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alwaysinasnit
alwaysinasnit's Journal
alwaysinasnit's Journal
July 23, 2024
Republicans don’t want to talk about Project 2025. The nearly 1,000-page right-wing plan to convert the federal government into an authoritarian regime when the next Republican president comes into power is the brainchild of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank founded in 1973 during the Nixon administration. Over the decades, The Heritage Foundation has evolved to be one of the most influential conservative entities in the GOP, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most controversial Republican policies.
So it’s a bit hard to believe that most Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, say they aren’t familiar with Project 2025, or who’s behind it. The sprawling document — which proposes extreme changes to the federal government, like abolishing the Department of Education and banning abortion — is the culmination of input from dozens of prominent right-wing organizations and figures. Clearly an effort years in the making.
But the extreme agenda of Project 2025 — and controversial comments from Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts — are causing Republicans to distance themselves from it as much as possible. Democracy Docket traced The Heritage Foundation’s connections to nine Republican lawmakers and candidates in the 2024 election. The connections range from a close working relationship with Heritage on specific issues, to more loose associations, like speaking at Heritage-organized events.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Running for U.S. Senate
In the 117th Congress, Banks served as the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus that puts out its own alternative budget proposals each year. In 2023, Banks helped lead the caucus’ alt budget, which it dubbed the “Blueprint to Save America,” that proposed diverting funds to increasing the military budget, building a border wall and protecting Americans “from the Radical Woke Agenda.”
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These Republicans Have Ties to the Group Behind Project 2025
https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/these-republicans-have-ties-to-the-group-behind-project-2025/Republicans don’t want to talk about Project 2025. The nearly 1,000-page right-wing plan to convert the federal government into an authoritarian regime when the next Republican president comes into power is the brainchild of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank founded in 1973 during the Nixon administration. Over the decades, The Heritage Foundation has evolved to be one of the most influential conservative entities in the GOP, working behind the scenes to shape some of the most controversial Republican policies.
So it’s a bit hard to believe that most Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, say they aren’t familiar with Project 2025, or who’s behind it. The sprawling document — which proposes extreme changes to the federal government, like abolishing the Department of Education and banning abortion — is the culmination of input from dozens of prominent right-wing organizations and figures. Clearly an effort years in the making.
But the extreme agenda of Project 2025 — and controversial comments from Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts — are causing Republicans to distance themselves from it as much as possible. Democracy Docket traced The Heritage Foundation’s connections to nine Republican lawmakers and candidates in the 2024 election. The connections range from a close working relationship with Heritage on specific issues, to more loose associations, like speaking at Heritage-organized events.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
Running for U.S. Senate
In the 117th Congress, Banks served as the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus that puts out its own alternative budget proposals each year. In 2023, Banks helped lead the caucus’ alt budget, which it dubbed the “Blueprint to Save America,” that proposed diverting funds to increasing the military budget, building a border wall and protecting Americans “from the Radical Woke Agenda.”
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July 10, 2024
A new star-studded spoof skewers a massive corporation for manipulating the federal government to benefit its profits at the detriment of the air we breathe and the water we drink.
"Hellboy" movies star Ron Perlman and "Don't Look Up" director Adam McCay joined forces in a mocking promotional video for ExxonMobil after its CEO Darren Woods suggested consumers are to blame for the toxic carbon emissions his company produces.
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Star-packed spoof hammers major corporation for ignoring 'catastrophe'
https://www.rawstory.com/exxonmobil-2668709067/A new star-studded spoof skewers a massive corporation for manipulating the federal government to benefit its profits at the detriment of the air we breathe and the water we drink.
"Hellboy" movies star Ron Perlman and "Don't Look Up" director Adam McCay joined forces in a mocking promotional video for ExxonMobil after its CEO Darren Woods suggested consumers are to blame for the toxic carbon emissions his company produces.
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July 1, 2024
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Junk fees are (mostly) going away
A concert ticket that suddenly doubles in price when you click through to the payment screen should soon be a nuisance of the past in California. The high-profile Senate Bill 478 prohibits “hidden fees” from being added to the advertised cost of hotel reservations, sports tickets, car rentals and more.
“The days of bait-and-switch pricing practices are over,” state Sen. Nancy Skinner, who co-authored the bill, said in a statement. “… Californians will know up front how much they’re being asked to pay.”
There has been some confusion and controversy over the interpretation of the law when it comes to restaurants, and a separate bill that would make restaurants exempt from SB 478 is under review.
