Fracking Special Interests Spent Big in 2016 Elections – EXPOSEDbyCMD

Corporations that profit from fracking funneled millions to PACs for “independent expenditures” in the 2016 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

For example, the fracking giant Devon Energy gave $500,000 to the “Congressional Leadership Fund,” a Super PAC “exclusively dedicated to protecting and strengthening the Republican Majority in the House of Representatives.” Devon is notorious for helping to bankroll the fight against citizens in Denton, Texas, who won a bid to ban fracking in 2014 .

The Denton ban passed with 59% of the vote, but Texas state legislators and members of the American Legislative Exchange Council nullified that local initiative and pre-empted. Devon spent $195,000 in disclosed spending in the local battle and has spent an untold sum to influence the results local and in the state capitol.

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Source: Fracking Special Interests Spent Big in 2016 Elections – EXPOSEDbyCMD

How Will Trump Deal with Conflicts of Interest?

How Will Trump Deal with Conflicts of Interest?
by dianeravitch
Donald Trump owns a sprawling international empire of scores of business interests, many of them in other countries. Other presidents have placed their assets in a blind trust to remove any conflict of interest. Trump has refused to do so. He says his adult children will manage the business but he can’t be unaware that his decisions as president will affect the success of his empire.

During the campaign, Trump broke tradition by refusing to release his tax returns. Now it appears there is no likelihood that he will seaparate himself from his far-flung business interests.
https://dianeravitch.net/2016/11/20/how-will-trump-deal-with-conflicts-of-interest/

Diane Ravitch's blog

Donald Trump owns a sprawling international empire of scores of business interests, many of them in other countries. Other presidents have placed their assets in a blind trust to remove any conflict of interest. Trump has refused to do so. He says his adult children will manage the business but he can’t be unaware that his decisions as president will affect the success of his empire.

During the campaign, Trump broke tradition by refusing to release his tax returns. Now it appears there is no likelihood that he will seaparate himself from his far-flung business interests.

Turkey is a nation in crisis, scarred by government crackdowns following a failed coup attempt and on a potential collision course with the West. It is also home to a valuable revenue stream for the president-elect’s business empire: Trump Towers Istanbul.

Donald Trump’s company has been paid up to $10 million by the tower’s…

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Did The NRA Win The Election For Trump? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Did The NRA Win The Election For Trump? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.
by mikethegunguy
The boys from Fairfax didn’t wait one second to announce that the $30 million they ponied up for Trump television ads was money well spent; Wayne-o called his members the “special forces that swung this election” and then asked for a few bucks. Chris-o got on the NRA-ILA website and intoned that the election showed that ‘gun rights are not for sale.’ But gun-nut hyperbole notwithstanding, does Trump owe his victory to the NRA? https://mikethegunguy.com/2016/11/18/did-the-nra-win-the-election-for-trump-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha/

The boys from Fairfax didn’t wait one second to announce that the $30 million they ponied up for Trump television ads was money well spent; Wayne-o called his members the “special forces that swung this election” and then asked for a few bucks. Chris-o got on the NRA-ILA website and intoned that the election showed that ‘gun rights are not for sale.’ But gun-nut hyperbole notwithstanding, does Trump owe his victory to the NRA?

            In the four ‘firewall’ states (PA, MI, OH, FL) the GOP vote increased 9% – a not-inconsiderable jump. On the other hand, in those same four states, Clinton’s vote in those states showed a deficit of 4%.  Overall, Trump’s gain was greater than HRC’s loss, but had she improved on Obama’s 2012 performance by a measly 2%, the aggregate vote for those four, crucial states would have gone her way.

That’s all fine and…

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Carol Burris on Trump and his education plan | BustED Pencils

Carol Burris on Trump and his education plan by Michael Peña

If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve seen me post about needing to erase the boundaries that divided us in the past. In 2017, the attacks on education are going to be brutal and we need to be speaking with one voice.

Privatization is coming.

Read “Trump opposes federal involvement in education. But do his plans ensure a ‘Race to the Bank’?” over at the WaPo.

