Senators of the Republican Party said on Friday that they will continue to press forward the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in spite of President Trump having been infected with coronavirus. The Judiciary Committee hearings are due to begin on October 3. Amy Coney Barrett has been nominated by Donald Trump for US Supreme Court.

Mitch McConnel, Senate majority leader, said that the Senate would proceed with Barrett's confirmation.

"I think we can move forward. Our biggest enemy, obviously, is ... the coronavirus, keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our job," McConnell told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.

"Full steam ahead," an aide to Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham told Reuters when asked if the schedule for hearings due to begin on Oct. 12 could change.

Graham spoke to Trump on Friday morning and said the first thing the president asked about was the Senate`s plan for Barrett`s confirmation, the aide added.

Barrett, who was last with Trump on Saturday, has tested negative for the coronavirus and is following government guidelines on social distancing and other best practices, according to a White House official.

Republican Party has 53-47 majority in the Senate.

Why the hurry

Amy Coney Barrett is known for her conservative views. Republican Party's vote base is conservative Americans. If Amy Coney Barrett gets confirmed on the Supreme Court, the conservative judges will have 6-3 majority over judges who are more liberal.

Moreover, the republican party is trying hard to confirm Amy Coney Barrett before November 3 US Presidential Elections.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-has-the-coronavirus-what-risks-does-he-face-332026">Trump has the coronavirus. What risks does he face?</a> 
 
In 2000, US Supreme Court had to resolve US Presidential Elections after the votes had been cast and counted. Republican Party's George Bush was declared winner of the election.

It is being said that by confirming Amy Coney Barrett in Supreme Court, Republicans envisage a possible advantage if Supreme Court needs to get involved to resolve US Elections 2020.

What options do Democrats have?

At the moment very few. Although two Republican Senators have said that they will not support Trump's nominee, another defection from the Republican camp would bring the Senate strength during the vote to 50-50. Vice-President Mike Pence can then exercise casting vote in favour of Amy Coney Barrett.

Biden and his vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris, a member of the Judiciary Committee, blasted Trump's choice of Barrett, focusing in particular on the threat they said she would pose to healthcare for millions of Americans.

Biden noted that even as Trump's administration is seeking to strike down Obamacare in a case the Supreme Court is due to hear on Nov. 10, Barrett has a "written track record" criticizing a pivotal 2012 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts preserving the healthcare law formally known as the Affordable Care Act. If quickly confirmed, Barrett could be on the bench to hear that case.

Democrats also fretted that Barrett could help overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a goal of religious conservatives.

(With Reuters inputs)

Senators of the Republican Party said on Friday that they will continue to press forward the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in spite of President Trump having been infected with coronavirus.

Senators of the Republican Party said on Friday that they will continue to press forward the confirmation process of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett in spite of President Trump having been infected with coronavirus. The Judiciary Committee hearings are due to begin on October 3. Amy Coney Barrett has been nominated by Donald Trump for US Supreme Court. Mitch McConnel, Senate majority leader, said that the Senate would proceed with Barrett's confirmation. "I think we can move forward. Our biggest enemy, obviously, is ... the coronavirus, keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our job," McConnell told radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt. "Full steam ahead," an aide to Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham told Reuters when asked if the schedule for hearings due to begin on Oct. 12 could change. Graham spoke to Trump on Friday morning and said the first thing the president asked about was the Senate`s plan for Barrett`s confirmation, the aide added. Barrett, who was last with Trump on Saturday, has tested negative for the coronavirus and is following government guidelines on social distancing and other best practices, according to a White House official. Republican Party has 53-47 majority in the Senate. Why the hurry Amy Coney Barrett is known for her conservative views. Republican Party's vote base is conservative Americans. If Amy Coney Barrett gets confirmed on the Supreme Court, the conservative judges will have 6-3 majority over judges who are more liberal. Moreover, the republican party is trying hard to confirm Amy Coney Barrett before November 3 US Presidential Elections. Also Read | Trump has the coronavirus. What risks does he face? In 2000, US Supreme Court had to resolve US Presidential Elections after the votes had been cast and counted. Republican Party's George Bush was declared winner of the election. It is being said that by confirming Amy Coney Barrett in Supreme Court, Republicans envisage a possible advantage if Supreme Court needs to get involved to resolve US Elections 2020. What options do Democrats have? At the moment very few. Although two Republican Senators have said that they will not support Trump's nominee, another defection from the Republican camp would bring the Senate strength during the vote to 50-50. Vice-President Mike Pence can then exercise casting vote in favour of Amy Coney Barrett. Biden and his vice presidential running mate Kamala Harris, a member of the Judiciary Committee, blasted Trump's choice of Barrett, focusing in particular on the threat they said she would pose to healthcare for millions of Americans. Biden noted that even as Trump's administration is seeking to strike down Obamacare in a case the Supreme Court is due to hear on Nov. 10, Barrett has a "written track record" criticizing a pivotal 2012 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts preserving the healthcare law formally known as the Affordable Care Act. If quickly confirmed, Barrett could be on the bench to hear that case. Democrats also fretted that Barrett could help overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide, a goal of religious conservatives. (With Reuters inputs)

Republicans to push Barrett's confirmation despite Trump's positive COVID-19 test

We are just 46 days away from the voting day for US Presidential elections. There is a new controversy each day and both sides are making new promises to win public sentiments.

A promise is being made to deliver coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible. The vaccine has taken centre stage in the race to the White House.

However, Donald Trump and Joe Biden seem to have very little to offer. Trump has unveiled the largest, fastest and most advanced vaccine distribution plan in American History. Under this plan, Trump administration is promising to swiftly deliver the vaccine to all Americans free of cost. Trump is saying that the vaccine will be available in a matter of weeks.&nbsp;

"We're on track to deliver and distribute the vaccine in a very, very safe and effective manner. We think we can start sometime in October. So as soon as it is announced, we'll be able to start. That will be from mid-October on, may be a little bit later than that, but we'll be all set," said Trump

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However, just hours before Donald Trump unveiled this plan, Director of US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield testified before a US Congress panel and said that a vaccine won't be available to American public before second and third quarter of 2021. &nbsp;

"I think there will be a vaccine that will initially be available sometime between November and December, but very limited supply and we'll have to be prioritized. If you're asking me when is it going to be generally available to the American public, so we can begin to take advantage of the vaccine to get back to our regular life? I think we're probably looking at third, late second quarter, third quarter 2021," he said.

But Trump said Redfield made a mistake when he said that

"No. I think he made a mistake when he said that. It's just incorrect information. And I called him and he didn't tell me that. And I think he got the message may be confused. Maybe it was stated incorrectly, said Trump.

There's no telling what is the real situation. But let's hope that vaccine Trump is promising to deliver next month is not that disinfectant which he once promoted as a remedy for the Wuhan virus.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden has had a lot of complaints against Donald Trump. He says he is fed up with the President's inaction.

Biden wants Trump to take responsibility and come up with a real plan to combat the virus.

"All the President had to offer last night, President Trump, was the same weak and feckless inaction, the same lies and empty promises that we've seen from the very beginning. He still won't accept any responsibility. He still won't offer a plan. And last night he repeated what he's said so many times before - that even if he continues to offer only failing indifference, someday the virus is going to go away by a miracle. Even if he does nothing, it's going to go away by a miracle. It won't go away by a miracle," he said.

Biden has a lot to say about Trump's failures. But just like Trump he has no solutions to offer.

Both Biden and Trump are trying to woo voters across communities. They're eyeing the Hispanic voters as well.

Earlier this week, Trump bragged about a non-existent award that he apparently received from Cuban-Americans 
&nbsp; 
Joe Biden tried courting Hispanic voters by talking about the 'divisive immigration policies' of Trump.

And he stated his address by playing Despacito, the hit Latino song from 2017.

US Elections can really be likened to a reality show. The President is refuting health experts in public, the opponent is dancing to Despacito. Truly there is no dearth of entertainment in the race to White House. 
&nbsp;

We are just 46 days away from the voting day for US Presidential elections. There is a new controversy each day and both sides are making new promises to win public sentiments.

We are just 46 days away from the voting day for US Presidential elections. There is a new controversy each day and both sides are making new promises to win public sentiments. A promise is being made to deliver coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible. The vaccine has taken centre stage in the race to the White House. However, Donald Trump and Joe Biden seem to have very little to offer. Trump has unveiled the largest, fastest and most advanced vaccine distribution plan in American History. Under this plan, Trump administration is promising to swiftly deliver the vaccine to all Americans free of cost. Trump is saying that the vaccine will be available in a matter of weeks. "We're on track to deliver and distribute the vaccine in a very, very safe and effective manner. We think we can start sometime in October. So as soon as it is announced, we'll be able to start. That will be from mid-October on, may be a little bit later than that, but we'll be all set," said Trump × However, just hours before Donald Trump unveiled this plan, Director of US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield testified before a US Congress panel and said that a vaccine won't be available to American public before second and third quarter of 2021. "I think there will be a vaccine that will initially be available sometime between November and December, but very limited supply and we'll have to be prioritized. If you're asking me when is it going to be generally available to the American public, so we can begin to take advantage of the vaccine to get back to our regular life? I think we're probably looking at third, late second quarter, third quarter 2021," he said. But Trump said Redfield made a mistake when he said that "No. I think he made a mistake when he said that. It's just incorrect information. And I called him and he didn't tell me that. And I think he got the message may be confused. Maybe it was stated incorrectly, said Trump. There's no telling what is the real situation. But let's hope that vaccine Trump is promising to deliver next month is not that disinfectant which he once promoted as a remedy for the Wuhan virus. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has had a lot of complaints against Donald Trump. He says he is fed up with the President's inaction. Biden wants Trump to take responsibility and come up with a real plan to combat the virus. "All the President had to offer last night, President Trump, was the same weak and feckless inaction, the same lies and empty promises that we've seen from the very beginning. He still won't accept any responsibility. He still won't offer a plan. And last night he repeated what he's said so many times before - that even if he continues to offer only failing indifference, someday the virus is going to go away by a miracle. Even if he does nothing, it's going to go away by a miracle. It won't go away by a miracle," he said. Biden has a lot to say about Trump's failures. But just like Trump he has no solutions to offer. Both Biden and Trump are trying to woo voters across communities. They're eyeing the Hispanic voters as well. Earlier this week, Trump bragged about a non-existent award that he apparently received from Cuban-Americans Joe Biden tried courting Hispanic voters by talking about the 'divisive immigration policies' of Trump. And he stated his address by playing Despacito, the hit Latino song from 2017. US Elections can really be likened to a reality show. The President is refuting health experts in public, the opponent is dancing to Despacito. Truly there is no dearth of entertainment in the race to White House.

US election 2020: Trump contradicts health expert, Biden dances on Despacito

U.S. Senator Rand Paul, who attended President Donald Trump`s Republican Party nomination convention, said on Friday he was attacked by what he described as an "angry mob" of more than 100 people near the White House and had to be rescued by the police.

"Just got attacked by an angry mob of over 100, one block away from the White House. Thank you to DC Police Dept for literally saving our lives from a crazed mob," the senator wrote on twitter&nbsp;

erified by Reuters, show the senator and his wife Kelley walking down the street as crowds gathered near them shouting and shoving the police who tried to protect the couple.

The police could be heard asking the crowd to "back-off" as they escorted the senator to his hotel. 
It wasn`t immediately clear as to what led to the attack on Senator Paul.

Also Read: <a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/kamala-harris-not-competent-to-be-us-president-ivanka-better-donald-trump-323883">Kamala Harris 'not competent' to be US president, Ivanka better: Donald Trump</a>

Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters had gathered outside the White House on Thursday evening as Trump accepted the Republican Party`s nomination for the 2020 presidential election. Attendees could hear the protesters sounding horns near the White House as he spoke.

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&nbsp;

"What happened to Rand &amp; Kelley tonight (and numerous others exiting the RNC) was wrong," tweeted Republican Senator Ted Cruz.

"The police protecting them were heroic, but this needs to stop. This is very close to escalating to serious violence."

U.S. Senator Rand Paul, who attended President Donald Trump`s Republican Party nomination convention, said on Friday he was attacked by what he described as an "angry mob" of more than 100 people near the White House and had to be rescued by the police.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul, who attended President Donald Trump`s Republican Party nomination convention, said on Friday he was attacked by what he described as an "angry mob" of more than 100 people near the White House and had to be rescued by the police. "Just got attacked by an angry mob of over 100, one block away from the White House. Thank you to DC Police Dept for literally saving our lives from a crazed mob," the senator wrote on twitter erified by Reuters, show the senator and his wife Kelley walking down the street as crowds gathered near them shouting and shoving the police who tried to protect the couple. The police could be heard asking the crowd to "back-off" as they escorted the senator to his hotel. It wasn`t immediately clear as to what led to the attack on Senator Paul. Also Read: Kamala Harris 'not competent' to be US president, Ivanka better: Donald Trump Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters had gathered outside the White House on Thursday evening as Trump accepted the Republican Party`s nomination for the 2020 presidential election. Attendees could hear the protesters sounding horns near the White House as he spoke. × "What happened to Rand & Kelley tonight (and numerous others exiting the RNC) was wrong," tweeted Republican Senator Ted Cruz. "The police protecting them were heroic, but this needs to stop. This is very close to escalating to serious violence."

US Republican Party Senator Rand Paul alleges he was 'attacked' near White House

Takeaways from the first two days of the Republican National Convention

Republicans pressed their case on Tuesday for US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's re-election over Democrat Joe Biden, arguing as their convention opened for a second day that Trump's leadership was vital to the country's economic and political future.

First lady Melania Trump and US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will highlight the program in speeches that have drawn complaints from Democrats for using the White House and a diplomatic trip for partisan purposes.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/takeaways-from-the-first-night-of-the-republican-national-convention-322889">Takeaways from the first night of the Republican National Convention</a>

Hours before&nbsp;Republicans reconvened, the president issued a pardon to a convicted Nevada bank robber, Jon Ponder, who has become an advocate for other inmates and will speak to the convention on Tuesday.

"Jon's life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption," Trump said in a video.

Also speaking will be Richard Beasley, the FBI agent, now retired, who arrested Ponder in 2004. They are among an array of Americans to testify that Trump's policies have helped them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-warns-american-businesses-to-stop-dealing-with-chinese-companies-322844" hreflang="en">FBI warns American businesses to stop dealing with Chinese companies</a>

"I strongly support President Trump’s re-election. When he sees something isn't right, he’s fearless in fixing it. He listens to working people," Maine lobsterman Jason Joyce was expected to say, according to advance excerpts.

Other Americans speaking in defense of Trump's policies on Tuesday had been expected to include Mary Ann Mendoza, whose police officer son died in a head-on collision with a drunk driver who was in the country illegally. She was pulled from the program after retweeting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. She later apologised.

Also scheduled to make&nbsp;the case for Trump against his Democratic rival Joe Biden include Trump's son, Eric, and daughter, Tiffany, as well as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and US&nbsp;Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

On Monday, the opening day,&nbsp;Republicans painted a dire portrait of a future America under Biden's leadership, with Trump campaign adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle asserting that Democrats want to "destroy this country."

The tone drew complaints from Democrats who said Trump was to blame for mismanaging the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 177,000 Americans - more than any other country in the world - and thrown millions out of work.

"Last night was grim and spiteful and fear-inducing," Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer told reporters in a call.

Adding to the dark picture, parts of Kenosha, Wisconsin, were smoldering after another night of unrest sparked by the shooting of a Black man by police. The man, who remains in intensive care, was shot in the back.

Biden leads in the polls

With 70 days remaining until the November&nbsp;3 election, Biden, 77, who served as vice president under Barack Obama, leads Trump, 74, in opinion polls. Democrats nominated Biden to challenge Trump at their party's convention last week.

A total of 17 million people watched the&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;convention's first night on Monday, according to Nielsen, fewer than the 19.7 million TV viewers who watched the first night of the Democratic National Convention last week.

Republicans pressed their case on Tuesday for US President Donald Trump's re-election over Democrat Joe Biden, arguing as their convention opened for a second day that Trump's leadership was vital to the country's economic and political future.

