Monday Open Thread | Yes…the Demons Are STILL After Obamacare

Posted on June 11, 2018 by rikyrah

This came through last week.

Trump’s Justice Department says the ACA is unconstitutional

The Justice Department will not defend the Affordable Care Act in court, and says it believes the law’s individual mandate — the provision the Supreme Court upheld in 2012 — has become unconstitutional.

Why it matters: The Justice Department almost always defends federal laws when they’re challenged in court. Its departure from that norm in this case is a major development — career DOJ lawyers removed themselves from the case as the department announced this shift in its position.

The details: The ACA’s individual mandate requires most people to buy insurance or pay a tax penalty. The Supreme Court upheld that in 2012 as a valid use of Congress’ taxing power.

When Congress claimed it repealed the individual mandate last year, what it actually did was drop the tax penalty to $0.
So the coverage requirement itself is still technically on the books. And a group of Republican attorneys general, representing states led by Texas, say it’s now unconstitutional — because the specific penalty the Supreme Court upheld is no longer in effect.
The Justice Department agreed with that position in a brief filed Thursday night.
DOJ said the courts should strike down the coverage requirement, as well as the provision of the law that forces insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions.

 

From the LA Times:
Got a preexisting condition? The Trump administration wants insurers to deny you coverage

In its latest effort to undermine the Affordable Care Act — and in the process, raise premiums for many Americans — the Trump administration is urging a federal judge in Texas to throw out the law’s protections for people with preexisting conditions.

In other words, the administration wants insurers to be able to deny coverage to the people most in need of it, or to charge them considerably higher premiums than they’re allowed to charge today.

This is jaw-dropping. Even Republicans who’ve complained about Obamacare have been loath to undo the protections for people with preexisting conditions who are not covered by large employers’ health plans. That’s because the public supports them, and unequivocally so.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll in June 2017 showed that 70% of those polled, including 59% of Republicans, wanted Washington to continue barring insurers from charging people with preexisting conditions more for their coverage. Federal law has long provided such protection for people with health benefits at work; the ACA extended it to people shopping independently for insurance.

But then, the administration has done just about everything in its power to toss older, less healthy people under the bus if they’re unfortunate enough not to be covered by employer health insurance plans.

From Andy Slavitt:

Healthcare is WELFARE?

HUH?

Let’s be clear-they want to take away healthcare from everyone, except for those who had it before Obamacare. If you have a pre-existing condition, you will be once again SOL.

Um no…they are only mad that he did this BEFORE the midterms. They aren’t coming out AGAINST what Dolt45 is proposing. Not in strong terms.

So, we have to tell everyone you know. Everywhere you go. Everyone knows someone with a pre-existing condition. Tell them that their vote in November 2018 LITERALLY could mean THEIR LIFE.

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83 Responses to Monday Open Thread | Yes…the Demons Are STILL After Obamacare

  5. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:39 pm

    The media is got damn killing me. Trump is an ignorant buffoon and they’re praising this sob because he’s white. They want him to succeed sooo bad so they can say see what he did that Obama couldn’t.

    Reply
  8. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:51 pm

    Well damn!

    Larry Kudlow has a heart attack after saying, “there’s a special place in hell for Prime Minister Trudeau”.

    https://twitter.com/peterbakernyt/status/1006335241861070848

    Reply
  11. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    No, it’s not worth it…So, don’t do it

    For Black Lives Activists, Engaging in Trump’s Pardon Politics Feels Like a Deal With the Devil

    Is it “worth boosting the reputation of a racist, misogynist, and dangerously authoritarian administration?”

    Brandon E. PattersonJun. 11, 2018 3:24 PM

    Last Wednesday, Alice Marie Johnson,
    a 63-year-old great-grandmother who served more than 20 years of a life sentence for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense, was released from federal prison in Alabama after President Donald Trump commuted her sentence at the request of Kim Kardashian West. The reality TV star, who got
    involved after seeing a news video about Johnson, had met with Trump at
    the White House to plead her case.

    …………………..

    “It’s clear that this is a PR stunt,” says Malkia Cyril, executive director and co-founder of the Center for Media Justice,
    an Oakland-based group focused on the role of surveillance technology in incarcerating people of color. “That said, even a PR stunt can get some of our people free.”

