The Greene County Democrat

Category: Newswire

  • Newswire : Nationwide protests against Tesla successful – reflect popular dissatisfaction with Trump,Vance and Musk

    Protest at Tesla dealership in San Francisco, CA and Tesla protestor in Jacksonville, Florida

    By Pat Bryant

    Nearly every Tesla dealership in the United States and the world had 100 to 500 peaceful protestors out front Saturday March 29. Elon Musk’s electric car company earned rebuke, a 6-week sales slump continued, stock values dropped by half, and large stockholders sold out. Telsa’s destruction is Elon Musk’s payback for his role in firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and crippling and destroying federal agencies and programs illegally without Congressional approval.
    Federal judges ordered Musk and the Trump administration to stop wreckage of America’s institutions. But Trump and Musk continue. A constitutional crisis looms where Trump may be able to rewrite the U.S. Constitution with the help of six republican members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump’s control of the three branches of government would create a one-man rule—a dictatorship.
    Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are taking no action. Republican lawmakers are refusing to come to town hall gatherings to talk about Trump , Vance, and Musk’s institutional carnage. In many towns, Jacksonville included, citizens have organized “empty chair” town halls that Republican Congress persons refused to show.
    At Tesla in Jacksonville, Florida, this reporter talked with several protestors who are resolute to destroy Tesla and Musk to save American democracy. A few of their concerns are below:
    Cathy, a middle-aged woman, army retired, holding a homemade sign “Musk UnAmerican NAZI”. The retiree warned “our democracy is at risk in so many ways. What they have done to our top military brass to everything that is truly American. They are going after our museums. What they are doing is terribly insane”.
    Colonel Lynnette Kennison, U.S. Army retired called President Trump a bully. “He is allowing Musk to destroy our institutions. They are going to be terribly hard to rebuild. We are imploding from the inside. I am worried about losing Social Security and so many things”.
    Julie Spellman carried a sign that read “Tax the Rich, Musk and Trump = Putin’s Puppets Follow the $$$ Julie”. Of Trump she said “he wants to destroy our country so his oligarch friends can keep their tax relief and takeover our country as a corporatocracy” Spellman is related to the benefactors that founded Spellman College in Atlanta, an HBCU serving Black women.
    A retired nurse carried a sign, “Deport Musk, DeThrone Trump”. She said “they have done more to destroy our country than anyone I can think of. Friends are no longer friends. We can’t talk. Senior citizens depend on social security. This is crazy. They are short staffed at Social Security.”
    As this reporter was talking to a Musk/Tesla protestor and thirtyish man rode by angrily and close to demonstrators and yelled curse words. Cheryl an elderly woman remarked “he is an idiot. None of them have an idea of what’s going on. They have not talked to anyone who has lost a job or anything else. They are coming for my Social Security and I am not happy about that.”
    Tesla peaceful protests continue world-wide Saturday April 5th noon to 2 pm.
    *Pat Bryant is a long-time journalist, human rights organizer in the southern United States. He may be reached at pat46bryant@gmail.com.

  • Newswire :USDA starves Food Banks with more Trump Administration cuts

    People utilizing food bank

    By Stephen A. Crockett Jr., NewsOne

    The USDA has halted several million dollar’s worth of food deliveries to waiting food banks as a part of another cost-cutting measure by the overly aggressive cost-cutting Trump administration.  
    If I refuse to pay my phone, bill it doesn’t mean I’m saving money; it means I’m neglecting my responsibilities, and for months, Trump and his wayward band of sycophants have been cutting vital programs but always seem to have money for Trump’s golf outings. As it stands, Trump’s golf trips have cost U.S. taxpayers some $18 million since he was sworn into office. 
    Well now, Politico is reporting that the Agriculture Department has stopped “millions of dollars worth of deliveries to food banks without explanation, according to food bank leaders in six states.”
    According to the news site, the USDA had already allotted $500 million to six food banks for the Emergency  Food Assistance Program, and now, that money has been canceled. 

    From Politico:
    The halting of these deliveries, first reported by POLITICO, comes after the Agriculture Department separately axed two other food programs, ending more than $1 billion in planned federal spending for schools and food banks to purchase from local farmers.

    USDA did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
    The collective cuts are expected to make it more difficult for food banks to meet families’ needs, with food prices now 20 percent higher than they were in 2020, food bank leaders say.