Republicans pressed their case on Tuesday for US President Donald Trump's re-election over Democrat Joe Biden, arguing as their convention opened for a second day that Trump's leadership was vital to the country's economic and political future. First lady Melania Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will highlight the program in speeches that have drawn complaints from Democrats for using the White House and a diplomatic trip for partisan purposes. Also see: Takeaways from the first night of the Republican National Convention Hours before Republicans reconvened, the president issued a pardon to a convicted Nevada bank robber, Jon Ponder, who has become an advocate for other inmates and will speak to the convention on Tuesday. "Jon's life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption," Trump said in a video. Also speaking will be Richard Beasley, the FBI agent, now retired, who arrested Ponder in 2004. They are among an array of Americans to testify that Trump's policies have helped them. Also read: FBI warns American businesses to stop dealing with Chinese companies "I strongly support President Trump’s re-election. When he sees something isn't right, he’s fearless in fixing it. He listens to working people," Maine lobsterman Jason Joyce was expected to say, according to advance excerpts. Other Americans speaking in defense of Trump's policies on Tuesday had been expected to include Mary Ann Mendoza, whose police officer son died in a head-on collision with a drunk driver who was in the country illegally. She was pulled from the program after retweeting an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. She later apologised. Also scheduled to make the case for Trump against his Democratic rival Joe Biden include Trump's son, Eric, and daughter, Tiffany, as well as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. On Monday, the opening day, Republicans painted a dire portrait of a future America under Biden's leadership, with Trump campaign adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle asserting that Democrats want to "destroy this country." The tone drew complaints from Democrats who said Trump was to blame for mismanaging the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 177,000 Americans - more than any other country in the world - and thrown millions out of work. "Last night was grim and spiteful and fear-inducing," Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer told reporters in a call. Adding to the dark picture, parts of Kenosha, Wisconsin, were smoldering after another night of unrest sparked by the shooting of a Black man by police. The man, who remains in intensive care, was shot in the back. Biden leads in the polls With 70 days remaining until the November 3 election, Biden, 77, who served as vice president under Barack Obama, leads Trump, 74, in opinion polls. Democrats nominated Biden to challenge Trump at their party's convention last week. A total of 17 million people watched the Republican convention's first night on Monday, according to Nielsen, fewer than the 19.7 million TV viewers who watched the first night of the Democratic National Convention last week.

Republicans press their case for Trump as party begins Day 2 of convention

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amash-becomes-first-republican-lawmaker-to-call-for-trump-impeachment-219754">US Representative Justin Amash</a>, the first Republican in Congress to say President Donald Trump committed an impeachable offence, quit the Republican Party on Thursday with a blistering attack on politics that puts party over principle.

The Congressman from Michigan, who drew a barrage of criticism from fellow Republicans after he laid out a case for Trump's impeachment, said he has become disenchanted with a political system that is "trapped in a partisan death spiral."

"The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions," he wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece published on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/salute-to-america-trump-praises-us-military-in-july-4-speech-233094">US Independence Day holiday</a>.

"Instead of acting as an independent branch of government and serving as a check on the executive branch, congressional leaders of both parties expect the House and Senate to act in obedience or opposition to the president and their colleagues on a partisan basis," Amash wrote.

A member of Congress since 2011, Amash, 39, made some high-profile decisions in recent months that chronicled his growing disdain for Trump and subsequent drift from the party.

It was his decision to speak out on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian activities during the 2016 presidential election that drew the president's fury - and a prompt Republican primary challenge.

Amash said in May that the Mueller report showed Trump had obstructed justice, bucking his party and joining Democrats in castigating the president for his actions. "President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct," he said.

Amash’s comments on the Mueller report echoed the conclusions of many Democrats, but Democrats are divided about impeachment. Most Republicans are still standing by the president at a time of economic growth, turbulent markets and global trade tensions.

Trump quickly returned fire by calling Amash a lightweight and a loser. Soon after, Jim Lower, a Michigan state legislator who described himself as "pro-Trump," said he would challenge Amash in the 2020 congressional race in Michigan, a state Trump won in 2016.

The president welcomed Amash's news with an acrimonious personal attack on Twitter that also referenced Amash's primary challenge. "Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest &amp; most disloyal men in Congress is 'quitting' the Party," he said.

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Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest &amp; most disloyal men in Congress is “quitting” the Party. No Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn’t get the nomination to run again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his seat. A total loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1146766931573301248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Amash has signalled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020, but he made no mention of that Thursday. Amash's office did not return calls for comment.

The leading Democrat to challenge Trump in 2020, former US Vice President Joe Biden, was asked about Amash's departure while campaigning in Iowa. "Where there's faith, there's hope," he quipped.

In his opinion piece, Amash said he believed that most Americans are not rigidly partisan and do not feel well represented by either party.

In February, he became the lone Republican to co-sponsor a resolution in the US House of Representatives to reject the emergency Trump declared at the US-Mexico border to build a wall there, in a stinging reprimand to the president.

Last month, Amash left the conservative House Freedom Caucus he helped found, whose members usually defend Trump. A libertarian who has targeted government overspending, his July Fourth announcement cast a wide invitation.

"No matter your circumstance, I’m asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us," Amash said. "If we continue to take America for granted, we will lose it."

US Representative Justin Amash, the first Republican in Congress to say President Donald Trump committed an impeachable offence, quit the Republican Party on Thursday with a blistering attack on politics that puts party over principle.

US Representative Justin Amash, the first Republican in Congress to say President Donald Trump committed an impeachable offence, quit the Republican Party on Thursday with a blistering attack on politics that puts party over principle. The Congressman from Michigan, who drew a barrage of criticism from fellow Republicans after he laid out a case for Trump's impeachment, said he has become disenchanted with a political system that is "trapped in a partisan death spiral." "The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions," he wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece published on the US Independence Day holiday. "Instead of acting as an independent branch of government and serving as a check on the executive branch, congressional leaders of both parties expect the House and Senate to act in obedience or opposition to the president and their colleagues on a partisan basis," Amash wrote. A member of Congress since 2011, Amash, 39, made some high-profile decisions in recent months that chronicled his growing disdain for Trump and subsequent drift from the party. It was his decision to speak out on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian activities during the 2016 presidential election that drew the president's fury - and a prompt Republican primary challenge. Amash said in May that the Mueller report showed Trump had obstructed justice, bucking his party and joining Democrats in castigating the president for his actions. "President Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct," he said. Amash’s comments on the Mueller report echoed the conclusions of many Democrats, but Democrats are divided about impeachment. Most Republicans are still standing by the president at a time of economic growth, turbulent markets and global trade tensions. Trump quickly returned fire by calling Amash a lightweight and a loser. Soon after, Jim Lower, a Michigan state legislator who described himself as "pro-Trump," said he would challenge Amash in the 2020 congressional race in Michigan, a state Trump won in 2016. The president welcomed Amash's news with an acrimonious personal attack on Twitter that also referenced Amash's primary challenge. "Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is 'quitting' the Party," he said. Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is “quitting” the Party. No Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn’t get the nomination to run again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his seat. A total loser! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 4, 2019 × Amash has signalled he would consider running as a libertarian against Trump in 2020, but he made no mention of that Thursday. Amash's office did not return calls for comment. The leading Democrat to challenge Trump in 2020, former US Vice President Joe Biden, was asked about Amash's departure while campaigning in Iowa. "Where there's faith, there's hope," he quipped. In his opinion piece, Amash said he believed that most Americans are not rigidly partisan and do not feel well represented by either party. In February, he became the lone Republican to co-sponsor a resolution in the US House of Representatives to reject the emergency Trump declared at the US-Mexico border to build a wall there, in a stinging reprimand to the president. Last month, Amash left the conservative House Freedom Caucus he helped found, whose members usually defend Trump. A libertarian who has targeted government overspending, his July Fourth announcement cast a wide invitation. "No matter your circumstance, I’m asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us," Amash said. "If we continue to take America for granted, we will lose it."

Justin Amash quits Republican party, Trump calls him 'dumb and disloyal'

By Matthew Kolasa

The world’s eyes are on Donald Trump, but something much more profound is going on in America. The maverick Republican presidential nominee is but a symptom of a schism within the party sure to remain unresolved after the election. Trump has opportunistically seized on a power vacuum to win the party’s nomination with a campaign founded less on any specific policy agenda—“Everything is negotiable,” he has publicly declared—than on intuition and mastery of attracting publicity on television and social media to build a cult of personality.

The Trump phenomenon is not about Donald Trump. After President Barack Obama won re-election with a comfortable margin over Mitt Romney in 2012, Republicans could agree on one thing—that they urgently and desperately needed a radical change in strategy. While President George W. Bush could attract Spanish-speaking voters in 2000 and 2004, Republicans have seen declines in support among an increasingly large and influential Latino-Hispanic community. Women are less likely than before to vote for Republicans. Asian-Americans, a fast-growing demographic some call a natural “good fit” for the Republican Party, are flocking to the Democratic Party faster than any other group. The Grand Old Party (GOP) risks becoming uncompetitive.

THE SOUL OF THE PARTY

If the problem is easy to identify, the solution has proven elusive. The many factions that once formed the Republican “big tent” have begun demanding a say in the future of the new GOP. Libertarians have sought greater influence with their laissez-faire domestic agenda and isolationist foreign policy with champions like Ron and Rand Paul. The extreme rightist Freedom Caucus has made manifest its disdain for party leadership, unseating powerful figures like Majority Leader Eric Cantor in once-sleepy primary contests. Moderates have sought compromise, with Speaker Paul Ryan negotiating an uneasy truce that has likely ended with his denouncement of Trump.

Will the new GOP keep its old social values or move with changing attitudes on capital punishment, gay marriage and abortion? Will it keep its economic agenda or support social welfare programs? What of immigration? The schism is a battle for the party’s soul.

This is the underlying reason a populist like Donald Trump can abscond with the nomination. There were 17 candidates, including popular governors and senators, seeking the party’s mantle without direction from the establishment. Contrast this with Secretary Clinton, who effectively won her party’s nomination contest long before it began. Republicans knew they had a problem and had four years to pick a direction and a champion to lead them. Conservatives say, elect a true conservative and the base will rise up, while moderates insist that only a broader appeal can save the party. There have been internal battles before, but this is a level of dysfunction unseen in modern American history.

A NEW WORLD ORDER

Many Americans are living in fear and confusion, their lives and livelihoods shaped by tectonic forces they do not understand. Trade deals, market speculation, bailouts and migration are complex phenomena that leave those with stagnant wages and rising costs of living scrambling for a leader to champion them. This led some Democrats to support Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who vowed to fight against free trade and Wall Street. On the Republican side,&nbsp;Trump has blamed immigrants, unpatriotic corporations and weakness in the face of China, Mexico and Japan for America’s ills.

This fear and uncertainty manifested itself in Europe as well, with radical rightists and leftists gaining unexpected seats in parliaments across the continent. Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU) came from a variety of grievances, from discontent with Prime Minister David Cameron, to opposition to immigration from Central and Eastern Europe, to a belief that Britain merely subsidises poorer EU countries.

The press has labelled these various protests against the world order “populism”—a term that belies the complexity of the issues the world faces and the difficulty world leaders have in helping those left behind, whether the victims of urban blight, or coal miners in Appalachia, or unemployed factory workers in northeast England.

One can argue these voters have become tribal, seeking one of their own to put their interests above those of other groups, but there is another way of&nbsp;understanding it: globalisation and government policies have resulted in winners and losers, and those who have gained little in recent decades see no reason to listen to economists’ arguments on the benefits of free trade, immigration or other reforms, no matter how compelling the evidence or the moral arguments.

While racism and xenophobia form an unfortunate part of the debate, these forces will only grow stronger if leaders ignore legitimate grievances. If they are ignored, Trumpism and Brexit will become the rule rather than the exception. In the American case, the challenge for the Republican Party after the election will be to find a balance between representing the far right and the need to build a broader base of support rather than doom it to becoming a radical outsider voice, ideologically pure but impotent and unable to implement its promises.

As the American political landscape changes, the next election cycle may prove to be the Republican Party’s last chance to be a mover of events rather than&nbsp;have its hand forced by developments outside its influence and control. Trumpism is not about Trump. Having two parties with diverse and inclusive bases is crucial, lest we see Donald Trump become a mere prelude to a far greater political turmoil. 
 
(Matthew Kolasa is an attorney and journalist. )

(This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-republican-party-american-election-headlines-89332/">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The challenge for the Republican Party will be to find a balance between representing the far right and the need to build a broader base

By Matthew Kolasa The world’s eyes are on Donald Trump, but something much more profound is going on in America. The maverick Republican presidential nominee is but a symptom of a schism within the party sure to remain unresolved after the election. Trump has opportunistically seized on a power vacuum to win the party’s nomination with a campaign founded less on any specific policy agenda—“Everything is negotiable,” he has publicly declared—than on intuition and mastery of attracting publicity on television and social media to build a cult of personality. The Trump phenomenon is not about Donald Trump. After President Barack Obama won re-election with a comfortable margin over Mitt Romney in 2012, Republicans could agree on one thing—that they urgently and desperately needed a radical change in strategy. While President George W. Bush could attract Spanish-speaking voters in 2000 and 2004, Republicans have seen declines in support among an increasingly large and influential Latino-Hispanic community. Women are less likely than before to vote for Republicans. Asian-Americans, a fast-growing demographic some call a natural “good fit” for the Republican Party, are flocking to the Democratic Party faster than any other group. The Grand Old Party (GOP) risks becoming uncompetitive. THE SOUL OF THE PARTY If the problem is easy to identify, the solution has proven elusive. The many factions that once formed the Republican “big tent” have begun demanding a say in the future of the new GOP. Libertarians have sought greater influence with their laissez-faire domestic agenda and isolationist foreign policy with champions like Ron and Rand Paul. The extreme rightist Freedom Caucus has made manifest its disdain for party leadership, unseating powerful figures like Majority Leader Eric Cantor in once-sleepy primary contests. Moderates have sought compromise, with Speaker Paul Ryan negotiating an uneasy truce that has likely ended with his denouncement of Trump. Will the new GOP keep its old social values or move with changing attitudes on capital punishment, gay marriage and abortion? Will it keep its economic agenda or support social welfare programs? What of immigration? The schism is a battle for the party’s soul. This is the underlying reason a populist like Donald Trump can abscond with the nomination. There were 17 candidates, including popular governors and senators, seeking the party’s mantle without direction from the establishment. Contrast this with Secretary Clinton, who effectively won her party’s nomination contest long before it began. Republicans knew they had a problem and had four years to pick a direction and a champion to lead them. Conservatives say, elect a true conservative and the base will rise up, while moderates insist that only a broader appeal can save the party. There have been internal battles before, but this is a level of dysfunction unseen in modern American history. A NEW WORLD ORDER Many Americans are living in fear and confusion, their lives and livelihoods shaped by tectonic forces they do not understand. Trade deals, market speculation, bailouts and migration are complex phenomena that leave those with stagnant wages and rising costs of living scrambling for a leader to champion them. This led some Democrats to support Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who vowed to fight against free trade and Wall Street. On the Republican side, Trump has blamed immigrants, unpatriotic corporations and weakness in the face of China, Mexico and Japan for America’s ills. This fear and uncertainty manifested itself in Europe as well, with radical rightists and leftists gaining unexpected seats in parliaments across the continent. Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU) came from a variety of grievances, from discontent with Prime Minister David Cameron, to opposition to immigration from Central and Eastern Europe, to a belief that Britain merely subsidises poorer EU countries. The press has labelled these various protests against the world order “populism”—a term that belies the complexity of the issues the world faces and the difficulty world leaders have in helping those left behind, whether the victims of urban blight, or coal miners in Appalachia, or unemployed factory workers in northeast England. One can argue these voters have become tribal, seeking one of their own to put their interests above those of other groups, but there is another way of understanding it: globalisation and government policies have resulted in winners and losers, and those who have gained little in recent decades see no reason to listen to economists’ arguments on the benefits of free trade, immigration or other reforms, no matter how compelling the evidence or the moral arguments. While racism and xenophobia form an unfortunate part of the debate, these forces will only grow stronger if leaders ignore legitimate grievances. If they are ignored, Trumpism and Brexit will become the rule rather than the exception. In the American case, the challenge for the Republican Party after the election will be to find a balance between representing the far right and the need to build a broader base of support rather than doom it to becoming a radical outsider voice, ideologically pure but impotent and unable to implement its promises. As the American political landscape changes, the next election cycle may prove to be the Republican Party’s last chance to be a mover of events rather than have its hand forced by developments outside its influence and control. Trumpism is not about Trump. Having two parties with diverse and inclusive bases is crucial, lest we see Donald Trump become a mere prelude to a far greater political turmoil. (Matthew Kolasa is an attorney and journalist. ) (This article was originally published on Fair Observer. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The Republican Party Beyond Trump

United States President Donald Trump would celebrate Diwali in his Oval Office next Tuesday, the White House has said.

"The President will be celebrating Diwali with a ceremonial lighting of the diya (lamp) in the Oval Office next Tuesday," Deputy Assistant to the president Raj Shah said in a statement on Thursday.

A day earlier Trump had greeted people celebrating the festival of lights the world over and said it is a special opportunity to reflect on the bond of friendship between India and the United States.

Trump said First Lady Melania joins him in sending their best wishes for a very happy and memorable Diwali.

He also recognised the "extraordinary" contributions of Indian-Americans in the development of the United States.

"We recognise the extraordinary contributions of Indian-Americans to the strength and success of our nation. Their achievements in business and industry, public service, education, scientific research, and other fields continue to represent the very best of our American virtues and the spirit of the Diwali season," said Trump, who had celebrated Diwali last year by lighting the ceremonial lamp in the Oval Office.

Asserting that Diwali is a joyous and spiritual time marked by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, Trump said lighting of lamps on the occasion symbolises the true meaning of Diwali, which is triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson Ronna McDaniel also greeted people celebrating Diwali.