    “We have to make a decision,” she adds, “as to whether getting one or two, or three or four, or 10 people released from prison is worth
    boosting the reputation of a racist, misogynist, and dangerously
    authoritarian administration.”

    https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2018/06/black-lives-matter-donald-trump-pardon-politics-feels-like-deal-with-devil-alice-marie-johnson-1/

    Reply
  17. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 11, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    The IMP from hell strikes again……………………..

    https://twitter.com/axios/status/1006261402355617792

    Reply
  21. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    Late last month, my wife and I took a short road trip through northern New England along the Canadian border. What began as a leisurely weekend stroll ended in a tense standoff with aggressive border patrol agents — uniformed civil servants of the same government I served as an Army infantryman for nearly 10 years.

    As happens with road trips, we’d taken our time, and the evening came fast; we hadn’t made lodging arrangements over the border in Montreal, and rather than fight for a room on short notice, we decided to stick to the U.S. side. So instead of crossing over, we stopped to take pictures at a sleepy rural border point outside Albergh, Vermont.

    At the end of a dirt road, we found a United States obelisk and a sun-faded sign reading “Bienvenue Canada.” The only other scenery was a herd of cows and a cinderblock wall blocking vehicle entrance. We took some silly tourist photos and got back into our car to return to Burlington for the night. As I was putting the vehicle into reverse, a white SUV appeared, approaching slowly before blocking our exit route.

    As the vehicle crept closer, the window rolled down and someone shouted at us. As I rolled down my window, the SUV door popped open and a woman jumped out, running towards our vehicle, screaming garbled accusations about “illegal entry.”

    I honestly couldn’t tell at first if it was a U.S. border patrol agent or one of those volunteer border militiamen. Either way, I knew this was not going to go well.

    More of this escapade at the link. Border Patrol needs to be disbanded along with ICE.

    Reply
  22. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    Dennis Rodman and Sean Hannity leading the US Delegation in Singapore

    ……………………

    Just to compare…

    IF this were 44…

    and, he took along Ro-Ro and I’m trying to find a washed up sports star. got a suggestion?

    The MSM would be howling.

    THE.CURVE.FOR.UNQUALIFIED.WHITE.MEN.IS.REAL.

    Reply
  23. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 12:33 pm

    Anyone tweeted Marc Lamont Hill with today’s Supreme Court ruling?

    Reply
  24. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 12:25 pm

    Everything he does. Everything his administration does -is what it means to be a Republican.
    YOU support putting children in cages.
    YOU support ripping children away from their parents.
    YOU support taking away healthcare from millions.
    YOU support abestos.
    YOU support killing trade.
    YOU support raising the rent on poor people.
    YOU support taking away voting rights.
    YOU support pedophiles for public office.

    THIS is the GOP, and if you aren’t voting for a Democrat – THIS is what you support.

    Coming Out Swinging: A Model for How Democrats Should Immediately Put Republicans on the Defensive

    “This race is not about Donald Trump.

    Now, some of you might be surprised when I say that. After all, my opponent here is surely preparing to say it himself. He’s prepared to distance himself from the man in the White House and to lay claim that he is an independent voice in the era of Donald Trump. He’s prepared to share his own beliefs and policies in a way that makes him disassociated with the head of his very own political party. He will stand before you today and state, clear as day, that nobody tells him what to believe in or how to vote.

    To my opponent then, I say this: prove it.

    Prove to the voters of this district that you don’t agree with the policies of this current administration. Prove that you don’t believe it’s right to discriminate against our Muslim brothers and sisters. Prove that you don’t want to take away health care from those with pre-existing conditions. Prove that you think climate change is real and that we should act on it now to protect future generations. Prove that you respect the humanity of refugees by agreeing that they shouldn’t be separated from their parents. Prove that you believe in human decency in that you don’t want to deport 800,000 young men and women who are contributing to the betterment of their communities and their adopted country. Prove that you actually believe in the First Amendment and don’t believe in punishing those who seek to draw attention to national issues through nonviolent protests. And prove that you think women should be heard and taken seriously when it comes to something as important as sexual assault.

    Because the head of your party does not believe in any of these things. Yet here you stand before us, proudly donning the (R) attached to your name on this November’s ballot. So the question is simple: do you or do you not support modern-day Republican values?

