Stephan: The one constant amongst the people appointed by Trump to senior positions is that they are all corrupt former lobbyists for the economic sector they are now supposed to oversee and regulate... or not. To a person, they are doing everything they can to help their corporate masters at the expense of the American populace.
Genetically modified plants with engineered traits similar to those that could be achieved through traditional breeding would be exempt from federal regulations under a proposed U.S. Department of Agriculture rule.
Credit: Jessie Higgins/UPI
EVANSVILLE, Ind., June 10 (UPI) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to deregulate many future genetically engineered crops.
The move is “in response to advances in genetic engineering,” the USDA said in a statement.
The changes are detailed in a proposed new rule that would revise the agency’s current method for regulating genetically modified plants. The USDA is currently accepting comments on the proposal.
As of Monday, none had been submitted, and the public response from both industry groups and scientists so far has been fairly mute as the groups digest the complex proposed new regulations.
Officials at the American Seed Trade Association — which represents companies that produce and distribute seeds and breed plants — said they […]
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JOSH ISRAEL, - Think Progress
Stephan: I keep saying that the Republican Party does not like or support honest democracy, and the reason I keep saying that is things like this keep happening.
What amazes me is that it is all done so openly, there is no shame, it is all transactional. A portion of us, these representatives and those who voted for them, no longer support a fair and vital democracy. They have something else in mind, and they don't hide it.
Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX), who took over the lead on the committee’s investigation after committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) recused himself.
Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty
The House of Representatives passed the Securing America’s Federal Elections Act (SAFE Act) on Thursday, on a 225 to 184 vote. While the bill’s provisions to ensure a paper trail for American’s ballots, give accessibility and privacy for citizens with disabilities, and avoid foreign rigging would seem fairly non-controversial, just one Republican voted for the bill, along with all 224 Democrats present.
Back in 2018, the Republican majority on the House Intelligence Committee issued a report following its investigation into whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election and whether President Donald Trump’s campaign illegally coordinated with Russia’s meddling efforts. The investigation and report — which drew criticism from the committee’s Democrats, who called it “superficial” — were led by Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX).
While Conaway and his team said they did not find any illegal coordination by Trump, they did find significant meddling by Russia and […]
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Declan Walsh, Eric Schmitt and John Ismay, - The New York Times
Stephan: Part of the American military-industrial corporate strategy is to encourage the sale of weaponry to countries in upheaval. And no where is there a bigger market or customers with deeper pockets than in the middle east. And of course the recipient-purchasers use those materials for their own purposes. This is what happened to some of it.
Now Trump is selling nuclear technology to Saudi and a prince who... well, you know the story, and Trump is quite clear why he is doing it. Once again it is corporate profit over any other consideration. This isn't geopolitical strategy, this is greed.
Photos, as yet unverified, but probable of American weaponry found in Libya
Libyan government fighters discovered a cache of powerful American missiles, usually sold only to close American allies, at a captured rebel base in the mountains south of Tripoli this week.
The four Javelin anti-tank missiles, which cost more than $170,000 each, had ended up bolstering the arsenal of Gen. Khalifa Hifter, whose forces are waging a military campaign to take over Libya and overthrow a government the United States supports.
Markings on the missiles’ shipping containers indicate that they were originally sold to the United Arab Emirates, an important American partner, in 2008.
If the Emirates transferred the weapons to General Hifter, it would likely violate the sales agreement with the United States as well as a United Nations arms embargo.
Officials at the State Department and Defense Department said Friday they had opened investigations into how the weapons ended up on the Libyan battlefield.
“We take all allegations of misuse of U.S. origin defense articles […]
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Stephan: This article makes a very good point. The problem with America is the White christofascist cult of Americans, the Trumpers, and the only thing that will fix what they are doing to the country is enough young people and women voting for the Democratic candidate.
Yes, I know the Democratic leadership is spineless and cynical in its calculations. It doesn't matter. The only way we are going to return to a country of laws, and create a society based on fostering wellbeing is if enough non-Trumpers vote, and clean out the zombies of both parties and replace them with a House and Senate of ethical humans, and retake the White House. That means, you, me, our friends and family, and their friends and so on. Are you up for it?
Credit: The Daily Beast
An elevator pitch is a simplified version of a complex idea, used to woo a potential investor, editor, sponsor or someone else with the power to “greenlight” a project. An elevator pitch should take no longer than 30 seconds.
The 20 Democratic candidates on stage during the first two nights of first presidential debates each had only slightly more time than that to sell their ideas to the American people.
On Wednesday night, Sen. Elizabeth Warren dominated among a field of lesser, “second-tier” candidates as deemed by their polling numbers. She is a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination. In essence, Warren was the adult at the kid’s table. Julián Castro and Sen. Cory Booker put in noteworthy performances — although they are essentially auditioning for vice president.
On Thursday night, Sen. Kamala Harris showed herself to be a star and a likely future president of the United States. Bernie Sanders is a broken record playing the same old song — albeit a good one — but the […]
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Stephan: You just can't make this stuff up. Here we have two men the Republicans consider mentally, and emotionally qualified for public office. Really this is actually happening.
Jonathan Parker and Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID)
Republicans have elected a former Tea Party congressman to lead a troubled state party after the previous chair’s stalking scandal.
By a narrow, 2-vote margin, the Idaho Republican Party on Saturday elected former Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) to chair the organization, the Post Register reports.
The preceding elected chairman, Jonathan Parker, stepped down in February, citing his commitment to his wife.
In May, Parker was arrested on a felony charge of first-degree stalking of his wife and is facing five years in prison.
The criminal complaint alleges Parker of “repeatedly hiding in bushes, masturbating, disguising himself with a wig.”
“Labrador was elected to Congress in 2010 and became one of the most high-profile members of the House Freedom Caucus, and he is popular among the Idaho Republican Party’s further-right wing,” the newspaper reminded. “He didn’t seek another term in 2018, instead running for governor and losing the GOP primary to now-Gov. Brad Little.”
Labrador’s passionate support for President Donald […]
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