"We wish you and your family and friends a meaningful celebration of the victory of light over darkness. We at the RNC will continue to honour the traditions of diverse communities that enrich and strengthen our country," she said.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said nearly a billion people from around the world will light the lamp "as a reminder that good ultimately overcomes evil, understanding over ignorance, and kindness over animosity".

"As those celebrating decorate their homes with vibrant lights, I would also like to recognise the achievements of our friends in the United States observing Diwali who make important contributions to our country on a daily basis," he had said.

Top American lawmakers also joined Trump in extending Diwali greetings.

"Wishing a very happy Diwali to everyone around the world celebrating the Festival of Lights!" said Senator Mark Warner, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus.

"These lights are physical, including lanterns, candles, and fireworks, but for those who light the flames, they hold a deeper meaning. Diwali celebrates awareness of one's inner light and light's triumph over darkness. It celebrates goodness over evil and hope over despair," Senator John Cornyn, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said.

Indian American lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi said, "Happy Diwali to those celebrating the Festival of Lights today, which commemorates the victory of good over evil and illumination of knowledge."

Congressman John Sarbanes said the festival of lights serves as an important reminder for all that love and light will always prevail over hate and darkness, and that knowledge and reason will invariably overcome intolerance and ignorance.

Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, "Happy Diwali to the millions around the world celebrating the Festival of Lights! What a beautiful reminder that light prevails over darkness and that goodness will guide us toward a better future."

Congressman Derek Kilmer said, "Diwali is a celebration of our shared aspirations for the world: The triumph of light over darkness. As millions come together to celebrate this holiday, let's join them in striving to embrace the values of Diwali in our politics &amp; our communities."

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the House of Representatives, in a video message said Diwali is such a special time of year where people all over the world are coming together to light their lamps in honour the return of Lord Ram to His kingdom after many years in exile, and celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

United States President Donald Trump would celebrate Diwali in his Oval Office next Tuesday, the White House has said. "The President will be celebrating Diwali with a ceremonial lighting of the diya (lamp) in the Oval Office next Tuesday," Deputy Assistant to the president Raj Shah said in a statement on Thursday.

United States President Donald Trump would celebrate Diwali in his Oval Office next Tuesday, the White House has said. "The President will be celebrating Diwali with a ceremonial lighting of the diya (lamp) in the Oval Office next Tuesday," Deputy Assistant to the president Raj Shah said in a statement on Thursday. A day earlier Trump had greeted people celebrating the festival of lights the world over and said it is a special opportunity to reflect on the bond of friendship between India and the United States. Trump said First Lady Melania joins him in sending their best wishes for a very happy and memorable Diwali. He also recognised the "extraordinary" contributions of Indian-Americans in the development of the United States. "We recognise the extraordinary contributions of Indian-Americans to the strength and success of our nation. Their achievements in business and industry, public service, education, scientific research, and other fields continue to represent the very best of our American virtues and the spirit of the Diwali season," said Trump, who had celebrated Diwali last year by lighting the ceremonial lamp in the Oval Office. Asserting that Diwali is a joyous and spiritual time marked by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, Trump said lighting of lamps on the occasion symbolises the true meaning of Diwali, which is triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson Ronna McDaniel also greeted people celebrating Diwali. "We wish you and your family and friends a meaningful celebration of the victory of light over darkness. We at the RNC will continue to honour the traditions of diverse communities that enrich and strengthen our country," she said. Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said nearly a billion people from around the world will light the lamp "as a reminder that good ultimately overcomes evil, understanding over ignorance, and kindness over animosity". "As those celebrating decorate their homes with vibrant lights, I would also like to recognise the achievements of our friends in the United States observing Diwali who make important contributions to our country on a daily basis," he had said. Top American lawmakers also joined Trump in extending Diwali greetings. "Wishing a very happy Diwali to everyone around the world celebrating the Festival of Lights!" said Senator Mark Warner, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus. "These lights are physical, including lanterns, candles, and fireworks, but for those who light the flames, they hold a deeper meaning. Diwali celebrates awareness of one's inner light and light's triumph over darkness. It celebrates goodness over evil and hope over despair," Senator John Cornyn, the Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, said. Indian American lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi said, "Happy Diwali to those celebrating the Festival of Lights today, which commemorates the victory of good over evil and illumination of knowledge." Congressman John Sarbanes said the festival of lights serves as an important reminder for all that love and light will always prevail over hate and darkness, and that knowledge and reason will invariably overcome intolerance and ignorance. Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, "Happy Diwali to the millions around the world celebrating the Festival of Lights! What a beautiful reminder that light prevails over darkness and that goodness will guide us toward a better future." Congressman Derek Kilmer said, "Diwali is a celebration of our shared aspirations for the world: The triumph of light over darkness. As millions come together to celebrate this holiday, let's join them in striving to embrace the values of Diwali in our politics & our communities." Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the House of Representatives, in a video message said Diwali is such a special time of year where people all over the world are coming together to light their lamps in honour the return of Lord Ram to His kingdom after many years in exile, and celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

Trump to celebrate Diwali in Oval Office next Tuesday: White House

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that illegal immigrants who throw rocks at the military would be arrested, but not fired upon by troops.

He made the remarks to reporters one day after he suggested the military could fire on members of a migrant caravan if they throw rocks at troops.

"If our soldiers or border patrol or ICE are going to be hit in the face with rocks, we're going to arrest those people, that doesn't mean shoot them," Trump told reporters outside the White House, "but we're going to arrest those people quickly and for a long period of time."

Trump has hardened his stance on immigration, and specifically against the caravan of migrants, ahead of next week's congressional elections, in which Trump's Republican party seeks to maintain control of both chambers.

On Monday the Pentagon said it had deployed more than 5,200 troops to the border after Trump said on Twitter he was sending the military to face off against the migrant caravan, a group of men, women and children travelling through Mexico as they flee violence and poverty in Central America.

Trump said on Wednesday the United States could send as many as 15,000 troops to the border, more than are in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, Trump said his administration was finalizing a plan to require asylum seekers to enter the country through legal ports of entry, although it remained unclear whether such a limitation would be legally possible.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that illegal immigrants who throw rocks at the military would be arrested, but not fired upon by troops. He made the remarks to reporters one day after he suggested the military could fire on members of a migrant caravan if they throw rocks at troops.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that illegal immigrants who throw rocks at the military would be arrested, but not fired upon by troops. He made the remarks to reporters one day after he suggested the military could fire on members of a migrant caravan if they throw rocks at troops. "If our soldiers or border patrol or ICE are going to be hit in the face with rocks, we're going to arrest those people, that doesn't mean shoot them," Trump told reporters outside the White House, "but we're going to arrest those people quickly and for a long period of time." Trump has hardened his stance on immigration, and specifically against the caravan of migrants, ahead of next week's congressional elections, in which Trump's Republican party seeks to maintain control of both chambers. On Monday the Pentagon said it had deployed more than 5,200 troops to the border after Trump said on Twitter he was sending the military to face off against the migrant caravan, a group of men, women and children travelling through Mexico as they flee violence and poverty in Central America. Trump said on Wednesday the United States could send as many as 15,000 troops to the border, more than are in Afghanistan. On Thursday, Trump said his administration was finalizing a plan to require asylum seekers to enter the country through legal ports of entry, although it remained unclear whether such a limitation would be legally possible.

US troops will not fire on migrant caravan: Donald Trump

Just five days before the midterm elections in the US, President Donald Trump and his Republican Party have posted an advertisement which has infuriated the online world.

The racially charged political ad, tweeted by Trump on Wednesday, accuses Democrats of plotting to help Central American "invaders" overrun the nation with police killers.

"It is outrageous what the Democrats are doing to our Country. Vote Republican now!" Trump has said in his tweet.

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It is outrageous what the Democrats are doing to our Country. Vote Republican now! <a href="https://t.co/0pWiwCHGbh">https://t.co/0pWiwCHGbh</a> <a href="https://t.co/2crea9HF7G">pic.twitter.com/2crea9HF7G</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1057728445386539008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The ad - produced for the Trump campaign - features Luis Bracamontes, a Mexican man who had previously been deported but returned to the US and was convicted in February in the killing of two California deputies.

"I'm going to kill more cops soon," a grinning Bracamontes is shown saying in court as captions flash across the screen reading "Democrats let him into our country. Democrats let him stay".

While some Twitter users have compared this ad to George Bush's racist ad on Willie Horton, others called it "a new low in campaigning".

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Response of <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffFlake?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeffFlake</a> to this new Trump ad: “This is just a new low in campaigning. It’s sickening.” <a href="https://t.co/f6oyjId6O7">https://t.co/f6oyjId6O7</a>
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1057783680222015489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush released his infamous fear-mongering, racist ad on Willie Horton. 
 
This Trump ad is worse. Far worse. <a href="https://t.co/jLFbhU8FLs">https://t.co/jLFbhU8FLs</a>
— Eric Umansky (@ericuman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericuman/status/1057818332831866880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Can we please not spend the next 5 days - or even the next one day -talking about this ad? That would be exactly the reaction Trump wants, as it would keep us from talking about healthcare or jobs or climate change or the rampant corruption of the Trump admin
— DC Deciphered (@DCdeciphered) <a href="https://twitter.com/DCdeciphered/status/1057871638933499905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Five days before the midterm elections Trump tweeted the most extreme step yet in the most inflammatory closing argument of any campaign in recent memory. His campaign ad was the latest example of his willingness to lie and fear-monger.
— Mittens&amp;TinyDancer (@MTinydancer) <a href="https://twitter.com/MTinydancer/status/1057871446037483520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The ad also flashes footage of the migrant caravan of Central American asylum seekers that is currently in Mexico.

"Who else would Democrats let in?" a caption asks.

The ad recalls the notorious "Willie Horton" campaign financed by supporters of the former President George Bush's campaign in the 1988 presidential election.

Horton was a man and convicted murderer who committed rape while furloughed under a programme in Massachusetts where Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis was Governor.

The ad has since been deemed as one of the most racially problematic in modern political history since it played into white fear and African-American stereotypes, CNN said.

Reacting to the ad, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said on Wednesday night the ad was a sign of desperation and suggested that Trump was losing the argument over health care that is at the centre of the Democratic campaign.

"This is distracting, divisive Donald at his worst," Perez told CNN.

"This is fear mongering... They have to fear monger and his dog whistle of all dog whistles is immigration. This has been Donald Trump's playbook for so long."

Just five days before the midterm elections in the US, President Donald Trump and his Republican Party have posted an advertisement which has infuriated the online world.

Just five days before the midterm elections in the US, President Donald Trump and his Republican Party have posted an advertisement which has infuriated the online world. The racially charged political ad, tweeted by Trump on Wednesday, accuses Democrats of plotting to help Central American "invaders" overrun the nation with police killers. "It is outrageous what the Democrats are doing to our Country. Vote Republican now!" Trump has said in his tweet. It is outrageous what the Democrats are doing to our Country. Vote Republican now! https://t.co/0pWiwCHGbh pic.twitter.com/2crea9HF7G — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018 × The ad - produced for the Trump campaign - features Luis Bracamontes, a Mexican man who had previously been deported but returned to the US and was convicted in February in the killing of two California deputies. "I'm going to kill more cops soon," a grinning Bracamontes is shown saying in court as captions flash across the screen reading "Democrats let him into our country. Democrats let him stay". While some Twitter users have compared this ad to George Bush's racist ad on Willie Horton, others called it "a new low in campaigning". Response of @JeffFlake to this new Trump ad: “This is just a new low in campaigning. It’s sickening.” https://t.co/f6oyjId6O7 — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 31, 2018 × Thirty years ago, George H.W. Bush released his infamous fear-mongering, racist ad on Willie Horton. This Trump ad is worse. Far worse. https://t.co/jLFbhU8FLs — Eric Umansky (@ericuman) November 1, 2018 × Can we please not spend the next 5 days - or even the next one day -talking about this ad? That would be exactly the reaction Trump wants, as it would keep us from talking about healthcare or jobs or climate change or the rampant corruption of the Trump admin — DC Deciphered (@DCdeciphered) November 1, 2018 × Five days before the midterm elections Trump tweeted the most extreme step yet in the most inflammatory closing argument of any campaign in recent memory. His campaign ad was the latest example of his willingness to lie and fear-monger. — Mittens&TinyDancer (@MTinydancer) November 1, 2018 × The ad also flashes footage of the migrant caravan of Central American asylum seekers that is currently in Mexico. "Who else would Democrats let in?" a caption asks. The ad recalls the notorious "Willie Horton" campaign financed by supporters of the former President George Bush's campaign in the 1988 presidential election. Horton was a man and convicted murderer who committed rape while furloughed under a programme in Massachusetts where Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis was Governor. The ad has since been deemed as one of the most racially problematic in modern political history since it played into white fear and African-American stereotypes, CNN said. Reacting to the ad, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said on Wednesday night the ad was a sign of desperation and suggested that Trump was losing the argument over health care that is at the centre of the Democratic campaign. "This is distracting, divisive Donald at his worst," Perez told CNN. "This is fear mongering... They have to fear monger and his dog whistle of all dog whistles is immigration. This has been Donald Trump's playbook for so long."

US President Donald Trump shocks with racist new ad before midterm polls

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago.

Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said that he took the decision after "putting his family and country first" and "distanced himself from the values of the Trump administration."

In March 2017, Cohen registered himself as a Republican. He had also served as the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee` Finance Committee, before stepping down amid a federal investigation into his business deals, Fox News reported.

The move comes amid the souring ties between Trump and Cohen over adult actress Stormy Daniels` legal action against the duo over a USD 130,000 non-disclosure agreement, in which the porn star had agreed to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.

The contract, which was signed days before the 2016 presidential poll, also led to the violation of Trump campaign`s finance laws, which Cohen had agreed later.

In August, the former lawyer had pleaded guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court for orchestrating the payments at "Trump`s direction".

The announcement of Cohen`s sentence is scheduled for December 12 by Judge William H. Pauley and is expected to include jail time and a monetary fine.

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago.

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago. Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said that he took the decision after "putting his family and country first" and "distanced himself from the values of the Trump administration." In March 2017, Cohen registered himself as a Republican. He had also served as the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee` Finance Committee, before stepping down amid a federal investigation into his business deals, Fox News reported. The move comes amid the souring ties between Trump and Cohen over adult actress Stormy Daniels` legal action against the duo over a USD 130,000 non-disclosure agreement, in which the porn star had agreed to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. The contract, which was signed days before the 2016 presidential poll, also led to the violation of Trump campaign`s finance laws, which Cohen had agreed later. In August, the former lawyer had pleaded guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court for orchestrating the payments at "Trump`s direction". The announcement of Cohen`s sentence is scheduled for December 12 by Judge William H. Pauley and is expected to include jail time and a monetary fine.

Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen returns to Democratic Party

United States President Donald Trump joined Americans in paying tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the military services. However, the president's twitter wishes did not go very well with the war veterans and sparked an outcry on social media.

Donald Trump tweeted stating that dead veterans would be happy and proud "at how well our country is doing today".

Trump wrote, "Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!"

The veterans slammed the president and called his tweet the "most inappropriate" memorial day comment ever made by an American president.

"This is the most inappropriate #MemorialDay comment that a @POTUS has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling. #CadetBoneSpurs," noted&nbsp;a group of war veterans.

The group was also furious at the Republican Party's effort to&nbsp;raise funds on Memorial Day by offering a 25 per cent discount on official Trump campaign merchandise.

"Really @GOP? You think this is what’s #MemorialDay is all about. Maybe you can #TakeAKnee and remember the fallen", the group tweeted in response to the Republican party's Memorial Day deal.

Several others, including family members of soldiers and veterans, expressed their anger on Twitter.

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“Mr. President: My father was MIA in Vietnam for 30 years. I will visit him at Arlington today. There is nothing “happy” about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MemorialDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MemorialDay</a>,” tweeted retired US Army Major General <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulDEaton52?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulDEaton52</a>. <a href="https://t.co/FwIjFGQENz">https://t.co/FwIjFGQENz</a>
— VoteVets (@votevets) <a href="https://twitter.com/votevets/status/1001183561049890822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"Me"-morial Day.
— Mike Bender (@MikeBenderVO) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeBenderVO/status/1001111140389224450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Many people question this president, but it’s no small achievement to write the grossest, most inappropriate, most self-flattering Memorial Day message in the history of the US presidency <a href="https://t.co/t8JN7JNwdg">https://t.co/t8JN7JNwdg</a>
— David Frum (@davidfrum) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1001085908240781313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I don’t think I’ve EVER heard ANYONE say, “Happy Memorial Day”. My Dad, a Purple Heart-wearing Vietnam Veteran, is disgusted with this POtuS. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IgnorantAss?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IgnorantAss</a>
— KimAnnAlt (@kimannalt) <a href="https://twitter.com/kimannalt/status/1001182296991399936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trumps Memorial Day speech... 
 