    Reply
  25. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 12:14 pm

    NBC/WSJ poll on whether Mueller investigation should continue,

    By party:
    Rs – 14% yes, 68% no
    Ds – 79% yes, 8% no
    Inds – 42% yes, 33% no

    By education:
    non-college men: 31% yes, 55% no
    non-college women: 31% yes, 44% no
    college grad men: 60% yes, 33% no
    college grad women: 53% yes, 27% no

    By race:
    whites – 41% yes, 42% no
    blacks – 75% yes, 5% no
    Hispanics – 51% yes, 30% no

    Reply
  26. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:39 am

    The impact of today’s SCOTUS opinion on Ohio’s voter purge process: if you don’t vote, the state can take away that right. We can argue about the case all you want but go register, update your registration & vote in EVERY election. Make it a priority to educate yourself & vote. https://t.co/fwE3wtXrPl

    — Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  27. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:38 am

    Have @SenJohnMcCain, @JeffFlake and @SenatorCollins forgotten that they are actual sitting U.S. Senators with the power to bring legislation to the Senate floor? Indignant and apologetic tweets are not the checks and balances that we need. Without real action, all are #complicit.

    — Paula (@PaulaBonaFide) June 11, 2018

    Easy fix, caucus with the Dems and put an end to this idiocy by implementing the checks and balances enshrined in the constitution, but we all know you’d rather just tweet about it to appear as though you actually care. 🚨NEWSFLASH: Tweets are not substantial action. https://t.co/hNzn0FgOwg

    — J-Rod in the PNW (@InTheKlick) June 11, 2018

    You are a US Senator. You hold one of the most powerful offices in our government. Tweets are not checks and balances. Do your job! https://t.co/yX1l32DV70

    — Angela York Crane (@toocanAnj) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  28. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:37 am

    This is a nightmare scenario for voting rights advocates. SCOTUS has effectively given red states the green light to engage in voter purges that disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities. Sotomayor’s dissent is scathing. pic.twitter.com/ORCbXY29vc

    — Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  29. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:36 am

    If you’re upset about Trump
    -ripping families apart at the border
    -attacking Canada, our closest ally or
    -undermining the Western Alliance and American standing in the world

    Do something today to create accountability for him-help a Dem take back the House or Senate or both

    — Neera Tanden 🌊 (@neeratanden) June 10, 2018

    Reply
  30. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:34 am

    This case is a stark reminder that the Trump administration wants to turn back the clock on voting rights.

    For decades, DOJ considered these purges to be illegal. Under the Trump administration, it flipped sides to support Ohio’s unnecessary restrictions on the right to vote.

    — ACLU (@ACLU) June 11, 2018

    Supreme Court says yes to voter purges, giving Republicans another way to rig elections. https://t.co/ZbPXrPhfIx

    — Gabe #DreamActNow Ortíz (@TUSK81) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  32. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 11, 2018 at 10:07 am

    The Supreme Court might as well say only white people can vote in America. Corrupt down to the bone marrow.

    Reply
  33. SouthernGirl2 says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:43 am

    The Supreme Court allowing minority and low-income communities to be targeted for disenfranchisement. How in the hell is this justice?

    Reply
  34. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:39 am

    Anthony Bourdain Was Remarkable Because He Possessed Qualities That Shouldn’t Be

    Damon Young
    Friday 5:02pm

    There is no shortage of affecting, poignant, gleaming and evocative tributes to Anthony Bourdain today, as those changed by his life and overwhelmed by his death are finding the words to articulate who he was (to them) and what he meant (to them). He was, from all reliable accounts, deserving of this level of veneration. Perhaps my most prominent memory of him stems from last year, when his Parts Unknown CNN show visited Pittsburgh, and there were some rumblings (including some from the mayor himself) that he didn’t show the city in the same glowing light in which the city wanted to see itself.

    That he chose, when coming to the ’Burgh, to speak on our cavernous racial disparities instead of just our cool, new downtown eateries and bizarre pierogi races is what made him who he was. He was a rich and powerful (and white) man who used the privilege that his riches, his power, his whiteness and his maleness provided to shed a spotlight on those without it. He was a tourist of the world who still treated people and cultures like people and cultures and not pamphlets.

    And, as Megan Greenwell articulated earlier today, he changed. He didn’t have to recognize his privilege. He didn’t have to be a champion of vulnerable people. He didn’t have to speak up. He could’ve continued being the man he was 20 years ago, and he’d be as rich and as famous and perhaps even as revered as he is today.

