Monday, July 31, 2017

GOP Health Care Effort Flounders

Republican efforts to repeal the Obama’s signature health care law, or at least make changes to it, has continued to fail to produce fruit as Democrats continue their steadfast opposition and Senate Republicans cannot reach a consensus on the path forward.

GOP moderates, especially Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AL), and conservatives such as Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have considered elements of the other side’s plans untenable in getting them for a final bill. Plans that would have repealed parts of the bill and replace them with GOP plans have failed, as have plans to repeal the plan without a replacement one waiting.

On early Friday morning, the Senate rejected a so-called “skinny repeal,” which would have repealed the individual mandate, the most hated part of Obamacare by many Republicans, and eliminated certain taxes. The bill was notable in that House Speaker Paul Ryan gave assurances to some senators that the House will not pass that bill, giving them clearance to vote for it without having to be held fully accountable if made law. Still, it failed, with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) joining Collins and Murkowski in voting it down.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Trump Open to Opening More of Atlantic, Arctic to Drilling

The White House has sent signals that it could open up more of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans to oil exploration, which would reverse prior Obama administration policy prohibiting petroleum drilling in those areas. The Interior Department is also exploring opportunities to allow more drilling off the coast of most of the US mainland.

These steps comes as Trump aims to make the US a greater player in the world oil market, though the possible expansion in supply comes at a time when oil prices are at a low point. Additional increases in supply could translate into reduced costs in the rest of the economy, but greater losses for many oil producers.


Thursday, June 8, 2017

British Exit Polling Threatens Hung Parliament, Results Begin to Come In

The snap general election in the UK called by Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May back in April aimed to expand the Conservative majority in the British Parliament as the government heads into discussions with the European Union to begin Brexit negotiations. Her goal of a larger Conservative presence in Parliament does not seem to have been met, however, based on early returns and exit polling and predictions.

An exit poll released shortly after polls closed at 10 PM local time indicated that Conservatives would fall just short of a majority in Parliament, with 314 seats (out of 326 needed for a majority) with the Labour Party coming in second with 266. It predicted a sharp decline for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), with slight gains for the Liberal Democrats and a decline for the Scottish National Party (SNP).

If no party gains a majority, a party would be forced to form a coalition with smaller parties. The Liberal Democrats, who formed a coalition government with the Conservatives from 2010-2015, have sworn off such a solution involving them. The SNP has said it would join with Labour to form a coalition government should it be possible. The Conservatives can rely on two small center-right parties to create a coalition.

Results can be followed here. As of 2:48 local time, Conservatives have gained 6 seats, Labour 9. 

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Trump Selects Neil Gorsuch for Supreme Court

President Trump announced his selection for the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the late Justice Antonin Scalia last year, with Neil Gorsuch of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals as his pick. Trump said of Gorsuch at the announcement address, "The qualifications of Judge Gorsuch are beyond dispute. He is the man of our country and a man who our country really needs and needs badly to ensure the rule of law and the rule of justice."

Gorsuch has served on the Tenth Circuit Appeal Court since 2006, where he was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by voice vote. A native of Denver, Colorado, he is the son of  Anne Gorsuch Burford, Environmental Protection Agency head under Reagan. He received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, where he founded The Fed, a satirical newspaper, along with Andrew Levy, now a Fox News personality. He graduated from Harvard Law School and received a degree from the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar.

Calling Scalia a "lion of the law" at the announcement, Gorsuch is known for his advocacy an originalist, textualist approach in interpreting the Constitution, similar to that of Scalia. Gorsuch will likely most often side with the conservative side of the court should he be confirmed, giving the court a 5-4 conservative majority, with Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy (for whom Gorsuch had once clerked) as the swing vote.

Democrats have begun to announce their opposition to Gorsuch, many angered that Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, received no hearing or vote by the Republican Senate. Sen. Jeff Merkely (D-OR) released a press statement, saying, "This is a stolen seat being filled by an illegitimate and extreme nominee (Gorsuch), and I will do everything in my power to stand up against this assault on the Court.”

If more Democrats feel the same way, it could set a lengthy, tense confirmation battle in the weeks ahead.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

OPINION: Not Racist, Not Sexist, Just Trump

Credit: Gage Skidmore
By Luis H. Cavazos

Donald Trump’s winning the 2016 election was certainly interesting and undoubtedly shocking. Accepting him has not been easy for his detractors, but for his supporters it gives many of them a cause for unmitigated celebration. Trump’s victory seems to be the first time a so-called “outsider” has been able to pull off a win for the Presidency.

One of the main arguments by his detractors for the inherent unacceptability of his presidency for me is somewhat straining, that is, that Donald Trump is a raging sexist. That is simply not the case and is absurd at the highest level, and the main architect for all of this rhetoric is the mainstream media, the upper echelon of academia, and of course the wonderful, loving, and ever so graceful "social justice warriors" which infect our nation’s ivory towers.

Wrestling magnate and former Senate candidate Linda McMahon has been chosen as another cabinet member in Mr. Trump’s administration, and she is not the only one chosen either: Nikki Haley, Elaine Chao (who is also an Asian immigrant), Betsy Devos, among possible others. Apparently, after these incredible cabinet decisions, Mr. Trump is still sexist, mean, and evil incarnate. If you look closely however, at everything Trump has done, it is to always be inclusive of everybody of all types.

Now the point I am trying express is that the "old white man’s" GOP does not exist, and if it somehow ever did it has since died. I would also say that we as Americans should stop attacking our new incoming president as if he were some sort of woman-hater as the media and left are making him out to be, instead of focusing on the diversity and the intelligence he is bringing to a new and forthcoming four years, of which I am delighted to be a part. We as a country should move far from the high school bullying of the new president and focus on the new modern era that is bringing jobs to everyone, women and men of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and races. Disagree with Trump all you want, yell at him in front of your TV if you desire so, but don't let it be because he’s a sexist or the party that nominated him is, rather let it be from the political ideology for which he stands. That is what a republic is supposed to include, arguments based upon ideas and not upon silly nonsense gossip and malice from members of the media and sheltered college students.

Can we all just agree to get back the real issues, shall we!


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