilhan Omar to Resign After Anti-Semitic Comments

Anthony Gockowski

President Donald Trump called on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) to resign Tuesday during a cabinet meeting after she was once again condemned for making anti-Semitic comments. “One another thing I might want to say is that anti-Semitism has no place in the United States Congress, and Congresswoman Omar is—terrible what she said. And I think she should either resign from Congress, or she should certainly resign from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. What she said is so deep-seated in her heart that her lame apology—that’s what it was, it was lame, and she didn’t mean a word of it,” Trump said Tuesday. As The Minnesota Sun reported, Omar was widely condemned for using a common anti-Semitic trope by suggesting that Jewish money is influencing bipartisan support of Israel. “The notion that wealthy Jews are controlling the government is a longstanding anti-Semitic trope and one of the pillars of modern anti-Semitism, a retread of ideas spread by bigots from David Duke to Louis Farrakhan,” ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in response. Omar later issued an apology for her comments, but was again rebuked for seemingly doubling-down on her previous claims. “We have to always be willing to step…

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2020 Presidential Hopeful John Kasich Posts Video Announcing First Yoga Class; Draws Mixed Response

Andrew Shirley

Every politician attempts to be relatable; very few succeed. Erstwhile governor and 2020 presidential hopeful John Kasich posted a video on Saturday, announcing that he had just completed his first day of yoga lessons with his wife, Karen Kasich. He summarized the exercises briefly then discussed the importance of remaining young-minded and looking towards the future. The 66-year-old former Governor of Ohio has never been known for these types of videos or topics and, as such, it drew a significant response. While many of the posts were supportive of his efforts, the consensus seems to be that it has an unflattering resemblance to another 2020 candidates attempt at relatability. On New Year’s Eve, Democratic presidential primary candidate, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren posted a brief video to Instagram in which she said “I’m gonna get myself a beer,” with her husband and promptly had one. The moment felt so disingenuous, awkward, and contrived that even progressive outlets, that have a history of defending her, lampooned the obvious stunt. The most popular comment in response to Kasich’s video made a direct reference to it. Not exactly Elizabeth Warren's drink a beer moment but just as obviously shallow…. — brockasso (@itsmebrock) February 10, 2019 Kasich may also…

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Klobuchar Lays Out Vision for the White House: ‘It’s Time, America’

Anthony Gockowski

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota–Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) officially declared her candidacy for President of the United States Sunday during a snowy rally on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Several of her Minnesotan colleagues spoke before her, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN). Klobuchar’s Senate counterpart, Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), touted Klobuchar’s record of supporting Planned Parenthood, and criticized Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh for his alleged failure to adequately address Klobuchar’s line of questioning during his confirmation process. Prince, naturally, was invoked several times throughout the event and one of his former collaborators, DJ Dudley D, emceed the occasion. https://twitter.com/AGockowski/status/1094671348801175552 “Hey, if Prince could do that halftime show in all that rain, I can do this in this snow,” Klobuchar joked. Despite the blizzard-like conditions, Klobuchar managed to attract a massive crowd that was estimated at around 9,000 people. She began her address by thanking her “amazing and incredible team and staff for putting this together.” Leading up to her announcement, Buzzfeed News and Huffington Post released separate reports detailing Klobuchar’s abusive behavior toward her staff, which included claims that she “yelled, threw papers, and sometimes even hurled objects.” Klobuchar’s speech “We are gathered…

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Omar, Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez Turn on the Waterworks at Press Conference to Defund ICE

Anthony Gockowski

Several new progressive members of the U.S. House made emotional appeals to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a Thursday morning press conference organized by MoveOn. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) spoke at the press conference behind a podium with a banner of: “Defund the deportation force.” “Earlier this week we were here and we were hearing inside that Capitol the State of the Union. The president said something. He said and spoke of the idea that he likes quote-unquote legal immigration. But that is a lie. The president does not like any form of immigration,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Now he is asking for $5 billion to continue to militarize and weaponize a force that has zero accountability, whose director and whose secretary has no idea when she goes in front of a hearing how many children are dying in her own care, under her own watch, and they have the audacity to ask for more money to fund that. I don’t think so,” she continued. She went on to say that ICE “does not deserve a dime” because it “repeatedly and systematically violates human rights.” Rep. @AOC is calling on Congress to cut…

