Tuesday, December 24

Domestic Politics

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
U.S. Struggles to Clarify Laws on Immigration
21Jun By Patti MohrNo Comments
Migration, Immigration, Borders, Types of News: Analysis, United States

U.S. Struggles to Clarify Laws on Immigration

June 21 -- A day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reverse his administration's policy of separating children from their parents as the parents are prosecuted, Congress took up legislation to reform the nation's immigration and employment laws. If legislation is enacted, it would make sweeping changes to policies affecting political asylum, guest worker programs, employment-verification requirements,  transnational criminal organizations, border security and the legal status of foreign-born people who were brought to United States as children. But the question of "if" is a big one. A Longstanding Impasse Congress's track record in enacting immigration legislation is not good. Despite the need to clarify the nation's laws, its members have not enacted m...
Read More
Putin Calls for Unity Following Landslide Reelection Win
19Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Domestic Politics, Types of News: Brief

Putin Calls for Unity Following Landslide Reelection Win

March 19-A day after easily winning another six-year term in office, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for cohesion in domestic politics and constructive dialogue in international relations. It was a landslide victory for Putin, as expected. He won 75 percent of the vote, securing his place in office through 2024. While Putin is popular in Russia, and considered to be a strong leader, the election itself was not competitive. Furthermore, observers are complaining about large-scale violations, including ballot-box stuffing and voting that was compelled by employers at state-owned companies. The main opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, was not able to run due to a financial-crimes conviction he says was made up by the government. The other candidates, considered by most observ...
Read More
Merkel Wins 4th Term as German Chancellor
14Mar By Patti MohrNo Comments
Democracy, Europe, EU, Eurozone, Types of News: Brief

Merkel Wins 4th Term as German Chancellor

March 14-After months of uncertainty over the leadership of Europe's largest economy, the German Bundestag voted 364-315 in favor of giving Angela Merkel a fourth term as chancellor. A coalition of her own Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party elected her today after a standoff among six parties won support in the general election in September. Since Merkel first won the position in 2005, she has wielded a great deal of influence over European Union policy. She advocated for open intra-European borders and migration from abroad, against criticism from far-right nationalists in Germany and Europe. During Merkel's last major policy speech in January, she called on Europe to take its own destiny within its hands in regards to the digital economy, defense and fore...
Read More
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,...
Read More

Contact Us