    It shouldn’t be a big deal to be kind and to be curious and to have empathy and to recognize and appreciate context. It shouldn’t make a man—even a rich and famous white man—remarkable. But it is. And because it is, it did.

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      June 11, 2018 at 2:24 pm

      I was watching Parts Unknown yesterday on VOD. I happened to watch the one on Laos. Anyone who knows US history especially Vietnam era history would know about the “secret war” in Laos (1964-1973), the bombing, and the unexploded ordnance that still remains.

      And I was thinking about Anthony Bourdain going to these places and wondering if he just got too close to too many of those who were on the receiving end of our arrogant and reckless foreign policy.

      Reply
      • Liza says:
        June 11, 2018 at 2:26 pm

        I am compelled to correct myself because “arrogant” and “reckless” do not begin to describe what we did to Laos. Words fail me. This is the kind of stuff that would warrant a trial at Nuremberg. How do we get away with it?

        Reply
  36. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:35 am

    Malcolm Jenkins’ ‘You Aren’t Listening’ Silent Interview Is the Blackest Thing That Ever Happened This Week

    Damon Young
    Wednesday 4:33pm

    I remember when I first learned that the deployment of young people during the protests, marches, boycotts and sit-ins to defeat Jim Crow was strategic.

    Even as a kid, when I watched footage of that era, it was easy to notice that many of the people getting arrested, beaten, fire-hosed and bit by dogs were, well, kids—high school and college students, specifically. But I didn’t realize that it was intentional until my parents taught me. And the way my dad articulated why, particularly, has stuck with me for 30 years: “Even the worst white people could see that beating on kids was wrong.”

    Error loading player:
    Network error
    Messaging and speeches and agendas are great and necessary. But they don’t induce the immediate and visceral reaction that images—still or moving—can. Hearing how fucked up segregation and racism are just doesn’t have the same impact as seeing a 17-year-old with a bloodied forehead from a police baton.

    Anyway, earlier today, Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins provided America with a similar lesson. Of course, the circumstances are vastly different. Jenkins is a rich and famous professional athlete with status, privilege and a large platform. He is not an 18- or 19-year-old in 1950s or ’60s Alabama or Mississippi. And while his life, as a black person in America, is more tenuous than a white person’s life, he’s not in the same sort of ceaseless mortal danger as those aforementioned teens.

    But responding to droning, inane and unending questions and the intentional misinterpretations of the NFL players’ anthem protests with signs articulating exactly why they’re doing this was clever, bold and, all things considered, black as fuck. Because he knows, as they knew back during Jim Crow, that while (white) America has a selective-hearing problem, even the worst white people can see posters.

    Reply
  37. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:30 am

    Oprah Keeps Painting of Enslaved Family in Her Home to Keep Her Grounded
    Angela Helm
    Today 6:30am

    The indomitable Oprah Winfrey, who was recently honored with an entire exhibit of her life and work at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will never forget those who made it possible for her to be the trailblazing pioneer that she remains.

    According to a segment shared widely by CNN, during the opening of the exhibit last week, Winfrey says that she keeps a six-foot painting of an enslaved woman on the auction block holding her daughter’s hand placed prominently in her home, so that in the midst of all of that opulence (because you know Oprah’s Santa Barbara manse is nothing if not fabulous), she remains grounded.

    “I cannot come in the door… or I cannot leave without passing that painting,” says Winfrey work that she says that she’s owned for 30 years titled, “To the Highest Bidder,” by Harry Roseland. “I am reminded of where I come from every day of my life,” says Winfrey.

    The media mogul says she was very deliberate in the painting’s placement at the center of her home, because it is in fact, the center of her life.

    Reply
  38. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:28 am

    WOW

    South Fulton, Ga.’s Entire Criminal Justice System Is Run by Black Women

    Angela Helm
    Yesterday 1:55pm

    “Let black woman lead” is the mantra, and it looks as if one city in Georgia has taken it to heart.

    Only a year after the creation of the fifth largest city in the state of Georgia, South Fulton has every aspect of its criminal justice system run by an African American woman, and unsurprisingly, its approach to criminal justice is one of the most progressive in the nation.

    The Atlanta Voice recently did a cover story with eight women at the South Fulton County courthouse dressed in black on its cover. To use a popular but never tiring phrase, it is the epitome of black girl magic.

