The incomparable David Dayen, writing at In These Times, describes growing activism on behalf of the creation of "public banks," which "would leverage tax revenue to make low-interest loans for local public works projects, small businesses, affordable housing and student loans, spurring economic growth while saving people -- and the government -- money." Don't believe bankster hype that this would be "socialism" (Tea Partiers and Occupiers both seem to love it, and the one thriving public bank in America is the Bank of North Dakota), and certainly don't believe bankster hype that public banks would "risk" taxpayers' money -- you know, like banksters already do with taxpayers' money whenever a "public/private partnership" forms.
The Russian supreme court bans Jehovah's Witnesses from operating there. Because, apparently, they're "extremists" -- or, more precisely, because they showed "signs" of extremist activity, the word "signs" emanating from the Russian Justice Ministry's own mouthpiece. In case you were wondering, Russia's bottomless hatred of Jehovah's Witnesses has been going on for decades -- Communist Russia hated all religions, but really had it in for the Witnesses; now contemporary gangster-capitalist Russia likes the big orthodox religions, but really has it in for the Witnesses. I wouldn't blame you if that didn't seem a whole lot like progress to you.
Executive Orders or not, I don't particularly think President Trump would really reform the H-1B visa program, but the Economic Policy Institute reminds us that the H-1B program needs reforming. Sens. Grassley (R-IA) and Sanders (I-VT) tried a decade ago to prevent corporations that had recently laid off workers from filing H-1B requests, and good for them, because it ain't racist to point out that corporations use H-1B visas to drive wages down for all Americans. I don't think Mr. Trump really has this in mind, though I would be happy to be wrong about that.
Trump Administration moves civil servant off her current assignment after right-wing news outlets whine about her "loyalty" to Mr. Trump. Turns out Ms. Nowrouzzadeh helped work on the Iran nuclear deal, and I'm sure opposition coming from outlets like Breitbart has nothing at all to do with her Iranian ancestry. How nice to see right-wing media outlets acting just as badly in Republican times as they do in Democrat times. And what did President Big Balls do? Bow to them, just like Mr. Obama used to. How about we stop enabling the whining brats, you know, like adults would do?
Finally, several psychiatrists at a Yale University conference warn that President Trump has a "dangerous mental illness" and is unfit to be President. I've long said that Mr. Trump isn't crazy, he's just a jerk, and these folks haven't changed my mind -- none of them have actually put Mr. Trump into analysis, and yet of course they say there's "too much at stake" to remain silent. Then call him a jerk! Making him into a mental patient not only insults the folks who struggle with mental illnesses, it doesn't help us deal with him.
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