    “I certainly look at our lines and look at our shelves and say we need some relief,” said Joree Novotny, executive director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, which also reported canceled deliveries with no indication they would resume.
    A delivery of 500,000 pounds of food to the Central California Food Bank, which would have lasted from April through July and cost $850,000, has been stopped. 
    Jean Rykaczewski, Executive Director of the West Alabama Food Bank in Tuscaloosa, Alabama affirmed that several USDA programs providing food for her clients had been cancelled. She said, “we are raising funds from other sources so we can still buy produce from local farmers to distribute at our food bank.”
    Cathy Kanefsky, president of the Food Bank of Delaware, told Politico “that between 20 to 24 full truckloads of food were canceled for the next four months.”
    As usual, the Trump administration is simply taking money meant to feed people going through difficult times so they can spend it someplace else. The irony is that $148 million of the allotted $500 million was to be spent with farmers to buy “dairy products, eggs, blueberries and more.”
    “USDA has not yet announced plans to move forward with the canceled food orders,” the email from Feeding America sent to its food bank networks read, Politico reports. “We believe the best approach is for network members to work through state agencies to obtain clarification from USDA.”
    But if the states could afford to feed those in need, they wouldn’t need federal help. 
    “We can try to figure out how to make up the gaps, which is a hard lift, or ultimately there’s less food on the table,” Chad Morrison, president of West Virginia’s Mountaineer Food Bank, told Politico. 

  • Newswire : Reckless messaging breach by Trump national security officials alarms oversight group

    By Stacy M. Brown
    BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

    Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, issued a sharp rebuke of the current administration’s handling of sensitive national security matters following recent reports that high-level officials used encrypted messaging apps to discuss active military operations.
    “If what is reported is true, it certainly suggests they are engaged in outright, recklessly irresponsible behaviors,” Chukwu said in a telephone interview with BlackPressUSA.com. “This could be a direct threat to our national security.”
    American Oversight, a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog dedicated to transparency and accountability, is monitoring the situation closely. Chukwu expressed serious concern over the administration’s apparent lack of oversight and protocols in protecting classified information, particularly the use of encrypted messaging apps like Signal to communicate sensitive war plans.
    “This should never have happened in the first instance,” Chukwu said. “They’re using encrypted messaging apps in a way to conceal information from the public, and the only reason we even know about it is because they accidentally included a journalist, with the Atlantic Magazine,—who thankfully did the right thing by informing the public.”
    Chukwu noted that as many as 18 senior officials were reportedly involved in these discussions, which she described as “incredibly unusual, highly unusual, unprecedented.”
    She warned that the misuse of encrypted platforms for high-level national security conversations creates a vulnerability that foreign actors could exploit.
    “There have been state-backed hackers who are trying to access information,” Chukwu explained. “If a single bad actor is able to get access, that certainly compromises our national security. Their secrecy does nothing to protect our country—it endangers us by keeping critical and sensitive decisions off the record and out of reach from oversight.”
    Chukwu also criticized what she called a broader erosion of oversight mechanisms. “We have a Congress that refuses to act. We have an administration that has done everything in its power to gut all oversight mechanisms,” she said. “That’s why organizations like American Oversight are more important than ever. Without transparency, there can be no accountability.”
    She connected the current administration’s behavior to previous failures related to national security, referencing the ongoing legal battle over access to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report on President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents during his first term.
    “Right now, American Oversight has a lawsuit seeking records related to Volume Two of the Jack Smith special counsel report,” Chukwu said. “We’ve been blocked from accessing those records because Judge Aileen Cannon refuses to lift her order. The Trump-era DOJ has made it clear that they never wanted that report to see the light of day.”
    She said that transparency in that report could help illuminate a pattern of disregard for national security protocols, both past and present.
    Finally, Chukwu addressed a lingering question sparked by the most recent breach: If a journalist can be accidentally looped into discussions about war planning, can the public trust this administration to safeguard national security?
    “That is a question Americans should be very concerned about,” Chukwu said. “The reckless disregard and the lack of concern that was shown by adding a journalist to a message chain containing highly sensitive, potentially classified information suggest that Americans should not trust this administration with highly classified in

  • Newswire : DEI rollback costs Target billions and loyalty

    National Boycott of Target stores

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

     

    Target continues to face mounting financial and reputational fallout after reversing course on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The retail giant has lost more than $12.4 billion in revenue, seen its stock plunge by $27.27 per share, and is grappling with multiple lawsuits linked to its shifting DEI policies.

