Thursday, April 17

Domestic Politics

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

Trump Fires Top U.S. Diplomat Rex Tillerson

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. Grand Jury Indicts Two in Counterintelligence Investigations

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

American Populism Gains Strength Under Trump

Nine months into President Trump's term in office as head of the U.S. Executive Branch, the populist movement that led him to power is shaking the very foundation of the Republican party. The political fracture is relevant not only for the health of America's two-party system, but also because the outcome determines the course of American leadership in the world. In contrast to past presidents who championed democratic ideals and a global rules-based trading system, President Trump promotes economic nationalism, tighter borders, realpolitik and trade protection. Moreover, Trump's verbal assaults on media outlets and his use of Twitter to attack political opponents and comment on foreign policy have some led members of his own party to assert that American democracy itself is at risk....
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Amid Protests, Brazil Passes 20-Year Austerity Plan
16Dec By Patti MohrNo Comments
Currency, Debt, National Budgets & Interest Rates, Domestic Politics, Global Economics

Amid Protests, Brazil Passes 20-Year Austerity Plan

News Brief Damaged by a two-year recession, corruption scandals and protests at home, Latin America's largest economy turned to constitutional reforms to control its rising debt and spending. Brazil's Senate voted 53-16 in favor of a 20-year cap on spending increases for social welfare programs. The House has already passed the bill, which becomes law. The constitutional amendment, PEC 55, will cap government spending on health care, education and social security through 2036 at current rates adjusted for inflation. Supporters said it will create certainty in fiscal budgets, control rising debt, and attract foreign investment. They said the amendment also guarantees a floor for the spending programs. Opponents, however, said the spending caps would hurt the poorest and lock fu...
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Peaceful transfer of power in America
9Nov By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Democracy, Domestic Politics, United States

Peaceful transfer of power in America

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