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The Trump administration has frozen grants and contracts by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to ProPublica, and blocked employees from providing updates on this change via social media. This could have big effects on the agency's budget and severely undercut its efforts.
In an email obtained by ProPublica, one EPA contractor writes that: "The new EPA administration has asked that all contract and grant awards be temporarily suspended, effective immediately. Until we receive further clarification, this includes task orders and work assignments."
Also, employees have been banned from providing updates to reporters or on social media. The internal memo specifies that no press releases will go out to external audiences, there will be "no blog messages" and media requests will be carefully screened. (Interestingly, the Department of Energy, a fellow federal agency, recently released new guidelines that specifically protects contractors and ensures that they can state their personal opinions.)
Source: The Verge
takyon: Here are some related stories happening at the same time:
USDA scrambles to ease concerns after researchers were ordered to stop publishing news releases, other documents
USDA disavows gag-order emailed to scientific research unit
Commerce nominee Ross promises to protect "peer-reviewed research" at NOAA
CDC postpones climate conference ahead of Trump takeover
Badlands National Park goes rogue with climate-change tweets
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:40AM
"George Orwell was most heavily interested in the science of spin doctoring before that was a formal idea, and there's little question that Trump and his organization are very good at it."
Well, at least we have a President whois good at something.
Remember Hillary Clinton's "Correct the Record"? That cost hundreds of millions of dollars to operate - she spent over a billion dollars in other people's money on a campaign that failed. Looking at those numbers alone and the final result of the election, it is clear who is the superior tactician in all things political AND financial. The only question is whether or not Trump actually cares about America.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Thursday January 26 2017, @10:02PM
I've seen no evidence that he cares about nothing but wealth and power. The ultimate plutocrat for our plutocracy.
It was never a democracy or Bush and Trump would not have been President. Since it's now legal to buy politicians, it isn't even a real republic any more.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2, Disagree) by linkdude64 on Friday January 27 2017, @09:53PM
"I've seen no evidence that he cares about nothing but wealth and power. "
The cognitive dissonance you must be experiencing regarding his executive order that killed the TPP must be truly daunting.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday January 28 2017, @02:27PM
I said I've seen no indication of patriotism from him. Show me some if you've seen it.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Saturday January 28 2017, @05:24PM
"I said I've seen no indication of patriotism from him. "
You are intellectually dishonest; A severe insult, if you are a person who considers themselves informed.
"From this day forward, it's America First" - proceeds to sign executive order preventing TPP's passage. Though you may be one of the Bernie supporters who suddenly changed their position on TPP, vowing to disagree with Trump on every subject whether it is what is good for American workers, or what color the sky is.
"We will no longer surrender our people's jobs and security for other countries" - proceeds to begin negotiations with Mexico's government - a country that has long taken advantage of US gullibility.
Sure, TPP would have been charitable to other countries - giving them slave-wage jobs, but jobs nonetheless. Sure, planned parenthood and like international organizations do good work. Is cutting their American Federal funding a little cold-hearted? Sure, let's say it is. Here's the real question: Is that cost-savings beneficial to the United States of America? Absolutely. He is being true to his word, when he said he would put America first.
If you had a mother who took away your food and gave it to other people's children, especially those living in a foreign country, and let you go hungry, that would not be an example of a family-oriented mother who put her children first.
Likewise, having a President and Congress who throw our money away to complete strangers, and let people in the very country who pay their salaries go hungry, that would not be an example of a patriotic politician.
If you would like to make the argument that prioritizing the financial, political, and societal stability of your country is un-patriotic, I would like to hear that argument - and please, do make sure it is actually an argument.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Sunday January 29 2017, @06:52PM
Almost all of the things on your list benefit him and his family far more than the country. Saying we need to make America great again is not the words of a patriot, it's the words of someone who thinks they live in a shit country.
Patriots don't insult war heros who now serve the Senate, nor do they insult gold star parents. Especially when they weren't patriotic enough to serve their country ever in his seven decades. He claims a high draft number, mine was the highest. He claims he was going to college. So was I when I enlisted in the USAF. He claimed medical problems, I declined an invitation to a medical discharge after two years and finished my hitch before going back to school.
Show me ONE thing Trump ever did for our country before running for President, and I will agree that he's a patriot.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Sunday January 29 2017, @09:32PM
"Show me ONE thing Trump ever did for our country before running for President, and I will agree that he's a patriot."
Create jobs? Bring money into the country? I'm assuming you will disqualify those, because "he also benefits," but then let me ask you - did you accept payment for your service in the USAF?
I just want to ensure that this discussion will remain somewhat objective and unhindered by double-standards or other such fallacies.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday February 01 2017, @08:28PM
"Create jobs?"
He didn't create jobs out of a sense of patriotism, he needed the workers' help to enrich himself. No one hires people out of the goodness of their hearts or because it's good for the country.
If he were patriotic, his goods wouldn't have all been produced overseas. Same goes for his unpatriotic daughter, who still has her junk made in Asia.
Bring money into the country? No, he didn't. A rich man who was truly a patriot certainly would.
"did you accept payment for your service in the USAF?"
Yes, far less than a comparable civilian job would pay, and forfeited all freedom for four years. But I'm not claiming I'm a great patriot, just that Trump is far less patriotic. A real patriot is someone like Senator McCain, I have a lot of respect for that man. Now THAT'S a patriot.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Thursday February 02 2017, @03:28PM
"He didn't create jobs out of a sense of patriotism"
I will now consider the goal-post moved! Now it is not "Did Trump do something for America?" it's "Did he do something for America - under my personally specific definition of patriotism?"