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CNN Airs Video of Sherrod Brown Endorsing Positions That He Called the President ‘Racist’ for Supporting

Andrew Shirley

The man who many Democrats consider to be the best hope to defeat President Donald Trump may have more in common with him than he’d like to admit. On Monday, during CNN’s OutFront with Erin Burnett, Ohio Senator, and 2002 presidential hopeful, Sherrod Brown was shown a short montage that showed just how much the Senator’s past rhetoric has echoed President Trump’s. In 2006, while running for office, Brown released campaign ads that ended with the tagline “America First.” He also recently argued that a lack of “fair trade” was crippling to American workers. Lastly, he argued that the U.S. “has not done globalization well.” Each one of these points was juxtaposed with a statement from Trump that was almost identical to Brown’s. This poses a significant problem to the Ohio Senator. Many Democrats have aggressively argued that much of Trump’s rhetoric is a series of “dog whistles” and coded calls for racism. One of the most consistent criticisms is that one of Trump’s most prominent slogans; “America First” is steeped deeply in bigotry and nationalism. Recently, Democrats have also argued that critics of globalization, trade deals and most forms of isolationist rhetoric are inherently xenophobic, bigoted and racist. Even when Senator Bernie…

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Ilhan Omar’s State of the Union Guest Says Trump Should be ‘Ashamed of Himself’

Anthony Gockowski

Every member of Congress gets one guest ticket for the annual State of the Union address, and it’s often used to score quick political points. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), for instance, invited Linda Clark, an immigrant from Liberia who is at risk of deportation because of President Donald Trump’s decision to terminate the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program. “Clark came to the United States in 2000, after fleeing Civil War in her home country of Liberia,” a press release from Omar’s office explains. “As a result of Trump’s decision, thousands of Liberian Americans could be removed from the U.S. at the end of March if DED is not renewed. Minnesota is home to the largest community of Liberian Americans of any state in the nation.” Omar said that Clark is “exactly the type of Americans success story we should celebrate,” calling her “someone who came to this country seeking a better life, played by the rules, and built a life for herself.” “I am pleased to have her join me at the State of the Union and urge the Trump Administration to renew DED status for Liberian Americans,” Omar said. “The president himself has expressed open hatred towards people fleeing…

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GM Pulls Trigger on Mass Layoffs Throughout the Country

Andrew Shirley

General Motors announced Monday that the long-dreaded nationwide mass layoffs finally began. In November of last year, GM announced that they intended to significantly scale back their workforce. Most jarring for many was their plan to close five manufacturing plants across the country, including the Lordstown Assembly complex in Warren, Ohio. Since then, there have been tireless negotiations aimed at getting GM to reverse this decision. President Donald Trump personally decried the decision, demanding that GM find a way to keep these plants open. When it became clear that there was no reversal in sight, legislators began seeking alternative companies to fill the void GM would leave. At one point, then-Ohio Governor John Kasich began tweeting directly to billionaire and Tesla Motors owner, Elon Musk, asking him to take over the plant. Despite Musk expressing an initial openness to the idea, nothing public has yet has come of the discussion. While GM claims the workforce cuts are across-the-board, it appears that’s not entirely accurate. The company’s operations in China, Mexico, and other overseas locations will not be reduced. In some cases, the numbers of workers will expand. Legislators, labor leaders, and everyday citizens have blasted the decision as yet another company outsourcing its…

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Georgia Gubernatorial Loser Stacey Abrams Will Deliver Democratic SOTU Response

Anthony Gockowski

National Democratic leadership revealed Tuesday that failed Georgia gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams will deliver the party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. MSNBC’s Chris Hayes claimed Tuesday morning that a “reliable source” told him that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called Abrams three weeks ago to request that she deliver the Democratic response. 🚨NEWS🚨 A reliable source tells me that Chuck Schumer called STACEY ABRAMS three weeks ago to ask her to deliver the Democratic response to the State of the Union. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) January 29, 2019 National Journal Senate correspondent Zach Cohen later confirmed the news, reporting that Schumer told him he was “very delighted when [Abrams] agreed.” Schumer confirms. “I was very delighted when she agreed.” https://t.co/WLuXgMlHqC — Zach C. Cohen (@Zachary_Cohen) January 29, 2019 “Speaker Pelosi and I are going to issue an official statement shortly. But yes, three weeks ago I called Stacey Abrams and asked her to deliver the response to the State of the Union,” Schumer told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “She is just a great spokesperson, she’s an incredible leader, she has led the charge for voting rights, which is at the root of just about everything…

