Historic winter storm cancels thousands of flights, closes major interstates | The biggest storm of the winter season for the western United States took shape over the weekend which sparked blizzard warnings, power outages and even prompted the activation of the Colorado National Guard. Final snowfall amounts are still being tallied as the storm winds down, but totals in excess of 3-4 feet were reported across Colorado and southeastern Wyoming by Sunday night. Windy Peak in Wyoming holds the top spot for snowfall totals as of Sunday night with 52.5 inches recorded.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/historic-winter-storm-batters-nations-mid-section/914803
Anthony Edwards: "I still shot the ball pretty bad tho, I was 6-14 from three" Reporter: "That's like 43%" Ant: "That's pretty damn bad, I could've been 9-14. It can be better, always room to grow" Reporter: "If you're 43%, you would be better than Steph" Ant: "I'll never be better than Steph"
https://streamable.com/rpf9ox
Vote Scheduled: At 5:30pm on Monday, March 15th, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #31 Debra Anne Haaland to be Secretary of the Interior @Interior
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1370118021612765184
https://www.c-span.org/video/?509871-1/senate-vote-interior-secretary-nominee-represenative-debra-haaland
The #Ravens have made their first move in free agency, agreeing to terms with ex-#Giants guard Kevin Zeitler on a 3-year deal worth $22M including $16M fully guaranteed, source said. One of the top interior O-linemen available, Baltimore quickly pounced when Zeitler became free.
https://twitter.com/rapsheet/status/1371415729979920384
Two pro-Trump terrorists finally arrested in assault on police officer Brian D. Sicknick, who died after Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Julian Elie Khater, 32, of Pennsylvania and George Pierre Tanios, 39 of Morgantown, W.Va., were arrested Sunday and are expected to appear in federal court Monday.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/two-arrested-in-assault-on-police-officer-brian-d-sicknick-who-died-after-jan-6-capitol-riot/2021/03/15/80261550-84ff-11eb-bfdf-4d36dab83a6d_story.html
__________________________________________
https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-merrick-garland-addresses-115000-employees-department-justice-his-first
Attorney General Merrick Garland Addresses the 115,000 Employees of the Department of Justice on His First Day
Washington, DC
~ Thursday, March 11, 2021
Former Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson's Remarks
Good morning.
It's my honor to welcome Merrick Garland back to the Department of Justice as the 86th Attorney General of the United States. I'd also like to recognize the Attorney General's wife Lynn, his brother-in-law Mitchell and his nieces Laura and Andrea. In many respects, this is a welcome home ceremony for the Attorney General. Before his appointment to the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, he served with distinction in a number of positions here at Main Justice and as an Assistant U. S. Attorney in the District of Columbia.
I first met the Attorney General approximately 25 years ago when he was the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. I have always admired his intellect, his integrity, his commitment to public service and his humility. He recognizes the traditions of the Department and trusts and respects its career civil servants. He sees his role as being the lawyer for the people of the United States and making decisions that are based on the law and the facts devoid of political considerations. During his confirmation hearing a few weeks ago, Attorney General Garland said: "It is a fitting time to reaffirm that the role of the Attorney General is to serve the rule of law and to ensure equal justice under the law." As he further noted, this is a moment too, for recognizing "[the] employees of the Department and its law enforcement agencies, and their commitment to serve the cause of justice and protect the safety of our communities."
This is an important period in the history of our venerated institution, and we are grateful to you Mr. Attorney General, for your willingness once again to answer the call to duty. We look forward to continuing to serve in the Department of Justice under your leadership.
Thank you very much.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's Remarks
Thank you so much for those kind words, Monty.
As Monty said, we first met when I was working for the Deputy Attorney General. Monty was an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Initially a prosecutor and then a supervisor of prosecutors, Monty later jumped to the Department's offices that make everything work. First to the Executive Office for U. S. Attorneys and then to the Justice Management Division. And for the past seven weeks, Monty has ensured that the Department continued to work and to honor its proud traditions during the leadership transition between new administrations. I am deeply grateful.
On January 7th of this year, when the President Elect announced his intention to nominate me for Attorney General, I spoke to the American people. On February 22nd, when my Senate Judiciary Committee hearing began, I spoke to the United States Congress. Today, I want to speak to you, the more than 115,000 employees of the United States Department of Justice. Now I had hoped to be standing before more of you today in this Great Hall, but the circumstances of the ongoing pandemic will not permit it. That, however, is a small disappointment compared to the hardships that many of you have suffered and the additional burdens you have borne as a consequence of the pandemic.
I have to tell you that when I walked in the door of Main Justice this morning, it really did feel like I was coming home. I first walked into this building when I was 26 years old. I was here for a job interview and I was awestruck. This is a beautiful hall and this is a beautiful building built in the midst of the Great Depression. But, it was the ideal of justice to which it is a monument that was truly awe inspiring. Everywhere I looked there were serious people pursuing the cause of Justice. I left the interview wanting the job badly. The way I'm sure each of you felt after your DOJ interview. The way we want everyone who interviews at DOJ to feel. I know that was how I felt every time I came back to interview for another Justice Department position and after leaving my first position for private practice, I did come back many times to serve in a variety of positions both career and non-career. Along the way, I worked with DOJ attorneys, agents and staff in every component of the Department and across the width and breadth of this country. Altogether, I served under five Attorneys General appointed by four Presidents. I know that some of you have notched up plenty more.
The Department of Justice has also been a large part of the lives of people who are close to me. My younger sister followed me to DOJ where she served as a career attorney in the Civil Division. More than 35 of my former law clerks went on to serve at the Justice Department in both career and non-career positions. Many of my closest friends are veterans of the Department with both career and non-career service. For all of you and for me, public service is more than a job. It is a calling. All of you have chosen the Department of Justice over other places where you might have used your skills and where you might have earned a higher salary. I am grateful beyond words for your service to this country. All of us are united by our commitment to the rule of law and to seeking equal justice under law. We are united by our commitment to protecting our country as our oath says, "from all enemies foreign and domestic," and by our commitment to enforcing our country's laws and to ensuring the civil rights and the civil liberties of our people. The only way we can succeed and retain the trust of the American people is to adhere to the norms that have become part of the DNA of every Justice Department employee since Edward Levy's stint as the first post-Watergate Attorney General.
As I said at the announcement of my nomination, those norms require that like cases be treated alike. That there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans; One rule for friends and another for foes; One rule for the powerful and another for the powerless; One rule for the rich and another for the poor; Or different rules depending upon one's race or ethnicity. At his swearing in, Attorney General Levy said: "If we are to have a government of laws and not of men, then it takes dedicated men and women to accomplish this through their zeal and determination, and also through fairness and impartiality. And I know that this Department always has had such dedicated men and women." I, too, know that this Department has and always has had such dedicated people. I am honored to work with you once again. Together, we will show the American people by word and deed that the Department of Justice pursues equal justice and adheres to the rule of law.
Thank you.
__________________________________________
Biden to announce Gene Sperling will oversee rollout of $1.9 trillion in Covid relief
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/15/politics/joe-biden-american-rescue-plan-gene-sperling/index.html
Psaki confirms the Biden administration has reached out to North Korea, per reports from over the weekend
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea/exclusive-north-korea-unresponsive-to-behind-the-scenes-biden-administration-outreach-u-s-official-idUSKBN2B50P1
The CDC has already begun rolling out portions of the new vaccine confidence playbook. According to an internal briefing, the CDC Vaccine Task Force has begun to hold "vaccine confidence consultations" with interested jurisdictions.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/15/biden-combat-vaccine-hesitancy-476009
The leaked audio call between Donald Trump and the Georgia election investigator, in which he is being heard pressuring her to find proof of poll fraud, was recovered from the trash folder of her deviced. It was also reported that officials in Georgia earlier claimed the recording of the call didn't exist. The leaked audio is more proof of Trump's extraordinary attempts to convince officials to help him find evidence for his baseless claims of voter fraud.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/14/politics/trump-phone-call-georgia-investigator-trash-folder/index.html
The Biden administration will now cover 100% of the cost for Medicaid and children's health insurance beneficiaries to get vaccinated, Andy Slavitt says.
https://twitter.com/KateSullivanDC/status/1371480034763018241
Janie Hipp, General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture | Janie Simms Hipp, J.D., LL.M grew up in a small southeast Oklahoma community, beginning her legal career in the 1980s during the tumultuous farm financial crisis as farmers and ranchers faced problems unrivaled since the Great Depression. She served within the Oklahoma Attorney General's office while establishing a national presence advocating on behalf of farmers and ranchers. Hipp received an LLM in Agriculture Law from the University of Arkansas, joining what was to become a new specialization focusing on the legal complexities of agriculture. She taught agricultural law and food policy for decades while crisscrossing the country working with farmers, ranchers and food businesses. In addition to authoring numerous domestic publications on agriculture and nutrition law, her work also includes international engagement on matters related to food policy. Her domestic and international law and policy career spans over thirty-five years. She has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumni at two universities and has been recognized twice by the American Agriculture Law Association. She is a member of the Chickasaw Nation located in Oklahoma and resides in Arkansas with her husband.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/15/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-key-members-of-his-administration/
Leslie Kiernan, General Counsel of the Department of Commerce | Leslie B. Kiernan has decades of experience working with corporations, boards, nonprofits, and governmental entities in litigation, regulatory compliance, policy development, and enforcement matters. During the Obama-Biden Administration, she served in the White House as Deputy Counsel to the President from 2011-14, where she advised on a wide range of compliance, risk-management, policy, and oversight issues. She also worked with the White House Council on Women and Girls, and later served as a senior advisor to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Recently, Kiernan served as a senior advisor on the Biden-Harris Transition, and she currently serves as Special Counsel in the Office of the White House Counsel. In addition to her government service, Kiernan has over 20 years' experience as a litigation partner at national law firms in Washington, D.C. Since 2016, she has served on the board of Children's National Medical Center, where she is currently vice-chair. Kiernan is a graduate of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/15/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-key-members-of-his-administration/
Todd Kim, Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Department of Justice | Todd Kim is the Deputy General Counsel for Litigation, Regulation, and Enforcement at the U.S. Department of Energy. His prior government service includes more than seven years as an appellate attorney with the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He was then appointed as the first Solicitor General of the District of Columbia, a position he held for more than eleven years. As Solicitor General, Kim oversaw appellate litigation for the District of Columbia government. Kim has also been a partner at Reed Smith LLP. He began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Judith Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He received his A.B. with honors from Harvard College and his J.D. with honors from Harvard Law School.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/15/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-key-members-of-his-administration/
Vindman twin set for promotion after bad evaluations from Trump appointees
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/15/yevgeny-vindman-promotion-post-trump-476038
Biden would not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2B72CV
New research shared exclusively with BuzzFeed News shows how Amazon's search and recommendation features surface false COVID conspiracy books, even when customers aren't looking for them:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/amazon-covid-conspiracy-books
American Rescue Plan Provides Critical Support for Indian Affairs Programs. Signed by POTUS March 12, 2021, ARP invests $1.75B in American Indian and Alaska Native government programs administered under the oversight of the Interior's IndianAffairs.
https://www.indianaffairs.gov/news/american-rescue-plan-provides-critical-support-indian-affairs-programs
Haaland confirmed thanks to 4 Republicans (Susan Collins, Murkowski, Sullivan, Graham) who voted for her. 3 Democrats (Hickenlooper, Bennett, Mirono) did not vote. 6 Republicans also did not vote. Hickenlooper and Bennett were snowed-in in Colorado (historic snowstorm shut down Colorado, no flights) and could not vote. They previously endorsed her nomination.
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/15/977558590/deb-haaland-confirmed-as-first-native-american-interior-secretary
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/15/climate/Deb-Haaland-Interior.html
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zlj6Jr23D4a-Ajzh1VtC_5HGB55DGO-leVWzQkTc1h8/edit#gid=1830138682
With Haaland and Fudge's confirmations and pending resignations from House, the Democrats' majority will be 219-111, with 5 open seats.
Texas AG Ken Paxton's office spent 22,000 hours looking for voter fraud and uncovered just 16 cases of false addresses on registration forms, according to The Houston Chronicle. Nearly 17M voters are registered in Texas. Texas Republicans are rolling out a slew of restrictive election bills, taking particular aim at early voting after Democrats enthusiastically embraced the practice last year.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/texas-gop-launches-avalanche-bills-curtail-voting-n1260747
Biden's done an excellent job filling his administration with well qualified people instead of relatives and big donors
Pfizer executives explain to investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters. The company will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20514141-pfe-usq_transcript_2021-03-11
The Washington Post issued a correction about what was said on another Trump phone call, with Georgia's chief elections investigator, on Dec. 23. They did not say anything was wrong with the reportage about Trump's Jan. 2 call with the Secretary of State.
https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-call-georgia-investigator/2021/01/09/7a55c7fa-51cf-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html
https://twitter.com/CawthornforNC/status/1371530877033979906
A chance to run it back: Tight end Rob Gronkowski is returning to the Bucs on a one-year deal worth $10 million
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1371591735957094402
As part of the PPACA, the federal government covers 90 percent of the cost of expanding Medicaid to people who make up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, or about $30,000 for a family of four. Twelve Republican-led states have refused that offer, leaving about 2.2 million of their constituents without health insurance.
https://motherjones.com/politics/2021/03/mississippi-governor-rejects-medicaid-expansion-for-working-class-constituents/
Microsoft has released a one-click tool for patching the Exchange Server vulnerabilities that tons of hackers are exploiting right now, "to help customers who do not have dedicated security or IT teams":
https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2021/03/15/one-click-microsoft-exchange-on-premises-mitigation-tool-march-2021/
Fix these mistakes already and get that money back: The SBAgov accidentally paid out about $692 million in duplicate #PPP loans to 4,260 businesses from April 3 to August 9 last year, according to a report from the SBA Inspector General.
https://oversight.gov/sites/default/files/oig-reports/SBA/SBA-OIG-Report-21-09.pdf
New climate regulations for power plants are underway
https://nytimes.com/2021/03/15/climate/epa-climate-regulations.html
America does not deserve her: Thank you to the U.S. Senate for your confirmation vote today. As Secretary of @Interior, I look forward to collaborating with all of you. I am ready to serve. #BeFierce
https://twitter.com/DebHaalandNM/status/1371589252794830848
Judge Orders Arizona Republicans to Pay Up for Filing 'Groundless' Lawsuit Challenging 2020 Election Results
https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/judge-orders-arizona-gop-to-repay-taxpayers-over-groundless-lawsuit-challenging-2020-election-results/
During his 1975 trial, DeFeo Jr admitted the killings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_DeFeo_Jr.
You could read the corrected reportage, which names the source, and explains why there wasn't an audio file available at that time.
https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-call-georgia-investigator/2021/03/11/c532ea2e-827a-11eb-ac37-4383f7709abe_story.html
https://twitter.com/toddstarnes/status/1371615790168956931
Brian Barger, journalist who helped unravel Iran-contra scandal, dies at 68. Brian Barger was an investigative journalist who edited and reported on Colombian drug cartels, covert operations of the CIA, international terrorism, money laundering, excessive levels of toxins in sea fish, and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was among the primary reporters covering the Iran-contra arms-for-hostage scandals of the Reagan administration. In a journalism career spanning three decades, he worked for the Associated Press, CNN and The Washington Post, among other organizations. He was a restless man who disliked staying long in one place. Early in his career he was a school bus driver and a garbage collector in suburban Maryland; a bartender in Tokyo; a logging truck driver in Wyoming; and an auto mechanic, taxi driver, carpenter, house painter, short-order cook and motorcycle messenger in Washington, D.C. For a time, he was a California farmworker and organized protests against low wages and poor working conditions. He also had been an insurance claims adjuster and an activist for political and humanitarian causes. He was arrested several times in protests against the Vietnam War. In 1999, he took a three-year hiatus from journalism to co-found and direct Casa Amiga, a rape crisis and domestic violence counseling center network in Mexico. This, said his family, was an outgrowth of his friendship with Dianna Ortiz, a Catholic nun and missionary who in 1989 was abducted, raped and tortured by members of the Guatemalan military. She died Feb. 19. Mr. Barger, a District resident who in recent years has been a full-time volunteer with immigrants' rights organizations, died Feb. 22 at a hospital in New York. He was 68 and the cause was complications following surgery for pancreatic cancer, said his wife, Tia Duer.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/brian-barger-journalist-who-helped-unravel-iran-contra-scandal-dies-at-68/2021/03/15/e8a3f25c-8363-11eb-9ca6-54e187ee4939_story.html
Bill Belichick spending in free agency: prior 10 years total: $359,886,620 first 3 hours of 2021: $146,000,000
https://twitter.com/SharpFootball/status/1371541116974198784
Westbrook pump fakes himself into a turnover
https://streamable.com/wnf15u
Marvin Bagley swats P.J. Washington on one end, then eurosteps past Hayward for the finish on the other end
https://streamable.com/modq0e
Randle drippling gets called for a travel on the last possession
https://streamable.com/5o216u
James Wiseman full body space between his elbow and Montrezz Harrell's face, Harrell pretends he was hit, Wiseman hit with technical foul
https://streamable.com/esur9r
Paul George drills the tripple dagger in Luka's face
https://streamable.com/j5fnkj
Wild Nuggets possession: 2 diving saves, 1 flipped player, 7 total offensive rebounds, and ultimately 0 points
https://streamable.com/8ikndv
Wiggins beats the buzzer to end the half
https://streamable.com/avh7ak
James Harden Tonight: 21/15/15 on 6-15 shooting, 0-6 from three, 9/9 from the line
Former Dolphins' QB Ryan Fitzpatrick reached agreement with the Washington Football Team on a one-year deal worth $10 million that could grow to $12 million with incentives, per source. Fitzpatrick is expected to head to camp as the starter, with competition from Taylor Heinicke.
https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1371658836566753284
Boris Johnson to make protests that British Republicans do not like illegal, with prison sentences of up to 10 years
https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-outlaw-protests-that-are-noisy-or-cause-annoyance-2021-3
New COVID Nasal Spray Reduces Viral Levels by Over 99% in Under 3 Days, Seeks Emergancy Approval in Canada & the UK. Developed by SaNOtize It Can Be Used As Prevention or Treatment. The Main Ingredient Nitric Oxide, Naturally Produced In Humans, Acts As A Nasal Hand Sanitizer
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/b-c-biotech-company-seeks-emergency-approval-for-covid-19-nasal-spray-treatment-1.5348503
Biggest total from record-shattering snowstorm tops 50 inches
https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/record-snowstorm-tops-50-inches-wyoming-colorado/915348
Islamic terrorists beheading children in Mozambique
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/16/isis-linked-militants-beheading-children-in-mozambique-says-aid-group
And New England strikes again: The Patriots are signing former Chargers' TE Hunter Henry to a three-year, $37.5 million deal, including $25 million guaranteed, per source. Free agency's top two tight ends, Henry and Jonnu Smith, wind up in New England.
