Category Archives: National news

Doctors against bathroom bills

Posted on June 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. [Last] week, the American Medical Association (AMA), the country’s largest medical organization, took several actions to solidify their defense of transgender people. This included a resolution opposing any policy or legislation — like “bathroom bills” put forth in North Carolina and … Continue reading →

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Maybe we should be a little more concerned about election security?

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Just a thought. Russia’s cyberattack on the U.S. electoral system before Donald Trump’s election was far more widespread than has been publicly revealed, including incursions into voter databases and software systems in almost twice as many states as previously reported. … Continue reading →

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Mayors (still) against climate change

Posted on June 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Someone’s gotta do it. On Thursday, President Donald Trump officially announced that the United States would be withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, citing the deal’s failure “to serve American interests.” Hours later, governors, mayors, and environmental groups all had … Continue reading →

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Rep. Al Green calls for impeachment

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He will have company. Amid multiple Trump-related scandals rocking the Capitol, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump from the House chamber on Wednesday morning. “I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the … Continue reading →

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Cornyn’s colleagues cool to him as FBI Director

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, with friends like these… There is a growing obstacle standing in the way of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, becoming the next director of the FBI — his own Republican colleagues. Led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, a chorus … Continue reading →

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Cornyn on shortlist to replace Comey

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is on the short list to succeed James Comey as FBI director, according to a White House official. Cornyn is one of about 11 contenders for the post, according to Fox News. He has strong … Continue reading →

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NCAA rewards North Carolina for its weaksauce HB2 repeal

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So this happened. Discrimination won the championship this year. The NCAA announced Tuesday morning that it completely fell for the bait-and-switch concocted by Republican leadership in North Carolina’s legislature and Gov. Roy Cooper (D). Last week, they passed a compromise … Continue reading →

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Tough times for Presidential heads

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This makes me sad. As polarized politics continue to rage in the Beltway, rural Virginia still has a place where Democrats, Republicans — and some Whigs — stand shoulder to shoulder. The busts of the first 43 U.S. presidents, each … Continue reading →

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Deportation nation

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Appalling. The Trump administration on Tuesday moved one step closer to implementing the president’s plans to aggressively rid the country of undocumented immigrants and expand local police-based enforcement of border security operations. In a fact sheet outlining the efforts, the … Continue reading →

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The burden that keeps on depriving

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

North Carolina’s bathroom law, y’all. The North Carolina Sports Association, which represents 27 counties across North Carolina that recruit and promote major sporting events, sent a letter to the state’s House of Representatives and General Assembly on Monday urging an … Continue reading →

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Look for the helpers

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re at the airports now. Luis Ruiz, an immigration attorney with his own practice, set up shop early Sunday at Bush Intercontinental Airport. He’d seen news of attorneys around the country flocking to airports to help people detained under the … Continue reading →

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Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Haider Sameer Abdulkhaleq Alshawi

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is who the now-injuncted executive order suspending refugee resettlement and immigration visas from certain countries was supposed to “protect” us from. The lawyers said that one of the Iraqis detained at Kennedy Airport, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, had worked on … Continue reading →

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California is the new Texas

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Or will be, as far as litigating against the federal government goes. Gov. Jerry Brown has tabbed Rep. Xavier Becerra to serve as California’s interim attorney general, selecting the Los Angeles Democrat to fill a vacancy opened by the imminent … Continue reading →

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From the “Don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” department

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

People are signing up for health insurance plans while they still can. For years the backers of the Affordable Care Act have fretted over how best to stimulate insurance enrollment on the exchanges so the law could work as designed. … Continue reading →

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What do our elected officials think about the plan to kill off Medicare?

