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April 2017

Posted by Mary Chastain on April 16, 2017 15 Comments
Turkish citizens went to the booths today to vote on a constitutional reform that would grant President Recep Tayyip Erdogan more powers. The polls have closed and Erdogan has claimed victory with 51.3% yes votes. But the opposition parties have contested these results that allow the government to "abolish the post of prime minister and entrench one-man rule." This makes Erdogan "the country's most dominant leader since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish republic."

Posted by Leslie Eastman on April 16, 2017 2 Comments
It appears that many Americans approve of how President Donald Trump is governing, and they are already backing his 2020 reelection efforts with some hard-earned cash.
President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is off to a quick start, pulling in $13.2 million through a trio of committees in the first three months of the year, while paying an unusually large staff of about 20 employees, according to records filed Friday evening with the Federal Election Commission. Nearly 80 percent of the cash raised by the three committees — Donald J. Trump for President, Trump Victory, and Trump Make America Great Again Committee — came from small donors.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 16, 2017 3 Comments
Last Friday we reported on the stabbing death of Hannah Bladon, Palestinian terrorist stabs British student to death on Jerusalem Light Rail: That stabbing took place as Jews were gathering in the Old City for Passover. While some have tried to write this off as not a terror attack because the attacker had a history of mental illness, in fact the incident fit a pattern in the so-called Stabbing Intifada of Palestinians with personal or emotional problems acting out with murderous intent to regain family or personal honor, What motivates Palestinians who commit “suicide by Israeli cop”? The Times of Israel reports that the attacker did, in fact, have that motivation:

Posted by Leslie Eastman on April 16, 2017 16 Comments
Shortly after being elected President, Donald Trump expressed that he wanted to find ways to remove the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and put a stop-payment on a $500 million check Obama wrote for the UN Climate fund days before Trump's inauguration. However, close to Trump's 100-day presidential milestone, it is now being reported that a showdown between Trump's advisors and cabinet members is set to occur next week over this inane international agreement.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on April 15, 2017 25 Comments
(Updates placed at the end of the post.) US military officials are reporting that North Korea attempt to launch a missile along its east coast, but it blew up almost immediately.
...It’s unclear why it failed. The missile was launched from Sinpo, on its east coast. The Yonhap news agency in South Korea first reported the failed launch, citing the South Korean military. “The North attempted to launch an unidentified missile from near the Sinpo region this morning but it is suspected to have failed,” the South’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement

Posted by Fuzzy Slippers on April 15, 2017 17 Comments
While losing the House seat vacated by Tom Price in Georgia's 6th district will make little immediate difference in real terms for  Republicans, doing so will provide an unwelcome boost of morale and momentum to anti-Trump regressives.   Democrats and "resist we much" activists across the country know this, understand the momentum such a victory would create, and are unleashing all of their resources on this tiny, mostly conservative district near Atlanta. Team Obama, Hollywood has-been Samuel L. Jackson, and outside volunteers and money are flooding into the district with the hopes of scoring a win on Tuesday for the anti-Trump "resistance."  To that end, they are all rallying behind progressive Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Posted by Mary Chastain on April 15, 2017 5 Comments
Earlier this month, Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that at least 100 gay men disappeared in Chechnya due to "their non-traditional sexual orientation, or suspicion of such." Chechnya and Russia immediately denied these claims, but outlets have started to reach out to those who had been detained, thus giving support to the report. From The Guardian:
At least once a day, Adam’s captors attached metal clamps to his fingers and toes. One of the men then cranked a handle on a machine to which the clamps were linked with wires, and sent powerful electric shocks through his body. If he managed not to scream, others would join in, beating him with wooden sticks or metal rods.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on April 15, 2017 0 Comments
Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, will become the first non-citizen to light a torch during Israel’s main Independence Day ceremony this year.
Hier, who in January delivered a prayer during the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, is one of three individuals selected for the honor by the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Calcalist financial supplement of the Yediot Acharonot daily reported Friday.

Posted by Mark Finkelstein on April 15, 2017 38 Comments
For someone who styles herself an advocate of diversity, Joy Reid has a funny way of shutting down diverse voices. Legal Insurrection has documented how in the past she has silenced and even ejected guests who ran afoul of her speech codes. Back at it today, Reid reprimanded Republican consultant Katon Dawson for referring to the "Democrat" party. "On this show, we say Democratic," instructed Reid, telling Dawson that "we're going to have to sit down. We're going to have a talking-to." Being lectured by Joy Reid: now there's something to look forward to!
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