New tax on guns and ammo
An 11% state tax is about to be added to the sale of all firearms and ammunition in California. The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act will direct that money into gun violence prevention and education programs. The passing of Assembly Bill 28 is a significant win for Democrats, who had seen numerous previous attempts to enact a similar tax fail.
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These new California laws go into effect July 1
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/these-new-california-laws-go-effect-july-1-19541631.phpsnip...
Junk fees are (mostly) going away
A concert ticket that suddenly doubles in price when you click through to the payment screen should soon be a nuisance of the past in California. The high-profile Senate Bill 478 prohibits “hidden fees” from being added to the advertised cost of hotel reservations, sports tickets, car rentals and more.
“The days of bait-and-switch pricing practices are over,” state Sen. Nancy Skinner, who co-authored the bill, said in a statement. “… Californians will know up front how much they’re being asked to pay.”
There has been some confusion and controversy over the interpretation of the law when it comes to restaurants, and a separate bill that would make restaurants exempt from SB 478 is under review.
New tax on guns and ammo
An 11% state tax is about to be added to the sale of all firearms and ammunition in California. The Gun Violence Prevention and School Safety Act will direct that money into gun violence prevention and education programs. The passing of Assembly Bill 28 is a significant win for Democrats, who had seen numerous previous attempts to enact a similar tax fail.
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July 1, 2024
Costco, the international bulk grocery chain known for its warehouse looks and difficult-to-beat deals, is hard at work on what could be considered its biggest new product launch in years: affordable housing.
An approved upcoming Costco location in South Los Angeles (the Baldwin Village/Crenshaw area specifically) is slated to open in the coming years, and it combines the company’s more-is-more brand with a novel new approach to residential construction. The project, to be built by developer Thrive Living and architects AO, was first announced early last year in a press release that revealed renderings of a mixed-use model with multiple floors, open courtyard spaces and other amenities. All told, the build would encompass not only the Costco store (and necessary parking) but a whopping 800 residential units, including 184 set aside specifically for low-income tenants.
What the renderings don’t show, though, is the complicated — and ingenious — way that Thrive Living is actually putting the Costco development together.
According to real estate analysts CoStar, this entirely new mixed-use model isn’t just something novel for Los Angeles, it “may have national retail implications for Costco.” That could mean smaller footprints, more transit-oriented openings, or Costco itself getting even further into the housing market.
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Costco's bold new plan for the California housing crisis
https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/costco-housing-apartments-south-la-19541521.phpCostco, the international bulk grocery chain known for its warehouse looks and difficult-to-beat deals, is hard at work on what could be considered its biggest new product launch in years: affordable housing.
An approved upcoming Costco location in South Los Angeles (the Baldwin Village/Crenshaw area specifically) is slated to open in the coming years, and it combines the company’s more-is-more brand with a novel new approach to residential construction. The project, to be built by developer Thrive Living and architects AO, was first announced early last year in a press release that revealed renderings of a mixed-use model with multiple floors, open courtyard spaces and other amenities. All told, the build would encompass not only the Costco store (and necessary parking) but a whopping 800 residential units, including 184 set aside specifically for low-income tenants.
What the renderings don’t show, though, is the complicated — and ingenious — way that Thrive Living is actually putting the Costco development together.
According to real estate analysts CoStar, this entirely new mixed-use model isn’t just something novel for Los Angeles, it “may have national retail implications for Costco.” That could mean smaller footprints, more transit-oriented openings, or Costco itself getting even further into the housing market.
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May 22, 2024
Interesting and informative article.
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Diplomatic pressure on Israel has grown as the battle with Hamas stretches into its eighth month. The U.N. General Assembly voted by a significant margin on May 11 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine in a sign of growing international support for a vote on full voting membership. The Palestinian Authority currently has observer status.
The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia said in March they were considering recognizing a Palestinian state as “a positive contribution” toward ending the war.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Wednesday, “This recognition is not against anyone, it is not against the Israeli people,” he said. “It is an act in favor of peace, justice and moral consistency.”
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told The Associated Press that while the country has supported the establishment of a Palestinian state for decades, recognition is “a card that you can play once.”
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Spain, Ireland and Norway say they will recognize a Palestinian state. Why does that matter?
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinian-state-recognition-what-to-know-ed18d4cc50b20c8238e0de0068080eb0Interesting and informative article.
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Diplomatic pressure on Israel has grown as the battle with Hamas stretches into its eighth month. The U.N. General Assembly voted by a significant margin on May 11 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine in a sign of growing international support for a vote on full voting membership. The Palestinian Authority currently has observer status.