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1371824385779068928
Patriots onslaught
- Acquire Trent Brown
- Re-sign Cam Newton
- Re-sign Deatrich Wise
- Donta Hightower and Patrick Chung are returning
- Matthew Judon, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Davon G/dchaux, Jalen Mills, Henry Anderson
#Bengals agree to terms on a three-year deal with former #Cowboys CB Chidobe Awuzie, source says. Cincy continuing to make moves on defense. They liked the former second-rounder's athleticism and consistency.
https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1371843675215556621
Bucs are working on: • Ndamukong Suh • Antonio Brown • James White • Leonard Fournette (also has offer from Seahawks + Patriots)
https://twitter.com/iJordanMoore/status/1371844141227859968
The situation with H.R. 1 reminds me of 2006, when Dems and good government groups would not revise the Voting Rights Act when many of us warned it could be struck down if coverage formula wasn't tweaked.
https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1371867350241144832
Democrats rolled the dice and left Voting Rights Act as is, leading Supreme Court to kill a key part of it in the Shelby County case in 2013.
https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1371867351046483969
The danger is that we won't get H.R. 1 and we won't get ANYTHING done to deal with new wave of voter suppression, and we can no longer count on courts to do the right thing.
https://twitter.com/rickhasen/status/1371867351826591746
New Jazz Owner Ryan Smith expresses concern about transgender bill to lawmakers, worries that it alienates transgender youth and that NBA will pull All-star game if law is passed.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2021/03/16/exclusive-how-utah-jazz/
The judiciary is hoping Congress acts on a package of security reforms that were introduced last year after an attack on a judge's family, which incl. scrubbing judges' personal info from the internet; the Marshals are offering home security upgrades to judges in the meantime
https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/status/1371878827928997896
The judiciary is also asking Congress for more $ to secure courthouses after dozens of buildings were damaged during protests last year + what happened at the Capitol on Jan. 6 — incl. reinforcing first-floor windows, doors, new cameras
https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/status/1371879247057420288
The last comprehensive bill creating new judgeships was in 1990, and an additional 34 district judgeships were added between 1999 and 2003. So it's been a while — the judiciary has made repeated asks for more judgeships based on increasing caseloads over the years
https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/status/1371877509093060612
The judiciary is asking Congress to create 2 new circuit court judgesips in the 9th Circuit and 77 new district court judgeships. Judge Claire Eagen, who did the press briefing, explained that they get these numbers based on a survey of courts
https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/status/1371877159598440452
The Judicial Conference of the United States, the federal judiciary's policymaking body, had its semiannual meeting today. It's not open to the public/press; reporters get a briefing after and there's a press release about what they did: Judiciary Seeks New Judgeships, Reaffirms Need for Enhanced Security
https://uscourts.gov/news/2021/03/16/judiciary-seeks-new-judgeships-reaffirms-need-enhanced-security
Democrats had high hopes for flipping legislative chambers in 2020, but those were crushed on Election Day. Now, downballot Democrats are pleading for more resources, lest 2022 be a repeat.
https://politico.com/news/2021/03/16/democrats-2022-elections-476211
I am very sorry to learn that Yaphet Kotto, Lt. Al Giardello, Dr. Kananga, Mr. Big, Agent Mosley, Smokey, has floated to the stars at the age of 81. Yaphet Frederick Kotto was born on Nov. 15, 1939, in Harlem and grew up in the Bronx. His father was Cameroonian royalty, The Baltimore Sun reported. His mother was of Panamanian and West Indian descent. The couple separated when Mr. Kotto was a child, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. I think he elevated Live and Let Die in a way that was very helpful to Roger Moore as a fledgling Bond. I hope he floated to heaven on a Kananga ballon...unexploded, of course. Al Giardello was an amazing character on an amazing show, filled with amazing characters. Yaphet Kotto burned in every scene he was in. I always remember the scene were he is dating, talking about how black he was. To see someone so powerful display such vulnerability was incredibly moving. Kotto played that role with such intelligence, grace, humour, humanity. Always enjoyed going back and seeing him in earlier roles realizing it was him. But his acting in Homicide: Life On The Street was a tour de force. He will be sadly missed. RIP, Prince Yaphet.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/16/arts/yaphet-kotto-dead.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaphet_Kotto
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001433/
ODNI report on foreign influence in 2020 :
1. No indication of attempts to interfere with any "technical aspects" of voting
2. Russia conducted influence ops to undermine Biden
3. Iran worked to undermine Trump
4. China did not deploy interference efforts because it sought stability with the US
https://dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf
The Senate confirms Isabel Guzman to lead the Small Business Administration, giving her a key role in implementing the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zlj6Jr23D4a-Ajzh1VtC_5HGB55DGO-leVWzQkTc1h8/edit#gid=1830138682
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/16/senate-to-confirm-isabel-guzman-to-lead-small-business-administration.html
Red Sox will use a "rolling squad of ultraviolet light-emitting disinfecting robots," designed to kill COVID-19, to keep Fenway safe this season.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/16/sports/red-sox-will-use-robots-disinfect-fenway-park-while-fans-attend-games/
LeBron James to become part owner of Red Sox, both he & Maverick Carter each join Fenway Sports Group as partners, first and only Black partners in FSG history. FSG also approves $750M investment from RedBird Capital Partners. Deal pending MLB approval.
https://twitter.com/MikeSilvermanBB/status/1371895559708155904
You can read endless headlines screaming about a "border crisis." The assumption here is that under Trump, there wasn't a crisis. But there was a crisis under Trump. It was worse for the migrants, worse for the rule of law and worse for our country:
https://washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/03/16/latest-gop-attack-biden-has-huge-hole-it/
.@SenSchumer on filibuster: We Democrats, all of us, believe we need big bold change...we hope our Republican colleagues will work with us...We will try to get them to work with us. But if not we will put our heads together and figure out how to go and everything is on the table.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1371911537401737228
https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1371911537401737228
Claims of foreign intrusion in election infrastructure that "tallied, changed or otherwise manipulated vote counts" are "not credible."
https://justice.gov/opa/pr/joint-statement-departments-justice-and-homeland-security-assessing-impact-foreign
Democrats Tell Sinema 3 In 5 Arizonans Want Filibuster Obstruction To End
https://truthout.org/articles/progressives-tell-sinema-3-in-5-arizonans-want-filibuster-obstruction-to-end/
Stephen Curry on the positive takeaways from Warriors loss to Lakers: "Absolutely nothing"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQEwiuFXg0c
Homicide: Life On The Street belongs in any discussion of the greatest TV shows of all time. That it's still not available for streaming is ridiculous.
Democrats saved union pensions after Hoffa's long campaign | Biden's American Rescue Plan Act provides $83 billion to prevent deep cuts to pension benefits. Here's how the Teamsters quietly maneuvered taxpayer aid to union retirees
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/democrats-saved-union-pensions-after-hoffa-s-long-campaign-n1261125
Border Patrol agents are working to sabotage the Biden administration, according to insiders. The Trump-supporting Border Patrol labor union is reportedly teaming up with Republicans to launch a PR offensive on Biden's government. At the same time, officers have chosen to continue to treat migrants at the border like Trump is still president
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/border-patrol-biden-crisis-dhs-kevin-mccarthy-republicans-insiders-b1818116.html
QB Andy Dalton is signing a one-year, $10 million deal, with the chance to earn another $3 million in incentives, with the Chicago Bears
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1371928923886415873
QB Tyrod Taylor reached agreement on a one-year deal worth up to $12.5 million with the Houston Texans
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1371930774841085956
MS. PSAKI: All right, welcome to our trip to Pennsylvania. Today we're traveling to Chester, Pennsylvania, to visit Smith Flooring, a black-owned union shop that supplies and installs flooring. Smith Flooring received Paycheck Protection Program loans and qualifies for additional programs under the American Rescue Plan, including the Community Navigator service and the Employee Retention Tax Credit. Smith Flooring received its second PPP loan during the Biden-Harris administration's two-week exclusive period for small businesses with 20 or fewer employers [employees]. And just another update before we get to your questions: Today, our COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Jeff Zients, held his weekly governor call. He announced an increase of vaccine allotments to jurisdictions to over 16 million, including allotments from all three authorized vaccines. When you add that to the doses going out through federal channels, including directly to pharmacies and community health centers, we have over 22 million doses going out the door just this week.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
MS. PSAKI: We don't have a direct comment or response to the comments made from North Korea. I will say and note, since you gave me the opportunity, that obviously our Secretary of State and our Secretary of Defense are currently on their way, or they're traveling to South Korea, where they'll be meeting with their Japanese and South Korean counterparts. Certainly, the security in the region will be a topic of discussion. Obviously, also our Secretary of State and our National Security Advisor are headed to Anchorage later this week to meet with their Chinese counterparts where, of course, security in the region will be part of the discussion. So our focus right now is on working with and coordinating with our partners, allies on a range of issues, including security in the Korean Peninsula.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
Q Since you're going to a small business today, there are some efforts to try and extend the deadline for a PPP loan. Is that something that you guys support? Are you actively working with anyone or doing anything on it?
MS. PSAKI: We certainly note that this is a program where there is an interest in an extension. I don't have anything to preview for you on that. Obviously, the implementation of the PPP loans and ensuring that we are getting those loans to mom-and-pop businesses, to smaller businesses, to addressing some of the challenges that happened the first time around is our current focus. But I don't have anything to preview on an extension. I know May 31st is the deadline — or March 31st, sorry, is the deadline.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
Q Can I follow up on the Congress stuff? So, a fourth of Republican House members and at least three Republican senators have said they don't want to be vaccinated. How is that affecting your guys' effort to get shots in the arms?
MS. PSAKI: To get shots in arms?
Q Yeah. Well, Republicans are saying they don't want to get a vaccine — Republican lawmakers.
MS. PSAKI: Sure. We have certainly seen that. I would say our focus is on using every resource at our disposal to communicate directly with the American people. What we've seen in our data is that the most trusted sources of information are doctors, clergy, local civic leaders. And we are working through our efforts at HHS and through programs in the administration to empower, support, and ensure that they can get information out to communities, that they have the funding they need to get it out, and they have the vaccine supply. And that's what we feel is one of the most effective means of getting vaccines and shots in arms.
Q So you're not talking to Republican leadership in Congress about this or anything like that?
MS. PSAKI: Look, I think that we certainly would welcome support from and engagement from any Republican-elected officials and leaders who want to advocate for the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. But I think it's important to note that the biggest issues that we see from our COVID team with getting more vaccines in arms is supply, which we've done a lot of work to address. Obviously, we'll have enough vaccines to ensure every American who can get — every adult American, I should say, can get vaccinated. We'll have enough by the end of May. But also, we've worked to increase access. That is, at this point in time, the biggest challenge and one of the biggest obstructions to people getting vaccinated: making sure that it's accessible in communities. We've increased the number of community health centers, mass vaccination sites, mobile units. And, again, we are working to empower and engage local medical experts, doctors, civic leaders, even clergy to get out into local communities.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
Q Jen, aside from the Texas emergency response trip, if you all at the early trip from the President, there's kind of a trend popping up: Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia — all really important states for the President's victory. Is that part of the calculation of what places to visit: looking at states that put President Biden in the White House?
MS. PSAKI: I would say, "Stay tuned." We'll be certainly going to some redder states, states he didn't win, or very blue states and states he didn't campaign in. So I wouldn't over-read into it in that way.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
Q Jen, the President said early in his presidency that he would raise the refugee cap, but he hasn't actually signed that yet, and there are some 700 refugees who are waiting to come to the United States. Their flights have been booked and actually postponed a few times. Why hasn't he signed that yet?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we are — certainly want to — he's talked about this — this issue. Our team has talked about this issue, increasing the refugee cap. We want to do it in an effective manner. So I don't have an update on the timeline, but it's something that we're continuing to work on.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
MS. PSAKI: You should not see it as shakiness. The President wants to make the Child Tax Credit permanent. He believes there's a lot of proposals out there, including from Senator Romney, to work to ensure there's longer-term assistance through the Child Tax Credit. And he believes it's also one of the ways that we can help address the number of women — working women — who have moved out of the workforce. But we just have to find a vehicle, and we're having those discussions with Congress.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/16/press-gaggle-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-chester-pa/
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown appointed a 17-member advisory board to oversee implementation of the state's voter-approved legal psilocybin therapy measure.
https://marijuanamoment.net/oregon-governor-appoints-panel-to-implement-historic-legal-psilocybin-therapy-measure/
Wisconsin State Senator LaTonya is seeking to introduce a resolution on the Senate floor to recognize Black History Month, which the Legislature did not do in February after White Republican lawmakers for the fourth year objected to honorees included in proposal from Black lawmakers. Senate Republicans vote against suspending rules to allow the Black History Month resolution drafted by the Black legislative caucus, which isn't on the calendar, to be taken up. The Senate Republicans instead took up a resolution to honor racist nazi kkk antisemitic mysognist Rush Limbaugh. Republican members of the Senate left floor after State Senator LaTonya says she is going to read Rush Limbaugh's racist nazi kkk antisemitic mygosnist quotes for the record.
http://wisconsinreport.com/newsone/wisconsin-lawmakers-fail-to-recognize-black-history-month/
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/16/lawmakers-likely-clash-over-rush-limbaugh-and-black-history-month/4704545001/
Amid low turnout, calls grow for Gov. DeSantis to expand COVID-19 vaccines. Educators and Seniors and Healthcare/Medical people and law enforcement in Florida are almost all Republican and anti-vaxxers and not getting vaccinated.
https://www.wesh.com/article/low-turnout-calls-for-expanded-vaccination/35855088
As House Dems plan to put the Dream Act on the floor later this week, House Republican leaders are whipping their members to vote the party-line against the proposal, according to a notice just sent to GOP offices. Seven Republicans voted for the plan in 2019.
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1371939406194573321
THE PRESIDENT: As I said, this is a great outfit. This is a union shop. These are people who work like the devil, and they can make a living wage, a decent wage. But 300,000 Pennsylvanians lost jobs — 300,000. And in Delaware County alone — this in 2020 — 19,000. And I'm not being solicitous when I say these are two of the finest congressmen in the United States Congress in terms of getting things done. I really mean it. And, you know, the American Rescue Plan is going to do more than just provide for the PPE. And one of the things that we've done early on — they passed the CARES Act early on. And what we did — what they did was they provided for an inspector general — an outfit to look over where the money was going to make sure that it was spent properly. And the first thing the President did: he came along and he fired the inspector general. And we found out that only 40 percent of the people who, in fact, were small businesses got in on the deal. And they got very big businesses getting the lion's share of that money. So when we wrote this Rescue Plan, they were (inaudible) insistent that we have an inspector general to make sure the money goes exactly where it's supposed to go. And so we're in a position where it's going to bring immediate relief — $1,400 — to 85 percent of the American public. I said, yesterday, we're going to get 100 million shots in people's arms within the first 60 days of my administration and 100 million checks out — 100 million people are going to be getting, not a joke, a check for $1,400, which would change their lives. And you know so many of the people who have worked (inaudible) and gotten themselves laid off or there wasn't work, and you find yourself, you know, it's hard paying the rent, hard paying the childcare, hard paying for much of anything. So I just think that — I hope that the program that we're having here — we're going to have a tax cut to help retired workers. We're in a situation where we're going to expand the paytech [sic] — paycheck — Paycheck Protection Program for the folks who were initially shut out. Initially, at the very beginning of the Paycheck Protection Program, you'd go to a big bank, they'd say, "Do you have an account with us? Have you borrowed money from us? Do you have a credit card from us?" They didn't want to deal with people who were on the short side of things. But you've really made it work. And I think you should be aware: More help is on the way, for real.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/03/16/remarks-by-president-biden-during-visit-to-smith-flooring-inc/
NBA rule book: A held ball should not be called until both players have hands so firmly on the ball that neither can gain sole possession without undue roughness. If a player is lying or sitting on the floor while in possession, he should have an opportunity to throw the ball.
https://official.nba.com/rule-no-4-definitions/#heldball
Randle had sole, inarguable possession the entire time. Kyrie touched the ball before Randle left his feet but there was no point in time you can say that there was lost possession or a held ball by Kyrie. Do they call held balls every time a defender swipes at the ball?
https://official.nba.com/rule-no-4-definitions/#heldball
Trump Tower staff were reportedly vaccinated under a Chicago program intended to immunize communities of color hardest hit by COVID. The city health department is "looking into" the vaccination event at Trump Tower, saying staff aren't yet eligible.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/03/16/trump-tower-vaccinated-staff-at-luxury-hotel-saying-it-was-part-of-program-meant-to-help-hard-hit-south-and-west-sides/
A person's right to cast their ballot is the foundation of our democracy. Georgia HB 531 would limit trustworthy, safe & equal access to voting by restricting early voting & eliminating provisional ballots. That's why Salesforce opposes HB 531 as it stands. https://twitter.com/salesforce/status/1371921205360521220
The Democrats battle for New Orleans
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/16/trailer-democrats-battle-new-orleans/
13,000 unaccompanied minors in US custody now and this is the answer, from incompetent lying trash: Before boarding her plane to head back to DC, @VP Kamala Harris is asked if she is worried about the migrant children at the US/ Mexico Border.
