Saturday, April 19

Domestic Politics

US Debt Tops $22 Trillion as Lawmakers Deliver New Deal
23Jul By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Domestic Politics, Global Economics, Types of News: Brief, United States

US Debt Tops $22 Trillion as Lawmakers Deliver New Deal

July 23, 2019--U.S. lawmakers agreed to raise the limit on incurring national debt to $22 trillion to July 31, 2021. They also agreed to a two-year budget agreement that increases spending by $320 billion. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a "bold, bipartisan and a victory for Democrats and the American people." President Donald Trump said in a tweet the deal is "a real compromise in order to give another big victory to our Great Military and vets." According to Pelosi's statement, the deal increases both defense and non-defense spending and avoids a government shutdown. The U.S. national debt has risen from $11.9 trillion in 2009 to $22 trillion in 2019. Meanwhile, the interest on the debt (marketable non-government) has risen from 2.28 percent to 2.5 percent in th...
Read More
Do-or-Die Brexiteer Boris Johnson to Become UK Prime Minister
23Jul By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Brief

Do-or-Die Brexiteer Boris Johnson to Become UK Prime Minister

July 23, 2019--Boris Johnson, outspoken Eurosceptic politician in the United Kingdom won the conservative party's election to succeed Theresa May as head of party and state in a sweeping victory. Johnson won 92,153 Tory-party votes, nearly double that of his opponent Jeremy Hunt. That gives him a strong mandate to lead his country out of the European Union -- a process that proved too difficult for his predecessor. In his victory speech following the vote count, Johnson said it is "a pivotal moment in history." He said leaders have to reconcile "the deep desire for" friendship, free trade and mutual support for security between the Britain and Europe and "the simultaneous desire, equally deep and heartfelt, for democratic self government." A 'Do-or-Die' Brexit Strategy ...
Read More
France to Impose ‘GAFA’ Tax on Digital Giants
11Jul By Patti MohrNo Comments
Big Tech, Digital Economy, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Types of News: Brief

France to Impose ‘GAFA’ Tax on Digital Giants

July 11, 2019--The French Parliament enacted new legislation today to tax digital companies, including Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, earning over €750 million ($844 million) a year. The GAFA tax marks the first time a national government would be garnering income from high-tech's increasing use of data collection and targeted online advertising. Moreover, it might pave the way for international efforts to tax the digital, global economy. Revenue Raiser The tax, known as "GAFA" for the four highest-revenue tech companies, is expected to generate about €400 million in revenue for France this year and €650 million in 2020 ($450 million in 2019 and $730 in 2020). It applies to companies with total annual revenues of €750 million globally with €25 million of that earned in...
Read More
Trump Proposes Merit-Based U.S. Immigration System
17May By Patti MohrNo Comments
Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief, United States

Trump Proposes Merit-Based U.S. Immigration System

May 17, 2019-U.S. President Donald Trump introduced sweeping changes to the U.S. immigration system. "We are proposing an immigration plan that puts the jobs, wages, and safety of American workers first," Trump said while outlining the plans on Thursday. If enacted by Congress, the new system would reshape the American immigration system by increasing merit-based admissions while accepting fewer family-based and humanitarian immigrants. It would identify-candidates based on age, talent, vocation and academic records. Meanwhile, it would prioritize immediate family relationships such as parent and child. 'Dead on Arrival' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the plan was "dead on arrival" in Congress. She said the plan had "repackaged the worst" of immigration ...
Read More
Trump Emboldened By Completion of U.S. Special Counsel Investigation
25Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Types of News: Brief, United States

Trump Emboldened By Completion of U.S. Special Counsel Investigation

March 25, 2019 -- A 22-month Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election concluded on Friday, clearing President Donald Trump from a suspicion of conspiring with foreign agents to influence the outcome of the election. Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to the Justice Department Attorney General Robert Barr. On Sunday, Barr released a four-page letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees summing up key findings from the report. 'No collusion' The fundamental finding is that the Trump campaign did not "knowingly coordinate with" the Russia's Internet Research Agency in its disinformation and social media operations to sow social discord in the United States or with th...
Read More
5 Takeaways from Macron’s Letter to European Citizens
5Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Types of News: Brief

