A NEWS CO-OP IN DC SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE

Monthly archive

January 2017 - page 2

CIA Director Nominee Pompeo Stands by Creepy “Lifestyle Information” Surveillance Idea

by

Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo was asked by the Senate Intelligence Committee about a prior op-ed he wrote, pushing for the creation of a new dragnet surveillance program, including “lifestyle information.” Rep. Pompeo, who is being tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next CIA Director, said he had “not changed his mind” in regards to his advocacy for building a domestic intelligence database comprised of publicly available information—far broader than the now-shuttered phone metadata program revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013. “I still continue…

Keep Reading

Thirteen Dems Join GOP to Kill Sanders Resolution on Canadian Drug Imports

by

Twelve Republicans and thirteen Democrats crossed party lines in a 52-46 vote against prodding Congress toward examining the allowance of pharmaceutical imports from Canada. The non-binding resolution failed last night amid a series of regular procedural considerations–a so-called “vote-a-rama.” Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) sponsored the measure. The move was a blow for those seeking to ensure access to healthcare, as the Senate also approved of a resolution orienting Congress toward a repeal of Obamacare, in a 51-48 vote. Notable Democratic defections…

Keep Reading

Trump “Thinks” Russia Hacked DNC, Goes Off on Intel Agencies, Buzzfeed, CNN

by

An uncorroborated memo that has been circulating for months around news organizations, lawmakers, and US government officials–one alleging dealings between President-Elect Donald Trump and the Russian government–has sparked a full-blown clash between the incoming administration and US spies and journalists. Trump on Wednesday convened his first press conference since July. Although the focus of the back-and-forth with reporters was supposed to be on Trump’s plans to resolve his conflicts of interest, CNN and BuzzFeed reporting on the memo became the focus of the proceedings. “BuzzFeed…

Keep Reading

Trump Secretary of State Pick Compares Muslim Brotherhood to Al-Qaeda

by

Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State hit out at the Muslim Brotherhood in the opening statement that he delivered on Wednesday to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. At the onset of his confirmation hearing, Rex Tillerson called the group “an agent for radical Islam like al-Qaeda…and certain elements within Iran.” The assessment raises the possibility that the Trump administration will not eschew the sort of Islamophobia and authoritarianism that Trump himself promoted during the presidential campaign. Republican advisers and lawmakers have, in recent years,…

Keep Reading

Trump’s Top Prosecutor Sessions Considers Pushing Christian Fundamentalist Laws

by

Amid the confirmation hearing for Donald Trump’s choice to be the next Attorney General, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) bemoaned how critics on the left were characterizing the selection. Hatch said that the nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), was not too far on the right to merit consideration. He then got Sessions to commit to the possibility of enforcing anti-obscenity laws with renewed vigor. “It was part of the Department of Justice for a long time and I would consider that,” Sessions said, when asked by…

Keep Reading

Watchdog: Lack of Oversight Plagues Health Care Services for Native Americans

by

A government report released on Monday tied the poor health outcomes of Native Americans to a lack of consistent management at federal hospitals tasked with caring for indigenous people in the US. According to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Indian Health Service (IHS) has practiced only “limited and inconsistent” oversight of its network of hospitals. The lack of health care standards, the watchdog reported, is a contributing factor to the shorter life expectancy of many Native American populations. The GAO noted…

Keep Reading

1 2
Go to Top