<a href="https://t.co/eoC2C23ZrJ">pic.twitter.com/eoC2C23ZrJ</a>
— Anne Boleyn (@MsAnneBoleyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/MsAnneBoleyn/status/1001238439147196416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Really <a href="https://twitter.com/GOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GOP</a>? You think this is what’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MemorialDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MemorialDay</a> is all about. Maybe you can <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeAKnee?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeAKnee</a> and remember the fallen. <a href="https://t.co/Fakq5TOEWF">pic.twitter.com/Fakq5TOEWF</a>
— VoteVets (@votevets) <a href="https://twitter.com/votevets/status/1001228949446447104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This is the most inappropriate <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MemorialDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MemorialDay</a> comment that a <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CadetBoneSpurs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CadetBoneSpurs</a> <a href="https://t.co/kRse4dnwiu">pic.twitter.com/kRse4dnwiu</a>
— VoteVets (@votevets) <a href="https://twitter.com/votevets/status/1001095903615291395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States which is observed to remember&nbsp;American martyrs.

Trump wrote that dead veterans would be happy and proud 'at how well our country is doing today'

United States President Donald Trump joined Americans in paying tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives while serving in the military services. However, the president's twitter wishes did not go very well with the war veterans and sparked an outcry on social media. Donald Trump tweeted stating that dead veterans would be happy and proud "at how well our country is doing today". Trump wrote, "Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!" The veterans slammed the president and called his tweet the "most inappropriate" memorial day comment ever made by an American president. "This is the most inappropriate #MemorialDay comment that a @POTUS has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling. #CadetBoneSpurs," noted a group of war veterans. The group was also furious at the Republican Party's effort to raise funds on Memorial Day by offering a 25 per cent discount on official Trump campaign merchandise. "Really @GOP? You think this is what’s #MemorialDay is all about. Maybe you can #TakeAKnee and remember the fallen", the group tweeted in response to the Republican party's Memorial Day deal. Several others, including family members of soldiers and veterans, expressed their anger on Twitter. “Mr. President: My father was MIA in Vietnam for 30 years. I will visit him at Arlington today. There is nothing “happy” about #MemorialDay,” tweeted retired US Army Major General @PaulDEaton52. https://t.co/FwIjFGQENz — VoteVets (@votevets) May 28, 2018 × "Me"-morial Day. — Mike Bender (@MikeBenderVO) May 28, 2018 × Many people question this president, but it’s no small achievement to write the grossest, most inappropriate, most self-flattering Memorial Day message in the history of the US presidency https://t.co/t8JN7JNwdg — David Frum (@davidfrum) May 28, 2018 × I don’t think I’ve EVER heard ANYONE say, “Happy Memorial Day”. My Dad, a Purple Heart-wearing Vietnam Veteran, is disgusted with this POtuS. #IgnorantAss — KimAnnAlt (@kimannalt) May 28, 2018 × Donald Trumps Memorial Day speech... pic.twitter.com/eoC2C23ZrJ — Anne Boleyn (@MsAnneBoleyn) May 28, 2018 × Really @GOP? You think this is what’s #MemorialDay is all about. Maybe you can #TakeAKnee and remember the fallen. pic.twitter.com/Fakq5TOEWF — VoteVets (@votevets) May 28, 2018 × This is the most inappropriate #MemorialDay comment that a @POTUS has ever made. Self-promotion on a day to remember the fallen, and wishing those remembering their deceased loved ones a “happy” holiday is appalling. #CadetBoneSpurs pic.twitter.com/kRse4dnwiu — VoteVets (@votevets) May 28, 2018 × The Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States which is observed to remember American martyrs.

War veterans slam Donald Trump for his self-congratulatory Memorial Day tweet

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip.

Trump&#39;s first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections.

Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration &quot;is basically going to war against the state of California,&quot; after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws.

&quot;Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders,&quot; the president said in his weekly address.

&quot;The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government .&quot;

The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America&#39;s southern border.

California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed.

&quot;We&#39;re going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip,&quot; White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for &quot;refusing to follow federal law,&quot; a reference to the state&#39;s efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation.

Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said.

And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign.

&#39;War&#39; against California

The &quot;Golden State&quot; and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns.

Trump&#39;s visit is &quot;part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California,&quot; said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University.

&quot;He&#39;s trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020,&quot; Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later.

Despite its generally liberal leanings, &quot;California is a place with money,&quot; and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump&#39;s re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper.

Focus on Republican areas

Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media.

&quot;His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas,&quot; Zelizer said. &quot;He&#39;s not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation.&quot;

Trump&#39;s visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies.

Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president&#39;s arrival &quot;to set the tone for Trump&#39;s visit,&quot; said executive director Andrea Guerrero.

Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said.

Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump&#39;s visit to inspect border wall prototypes.

In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration&#39;s practice of &quot;forcibly separating&quot; asylum-seeking parents and young children.

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip

US President Donald Trump is heading to California, a state at the forefront of resistance to his anti-immigration agenda, for what is almost certain to be a contentious trip. Trump's first trip to California as president, on Tuesday, comes at a time of high tensions between his Republican administration and the Democratic-leaning most populous US state, especially on immigration issues. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has accused the state of deliberately obstructing enforcement of federal law by offering undocumented immigrants sanctuary protections. Governor Jerry Brown said the Trump administration "is basically going to war against the state of California," after the Justice Department sued to block its sanctuary laws. "Sanctuary jurisdictions are the best friend of smugglers, gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers, killers and other violent offenders," the president said in his weekly address. "The state of California is sheltering dangerous criminals in a brazen and lawless attack on our constitutional system of government ." The president will land at the Miramar air base in southern California and then go see prototypes of the wall he wants to build on America's southern border. California was among the plaintiffs that launched an unsuccessful court challenge to waivers to environmental regulations that were granted so the construction of the prototypes and the replacement of existing border fencing could proceed. "We're going for what we hope to be an incredibly positive trip," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Friday, while also taking aim at California for "refusing to follow federal law," a reference to the state's efforts to shelter illegal immigrants from deportation. Trump will also meet with members of the US military, Sanders said. And he is expected to wrap up the visit with an evening of fundraising in Beverly Hills to raise money for his 2020 re-election campaign. 'War' against California The "Golden State" and the president are at odds over issues ranging from immigration and the environment to marijuana and guns. Trump's visit is "part of a bigger concerted effort to push back on liberal efforts on immigration in California," said Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. "He's trying to shore up the California GOP (Republican Party) for the mid-terms and 2020," Zelizer said, referring to 2018 Congressional elections and the presidential race two years later. Despite its generally liberal leanings, "California is a place with money," and the president has had success with people such as Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur known for his conservative positions, as well as in wealthy Orange County, Zelizer said. The Los Angeles Times reported that donors will contribute up to $250,000 a person to Trump's re-election campaign and the Republican party at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills, citing an invitation obtained by the newspaper. Focus on Republican areas Trump has taken longer to visit California following his election than any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt, according to US media. "His whole focus till now has been... on Republican areas," Zelizer said. "He's not someone who wants to see the whole country, not a traveler interested in sensing the pulse of the nation." Trump's visit to California will be marked by protests, both for and against the president and his policies. Alliance San Diego, which namely advocates on behalf of immigrants, is planning a news conference and a protest the day before the president's arrival "to set the tone for Trump's visit," said executive director Andrea Guerrero. Events and demonstrations could last until after his departure, she said. Jeff Schwilk, the founder of San Diegans for Secure borders, told the Los Angeles Times that he is planning an event to support Trump's visit to inspect border wall prototypes. In another sign of the tensions at play as Trump readies for his trip, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in San Diego federal court challenging the Trump administration's practice of "forcibly separating" asylum-seeking parents and young children.

Trump to make first trip as president to defiant California

Government shutdowns are rare.

This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived.

However, the political consequences and long-term &ldquo;optics&rdquo; may be significant &ndash; and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats.

Politics are key

A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a &ldquo;continuing resolution&rdquo; to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds &ndash; even though the law allows some &ldquo;essential&rdquo; government functions to keep running.

This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues.

The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018.

The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children.

Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year.

But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president&rsquo;s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP.

The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked.

One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party.

There&rsquo;s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning.

Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this.

There are 290 days until Election Day.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shutdown-under-a-unified-government-blame-trump-90423" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This government shutdown is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party.

Government shutdowns are rare. This one is unique because the U.S. has never before experienced a shutdown under a unified government, a time when the White House and Congress are controlled by the same party. The policy consequences of this shutdown are likely to be minimal. And, the shutdown itself will also probably be short-lived. However, the political consequences and long-term “optics” may be significant – and are more likely to negatively impact Republicans than Democrats. Politics are key A government shutdown occurs when Congress and the president fail to pass required annual appropriations into law, and they also fail to pass a temporary funding mechanism known as a “continuing resolution” to keep the government funded. Without these authorizations, the agencies and departments of the federal government literally have no legal authority to spend funds – even though the law allows some “essential” government functions to keep running. This time around, the politics of federal government appropriations are tied to the fate of two other controversial issues. The first is DACA. Trump gave Congress six months to provide a legislative fix for the approximately 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and whose legal status is in jeopardy because the Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era executive action allowing them to stay in the country. Time is ticking for these so-called Dreamers, some of whom will lose their protective status beginning on March 5, 2018. The second issue intertwined with the budget politics is funding of a health insurance program known as CHIP that provides services to 8.9 million children. Republican congressional party leaders tried to push Democrats into an uncomfortable vote by forcing them to choose between negotiating a solution for DACA or funding CHIP. This maneuver had the potential to score important political points for Republicans during an election year. But the plan was thwarted by none other than the leader of the Republican Party, President Trump. Whether it was inadvertent or not, the president’s tweets made many Republicans nervous that the president might not support the deal that congressional leaders had fashioned to fund the government and CHIP. The House passed the bill anyway, but the Senate balked. One might say that the federal government shutdown represents a significant miscalculation by the Republican Party. The GOP is not operating as an effective governing coalition, in part because its leader does not provide a consistent strategic vision for the party. There’s nothing new about Trump being a thorn in the side of Republican party leaders. As a Republican candidate he ran against the party as an outsider and used that image to his benefit. As president, he often seems more concerned about personal advantage than effective party functioning. Despite all efforts to blame the Democrats, the political consequences of a shutdown, even a brief one, will be more likely to hurt Republicans than Democrats who have much less power in government now. In an election year that is already seeing a huge uptick in Republican retirements and a growing enthusiasm for Democratic candidates, the last thing Republicans need is a loss like this. There are 290 days until Election Day. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Why Trump is to be blamed for the US government shutdown

President Donald Trump took command of a high-profile White House meeting on immigration Tuesday, coaxing Republican and Democratic lawmakers toward a compromise on the fate of undocumented migrants who came to the United States as children.

Trump also signalled he was open to more comprehensive immigration reform to address millions of other undocumented people living in the shadows but did not give ground to Democrats over his plans for a border wall.

&quot;It should be a bill of love,&quot; Trump said of a measure under negotiation that would protect hundreds of thousands of so-called &quot;Dreamers&quot; from deportation.

&quot;But it also has to be a bill where we&#39;re able to secure our border. Drugs are pouring into our country at a record pace. A lot of people are coming in that we can&#39;t have,&quot; Trump added, urging lawmakers to &quot;put country before party&quot; and strike a quick solution.

Trump, seated at a long table with some two dozen lawmakers from the House and Senate, presided over the bipartisan talks, allowing journalists rare access to nearly an hour of the meeting.

The president said he would &quot;take the heat&quot; politically if lawmakers were to move toward broader action that would provide a pathway to citizenship for about 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

&quot;You are not that far away from comprehensive immigration reform,&quot; he told Senator Lindsey Graham, after the Republican lawmaker floated the idea of more sweeping legislation.

&quot;You created an opportunity here, Mr President, and you need to close the deal,&quot; Graham told him as TV cameras rolled.

Trump&#39;s position appeared at odds with his 2016 campaign when his platform focused largely on border security and immigration curtailment, and many of his core supporters raged at the prospect of legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants.

The image of Trump presiding over such sensitive negotiations appeared tailor-made for the White House to push back against a narrative -- fueled by a recent explosive West Wing expose -- questioning Trump&#39;s mental fitness, with aides were doubting his ability to govern.

Lives &#39;in the balance&#39;

In September, Trump said he was scrapping the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but then delayed enforcement to give Congress six months -- until March -- to craft a lasting solution.

So-called &quot;Dreamers&quot; were protected from deportation under the policy enacted during Barack Obama&#39;s presidency.

On Tuesday, Trump said a &quot;permanent&quot; solution was needed for Dreamers, but also insisted on the importance of border security, especially with Mexico.

&quot;We need a wall,&quot; Trump said.

Any deal, he added, would need to be accompanied by money for a border wall, measures that limit immigrants from bringing family members into the country in the future -- a policy known as &quot;chain migration&quot; -- and an end to the green card lottery system.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the group had agreed to negotiate legislation that accomplishes &quot;critically needed reforms&quot; in the above areas, as well as DACA.

But a path through Congress remained unclear. The two parties were at odds over whether to pass the measure as a stand-alone bill, as Senate Republican leadership wants, or attach it to a federal spending package that must pass by January 19 in order to avert a government shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will bring up a narrow, DACA-related measure unattached to budget issues or broader immigration reforms.

&quot;There are a number of moving parts here that need to be dealt with,&quot; McConnell told reporters after the meeting, but DACA &quot;will not be a part of any overall spending agreement.&quot;&nbsp;

McConnell nonetheless expressed optimism that a DACA fix could be complete before the March deadline when the grants of legal status begin expiring.

Senate Democrat Dick Durbin, a leading proponent of codifying immigration protections, noted that about 1,000 people per day will lose their DACA status beginning March 5.

&quot;Lives are hanging in the balance,&quot; said Durbin, who was seated next to Trump. &quot;We&#39;ve got the time to do it.&quot;

Not all lawmakers were optimistic about a solution.

&quot;I don&#39;t think they&#39;re closer,&quot; said Republican Senator John Kennedy, who was not at the talks.

&quot;The problem is that the Democrats, they want all the dessert and they don&#39;t want to eat any spinach,&quot; he added. &quot;They&#39;re just dying to give amnesty to somebody.&quot;

Donald Trump took command of a high-profile White House meeting on immigration Tuesday

President Donald Trump took command of a high-profile White House meeting on immigration Tuesday, coaxing Republican and Democratic lawmakers toward a compromise on the fate of undocumented migrants who came to the United States as children. Trump also signalled he was open to more comprehensive immigration reform to address millions of other undocumented people living in the shadows but did not give ground to Democrats over his plans for a border wall. "It should be a bill of love," Trump said of a measure under negotiation that would protect hundreds of thousands of so-called "Dreamers" from deportation. "But it also has to be a bill where we're able to secure our border. Drugs are pouring into our country at a record pace. A lot of people are coming in that we can't have," Trump added, urging lawmakers to "put country before party" and strike a quick solution. Trump, seated at a long table with some two dozen lawmakers from the House and Senate, presided over the bipartisan talks, allowing journalists rare access to nearly an hour of the meeting. The president said he would "take the heat" politically if lawmakers were to move toward broader action that would provide a pathway to citizenship for about 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. "You are not that far away from comprehensive immigration reform," he told Senator Lindsey Graham, after the Republican lawmaker floated the idea of more sweeping legislation. "You created an opportunity here, Mr President, and you need to close the deal," Graham told him as TV cameras rolled. Trump's position appeared at odds with his 2016 campaign when his platform focused largely on border security and immigration curtailment, and many of his core supporters raged at the prospect of legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants. The image of Trump presiding over such sensitive negotiations appeared tailor-made for the White House to push back against a narrative -- fueled by a recent explosive West Wing expose -- questioning Trump's mental fitness, with aides were doubting his ability to govern. Lives 'in the balance' In September, Trump said he was scrapping the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, but then delayed enforcement to give Congress six months -- until March -- to craft a lasting solution. So-called "Dreamers" were protected from deportation under the policy enacted during Barack Obama's presidency. On Tuesday, Trump said a "permanent" solution was needed for Dreamers, but also insisted on the importance of border security, especially with Mexico. "We need a wall," Trump said. Any deal, he added, would need to be accompanied by money for a border wall, measures that limit immigrants from bringing family members into the country in the future -- a policy known as "chain migration" -- and an end to the green card lottery system. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the group had agreed to negotiate legislation that accomplishes "critically needed reforms" in the above areas, as well as DACA. But a path through Congress remained unclear. The two parties were at odds over whether to pass the measure as a stand-alone bill, as Senate Republican leadership wants, or attach it to a federal spending package that must pass by January 19 in order to avert a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will bring up a narrow, DACA-related measure unattached to budget issues or broader immigration reforms. "There are a number of moving parts here that need to be dealt with," McConnell told reporters after the meeting, but DACA "will not be a part of any overall spending agreement." McConnell nonetheless expressed optimism that a DACA fix could be complete before the March deadline when the grants of legal status begin expiring. Senate Democrat Dick Durbin, a leading proponent of codifying immigration protections, noted that about 1,000 people per day will lose their DACA status beginning March 5. "Lives are hanging in the balance," said Durbin, who was seated next to Trump. "We've got the time to do it." Not all lawmakers were optimistic about a solution. "I don't think they're closer," said Republican Senator John Kennedy, who was not at the talks. "The problem is that the Democrats, they want all the dessert and they don't want to eat any spinach," he added. "They're just dying to give amnesty to somebody."