    Separate but powerful actions from Black-led organizations and faith leaders have intensified pressure on the company. Rev. Jamal Bryant launched a national Target Fast, calling for continued community mobilization. Meanwhile, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and the NAACP initiated public education and selective buying campaigns. While distinct in approach, the collective efforts have amplified scrutiny and economic consequences for Target. “Black consumers helped build Target into a retail giant, and now they are making their voices heard,” said Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA. “If corporations believe they can roll back diversity commitments without consequence, they are mistaken.”

    Early data from analytics firms Placer.ai and Numerator confirms a decline in consumer support. Numerator found that Black and Hispanic households are reducing their visits to Target at the highest rates. Placer.ai reported that on the national blackout day last month, Target saw an 11 percent decline in store traffic compared to average Friday visits. Since the company’s January 24 DEI reversal, Placer.ai data shows
    Target’s overall foot traffic has fallen every week. In contrast, Costco has gained ground. The warehouse chain rejected a shareholder proposal to weaken its diversity programs and stayed firm in its DEI stance. Analysts say Costco’s consistency and longstanding commitment to high wages and strong employee benefits may attract consumers frustrated with Target’s retreat. Costco’s shares have outperformed those of Walmart and Target over the same period. Walmart has also seen a dip in foot traffic, though not as sharp as Target.
    While grassroots boycotts are not always financially damaging in the long term, Target’s situation may prove different. “Boycotts put a ‘negative spotlight’ on the company that can have reputational consequences,” Brayden King, professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, told Forbes. He noted that consumer trust, closely tied to corporate reputation, plays a critical role in shopping habits.
     In addition to its woes, Target issued a string of recalls in 2025 involving products sold on shelves due to undeclared allergens and injury hazards. Affected items included Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks, Dorel Safety 1st Comfort Ride and Magic Squad child car seats, Nuby stroller fans, Baby Joy highchairs, Chomps beef and turkey sticks, and Pearl Milling Company pancake mix.
    Rev. Bryant said Target Fast has now mobilized more than 150,000 participants and persuaded over 100 Black vendors to withdraw their products from Target. He urged continued focus and unity in holding the company accountable. “It is critical that Black people can’t afford to get A.D.D; we can’t taper off and lose synergy. It’s important that people stay the course and keep amplifying our voices because it is being heard from Wall Street to Main Street,” Bryant said. He added, “No, I’m now committed and grateful.”

  • Newswire : Global protests on April 5: communities unite against Trump, Vance and Musk

    Protestors against Trump

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

     

    Editor’s Note: The Publishers of the Democrat, after reading this article, decided to contact people and organizations in Greene County to join this protest to resist the policies and actions of the Trump Administration. We are suggesting a picket line in front of the Eutaw Post Office on Saturday, April 5 from 10;00 AM to Noon. Join us, bring your own sign. Call 205-372-3373 or 205-657-0273 with suggestions and for more information.


    Tens of thousands of people in the United States and around the world are preparing to take to the streets on Saturday, April 5, in what organizers are calling the largest single day of protest since Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. With more than 600 events planned across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and multiple international cities, the message is unified and urgent: Hands off our rights, our resources, and our democracy.
    In London, demonstrators will gather in Trafalgar Square from 3 to 5 p.m. BST, joining the movement alongside Americans, Canadians, Brits, and others from around the world. “They’re threatening to invade Canada, Greenland, and Panama—and daring the world to stop them. Well, this is the world saying NO,” organizers said. “This is a crisis, and the time to act is now.”
    Back in the United States, the centerpiece protest is scheduled for Washington, D.C., where thousands are expected to convene at the Washington Monument at noon for a massive rally on the National Mall. Organizers say the protests are a response to Trump and congressional Republicans’ efforts to gut essential programs like healthcare, Social Security, public education, and civil rights protections—moves that have sparked nationwide outrage.
    “This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies,” organizers in D.C. said. “Alongside Americans across the country, we are marching, rallying, and protesting to demand a stop to the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country.”
    Demonstrations are planned from coast to coast in cities including Buffalo, New York; Columbus, Georgia; Hollywood, Florida; Guilford, Connecticut; York, Pennsylvania; Ames, Iowa; Conroe, Texas; and throughout California, where organizers are uniting for large-scale actions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. From early morning rallies to afternoon marches, the protests will take many forms—town halls, digital campaigns, and street demonstrations—all grounded in a commitment to nonviolent resistance.
    Organizers say the April 5 movement builds on growing frustration with the Trump administration’s agenda. The Crowd Counting Consortium reported over 2,085 protests nationwide in February 2025, a sharp rise from the 937 recorded in February 2017. During a recent week-long congressional recess, more than 500 events were held across the country, often in districts where elected officials avoided meeting constituents.
    At the core of the message is a defense of everyday Americans and the systems they depend on. “We stand with people of color and all those being stripped of their basic human and civil rights,” Buffalo organizers stated. “We stand with our educational institutions, and the countless faculty, researchers, and students that are being subjected to arbitrary political litmus tests, uncertainty, and censorship in their work.” From London to Los Angeles, from the National Mall to Niagara Square, April 5 is shaping up to be a defining day of resistance against what demonstrators call an authoritarian power grab that threatens the very fabric of democracy. “We’re not waiting for someone to save us,” D.C. organizers said. “We’re taking action ourselves.”