    Six of the woman run the most important law enforcement positions in the city including:

    Chief of Police Sheila Rogers
    Chief Judge Tiffany Carter Sellers
    Court administrator Lakesiya Cofield
    Chief Court Clerk Ramona Howard.
    City Solicitor LaDawn “LBJ” Jones
    City Public Defender Viveca Famber Powell

    According to the Atlanta Voice, these black women are quite deliberate in the way in which they carry out their duties to the citizens of the city.

    “Our goal is to ensure justice for everyone,” said Judge Seller, who appointed Cofield as court administrator. “However, as African American women we are sensitive to the history of criminal justice in our country. We want to be an example of how to do things right.”

    Reply
  39. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:23 am

    UH HUH

    There is no chief scientist at the State Department, nor is there a chief scientist at the Department of Agriculture. And as Trump prepares to meet Kim Jong-un, he is doing so without the help of a science adviser trained in nuclear physics. https://t.co/y3BC0Sg3Ye

    — Hiroko Tabuchi (@HirokoTabuchi) June 9, 2018

    The thing is, you don’t need a nuclear scientist to help you count bribe money. What you need is to minimize the number of people in the room who might leak about it. https://t.co/JlCGOtCV4d

    — Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) June 9, 2018

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      June 12, 2018 at 1:52 am

      And his State media was on hand to get as much footage for their future propaganda similar to the buffoonish dotard’s collection for gaslighting purposes..

      Reply
  44. Ametia says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:13 am

    STANDING OVATION

    Reply
  45. Ametia says:
    June 11, 2018 at 9:10 am

    Word of the Day : June 11, 2018

    Abrogate
    verb AB-ruh-gayt

    Definition
    1 : to abolish by authoritative action : annul

    2 : to treat as nonexistent

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/abrogate-2018-06-11?pronunciation&lang=en_us&dir=a&file=abroga01&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=wotd&utm_content=pron

    Reply
  47. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:43 am

    Happy Birthday to Sasha Obama :)

    Reply
  48. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:43 am

    .@Matt_Morrison welcomes the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School theatre department to the stage. #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/5dxa9smeka

    — CBS (@CBS) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  49. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:42 am

    Don’t kid yourself, this is the @GOP where willful blindness to falsehoods and false prophets leads to fascism and the demise of democracy. Say what you need to say to assuage your own conscience, but you’re hip deep in this. So what are you going to do about it that matters? https://t.co/rwqOQ3mYja

    — Col. Morris Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  50. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:42 am

    Robert DeNiro has been telling y’all for a while he does not care for Trump.

    Tonight, he decided to make it real clear.

    h/t @dialmformovies pic.twitter.com/TDiRYypnzD

    — Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) June 11, 2018

    Reply
  51. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:36 am

    From AMJOY:

    AM JOY 6/10/18
    Immigrant children separated from parents reportedly held in…
    Immigrant children separated from their parents are being held in what amount to cages according to observations made by Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. Joy Reid and her panel discuss the inhumane policy of separating migrant families.

    http://www.msnbc.com/am-joy/watch/immigrant-children-separated-from-parents-reportedly-held-cages-1252407363778

    Reply
  52. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:26 am

    Manafort’s fate turned with the political interests in Ukraine

    Julia Ioffe, contributing writer to The Atalantic, talks with Rachel Maddow about the chaotic political conditions in Ukraine in which Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Konstantine Kilimnik worked together, and Ukraine’s apparent deal with the Trump administration.
    Jun.08.2018

    Reply
  53. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:25 am

    Mueller adds to Manafort’s charges, indicts Russian operative too

    Rachel Maddow reports on special counsel Robert Mueller adding more charges to Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s case, including joint charges with Konstantine Kilimnik, a Russian intelligence operative who has worked with Manafort for years.

    Reply
  54. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:22 am

    While lashing out at Canada, Trump accidentally shares his genuine beliefs
    06/11/18 08:40 AM—UPDATED 06/11/18 08:47 AM
    By Steve Benen

    ……………………….

    The oddity about the broader dynamic is that Trudeau did largely the opposite of what Team Trump claimed In his press conference. Indeed, the prime minister tried to downplay differences among G-7 members, and he offered no meaningful criticisms of Trump or his administration. The White House’s tantrum against one of America’s closest allies seemed wholly unconnected to real-world events.

    But take another look at Trump’s tweets and note that he said his tariffs are “in response to” Canada’s trade policy on dairy products. This is one of those rare instances in which Trump made a mistake by accidentally sharing his genuine beliefs.