Trump embraces role as negotiator in chief on immigration

A former Google engineer fired after he asserted in a memo that biological causes were behind tech industry gender inequality sued his former employer on Monday, saying he was discriminated against as a white man with conservative political views.&nbsp;

James Damore last year caused an uproar in Silicon Valley and beyond when he wrote the internal memo, which later became public. Google said he had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August.&nbsp;

In the months since his firing has become a popular cause among right-leaning US&nbsp;bloggers, and Damore hired a Republican Party official as his attorney.&nbsp;

Damore and another white male former Google engineer, David Gudeman, filed the lawsuit as a proposed class action in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California. The lawsuit alleges workplace discrimination and retaliation.&nbsp;

Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc based in Mountain View, California, said in a statement: &quot;We look forward to defending against Mr Damore`s lawsuit in court.&quot;&nbsp;

According to the lawsuit, the company has failed to protect employees, especially white men, from workplace harassment related to their support of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump or conservative political views.&nbsp;

&quot;Damore, Gudeman, and other class members were ostracized, belittled, and punished for their heterodox political views, and for the added sin of their birth circumstances of being Caucasians and/or males,&quot; the lawsuit said.&nbsp;

The lawsuit also accused Google of maintaining a secret blacklist of conservative media personalities who are not allowed inside the company&#39;s offices.&nbsp;

The lawsuit requested an injunction barring Google from discriminating against individuals with conservative political views, as well as for unspecified compensation.&nbsp;

Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai said when Damore was fired that portions of his memo &quot;violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace.&quot;

Gudeman was fired in December 2016 after a confrontation with a Muslim coworker on an internal Google forum, according to the lawsuit.&nbsp;

The co-worker said on the forum that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had targeted him for being a Muslim, and he expressed worry about his personal safety, the lawsuit said. Gudeman responded with scepticism, saying the coworker had provided &quot;zero evidence&quot; for the claim and suggesting the FBI may have had justification.&nbsp;

A human resources employee later told Gudeman he had accused his coworker of terrorism based on religion, and that he was being fired as a result, the lawsuit said.

Google said James Damore had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August

A former Google engineer fired after he asserted in a memo that biological causes were behind tech industry gender inequality sued his former employer on Monday, saying he was discriminated against as a white man with conservative political views. James Damore last year caused an uproar in Silicon Valley and beyond when he wrote the internal memo, which later became public. Google said he had perpetuated gender stereotypes and fired him in August. In the months since his firing has become a popular cause among right-leaning US bloggers, and Damore hired a Republican Party official as his attorney. Damore and another white male former Google engineer, David Gudeman, filed the lawsuit as a proposed class action in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California. The lawsuit alleges workplace discrimination and retaliation. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc based in Mountain View, California, said in a statement: "We look forward to defending against Mr Damore`s lawsuit in court." According to the lawsuit, the company has failed to protect employees, especially white men, from workplace harassment related to their support of US President Donald Trump or conservative political views. "Damore, Gudeman, and other class members were ostracized, belittled, and punished for their heterodox political views, and for the added sin of their birth circumstances of being Caucasians and/or males," the lawsuit said. The lawsuit also accused Google of maintaining a secret blacklist of conservative media personalities who are not allowed inside the company's offices. The lawsuit requested an injunction barring Google from discriminating against individuals with conservative political views, as well as for unspecified compensation. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai said when Damore was fired that portions of his memo "violate our Code of Conduct and cross the line by advancing harmful gender stereotypes in our workplace." Gudeman was fired in December 2016 after a confrontation with a Muslim coworker on an internal Google forum, according to the lawsuit. The co-worker said on the forum that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had targeted him for being a Muslim, and he expressed worry about his personal safety, the lawsuit said. Gudeman responded with scepticism, saying the coworker had provided "zero evidence" for the claim and suggesting the FBI may have had justification. A human resources employee later told Gudeman he had accused his coworker of terrorism based on religion, and that he was being fired as a result, the lawsuit said.

Ex-Google engineer fired over gender memo sues for discrimination

On Nov. 29, President Trump retweeted a series of videos that purported to depict violence committed by Muslims. They had originated from the account of a far-right British ultranationalist who had been convicted for harassing a Muslim. The backlash was swift, with British Prime Minister Theresa May saying &ldquo;the President is wrong to have done this.&rdquo;

But Trump&rsquo;s retweeting of controversial (sometimes outright false) content is part of a pattern.

For example, during the 2016 campaign, George Stephanopoulos asked Donald Trump about his retweet of a follower who insisted that both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were ineligible for the presidency.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/ResisTyr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ResisTyr</a>: Mr.Trump...BOTH Cruz AND Rubio are ineligible to be POTUS! It&#39;s a SLAM DUNK CASE!! Check it! <a href="https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X">https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X</a>&quot;
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/701045567783219201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 February 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Trump dismissed Stephanopoulos&rsquo; question with &ldquo;it was a retweet&rdquo; &ndash; as if to say that retweeting someone else&rsquo;s claim meant that he wasn&rsquo;t responsible for the content.

When pressed, Trump continued:

<blockquote>
&ldquo;I mean, let people make their own determination. I&rsquo;ve never looked at it, George. I honestly have never looked at it. As somebody said, he&rsquo;s not [eligible]&hellip;and I retweet things and we start dialogue and it&rsquo;s very interesting.&rdquo;
</blockquote>

It&rsquo;s a response that can be reduced to I&rsquo;m not saying it, I&rsquo;m just saying it.

As a scholar of American political rhetoric, I&rsquo;ve previously written about the ways that Donald Trump&rsquo;s rhetorical style mirrors that of polarising figures like George Wallace and Joseph McCarthy.

But it&rsquo;s becoming increasingly clear that what sets Trump apart is his reliance upon paralipsis, a device that enables him to publicly say things that he can later disavow &ndash; without ever having to take responsibility for his words.

Just saying&hellip;

The art of rhetoric &ndash; or persuasive communication &ndash; can include any number of forms: speeches, essays, tweets, images, films and more.

Paralipsis (para, &ldquo;side&rdquo; and leipein, &ldquo;to leave&rdquo;) is a Greek term that translates to &ldquo;leave to the side.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s thought to be an ironic way for a speaker to say two things at once.

For example, say you wanted to imply that your coworker takes too many coffee breaks without actually accusing him wasting time at work. You might say something like, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not saying that he drinks more coffee than anyone else in the office, but every time I go to the break room, he&rsquo;s in there.&rdquo; You might also shrug and make a &ldquo;something seems kind of off&rdquo; facial expression.

Paralipsis is a powerful rhetorical device because it can also allow someone to make a false accusation &ndash; or spread a false rumour &ndash; while skirting consequences.

And Trump has become a master at wielding this tool.

For example, after he was widely condemned for retweeting a graphic of homicide data delineated by race, FactCheck.org found that &ldquo;almost every figure in the graphic is wrong.&rdquo; His response on the Bill O&rsquo;Reilly Show was: 
&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Bill, I didn&rsquo;t tweet, I retweeted somebody that was supposedly an expert, and it was also a radio show&hellip;am I gonna check every statistic? &hellip;All it was is a retweet. And it wasn&rsquo;t from me. It came out of a radio show, and other places&hellip;This was a retweet. And it comes from sources that are very credible, what can I tell you?
</blockquote>

In other words: I&rsquo;m not saying, I&rsquo;m just saying.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly used paralipsis to deflect criticism that he&rsquo;s courting white supremacists.

In January 2016, Trump retweeted a photoshopped image of Jeb Bush from a user with the handle WhiteGenocideTM. In response to the backlash he received for retweeting a white supremacist, Trump simply shrugged: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know about retweeting. You retweet somebody and they turn out to be white supremacists. I know nothing about these groups that are supporting me.&rdquo;

Likewise, he blamed a faulty earpiece for his unwillingness to disavow David Duke and the KKK in a CNN interview:

<blockquote>
I don&rsquo;t know anything about what you&rsquo;re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don&rsquo;t know. I don&rsquo;t know &ndash; did he endorse me, or what&rsquo;s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists.
</blockquote>

&nbsp;

<hr />
I&rsquo;m not saying, I&rsquo;m just saying.

And when Gawker tricked Trump into retweeting a quote from Benito Mussolini during the campaign, his response was &ldquo;What difference does it make whether it&rsquo;s Mussolini or somebody else? It&rsquo;s certainly a very interesting quote.&rdquo;

Accountability and responsibility

Certainly, it&rsquo;s a good thing to &ldquo;start dialogue.&rdquo; Trump knows that &ldquo;interesting&rdquo; content attracts retweets, followers, audiences and media attention.

However, there&rsquo;s danger in circulating accusations and rumours, even if the purpose is to &ldquo;start dialogue.&rdquo; Research shows that once an accusation or a rumour begins to circulate, it&rsquo;s very difficult to retract. Often, a retraction or clarification doesn&rsquo;t receive as much attention as the initial accusation. Meanwhile, the mere act of retracting misinformation can reaffirm the deceptive assertions as facts, even after the clarification.

So what does it mean when a political figure gains a devoted following and rises to prominence &ndash; yet consistently avoids taking responsibility for the content of his public messages?

Political theorists, rhetoricians and historians have grappled with this exact problem since the rise of the &ldquo;demagogue&rdquo; in Athens in 429 B.C., when Pericles&rsquo; death created a vacuum for &ldquo;unofficial&rdquo; leaders of the people to rise to power.

The danger, according to political scientist Ernest Barker, was that &ldquo;such a leader &ndash; having no official executive position &ndash; could exercise initiative and determine policy without incurring political responsibility, since it was not his duty to execute the policy which he had induced the assembly to accept.&rdquo;

In the Greek context, Barker described the danger of demagogues who weren&rsquo;t tasked with implementing the policies for which they advocated. In our current political context, Trump can argue that he can&rsquo;t be held accountable because he wasn&rsquo;t the one who originally posted the tweet. He can shrug and claim that he&rsquo;s simply giving a voice to an idea.

In both cases, the defining feature of demagogues is their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions.

Yet Donald Trump (the television star) routinely fired people on his show &ldquo;The Apprentice&rdquo; for failing to take responsibility for their team&rsquo;s failures. And he&rsquo;s often given lectures on &ldquo;responsibility&rdquo; to his Twitter followers, like on February 14, 2013 when he invited his followers to &ldquo;take responsibility for yourself &ndash; it&rsquo;s a very empowering attitude.&rdquo;

To use the President&rsquo;s brand of paralipsis: I&rsquo;m not saying that Trump&rsquo;s a hypocrite and a demagogue. I&rsquo;m just saying that he doesn&rsquo;t exactly follow his own advice.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-an-insidious-strategy-behind-donald-trumps-retweets-55615" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit:&nbsp;Shutterstock

&nbsp;

An expert in American political rhetoric explains why Trump's controversial retweets are actually an extremely effective rhetorical device

On Nov. 29, President Trump retweeted a series of videos that purported to depict violence committed by Muslims. They had originated from the account of a far-right British ultranationalist who had been convicted for harassing a Muslim. The backlash was swift, with British Prime Minister Theresa May saying “the President is wrong to have done this.” But Trump’s retweeting of controversial (sometimes outright false) content is part of a pattern. For example, during the 2016 campaign, George Stephanopoulos asked Donald Trump about his retweet of a follower who insisted that both Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz were ineligible for the presidency. "@ResisTyr: Mr.Trump...BOTH Cruz AND Rubio are ineligible to be POTUS! It's a SLAM DUNK CASE!! Check it! https://t.co/NjqWP0pP6X" — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 20 February 2016 × Trump dismissed Stephanopoulos’ question with “it was a retweet” – as if to say that retweeting someone else’s claim meant that he wasn’t responsible for the content. When pressed, Trump continued: “I mean, let people make their own determination. I’ve never looked at it, George. I honestly have never looked at it. As somebody said, he’s not [eligible]…and I retweet things and we start dialogue and it’s very interesting.” It’s a response that can be reduced to I’m not saying it, I’m just saying it. As a scholar of American political rhetoric, I’ve previously written about the ways that Donald Trump’s rhetorical style mirrors that of polarising figures like George Wallace and Joseph McCarthy. But it’s becoming increasingly clear that what sets Trump apart is his reliance upon paralipsis, a device that enables him to publicly say things that he can later disavow – without ever having to take responsibility for his words. Just saying… The art of rhetoric – or persuasive communication – can include any number of forms: speeches, essays, tweets, images, films and more. Paralipsis (para, “side” and leipein, “to leave”) is a Greek term that translates to “leave to the side.” It’s thought to be an ironic way for a speaker to say two things at once. For example, say you wanted to imply that your coworker takes too many coffee breaks without actually accusing him wasting time at work. You might say something like, “I’m not saying that he drinks more coffee than anyone else in the office, but every time I go to the break room, he’s in there.” You might also shrug and make a “something seems kind of off” facial expression. Paralipsis is a powerful rhetorical device because it can also allow someone to make a false accusation – or spread a false rumour – while skirting consequences. And Trump has become a master at wielding this tool. For example, after he was widely condemned for retweeting a graphic of homicide data delineated by race, FactCheck.org found that “almost every figure in the graphic is wrong.” His response on the Bill O’Reilly Show was: Bill, I didn’t tweet, I retweeted somebody that was supposedly an expert, and it was also a radio show…am I gonna check every statistic? …All it was is a retweet. And it wasn’t from me. It came out of a radio show, and other places…This was a retweet. And it comes from sources that are very credible, what can I tell you? In other words: I’m not saying, I’m just saying. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly used paralipsis to deflect criticism that he’s courting white supremacists. In January 2016, Trump retweeted a photoshopped image of Jeb Bush from a user with the handle WhiteGenocideTM. In response to the backlash he received for retweeting a white supremacist, Trump simply shrugged: “I don’t know about retweeting. You retweet somebody and they turn out to be white supremacists. I know nothing about these groups that are supporting me.” Likewise, he blamed a faulty earpiece for his unwillingness to disavow David Duke and the KKK in a CNN interview: I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. So I don’t know. I don’t know – did he endorse me, or what’s going on? Because I know nothing about David Duke; I know nothing about white supremacists. I’m not saying, I’m just saying. And when Gawker tricked Trump into retweeting a quote from Benito Mussolini during the campaign, his response was “What difference does it make whether it’s Mussolini or somebody else? It’s certainly a very interesting quote.” Accountability and responsibility Certainly, it’s a good thing to “start dialogue.” Trump knows that “interesting” content attracts retweets, followers, audiences and media attention. However, there’s danger in circulating accusations and rumours, even if the purpose is to “start dialogue.” Research shows that once an accusation or a rumour begins to circulate, it’s very difficult to retract. Often, a retraction or clarification doesn’t receive as much attention as the initial accusation. Meanwhile, the mere act of retracting misinformation can reaffirm the deceptive assertions as facts, even after the clarification. So what does it mean when a political figure gains a devoted following and rises to prominence – yet consistently avoids taking responsibility for the content of his public messages? Political theorists, rhetoricians and historians have grappled with this exact problem since the rise of the “demagogue” in Athens in 429 B.C., when Pericles’ death created a vacuum for “unofficial” leaders of the people to rise to power. The danger, according to political scientist Ernest Barker, was that “such a leader – having no official executive position – could exercise initiative and determine policy without incurring political responsibility, since it was not his duty to execute the policy which he had induced the assembly to accept.” In the Greek context, Barker described the danger of demagogues who weren’t tasked with implementing the policies for which they advocated. In our current political context, Trump can argue that he can’t be held accountable because he wasn’t the one who originally posted the tweet. He can shrug and claim that he’s simply giving a voice to an idea. In both cases, the defining feature of demagogues is their refusal to accept responsibility for their actions. Yet Donald Trump (the television star) routinely fired people on his show “The Apprentice” for failing to take responsibility for their team’s failures. And he’s often given lectures on “responsibility” to his Twitter followers, like on February 14, 2013 when he invited his followers to “take responsibility for yourself – it’s a very empowering attitude.” To use the President’s brand of paralipsis: I’m not saying that Trump’s a hypocrite and a demagogue. I’m just saying that he doesn’t exactly follow his own advice. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: Shutterstock

Opinion: Why Trump's retweets are so harmful

A Republican Senate candidate reported to have sexually abused a 14-year-old girl lashed out at his accusers Friday, calling their allegations a &quot;dangerous lie&quot; that would harm real victims of molestation.

Roy Moore a former state judge and Christian evangelical whose defense of a Ten Commandments display brought him national attention added he had &quot;never engaged in sexual misconduct.&quot;

The issue has reverberated through Washington weeks ahead of a crucial Senate election in which the conservative Republican party is hoping to hold on to its slim 52-48 seat majority.