Harris said, "I haven't been briefed on anything today about it, but I will when I get on the plane."
https://twitter.com/tperry518/status/1371951678849753093
Islamic terrorists in Niger killed at least 58 people when they intercepted a convoy returning from a weekly market
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210316-dozens-killed-by-armed-men-in-southwestern-niger-government-says
QB Jacoby Brissett has reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1371936528218296320
The #Bills are signing former #Saints, #49ers, #Broncos, #Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders
https://twitter.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1371959875614482439
Ben Simmons with the euro-step sky hook
https://streamable.com/ere3dx
Lauri Markkanen puts Moses Brown on a poster and the Bulls commentators lose their minds
https://streamable.com/zn1dbp
Biden says he wants filibuster reform, which is significant. But the details matter on this and he doesn't say explicitly, nor was he asked in this clip, if he wants to completely get rid of 60-vote requirement at end of talking filibuster.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-supports-reforming-senate-filibuster-abc-news-exclusive/story?id=76499156
Victor Oladipo at the half: 23 points 8-11 from the field 3-3 from 3-PT range 4-4 from the FT line
Ben Simmons gets Nerlens Noel on the fake shot, lays it in
https://streamable.com/x68cx4
Damian Lillard Tonight: 50/6/10 on 13/20 shooting, 6/13 from three and 18/18 from the line
Damian Lillard's fantastic postgame interview after leading the Blazers to a big 4th quarter comeback victoryHighlight
https://streamable.com/d6q56v
Dame wins it
https://streamable.com/yjoshg
The Houston Rockets have lost 17 in a row and they're still comfortably ahead of the Timberwolves in the standings
Vintage Dwight Howard rejects Randle right at the rim
https://streamable.com/6sjxlb
Tobias Harris drops 30/6/2/1/2 on 11/20 shooting and 4 3s in win vs Knicks
Trae Young crosses the defender with the nasty behind-the-back, looks back at him and then drills the 3
https://streamable.com/yqskvp
Zion's last second shot just bounces off the rim
https://streamable.com/uy5jdz
Zach LaVine Tonight: 40/4/2 on 15/20 shooting, 7/12 from three and 3/3 from the line
Lonzo Ball with 17 assists tonight in the loss to Portland
Seth Curry with the deeeep 3 to take the sixers first lead since the 2nd quarter
https://streamable.com/718oqo
Anthony Edwards 29 points on 11/22 FG, 3/7 3P and 4/6 FT in a loss to the Lakers
Victor Oladipo against the Hawks: 34 points and 5 assists on 13/20 shooting
Rudy Gobert over his last 2 games has 40 points, 40 rebounds, 8 blocks
Lauri Markkanen this season is averaging 19.2/5.9/0.9 on splits of 50.8/41.2/85.4.
Schumer keeps pressure on Biden to cancel $50,000 in student loan debt
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/15/politics/student-loan-debt-forgiveness-biden-schumer/index.html
Only 32 Americans have ever qualified for student debt cancellation. More than 45 million Americans hold a collective $1.7tn in student loan debt, a figure that has surged within the last decade as private university enrollment grew and federal and state governments made steep cuts to higher education funding against growing wealth inequality. Most of that outstanding debt is in the form of government-backed loans. The National Consumer Law Centre said that federal repayment plans' "abysmal track record demonstrates how 25 years of repayment policies have failed" and has urged the Biden administration to support "outright debt cancellation" rather than rely on existing programs.
https://www.nclc.org/images/pdf/student_loans/IB_IDR.pdf
Kansas Republican State Senate Majority leader released from jail on charges of DUI and fleeing police. He drove on wrong side of I-70 for 10 minutes before arrest.
https://www.kwch.com/app/2021/03/16/kansas-senate-majority-leader-booked-into-shawnee-co-jail-for-dui-other-charges/
Virginia Governor Clears Path For Ex-Convicts To Regain Voting Rights
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/978009022/virginia-governor-clears-path-for-ex-convicts-to-regain-voting-rights
_________________________________________
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/03/how-biden-could-partner-big-cities-and-suburbs/618294/
The Biden Agenda Doesn't Run Through Washington
How the president can partner directly with America's biggest cities and suburbs—even in the reddest states
by Ronald Brownstein
President Joe Biden can't expect a lot of cooperation from Texas. That much has been made clear by state Republicans' behavior in just the past three months. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton led a far-fetched federal lawsuit to overturn Biden's victory. After that failed, he brought a suit against the new administration's plan to pause immigration deportations only two days into Biden's presidency. Just days after that, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order pledging to fight Biden's climate-change agenda—and when a bitter winter storm knocked out the state's power, Abbott erroneously blamed Democrats and renewable energy for the crisis. For the Republicans who dominate Texas politics, Biden's honeymoon ended before he had unpacked all his boxes in the White House.
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/28/abbott-biden-energy/
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/02/what-went-wrong-texas/618104/
But the leadership in Harris County, Texas, the third-largest county in the country and home to Houston, responded to Biden's ascendance with a very different attitude. The county's chief elected official, Lina Hidalgo—a Democrat, Colombian immigrant, and 30-year-old Stanford graduate—views the Biden administration as something like the arrival of the cavalry.
After taking office in 2019, Hidalgo dealt with a Trump administration whose attitude toward the nation's biggest cities and inner suburbs ranged from indifference to open hostility. The Republican-ruled state government has been equally combative. In recent years, Abbott and the legislature have grown more and more assertive in overriding policies from the state's Democratic-leaning metropolitan centers. (On Monday, Abbott endorsed legislation that would ban the innovative measures—such as keeping polls open later in the day during the early-voting period—that Harris County used to expand voter turnout last fall to a 30-year high.) After years of these headwinds, Hidalgo is eager to work with the Biden administration on a range of issues, including pandemic recovery; expanding access to health care, transportation, and affordable housing; and combatting local flooding linked to climate change. Republican leaders in Texas have been "targeting local governments as their political tool, and it almost seems they keep a to-do list of what counties and cities are doing so they can cancel it out at the next session," Hidalgo, one of Biden's hosts when he recently toured damage from the storm in Houston, told me. "Being able to work with someone—anyone—helps."
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/03/15/texas-voting-greg-abbott/
Hidalgo's enthusiasm about working with Biden illustrates the president's opportunity to fundamentally rethink the way the federal government pursues its domestic goals. Biden could advance both his agenda and his political interests by channeling his policies through major metropolitan areas, without relying on states as his principal partners, as previous White Houses have traditionally done.
Cities and their inner suburbs need an immediate lifeline from Washington to stabilize their finances after the devastation of the pandemic. But once those communities regain their balance, they could become crucial allies for Biden. By working with big metros, the president would be aligning federal policy with powerful economic, social, and electoral trends—and empowering local officials overwhelmingly sympathetic to his core objectives. If Biden can forge such partnerships, he could both ignite a new wave of local innovation and solidify the Democratic Party's advantage in the fast-growing, diverse, and well-educated metro areas that have become the bedrock of its electoral coalition. "If Joe Biden could be the president who reclaimed federalism and rewrote federalism for this next generation," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told me, "I think that's going to be one of his most lasting legacies."
https://www.brookings.edu/research/in-2020-the-largest-metro-areas-made-the-difference-for-democrats/
Donald Trump, though himself a native New Yorker, had little use for cities except to condemn them, using them as a foil to energize his predominantly nonurban base. He not only targeted urban areas with inflammatory rhetoric, but also assaulted them with policy—including his attempt to cut off federal funding to those that would not fully cooperate with immigration authorities and his deployment of federal law enforcement into Democratic-run cities last year over the objection of local officials. Congressional Republicans, few of whom now represent urban voters, were no warmer: In negotiations on a COVID-19 relief plan last year, for example, then–Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked additional aid to state and local governments whose budgets had been ravaged by the pandemic, thus pressuring them to cut key services. The Trump administration didn't communicate much with local governments, Garcetti said. "And worse than that, obviously, what they've communicated—whether it's McConnell or others—is: Drop dead."
https://sfist.com/2019/11/15/trump-calls-san-francisco-a-dangerous-and-disgusting-slum/
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/27/trump-calls-baltimore-a-disgusting-rat-and-rodent-infested-mess-in-attack-on-rep-elijah-cummings.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/25/us/portland-federal-legal-jurisdiction-courts.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/us/politics/trump-law-enforcement-protests.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/09/trump-epa-california-car-emissions/598381/
Biden has a very different history. His political career began five decades ago in local government, when he won a seat on the New Castle County Council in northern Delaware. As vice president, he worked closely with mayors while implementing the economic-recovery plan that Barack Obama signed into law in 2009. He has selected three current or former mayors for his Cabinet: Pete Buttigieg at the Department of Transportation, Marcia Fudge at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Marty Walsh at the Department of Labor. Biden made one of his first postelection appearances before the advocacy group the National League of Cities, where he insisted that cooperation with urban areas would be crucial to his success on the biggest challenges he faces, including the pandemic and racial and economic inequality. "American cities are on the front lines of all of these crises," Biden said.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/04/joe-biden-oversaw-recovery-during-last-recession/609646/
Democratic presidents almost always express some version of that sentiment. But Biden has good reason to translate it into a genuine reassessment of how the federal government implements its domestic policies. Any president who wants to accelerate economic recovery, widen the circle of opportunity, close the racial wealth gap, reduce carbon emissions, and rethink the country's education system must recognize that cities and their inner suburbs are the principal arena in which those efforts will succeed or fail.
https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/05/america-a-nation-of-small-towns.html#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20U.S.%20Census%20Bureau,had%20fewer%20than%205%2C000%20people.
On most issues—whether it's health care, infrastructure, or education—the federal government's default position for decades has been to work with states, not cities or counties. This approach has typically seemed logical: America has only 50 states, compared with more than 19,000 cities and towns and more than 3,100 counties. But in many ways, that strategy now seems anachronistic, especially for a Democratic president.
The most obvious reason is that in this highly polarized era, the states controlled by Republican governors or legislators—currently slightly more than half of all the states—are hostile to almost everything a Democratic president wants to do. In the most consequential recent example, red states were conspicuously slower than blue states to expand Medicaid to more of the working poor following the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Eleven years after the ACA became law, 12 states with Republican-controlled legislatures (most of them also with Republican governors) still haven't done so. During Obama's presidency, coalitions of red states, many of them organized by Texas, filed a series of lawsuits to block the administration's agenda on immigration, health care, climate, and other concerns. Texas's success at winning a nationwide injunction against Biden's immigration-enforcement policies less than a week after his inauguration shows that the new president can expect more of the same. Far from partnering with Biden, red states are much more likely to fight him using every tool at their disposal.
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/26/texas-joe-biden-deportation-moratorium-ken-paxton/
Relying on states as partners also ignores the increasing economic importance of the big metro areas, particularly in the growing knowledge-based economy. Since the late 20th century, when many cities seemed to be facing terminal decline, "we've had a radical economic restructuring," says Bruce Katz, a former HUD chief of staff and now a distinguished fellow at Drexel University's Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation. "What the market is rewarding all over the world is metropolitan concentration and agglomeration." The 100 largest U.S. counties now account for more than half of the nation's total economic output, nearly half of its jobs, and more than two-fifths of the total population—measurable increases from 2010, according to tabulations provided to me by the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program. Additionally, about three-fifths of nonwhite Americans and more than two-thirds of the country's immigrants live in just those 100 largest counties.
Targeting metro areas as the principal partner for federal action would also acknowledge the rapidly evolving electoral landscape. From the 1960s through the '90s, urban politics was defined by endemic conflict between inner cities, which were largely minority communities and tilted Democratic, and their suburbs, which were filled with Republican-leaning white-flight families. But over roughly the past 20 years, and especially during the Trump era, a different dividing line has emerged. Economic opportunities, especially in the digital economy, have attracted more white people back to central cities, and suburbs have diversified with the migration of more Black, Latino, and Asian American families. Economic ties between central cities and their surrounding suburbs have solidified.
The result: More and more, cities and their inner suburbs find their interests converging—while those interests simultaneously diverge from the conservative priorities of the mostly white people living in small-town and rural places away from urban centers. As November's presidential results demonstrated, if you draw an imaginary beltway around almost any major metropolitan area, Democrats are growing stronger inside that circle, while Republicans are consolidating their position outside of it. Tabulations by The Daily Yonder, a website focusing on rural issues, found that Biden not only won the counties anchored by the nation's biggest urban centers by a crushing 13 million votes, but also carried their inner suburbs by more than 4 million, and even won midsize urban centers by 1.5 million or so. (Those three categories of communities provided almost four-fifths of all Biden's votes.) Trump dominated the smaller places beyond those centers, but that wasn't nearly enough for him to overcome Biden's advantage in the metro areas.
https://dailyyonder.com/trump-maintains-his-large-rural-margin-democratic-vote-grows-the-most-in-mid-sized-and-large-metros/2020/11/09/
The political convergence between cities and inner suburbs would multiply the impact of any Biden partnership with local leaders: He has the chance to build alliances—and thus extend policies—across entire metropolitan regions, achieving greater scale than he could by working with central cities alone. "Regionalism becomes much more realistic today than it ever was before," Julián Castro, the HUD secretary under Obama and a former mayor of San Antonio, told me. This convergence also underscores another reason for Biden to channel his agenda through metropolitan areas: Most of them are already moving in the direction he wants to go. Because Trump and the previous Republican Congress treated cities and their inner suburbs with such hostility, many were forced to develop their own capacities to respond to a broad range of domestic challenges that in the past they might have left to state or federal officials. Cities still have plenty of problems, but in the cold wind of the Trump years, the best of them grew more creative about nurturing new approaches and building new coalitions that engage business, labor, and philanthropy for region-wide solutions. "It's not just that these urban counties … are home to the bulk of the nation's economy and represent the future," says Amy Liu, the vice president and director of Brookings's Metropolitan Policy Program (MPP). "It's that these places are more likely to come up with the innovative solutions that are going to put the U.S. back into global leadership."
This means that on almost any domestic issue Biden cares about, he doesn't have to start from scratch. Hundreds of mayors and county executives, such as Garcetti and Hidalgo, are already attempting to accomplish many of the same goals—and they are eager for federal help that could scale their efforts. Although Biden's agenda may provoke opposition from the majority of Republican governors and state legislators, this army of largely Democratic local officials provides him with "a coalition of the willing," as Mark Muro, the MPP's policy director, put it. Garcetti, who has worked to organize mayors on climate, transportation, and other issues, agrees. "I think that we have definitely increased our capacity," he said. "But we haven't given up on the idea that Washington will be a partner."
Biden may have the greatest opportunity to partner with cities on the problem that he's described as the "No. 1 issue facing humanity" and an "existential threat": global climate change.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/24/joe-biden-climate-change-is-number-one-issue-facing-humanity.html
Despite his strong words, Biden faces structural political constraints that could prevent him from responding sufficiently to the problem. In Congress, the prospect of meaningful legislative action is virtually precluded by what I've called "the brown blockade": the tendency of the states most reliant on the fossil-fuel economy to elect Republicans opposed to any efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Biden may respond to that legislative stalemate by imposing tough climate regulations through the Environmental Protection Agency, but the conservative majority on the Supreme Court could block him there too—just as it sided with mostly red states to bar some of Obama's emissions regulations on power plants.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/08/democrats-filibuster-2020/596572/
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/us/politics/supreme-court-blocks-obama-epa-coal-emissions-regulations.html
Partnership with cities offers Biden his best way out of this box. With Trump undoing almost all of Obama's federal efforts to fight climate change, hundreds of mayors committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions through organizations such as America's Pledge and Climate Mayors. Brookings recently reported that 45 of the nation's 100 largest cities have established specific commitments for reducing their greenhouse-gas emissions, and another 22 have set more general reduction goals. The municipal organizing during the Trump years established "some really important groundwork," Antha Williams, the global head of climate and environment at Bloomberg Philanthropies, told me. "We have a bunch of leaders who have now run their political races on climate change and won, and now we are pivoting to what has to be the time for action."
https://www.americaspledgeonclimate.com/about/
https://climatemayors.org/who-we-are/
Biden has many options for boosting cities' climate efforts in ways that advance his own goals. He could start by helping them transition their transportation fleets to electric vehicles. Biden laid down a bold marker in his first week as president when he said that he wanted to replace the federal government's entire 650,000-vehicle fleet with fully electric options—a way of using Washington's purchasing power to turbocharge the market for electric vehicles. But Biden can virtually double his reach by nudging municipal governments to electrify too: According to Bloomberg's calculations, they have a combined fleet that's nearly as large, about 600,000 vehicles.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/01/weekly-planet-why-biden-is-buying-645000-new-cars/617828/
Some local governments are moving on their own to integrate more electric vehicles, but progress has been slow. And supply simply isn't available right now for some of the vehicles that cities want to electrify, such as school and transit buses. Federal grants to cities to buy electric vehicles could speed up the transition. "There's a bottleneck with manufacturers who are saying, 'There's not the market, so we're not making them,'" Williams said. "Cities are saying, 'We can't buy them, because they don't exist.'"
"Having the signal that the market's going to be there because the weight of the federal government is behind it makes a really big difference," she added.
Rethinking energy usage in buildings, also a Biden priority, could be another shared goal. Lauren Faber O'Connor, Los Angeles's chief sustainability officer, says the federal government has a huge opportunity to cut emissions and add jobs by giving cities money to undertake energy-efficiency retrofits in public and private structures. "Every building in the country is basically a shovel-ready project," she told me. Electricity generation offers yet another chance for partnership, as Castro pointed out to me. Biden wants to require all utilities, public and private, to generate 100 percent of their electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2035. While such a mandate faces difficult odds of surviving Congress or the courts, many municipally owned utilities would voluntarily enlist in such a crusade, Castro predicts. They have been "much more willing than investor-owned utilities to invest in renewable energy and take on green-economy initiatives," he said.
Biden also has huge opportunities to partner with cities to more broadly rethink policy around transportation, now the single largest source of U.S. carbon emissions. Almost all federal transportation money is now distributed through states, producing frustration in urban areas that too much funding goes to building roads and highways—especially in rural areas—rather than to mass-transit projects. In recent years, "roads were being paved that had more cows walking on them than people driving on them," former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, now a professor of practice at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, told me. "The money gets used for political chits that governors need."
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=75&t=11
In Houston, Hidalgo's fight with the state over a crucial transportation project is an example of counties' and cities' funding struggles. She's engaged in a lengthy, but fruitless, effort to redirect transportation money from a planned expansion of Interstate 45, through the center of the city, toward greater investment in mass-transit options, which are few in Houston. "We've tried so hard, as the city and the county, to get them to modify this I-45 expansion," Hidalgo said, noting that the county hired a Rice University expert to develop an alternative plan. "But they are just unwilling." The state planning board that controls the decision is "set up to increase the power of the nonurban areas."
To Hidalgo, this is precisely the sort of anti-metro impulse in red states that the Biden administration could combat, since the highway project is being funded largely with federal money. "I'm hoping that a Biden administration that is committed to modern and effective transportation might … step in and say, 'Look, why do we need to keep building this kind of highway that really nobody wants and hurts on so many other issues—including, by the way, encouraging the [housing] sprawl that causes us to flood?'" she said.