    Because when the president announced his tariffs on steel and aluminum, the official line was that the policy was necessary on national security grounds. By way of Twitter, Trump effectively admitted that his stated rationale was a lie.

    And that may yet take the debate in an interesting direction. As Jon Chait noted, “[I]f there was any possible way for his tariffs to fail in court, it would be because he decided to blurt out an explicit confession that his motive is not the one he is legally obligated to base it on.”

    Trump World can’t even throw a dishonest tantrum about an imaginary problem without screwing up in important ways.

    Reply
  55. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:08 am

    UH HUH
    UH HUH

    A clear and present danger
    by Liberal Librarian

    There’s a rhythm to this blog since I took over the running of it.

    The week is given over to detailing the parlous state of our Republic.

    The weekend is when we recharge with an open thread highlighting the best of what humanity can do.

    It’s a rhythm I hardly ever break.

    The last time I broke this pattern was when the young people from Parkland held their rally for gun control.

    Today is another one of those days.

    It seemed as if we’d avoided the worst. So-called president Donald Trump was strong-armed into agreeing a communique with the other leaders of the G-7 nations. It, indeed, seemed as if an acrimonious end had been avoided.

    But, in a fit of pique, while on his way to Singapore to meet with murderous dictator Kim Jong Un, whom he will gladly fellate in return for a good news cycle, Trump had a change of mind after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had sharp words for him. He instructed US representatives to not agree to the joint communique.

    This is something which has never occurred in the history of G-7 meetings. And that the scuppering of the communique comes from the leader of the G-7 is even more catastrophic.

    Any nation is only as strong as its alliances. This holds true for the United States.

    …………….

    But the G-7 grouping of the world’s most powerful industrialized nations, along with NATO, is one of America’s greatest alliances.

    The G-7, for better or worse, runs the world’s economy. It has been the backbone of the post-World War II global economic order.

    The G-20 grouping is all fine and well. But it doesn’t have the power of the G-7. Any decisions which impact the global economy are taken there.

    And in one tweet, Trump has undone the work of US presidents since Nixon.

    Reply
  56. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 8:05 am

    What led to Trump’s outburst against Trudeau: Behind the scenes at the G7
    By TONDA MACCHARLES
    Ottawa Bureau
    Sun., June 10, 2018

    QUEBEC CITY—U.S. President Donald Trump greeted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warmly Friday morning as he arrived at the G7.

    Although he’d tweeted grumpily the night before that Trudeau was “so indignant” about American tariffs, Trump looked happy to see the prime minister. They shook hands and smiled for the cameras, as all eyes were on them.

    ……………………..

    Trump held a news conference in which he promptly appeared to reject even the ideas on trade embodied in the communiqué he had agreed to, threatening to cut trade ties with any country who didn’t agree to a “zero tariffs” approach, telling reporters “the gig is up.”

    “We’re like the piggy bank that everybody’s robbing, and that ends.”

    Trump left, skipping the climate change and oceans sessions, but Trudeau took the stage Saturday evening to proclaim all G7 leaders had reached a joint statement, calling the summit a success and outlining his own talks with Trump.

    It drew Trump’s wrath. Referencing Trudeau’s account of pushing back at the U.S., he tweeted Trudeau made “false statements.” He scorned Trudeau as appearing “meek and mild” in their meetings, but was “dishonest and very weak.”

    Canadian officials insist, and Trudeau’s spokesperson tweeted, that Trudeau said nothing he hadn’t already said in public or in private to Trump.

    On Sunday, Trudeau wouldn’t directly respond to Trump’s comments, only tweeting that the meaningful work the G7 had done was all that matters.

    Canadian government officials were equally careful.

    One called Trump’s actions rude, another said the U.S. president had personally insulted the prime minister and he would not engage on that level, adding that Trudeau was mindful of Trump’s concern — stated through Kudlow — that Trump was angry he’d been made to look weak in advance of the North Korea summit.

    In the end, a summit meant to patch trade rifts ended with a deeper acrimony and questions about the Canada-U.S. relationship and how it could recover in the crucial weeks ahead.

    Reply
  65. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 6:26 am

    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are going on their first Royal Tour

    https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-prince-harry-first-royal-tour-announcement/

    Reply
  66. rikyrah says:
    June 11, 2018 at 4:27 am

    Good Morning,Everyone 😄😄😄

    Reply

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