Four women, speaking on the record, told The Washington Post that Moore pursued them when they were 18 or younger, while he was in his early thirties working as an assistant district attorney.

According to the Post, Leigh Corfman, now 53, said when she was 14 Moore took her into his house in the woods near Gadsden, Alabama, removed her shirt and pants, and fondled her over her bra and underpants.

Moore guided her to touch him through his underwear, she said.

&quot;I wasn&#39;t ready for that,&quot; Corfman told the Post.

Now 70, the anti-establishment conservative faces Democrat Doug Jones in a special Senate election December 12 to replace Jeff Sessions, who became US attorney general earlier this year.

&quot;I have never engaged in sexual misconduct,&quot; he said in a statement issued Friday that went beyond his campaign&#39;s earlier simple denial.

He also turned on his accusers, saying: &quot;I cannot understand the mentality of using such a dangerous lie to try to personally destroy someone.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;False allegations are gravely serious and will have a profound consequence on those who are truly harassed or molested,&quot; he added.

&nbsp;Republicans divided&nbsp;

He also appeared on conservative media personality Sean Hannity&#39;s radio show to rebut the story.&nbsp;

Asked whether he remembered dating women in their teens when he was in his 30s, he said: &quot;Not generally no.&quot;

He added: &quot;I don&#39;t remember that, or dating any girl without the permission of her mother.&quot;

Earlier, President Donald Trump issued a statement that appeared to equivocate on the matter, saying Moore should step aside if the claims proved true, while adding that a mere allegation should not destroy the Alabama politician&#39;s life.

&quot;Like most Americans the president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person&#39;s life,&quot; White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said aboard Air Force One, before the president landed in Vietnam for a summit.

&quot;However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside,&quot; she said.

The accusations by the four women reverberated through Washington, with many traditional Republicans withdrawing their support for Moore -- though he has received considerable support in his native Alabama and from former Trump advisor Stephen Bannon.

&quot;If these allegations are true, he must step aside,&quot; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. At least a dozen other Republicans followed suit.

Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, declared the allegations &quot;disqualifying&quot; for Moore and called on him to immediately leave the race.

But in Alabama, state auditor Jim Zeigler brushed off the allegations.

He told the Washington Examiner &quot;there is nothing to see here&quot; -- and referred to the Bible as a defense.

&quot;Take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus,&quot; Zeigler told the conservative news outlet. &quot;There&#39;s just nothing immoral or illegal here.&quot;

Steve Bannon, a former strategist for Trump who has supported Moore since he announced his candidacy, told Bloomberg News: &quot;This is nothing less than the politics of personal destruction,&quot; adding: &quot;They need to destroy him by any means necessary.&quot;

Hugging and kissing&nbsp;

The Post said it interviewed more than 30 people, including mothers and friends of the girls.

It detailed how Gloria Thacker Deason was 18 in 1979 when she and 32-year-old Moore began going on dates where they hugged and kissed, she told the Post.

Another woman, Wendy Miller, said she first met Moore when she was dressed as an elf and working as a Santa&#39;s helper at a shopping mall.

Later, in the presence of her mother, he asked her out on dates when she was 16. Her mother said no, and Miller said she realised years later that the idea of a grown man wanting to date a teenager was &quot;disgusting.&quot;

Moore could have faced prison time, but the statute of limitations has expired, the Post reported.

A darling of US evangelical Christians, Moore had a controversial career as a judge, notably for refusing to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments in his court house.

He was twice suspended from his state&#39;s supreme court for ethics violations related to his order against issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and has written that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in Congress.

Roy Moore a former state judge and Christian evangelical has been accused by four women of pursuing them when they were 18 or younger

A Republican Senate candidate reported to have sexually abused a 14-year-old girl lashed out at his accusers Friday, calling their allegations a "dangerous lie" that would harm real victims of molestation. Roy Moore a former state judge and Christian evangelical whose defense of a Ten Commandments display brought him national attention added he had "never engaged in sexual misconduct." The issue has reverberated through Washington weeks ahead of a crucial Senate election in which the conservative Republican party is hoping to hold on to its slim 52-48 seat majority. Four women, speaking on the record, told The Washington Post that Moore pursued them when they were 18 or younger, while he was in his early thirties working as an assistant district attorney. According to the Post, Leigh Corfman, now 53, said when she was 14 Moore took her into his house in the woods near Gadsden, Alabama, removed her shirt and pants, and fondled her over her bra and underpants. Moore guided her to touch him through his underwear, she said. "I wasn't ready for that," Corfman told the Post. Now 70, the anti-establishment conservative faces Democrat Doug Jones in a special Senate election December 12 to replace Jeff Sessions, who became US attorney general earlier this year. "I have never engaged in sexual misconduct," he said in a statement issued Friday that went beyond his campaign's earlier simple denial. He also turned on his accusers, saying: "I cannot understand the mentality of using such a dangerous lie to try to personally destroy someone." "False allegations are gravely serious and will have a profound consequence on those who are truly harassed or molested," he added. Republicans divided He also appeared on conservative media personality Sean Hannity's radio show to rebut the story. Asked whether he remembered dating women in their teens when he was in his 30s, he said: "Not generally no." He added: "I don't remember that, or dating any girl without the permission of her mother." Earlier, President Donald Trump issued a statement that appeared to equivocate on the matter, saying Moore should step aside if the claims proved true, while adding that a mere allegation should not destroy the Alabama politician's life. "Like most Americans the president believes we cannot allow a mere allegation, in this case one from many years ago, to destroy a person's life," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said aboard Air Force One, before the president landed in Vietnam for a summit. "However, the president also believes that if these allegations are true, Judge Moore will do the right thing and step aside," she said. The accusations by the four women reverberated through Washington, with many traditional Republicans withdrawing their support for Moore -- though he has received considerable support in his native Alabama and from former Trump advisor Stephen Bannon. "If these allegations are true, he must step aside," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. At least a dozen other Republicans followed suit. Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, declared the allegations "disqualifying" for Moore and called on him to immediately leave the race. But in Alabama, state auditor Jim Zeigler brushed off the allegations. He told the Washington Examiner "there is nothing to see here" -- and referred to the Bible as a defense. "Take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus," Zeigler told the conservative news outlet. "There's just nothing immoral or illegal here." Steve Bannon, a former strategist for Trump who has supported Moore since he announced his candidacy, told Bloomberg News: "This is nothing less than the politics of personal destruction," adding: "They need to destroy him by any means necessary." Hugging and kissing The Post said it interviewed more than 30 people, including mothers and friends of the girls. It detailed how Gloria Thacker Deason was 18 in 1979 when she and 32-year-old Moore began going on dates where they hugged and kissed, she told the Post. Another woman, Wendy Miller, said she first met Moore when she was dressed as an elf and working as a Santa's helper at a shopping mall. Later, in the presence of her mother, he asked her out on dates when she was 16. Her mother said no, and Miller said she realised years later that the idea of a grown man wanting to date a teenager was "disgusting." Moore could have faced prison time, but the statute of limitations has expired, the Post reported. A darling of US evangelical Christians, Moore had a controversial career as a judge, notably for refusing to remove a statue of the Ten Commandments in his court house. He was twice suspended from his state's supreme court for ethics violations related to his order against issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and has written that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in Congress.

US Republican candidate accused of abusing teen denies sexual misconduct

Why does Donald Trump matter?&nbsp;What factors seem to explain the flourishing of a Trump political brand?

There are several possible factors that show the contingent nature of Trump the brand politician. One, the rise of the everyday white middle class, if not working white man&rsquo;s frustrations with elite Washington politics. Then there&rsquo;s the dysfunction, if not corruption, of the US two-party system&mdash;especially the Republican Party&mdash;that now makes it difficult to distinguish between the two since both are rooted in neoliberal politics relying on market mechanisms to control state &ldquo;democratic&rdquo; institutions and vice versa.

Rising <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/12/05/u-s-income-inequality-on-rise-for-decades-is-now-highest-since-1928/">income and wealth inequalities</a> across segments of the declining middle class, the growth of conservative media outlets since the 1980s&mdash;especially Rupert Murdoch&rsquo;s business ventures&mdash;and the expanding campaign finance system that opens the powerful moneyed interests have all played a part. As do the return of identity politics over recognition and redistribution from the left and right&mdash;the political fights and white backlash over affirmative action, Black Lives Matter and the struggles over the classification system, leading to what I&nbsp;call a cultural war over taxonomy as politics for defining citizenship, civic worth and social entitlements.

The growth of the post-9/11 national security state putting an end to 1990s &ldquo;politically correct&rdquo; rhetoric and thus affording the &ldquo;othering&rdquo; of American citizens; the expansion of new media technologies like social media, allowing direct access to different people, ideas and public spaces, channels and potential markets for more self-advertising campaigns; and the upsurge of partisanship at all levels resulting in economic stagnation and congressional polarisation, among other stalemates, such as stalling Supreme Court nominees.

All these factors have elevated Trump beyond his wildest dreams, extending his reality-show persona into everyday political spaces, providing a public forum with audiences open&mdash;or perhaps vulnerable&mdash;to his brand of self-assertiveness seen through his exaggerated stories of success and political &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; claims.

GETTING DONALD TRUMP WRONG

Most social critics, media pundits, academics and political analysts have gotten Trump wrong. It is not even so much about the rise of Donald Trump. Rather, the ground he has occupied all these years has shifted to favour his kind of personalised, rhetorical and hyperbolic style of brand politics. We should think of the Trump phenomenon, or brand Trump, not as rising but rather more accurately as thriving within shifted social, political and economic environments.

Just consider his consistent anti-elite party position since the 1980s, or his opposition to Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s immigration policies (amnesty) and various critiques of&nbsp;George H.W. Bush&rsquo;s tax plans, Bill Clinton&rsquo;s trade deals (NAFTA) and George W. Bush&rsquo;s foreign policy (the so-called Bush Doctrine).

These changes over the past 30 years have made relevant Trump&rsquo;s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics. He is now more acceptable and allowed to flourish in this environment. In other words, the shifting social, economic and political conditions at home and abroad have made it more conducive for Trump to succeed and, therefore, they matter more to both traditionalist and political newcomers alike.

Throughout his campaign, Trump has tried to do several things. He has attempted to be the voice of the forgotten little guy&mdash;the white &ldquo;middle class&rdquo;&mdash;by playing the role of &ldquo;outsider.&rdquo;

But he plays the outsider role from within a major party label that gives him real access to mainstream media outlets: the non-politician who is self-made and independent enough to make the right decisions without fear of powerful interests as a show of strength in character and temperament; the successful businessman who knows the rules of the game and can create real change by negotiating deals while taking advantage of established rules/laws (bankruptcy, real estate and tax laws); and the individual with a third party candidate mentality, carefree attitude who exposes the truth about others (while diverting attention away from&nbsp;his own wrongdoings) by displaying a confident every-man&rsquo;s tough guy persona.

RAGE, FEAR AND DISCONTENT

Yes, Trump seems to have implicitly the third party candidate&rsquo;s &ldquo;I really can&rsquo;t win so might as well make best of the spotlight&rdquo; posture. Trump has played a third-party role since the beginning of the Republican Party primary, which allowed him to outmaneuver and out-shine those other flawed Republicans in the field because his brand, &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; claims and unorthodox style appealed to&nbsp;middle/working class white male rage, fears and feelings of discontent with a system that has left them behind.

All this has taken place in the context of what many have called a weak Grand Old Party (GOP), which has rather reluctantly appointed, if not anointed,&nbsp;Trump as the party&rsquo;s nominee to the US presidency. This comes despite&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s own problematic and unprincipled self-interest politics played over the years&mdash;donating large amounts of money to campaigns across party lines, including the Clintons. Even more problematic is his constant reliance on the &ldquo;outsider&rdquo; trope that also grants him the right to claim the political system is rigged, corrupt or biased against him and his supporters.

Trump matters in another way. He brings a new political deviance rarely seen on the national stage with impunity. For instance, his acceptance of the party nomination and yet emphatically suggesting that he may not accept the results of the election&mdash;if he does not win of course.

This moment in modern US political history puts in jeopardy the nation&rsquo;s long-held conventional democratic practice of engaging in the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump seemingly gets away with such behaviour because he wholeheartedly believes he alone can fix things through&nbsp;providing what the current system supposedly needs: a leader with a candid voice, a straight shooter, a self-financed entrepreneur not dependent on party machines, or big money and Wall Street powers.

TRUMP POLITICS

In sum, Trump&rsquo;s brand of politics represents the best and worst of the neoliberal political environment we have today in America.&nbsp;He is an expert in self-asserting his identity into existence, constructing a brand that takes a life of its own and represents success in a materialistic sense. Yet he makes the brand appealing to those mostly at the lower levels of the American working and middle classes who aspire to similar successes and wealth despite the odds being against them, especially when most don&rsquo;t have a wealthy father who can lend $1 million as a startup fund.

Trump&rsquo;s brand matters because it appeals to an American sense of individualism, liberty and unlimited opportunities all rooted in some folk notion of puritanical morality.

However, the Trump brand is now more conducive to the new political environment that also includes increased anti-political correctness shepherding the worst tendencies in American social and political life. These range&nbsp;from a renewed sense of white male privilege or entitlement to the carelessness and insensitivity toward others who may find themselves in vulnerable positions: undocumented immigrants, Mexicans, women, refugees, Muslims, African Americans, certain military veterans, LGBTQ members of our society, and even media pundits who do not fall in line, among others.

The mostly rhetorical successes of the Trump brand go beyond this election cycle and into the heart of American liberal democracy. Trump matters because his brand has forced the Republican Party to reconsider its core values and principles, what it will stand for and who it will represent moving forward, whether Trump wins or not.

More broadly, we now have to ponder to what extent Americans will embrace the kinds of values, visions and practices the Trump brand has infused into our social and political culture, especially after November 8.&nbsp;

This <a href="https://www.fairobserver.com/region/north_america/donald-trump-american-politics-us-election-20169/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a> has been originally published in Fair Observer.

The changes over the past 30 years in the US have made relevant Trump?s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics

Why does Donald Trump matter? What factors seem to explain the flourishing of a Trump political brand? There are several possible factors that show the contingent nature of Trump the brand politician. One, the rise of the everyday white middle class, if not working white man’s frustrations with elite Washington politics. Then there’s the dysfunction, if not corruption, of the US two-party system—especially the Republican Party—that now makes it difficult to distinguish between the two since both are rooted in neoliberal politics relying on market mechanisms to control state “democratic” institutions and vice versa. Rising income and wealth inequalities across segments of the declining middle class, the growth of conservative media outlets since the 1980s—especially Rupert Murdoch’s business ventures—and the expanding campaign finance system that opens the powerful moneyed interests have all played a part. As do the return of identity politics over recognition and redistribution from the left and right—the political fights and white backlash over affirmative action, Black Lives Matter and the struggles over the classification system, leading to what I call a cultural war over taxonomy as politics for defining citizenship, civic worth and social entitlements. The growth of the post-9/11 national security state putting an end to 1990s “politically correct” rhetoric and thus affording the “othering” of American citizens; the expansion of new media technologies like social media, allowing direct access to different people, ideas and public spaces, channels and potential markets for more self-advertising campaigns; and the upsurge of partisanship at all levels resulting in economic stagnation and congressional polarisation, among other stalemates, such as stalling Supreme Court nominees. All these factors have elevated Trump beyond his wildest dreams, extending his reality-show persona into everyday political spaces, providing a public forum with audiences open—or perhaps vulnerable—to his brand of self-assertiveness seen through his exaggerated stories of success and political “outsider” claims. GETTING DONALD TRUMP WRONG Most social critics, media pundits, academics and political analysts have gotten Trump wrong. It is not even so much about the rise of Donald Trump. Rather, the ground he has occupied all these years has shifted to favour his kind of personalised, rhetorical and hyperbolic style of brand politics. We should think of the Trump phenomenon, or brand Trump, not as rising but rather more accurately as thriving within shifted social, political and economic environments. Just consider his consistent anti-elite party position since the 1980s, or his opposition to Ronald Reagan’s immigration policies (amnesty) and various critiques of George H.W. Bush’s tax plans, Bill Clinton’s trade deals (NAFTA) and George W. Bush’s foreign policy (the so-called Bush Doctrine). These changes over the past 30 years have made relevant Trump’s bravado, hyper-individualism and anti-elite establishment politics. He is now more acceptable and allowed to flourish in this environment. In other words, the shifting social, economic and political conditions at home and abroad have made it more conducive for Trump to succeed and, therefore, they matter more to both traditionalist and political newcomers alike. Throughout his campaign, Trump has tried to do several things. He has attempted to be the voice of the forgotten little guy—the white “middle class”—by playing the role of “outsider.” But he plays the outsider role from within a major party label that gives him real access to mainstream media outlets: the non-politician who is self-made and independent enough to make the right decisions without fear of powerful interests as a show of strength in character and temperament; the successful businessman who knows the rules of the game and can create real change by negotiating deals while taking advantage of established rules/laws (bankruptcy, real estate and tax laws); and the individual with a third party candidate mentality, carefree attitude who exposes the truth about others (while diverting attention away from his own wrongdoings) by displaying a confident every-man’s tough guy persona. RAGE, FEAR AND DISCONTENT Yes, Trump seems to have implicitly the third party candidate’s “I really can’t win so might as well make best of the spotlight” posture. Trump has played a third-party role since the beginning of the Republican Party primary, which allowed him to outmaneuver and out-shine those other flawed Republicans in the field because his brand, “outsider” claims and unorthodox style appealed to middle/working class white male rage, fears and feelings of discontent with a system that has left them behind. All this has taken place in the context of what many have called a weak Grand Old Party (GOP), which has rather reluctantly appointed, if not anointed, Trump as the party’s nominee to the US presidency. This comes despite Trump’s own problematic and unprincipled self-interest politics played over the years—donating large amounts of money to campaigns across party lines, including the Clintons. Even more problematic is his constant reliance on the “outsider” trope that also grants him the right to claim the political system is rigged, corrupt or biased against him and his supporters. Trump matters in another way. He brings a new political deviance rarely seen on the national stage with impunity. For instance, his acceptance of the party nomination and yet emphatically suggesting that he may not accept the results of the election—if he does not win of course. This moment in modern US political history puts in jeopardy the nation’s long-held conventional democratic practice of engaging in the peaceful transfer of power. Trump seemingly gets away with such behaviour because he wholeheartedly believes he alone can fix things through providing what the current system supposedly needs: a leader with a candid voice, a straight shooter, a self-financed entrepreneur not dependent on party machines, or big money and Wall Street powers. TRUMP POLITICS In sum, Trump’s brand of politics represents the best and worst of the neoliberal political environment we have today in America. He is an expert in self-asserting his identity into existence, constructing a brand that takes a life of its own and represents success in a materialistic sense. Yet he makes the brand appealing to those mostly at the lower levels of the American working and middle classes who aspire to similar successes and wealth despite the odds being against them, especially when most don’t have a wealthy father who can lend $1 million as a startup fund. Trump’s brand matters because it appeals to an American sense of individualism, liberty and unlimited opportunities all rooted in some folk notion of puritanical morality. However, the Trump brand is now more conducive to the new political environment that also includes increased anti-political correctness shepherding the worst tendencies in American social and political life. These range from a renewed sense of white male privilege or entitlement to the carelessness and insensitivity toward others who may find themselves in vulnerable positions: undocumented immigrants, Mexicans, women, refugees, Muslims, African Americans, certain military veterans, LGBTQ members of our society, and even media pundits who do not fall in line, among others. The mostly rhetorical successes of the Trump brand go beyond this election cycle and into the heart of American liberal democracy. Trump matters because his brand has forced the Republican Party to reconsider its core values and principles, what it will stand for and who it will represent moving forward, whether Trump wins or not. More broadly, we now have to ponder to what extent Americans will embrace the kinds of values, visions and practices the Trump brand has infused into our social and political culture, especially after November 8. This article has been originally published in Fair Observer.

Why does Donald Trump matter?

Trump&rsquo;s transition team is having a hard time filling its seats and his campaign call to&nbsp;&quot;drain the swamp&quot; of Washington might make the process even more difficult.

According to a First Post report Trump&#39;s credo&nbsp;plan would ban all executive-branch officials from lobbying for five years after leaving their government jobs. The policy is aimed at checking the influence of lobbyists.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The ban also applies to the transition team members charged with helping to find, vet and hire for the incoming Republican administration,&quot; Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said late Wednesday according to the&nbsp;First Post report.&nbsp;

There is also conflicting information on whether JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co (JPM.N) chief executive Jamie Dimon could become the next US treasury secretary in President-elect Donald Trump&rsquo;s cabinet, and this has pushed the nation&rsquo;s largest bank into uncertainty.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, tweets from Fox Business News reporters indicated that Dimon was still in the race for the job. Fortune, however, reported that Dimon has formally told the Trump transition team that he is not interested in being the treasury secretary.

JPMorgan spokespeople have not made any official comment.

While a Trump transition team source told Reuters that Dimon is &quot;pitching hard&quot; for the Treasury role,&nbsp;two other sources indicated that he is not interested.&nbsp;

The speculations over his departure have put JPMorgan&rsquo;s investors in a state of frenzy. Dimon has run JPMorgan for a decade and is viewed as a torchbearer for Wall Street. He does not have a clear successor.

&quot;He is one of the best CEOs in the industry and corporate America, so if there were to be a quick departure that would be troubling,&quot; Walter Todd, chief investment officer at Greenwood Capital Management, which owns&nbsp;JPMorgan shares told Reuters. &quot;It is very difficult to replace someone like him.&quot;

&nbsp;

Education secretary

US media also reports&nbsp;that Trump is considering west Michigan donor and school choice advocate Betsy DeVos&nbsp;for the position of education secretary.&nbsp;

According to The Detroit News,the 58-year-old billionaire power broker has strong political connections and is rooting for charter schools and vouchers which, proponents claim, give parents and students more freedom to seek a higher-quality education. Critics on the other hand view charter schools as an effort to privatise education at the expense of public schools.

&ldquo;As chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, DeVos was a driving force behind a failed 2000 ballot proposal that would have amended the Michigan Constitution to create a voucher system allowing taxpayer funds to follow students to nonpublic schools,&rdquo;&nbsp;the Detroit News said in one of its reports.

The report also cited federal records showing that&nbsp;DeVos donated more than $320,000 to the Republican Party, candidates and political organizations in 2016. The Detroit News&nbsp;added, however, that she did not contribute to Trump after giving to both former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina during the GOP primary.

Trumo has said that he wants to invest $200 billion in school choice and he might consider eliminating or significantly reducing the size of the department of&nbsp;education.&nbsp;

(WION)

 
&nbsp;

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon reportedly turns down Treasury secretary post; Michigan mega donor Betsy DeVos rumoured for education secretary

Trump’s transition team is having a hard time filling its seats and his campaign call to "drain the swamp" of Washington might make the process even more difficult. According to a First Post report Trump's credo plan would ban all executive-branch officials from lobbying for five years after leaving their government jobs. The policy is aimed at checking the influence of lobbyists. “The ban also applies to the transition team members charged with helping to find, vet and hire for the incoming Republican administration," Trump spokesman Sean Spicer said late Wednesday according to the First Post report. There is also conflicting information on whether JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) chief executive Jamie Dimon could become the next US treasury secretary in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet, and this has pushed the nation’s largest bank into uncertainty. On Wednesday, tweets from Fox Business News reporters indicated that Dimon was still in the race for the job. Fortune, however, reported that Dimon has formally told the Trump transition team that he is not interested in being the treasury secretary. JPMorgan spokespeople have not made any official comment. While a Trump transition team source told Reuters that Dimon is "pitching hard" for the Treasury role, two other sources indicated that he is not interested. The speculations over his departure have put JPMorgan’s investors in a state of frenzy. Dimon has run JPMorgan for a decade and is viewed as a torchbearer for Wall Street. He does not have a clear successor. "He is one of the best CEOs in the industry and corporate America, so if there were to be a quick departure that would be troubling," Walter Todd, chief investment officer at Greenwood Capital Management, which owns JPMorgan shares told Reuters. "It is very difficult to replace someone like him." Education secretary US media also reports that Trump is considering west Michigan donor and school choice advocate Betsy DeVos for the position of education secretary. According to The Detroit News,the 58-year-old billionaire power broker has strong political connections and is rooting for charter schools and vouchers which, proponents claim, give parents and students more freedom to seek a higher-quality education. Critics on the other hand view charter schools as an effort to privatise education at the expense of public schools. “As chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, DeVos was a driving force behind a failed 2000 ballot proposal that would have amended the Michigan Constitution to create a voucher system allowing taxpayer funds to follow students to nonpublic schools,” the Detroit News said in one of its reports. The report also cited federal records showing that DeVos donated more than $320,000 to the Republican Party, candidates and political organizations in 2016. The Detroit News added, however, that she did not contribute to Trump after giving to both former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina during the GOP primary. Trumo has said that he wants to invest $200 billion in school choice and he might consider eliminating or significantly reducing the size of the department of education. (WION)

Trump's transition team struggles to find takers to 'drain the swamp'

US President-elect Donald Trump appointed Republican party chairman Reince Priebus as his new chief of staff and his campaign CEO Steve Bannon as senior counsellor.

&quot;Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory,&quot; Trump said in a statement.

Representative Adam Schiff criticised Trump&#39;s decision in a tweet.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Selection of Steve Bannon for senior WH role unsurprising but alarming. &nbsp;His alt-right, anti-Semitic &amp; misogynistic views don&#39;t belong in WH
&mdash; Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/797944790746796032">November 13, 2016</a></blockquote>

Priebus is a longtime Wisconsin political operative who was credited with marshaling party resources for Trump&#39;s White House bid, news agency Reuters said.

The campaign statement referred to the two men as &quot;equal partners,&quot; CNN reported. &quot;Bannon and Priebus will continue the effective leadership team they formed during the campaign, working as equal partners to transform the federal government, making it much more efficient, effective and productive,&quot; it said.

Priebus, who is close to House speaker Paul Ryan, may help bridge the gap between the Republican Party and Trump. &ldquo;I am thrilled to have my very successful team continue with me in leading our country,&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp;

&ldquo;Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory. Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again.&rdquo; 
Bannon and Priebus will work with vice president-elect Mike Pence through the transition process.&nbsp;

In his first interview with US broadcaster CBS after winning the elections, Trump said he would soon deport about 3 million immigrants. The president-elect has also been seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from a global accord to combat climate change, a source on his transition team said, defying broad international backing for the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Priebus, who is close to House speaker Paul Ryan, could help bridge the gap between the Republican Party and Donald Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump appointed Republican party chairman Reince Priebus as his new chief of staff and his campaign CEO Steve Bannon as senior counsellor. "Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory," Trump said in a statement. Representative Adam Schiff criticised Trump's decision in a tweet. Selection of Steve Bannon for senior WH role unsurprising but alarming. His alt-right, anti-Semitic & misogynistic views don't belong in WH — Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) November 13, 2016 Priebus is a longtime Wisconsin political operative who was credited with marshaling party resources for Trump's White House bid, news agency Reuters said. The campaign statement referred to the two men as "equal partners," CNN reported. "Bannon and Priebus will continue the effective leadership team they formed during the campaign, working as equal partners to transform the federal government, making it much more efficient, effective and productive," it said. Priebus, who is close to House speaker Paul Ryan, may help bridge the gap between the Republican Party and Trump. “I am thrilled to have my very successful team continue with me in leading our country,” Trump said. “Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory. Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again.” Bannon and Priebus will work with vice president-elect Mike Pence through the transition process. In his first interview with US broadcaster CBS after winning the elections, Trump said he would soon deport about 3 million immigrants. The president-elect has also been seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from a global accord to combat climate change, a source on his transition team said, defying broad international backing for the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump names Priebus White House chief of staff, Bannon chief strategist

A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer&#39;s gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the Republican presidential nominee. 
 
According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday&#39;s rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. 
 
It said that the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas &quot;to kill Trump,&quot; and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. 
 
&quot;Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump&#39;s life,&quot; the complaint said. 
 
It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he &quot;would try again to kill Trump&quot; in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. 
 
Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. 
 
The prosecutor&#39;s office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. 
 
Britain&#39;s Foreign Office is &quot;providing assistance&quot; in the case, a spokesman said. 
 
&#39;Would try this again&#39; 
 
The complaint said Sandford had told investigators that he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. 
 
&nbsp;Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob&#39;s gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. 
 
&quot;Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again,&quot; according to the complaint. 
 
It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as &quot;he finally felt confident to do it.&quot; 
 
His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. 
 
The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. 
 
A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. 
 
Sandford is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of &quot;act of violence on restricted grounds.&quot; 
(AFP)

The man had apparently driven from California to Las Vegas to kill Trump and had visited a shooting range a day earlier to learn to shoot

A 19-year-old British man has been charged for trying to grab a police officer's gun at a Donald Trump rally in Las Vegas in a bid to kill the Republican presidential nominee. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at Saturday's rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said that the young man told a Secret Service agent after his arrest that he had driven from California to Las Vegas "to kill Trump," and had been to a range a day earlier to learn to shoot as he had never fired a gun before. "Sandford acknowledged that he would likely only be able to fire one to two rounds and stated he was convinced he would be killed by law enforcement during his attempt on Trump's life," the complaint said. It added that Sandford told investigators he had purchased tickets for a rally in Phoenix, where he "would try again to kill Trump" in the event his plan in Las Vegas failed. Video of his arrest carried by US media show a skinny man with short brown hair and a grey T-shirt being escorted out of the rally by police officers with his hands behind his back. The prosecutor's office said Sandford was ordered held without bond, as he was considered dangerous and represented a flight risk. Britain's Foreign Office is "providing assistance" in the case, a spokesman said. 'Would try this again' The complaint said Sandford had told investigators that he had been in the United States for about 18 months, and had lived in Hoboken, New Jersey, before traveling to California. Sandford told investigators that he had targeted officer Ameel Jacob's gun because it was in an unlocked position and would be the easiest way to gain access to a weapon at the rally where those attending had to go through metal detectors. "Sandford further stated that if he were on the street tomorrow, he would try this again," according to the complaint. It said Sandford told the Secret Service that he had been plotting to kill Trump for about a year and finally decided to act on Saturday, as "he finally felt confident to do it." His arrest comes amid one of the nastiest US presidential campaigns in recent history, dominated by violent rhetoric, with Trump lashing out at Mexicans, Muslims and other groups. The real estate billionaire enjoys Secret Service protection but also has his own private security detail that has been accused of using unnecessary force to remove people from events. A number of protesters have been arrested at his rallies where riot police are deployed in force and there have been mounting demonstrations during his campaign appearances in recent months. Sandford is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 5. He faces more than 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty on the charge of "act of violence on restricted grounds." (AFP)

19-year-old Briton tries to grab cop's gun and kill Trump, charged

More than 70 influential Republicans have signed a letter urging the party to stop spending money on Donald Trump&#39;s presidential campaign and direct it instead to November&#39;s congressional races, a news report said today 
 
&quot;We believe that Donald Trump&#39;s divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide,&quot; read a draft text of the letter to Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, which was obtained by the Politico newspaper. 
 
It called for an &quot;immediate shift&quot; of party funding Senate and House races, to aid down-ballot Republicans whose own election prospects have been harmed by Trump&#39;s unpopularity. 
 
&quot;This should not be a difficult decision, as Donald Trump&#39;s chances of being elected president are evaporating by the day,&quot; the letter said. 
&nbsp;
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<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities,&quot; the letter said, according to Politico.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=
Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities,&quot; the letter said, according to Politico." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
The letter cited various actions by Trump that the signers said have &quot;alienated millions of voters of all parties&quot;. 
 
&quot;Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities,&quot; the letter said, according to Politico. 
 
&quot;He also has shown dangerous authoritarian tendencies, including threats to ban an entire religion from entering the country, order the military to break the law by torturing prisoners, kill the families of suspected terrorists, track law-abiding Muslim citizens in databases, and use executive orders to implement other illegal and unconstitutional measures.&quot; 
 
So far, the letter has been signed by a number of key former party staff members and officials. Politico reported that it began circulating this week and is expected to be sent to Priebus next week. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

'He also has shown dangerous authoritarian tendencies, including threats to ban an entire religion from entering the country'

More than 70 influential Republicans have signed a letter urging the party to stop spending money on Donald Trump's presidential campaign and direct it instead to November's congressional races, a news report said today "We believe that Donald Trump's divisiveness, recklessness, incompetence, and record-breaking unpopularity risk turning this election into a Democratic landslide," read a draft text of the letter to Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, which was obtained by the Politico newspaper. It called for an "immediate shift" of party funding Senate and House races, to aid down-ballot Republicans whose own election prospects have been harmed by Trump's unpopularity. "This should not be a difficult decision, as Donald Trump's chances of being elected president are evaporating by the day," the letter said. Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities," the letter said, according to Politico. The letter cited various actions by Trump that the signers said have "alienated millions of voters of all parties". "Those recent outrages have built on his campaign of anger and exclusion, during which he has mocked and offended millions of voters, including the disabled, women, Muslims, immigrants, and minorities," the letter said, according to Politico. "He also has shown dangerous authoritarian tendencies, including threats to ban an entire religion from entering the country, order the military to break the law by torturing prisoners, kill the families of suspected terrorists, track law-abiding Muslim citizens in databases, and use executive orders to implement other illegal and unconstitutional measures." So far, the letter has been signed by a number of key former party staff members and officials. Politico reported that it began circulating this week and is expected to be sent to Priebus next week. (AFP)

70 influential Republicans urge party to de-fund 'reckless' Trump: Report

A&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;lawmaker in Congress became the first to break with the party and support Democrat Hillary Clinton for the White House on Tuesday amid signs of growing&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;unease with volatile presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The break by Representative Richard Hanna of New York followed days of uproar over Trump&#39;s criticism of the parents of a Muslim US&nbsp;Army officer killed in the Iraq war, which has fueled a fresh round of&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;rebukes of the New York businessman.

