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President Trump's Justice Department asked for the census to again have a question asking about citizenship, so the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) can be enforced. The question was approved by the Department of Commerce, but New York and other parties sued to keep it from appearing. The Supreme Court ruled today against the government, saying "the VRA enforcement rationale—the sole stated reason—seems to have been contrived." Justice Alito wrote

...the Federal Judiciary has no authority to stick its nose into the question whether it is good policy to include a citizenship question on the census or whether the reasons given by Secretary Ross for that decision were his only reasons or his real reasons.

Law.com and USA Today have the story.

President Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner revealed the President's plan to strengthen the Palestinian economy. The plan is being discussed at a two-day workshop in Manama, Bahrain. Voice of America, Al Arabiya, BBC and Bloomberg have the story.

Jason D. Greenblatt, President Donald J. Trump's Special Representative for International Negotiations, writes about the upcoming workshop in Bahrain, where the economic part of President Trump's peace plan will be presented. KITV Honolulu has the story. Additional coverage at JewishPress.com, CNN and The Jerusalem Post.

The Defense Intelligence Agency released a statement saying "that Russia has conducted nuclear weapons tests that have created nuclear yield." Russia denies it. The Washington Post and TASS have the story. Also at Heritage Foundation.

When I "Log In" I see

You are currently banned from moderating.

The last day of your ban is 2019-06-01.

                        Please reread the moderator guidelines so this will not happen again or contact us if you feel there has been an error.

But, I also see that I have 7 moderator points.

I reread the guidelines. And, they say people can be banned for two reasons. Mod bombing, or spam mod. I'm very careful about those things. If, somehow I did them, it wasn't on purpose. And possibly, it was a computer error. Admin, if you're listening -- did I make a mistake? Or, is the ban a mistake? If it was my mistake, I'm very sorry. So sorry. But, please let me know what I did. Mod bombing, or spam mod? When did I do it? And, who did I do it to? If it was your mistake, please repeal. Obviously I'd want it repealed in that case. Thank you!

from The Detroit News via the White House:

New trade agreement puts auto industry first
by Mike Pence
April 23, 2019

Today, I’m going to Dearborn to visit the Ford Rouge complex, which has built cars, trucks and tractors nonstop for more than one hundred years. Ford Rouge has produced some of the most iconic American brands in history, from the Model A to the Mustang to the F-150. Even now, its 7,500 employees are developing the next generation of American cars using robotics, 3D printing and virtual reality.

From the earliest days of our administration, President Donald J. Trump has pledged to pursue “a new future of American automotive leadership,” and Ford Rouge is one of the more than 200 Big Three facilities in America that are building that future. But to secure American leadership in the auto industry well into the 21st century, we need to make sure American autoworkers compete on a level playing field. That begins by forging free, fair and reciprocal trade deals that put American workers and American jobs first — and we can start by passing the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement into law.

Last year, the president negotiated the USMCA with two of our biggest trading partners because, as he’s said time and again, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is extremely out of date. It was negotiated more than a quarter of a century ago — before the age of the internet — and now several of its provisions function as a loophole that works against American interests.

For instance, under NAFTA, a car assembled in Canada or Mexico can enter the United States duty free, so long as at least 62.5 percent of its parts are built in North America. This provision did not do much to help U.S. auto production, and has since become a threat to maintaining American leadership in the auto sector. The original NAFTA listed specific parts that must be built on this continent to meet the 62.5 percent threshold, but any parts not on that list were assumed to have been built in North America.

As technology has advanced and the components of our modern cars and trucks have changed, this antiquated model has failed to keep up. Many of the auto parts that today we take for granted — like advanced batteries or computerized navigation systems — are deemed to be made in North America, when in reality they may be anything but. And because these auto parts add so much value to the car or truck, they go a long way toward helping companies meet the NAFTA’s 62.5 percent threshold. An advanced battery alone can be worth more than 30 percent of a vehicle’s value.

In other words, companies can buy a significant share of auto parts from China or Europe, assemble them into a vehicle in Mexico, and sell them into the United States duty free.