Beyond Houston, cities across the country are trying to reduce residents' long-term dependence on cars. Even in the ultimate car city, Los Angeles, voters approved a visionary ballot measure in 2016 that will raise $120 billion over the succeeding 40 years to fund mass-transit improvements through a permanent increase in the sales tax. The next year, Garcetti founded an organization, Accelerator for America, that has worked with other cities to pass their own, similar ballot measures.
https://www.acceleratorforamerica.org/
Yusef Robb, a senior adviser at Accelerator for America, told me that Los Angeles's experience offers one model for Biden to reimagine federal transportation programs: providing matching grants to cities and metro areas that raise their own money for transit initiatives. Such an approach could also benefit rural communities, he said: If metro areas raise their own taxes to partially fund transit improvements, that would free up more federal dollars for nonurban places with a smaller tax base.
Mass-transit investment is only one example of how Washington could rethink transportation in partnership with big metros. Shouldn't a 21st-century transportation plan also fund denser development, especially around transit hubs, to reduce the need to commute at all, Robb asked? Shouldn't it examine how to better connect those hubs through greener options such as scooters, bicycles, ride-shares, and electric vehicles? Or why not explore what Garcetti calls an even more radical idea: free mass transit? "It would help get people out of cars. It would help get ridership back" after the pandemic, Garcetti said, adding that L.A. is studying the idea. If the federal government gave the city money for a pilot program, it could "double the number of people taking transit, because it was free or very, very low-cost for most people," he said. That would have significant environmental and economic-justice impacts, and could encourage industry to produce greener transportation options, Garcetti said: "There's a whole virtuous cycle in this."
The biggest change available to Biden cuts across the full range of domestic policies. Nothing would contribute more to a new federalism than preventing red-state governors and legislatures from standing in between Biden and the metro areas sympathetic to his goals.
The past decade's experience with the Affordable Care Act crystallizes the problem. In the red states that have refused to expand Medicaid, many local officials in the largest cities and counties might welcome the opportunity to cover more of the uninsured. Under current law, though, counties and cities can only partner with Washington to expand Medicaid if their governor agrees to forward their application, says Cindy Mann, who ran the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Obama.
In most, if not all, red states, Republican governors would likely block such federal-local partnerships, but a Democratic-controlled Congress could change the ACA to allow local governments to bypass those governors—and even to make such partnerships more financially feasible for the locales by providing them with enhanced federal funding. Authorizing local governments to expand coverage directly would make a big dent in access to health care, since most of the uninsured in those red states live in urban areas—the five biggest Texas counties, for instance, account for nearly half of the state's uninsured. And a law empowering local governments to expand Medicaid might be easier to pass through Congress than an alternative Biden has already floated: automatically enrolling eligible Americans in the non-expansion states into a new "public option."
The principle of allowing cities and counties to circumvent hostile governors could provide the cornerstone for this new federalism. The sweeping immigration-reform bill Biden proposed in late February gestures in this direction: It includes a small pilot program to allow cities or counties facing a population squeeze to directly petition the federal government to obtain new green cards for immigrants willing to settle there. Biden could apply that instinct more powerfully by allowing cities and counties to participate, even if their state refuses to, in any new funding stream he establishes, such as money for universal pre-K and expanded child-care programs, or even his call for tuition-free community college.
https://joebiden.com/beyondhs/
During his two terms as president, Obama took some initial steps toward allying the federal government more directly with local governments. The former president created an especially valuable model through a set of programs that required local governments to compete for federal grants by assembling coalitions of local businesses, educational institutions, and philanthropies. He applied that approach most prominently to the "race to the top" educational grants that provided new dollars to districts that committed to sweeping reforms. He also made cities compete to host new advanced-manufacturing research centers. Although only a handful of applicants ever won funding in either of those competitions, many communities found that just convening all the local players behind a shared vision spurred fresh thinking and new initiatives, the MPP's Liu and other experts in urban policy note.
Biden could build on that precedent, many of those experts told me, by incorporating into his plans funding incentives for cities to work with their surrounding counties. "Inducements for cooperation could be a really transformative thing," says Brooks Rainwater, the director of the National League of Cities' Center for City Solutions. "In the same way the politics is converging within broader metro areas, the economies really have converged in the last couple of decades. You could really see the federal government encourage that."
Promoting such regionalism would reflect the realities of how problems are actually solved—or not—in today's economy. It would also advance the Democrats' political goal of encouraging inner suburbs, already trending toward them in the Trump era, to see their interests as aligned with those of central cities. That process of strengthening a sense of shared purpose could reach far beyond the government toward a much broader range of local constituencies. "What I see is a coalition of business, civic, and philanthropic leaders around the country committing to a set of national goals through local action," Liu told me. "I could imagine CEO circles with mayors in different parts of the country committing to drive those goals in those regions, and the federal government could easily align their resources to help regions meet their goals."
Washington's role in this new federalism doesn't need to be limited to writing checks. Biden could also advance his agenda by pushing local governments to adopt policies consistent with his priorities. The president, for instance, has endorsed a $15 minimum wage and mandatory paid leave for illness or family needs, such as the birth of a child. Save for what he's able to shoehorn into the special budget "reconciliation" process that can clear the Senate with just a majority vote, he is unlikely to pass those measures through Congress. But some local governments have already adopted those policies, and Biden could extend them to millions of more workers by campaigning to win them approval in more cities, either through personal appearances or by dispatching his Cabinet secretaries. "There is a groundswell of urban-policy experimentation on the wage and labor sector that could be supported on the national level," Rainwater told me.
With Biden's emphasis on fostering national unity, his instinct likely will be to search for ways to disperse economic growth more widely into small-town and rural areas where Republicans dominate. (His chief of staff, Ronald Klain, spent the past few years working for the AOL founder Steve Case's investment fund to encourage more venture-capital financing in midsize and smaller cities.) Spreading the wealth around would fulfill a real need: The growing concentration of economic activity into a few superstar cities has left everyone frustrated. People living outside those golden circles feel deprived of opportunity, and those within them feel crushed by traffic, soaring housing prices, and neighborhood displacement. By showing the possibilities of remote work and the potential risks of density, the pandemic might encourage more people to move farther away from crowded metropolitan areas.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/remote-work-revolution/617842/
Yet, on both economic and political grounds, it would be a mistake for Biden to divert his attention too much from the largest metropolitan areas. Even if some remote workers flee big-city rents, the underlying trends in the information-age economy that reward the concentration of talent, investment, and ideas in dense metro areas show no signs of slackening. Cities and their inner suburbs are likely to remain America's driving engine of economic innovation, racial and religious diversity, and population growth. America's biggest challenges, from social inequality to racial equity to climate change, will either get solved in those large metro areas or they won't get solved at all.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/04/13/will-covid-19-rearrange-americas-uneven-economic-geography-dont-bet-on-it/
The political case for Biden to focus primarily on big metros is equally compelling. He can try to attract more voters in Trump country by steering resources toward their tangible needs: better infrastructure, more widely available broadband, more access to health care, and stronger economic development. But so long as the Republicans continues to stoke those voters' racial and cultural resentments—and as Democrats more unreservedly embrace racial and cultural liberalism—Biden is likely to have only limited success, at most. For the foreseeable future, Democrats' ability to hold on to power in Washington will depend mostly on their capacity to maximize support in and around the nation's largest cities.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/11/2020-election-results-biden-trump/616996/
That reality leaves Biden facing what, in the end, may be a straightforward equation. In an era of intense political polarization and widening social division, Biden's best chance at enlarging his political support—and recording gains on the issues he cares most about—may come from finding new ways to work with the places that most want to work with him. If Biden ever doubts that proposition, he need only remember the immense gulf between the hostility he's facing from all of Texas's statewide Republican officials and the excitement that's greeted his victory from the leaders of the state's biggest cities. "He says he will govern for everyone, and I'm sure he is going to continue to try to reach out to those rural, red areas," Hidalgo said. "But ultimately it is these urban areas where his bread is buttered."
Ronald Brownstein is a senior editor at The Atlantic.
_________________________________________
100 million Americans in path of dangerous severe weather, tornado outbreak | States at risk for severe weather, including at least isolated tornadoes, are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The threat may expand to portions of West Virginia and Ohio as well. Even outside of tornadoes, AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gusts of 70 mph can occur in the strongest storms during on Thursday. Gusts could be even stronger, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph expected in storms on Wednesday and Wednesday night.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/100-million-americans-in-path-of-dangerous-severe-weather-tornado-outbreak/915941
Microbes Unknown to Science Discovered on The International Space Station
https://www.sciencealert.com/four-bacterial-strains-discovered-on-the-iss-may-help-grow-better-space-plants
Rare songbird has become so threatened that it has started to lose its song. The regent honeyeater, which has lost about 90% of its habitat, now has such a small, sparsely distributed population that young males are simply unable to find other males and hear their songs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-56417544
Ocean conservation zones would slow down climate change
https://news.sky.com/story/ocean-conservation-zones-would-slow-down-climate-change-as-well-as-benefitting-fishing-communities-experts-say-12248775
Israel-born Deni Avdija responds to Meyers Leonard's anti-Semitic slur: "I think he did a mistake, we know that. We don't accept those words. But I know he's a good dude and he didn't mean to do that. Hopefully, he understood the mistake."
https://sports.yahoo.com/israel-born-deni-avdija-responds-171341661.html
After yesterday's loss to the Jazz, the Celtics are now 0-8 on the season against the NBA's five best teams in standings (Jazz, Suns, Nets, Sixers, Lakers)
Children's Court Judge Arrested For Possession Of Child Pornography
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/childrens-court-judge-arrested-on-tentative-charges-he-possessed-child-pornography-wisconsin-doj/
Pastors are leaving their congregations after losing their churchgoers to QAnon
https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-quit-after-qanon-radicalize-congregation-2021-3
Anyone in Oklahoma can now get the Covid-19 vaccine, thanks to several Native tribes
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/us/oklahoma-tribes-offers-vaccine-to-all-trnd/index.html
Border Patrol says encounters with terrorists at borders are uncommon
https://www.newsweek.com/border-patrol-says-encounters-terrorists-borders-are-uncommon-despite-claims-1576812
The white man who murdered eight people in Atlanta - six of the victims were Asian - purchased the gun legally and purchased the gun yesterday prior to the shooting. There is no waiting period to buy a gun in Georgia.
https://apnews.com/article/georgia-massage-parlor-shootings-leave-8-dead-f3841a8e0215d3ab3d1f23d489b7af81
Senate confirms Katherine Tai as Biden's top trade envoy. She was confirmed on a 98-0 vote (she had major success as a trade negotiator targeting China during the Obama Years) and is the 19th member of Biden's Cabinet to clear the Senate.
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-biden-cabinet-global-trade-cabinets-b9bb1fd1d8fc4c8015247e01eb33cc00
Paw to law
And heart to heart
Turns out I'm innocent
Like I woofed from the start
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1369868203489427458
When we're told to stop putting "paw" in every word: #impawssible. - #DOTUS
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1372010875289223169
Pro-Trump Terrorist Florida Man Charged For Attacking Cops During Capitol Riot While Wearing 'Trump' Flag Jacket - Robert Scott Palmer, known to online sleuths asFloridaFlagJacket, was arrested by the FBI following a HuffPost investigation revealing his identity.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-man-charged-attacking-cops-capitol-riot_n_604a8249c5b6cf72d094f2e8
In new detention memo for Capitol insurrection def. Scott Fairlamb — charged, among other things, with punching a cop in the head — govt says time stamps show he entered the building holding a baton 8 seconds after Ofc. Goodman had waved Sen. Romney away
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20516150/3-17-21-us-detention-memo-scott-fairlamb.pdf
First Lady Biden: "I want to start by saying something directly to the families of the shooting victims in Atlanta last night. My heart is with you. And I hope that all Americans will join me in praying for everyone touched by this senseless tragedy."
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1372256442468638730
Trump's denial of Russian election interference in 2016, his requirement members of his administration echo this belief, and his refusal to act on intelligence assessments helped normalize the use of election interference by a broader range of actors.
https://www.greatpower.us/p/in-the-2020-elections-the-kremlin
The Federal Reserve foresees the economy accelerating quickly this year but still expects to keep its benchmark interest rate pinned near zero through 2023, despite rising concerns in financial markets about potential higher inflation.
https://apnews.com/article/jerome-powell-financial-markets-inflation-economy-9b9a335a1ce05d69fc97a1d6197371ab
Oklahoma City is finalizing a trade to send Trevor Ariza to the Miami Heat for Meyers Leonard and a 2027 second-round pick. Leonard must still waive his no-trade clause because of the one-year Bird restriction on his deal, which he's expected to do for Miami.
http://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1372253542535270401
Meyers Leonard won't be joining the Thunder. His contract was just the vehicle to making the deal work, and for OKC to extract a little value out of Ariza. Also, OKC may be able use Leonard's contract again in a future deal before the deadline.
https://twitter.com/royceyoung/status/1372255306458206212
Tyler Glasnow, Disgusting Back Foot 88mph Slider. RIP the league.
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1372241962275905538
Cardinals beat out the free spending New England Patriots for the services of AJ Green.
https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/1372238552558235651
Russia recalls ambassador to U.S. for "consultations" after Biden calls Putin a "killer"
https://www.axios.com/russia-recalls-ambassador-biden-putin-0dbdca83-97b7-4c93-afa9-e6efd44539ea.html
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg | National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, reaffirming the Biden Administration's commitment to the Alliance. He expressed support for the Secretary General's NATO 2030 initiative to continue adapting the Alliance to address systemic and transnational challenges, including cyber threats and climate change. Mr. Sullivan and the Secretary General also discussed NATO missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their shared concerns about Russia's destabilizing activities. They noted the importance of continued Allied efforts to enhance burden-sharing and agreed to work closely together ahead of the NATO Summit to be held this year. Mr. Sullivan previewed the March 18 meeting that he and Secretary of State Blinken will hold with Chinese officials and welcomed NATO's work to strengthen its dialogue with Indo-Pacific partners.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/17/statement-by-nsc-spokesperson-emily-horne-on-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivans-call-with-nato-secretary-general-jens-stoltenberg/
7 more Democratic senators join Manchin and Sinema in coming out in opposition of ending 60 vote requirement to pass legislation in Senate
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/17/biden-filibuster-fight-476684
Vance went from right-of-centre Democrat to mentally ill racist misogynistic Republican terrorist. In a sense, Vance was the anti-Trump. He was a true son of Appalachia striving to lift his community, in contrast to the faux populist from Manhattan seeking to flatter and exploit them. Vance today is a fixture of the Trumpist right, but that isn't the way he debuted. Not at all. Rarely does a nonfiction book make the kind of splash Hillbilly Elegy did in 2016. I was part of the cheering section. At a moment when a thousand voices on the right were proclaiming that a failure to address the problems of the white working class was the root of Trump's rise, and conservative pundits were lining up to agree that the government had failed these people, Vance emerged as an authentic voice of the working class - a self-styled "hillbilly" no less - to declare that the problems of many working-class people were largely self-inflicted. Or perhaps a better way to say it is that their problems are a matter of personal choices. Drug abuse, welfare dependency, domestic violence, irresponsible spending, and family disintegration were all omnipresent in Vance's family and community. He wrote of children suffering from "Mountain Dew mouth," because their parents plied them with sugary sodas, sometimes even in infants' bottles, to quiet them. "This book," he wrote, "is about . . . what goes on in the lives of real people when the industrial economy goes south. It's about reacting to bad circumstances in the worst way possible. It's about a culture that encourages social decay instead of counteracting it." The stories of his upbringing are harrowing. He described his home life as "extraordinarily chaotic." His grandmother once attempted to murder his grandfather by dousing his bed with gasoline and lighting a match (he survived). As I wrote in 2016: Vance's mother was an addict who discarded husbands and boyfriends like Dixie cups, dragging her two children through endless screaming matches, bone-chilling threats, thrown plates and worse violence, and dizzying disorder. Every lapse was followed by abject apologies - and then the pattern repeated. His father gave him up for adoption (though that story is complicated), and social services would have removed him from his family entirely if he had not lied to a judge to avoid being parted from his grandmother, who provided the only stable presence in his life. In a 2016 interview, Vance told Rod Dreher that his mother probably cycled through 15 husbands/boyfriends during his childhood. Family disintegration was the greatest handicap Vance and others like him were saddled with. "Of all the things that I hated about my childhood," he wrote, "nothing compared to the revolving door of father figures." In contrast to the popular impression, Vance noted that working-class white people were not that religious. "In the middle of the Bible belt, active church attendance is actually quite low." Vance himself gained self-command only after enlisting in the Marines. It was there that he learned to balance a checkbook, make his bed, eat healthy, keep his appointments, and avoid scams. He described it as a "four-year program of character development." His depiction of working-class life wasn't a complete rejection of his origins. He stressed that he loved his family, and that a majority (even if just a bare one) of his community does work hard. For children trapped in dysfunctional homes, one can have nothing but sympathy. And he believed that elites did fail to evince much understanding for people who were struggling. On the other hand, he was keen to counter the pervasive sense of helplessness in the community he was raised in. "There is a lack of agency here—a feeling that you have little control over your life and a willingness to blame everyone but yourself." In a sense, Vance was the anti-Trump. He was a true son of Appalachia striving to lift his community, in contrast to the faux populist from Manhattan seeking to flatter and exploit them. Vance felt that they needed hope and a generous dose of honesty. Trump offered fantasies and cunningly curated hatred. During his 2016 book tour, Vance was not shy about his disdain for Trump. When NPR's Terry Gross asked how he planned to vote that November, he said, "I think that I'm going to vote third party because I can't stomach Trump. I think that he's noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place." In the course of a conversation with Vox's Ezra Klein, he readily agreed that Trump's rhetoric was racially incendiary. And appearing on a podcast "Need to Know," Vance said that as the election year progressed, he became more and more convinced that Trump could win. He had texted his book agent, he told Jay Nordlinger and me, saying that, "If Trump wins it would be terrible for the country, but good for book sales." Vance is an extremely bright and insightful man who could have been a fresh voice for a fundamentally conservative view of the world. But a funny thing happened after the introduction of J.D. Vance, anti-Trump voice of the working class. He began to drift into the Trump camp. I don't know why or how, but Vance became not a voice for the voiceless but an echo of the loudmouth. Scroll through his Twitter feed and you will find retweets of Tucker Carlson, alarmist alerts about immigration, links to Vance's appearances on the podcasts of Seb Gorka, Dinesh D'Souza, and the like, and even retweets of Mike Cernovich. On February 16, he tweeted "I still can't believe the 45th president of the United States has no access to social media, and the left—alleged opponents of corporate power—is just totally fine with it." There's a lot along those lines. Another tweet from February 12: "Someone should have asked Jeffrey Epstein, John Weaver, or Leon Black about the CRAZY CONSPIRACY that many powerful people were predators targeting children." So now the brilliant author of Hillbilly Elegy, a man of judgment, nuance, and, one assumed, a moral center, is positioning himself as QAnon-adjacent. Please understand what that tweet conveys. By citing the cases of Jeffrey Epstein and John Weaver, one a convicted abuser of underage girls and the other an accused abuser of teenage boys, he is whitewashing the QAnon conspiracy. Jeffrey Epstein was a despicable creep. John Weaver seems to have done bad things (though he has not been convicted of anything yet). But the QAnon conspiracy teaches that a cabal of leading Democrats and Hollywood celebrities sexually abuses not teenagers, but little children, and then eats them. No decent human being should in any way remotely suggest, far less with all caps, that those conspiracies might not be so crazy after all. Vance also threw in the name of Leon Black, who is alleged to have had some eye-popping business dealings with Epstein but has not been cited for any sexual misconduct. Maybe Vance missed the day at Yale Law when they warned against hurling baseless accusations at people. I'm not sure which is worse: that Vance, who just four years ago lamented the rise of conspiracy theories on the right, is now helping to foment one of the worst, or the fact that the Republican base is so warped that ambitious men feel the need to sink into the sewer in search of political success. Vance's slide from path-breaking writer to Trumpist troll tracks perfectly with the decline of the Republican party. Peter Thiel clearly believes that Vance's new incarnation will win votes. And it may. But to quote Vance back at himself, if he does win, "it will be terrible for the country."