Michael Peña | November 20, 2016 at 11:39 pm | URL: http://bustedpencils.com/?p=3329

Source: Carol Burris on Trump and his education plan | BustED Pencils

Seattle’s response to the election: Student walk outs, community meetings and more

Seattle’s response to the election: Student walk outs, community meetings and more
by seattleducation2010
This is one of the many reasons I love Seattle. First, a press release: All School Walkout and Students Protest for Solidarity November 14, 2016 Students all across Seattle, will be hosting a walkout and gathering to protest the election of Trump to office. There have been several walkouts organized after the election of Donald […]

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seattleducation2010 | November 14, 2016 at 10:37 AM | Tags: Seattle responds to Trump presidency | Categories: A Better Way | URL: http://wp.me/pNbRQ-6hc

Seattle Education

This is one of the many reasons I love Seattle.

First, a press release:

All School Walkout and Students Protest for Solidarity

November 14, 2016

Students all across Seattle, will be hosting a walkout and gathering to protest the election of Trump to office. There have been several walkouts organized after the election of Donald trump. Now, students invite the community to come see for themselves why they are so opposed to Trump’s leadership.

The walkout will take place starting at 1:30 from the students school of origin (included schools: Franklin, Garfeild, The Center School, Nova, Sealth, and UW). Students will then meet up at Cal Anderson park (1653 11th Ave, Seattle WA, 98122) at 2:30. It’s a positive opportunity to show the greater Seattle community how much they care / are impacted by the issue.

The students will also be hosting a later “Protest for Solidarity” at Westlake Park…

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Writer’s Weekend Edition – On Finding My (Civic) Voice

Jamie Lee Wallace writes, “The piece I’m sharing today is a column that I wrote for my local paper just before the election. I hesitated to submit it to my editor because both the topic and tone were a departure for me. Most of my columns, which are read by friends and neighbors and acquaintances that I may run into on the street, are about the seasons, family, and nature. My themes are usually about slowing down, taking time to appreciate the small things, and being kind to each other.

Despite the small voice of concern in my head, I did submit the column; and now that the election is over, I find that I am revisiting these words with renewed attention and a deeper sense of responsibility.”
More here: https://nhwn.wordpress.com/2016/11/19/writers-weekend-edition-on-finding-my-civic-voice/

Live to Write - Write to Live

When we writers talk about “voice,” we are usually thinking of our artistic voice. I have written a number of posts about literary voice including this one and this one. But the changing political and social landscape of the country I live in has me pondering a different kind of voice.

The piece I’m sharing today is a column that I wrote for my local paper just before the election. I hesitated to submit it to my editor because both the topic and tone were a departure for me. Most of my columns, which are read by friends and neighbors and acquaintances that I may run into on the street, are about the seasons, family, and nature. My themes are usually about slowing down, taking time to appreciate the small things, and being kind to each other.

Despite the small voice of concern in my head, I did submit…

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Trump’s Immigration Proposals Threaten the Lives of Young Adults, Adolescents, and Children

Jan Resseger writes, “It is important to get one thing really clear about immigration: any changes in DACA or any mass expulsion of immigrant families will have the most tragic consequences for two groups: children and young adults. There are two groups of vulnerable young people—adolescents and young adults who were brought here by their undocumented parents and who remain undocumented all these years later—and the children who were born here as U.S. citizens but who are the dependent children of undocumented parents who may be expelled. Both groups of young people face a frightening future under President-elect Trump’s proposed immigration policies. Enormous linguistic, educational, cultural and personal challenges loom.”
Read more here: https://janresseger.wordpress.com/2016/11/18/trumps-immigration-proposals-threaten-the-lives-of-young-adults-adolescents-and-children/

janresseger

President-elect Donald Trump says his immigration policy is about building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico (that Mexico will supposedly pay for) and deporting immigrants with criminal records.

He has also threatened to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, by which President Obama protected the rights of the young adults—those known as Dreamers—who came to the United States as young children but who, as non-citizens, have struggled to qualify for in-state tuition and scholarships at their state colleges and universities and even to get work permits.  These are young people who have very likely known only the United States as home and who speak English at school and in the workplace. The DACA program— established by executive order—could be immediately overturned by our new president.

It is important to get one thing really clear about immigration: any changes in DACA or any mass expulsion of immigrant…

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