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Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown: I Can Beat Trump in Ohio and New York

Andrew Shirley

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown may not be officially running, but that’s not stopping him from making some bold predictions. In a surprisingly aggressive statement, the third term senator declared: I would say that I will beat Trump in Ohio, where they know me best. I’ll beat him in my home state and I’ll beat him in his home state of New York, where they know him best. Brown made the statement during a wide-ranging interview on CNN’s “The Van Jones Show.” The senator has not officially declared that he is entering the race. He is presently in the middle of a listening tour that he has dubbed the “Dignity of Work” Tour. He will be visiting Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. While declaring that he is capable of winning both his home state as well as one of the most progressive states in the country would leave him two-hundred and twenty-three electoral votes short of winning the presidency, the statement suggests something broader than just those two states. It can be inferred by his approach that Brown is attempting to execute on a rather unique campaign strategy. Brown believes that he is capable of harmonizing a Democratic-Socialist platform with a moderate, populist…

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Ilhan Omar Lands $250K Book Deal Amid Outcry Over Past Comments

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) has landed her first major book deal with Dey Street Books and will receive an initial commission of up to $250,000. The deal was announced on Publishers Marketplace and is said to chronicle Omar’s “journey fleeing war in Somalia as a little girl, becoming a refugee in her early teens, and making her way against unspeakable odds to become the congresswoman-elect from Minnesota as a collection of remarkable firsts.” The book will be titled This Is What America Looks Like, and Omar will work with a collaborator on its production, according to Forbes. Day Street Books Executive Editor Alessandra Bastagli told Forbes that Omar submitted a book proposal last year. “I’ve been following Rep. Omar’s career since 2016 and was thrilled to receive her excellent book proposal on submission last year,” Bastagli said. “Her voice on the page is very much as it is in real life—fresh and positive even when she is tackling serious issues, with real empathy and deep knowledge.” Both Bastagli and Omar’s literary agent Steve Ross hinted that her memoir will touch on the Trump administration and its policies. “Her story counters everything we keep hearing from the current administration and the…

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Minnesota Democrat Urges Colleagues to ‘Give Trump the Money’

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-07), who says he’s “the only one left in the middle,” urged Democrats to “give Trump the money” for the border wall during a recent interview. Peterson sat down with Joel Heitkamp Tuesday for his KFGO News & Views program to discuss the ongoing government shutdown and how to get out of it, though Peterson didn’t exactly have an optimistic outlook. “I don’t see how we get out of this either, and they’re not reaching out to us—maybe me. I’m kind of the only one left in the middle. There’s a way out of this, but I mean both sides have taken these ridiculous positions. Our side—we’ve wasted money on things worse than the wall. I’m not against the wall. There’s places where it’s needed. We don’t need a wall coast to coast, but there’s places where a wall makes sense,” Peterson said. The Democrat from rural Minnesota said he’s been “talking to some ranchers down there” who have people “crawling over their fences and there’s no border patrol agents.” “One guy told me he had some people crawl over and he called the border patrol, and he said it’d be five hours before we can get…

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Minnesota High School Basketball Team Can’t Play in Tournament After Fans Hoisted Trump Flag at Game

Anthony Gockowski

The superintendent of a rural Minnesota school district cancelled a high school basketball team’s scheduled participation in a Monday tournament because a few student fans recently brought a Trump flag to a game. Last week, students at Jordan High School showed up to a game with a flag that said: “Trump 2020: Keep America Great.” A coach for the opposing team, Minneapolis Roosevelt, took a picture of the students holding the flag and wrote about it on Facebook. “I coach a predominantly black inner city high school team. We go out to a rural area in Jordan, MN and this is there. Please explain how and why this is appropriate at a high school basketball game?” Michael Walker wrote. One person commented on his post to explain that she lent the flag to students to be used as part of a planned USA-themed night. But on Sunday, Jordan School District Superintendent Matthew Helgerson announced that he wouldn’t be allowing the Jordan High School basketball team to participate in an MLK-day tournament. “Given recent events, we believe the participation of our team in the event will detract from the hard work of the athletes and the upbeat focus of the MLK…

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Pelosi Rejects Trump’s Shutdown Offer, Minnesota Democrats Fall in Line