  • Newswire :EU lawmaker: Statue of Liberty belongs in France, not Trump’s America

    Statue of Liberty

    By Stacy M. Brown
    BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

    The words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty— “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”—once stood as a beacon of hope, a promise that America would welcome those seeking refuge and opportunity. A French politician is now calling for the monument’s return, arguing that the United States no longer deserves it. Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and co-president of France’s left-wing Public Place party, made headlines with his call to reclaim the statue, a gift from France nearly 140 years ago. “Give us back the Statue of Liberty. It was our gift to you,” Glucksmann declared, speaking before an applauding crowd. “But apparently, you despise her. So, she will be happy here with us.”
    The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was conceived as a symbol of French American friendship and shared democratic values. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, the statue was transported to the United States in 350 pieces and dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886. It was designated a National Monument in 1924 and maintained by the National Park Service since 1933. UNESCO recognizes it as a World Heritage site but remains U.S. government property.
    Glucksmann’s remarks are the latest in a wave of criticism from European leaders over the direction of American democracy, particularly under former President Donald Trump. His policies on immigration, which included detaining families at the border, restricting asylum, and implementing travel bans, drew widespread condemnation. Glucksmann and his party argue that Trump’s approach not only abandoned the ideals symbolized by the Statue of Liberty but actively undermined them, targeting Black and Brown immigrants while fueling nationalist rhetoric.
    French leaders have not been shy in their criticism of Trump’s foreign policy. Prime Minister François Bayrou condemned the White House’s treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the temporary freeze on military aid to Ukraine, warning that such actions strengthened Russia’s position.
    Glucksmann’s party has gone further, calling Trump’s leadership “authoritarian” and accusing him of delivering Ukraine “on a silver platter” to Russia. Glucksmann’s speech directly referenced The New Colossus, the 1883 poem by Emma Lazarus inscribed on the statue’s pedestal. He invoked its message of refuge and freedom, only to argue that those ideals no longer reflect today’s United States. “Today, this land is ceasing to be what it was,” Glucksmann said.

  • Newswire : Trump moves to dismantle Education Department

    School children in classroom to be hurt by closing the U. S. Education Department


    By Stacy M. Brown, BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

     
    The Trump administration is preparing to issue an executive order directing newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education. While the president lacks the authority to unilaterally shut down the agency—requiring congressional approval—McMahon has been tasked with taking “all necessary steps” to reduce its role “to the maximum extent permitted by law.”
    The administration justifies the move by claiming the department has spent over $1 trillion since its 1979 founding without improving student achievement. However, data from The Nation’s Report Card shows math scores have improved significantly since the 1990s, though reading levels have remained stagnant. The pandemic further widened achievement gaps, leaving many students behind.
    The Education Department provides about 10% of public-school funding, primarily targeting low-income students, rural districts, and children with disabilities. A recent Data for Progress poll found that 61% of voters oppose Trump’s efforts to abolish the agency, while just 34% support it. In Washington, D.C., where student proficiency rates remain low—22% in math and 34% in English—federal funding is crucial.
    Serenity Brooker, an elementary education major, warned that cutting the department would worsen conditions in underfunded schools. “D.C. testing scores aren’t very high right now, so cutting the Department of Education isn’t going to help that at all,” she told Hilltop News. A report from the Education Trust found that low-income schools in D.C. receive $2,200 less per student than wealthier districts, leading to shortages in essential classroom materials. The department oversees programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), serving 7.5 million students. Transferring IDEA oversight to another agency, as Trump’s plan suggests, could jeopardize services and protections for disabled students.
    Rural educational districts like Greene County, Alabama, will be severely affected by these cuts, said Leo Branch, Chair of the Greene County Board of Education. ”We depend on Title I funds, funds for students with disabilities, school nutrition support, and many other Federal programs,” said Branch.
    The Office for Civil Rights also plays a key role in enforcing laws that protect students from discrimination. Moving it to the Department of Justice, as proposed in Project 2025, would make it harder for families to file complaints, leaving vulnerable students with fewer protections.
    Federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants and loan repayment plans, could face disruption if the department is dismantled. Experts warn this could worsen the student debt crisis, pushing more borrowers into default. “With funding cuts, they don’t have the materials they need, like books or things to help with math,” Brooker said. “It makes learning less interesting and enjoyable for them.”