http://www.newgeography.com/content/005370-culture-circumstance-and-agency-reflections-hillbilly-elegy
https://www.npr.org/2016/08/17/490328484/hillbilly-elegy-recalls-a-childhood-where-poverty-was-the-family-tradition
https://www.vox.com/2017/2/2/14404770/jd-vance-trump-hillbilly-elegy-ezra-klein-show
https://ricochet.com/podcast/need-to-know/hillbillies-democrats-leftists/
Most people know about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. But did you know about the Page Act of 1875? It was the first federal law to restrict immigration in general, and it specifically targeted Asian women who were believed to be entering the US for prostitution or polygamy. "Chinese women were seen as a threat to the institution of marriage, and a danger to white males (even stigmatized as being unclean and giving white male children as young as 12 syphillis)."
https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/2017/03/womens-history-month-spotlight-on-the-1875-page-act/
Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Jose W. Fernandez to serve in the following positions: Under Secretary of State (Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment), United States Alternate Governor of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, United States Alternate Governor to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and United States Alternate Governor to the Inter-American Development Bank. | Jose W. Fernandez | Jose Fernandez is a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, in New York. A former Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs, his accomplishments in the private sector have been recognized in several legal and business publications. Fernandez is Director of the Partnership for Inner City Education in New York and WBGO-FM, a former Commissioner of the New York City Latin Media and Entertainment Commission, and co-founder and former chairman of the board of the Latino International Theater Festival of New York, among many civic activities. He received a Bachelor's Degree magna cum laude from Dartmouth College, where he later served as trustee, and earned a J.D. and the Parker School Certificate of International Law from Columbia University. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese and French.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/17/president-biden-announces-his-intent-to-nominate-jose-w-fernandez-as-under-secretary-of-state-economic-growth-energy-and-the-environment/
He was so wildly addicted to sex that he drove pass all the "massage parlors" and strip clubs in ATLANTA to only target establishments where he knows Asian women work.
FCC enforces largest fine ever of $225 million against telemarketers who made 1 billion robocalls | The Federal Communications Commission issued its largest ever fine of $225 million to Texas telemarketers who sent about 1 billion robocalls falsely claiming to sell health insurance for Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and other companies. John Spiller and Jakob Mears, who did business under the names Rising Eagle and JSquared Telecom, faced the fine, proposed in June 2020 by the FCC, for massive spamming of spoofed robocalls in the U.S. in 2019. Spoofed calls have a false caller ID that makes them appear to come from a nearby location. | Spiller told the USTelecom Industry Traceback Group, a group authorized by the FCC to investigate robocalls, that he knowingly called consumers on the Do Not Call list, the FCC says. He told the group that his firm made millions of calls per day and that he was using spoofed numbers, the FCC said in its original fine proposal. | "Unwanted robocalls are not only a nuisance, but they also pose a serious risk to consumers who can inadvertently share sensitive, personal information in response to bad actors' malicious schemes," Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. "I'm proud to unveil my first set of actions to put a renewed focus on what the FCC can do to combat the issue that we receive the most complaints about." | A new Robocall Response Team, a group of 51 FCC staff members, will coordinate anti-robocall efforts. Rosenworcel also sent letters to the Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department, and the National Association of State Attorneys General about anti-robocall collaborative efforts.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/03/17/robocalls-fcc-fine-spoofed-calls-health-insurance/4734336001/
Florida unlikely to expand Medicaid despite an offer of more money from the fedsNews
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/politics/os-ne-florida-medicaid-expansion-20210317-uxyqvh3trjgvthw4qxoba52syy-story.html
Police say the man was detained near the Naval Observatory and that a long gun, ammunition and several handguns were found in his car that was parked in a DC garage.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/secret-service-washington-dc-armed-b1818733.html
172 House Republicans (almost all) voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act. House Democrats voted to reauthorize the Act. Republicans categorically oppose the Act because the Act bans men convicted of abuse against females from owning firearms. "We want women to live. We want victims of violence to live, men or women. We want children to be able to have a parent," said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), at an earlier news conference with House Democrats where all the women wore white in honor of women's suffrage. The vote came less than 24 hours after a gunman in Atlanta killed eight people, six Asian American women. "This crime has elements that we are trying to address here in Congress, gun violence, violence against women and the meteoric rise of violence we are witnessing against the (Asian American Pacific Islander) community," Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) said during the floor debate. "As a woman who is Black and Korean, I'm acutely aware how it feels to be erased or ignored and how the default position when violence is committed against women of color or women is to defer from confronting the hate that is often the motivation."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/house-women-violence-legislation/2021/03/17/afd2ff38-8753-11eb-bfdf-4d36dab83a6d_story.html
Is it just me or has anyone else had a bad day and somehow never resorted to mass murder?
The House is now voting on the bill to give Congressional Gold Medals to the Capitol Police. It's stalled twice amid opposition from the House Freedom Caucus, which wants changes to the language. Louie Gohmert, for one, doesn't like how it refers to Jan. 6 as an insurrection.
The House has approved legislation to award Congressional Gold Medals to the Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies that protected the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection. The vote was 413-12.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1372310526097817601
12 members who voted against House bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Capitol Police & those who protected the Capitol on Jan 6. How you could vote against this and say you support law enforcement? You don't: Louie Gohmert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Andy Biggs, Thomas Massie, Andy Harris, Lance Gooden, Matt Gaetz, Michael Cloud, Andrew Clyde, Bob Good, Greg Steube, and John Rose
Biggs R-AZ
Massie R-KY
Gooden R-TX
Cloud R-TX
Gohmert R-TX
Clyde R-GA
Greene R-GA
Gaetz R-FL
Steube R-FL
Harris R-MD
Good R-VA
Rose R-TN
"The American people, frankly, Wolf, don't sit around when they get their $1,400 check, saying, 'Oh, this came through reconciliation.' Nobody knows, nobody cares. The American people want action," Sen. Bernie Sanders says on CNN.
https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins/status/1372304019289485317
Votes Scheduled: A 12:00pm on Thursday, March 18th, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #37 Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services @HHSGov
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372312350502584330
The cop who said the spa shooter had "a bad day" previously posted a racist shirt saying the coronavirus was imported from "CHY-NA"
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/skbaer/spa-shooter-bad-day-racist-facebook
Houston is trading PJ Tucker, Rodions Kurucs and Bucks' 2022 first-round pick back to Milwaukee for DJ Augustin, DJ Wilson and 2023 unprotected first-round pick. Houston also gets right to swap its 2021 second-round pick for Milwaukee's FRP pick unless it falls 1-9.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1372324098769104900
By now, you've likely read that the stat that state lawmakers have intro'd 250+ bills to restrict voting. At the same time, deep-blue states & Dem legislators in red states are also working to expand voting access, quietly moving the needle nationally
https://businessinsider.com/some-states-quietly-working-to-expand-voting-amid-historic-backlash-2021-3
James Harden without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant tonight: 40 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 steals & the win over the Pacers.
Jokic fakes all 5 defenders
https://streamable.com/zmr8dx
Paul George and Luka Dončić hugs it out after the game
https://streamable.com/qztdh5
The Clippers haven't won 2 straight in a row since mid-February
Luka Doncic in a win against Clippers: 42 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists on 6/11 3 point shooting
Luka evades PG with a behind-the -back dribble and drills the dagger floater to give him 42 points for the night
https://streamable.com/2rnv8w
Jeff van Gundy's cat makes an appearance in the Clippers vs. Mavs broadcast
https://streamable.com/iwlu6y
Michael Porter Jr's last 5 games: 28 PTS - 13 REB - 65% FG, 20 PTS - 8 REB - 60% FG, 23 PTS - 8 REB - 78% FG, 21 PTS - 9 REB - 62% FG, 24 PTS - 11 REB - 64% FG
Collin Sexton in a win over the Celtics: 29 points on 10/20 shooting (2/5 from 3, 7/7 from the FT line), 7 rebounds, 5 assists, +/- of +19
Giannis scores his 10th straight point for the Bucks to give them a 7-point lead with 1:10 left in OT, then takes a seat on the court
https://streamable.com/pxo53q
Norman Powell Tonight: 43/3/0 on 14/18 shooting, 8/12 from three and 7/9 from the line
The San Antonio Spurs (21-16) come back from a 23-point deficit to defeat the Chicago Bulls (18-21), 106 - 99
Steph Curry: Tailbone contusion, will not return
https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1372369826723766279
__________________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/17/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-passage-of-the-violence-against-women-reauthorization-act-of-2021-in-the-house-of-representatives/
Statement by President Biden on the Passage of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives
March 17, 2021 • Statements and Releases
I applaud the House of Representatives for passing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) with bipartisan support — and I urge the Senate to follow their lead to renew and strengthen this landmark law.
Writing and passing VAWA is one of the legislative accomplishments of which I'm most proud. VAWA has transformed the way our country responds to violence against women. And, with each re-authorization, the Congress has expanded VAWA's provisions on a bipartisan basis to improve protections, including for Native American women and survivors from underserved communities, and improve efforts to prevent intimate partner violence.
While we have made significant progress, there is still much work to do. As many as 1 in 3 women are subjected to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking at some point in their lives, and the rate is even higher for women of color, Native American women, and members of the LGBTQ community. Growing evidence shows that COVID-19 has only exacerbated the threat of intimate partner violence, creating a pandemic within a pandemic for countless women at risk for abuse. In short, this is an urgent crisis.
This should not be a Democratic or Republican issue — it's about standing up against the abuse of power and preventing violence. I am grateful to the House of Representatives for their leadership and dedication to ending gender-based violence. Now, I urge the Senate to follow past precedent and bring a strong bipartisan coalition together to ensure the passage of VAWA so that I can sign this legislation as soon as possible.
__________________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/17/statement-by-president-biden-applauding-house-passage-of-paycheck-protection-program-extension/
Statement by President Biden Applauding House Passage of Paycheck Protection Program Extension
March 17, 2021 • Statements and Releases
Small businesses are the engines of our economy, the glue of our communities, and account for half of private sector employment. But since the start of this pandemic, more than 400,000 small businesses have permanently closed and millions more are hanging by a thread.
Vice President Harris and I are committed to getting small businesses the help they need to survive, recover, and grow. The Biden-Harris Administration has distributed more than $180 billion in Paycheck Protection Program funding to nearly 3 million small businesses. In partnership with Congress, our administration has been distributing funds more equitably, with a focus on the smallest "mom and pop" businesses and those in underserved areas.
Compared to past rounds of the Program, we are distributing a higher percentage of loans to the smallest businesses, to rural businesses, and to businesses in low- and moderate-income communities. And since our Administration changed the rules to provide more generous relief to sole proprietors, there's been a big increase in the number of loan approvals for that key group, who are disproportionately likely to be women and minorities.
We know there is more to do to support our nation's small businesses, and we are eager to continue to partner with Congress to build on this success. We want to ensure that every "mom and pop" small business in America has the resources it needs to rehire and retain workers, purchase the health and sanitation equipment they need to keep workers safe, and pursue opportunities to expand.
That is why my Administration strongly supports extension of the Paycheck Protection Program, and is eager to work with the Senate to ensure this extension is passed well in advance of the March 31st expiration of the Program.
__________________________________
An invasion is coming. This spring, trillions of cicadas will emerge from the ground around us, announcing their arrival with a cacophony of sound & piles of molted skin. Brood X – which arrives every 17 years – should appear sometime in May #nature #wildlife
https://twitter.com/NationalMallNPS/status/1372288443036880899
Marjorie Taylor Greene says people with downs syndrome are "retards" and "stupid"
https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/editors-picks/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-people-with-downs-syndrome-are-rets-and-stupid-B9bA0uhy
Marjorie Taylor Greene ignores deadly mass shooting in her own state to post anti-lgbtq tweet
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-equal-rights-act-georgia-shooting-b1818722.html
Marjorie Taylor Greene also tweeted out more antisemitism (see her tweets)
A federal appeals court has reinstated a jury's guilty verdicts on the business partner of former Trump administration National Security Adviser Michael Flynn over the pair's lobbying for Turkish interests in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign. A three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a judge's ruling last year tossing out the guilty verdicts against Bijan Rafiekian, a California businessman who worked with Flynn on a lobbying and public relations campaign targeting a longtime opponent of the Turkish government, Fethullah Gulen.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/18/court-guilty-verdicts-flynn-partner-turkey-lobbying-476952
Education Department Rolls Back Trump Student Debt Policies | The U.S. Department of Education announced Thursday it is scrapping a controversial formula, championed by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, that granted only partial student loan relief to borrowers who were defrauded by private, for-profit colleges. It will instead adopt what it's calling a "streamlined approach" for granting borrowers full relief. | The department estimates the change would ultimately help approximately 72,000 borrowers who have had their claims approved, but who received less than full relief under the previous formula — and that they will receive a combined $1 billion in loan cancellation. The change revolves around a provision in federal law, commonly known as Borrower Defense, that allows borrowers who believe they have been cheated by a college or university to apply to have their debts erased. During the Obama administration, the Education Department approved thousands of claims from former students of Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute.
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978574707/education-dept-begins-rolling-back-trump-era-policies-on-defrauded-students
Senior Justice Department officials have asked U.S. attorneys across the country to identify prosecutors who could serve temporary duty prosecuting some of the Capitol riot cases.
https://apnews.com/article/riots-oklahoma-city-floods-oklahoma-merrick-garland-dd13e7cad260fb134c52e0354ccdd5a4
Xavier Becerra barely confirmed thanks to Susan Collins throwing a vote his way. He's completely and totally unqualified for the job and never should have been nominated.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Zlj6Jr23D4a-Ajzh1VtC_5HGB55DGO-leVWzQkTc1h8/edit#gid=1830138682
McCarthy privately claimed Trump was a Russian asset, yet publicly supported him and voted against impeachment, twice. Obvious who poses the danger to national security. He also said on a recording that Putin paid congressman Rohrabacher. And the weekend after that tape came out, he was fundraising for Rohrabacher's re-election because McCarthy is a filthy fucking traitor who hates this country. McCarthy told Punchbowl that "if an individual [Swalwell] could not get a clearance in the private sector, they shouldn't be on Intel", yet Swalwell already has clearance in the private sector while McCarthy himself can't get security clearance in the private sector because he's named a Russian asset in one of the intelligence reports, he never lifted a finger to remove Devon Nunes or Kushner or Ivanka or Trump who all lacked security clearance to begin with and can't get security clearance in the private sector now. McCarthy was called out in the intelligence report for intentionally parroting Russian disinformation and yet he remains ranking member...Yet he is mute on Maria Butina, the Russian spy who fucked her way through Republican leadership. Elaine Chao was doing personal business with China and is married to McConnell. The list goes on and on..
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/543771-mccarthy-to-call-on-democrats-to-remove-swalwell-from-intelligence-committee
There are six lawsuits total....: A third lawsuit has been filed against Deshaun Watson. The newest lawsuit alleges that Watson "sexually assaulted and harassed Plaintiff
https://twitter.com/sarahbarshop/status/1372548104776425477
This is what our government is now. Most Republicans will vote against any Democratic sponsored bill regardless of what's actually in the bill. Until they regain power, they are the party of obstruction. Outrage as 172 Republicans vote to oppose Violence Against Women Act because it bans males convicted of assault against females to own a gun. We just had a man who was so angry that he couldn't get it up for Asian message "therapists" that he gunned them down to death. That is what Republicans support.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/violence-against-women-act-house-vote-b1818845.html
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/17/republicans-congress-protest-476758
"Men often oppose a thing, merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike. But if they have been consulted, and have happened to disapprove, opposition then becomes, in their estimation, an indispensable duty of self-love. They seem to think themselves bound in honor, and by all the motives of personal infallibility, to defeat the success of what has been resolved upon contrary to their sentiments."
-- Alexander Hamilton
Half of the federalist papers is mostly a very eloquent phrasing of "people are stupid, should try something else?" and the other half is just "people are stupid." And yet the anti-federalists led us to the Bill of Rights.
Ex-Florida Sen. Republican Frank Artiles arrested in fake candidate scheme
https://www.local10.com/news/politics/2021/03/18/ex-florida-sen-frank-artiles-arrested-in-shill-candidate-scheme/
Blue Lives Only Matter When They Are Killing Black People
https://www.theroot.com/blue-lives-only-matter-when-they-are-killing-black-peop-1846502787
Here's the 2021 special election calendar for the 5 vacancies in the House:
#LA02: March 20
#LA05: March 20
#TX06: May 1
#NM01: June 1
#OH11: Aug. 3
As of today, Dems have a 219-211 advantage.
