Politics. On Point.

The Trump administration continues to institute policy that dehumanizes people fleeing refuge and asylum who want to enter the U.S.  More and more reports show gruesome,  terror-like practices at the Texas-Mexican border. Children, as young as one year-old, are being taken from their mothers. One reporter told of a child being ripped away from its mother as it was being nursed. Reporters took to the White House briefing room on Thursday to ask about such border practices and were met with a non-chalant, empathetic-less response from Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Brian Karem , Editor of The Montgomery County Sentinel , took Huckabee-Sanders (a parent of young children) to task asking her if she any "empathy" for what was happening to the children at the border. What happened next had many shaking their heads in disdain. Here is a readout of that exchange as prepared by Democracy Now! Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders : “Hey, Brian, I know yo...

As President Donald Trump prepares to give his first State of the Union address tonight, here are excerpts of what he plans to address. (As prepared for delivery, from the White House) •       Together, we are building a SAFE, STRONG, and PROUD America. •       We want every American to know the dignity of a hard day’s work; we want every child to be safe in their home at night, and we want every citizen to be proud of this land that we love. •       Just as I promised the American People from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history. •       Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the Middle Class and small businesses. •       Since we passed tax cuts, roughly 3 million workers have already gotten tax cut bonuses – many of them thousands of dollars per ...

President Donald J. Trump Meets with State of the Union Guests President Donald J. Trump welcomes State of the Union honored guests, from left to right, Robert Mickens, Evelyn Rodriguez and Elizabeth Alvarado and Freddy Cuevas, to the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in Washington, D.C. The State of the Union guests will be seated with First Lady Melania Trump, as they are recognized by President Trump during his speech. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) President Donald J. Trump welcomes State of the Union honored guests U.S. Marine Cpl. (Ret.) Matthew Bradford, and his wife and child, to the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, in Washington, D.C. The State of the Union guests will be seated with First Lady Melania Trump, as they are recognized by President Trump during his speech. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) President Donald J. Trump welcomes State of the Union honored guests, Supervis...

The United States government is officially closed for business - as of January 19, 2018. Happy New Year. After not reaching an agreement late Friday night on several issues including  DACA , the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that would protect immigrant children from being deported to countries of their supposed origin, republican and democratic representatives allowed for a government shutdown, instead. ADVERTISEMENT CMB BUSINESS SOLUTIONS   Who's to blame for the shut down? Seemingly, there's enough blame to go around. The White House has issued a statement on the shutdown which lays blame on Democrats, calling the government closure 'The Schumer Shutdown', casting Democrats as "losers." "Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown. Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country’s ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful im...

The White House announces intent to nominate the following to the key posts within the administration. Nominees include Brian Benczkowski, Steve Bradbury and Carlos  Muñiz. Brian Allen Benczkowski of Virginia to be an Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, Department of Justice.  Mr. Benczkowski is a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP whose practice focuses on litigation and white collar criminal defense, including government and internal investigations. He has over 10 years of diverse public service experience in the federal government, including key leadership positions both in the U.S. Department of Justice and on Capitol Hill.  Prior to joining Kirkland in 2010, Mr. Benczkowski served as the Republican Staff Director for the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. Senate, where he was the top advisor and strategist to Republican members of the committee for legislative, oversight and nominations matters. Previously, Mr...

Members of civil rights groups met with Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice Tuesday with a list of concerns they say were meant to put Sessions “on notice.” "The meeting was two-fold", said Wade Henderson,  president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .  We met with Sessions "to present the agenda of national civil rights organizations and to discuss with the AG our expectations for his responsibility to the American people to address issues of national concern regarding civil and human rights", he said. Civil rights groups met with the press after meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions Tuesday at the Department of Justice. Pictured are: Marc Morial, National Urban League. From left to right:  Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network; Wade Henderson,  Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund (hidden);   Kristen Clarke, president & exec...

President Trump announced Tuesday, on prime-time television, his Supreme Court pick selecting Neil Gorsuch, a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  If confirmed, Gorsuch will fill the SCOTUS seat left by Chief Justice Antonin Scalia who died in 2016.   Trump selects Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court. Photo/AP. “Judge Gorsuch has a superb intellect, an unparalleled legal education, and a commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its text", said Trump. "He will make an incredible Justice as soon as the Senate confirms him.” [ Gorsuch rules on Hobby Lobby  case]. While some consider Gorsuch to be “warm”, “open”, “generous” and willing to “find common ground”, Democratic Minority Speaker of House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said in a statement issued soon after the announcement about Gorsuch: “In the Hobby Lobby case, Judge Neil Gorsuch revealed his eagerness to single out women’s health for discrimination and e...