This loophole threatens to undercut American workers, their wages and the auto industry that built our middle class. And that’s why under the president's leadership, we’re going to stop it.

Under the USMCA, we will eliminate the ability to deem auto parts as North American and require at least 75 percent of a car to be built with parts genuinely made on this continent for it to be sold duty free in the United States. We also will require at least 70 percent of a vehicle producer’s purchases of steel and aluminum to originate in North America, and for the first time in our history, we will require at least 40 percent of a duty-free car to be made by workers earning at least an average of $16 an hour.

These “rules of origin” requirements will significantly increase demand for American auto parts. According to a study by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, if the USMCA goes into effect, over a five-year period automakers will invest $34 billion more in our country, U.S. auto suppliers will sell $23 billion more each year in auto parts, and the agreement will support 76,000 new jobs in the U.S. auto sector.

The USMCA will put in place the strongest labor protections for American workers in our history. The agreement’s labor chapter prohibits trade in goods produced by forced labor, requires Mexico to overhaul its system of labor justice and allow its workers to engage in collective bargaining, and includes strong provisions to address any violence against workers who exercise their rights. No longer will we allow our competitors to cut corners and undermine the good-paying jobs that put the American Dream within reach of millions of our citizens. From now on, we will insist on a level playing field — because on a level playing field, American workers can compete — and win.

The USMCA is a huge victory for America’s auto industry, but now that the agreement has been signed by the president, it’s got to be approved by Congress.

We’ve negotiated a deal that puts American jobs and American workers first. And now it’s time for Congress to do its job.

So I’m here today in the great state of Michigan to ask all America’s autoworkers to join us and urge your members of Congress to approve the USMCA — and approve it this year. It’s vital to ensure we continue a century of American automotive leadership, and the hardworking people of Michigan deserve nothing less.

Mike Pence is vice president of the United States of America.

Interim President Juan Guaido has taken to the streets, with the activist Leopoldo Lopez, in a military uprising. AP has the story.

Kellyanne Conway and officials in President Donald J. Trump's administration have expressed their support for the uprising, Operation Liberty. CBS News has the story.

Also at Stratfor.

From the White House:

From the White House:

LENDING PARENTS A HELPING HAND: President Donald J. Trump’s tax cuts are helping parents with the costs of raising a family.

• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) increased and improved the Child Tax Credit to help parents as they raise a family.
• The Child Tax Credit was doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child, providing a financial boost to American families.
• The TCJA expanded eligibility for the Child Tax Credit, allowing more families to benefit.
• The refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit was increased to help middle and lower income families.
  • The refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit was increased from $1,000 to $1,400.
  • This change helps families who do not have enough income tax liability to offset the full amount of the credit

HELPING FAMILIES’ BOTTOM LINE: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act kept in place or expanded a number of provisions aimed at helping American families’ finances.

• The TCJA maintained key tax benefits that help American families, including:
  • The Adoption Tax Credit that helps Americans who have the joy of adopting a child into their hearts and their homes.
  • The Child and Dependent Care Credit that helps families with the costs of child care and care for older dependents.
  • The Earned Income Tax Credit that helps lower-income Americans working to build a better life for themselves and their families.
  • Popular retirement savings options, such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts, that help Americans save for their future.
• American families benefited from an expanded medical expense deduction in tax years 2017 and 2018.
• Thanks to the TCJA, families are seeing lower utility bills, in addition to lower tax bills.
  • At least 100 utility companies across the country have announced plans to lower rates for their customers due to the law.

INVESTING IN OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act included reforms to help give parents more financial flexibility to send their children to the schools of their choice.

• Thanks to the TCJA, parents have a new way of saving for their children’s primary and secondary educations.
• The TCJA expanded the types of qualified expenses for 529 Savings Accounts to allow parents to use the accounts to pay for their child’s education at primary and secondary schools.
• Under the law, up to $10,000 can be used annually from a 529 Savings Account to pay for tuition.
• By using these accounts, parents will be able to save to help ensure their children receive the best quality education possible.