Fetishized, sexualized and marginalized, Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/us/asian-women-misogyny-spa-shootings-trnd/index.html
Following the task force meeting, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service announced it will invest more than $218 million to leverage the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to fund projects that will help drive rural economic recovery and job creation, support the voluntary stewardship efforts of private landowners, and better conserve America's public lands. The Administration's investments through the LWCF are helping expand access to the outdoors for all communities, including in areas that have disproportionately less access to nature, and bolstering the nation's natural defenses against climate change.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/18/readout-of-the-second-national-climate-task-force-meeting/
The expected nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Merrick Garland on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals could be a precursor to another promotion — fulfilling Biden's campaign promise to choose a Black woman for SCOTUS
https://nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-poised-announce-first-wave-nominations-reshape-u-s-courts-n1261414
Confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #28 William Joseph Burns, of Maryland, to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency @CIA
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372625427911561223
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Joseph_Burns
Confirmed by voice vote: Executive Calendar #36 Brian P. McKeon to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources @StateDept
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372625504503742468
Leader Schumer has filed cloture on Executive Calendar #32 Shalanda D. Young to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget @OMBPress
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372625710091755522
Leader Schumer has filed cloture on Executive Calendar #40 Rachel Leland Levine to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services @HHSgov
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372626346619383809
Vote Scheduled: At 5:30 pm on Monday, March 22nd, the Senate will proceed to a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #17 Martin Joseph Walsh to be Secretary of Labor @USDOL
https://twitter.com/SenateCloakroom/status/1372627544340631552
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) on Thursday blocked legislation that would prevent private debt collectors from being able to seize stimulus checks sent out under the latest coronavirus relief bill. Though a previous $600 payment passed in December included the protection, the rules of reconciliation — the process Democrats used to avoid the 60-vote filibuster on the most recent bill — precluded similar language from being included into the $1.9 trillion bill.
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/543879-gop-senator-blocks-bill-to-prevent-private-debt-collectors-from-seizing
Nash on KD: "Kevin had a scan and it's much improved. He still needs time to continue to heal and ramp up but we're monitoring it and expect him to make a full recovery," Nash said. "Hopefully, it won't be too long but he probably has a couple of weeks of ramp-up left."
Scientists Say Jet Fuel Made From Food Waste Could Slash Aviation's Climate Impact
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jet-fuel-food-waste-aviation-climate-emissions_n_60524fc4c5b6ce1016440330
Harp seal pups dying on beach as winter sea ice fails
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/harp-seal-pups-dying-on-beach-as-winter-sea-ice-fails/ar-BB1eIYRS
QB Mitchell Trubisky is signing with the Buffalo Bills
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1372622666780188674
Now the number is 9. Tony Buzbee just shared nine women have come forward accusing Deshaun Watson of assault. Three civil lawsuits have been filed so far.
https://twitter.com/KHOUStephanie/status/1372630655058669572
The NFL has also opened their own investigation into the allegations against Watson
??? They already have been flexing games for years, it's the thursday night football games that are bad: This is also big: Monday Night Football will now also be allowed to flex games, so fans will get more meaningful games on primetime. So now SNF and MNF have it.
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1372642761309097986
USA is fighting a losing battle. Global warming will make Central America unlivable. Migration will increase, including those from equatorial South America. The land of opportunity will shift from USA to Canada. Instead, USA should create a corridor to funnel migrants to Canada, where they will be welcome.
Tribal Communities Set to Receive Big New Infusion of Aid - President Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package provides $31 billion for tribal nations and Indigenous people to address longstanding problems like poor health care
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/us/politics/tribal-communities-stimulus-coronavirus.html
Houseless Americans are eligible for stimulus checks. Here's how they can get their $1,400. Benefits don't do any good if they don't reach their recipients. They often don't. | But for the people who need the checks most, they can be hard to get. That's because the primary mechanism by which the government sends the checks to people is through their tax filing — that is, stimulus checks are sent automatically to households that filed tax returns. But lots of America's poorest households don't file taxes because their income is low enough that it's not required. ProPublica estimated in the fall that 9 million Americans who were eligible for a stimulus check didn't receive one, mostly because their income was so low they didn't file taxes. And for people experiencing homelessness, the problem is especially acute. In addition to not having filed taxes, most are likely to not have a fixed address the checks can be mailed to, a bank account they could be deposited in, and identification documents needed to prove their eligibility. But people experiencing homelessness are eligible for stimulus checks. And getting them those checks would be a badly needed boost. | If you are homeless, you can go to a tax return office where they will file something called EIP return. They will put the money on a debit card after. As Ahmed says, right now, filing a tax return is probably the best way to get the checks if you missed out. (The EIP is just the official word for the stimulus checks — they're called "economic impact payments.")
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2021/3/17/22334042/stimulus-eligibility-checks-economic-impact-payments-homeless-access
Biden Weighing New Sanctions to Block Russian Gas Pipeline | The Biden administration is weighing additional sanctions, potentially including on parent company Nord Stream 2 AG, and may single out an insurance company as well as other companies providing support vessels and materials.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-18/biden-weighing-new-sanctions-to-block-russian-gas-pipeline
SECRETARY FUDGE: At HUD, we know firsthand the severe impact of COVID-19 on our nation's housing crisis. HUD staff in every region of the country have worked tirelessly to assist grantees and recipients of HUD assistance in their response to the pandemic. We've helped nurs- — we've helped housing owners, housing authorities, and communities provide additional rental assistance and support new efforts to eradicate homelessness. We've extended the Federal Housing Administration's foreclosure and eviction moratoriums until June 30th to support the immediate and ongoing needs of homeowners.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q The head of the National Housing Conference said that "HUD's ranks have been gutted, morale has never been lower, and the challenges to HUD's constituents have never been higher." Just in simple terms, can you describe — describe the state of your department as you take it over today?
SECRETARY FUDGE: Well, I would say this to you — and I actually had the opportunity to talk to the President about it since I've been here. We are thousands of people short of where we ought to be. Our staff is outstanding. They are under-resourced, understaffed, and overworked. But we are going to make some major changes and very quickly.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
SECRETARY FUDGE: Well, the first thing I'd say is that the President gave us a charge early on as to what he wanted us to focus on, especially in the first 100 days. Homelessness was at the top of the list. One was expanding vouchers. Thirdly, he wanted us to find ways to expand and put in the market new, affordable housing. So with the $40 billion that has come that we have now, what we expect is this: We have $5 billion set aside to do nothing but address homeless issues. So we know that, with those resources, over the next probably 12 to 18 months, we know for a fact that we can get as many as 130,000 people off the streets. We also know that our local partners are going to assist us in finding other rental opportunities. So we believe we can put a major dent in it. But if nothing else, what we will let them know is that there is an opportunity to find a way off the streets. We are — we have more programs in place to assist people who are already in public housing to find a way to buy housing. We know that affordable housing is a problem all across this country. I don't know where my Republican colleagues live that don't think that it — there is a problem, but there is. So many of us just choose to ignore it.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
SECRETARY FUDGE: There are a couple of things that we know can happen out of this rescue package. One is: If you look at places like a Los Angeles, where they have actually purchased hotels and motels, et cetera, to give people an immediate place to go, there's re- — there are resources in the plan to do that. The other thing that we find is that part of the problem with the market is that credit is not available and accessible to people who actually do qualify. So, since FHA is certainly a part of what — what we do, we're going to ensure that we can talk about down payment assistance. We're going to talk about maybe some restructuring. We are going to make sure that people who qualify have access to credit. We all know that there have been problems across this country for many, many years. That is why I'm so pleased that President Biden talks about equity. He talks about equality — closing the racial wealth gap, which is bigger today than it was 50 years ago. So we know that we have the tools. I think it was just a matter of making sure that we have the will to use them. We have the — we now have the will.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q Two questions. One, does the Biden administration have any plans to restore or tweak that Obama-era fair housing regulation, which the Trump administration weakened in the summer of 2020?
SECRETARY FUDGE: We are looking at it. Certainly we know that fair housing is, in fact, the law of the land, and we want to use every tool that we have. I think that the prior administration did roll back some fair housing tools that we have. So, we're looking at how we can go back and make those better and get them reimplemented, if possible.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q Well, I — I have two, so I'm going to be just a little bit greedy. One from our housing reporter, which is: Are there some parts of the COVID response, whether or not in ARP or generally, that are currently temporary that you would like to see permanent when the crisis eases?
SECRETARY FUDGE: Oh, I'd like to see most of it permanent. No question about it. I think that when we talk about housing needs, we can't, at this point, come up with enough money to take care of all of the homeless people in this country. We cannot, through this package alone, repair and restore 50-year-old housing authorities across this country which are crumbling every day. We cannot abate lead in every single building we need to with these resources. We need at least another $70- to $100 billion to do those things.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
MS. PSAKI: I mean, we can. Wait until month three. Wait until month three. We'll be rolling it out with people's second visits. As we announced yesterday — I just wanted to give you a little bit more information on the schedule for next week. We — you may have seen we confirmed that the President will be traveling to Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday — the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act being signed into law. The trip will be a part of our Help is Here tour and will highlight how the American Rescue Plan will lower healthcare costs for many American families. And this is a component of the package that we've talked about, but we're still working to ensure the American people understand how they can benefit from this particular piece. The Affordable Care Act has been an important lifeline for Ohio families for 11 years. The law cut the state's uninsured rate by half, dropping from 12 percent to 6 percent. It has also provided critical consumer protections for millions more by preventing insurance companies from discriminating based on preexisting conditions. And the American Rescue Plan makes coverage under the ACA even more affordable for Ohio families: Over 90,000 currently uninsured Ohioans can get a better deal on health insurance because of the law and premiums for people who have coverage under the ACA. And the former Ohio governor was one of the first — if not the first Republican governor in the country to expand Medicaid access during that period of time, and that is certainly something we continue to note around here.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
MS. PSAKI: Last piece: Today, the House will also be voting on the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. President Biden and this administration support passage of both pieces of legislation. These bills would provide a path to citizenship for DREAMers, individuals with temporary protected status, and farmworkers. Both pieces of legislation passed the House last Congress with bipartisan support and have broad support from the American public.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q So then how is that — how — you don't want to escalate tensions. How is that constructive to the relationship when you talk about diplomacy being primary between the U.S. and Russia? How is calling Vladimir Putin a killer constructive to that relationship?
MS. PSAKI: Well, President Biden has known President Putin for a long time. They've both been on the global stage for a long time, worked through many iterations of a relationship between the United States and Russia, and he believes we can continue to do that.
Q Does the President believe that the leaders of — Mohammed Bin Salman, the — one of the — the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia — does he view him as a killer?
MS. PSAKI: I don't think I need to add more "killer" names from the podium just today.
Q I won't ask you about other countries then as well.
MS. PSAKI: Okay.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q The President has made it very clear in his recent interview that the border is not open, effectively that it's closed, except for these unaccompanied minors right now, under humanitarian grounds —
MS. PSAKI: Yeah.
Q — who are being welcomed into the U.S. But as we speak, crews from multiple outlets, including those from NBC News, are at the border and they're seeing many migrant families being accepted — young families being accepted into the country right now.
So can you square those two — when the message was that families and individuals were being sent home but unaccompanied minors were being kept — why young families are, in fact, being kept here in the U.S. and detained?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we've talked about this a little bit in here before, but — and we are still applying Section 42, which — and with — the exception is, of course, unaccompanied minors. We are — there are limited scenarios, limited circumstances where we are — very limited, I should say — where families are coming across, going through proper protocols at the border — being tested and then having their cases adjudicated. Part of this is that — part of the reasoning is that, of course, we've closed Matamoros and some — there has been some less participation in keeping some of these families in Mexico than in the past. And many of these policies we have supported. But the vast majority of people — vast, vast majority — who come to the border are turned away. The border is not open. These are very limited scenarios.
Q — how — how limited is "very limited"? How many are being allowed in as it relates to families? And specifically, if the message that the President was sending this week is that the border is not open, what is the message to those families, given some are being allowed in right now?
MS. PSAKI: The message continues to be — I'd be happy to provide you the numbers. I think CBP has the most up-to-date numbers, so I'd point you to them, and they provide those regularly. We'd certainly support that. I don't have them in front of me right now. I would say the message continues to be, "Now is not the time to come." The vast majority of families, of individuals are sent back, are not welcomed across the border. And that's a message we will continue to convey clearly.
Q And just to follow up, you talked about how the President saw those photos in one of the recent briefings, as it relates to these shelters, detention centers, decompression centers. I'm not sure what specific photos he saw. We asked yesterday and we'll ask again today: Can you provide those? Will you provide those to the American public to see what it looks like there right now?
MS. PSAKI: Well, first, let me say that the White House and we all in the administration support finding a way to grant access to the media to the HHS ORR facilities or the shelters where these children are staying for a temporary period of time before they're placed with family members or with sponsored homes. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is — has not been hosting, as you've noted, media tours of unaccompanied children facilities currently due to the COVID-19 pademic [sic] –pandemic. But we remain committed to transparency, and we're considering potential options, and we hope to have an update on that soon.
Q So even if we didn't get a tour, can you provide us the photos that the President was provided?
MS. PSAKI: They — there was a private briefing, an internal briefing from several weeks ago. We typically don't provide those materials publicly, but we do want you to be able to — or a pool of media to be able to have your own visuals and get your own footage of these facilities.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Q And the second question: You know, the President said yesterday that he intends to try to raise taxes on anyone that was making over $400,000 a year. Does he think that that's — does he intend to wait until the economy is out of the pandemic recession, or does he feel confident that by making it only on higher earners that it will not affect the broader economy?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the President is certainly focused on ensuring the economy is continuing to recover and that people are going back to work and able to put food on the table to feed their families. When we're talking about people — families making over $400,000 a year, that's about 2 percent of households in this country. And this is a commitment that he talked about on the campaign trail. And his interest is in ensuring that people pay their fair share, whether it's corporations or the highest income earners in our country. And he believes that, you know, hard work should be rewarded and that this is one of the areas where there could — where there is an opportunity to rebalance how our policies are currently. But, you know, he would do this in coordination with, of course, members of Congress, members of his economic team. And we obviously don't have a proposed plan at this point, but it is a — it is a policy that he talked about on the campaign trail, and he reiterated, as you noted, earlier this week.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-marcia-l-fudge-march-18-2021/
Karl Anthony-Towns Tonight: 41/10/8 on 15/24 shooting, 5/7 from three and 6/7 from the line
Anthony Edwards drops a career high 42 points on 15/31 shooting
With their 21st win, Tom Thibodeau has now matched David Fizdale's total wins as coach of the New York Knicks, in 63 less games.
The Atlanta Hawks (21-20) win their 7th straight and get back over .500 by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder (17-24), 116-93
Dame nails the step back three for his 21st points of the 1st quarter
https://streamable.com/i8uhzw
Bradley Beal Tonight: 43/2/5 on 16/24 shooting, 4/6 from three and 7/8 from the line
Russell Westbrook goes to work on Mitchell in the post, then rocks the baby to sleep
https://streamable.com/w6md1i
Julius Randle with 18 points 10 rebounds career high 17 assists in win vs Magic
Nathan Knight puts Moses Brown on a poster
https://streamable.com/q3yzjc
Damian Lillard Tonight: 36/5/0 on 12/22 shooting, 6/15 from three and 6/6 from the line
Great news, vaccinate the entire NBA and MLB already and expel the anti-vaxxers: 36 members of the Hawks basketball operations staff have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 14 players. All are eligible to receive it in Georgia.
https://twitter.com/sarah_k_spence/status/1372748021834813440
Zion versus the triple team
https://streamable.com/pp0dcr
Zion Williamson with 26/10/3 and 2 blocks with 9/17 shooting in loss vs Blazers
Donovan Mitchell hangs in mid-air, gliding past Robin Lopez to lay it in
https://streamable.com/gepnu9
Nets have won 14 of last 15 games. Harden is averaging 27-10-11 on 48-38-86 shooting splits in that span
Devin Booker with 35/4/6 on 12/22 shooting in close loss to Wolves
The Utah Jazz are 5-6 over their last 11 games
If the #Bears are going to cut Kyle Fuller, they might as well just blow things up. Trade Khalil Mack. Trade Allen Robinson. Trade Akiem Hicks if you can. There's legitimately no point in trying to compete if you're cutting your best players to afford mediocre talents.
https://twitter.com/jacobinfante24/status/1372699098445402112
QB Mitchell Trubisky is signing with the Buffalo Bills
https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1372622666780188674
The Bears are releasing veteran CB Kyle Fuller, a cap casualty. In a tough 2021 offseason, this is Chicago's only cut due to cap space. A former All-Pro corner now hits the market.
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1372687928833536001
The Chicago Bears have given defensive lineman Akiem Hicks permission to seek a trade
https://twitter.com/ChiSportUpdates/status/1372700472247783427
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/18/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-american-dream-and-promise-act-of-2021/
Statement by President Biden on the American Dream and Promise Act of 2021
March 18, 2021 • Statements and Releases
In every generation, America has been enriched and strengthened by wave after wave of new immigrants. Dreamers and TPS holders, for whom the United States is home, are part of our national fabric, and make vital contributions to communities across the country every day. Many have worked tirelessly on the frontlines throughout this pandemic to keep our country afloat, fed, and healthy—yet they are forced to live with fear and uncertainty because of their immigration status.
The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 is a critical first step in reforming our immigration system and will provide much needed relief to TPS holders and Dreamers, young people who came here as children and know no other country. I support this bill, and commend the House of Representatives for passing this important legislation.
My Administration looks forward to working together with Congress to do the right thing for Dreamers and TPS holders who contribute so much to our country, and to building a 21st century immigration system that is grounded in dignity, safety, and fairness, and finally enacts the long term solutions we need to create an orderly and humane immigration system, tackle the root causes of migration to the United States and to create a path to citizenship for the undocumented population in the United States.
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Statement by President Biden on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021
March 18, 2021 • Statements and Releases
Farmworkers are vital to the wellbeing of our country and our economy. For generations, America's farmworkers – many of whom are undocumented – have worked countless hours to feed our nation and ensure our communities are healthy and strong. This has been even more clear and crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, as farmworkers have put their lives and the lives of their loved ones on the line to ensure that families across the country have food on the table.
This is why I support the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 and celebrate its passage. The Act will deliver the lawful status and better working conditions that this critical workforce deserves, as well as much needed stability for farmers, growers, and the entire agriculture industry.
My Administration is ready to work with leaders on both sides of the aisle to address the needs of our essential workers, bring greater dignity and security to our agricultural sector, and finally enact the long-term solutions we need to create a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system, in addition to tackling the root causes of migration to the United States.
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Nearly 200 people have been killed and 40,000 displaced since January following a surge of attacks by the ADF militia - an Islamic terrorist group - in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210319-200-killed-40-000-displaced-in-dr-congo-by-adf-militia-since-jan-un
Attempt to recall Democratic Louisiana governor fails
https://apnews.com/article/john-bel-edwards-elections-louisiana-recall-elections-bb0eff9586f9386933fc076411c8fd4c
In 2018, then-Sen. Bill Nelson said the NASA administrator should be "a space professional, not a politician." In 2021, Bill Nelson the retired politician has been nominated as NASA administrator. The least qualified nominee of Biden's nominees. So far only two of his nominees are garbage, Xavier Becerra and Bill Nelson
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President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Bill Nelson for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
March 19, 2021 • Statements and Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Bill Nelson to serve as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator.