  • Newswire : Rep. Al Green is censured by The U.S. House after protesting Trump on Medicaid

    Texas Congressman Al Green points cane at President Trump during speech to Joint Session of Congress

    By Lauren Burke, NNPA Newswire


    In one of the quickest punishments of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives in the modern era, Congressman Al Green (D-TX) was censured by a 224-198 vote last week in the House. His censure featured no hearing at the House Ethics Committee and his punishment was put on the floor for a vote by the Republican controlled House less than 72 hours after the infraction in question. Of the last three censures of members of the U.S. House, two have been members of the Congressional Black Caucus under GOP control. In 2023, Rep. Jamal Bowman was censured.
    On the night of March 4, as President Trump delivered a Joint Address to Congress, Rep. Green interrupted him twice. Rep. Green shouted, “You don’t have a mandate to cut Medicare and Medicaid, and you need to raise the cap on social security,” to President Trump. In another rare event, Rep. Green was escorted off the House floor by security shortly after yelling at the President by order of GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson.
    Over the last four years, members of Congress have yelled at President Biden during the State of the Union. Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor-Greene was joined by Republican Rep. Lauren Bobert (R-CO) in 2022 in yelling at President Biden. In 2023, Rep. Greene, Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), and Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) yelled at Biden, interrupting his speech. In 2024, wearing a red MAGA hat, a violation of the rules of the U.S. House, Greene interrupted Biden again. She was never censured for her behavior. Rep. Green voted “present” on his censure and was joined by freshman Democrat Congressman Shomari Figures of Alabama who also voted “present”.
    All other members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted against censuring Green. Republicans hold a four-seat advantage in the U.S. House after the death of Texas Democrat and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner yesterday. Ten Democrats voted along with Republicans to censure Rep. Green, including Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who is in the leadership as the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. “I respect them but, I would do it again,” and “it is a matter of conscience,”
    Rep. Green told Black Press USA’s April Ryan in an exclusive interview on March 5. After the vote, a group of Democrats sang “We Shall Overcome” in the well at the front of the House chamber. Several Republican members attempted to shout down the singing. House Speaker Mike Johnson gaveled the House out of session and into a recess. During the brief recess members moved back to their seats and out of the well of the House. Shortly after the vote to censor Rep. Green, Republican Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee quickly filed legislation to punish members who participated in the singing of “We Shall Overcome.” Earlier this year, Rep. Ogles filed legislation to allow President Donald Trump to serve a third term, which is currently unconstitutional. As the debate started, the stock market Dow Jones average fell by 500 points, 1% of it value by the close.

  • Newswire : Stopgap funding bill advances as Congress moves to prevent shutdown

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Senior National Correspondent

    On Tuesday, March 11th, by a narrow vote of 217 to 213, the U, S. House of Representatives passed a stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown. This bill now goes to the U. S. Senate, which requires 60 votes to close debate and vote on the measure before the March 14th deadline for a shutdown.

