Defense

There are multiple Republican tax plans that are difficult to keep up with.  The House, Senate, and White House each have their own plans.  The Democrats in office will have no say in the matter. The underlying theme is to cut taxes as much as possible for the wealthiest.  It's difficult to uncover and track the many hidden gems within their devious plans but Smart Dissent will try to share as many as we can.  

We as individuals must undertake Smart Dissent by speaking up loudly and hoping numerous Republicans in Congress see the light.   

Trump's White House has nominated Chris Sharpley as the Inspector General for the Central Intelligence Agency.  Sharpley is currently the acting Inspector General until confirmed by Senate.  

Two former CIA employees say the Trump administration’s nominee to be CIA inspector general misled Congress last month when he testified.  The allegations against Sharpley have prompted concerns among both Democratic and Republican senators and could delay his confirmation.

On August 25, 2017, Trump signed an Executive Order reinstating a ban on transgender individuals from serving in the military.  It reinstated a prohibition of transgender service members lifted last year and gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis until Feb. 21, 2018, to submit a plan for implementing the new policy. 

Fortunately, a federal judge temporarily blocked the ban last Monday.

This past June marked the one year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando that left 49 dead and the second anniversary of the chuch shooting in Charleston where nine were murdered during Bible study.  It was also back in June that House Republicans began work on something known as the "Hearing Protection Act."  

You are not alone if you had no idea what this is about until now.  With this Act, House Republicans are seeking to relax restrictions on firearm silencers making it easier for shooters to shoot without being noticed.  

In July 2017, Smart Dissent reported that the Pentagon was likely canceling a program that recruits immigrants to the military.  Known as Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI), the program fast-tracked immigrants to citizens in exchange for their service defending this great country.

At a meeting of the Fraternal Order of Police in late-August, Attoreny General Jeff Sessions triumphantly announced the reversal of a President Obama Executive Order intended to limit or restrict access to specific military weapons. The Defense Department program, known as the "1033 Program," was...

In three tweets in July 2017, Trump sought to restrict transgender troops from serving in the military claiming it was due to costs rather than bigotry.  These tweets did not equal policy change.

In three tweets last week, Trump sought to restrict transgender troops from serving in the military claiming it was due to costs rather than bigotry.  These tweets do not equal policy change.

A program called Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) provides a fast track to citizenship for non-citizens who join the U.S. military.  While not well-known, the program has been in place since 2009.

The recruitment program began in 2009 to attract immigrants with medical or language skills, such as surgeons or Arabic speakers. It allows visa holders, asylees and refugees to bypass the green card process to become U.S. citizens.

In Smart Dissent's Budget Cuts Series, we are detailing as many of the White House proposed budget cuts as we can keep up with.  We seek to learn and share what's hidden beneath the surface which are so many programs, facilities, and people that will never be reported by most media.