Bill Nelson, Nominee for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator
Senator Bill Nelson, former U. S. Senator, is a fifth generation Floridian whose family came to Florida in 1829. He has served in public office over four decades, first in the state legislature and U. S. Congress, then as State Treasurer. He was elected three times to the United States Senate, representing the third largest state for 18 years. His committees included the breadth of government policy from defense, intelligence and foreign policy to finance, commerce and health care.
Nelson chaired the Space Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives for 6 years and in the Senate was the Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Space and Science Subcommittee and Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Most every piece of space and science law has had his imprint, including passing the landmark NASA bill of 2010 along with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. That law set NASA on its present dual course of both government and commercial missions. In 1986 he flew on the 24th flight of the Space Shuttle. The mission on Columbia, orbited the earth 98 times during six days. Nelson conducted 12 medical experiments including the first American stress test in space and a cancer research experiment sponsored by university researchers. In the Senate he was known as the go-to senator for our nation's space program. He now serves on the NASA Advisory Council.
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/19/financial-disclosure-reports-now-available/
Financial Disclosure Reports Now Available
March 19, 2021 • Statements and Releases
OGE 278 Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure reports for White House officials are now available. Reporters and interested parties will be able to request online those reports they would like to review. We have also streamlined the distribution process, so that each report is available in .pdf form for quick transmission via email. By filling out this electronic form, you can access the reports of the officials you wish to review. Requested reports will be emailed as quickly as possible – please email the press office at press@who.eop.gov if you have any questions.
The application form to access the OGE 278s is available in the Disclosure section.
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14 Republicans voted 'No' on a resolution merely condemning the military coup in Burma, a coup where the military is currently right now murdering people
Biggs R-AZ
Boebert R-CO
Buck R-CO
Budd R-NC
Gaetz R-FL
Greene R-GA
Harris R-MD
Hice R-GA
Massie R-KY
Miller R-IL
Mooney R-WV
Moore R-AL
Perry R-PA
Roy R-TX
Voting 'Present' - Gosar R-AZ
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/politics/house-republicans-myanmar-coup/index.html
The Idaho House of Representatives votes to recess until April 6 after 5 members recently tested positive for COVID-19.
https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1372986231844446211
Anti-maskers encouraged kids to burn their face coverings on the Capitol steps in Idaho. Members of Idaho's government were there and burned masks too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/03/07/idaho-mask-burning/
Proud Boys conspired in multiple encrypted channels ahead of Jan. 6 riot, fearing criminal gang charges
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/captiol-riots-indictment-proud-boys/2021/03/18/971da624-8770-11eb-82bc-e58213caa38e_story.html
A Branson, Missouri performer pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $85,000 from hundreds of his own audience members who donated to his non-existent charity for foster children. https://secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2021/03/branson-performer-pleads-guilty-fraud-scheme
JuJu Smith-Schuster is returning to Pittsburgh on a 1 year deal, taking a massive paycut to return to his home over larger offers from divisional rivals and Super Bowl contenders to accommodate Pittsburgh's tough cap situation. JuJu is staying home.
https://twitter.com/TaylorBisciotti/status/1372960463063969792
Tony Buzbee said his law firm is now representing 12 women and have talked to 10 additional women about potential cases against Deshaun Watson.
https://twitter.com/sarahbarshop/status/1372996008477605888
22 victims....
Buzbee: All but 1 of the women are Texas based. 1 woman was flown in from Georgia. Hasn't decided to file a criminal complaint. First need to finish filing the civil complaints.
https://twitter.com/kprc2ari/status/1373000491647569922
And here's receipts from a trip that *didn't* happen. The Secret Service thought Trump was going to Mar-a-Lago, but he didn't. The club still charged them for the rooms they'd reserved, at $650/night.
https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold/status/1373021590670151690
Another from the same trip: Mar-a-Lago charged taxpayers $650/night for a hotel room, plus an additional $1,040 for (redacted). In all, Mar-a-Lago charged taxpayers $33,744 for hotel rooms — during a three-day presidential trip. Rates ranged from $546 to $650/night.
https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold/status/1373018166587236356
The punishment for the hospital COO who arranged vaccinations for workers at Trump's Chicago hotel -- where he happened to live -- is "appropriate action of reprimand," the hospital says. Won't say what the "reprimand" is.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/03/19/loretto-hospital-vaccinated-ceos-suburban-church-while-west-siders-were-calling-daily-for-shots/
"Unaccompanied" doesn't mean "alone." It's a legal term meaning a minor without a "parent or legal guardian." They already have at least one parent or grandparent living in the USA. Kids arriving with older siblings or grandparents have been illegally and unconstitutionally and inhumanely separated.
A longstanding proposal to free an Afghan drug kingpin in exchange for U.S. hostages, in this case American civil engineer Mark Frerichs, is getting another look:
https://news.yahoo.com/us-government-considers-proposal-to-free-afghan-warlord-in-exchange-for-american-contractor-204100577.html
Trump's Mar-a-Lago partially closed due to COVID outbreak
https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-mar-a-lago-32a7a9694c1f738eef6af6d3fc6e5aa1
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The Biden administration's critical role in Indian Country
Four important decisions will impact the forests, lands and waters of tribal nations.
Anna V. Smith
March 18, 2021 From the print edition
https://www.hcn.org/issues/53.4/indigenous-affairs-the-biden-administrations-critical-role-in-indian-country
Tribal leaders see President Joe Biden's administration as an opportunity to increase tribal consultation regarding issues like water management, oil and gas leasing, and land conservation. Here, we look at four major projects — all of them years in the making — that the new administration is tasked with advancing in the next four years. Most fall under the Department of the Interior, now headed by its first Indigenous secretary, Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo).
TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT
On his first day in office, Biden issued an executive order to revisit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Trump-era decision to exempt Alaska's Tongass National Forest from a federal rule protecting 9.3 million acres of it from logging, mining and roadways. The Trump administration raced through the process despite the pandemic. The Tongass — the largest national forest in the U.S. — serves as a massive carbon sink and is of national importance. It also supports the old-growth red cedar, Sitka black-tailed deer and salmon that the Alaska Native tribes of the region rely on. None of the Southeast Alaska Native tribes who participated in the consultation process supported the exemption, and all withdrew in protest.
In addition to reviewing the Tongass protections, the Biden administration also has to decide on a rule proposed by 11 Southeast Alaska Native tribes in July 2020. The Traditional Homelands Conservation Rule would increase the role of Alaska Native tribes in the management of the forest's trees, wildlife and waters. The tribes proposed the rule after decades of inadequate tribal consultation on the Tongass, their ancestral and current homeland.
COLORADO RIVER BASIN GUIDELINES BY 2026
Negotiations among federal, tribal and state governments on water flows and allocations in the Colorado River Basin began last year and are set to conclude by 2026. At stake is the water supply for 40 million people.
The current set of interim guidelines was created in 2007 by the seven basin states — Colorado, Arizona, Utah, California, Nevada, Wyoming and New Mexico — and the federal government. None of the 29 federally recognized tribes in the Colorado River Basin were consulted, despite having senior water rights that account for 20% of the river's water.
None of the 29 federally recognized tribes in the Colorado River Basin were consulted, despite having senior water rights that account for 20% of the river's water.
The negotiations are happening amid some of the most serious drought predictions the region has seen; in January, the river's drought contingency plan was triggered for the first time. Climate change has brought extreme drought conditions to about 75% of the river's Upper Basin, and that will no doubt influence the tenor of the negotiations.
KLAMATH RIVER DAM REMOVAL IN 2023
After years of political, social and regulatory barriers, the undamming of the Klamath River is within sight. When — or if — it's completed, it will be the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history, bringing down four out of six dams on the river in southern Oregon and Northern California , including one that's 103 years old. For now, the project is on track to begin in 2023, and by 2024 there could be free-flowing water in the river, opening up some 400 miles of habitat in California for salmon, lamprey and trout. The nonprofit charged with the dam removals, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, still needs the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee, which is headed by political appointees, to approve its current plan.
Last year's drought created more conflict over water allocations on the Klamath. In, August, the Bureau of Reclamation cancelled promised water flows for the Yurok Tribe's Ceremonial Boat Dance. In response, the Yurok Tribe sued the agency. The federal government will need to bring stakeholders together for a large-scale agreement to end this cycle of seasonal litigation, something the Obama administration attempted unsuccessfully to do.
OIL AND GAS LEASING PERMIT PAUSE ON FEDERAL LANDS
In late January, when Joe Biden signed multiple executive orders to address the "climate crisis," he ordered Interior to put a temporary moratorium on new oil and gas leases on public lands and offshore waters. The administration called for a review of the leasing and royalties process, citing climate impacts and their growing cost, and specifically requested a review of leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Donald Trump's outgoing administration had opened ANWR for sale just weeks before Biden took office.
Biden's executive orders don't impact existing leases, or oil and gas on tribal lands. But much of the tribal opposition involves activities on ancestral territory that is currently public land, sometimes carried out without adequate tribal consultation. The Arctic Refuge and places like New Mexico's Chaco Canyon have been flashpoints of conflict over leasing, and many advocates want Biden to extend the pause as a permanent ban. This was a key sticking point for many Republican senators during Haaland's confirmation hearings, which Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., described as a "proxy fight over the future of fossil fuels."
Anna V. Smith is an assistant editor for High Country News. Email us at editor@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/us/politics/tribal-communities-stimulus-coronavirus.html
Tribal Communities Set to Receive Big New Infusion of Aid
President Biden's $1.9 trillion relief package provides $31 billion for tribal nations and Indigenous people to address longstanding problems like poor health care
By Mark Walker and Emily Cochrane
March 18, 2021
WASHINGTON — After a year that provided stark new evidence of how racial inequities and a lack of federal funding had left tribal communities and Indigenous people especially vulnerable to crises like the pandemic, President Biden and Democrats in Congress are seeking to address those longstanding issues with a huge infusion of federal aid.
The $1.9 trillion stimulus package signed into law last week by Mr. Biden contains more than $31 billion for tribal governments and other federal programs to help Native populations, a record level of assistance intended to help bolster health care and a variety of other services in some of the nation's poorest communities.
The money is a crucial plank of Mr. Biden's vow to address racial and economic inequities and is a potentially transformative lifeline for tribes, who were among the hardest hit by the spread of the coronavirus.
It is also a high-profile step toward more equitable treatment after centuries of treaty violations and failures by the federal government to live up to its obligations. Mr. Biden signed the law last Thursday, and on Monday the Senate confirmed Deb Haaland, who had been representing New Mexico in the House, as interior secretary, the first Native American woman to serve in the cabinet.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/climate/deb-haaland-interior.html
The new legislation, passed without a single Republican vote, allocates $20 billion to tribal governments. It also includes more than $6 billion for the Indian Health Service and other Native American health systems, including a $20 million fund for Native Hawaiians, as well as $1.2 billion for housing and more than $1.1 billion for primary, secondary and higher education programs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/06/us/politics/biden-stimulus-plan.html
The new money comes on top of $8 billion allocated to tribal governments by Congress last March in the $2.2 trillion stimulus law, and additional funding for tribal health and education services in other relief legislation passed last year.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/us/politics/coronavirus-house-voting.html
"Our promise to them has always been — on any of these issues — they will have a seat at the table," Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said in an interview. "It's essential that we're listening to the specific issues."
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic majority leader, said during a floor speech that the legislation "takes us a giant step closer to fulfilling our trust responsibilities to all Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians."
The aid comes after a year that devastated Native people across the country, as poverty, multigenerational housing and underlying health conditions contributed to the deadly spread of the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in August that in nearly half the states, Native Americans were disproportionately affected by the virus compared with their white counterparts.
"There's nothing more unjust than the way we currently treat Native people in the United States with whom we have treaty interest, and this was an opportunity for us to put our money where our mouth is," said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, the chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee. "This is quite literally the biggest down payment in American history in the right direction, in the direction of justice."
Lynn Malerba, the chief of the Mohegan Tribe, said the pandemic highlighted the inequities and challenges in Native American communities. Mr. Biden and this Congress understand those challenges much better than the previous administration, she said.
The funding, Ms. Malerba said, is the federal government recognizing for the first time that tribal nations participate in the national economy and have the same responsibilities to the health and well-being of their citizens as state and local governments.
"If you consider the Native population, depending on what estimate you are using, is 3 to 5 percent of the population and we received 1.5 percent of funding, that's significant," Ms. Malerba said. "It's a much greater number than the previous administration had provided to us."
The funds will mean tribal governments will be able to partly, or in some cases completely, offset revenue losses suffered during the pandemic, address health care shortcomings exposed by the virus and expand broadband access. The legislation also includes two separate grant funds for education programs for Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.
In Washington State, Leonard Forsman, the chairman of the Suquamish Tribe, said a portion of the allotment would be used to continue building the tribe's first health clinic within the reservation. The tribal nation of about 1,200 enrolled members has used the services of doctors from nearby towns.
Construction of a new building began after the tribe received its first batch of funding from the federal government last year and helped offset the tribe's losses in casino revenue. The recent funds will be used to help complete the project and further stabilize the tribe's economy.
"This will allow for those nurses who work with us, and eventually a doctor, to have a facility where they can provide services," Mr. Forsman said.
Included in the relief package is an injection of more than $6 billion to the Indian Health Service, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Indian Health Service was created to carry out the government's treaty obligations to provide health care to American Indians and Alaskan Natives.
The health service struggled to cope with the pandemic in some of the hardest-hit areas in the country. The agency said the new money would help with coronavirus testing and vaccination programs as well as with hiring more health care workers, expanding availability to mental health services and providing better access to water, a major issue in many tribal communities.
Beyond health care, the legislation addresses a range of other issues important to Native communities, including $20 million to establish an emergency Native language preservation and maintenance grant program, as tribes race to ensure that their languages are not lost with time and the deaths of older members during the pandemic.
"It took a lot of time just to sort of educate people about Indian Country and the structural — just the historic — lack of basics," said Senator Martin Heinrich, Democrat of New Mexico. "There is a number of things converging, but I do think that the conversation around race also opened the door for people to realize, wait a minute, we never got around to getting running water and electricity and all these things, broadband, to Indian Country — like they're not starting at the same place."
While the $2.2 trillion stimulus law approved nearly a year ago included $8 billion for tribal governments, a portion of those funds remains frozen in a legal battle over who is eligible. Alaska Native corporations, for-profit businesses that serve tribal villages in Alaska, have sought to receive some of the money, prompting a monthslong battle over the definition of a tribal government.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/19/us/politics/tribes-coronavirus-stimulus.html
The more than 200 Alaska Native corporations, which were established in 1971 to manage almost 45 million acres as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, were the subject of lawsuits filed by dozens of tribal governments in the lower 48 states who challenged a Trump administration decision to allow them to receive a portion of the funding. They argued the corporations should not be eligible for coronavirus relief because they do not meet the definition of government.
A federal district judge in the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the lower 48 tribes, deeming the Alaska Native corporations ineligible for coronavirus relief funds. Because of the legal fight, only some subsidiaries of the Alaska Native corporations have received Paycheck Protection Program funds, though individual tribes in Alaska are set to get some relief through the stimulus legislation.
Representatives from the Alaska Native corporations say that despite the successes they have had getting vaccines into their communities, many villages have been stretched to the breaking point.
"Many of our villages lack road access and over 30 Alaska Native communities currently lack access to running water," the Alaska Native corporations said in a joint statement. "These realities are further exacerbated by the economic devastation Covid-19 has brought to Alaska, along with some of the highest mortality rates in the nation."
In New Mexico, the Pueblo of Acoma continues its legal battle with the Indian Health Service over a reduction of services taking place at the community's only hospital. In late 2020, as coronavirus cases rose in the state and hospital beds dwindled, services at the Acoma-Cañoncito-Laguna hospital were cut and it was effectively reduced to a clinic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/us/politics/indian-health-service-hospital.html
The Pueblo of Acoma filed suit in federal court in Washington in January, accusing the Indian Health Service of failing to provide proper notice and details to Congress before moving to downsize the hospital. The tribe claimed that under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a year's advance notice must be given to Congress before closing one of these facilities. The agency has stated that it did not notify Congress about the hospital changes because it was only a reduction of services.
In February, a federal district judge in the District of Columbia granted a temporary restraining order to keep the federal health agency from making deeper cuts. With the order expected to expire on April 2, Gov. Brian D. Vallo of the Pueblo of Acoma said the tribe was exploring ways to address the health care issue it was facing by drawing on the new funding in the stimulus package.
"We will definitely be looking at ways to be investing the money into a tribal initiative to establish long-term health care options for the Acoma people, and we hope that Indian Health Service headquarters and the Albuquerque area office will invest some of the funds they are receiving into the A.C.L. hospital service unit," Mr. Vallo said.
Mark Walker is the FOIA coordinator in the Washington bureau of The New York Times. He was raised in Savannah and graduated from Fort Valley State University. Previously, he was an investigative reporter at the Argus Leader in South Dakota. @bymarkwalker
Emily Cochrane is a reporter in the Washington bureau, covering Congress. She was raised in Miami and graduated from the University of Florida. @ESCochrane
A version of this article appears in print on March 19, 2021, Section A, Page 14 of the New York edition with the headline: Helping Tribes Fight More Than the Virus. Order Reprints | Today's Paper
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"We're learning again, what we've always known: Words have consequences," President Biden says, discussing rise in anti-Asian hate incidents across the nation.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1373037185486688258
"Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Successfully Served with Lawsuit Filed by Jamal Khashoggi's Fiancée"
MBS's attorneys recently filed notices of appearance in the District of D.C.
https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-successfully-with-lawsuit-filed-by-jamal-khashoggis-fiancee/
Woof! Kind furiends, as you pawbably know, this month we are raising funds for @spcaoftexas, they do amazing work fur orphan pets, nursing them back to health and finding good homes fur them. Please read #HowWeHelp section on the site.
https://twitter.com/TheOvalPawffice/status/1373039551787069443
The Biden administration is looking at taking actions in the next few weeks to punish China over what U.S. officials say is a genocidal campaign against Uighur Muslims in its Xinjiang region.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/19/china-usa-alaska-477267
US Capitol outer perimeter fencing to be removed this weekend
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/politics/us-capitol-outer-fencing/index.html
Good: Some officials who have disclosed past marijuana use but are still permitted to work for the Biden administration have been asked to sign a pledge not to use marijuana, and they must also submit to random drug testing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/19/us/politics/biden-white-house-marijuana.html
Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33. Described by a friend as someone "who seemed to have a light around her that just drew you in," she was the mother to a teenage son and a baby girl. She and her husband had gone for a couples massage the day of the shootings.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/18/atlanta-shootings-victim-delaina-ashley-yaun
Xiaojie Tan, 49. Those who knew Xiaojie called her a "curious, hard-working, and caring woman who was always filled with joy." The next day would've been her 50th birthday, when she would've shared her favorite strawberry fresh cake with her only daughter.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/18/stop-asian-hate-atlanta-shooting-victim-mother-business-owner/4754151001/
Paul Andre Michels, 54. He grew up in Detroit to a big family, leaving to serve in the Army. He ultimately followed his brother to Atlanta, where he did electrical work and met his wife. His brother described him as hard-working, generous, and caring.
https://apnews.com/article/georgia-shootings-spas-atlanta-veterans-1d1c66455b236f89be4e7da4a4cc21ab
Elcias R Hernandez-Ortiz, 30. He arrived from Guatemala a decade ago and opened his own auto repair business in Atlanta. He has a 10 year old daughter, whose birthday is next week. Elcias is now in the hospital due to injuries endured during the shooting.
