Supporting U.S. businesses and American-made products is usually a well-meaning and reasonable thing to do.
Trump is preparing an executive order to require all U.S. food aid to foreign nations be shipped on American ships, Reuters reported [in late June].
There are cases when it's not feasible as there aren't American products or services available.
In Smart Dissent's Budget Cuts Series, we are examining the White House proposed budget cuts to learn what's hidden beneath the surface and later update based on Congressional budget proposals and actions. This post focuses on the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) - the group that recently educated our citizens and elected representatives about how incredibly harmful the proposed Republican (non) healthcare legislation would be. The CBO is the target of House Republicans -- we must Be Smart about it and Actively Dissent.
Why does the CBO matter? What do they do?
Tax "reform" is likely to be the next major Republican agenda item after failing (for now) to take away healthcare from millions of Americans. There will be much to learn and analyze about on this topic as House and Senate bills are written, (potentially) debated, and voted on.
For now, what we have is Trump's tax outline released in April 2017. It benefits the wealthy, harms the middle class, and greatly increases deficit spending. It's difficult to fathom how he and the Republican party get anywhere close to 50% of the vote.
Although many across the globe believe this lapse in United States global leadership on economic and social issues will pass, the world isn't sitting still while Trump and Republican leadership embarrass and set us back. In fact, many are reacting to Trump by accelerating their efforts to collaborate with other nations to improve their futures.
Candidate Trump had a populist tone to every campaign rally banging the drum for jobs. Although all candidates and politicians say the same empty statements, Trump's delivery worked. The focus on jobs caused millions to vote for him thinking he was actually going to implement policies to help them. They did not realize that he had no intent nor ability to do so. They bought the lie and we all pay the price.
Just a handful of recent news on the topic:
The auto industry, the primary driver of the U.S. manufacturing industry, is shedding jobs:
The House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation to strip much of the financial regulations passed to prevent another 2008 financial crisis, commonly known at the Dodd-Frank Act. The new bill aims to dismantle the powers of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the independent agency established under the Dodd Frank Act to protect consumers and investors. It has saved Americans almost $12 billion since it was created six years ago.
The House passed the Financial CHOICE Act 233-186, along party lines. The bill is not expected to pass the Senate.
The current administration and its appointees including Scott Pruitt to lead (i.e. dismantle) the EPA are doing unspeakable damage to our planet and its future viability. They act with zero regard for the environment and long term health of the globe and its billions of current and future inhabitants ALL for the immediate benefits of corporate interests.
At their Spring meeting in late April, the Presidents and Chancellors of the Association of American Universities member universities issues the statement below in response to federal government proposals of drastic cuts to research funding and educational support. They cite that long-standing bipartisan support of the American university system to the great benefit our of society is now at risk due to the ignorance of those in power.
Congressional Republicans have fought unrelentingly for years to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, put into place under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. The purpose of the CFPB is to promote fairness and transparency for mortgages, credit cards, and other consumer financial products and services. The CFPB was created to provide a single point of accountability for enforcing federal consumer financial laws and protecting consumers in the financial marketplace.
For the time being, let's briefly address the facts and reactions to the United States being pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord. We will follow up soon with another post discussing what this means for the U.S. and for the 195 nations who signed the agreement.