Am I not a patriot because I've never done something within the military? What if I said I spent dozens of hours last year at Habitat for Humanity Veterans' Housing construction projects, digging trenches and pouring concrete?
Is what Trump is going to do for the military and the VA not Patriotism? Is giving them a General to lead not the greatest gift he could give the Military - A true Leader? Rather than a defense industry consultant as Shillary would have done?
Do you find, "Buy American, Hire American" an Anti-Patriotic, triggering, and "problematic" sentiment to promote? What about, "America First?" Does a wave of guilt and political correctness wash over you when you hear people chanting, "USA! USA!"?
McCain is a flamin' RINO. He is 110% a part of the establishment that would sacrifice this country's young men and women in exchange for campaign donations and politicking. He is a very eager cog in that terrible machine which has utterly abused veterans and this country's people time and time again.
Trump is a true Leader - love him or hate him - and he is turning this country in a very different direction for better or for worse. His stated aim is one that seeks to help our vets and our own people before we blow up buildings and rebuild them in other countries - fighting wars, funding both sides of conflicts, all to satisfy some Oil Baron. McCain may be a vet, but only Trump had the *balls* to stand up to the establishment during his campaign, where McCain fully supplicated himself. Patriot or not, I will respect personal competence and strength where I see it.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Saturday February 04 2017, @05:56PM
"What if I said I spent dozens of hours last year at Habitat for Humanity Veterans' Housing construction projects, digging trenches and pouring concrete?"
Then you are a patriot. Has trump done that? No, he hasn't.
"Is what Trump is going to do for the military and the VA not Patriotism?"
I don't believe he'll do it. If he does, I'll change my mind.
"Do you find, "Buy American, Hire American" an Anti-Patriotic?"
Saying it isn't. Doing it is. Note that Trump had all his goods manufactured overseas, and his family still does.
"What about, 'America First?' "
Ever hear what happened to America in 1928? It was caused in large part by protectionism, "America First". America has always done better when cooperating and always done worse when warring, whether a trade war or a shooting war.
"McCain is a flamin' RINO. He is 110% a part of the establishment that would sacrifice this country's young men and women in exchange for campaign donations and politicking."
I don;t believe that. Also, now someone's a RINO if he isn't a wingnut?
"Trump is a true Leader."
Trump is a true LIAR. Leaders don't throw their workers under the bus to make money for his greedy self.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Sunday February 05 2017, @08:08PM
"Has trump done that? No, he hasn't."
Has the goal post been moved again? I haven't done anything for "America" either - I was just helping American veterans, i.e., American citizens. Trump has *also* helped American Citizens by increasing international demand for his products and taking money from other countries, bringing it into the United States. I would hope you are not so blinded by your bias that you will not forgo basic economic theory.
"If he does, I'll change my mind."
That is fair. He has already signed an executive action regarding this, but we will see if that also gets blocked by Democrats.
"Note that Trump had all his goods manufactured overseas, and his family still does."
"Trump Tower was built overseas" is literally what you sound like right now. That is how separated from reality your MSM-fed brain-diet has taken you. Trump is a *real estate tycoon.* When he takes an apartment, hires people in this country to rebuild it, and sells it for $20 mil to a Japanese client, that is taking $20 mil out of Japan and into the pockets of Americans.
"I don;t believe that."
Dunno if you are aware of who George Soros is, but he has donated to McCain's campaigns repeatedly. A small donation from only one of his Fund Management groups in 2016 (along with bigger donations to Paul Ryan)
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/recips.php?id=D000000306&type=P&state=&sort=A&cycle=2016 [opensecrets.org]
but about $300,000 to groups that were defending McCain's finance law back in 2002,
https://investmentwatchblog.com/report-john-mccain-paul-ryan-funded-by-george-soros/ [investmentwatchblog.com]
One thing Ryan, McCain, and Rubio have in common? They're anti-Trump. What is Soros' endgame? A "world without borders."
"Leaders don't throw their workers under the bus to make money for his greedy self."
How many people do you think Eisenhower was responsible for the deaths of? Was he not a leader? Think before you opine. This is not a world where everyone will always win, and will always be happy, and will always share, and will always be perfect. You probably wear clothes and use gadgets that were made by slaves - do you REALLY care? Here's a hint: No, you fucking don't, because you still get your end result - cheap bullshit, and a better life for you and the people around you, that you care about. That is what Trump wants to do for America - what he has done for himself. Welcome to Planet Earth: A ceaselessly violent ball of rock where competition for limited resources is a reality.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Monday February 06 2017, @03:36PM
Trump has *also* helped American Citizens by increasing international demand for his products
All of which he had made OVERSEAS. That is NOT patriotism, and it did NOT help America. Oh, you're talking about hotels and casinos? No, those were for his own enrichment, or he wouldn't have stiffed his workers--his fellow Americans.
I'm not reading any farther, you've obviously swallowed the fraudster's kool-aid.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Wednesday February 08 2017, @04:59PM
"All of which he had made OVERSEAS. "
You believe that Trump Tower, who has sold apartments for MILLIONS of dollars - bringing that money into the US for further construction projects - is increasing FOREIGN economic strength?!
You are out of your gourd.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday February 10 2017, @02:31AM
Building materials imported. Clothing, jewelry, all that other crap he sells is made overseas. Trump's hotels don't benefit ordinary Americans. Especially the ones in places like Dubai or Scotland.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org