    The Republican stopgap bill aims to extend government funding through the end of the 2025 fiscal year, providing critical financial support for federal agencies and essential programs. The legislation, formally titled the “Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025,” is designed to avert a government shutdown, but its broader implications extend across the country. The bill sustains funding for federal agencies that oversee national healthcare, education, housing, and law enforcement programs. Medicaid provisions remain intact, delaying cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, which assist hospitals serving low-income patients. Republicans said the extension ensures continued care for vulnerable populations in states heavily reliant on federal healthcare dollars.
    Housing and urban development programs also remain funded, preserving rental assistance and homelessness prevention initiatives. However, concerns persist that flat funding levels will not account for rising costs, leaving states and local governments to bridge potential gaps in affordable housing efforts. Education funding remains steady, but school districts that depend on federal support may face difficulties maintaining services as costs increase.
    The bill also upholds funding for federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, and other key institutions responsible for public safety. Grants supporting state and local policing initiatives are maintained, though some lawmakers argue additional resources are needed to address crime prevention and community policing efforts. Beyond immediate fiscal concerns, the bill extends the authority of the U.S. Parole Commission for another year, continuing federal oversight in key areas of criminal justice..
    Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have weighed in on the bill’s broader implications. Some have criticized the measure for failing to provide increased funding for essential programs, while others argue that maintaining current spending levels is necessary to avoid further fiscal uncertainty. The proposed budget levels are expected to impact public safety, education, and infrastructure spending across multiple states.
    Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, sharply criticized the measure, calling it a “blank check” for billionaire Elon Musk. “I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution, which is a power grab for the White House and further allows unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people,” DeLauro said.
    Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar echoed those concerns in a joint statement. “Republicans have used their control of the House, the Senate, and the presidency to destroy the programs taxpayers deserve to fund tax cuts for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations. They are cutting healthcare access, public schools, and veterans’ benefits while soaring the costs of groceries, housing, and insurance. They are making our communities less safe by cutting law enforcement and threatening our national security.”
    The statement continued: “In one week, funding for the government runs out. The top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro, remains ready to negotiate a meaningful bipartisan spending agreement that puts working people first. However, Republicans have decided to introduce a partisan continuing resolution that threatens to cut funding for healthcare, nutritional assistance, and veterans benefits through the end of the current fiscal year. That is not acceptable.”
    House Democrats said they would enthusiastically support a bill that protects Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ health, and Medicaid, but Republicans have chosen to put them on the chopping block to pay for billionaire tax cuts. “We cannot back a measure that rips away life-sustaining healthcare and retirement benefits from everyday Americans as part of the Republican scheme to pay for massive tax cuts for their wealthy donors like Elon Musk.
    Medicaid is our red line,” the Democratic leaders stated. The outcome will determine funding levels for programs millions of Americans rely on daily. “This [measure] means a nearly $945 million cut for critical services, impacting teachers, firefighters, and law enforcement,” said D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D). “The effect of what they’re trying to do would be to cut back spending by police and other public safety agencies as well as agencies that deal with the cleanliness of the city, public education, and so forth.”

  • Newswire : Musk and right-wing podcaster want Trump to pardon Chauvin for killing George Floyd

    Police officer Derek Chauvin with victim George Floyd

    By Zack Linly, Newsone

    The moment President Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second term and made one of his first orders of business to pardon or commute the sentences of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 Capitol rioters, we just knew it was only a matter of time before not-remotely-closeted white nationalists started calling for him to pardon George Floyd‘s convicted murderer. On Tuesday, right wing, white supremacist, podcaster Ben Shapiro mused that Trump should pardon ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, and — wouldn’t you know it — the White House’s resident pro-apartheid immigrant, Elon Musk, cosigned Shapiro’s call for a killer cop to be absolved of the murder millions of people watched happen on camera.
    “If we are issuing pardons, however, there is one person that President Trump should pardon from federal charges forthwith,” Shapiro said in a video he recorded. “President Trump should, in fact, pardon Derek Chauvin.
    “But when it came to BLM, the inciting event for the BLM riots that caused $2 billion in property damage in the United States and set America’s race relations on their worst footing in my lifetime was, in fact, the railroading of Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd,” he continued.
    Here’s a question: When in the entire history of America has any court of law felt compelled to throw a white cop in prison for two decades because pro-Black protesters were really passionate about the Black man the cop killed? Shapiro is, per usual, delusional.
    Anyway, Musk unsurprisingly reposted Shapiro’s video along with the caption, “Something to think about.”
    Of course, one thing that neither Shapiro nor Chauvin appear to be thinking about is the fact that even if Trump did pardon Chauvin for his federal crimes of depriving Floyd of his civil rights (and that of a 14-year-old Black child he also egregiously brutalized), which Chauvin pleaded guilty to, it still wouldn’t set him free. Chauvin is serving a federal sentence of 21 years, but he was also sentenced to 22 1/2 years on state charges, which the president can not legally pardon.
    Still, two separate juries found Derek Chauvin guilty, and it would be an absurd miscarriage of justice if Trump disregarded the federal jury’s ruling and pardoned a civil rights-violating murderer.
    Of course, Trump’s entire administration is arguably a miscarriage of justice, so…