Anthony Gockowski

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) rejected President Donald Trump’s offer Saturday to provide temporary protections for DACA recipients in exchange for border-wall cash, and Minnesota’s congressional delegation promptly followed suit. “Democrats were hopeful that the president was finally willing to re-open government and proceed with a much-needed discussion to protect the border. Unfortunately, initial reports make clear that his proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total do no represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives,” Pelosi said in a statement, which was released before Trump delivered his remarks. Pelosi called Trump’s proposal a “non-starter,” taking issue with the fact that it didn’t “include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS [Temporary Protected Status] recipients that our country needs and supports.” Minnesota’s DFLers fell in line Saturday afternoon, saying they wouldn’t negotiate on border security until the government reopens. “While I welcome many elements of the president’ proposal, negotiations cannot begin during a shutdown,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) wrote on Twitter. “I believe a bipartisan deal can be reached that satisfies our need for enhanced border security and immigration reform, but government must be reopened for that…

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Commentary: Why the Citizenship Question Matters

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by Jesse Merriam   The Judicial Resistance has struck again. As I have explained here and here, the historic 2016 election revealed how our federal courts have harnessed their power to stifle any change on the cardinal issue of the day and the signal issue defining the division between the American Left and Right: illegal immigration. The Judicial Resistance made its first strike two years ago, invalidating the so-called “travel ban” on multiple occasions, forcing President Trump to narrow the ban to a near-nullity. It struck again in blocking President Trump’s efforts to withdraw federal funding from states that refuse to enforce federal immigration law. And it struck yet again, just last month, when a district court issued a nationwide injunction mandating that the Trump Administration must permit the Central American caravaners to stay in the United States for as long as it takes to process their asylum claims. Now, in a 277-page opinion issued Tuesday, Judge Jesse M. Furman of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan held that the Trump administration’s decision to place a citizenship question on the 2020 census was illegal. Judge Furman rested his opinion on two principal reasons. One, Judge Furman claimed that the administration’s…

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House DFL Tells Trump He’s ‘Threatening the Well-Being of Minnesotans’ in Letter

Anthony Gockowski

Nearly every DFL member of the Minnesota House signed their name to a letter sent to President Donald Trump Thursday urging him to “end this shutdown immediately.” “The ongoing federal government shutdown—now the longest in the history of our nation—is threatening the well-being of Minnesotans, putting our state tax dollars at risk and forcing Minnesotans to deal with declining federal services like the Transportation Security Administration,” the letter begins. Thursday’s letter was signed by 72 DFL state representatives, including House Speaker Melissa Hortman (D-Brooklyn Park), and House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler (D-Golden Valley). The Minnesota House DFL claimed on Twitter that “in the spirit of bipartisanship” it “invited House Republicans to sign on but none did.” Today, members of the DFL House Majority sent this letter to President Trump respectfully requesting he re-open the government and end the shutdown. In the spirit of bipartisanship, we invited House Republicans to sign on but none did. https://t.co/VHACCmHNIl #mnleg — Minnesota House DFL Majority (@mnhouseDFL) January 17, 2019 “As the president, and leader of our nation, we count on you to set the tone and consider the national interest over any one political goal,” the letter continues. “You can end this shutdown immediately,…

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Michigan’s Tlaib Blames Trump for Death Threats She’s Receiving

Anthony Gockowski

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) recently sat down with Mehdi Hasan from The Intercept for his “Deconstructed” podcast where the Michigan representative blamed President Donald Trump for the alleged death threats she’s receiving. “Absolutely, he is the leader of our country. He sets the tone and you, even in rallies and other instances, he’s even said if impeachment continued, we’re going to see violence. We’re going to see—I mean, it’s almost like he’s sent out some sort of signal,” Tlaib responded when asked if she holds “this president’s rhetoric responsible” for the threats. During the show, Tlaib continued to build her case for impeaching Trump by invoking the emoluments clause, claiming Trump is “making decisions not in the best interest of the American people,” but “based on the profit lines.” “The Constitution demands it and I want to reiterate to people to understand that this is beyond collusion with Russia. This is beyond the Mueller investigation. Every single day that he’s president of the United States that has not divested in all of his domestic and foreign corporations, he’s making decisions not in the best interest of the American people,” she said. Tlaib went on to claim that this “causes a…