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember when this was a major campaign issue? With all the other things we’ve discussed so far today, I wanted to return to one critical one. It’s not about mights or maybes or fears of what’s to come. It’s … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS blocks order on transgender bathroom access for students

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

For now. The Supreme Court on Wednesday temporarily blocked a court order that had allowed a transgender boy to use the boys’ bathroom in a Virginia high school. The vote was 5 to 3, with Justice Stephen G. Breyer joining … Continue reading →

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Friday was a very good day for voting rights

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In North Carolina: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit’s opinion in North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP v. McCrory is nothing short of a beat down. The court does not simply tear apart major provisions … Continue reading →

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New methane rules finalized

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Gentlemen, start your lawyers. The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday issued its final rule for methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. The rule limits methane emissions from new oil and gas infrastructure and requires operators to submit to … Continue reading →

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Harriet Tubman will be on the new $20 bill

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The U.S. Treasury has decided to keep Alexander Hamilton on the front of the new $10 bill, after encountering fierce opposition to its plans to replace the founding father with a woman, Treasury officials said Tuesday. The Treasury will … Continue reading →

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More troubles for the Planned Parenthood video fraudsters

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Investigators with the California Department of Justice on Tuesday raided the home of David Daleiden, the anti-abortion activist behind a series of undercover videos targeting Planned Parenthood, the activist said. Authorities seized a laptop … Continue reading →

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FDA makes medical abortion safer

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, at least until the Legislature reconvenes. Texas women will be able to obtain medical abortions later into their pregnancies under newly approved changes by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The FDA on Wednesday announced revised rules for … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed against North Carolina anti-equality law

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That was fast. It took only one day for North Carolina’s legislature to pass the country’s most sweeping anti-LGBT bill (HB2), and only four days after that for Lambda Legal and the ACLU of North Carolina to file a lawsuit … Continue reading →

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North Carolina takes a big step backwards on equality

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Shameful. Wednesday was a whirlwind day in North Carolina’s government. The legislature convened a special session, a complicated multi-part bill was introduced, it passed through the House and Senate — both Republican controlled — and Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed … Continue reading →

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New EPA rules for methane coming

Posted on March 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

You know what will follow. Building on already pending rules to cut methane leaks from both new oil and gas wells and those on federal lands, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now plans to bring to the oil sector the … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS also blocks Louisiana anti-abortion law for now

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Forgot to note this over the weekend. The Supreme Court handed down a brief order Friday allowing four Louisiana abortion clinics to reopen after they were closed due to a recent decision by a conservative federal appeals court. Last week, … Continue reading →

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Why are some people more likely to smoke than others?

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the CDC: American adults who are uninsured or on Medicaid smoke at rates more than double those for adults with private health insurance or Medicare, according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS to hear HB2 oral arguments

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the big one. Before Wendy Davis took to the floor of the Texas Senate for an 11-hour filibuster that ultimately failed to stop sweeping new restrictions on abortion, there was Casey. Shorthand for Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the 1992 … Continue reading →

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The Scalia effect on current cases

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib highlights a few cases pending before the Supreme Court that could be affected by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Texas abortion law On March 2, the court will hear oral arguments in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, … Continue reading →

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RIP, Antonin Scalia

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday on a luxury resort in West Texas, federal officials said. Scalia, 79, was a guest at the Cibolo Creek Ranch, a resort in the Big Bend region … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS puts Clean Power Plan on hold

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

And in doubt. In a major setback for President Obama’s climate change agenda, the Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily blocked the administration’s effort to combat global warming by regulating emissions from coal-fired power plants. The brief order was not the … Continue reading →

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Medicaid expansion: Still a good idea

Posted on January 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I know, right? Fewer low-income residents of Kentucky and Arkansas, two poor states that expanded Medicaid in 2014, reported problems paying medical bills after the coverage expansions, especially compared with residents of Texas, which has rejected the health law. And hospitals … Continue reading →

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Texas in line to get more Congressional seats

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Daily Kos: [Last] week, the U.S. Census Bureau released new annual population estimates for the year between July 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015, and there are plenty of notable details. But the most important takeaway is the implications … Continue reading →

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#IWillProtectYou

Posted on December 26, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is great and terrible at the same time. Melissa Yassini and her 8-year-old daughter, Sofia, spend some time every evening reading messages from the thousands of people who have told Sofia not to be afraid just because she’s Muslim. … Continue reading →

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More rules against polluting your neighbors proposed

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed tougher new limits on Tuesday on smokestack emissions from Texas and 22 other states that burden downwind areas with air pollution from power plants they can’t control. At the same time, the EPA moved … Continue reading →

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