Illustrating the escalating tension between the candidate and the party, Trump pointedly thanked the primary opponent of&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Monday for his &quot;kind words&quot; after Ryan had issued a statement saying the sacrifice of the parents, Khizr and Ghazala Khan, should be honored.

Wisconsin businessman Paul Nehlen, who is challenging Ryan in next week&#39;s primary in Wisconsin, had posted material on his campaign website accusing Ryan of misrepresenting Trump&#39;s proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the country and defending him in the dispute with the Khans.

Several congressional&nbsp;Republicans have said they will not support Trump in the November&nbsp;8 election against Clinton, but Hanna was the first to take the extra step of endorsing the Democrat.

Citing Trump&#39;s attacks on the Khans, Hanna called him &quot;deeply flawed in endless ways,&quot; &quot;unrepentant&quot; and &quot;self-involved.&quot;

&quot;For me, it is not enough to simply denounce his comments: He is unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country,&quot; Hanna wrote in a letter posted on syracuse.com, the website of the Post-Standard newspaper in New York.

Trump has had a running feud with Khizr and Ghazala Khan since they took the stage at last week&#39;s Democratic convention to cite their son&#39;s sacrifice and criticize Trump&#39;s proposed ban on Muslims.

Many&nbsp;Republicans have expressed support for the parents, and some have sharply rebuked Trump, most notably Senate Armed Forces Committee Chairman John McCain, a military veteran and former prisoner of war.

President Barack Obama questioned on&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;why&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;leaders were repeatedly criticizing Trump but still endorsing him, saying Trump&#39;s attacks on the Kahns showed he was &quot;woefully unprepared&quot; to serve in the White House.

&quot;There has to come a point at which you say &#39;enough,&#39;&quot; Obama, a Democrat, told reporters.

Ryan and&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;Senate Majority Leader McConnell have offered support to the Khans, but no&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;leaders have withdrawn their support for Trump as the party&#39;s presidential pick. Ryan&rsquo;s office declined to comment on Hanna&rsquo;s announcement.

Hanna is retiring from the House and is not seeking re-election, leaving him more leeway to risk upsetting colleagues and voters over his break with Trump.

&quot;While I disagree with her on many issues, I will vote for Mrs. Clinton. I will be hopeful and resolute in my belief that being a good American who loves his country is far more important than parties or winning and losing,&quot; he wrote.

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, one of the most outspoken critics of Trump in Congress, said he would never join Hanna in voting for Clinton.

&quot;Conservatives should reform the party of Lincoln, not surrender to the Clinton&rsquo;s machine&rsquo;s dishonesty and identity politics,&quot; Sasse said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

&#39;Incendiary comments&#39;

Trump, a former reality TV star, has troubled many in the&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;establishment with his off-the-cuff, often insulting style, and controversial policies including the proposed ban on Muslims and his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants.

His presidential campaign has appealed to Capitol Hill for support amid the controversy over the Khans, including circulating talking points for lawmakers to use, but has found little support.

Trump&#39;s son, Eric Trump, told CBS News on Tuesday his father&#39;s comments toward the Khans have been &quot;blown hugely out of proportion.&quot;

US&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;Representative Charlie Dent, who has not endorsed Trump, criticized the candidate&#39;s tone on Tuesday and called for more measured responses, telling MSNBC his &quot;incendiary comments ... are causing real problems.&quot;

&nbsp;Dent added that he was not shocked by Hanna&#39;s break with the party, although he said he himself has no plans to support Clinton.

&quot;Like me, I think he&#39;s also been very concerned about the incendiary statements plus the lack of solid policy,&quot; coming from Trump, Dent said. 
 
Trump has fallen slightly behind Clinton in recent polls since each party held their nominating conventions last month.

He also has trailed Clinton in fundraising. The Democrat reported raising nearly $90 million in July for her campaign and the Democratic Party, with more than half the donations coming from new donors. 
 
(Reuters)

The break by Richard Hanna of New York followed days of uproar over Trump's criticism of the parents of a Muslim US?Army officer

A Republican lawmaker in Congress became the first to break with the party and support Democrat Hillary Clinton for the White House on Tuesday amid signs of growing Republican unease with volatile presidential nominee Donald Trump. The break by Representative Richard Hanna of New York followed days of uproar over Trump's criticism of the parents of a Muslim US Army officer killed in the Iraq war, which has fueled a fresh round of Republican rebukes of the New York businessman. Illustrating the escalating tension between the candidate and the party, Trump pointedly thanked the primary opponent of Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan on Monday for his "kind words" after Ryan had issued a statement saying the sacrifice of the parents, Khizr and Ghazala Khan, should be honored. Wisconsin businessman Paul Nehlen, who is challenging Ryan in next week's primary in Wisconsin, had posted material on his campaign website accusing Ryan of misrepresenting Trump's proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the country and defending him in the dispute with the Khans. Several congressional Republicans have said they will not support Trump in the November 8 election against Clinton, but Hanna was the first to take the extra step of endorsing the Democrat. Citing Trump's attacks on the Khans, Hanna called him "deeply flawed in endless ways," "unrepentant" and "self-involved." "For me, it is not enough to simply denounce his comments: He is unfit to serve our party and cannot lead this country," Hanna wrote in a letter posted on syracuse.com, the website of the Post-Standard newspaper in New York. Trump has had a running feud with Khizr and Ghazala Khan since they took the stage at last week's Democratic convention to cite their son's sacrifice and criticize Trump's proposed ban on Muslims. Many Republicans have expressed support for the parents, and some have sharply rebuked Trump, most notably Senate Armed Forces Committee Chairman John McCain, a military veteran and former prisoner of war. President Barack Obama questioned on Tuesday why Republican leaders were repeatedly criticizing Trump but still endorsing him, saying Trump's attacks on the Kahns showed he was "woefully unprepared" to serve in the White House. "There has to come a point at which you say 'enough,'" Obama, a Democrat, told reporters. Ryan and Republican Senate Majority Leader McConnell have offered support to the Khans, but no Republican leaders have withdrawn their support for Trump as the party's presidential pick. Ryan’s office declined to comment on Hanna’s announcement. Hanna is retiring from the House and is not seeking re-election, leaving him more leeway to risk upsetting colleagues and voters over his break with Trump. "While I disagree with her on many issues, I will vote for Mrs. Clinton. I will be hopeful and resolute in my belief that being a good American who loves his country is far more important than parties or winning and losing," he wrote. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska, one of the most outspoken critics of Trump in Congress, said he would never join Hanna in voting for Clinton. "Conservatives should reform the party of Lincoln, not surrender to the Clinton’s machine’s dishonesty and identity politics," Sasse said in a statement emailed to Reuters. 'Incendiary comments' Trump, a former reality TV star, has troubled many in the Republican establishment with his off-the-cuff, often insulting style, and controversial policies including the proposed ban on Muslims and his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants. His presidential campaign has appealed to Capitol Hill for support amid the controversy over the Khans, including circulating talking points for lawmakers to use, but has found little support. Trump's son, Eric Trump, told CBS News on Tuesday his father's comments toward the Khans have been "blown hugely out of proportion." US Republican Representative Charlie Dent, who has not endorsed Trump, criticized the candidate's tone on Tuesday and called for more measured responses, telling MSNBC his "incendiary comments ... are causing real problems." Dent added that he was not shocked by Hanna's break with the party, although he said he himself has no plans to support Clinton. "Like me, I think he's also been very concerned about the incendiary statements plus the lack of solid policy," coming from Trump, Dent said. Trump has fallen slightly behind Clinton in recent polls since each party held their nominating conventions last month. He also has trailed Clinton in fundraising. The Democrat reported raising nearly $90 million in July for her campaign and the Democratic Party, with more than half the donations coming from new donors. (Reuters)

Republican lawmaker becomes first to break with party, says will back Clinton

Freshly minted as his party&#39;s choice for the White House, Republican Donald Trump today will make a display of solidarity with his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a social conservative who is at odds with Trump on many issues. 
 
Pence, the keynote speaker on the third day of the Republican convention in Cleveland, has been well-received by the Republican Party&#39;s social conservative wing, who were skeptical of Trump&#39;s commitment to opposing abortion and same-sex marriage but trust his running mate, a former US lawmaker. 
 
But joint appearances between the two men have been awkward. Trump and Pence shared the stage only briefly on Saturday as Pence publicly agreed to be Trump&#39;s running mate, and their first televised interview together, on CBS&#39;s &quot;60 Minutes&quot;, was not smooth. 
 
For example, asked about Pence&#39;s support in Congress for war in Iraq, Trump responded, &quot;I don&#39;t care,&quot; saying Pence was allowed to make occasional mistakes. When the interviewer asked if Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton should get the same wiggle room on her own Iraq vote when she was a US senator, Trump said, &quot;No&quot;. 
 
The choreography of the Cleveland convention, where Trump was formally named the party&#39;s nominee for the November 8 election, has been uneven. At times, anti-Trump delegates interrupted to shout their displeasure. Tuesday&#39;s session was intended to focus on the economy, but few speakers hewed to the theme. 
 
Several convention delegates called Trump&#39;s choice of running mate a step toward uniting a bitterly divided Republican Party and working to build bridges with the party&#39;s establishment. Pence&#39;s performance today and his interactions with Trump, could help to sell hesitant Republicans at home on the duo. 
 
Pence will speak in prime time today, a day dedicated to &quot;Make America First Again&quot;. Earlier in the day, he will appear with his wife, Karen, Trump and his family at a welcome event. 
 
On Tuesday, Pence delivered a surprise address to the American Conservative Union, where he repeatedly compared Trump to former Republican President Ronald Reagan, a favourite among the party faithful. He said he had gotten to know Trump and knew he cared about helping Americans. 
 
&quot;For all the world he reminds me of Ronald Reagan,&quot; Pence said. &quot;My fellow conservatives, it&#39;s time for us to come together. Come together around this good man.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The two shared the stage only briefly on Saturday at the Republican Convention, but now Pence compares Trump to Ronald Reagan

Freshly minted as his party's choice for the White House, Republican Donald Trump today will make a display of solidarity with his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a social conservative who is at odds with Trump on many issues. Pence, the keynote speaker on the third day of the Republican convention in Cleveland, has been well-received by the Republican Party's social conservative wing, who were skeptical of Trump's commitment to opposing abortion and same-sex marriage but trust his running mate, a former US lawmaker. But joint appearances between the two men have been awkward. Trump and Pence shared the stage only briefly on Saturday as Pence publicly agreed to be Trump's running mate, and their first televised interview together, on CBS's "60 Minutes", was not smooth. For example, asked about Pence's support in Congress for war in Iraq, Trump responded, "I don't care," saying Pence was allowed to make occasional mistakes. When the interviewer asked if Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton should get the same wiggle room on her own Iraq vote when she was a US senator, Trump said, "No". The choreography of the Cleveland convention, where Trump was formally named the party's nominee for the November 8 election, has been uneven. At times, anti-Trump delegates interrupted to shout their displeasure. Tuesday's session was intended to focus on the economy, but few speakers hewed to the theme. Several convention delegates called Trump's choice of running mate a step toward uniting a bitterly divided Republican Party and working to build bridges with the party's establishment. Pence's performance today and his interactions with Trump, could help to sell hesitant Republicans at home on the duo. Pence will speak in prime time today, a day dedicated to "Make America First Again". Earlier in the day, he will appear with his wife, Karen, Trump and his family at a welcome event. On Tuesday, Pence delivered a surprise address to the American Conservative Union, where he repeatedly compared Trump to former Republican President Ronald Reagan, a favourite among the party faithful. He said he had gotten to know Trump and knew he cared about helping Americans. "For all the world he reminds me of Ronald Reagan," Pence said. "My fellow conservatives, it's time for us to come together. Come together around this good man." (Reuters)

After awkward start, Trump, Pence put relationship on display

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. 
 
In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker&#39;s harsh rhetoric. 
 
Trump&#39;s remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. 
 
Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith &amp; Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. 
 
&quot;Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Right now, we have a very divided nation. We&#39;re going to bring our nation together.&quot; 
 
Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a &quot;textbook definition of a racist comment&quot; for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. 
 
Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump&#39;s nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. 
 
Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. 
 
&quot;Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America,&quot; he said. 
 
Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. 
 
As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. 
 
Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women&#39;s health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. 
 
&ldquo;This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it&rsquo;s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,&rdquo; said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. 
 
Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. 
 
The real estate mogul&#39;s struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith &amp; Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. 
 
Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. 
 
US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities,&quot; she said. 
 
But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. 
 
&quot;We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied,&quot; Reed told the crowd. 
 
 
SYRIAN REFUGEES 
 
Trump yesterday criticised Clinton&#39;s willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to &quot;replace her support for increased refugee admission&quot; in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. 
 
He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. 
 
&quot;We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what&rsquo;s going on with refugees where we don&rsquo;t know where they&rsquo;re coming from,&quot; Trump said. &quot;We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they&#39;re in.&quot; 
 
Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. 
 
&quot;We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people,&quot; said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. 
 
Trump said Clinton&#39;s refusal to use the phrase &quot;radical Islamic terrorism&quot;, favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

The US Republican presidential candidate says freedom means nobody should be judged based on their race or skin colour

Donald Trump offered a message of ethnic harmony yesterday at a Christian evangelical conference. He was trying to calm concern about his criticism of a Mexican-American judge. In a departure from his usual freewheeling style, Trump read a carefully scripted speech from a teleprompter as part of a new push by his campaign to tone down the outspoken New Yorker's harsh rhetoric. Trump's remarks included a wide-ranging attack on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The 69-year-old said that money aimed at resettling Syrian refugees in the United States should instead be spent on tackling poverty in US cities. Speaking to the annual conference of the conservative Faith & Freedom Coalition, Trump did not mention the controversy over his charge that US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel cannot treat him fairly because of his Mexican heritage. However, he did make a point of saying that he would represent all Americans if elected president on November 8. "Freedom of any kind means no one should be judged by their race or their colour and the tone of his hue," Trump said. "Right now, we have a very divided nation. We're going to bring our nation together." Paul Ryan, the top elected US Republican, had criticised Trump for what he called a "textbook definition of a racist comment" for his remarks about the judge. Other Republican leaders warned Trump to change his tone or risk losing their support. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee who led a movement to derail Trump's nomination, told CNN he would not consider running for the White House. Romney blasted Trump for comments that he said denigrated Mexicans, women and religion. "Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry and trickle-down misogyny - all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America," he said. Romney said he expects Trump to get the Republican nomination but added that he will not vote for either Trump or Clinton. He left open the possibility of casting a ballot for the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Governor, Gary Johnson. As Trump sought to rally more Republicans behind him, Clinton met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to try and shore up support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. Clinton later addressed the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the non-partisan arm of the women's health group, and had Trump trained in her sights. “This is a man who has called women pigs, dogs and disgusting animals, it’s kind of hard to imagine counting on him to respect our fundamental rights,” said Clinton, the first woman to become the presumptive presidential nominee of a major party. Clinton leads Trump by 11 percentage points, nearly the same as a week ago, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday. The real estate mogul's struggle to unify Republicans behind his insurgent candidacy was apparent at the evangelical Faith & Freedom conference where several speakers studiously avoided speaking his name. Former campaign rival Carly Fiorina steered clear of Trump, speaking instead of the need to prevent liberal policies taking hold. US Representative Virginia Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, said a Republican president is needed, without mentioning Trump. "We don't want this contest this fall to just be a contest of personalities," she said. But conference organiser Ralph Reed was adamant in his support for Trump, saying the New Yorker has energised the evangelical vote in a way that past Republican presidential nominees failed to do. "We understand that perfection is not the measure that should be applied," Reed told the crowd. SYRIAN REFUGEES Trump yesterday criticised Clinton's willingness to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States and challenged her to "replace her support for increased refugee admission" in favour of a new jobs program for inner cities. He stopped short of repeating his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, a proposal that has drawn heavy fire from Republicans and Democrats. "We have to temporarily stop this whole thing with what’s going on with refugees where we don’t know where they’re coming from," Trump said. "We have to use the money to take care of our poorest Americans so they can come out of this horrible situation that they're in." Yesterday at the funeral of boxing champion Muhammad Ali, a convert to Islam, one speaker, a rabbi, inveighed against politicians promoting intolerance of Muslims. "We will not tolerate politicians or anyone else putting down Muslims and blaming Muslims for a few people," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, the editor of Tikkun magazine, who said he attended the ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, as a representative of American Jews. Trump said Clinton's refusal to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism", favoured by Republicans to describe violent Islamist militants, makes her unfit to be president.

Stung by criticism, Donald Trump vows to work for ethnic harmony

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