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Minnesota Democrat Says Most People Calling His Office Support ‘The Wall’

Anthony Gockowski

Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-07) told Fox News that the overwhelming majority of calls his office is receiving are from constituents who support President Donald Trump’s border wall. “From what I can tell, they’re still hanging with the president. Today, we got 67 calls for building the wall and five against. So, sounds to me like he’s still pretty popular,” Peterson said in an interview last week. This week, @collinpeterson admitted that both President @realDonaldTrump and the wall are popular in Minnesota. #BuildTheWall #mn07 pic.twitter.com/6xS9M7NKKr — Republican Party of Minnesota (@mngop) January 11, 2019 In another interview with Bloomberg, Peterson revealed that he’s not actually opposed to Trump’s wall, and said he believes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “should negotiate.” During Trump’s Tuesday night Oval Office address, he urged every American citizen to “call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.” “This is a choice between right and wrong. Justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve,” Trump said. Vice President Mike Pence echoed those sentiments in an interview on The Rush Limbaugh Show, where he too pleaded…

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Kasich Launches Broadside Against Trump After President’s Prime-Time Speech

Andrew Shirley

Following President Donald Trump’s prime-time address to the nation Tuesday, Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) issued a blistering rebuttal of the president over his handling of the current government shutdown.  Though he was also critical of Democrats and Republicans, he specifically stated the problem was the result of a lack of “leadership.” The President needs to put the country ahead of politics. pic.twitter.com/ZyXZilJdfs — John Kasich (@JohnKasich) January 9, 2019 Kasich began by noting: The President and the Democrats need to learn how to compromise and put the American people first. It starts with the President putting the country ahead of his politics and being more flexible with his goals. The majority of media outlets have interpreted these comments as a direct attack on Trump. Though Kasich does go on to reaffirm his commitment to having “a secure border,” he ends his statement by saying that “our country needs real leadership to solve our problems. Right now it doesn’t look like that leadership exists in Washington, DC.” The president’s Tuesday night address was a brief and direct appeal to the American people to support his effort to secure funding for a border wall. He outlined the many lives that have been affected by illegal…

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Trump Team Holds China’s Feet to the Fire on Trade Negotiations

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Donald Trump, Xi Jinping

by Jason Hopkins   As the Trump administration continues trade negotiations with China, the U.S. delegation is taking additional steps to make sure the Communist country follows through on its pledges. U.S. and Chinese officials met Monday in the Commerce Ministry in Beijing to begin their two-day trade negotiations. The meeting marks the first face-to-face talks between the two governments since Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump agreed to a tariff truce when they met during G-20 summit. During that G-20 meeting — which took place in the early days of December in Buenos Aires — Xi agreed to a number of concessions in exchange for Trump agreeing to postpone a round of tariffs on Chinese goods. Among many things, the Communist leader pledged to buy more U.S. agricultural and industrial products, allow increased access to Chinese markets, and abide by more cybersecurity and property theft rules. In return, Trump promised to wait 90 days before hiking tariffs to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports — the three-month timeline is indented to give both breathing room to cement a detailed agreement. However, China has a history of not keeping its word. The Communist country has,…

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St. Paul DFL Rep Promises to Fight ‘All Other Isms’ While Calling Trump a ‘Piece of S***’

Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota State Rep.-elect Jay Xiong (D-St. Paul) hasn’t been sworn into office yet, but he’s already vowing to oppose the nation’s “vile president” and stand against “bigotry and racism, sexism and all other isms.” On Friday, Xiong released a statement discussing the actions of President Donald Trump as well as the 2020 census, which could cause significant changes to Minnesota’s congressional districting. Xiong pledged to support any Minnesota House bills that condemn “racist, sexist and hateful presidential executive orders,” such as H.R. 1—a resolution introduced by now Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) condemning Trump’s travel ban. “We stand united against a single idea that we all must fight til the end: hate. It is the vile bigotry and racism, sexism and all other isms that spew from the horrid mouth of an unqualified and unfit president,” Xiong said Friday. He claimed he will do his part at the Minnesota Capitol to oppose “hateful presidential executive orders which have one clear intention: to keep black and brown people out of the process, the polls, and the political and physical body politic of this country, which was founded on immigration.” https://twitter.com/RepJayXiong/status/1081159724710719488 In a subsequent tweet, Xiong mocked Republicans as “snowflakes” after they criticized…

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