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/18/978742409/what-we-know-about-the-victims-of-the-atlanta-area-shootings
Hyun Jung Grant, 51. Her eldest son considered her both his mother and a friend. She was fun, hard-working, and loved to dance. They would go for sushi dinners before she left for work. Before coming to America, she taught elementary school in Korea.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/son-of-atlanta-shooting-victim-hyun-jung-grant-calls-bullshit-on-robert-aaron-long-sex-addiction-claim
The Celtics and Kings play something that slightly resembles basketball
https://streamable.com/6gdk3c
Dame Dolla Dagga Dunka
https://streamable.com/tm92ve
John Wall with the behind the back over the head assist for Wood's 4th dunk of the first quarter
https://streamable.com/qk0wju
Census Bureau now expects to provide states with redistricting data in mid-to-late August instead of late September
https://www.azmirror.com/blog/census-data-for-redistricting-will-be-available-earlier-than-projected/
Andrew Wiggins in the 1st Half: 27 Points on 9/13 FG, 5/7 from 3, 4/6 from the Free Throw Line vs Memphis
Van Vleet catches the inbound with 0.4 seconds left in the first half and drills the deep 3
https://streamable.com/gj7ml9
Murray drills the three to tie the game at 116
https://streamable.com/uc9grf
Luka Doncic Tonight: 38/9/9 on 15/27 shooting, 4/13 from three and 4/5 from the line
Andrew Wiggins drops a season-high 40 points on 14/24 FG, 6/11 3PT, 6/9 FT along with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals against the Grizzlies
Luka with another ridiculous pass for the three
https://streamable.com/hp87pb
Siakam gets an unfortunate roll on the game-tying shot attempt, Jazz win
https://streamable.com/zufud5
The Orlando Magic (14-27) defeat the Brooklyn Nets (28-14), 121 - 113 as Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier combine for 69 points
Kevon Looney with the ridiculous finish.
https://streamable.com/bi9nbm
Chris Paul lets the ball fly past him so teammates can get in positionHighlight
https://streamable.com/i6poj0
Murray puts the Nuggets up 4 with 10.3 left
https://streamable.com/xz17kw
Portland Trail Blazers (25-16) defeat Dallas Mavericks (21-19) by 125 -119 with 63 combined points from Damain Lillard and CJ McCollum
James Harden with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists on 4/15 FG, 2/8 3PTs and 9/12 FTs in a loss against the Orlando Magic
The Denver Nuggets (25-16) come back to win against the Chicago Bulls (18-22) in overtime 131-127, led by 34/15/9 from Nikola Jokic
CJ McCollum Tonight: 32/4/4 on 11/23 shooting, 7/13 from three and 3/3 from the line
Jordan Poole with 25/2/2 on 10/15 shooting and 3 3s
Covington knocks down the huge three to put the Blazers up 7 with 33.6 left
https://streamable.com/wa0ahu
McCollum nails the step back 3 in KP's face to put the blazers up 6 with over a minute remaining
https://streamable.com/ald19n
Monty Williams gets ejected after 2 technical fouls
https://streamable.com/wfd2ta
Richaun Holmes blocks Tatum and Brown in consecutive Celtics possessions late in the fourth leading to six Kings points to seal the game
https://streamable.com/mv9jgq
Andrew Wiggins gets the putback slam over 2 Grizzlies
https://streamable.com/yby0as
Richaun Holmes with 25/11/2/3/2 on 7/11 shooting in win vs Celtics
Zach Lavine with 32/2/4 on 10/20 shooting and 3 3s in loss vs Nuggets
US Army Special Forces soldiers are to train Mozambican marines for the next two months to counter the rapidly escalating insurgency from ISIS-linked terrorist group al-Shabab. It comes after the US officially listed the group as a foreign terrorist organization last week because of its links to ISIS, who it pledged allegiance to in 2018 and who claimed its first attack in June 2019.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-deploys-green-berets-defeat-093131735.html
https://www.state.gov/executive-order-13224/
Wife Of Pittsburgh FBI Task Force Member Charged In Capitol Riot | Jennifer Heinl's husband told her not to go to the rally and filed for divorce a month after the riot
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jennifer-heinl-fbi-task-force-husband-capitol-riot_n_60551e1bc5b66a80f4e78e35
Statement from President Biden Marking Nowruz
March 20, 2021 • Statements and Releases
Spring is an eternal symbol of renewal and rebirth, with light and hope filling the hearts of people from the United States to Iran, Central Asia, the Caucuses, the Middle East, and Europe. That is the message and the joy of Nowruz that we are honoring with a Haft-Sin table in the White House. This year, perhaps more than ever, that message is badly needed. After all our pain and loss, we are reminded that better days lie ahead and that we all must work together to achieve a shared future of greater peace, prosperity, and understanding. As we continue to make progress against COVID-19, I hope that soon our virtual celebrations will return to the joy and community we feel gathering together with family and friends.
Happy Nowruz!
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/20/statement-from-president-biden-marking-nowruz/
Six lions found dead and mutilated in one of Uganda's best-known national parks, with wildlife traffickers suspected of having poisoned the big cats. The lion carcasses were found in Queen Elizabeth National Park with most of their body parts missing and surrounded by dead vultures.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-21/lions-found-dead-in-uganda-in-suspected-poisoning/100019512
Giannis finds himself surrounded by three Spurs defenders but dunks it anyways
https://streamable.com/9r0twp
Matisse Thybulle gets the baseline block and save
https://streamable.com/miqwgr
Tobias Harris puts up 29/11/8 in 30 min on 12/18 shooting in a night without Embiid, Simmons, or Seth Curry
The Philadelphia 76ers (29-13) defeat the Sacramento Kings (17-25) 129-105, despite Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Seth Curry all out due to injury thanks to big games from Tobias Harris and Shake Milton.
The Milwaukee Bucks (27-14) defeat the San Antonio Spurs (22-17), 120-108, led by a career high 15 assists from Giannis
Giannis shows off some footwork to make space for the fadeaway midrange jumper
https://streamable.com/1h7e5c
Lonnie Walker with an new career high scoring night: 31/6/1 on 13/21 overall and 5/9 from 3
Philippines says 220 Chinese militia vessels seen in disputed waters this month
http://reuters.com/article/us-philippines-china-southchinasea/philippines-says-220-chinese-militia-vessels-seen-in-disputed-waters-this-month-idUSKBN2BD02P?il=0
90% of national government activity has ceased. Factories are idled. Cargo sits at ports uncollected. After a military coup, Myanmar's people shut down the country in protest
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/19/world/asia/myanmar-workers-strike.html
Defense Sec. Austin makes unannounced visit to Afghanistan as President Biden's administration faces a decision on whether to withdraw troops by a May 1 deadline as required in a US agreement with the Taliban.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/defense-secretary-austin-makes-unannounced-visit-afghanistan-n1261687
Spring thaw? They've begun to take down some of the fencing and barbed wire around the Capitol Complex and House and Senate offices.
https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1373649172004544517/photo/1
https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1373649172004544517/photo/2
https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1373649172004544517/photo/3
https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1373649172004544517/photo/4
https://twitter.com/DJJudd/status/1373649172004544517?s=20
100 kids in a room. Mattresses just inches from one another. 200+ border agents diverted to care for children. 35 cases of coronavirus detected at one HHS facility. Senators describe conditions for children arriving alone at the border:
https://washingtonpost.com/politics/senators-border-minors-press-access/2021/03/20/c4ce50ce-89c2-11eb-8a67-f314e5fcf88d_story.html
It's not Joe Biden's Senate anymore. The last time Biden served in the Senate full-time was 13 years ago, back in 2008 before he became Barack Obama's Vice President. And there was a very different group of people in the Senate. All presidents come to town with hope for pushing through a bipartisan agenda, before running into the reality of a divided Washington, but some people believed Joe Biden's experience in the Senate and his knowledge of its personalities meant it might be different this time. It doesn't look like it so far. President Biden's first major victory in Congress, the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, came on a straight party-line Senate vote. Issues such as immigration and health care don't look like they will be any easier. That result, however, may have less to do with Biden than with the changing nature of the U.S. Senate itself. The numbers show this is not Joe Biden's Senate anymore and the last few weeks provided more evidence that more change is coming. The last time Biden served in the Senate full-time was 13 years ago, back in 2008 before he became Barack Obama's Vice President. And there was a very different group of people in the Senate. In total, two-thirds of the senators currently in the body did not serve with the President in the upper chamber. Only 31 current senators have ever worked with Sen. Joe Biden. And if there were hopes for Biden being able to build bipartisan bridges, he was left with a much smaller group of potential partners with whom to work. More than half of those Senate departures with Biden connections were Republicans. And some of those names - John McCain, Richard Lugar, John Warner, Olympia Snowe - were Republican senators with a reputation for working across the aisle. That brings us to Republican Roy Blunt of Missouri who recently announced he would not seek another term in the Senate. His impending departure now makes five Republicans bowing out in the 2022 midterm elections. Blunt joins Alabama's Richard Shelby, North Carolina's Richard Burr, Ohio's Rob Portman and Pennsylvania's Pat Toomey. Those senators aren't all necessarily champions of bipartisanship. Some are fairly conservative, but they largely represent the governing arm of the GOP, the more policy-driven part of the party. And in reality, that part of the Republican party has been in retreat for a while. The Republican voices in the Senate have changed a lot since just 2016, when Donald Trump won the White House. About 25% of the Senate Republicans, 13 of them, arrived with Donald Trump in 2016 or have won their seats since. Most have brought a more defiant, Trumpian tone with them. There are exceptions, of course, such as Utah's Mitt Romney. But more are in the mold of Missouri's Josh Hawley, Alabama's Tommy Tuberville and Tennessee's Marsha Blackburn, who sought Trump's endorsement and used it to win. And with the five announced Republican departures in 2022, the post-Trump Republican figure in the Senate is set to climb. It could reach 35% of the Senate Republicans - or more. All of which is to say, the Biden Administration might want to get used to the path it took to pass the COVID relief bill on Capitol Hill. The initial hopes about the Biden being able to build bridges were based in part on a Senate that doesn't really exist anymore. And even if the Democrats defy historical trends and hold or grow their majorities in both houses of Congress in the 2022 midterms, the path to bipartisanship doesn't look like it's going to get any easier.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse has been fined $50,000 by NBA for throwing facemask behind scorer's table and toward the stands and directing profanity toward official.
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1373673773027708932
Last year, Zoom saw its profits increase by more than 4,000%. The company's federal income taxes? $0. How? The platform appears to be using the same recipe as well-known corporate tax avoiders Amazon and Netflix.
https://itep.org/zoom-pays-0-in-federal-income-taxes-on-pandemic-profits/
________________________
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/21/statement-by-president-biden-on-turkeys-withdrawal-from-the-istanbul-convention/
Statement by President Biden on Turkey's Withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention
March 21, 2021 • Statements and Releases
Turkey's sudden and unwarranted withdrawal from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention, is deeply disappointing. Around the world, we are seeing increases in the number of domestic violence incidents, including reports of rising femicide in Turkey, the first nation to sign the convention. Countries should be working to strengthen and renew their commitments to ending violence against women, not rejecting international treaties designed to protect women and hold abusers accountable. This is a disheartening step backward for the international movement to end violence against women globally.
Gender-based violence is a scourge that touches every nation in every corner of the world. In the past few weeks, we've seen too many examples of horrific and brutal assaults on women, including the tragic murders in Georgia. And we've seen the broader damage that living under the daily specter of gender-based violence does to women everywhere. It hurts all of us, and we all must do more to create societies where women are able to go about their lives free from violence.
________________________
French court rules that 20 adult men who raped a 13 year-old girl for two years - and admitted they raped her - cannot be charged with rape because the rapists said they thought she was an adult and therefore the rape was consensual
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/03/19/france-firefighters-consent-julie/
Iran threatened to attack Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., as well as the Army's vice chief of staff. Communications intercepted by the National Security Agency (NSA) showed that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) discussed carrying out a "USS Cole-style attacks" on Fort McNair in January, referencing the 2000 suicide attack against the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer in Yemen's Aden harbor that left 17 sailors dead. The IRGC communications also revealed threats to kill Gen. Joseph M. Martin, the AP reports, who lives at Fort McNair.
https://apnews.com/article/national-security-iran-only-on-ap-army-1285df40348182e1b74dc403607c5928
Bam Adebayo mashes it all over Domantas Sabonis
https://streamable.com/diib5o
Myles Turner blocks Tyler Herro twice
https://streamable.com/k5438j
Lu Dort with the huge block on John Wall to keep the Thunder up 1 and Pokusevski grabs the rebound
https://streamable.com/r3xl1n
Zion glides down the lane and dunks in the general vicinity of Millsap and Jokic
https://streamable.com/o8p9gb
The surge of desperate young people from countries such as Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador fleeing gang or drug-related violence, rape and sexual abuse, and economic crises exacerbated by drought or floods made worse by climate change, has increased in the two months since Biden became 46th president with a promise to undo the human rights abuses of the Donald Trump years and make America more welcoming to the region's refugees. Right now, the number of unaccompanied migrant youths - about 10,000 in the hands of the Department of Health and Human Services, and another 5,000 with Customs and Border Protection - is double the previous record. The border situation is neither the first crisis facing the new administration nor close to the biggest - not with a pandemic that has killed more than 500,000 Americans and the related economic crisis leaving 10 million out of work - but it is the nation's most visible problem that can be so easily demagogued by Republicans looking to score cheap political points against a popular president, or get lapped up by Beltway journalists eager to go back to the brunch of lazy punditry. Indeed, the Sunday morning talk shows - ABC even flew its panelists to an outdoor location at the border - seemed to openly salivate at a return to the days of swinging at Democrats with a club furnished by the RNC. That said, I do think Biden is making some mistakes here - not in his actual policies but rather in the predictably timid and counterproductive way he's portraying them to the American people. The media does need greater access to what's really happening at the border, because it's idiotic to push for improved human rights while 1) ignoring transparency or denying robust press freedom. And it's also self-defeating for Biden's chief spokesperson, Jen Psaki, to struggle mightily to keep from calling the border situation "a crisis." Look, when thousands of teenagers are risking their lives to ride atop dangerous trains or trek through arid desert to flee the places they were born, that is, by any definition, a crisis. But we need to stop the political BS and talk honestly about what the crisis is and how to fix it. It's true - and understandable - that given the desire of so many Central Americans to flee to a better life, the number of asylum seekers would increase when a president who embraces the United States' uneven tradition of welcoming the world's refugees replaces a president whose cruelty-is-the-point immigration policies meant ripping toddlers away from their mothers, and other policies meant to lower the tally of unauthorized border crossings by means of human suffering. Team Biden is working to roll back maybe the most counterproductive Trump policy - by again allowing Central Americans to apply for asylum in their native country instead of forcing a dangerous trek north - but that's going to take a while to take root. We should be honest in acknowledging that there's a humanitarian crisis at America's southern border that starts with a humanitarian crisis in Central America - and the United States has an obligation to help solve these problems, in part because decades of imperialistic and often misguided policies in the region helped cause them. That's going to take time and some patience - something that's painfully hard to find amid the chung of "Fox News Alerts" - but America is going to need to increase its foreign aid in those countries in a way that helps people, and not dictators. Likewise, a country that just sent most of its citizens a $1,400 check probably has the cash to construct comfortable buildings and hire enough staff to treat the current crush of asylum seekers both more quickly and more humanely. At the end of the day, what's important isn't the number of border crossings, but the individual humanity of the refugees exercising their legal right to seek asylum in the United States. The politicians and the pundits trying to push America back to the "good old days" of 2018, of ripping families apart or condemning them to inhumane refugee camps in Mexico, are shameless. The Biden administration should call this a crisis, but also be clear-eyed about how this happened and transparent about how they're trying to fix it. It's way past time for America to get out of the shadows of border cruelty and and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.
NO: Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball -- rookie of the year frontrunner -- is expected to miss the rest of the season with a fracture to his right wrist
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1373799483973193739
Luka Doncic is now shooting 40% from 3 over the last 30 games
Julius Randle drills the 3 to tie the game at 88 with 5.4 seconds left
https://streamable.com/zsi33q
CP3 lobs it up to Ayton, achieving his 10,000th career NBA assists as a result
https://streamable.com/t9wxku
The Philadelphia 76ers (30-13) defeat the New York Knicks (21-22) in OT, 101 - 100
The Phoenix Suns (28-13) defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (28-15), 111 - 94
Randle on the end of the Knicks/Sixers game: "Blown call by the officials. Not enough contact for them to call the play. I don't know who it was – Nerlens – but clearly he had possession. After all the fouling and everything that was going on, for them to call that and decide the game is fucking ridiculous. They have to do a better job. It's too many games like this."
https://twitter.com/StevePopper/status/1373839347976433666
The ending of the Knicks/Sixers game, including the foul call that gave Tobias Harris a chance to tie the game and give the Sixers the lead, and the shot by Randle that almost went in to beat the buzzer.
https://streamable.com/tfxv3z
Dwight Howard with the finesse touch pass to Simmons
https://streamable.com/wrgdj1
Endless injuries: Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful for tomorrow's game against the Indiana Pacers with a left knee sprain.
https://twitter.com/KanePitman/status/1373796411876122629
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