5 Takeaways from Macron’s Letter to European Citizens

March 5, 2019--Facing an uncertain future in the wake of the United Kingdom's Brexit dilemma and the rise of nationalist politics in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron published a letter to EU citizens that outlined a "roadmap for European renewal." The op-ed ran in newspapers throughout the 28-member European Union. It comes ahead of the May 23-26 European Parliament elections. Here are five takeaways: 1. Nationalism Must Be Addressed Nationalists -- or populist -- parties are on the rise in Europe, challenging the established order in both national governments and the European Union. One study featured in Parliament Magazine says support for populist political parties has tripled in the last two decades, reaching a significant threshold of 25 percent. Macron acknowledged that ris...
Read More
British Prime Minister Survives Leadership Challenge Amid Brexit Uncertainty
12Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Global Trade, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Types of News: Brief

British Prime Minister Survives Leadership Challenge Amid Brexit Uncertainty

Dec. 12, 2018-British Prime Minister Theresa May survived a leadership challenge by members of her party today on a vote of 200-117. The 117 members of the conservative Tory party support Brexit -- the divorce of the United Kingdom from the European Union, but they oppose the deal she negotiated with EU representatives. Ms. May is scheduled to travel Brussels again tomorrow to discuss a path forward. She said she would seek legal and political assurances from the European Council over unresolved questions over the Ireland-Northern Ireland border--the only land border the United Kingdom has with the EU. Britain has until the end of March to agree to a framework for its separation from the EU before a 21-month transition period begins.
Read More
Britain, Ireland in Turmoil As Brexit Vote Cancelled
11Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Global Trade, Globalization, Global Disintegration, Political Systems, Domestic Politics, Types of News: Analysis

Britain, Ireland in Turmoil As Brexit Vote Cancelled

Dec. 11, 2018-A day after British Prime Minister announced she would not submit her Brexit deal to the parliament today as planned, both the draft plan she negotiated and her own political future face a potential end. May said the agreement her government negotiated with the European Union would have been rejected by the parliament had it gone to a vote. That leaves few options for Britain: schedule another parliamentary vote on the current deal, have a messy no-deal exit from European Union treaties and governance structures, or hold another U.K. referendum on whether to leave. Border and Money May said the deal would honor the result of the 2016 referendum that called for leaving the European Union. "We will take back control of our borders, by putting an end to the free m...
Read More
U.S. Lacks Funds to Handle Migrants, Asylum Cases, Trump Says
25Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief, United States

U.S. Lacks Funds to Handle Migrants, Asylum Cases, Trump Says

June 25, 2018-The United States not only has "the worst immigration laws in the history of the world," it also lacks the funds and resources to deal with migrants crossing its borders, President Donald Trump said late last week as he met with his Cabinet. The statements came just before the U.S. Congress set aside immigration legislation and as the federal government came under scrutiny for separating migrant families. Blame the Other Party Congress appears to be stalemated despite the need to clarity U.S. immigration laws and despite the fact that tens of thousands of migrants are crossing into the United States from Mexico and Central America each year. According to the White House, 200,000 unaccompanied minors migrated to the United States since 2014. "So [Democrats] want us to ...
Read More
As Gov’t Begins Reuniting Families, Congress Sets Immigration Reforms Aside
23Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Brief, United States

As Gov’t Begins Reuniting Families, Congress Sets Immigration Reforms Aside

June 23, 2018-As the U.S. government began reuniting migrant children with their parents, who are being held for illegally crossing the U.S. border, the prospects for immigration reform in Congress appeared dead. The massive migration from Central America to the United States and the U.S. government's inability to handle it have created a crisis with both human and economic costs. The issues involved relate to bureaucratic incompetence, human smuggling, transnational crime, and a broken political system. Many Children And Parents Remain Apart Under pressure mounting pressure from an outrages public, the U.S. government started reuniting parents held under prosecution with their children. According to CBS News, the government returned 500 of the 2,300 children held in detention centers wi...
Read More

Contact Us