11 votes

Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of October 2

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Tags: usa, politics, recurring.weekly

This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.

This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.

10 comments

  1. PantsEnvy
    Link
    "The Trump empire ... will fold like a stack of cards," says former prosecutor There is an interesting lens on why things didn't happen, then are suddenly moving so fast...

    "The Trump empire ... will fold like a stack of cards," says former prosecutor

    There is an interesting lens on why things didn't happen, then are suddenly moving so fast...

    The evidence has always been there, and some intrepid prosecutor could have taken this on much earlier. But these kinds of complex business crimes require a large amount of resources and expertise to investigate. The investigative journalists and forensic accounting experts deserve much credit for going through the laborious process of reviewing all the Trump Organization's public filings and tax returns. Then, when the banks were forced to turn over the loan applications from Trump to the attorney general, the New York County district attorney and others, the floodgates were opened. It was no longer just a question of tax fraud, since there was also evidence of substantial banking fraud. Things went downhill pretty fast for Trump after that.

    Trump then shot himself in the foot by announcing that he was running for president. The following day a special counsel was appointed, and the rest is history. A real professional prosecutor went to work on Trump; there were no political prevarications.

    The congressional hearings and investigation of Jan. 6 were also very helpful. The select committee report really was a blueprint for at least one of the criminal indictments of Trump.

    8 votes
  3. spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Biden administration waives 26 federal laws to allow border wall construction in South Texas a common refrain you hear from politically disaffected / disengaged people is "why bother, the...

    Biden administration waives 26 federal laws to allow border wall construction in South Texas

    The Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act and Endangered Species Act were some of the federal laws waived by DHS to make way for construction that will use funds from a congressional appropriation in 2019 for border wall construction. The waivers avoid time-consuming reviews and lawsuits challenging violation of environmental laws.

    a common refrain you hear from politically disaffected / disengaged people is "why bother, the Democrats and Republicans are all the same". it'd be really nice if Democrats stopped giving those people ammunition in the form of stories like this.

    from August 2020:

    "There will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration, No. 1," he told NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro during an interview with journalists from the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

    6 votes
  5. spit-evil-olive-tips
    Link
    Allie Phillips, woman at center of abortion fight, running for Tennessee House of Representatives cw pregnancy loss the real-world consequences of bans on reproductive healthcare are a losing...

    Allie Phillips, woman at center of abortion fight, running for Tennessee House of Representatives

    cw pregnancy loss

    Early this year, Phillips learned during a routine anatomy scan that the daughter she had already named Miley Rose would not survive outside the womb. Phillips and her husband Bryan, after discussions with their doctor, determined that termination was the best way to avoid further risk for the mother. Due to the newly enacted ban in Tennessee, Phillips flew to New York City, where doctors informed her that the baby's heart had already stopped beating and an emergency abortion was necessary.

    Phillips told the story on TikTok, where it went viral, drawing hundreds of thousands of likes and followers. Later, Phillips joined with women challenging abortion bans in Tennessee and other states as a plaintiff in a lawsuit led by the Center for Reproductive Rights.

    the real-world consequences of bans on reproductive healthcare are a losing issue for Republicans. rub their fucking noses in it.

    Phillips tells Scene sister publication the Nashville Post that while her biggest issue in the campaign is reproductive health care, she is also planning to run in support of public education funding, "keeping guns out of schools," LGBTQ rights including gender-affirming care, access to health care and infrastructure improvements, especially to help Clarksville-Nashville commuters.

    Phillips on Monday announced her candidacy as a Democrat for House District 75, represented by Republican freshman Rep. Jeff Burkhart.

    ...

    Burkhart's unopposed 2022 election to the District 75 seat was the first since post-census redistricting shrank the district and brought it closer to Clarksville. Phillips says the new-look district "is a winnable seat but not an easily winnable seat."

    even if she doesn't end up winning, it's an important race, because it forces them to defend seats that they would otherwise take for granted as being unopposed.

    2 votes
  6. boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/california-governor-vetoes-law-capping-monthly-insulin-costs California Governor Vetoes Law Capping Monthly Insulin Costs...

    https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/california-governor-vetoes-law-capping-monthly-insulin-costs
    California Governor Vetoes Law Capping Monthly Insulin Costs

    https://www.reuters.com/world/us/california-governor-vetoes-bill-ban-caste-discrimination-2023-10-07/#:~:text=Oct%207%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20California,made%20the%20bill%20%22unnecessary.%22

    California governor vetoes bill banning caste discrimination

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/california-gov-gavin-newsom-vetoes-bill-decriminalized-psychedelic-103810533

    California governor vetoes bill that would have decriminalized psychodelic mushrooms

    2 votes
  7. [2]
    boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    Opinion - from soft right source the Hill. I don't agree or disagree but I think this point is worth talking about and I hope the democratic leadership are developing a plan B...

    Opinion - from soft right source the Hill. I don't agree or disagree but I think this point is worth talking about and I hope the democratic leadership are developing a plan B

    https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4235818-the-trump-collapse-is-coming-and-hes-taking-biden-down-with-him/

    1 vote
    1. psi
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      The analysis feels believable if you're willing to make the (imo) rather dubious assumption that any of the criminal trials will conclude before the election. Given your expertise, do you think...

      The analysis feels believable if you're willing to make the (imo) rather dubious assumption that any of the criminal trials will conclude before the election. Given your expertise, do you think any of the juries in any of the criminal trials will return a verdict by then?