The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia said in March they were considering recognizing a Palestinian state as “a positive contribution” toward ending the war.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Wednesday, “This recognition is not against anyone, it is not against the Israeli people,” he said. “It is an act in favor of peace, justice and moral consistency.”
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told The Associated Press that while the country has supported the establishment of a Palestinian state for decades, recognition is “a card that you can play once.”
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May 8, 2024
Imagine you’re an undocumented person living in the United States. You’ve come to this country seeking a better life for you and your family. Or maybe your parents brought you here seeking the same when you were a child. You spend your life living in very real fear that you might be noticed by the government and be deported — perhaps to a country you’ve never known. There’s an election coming up, the outcome of which will surely impact your life. But you know you can’t vote because you’re not a citizen. Would you risk everything — your freedom, your life in the United States, your ability to be near your family — just to cast a single ballot?
Of course you wouldn’t. It’s a federal crime for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. It’s also a crime under every state’s laws. In fact, under federal law, you could face up to five years in prison simply for registering to vote. It’s also a deportable offense for noncitizens to register or vote. And sure, people make bad decisions and commit crimes all the time. But this one is different: by committing the crime, you create a government record of your having committed it. In fact, it’s the creation of the government record — the registration form or the ballot cast — that is the crime. So, you’ve not only exposed yourself to prison time and deportation, you’ve put yourself on the government’s radar, and you’ve handed the government the evidence it needs to put you in prison or deport you. All so you could cast one vote. Who would do such a thing?
The answer is: just about no one. Every legitimate study ever done on the question shows that voting by noncitizens in state and federal elections is vanishingly rare. That includes the Brennan Center’s own study of 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 general election. We found that election officials in those places, who oversaw the tabulation of 23.5 million votes, referred only an estimated 30 incidents of suspected noncitizen voting for further investigation or prosecution. In other words, even suspected — not proven — noncitizen votes accounted for just 0.0001 percent of the votes cast. But you don’t have to take our word for it: the Cato Institute will also tell you, “Noncitizens don’t illegally vote in detectable numbers.”
Maybe you’re thinking that there are a bunch of noncitizens voting and getting away with it. Again, consider the fact that in order to commit these crimes you create a government record of having committed them. Indeed, anyone can look up your voter history on public voter files. And election officials conduct regular maintenance of these voter lists — in fact, they’re required to by federal law. Moreover, these are crimes that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers are instructed to look into during the naturalization process. So, if you ever try to become a citizen, you’ll be caught.
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Noncitizens Are Not Voting in Federal or State Elections -- Here's Why
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/noncitizens-are-not-voting-federal-or-state-elections-heres-whyImagine you’re an undocumented person living in the United States. You’ve come to this country seeking a better life for you and your family. Or maybe your parents brought you here seeking the same when you were a child. You spend your life living in very real fear that you might be noticed by the government and be deported — perhaps to a country you’ve never known. There’s an election coming up, the outcome of which will surely impact your life. But you know you can’t vote because you’re not a citizen. Would you risk everything — your freedom, your life in the United States, your ability to be near your family — just to cast a single ballot?
Of course you wouldn’t. It’s a federal crime for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. It’s also a crime under every state’s laws. In fact, under federal law, you could face up to five years in prison simply for registering to vote. It’s also a deportable offense for noncitizens to register or vote. And sure, people make bad decisions and commit crimes all the time. But this one is different: by committing the crime, you create a government record of your having committed it. In fact, it’s the creation of the government record — the registration form or the ballot cast — that is the crime. So, you’ve not only exposed yourself to prison time and deportation, you’ve put yourself on the government’s radar, and you’ve handed the government the evidence it needs to put you in prison or deport you. All so you could cast one vote. Who would do such a thing?
The answer is: just about no one. Every legitimate study ever done on the question shows that voting by noncitizens in state and federal elections is vanishingly rare. That includes the Brennan Center’s own study of 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 general election. We found that election officials in those places, who oversaw the tabulation of 23.5 million votes, referred only an estimated 30 incidents of suspected noncitizen voting for further investigation or prosecution. In other words, even suspected — not proven — noncitizen votes accounted for just 0.0001 percent of the votes cast. But you don’t have to take our word for it: the Cato Institute will also tell you, “Noncitizens don’t illegally vote in detectable numbers.”
Maybe you’re thinking that there are a bunch of noncitizens voting and getting away with it. Again, consider the fact that in order to commit these crimes you create a government record of having committed them. Indeed, anyone can look up your voter history on public voter files. And election officials conduct regular maintenance of these voter lists — in fact, they’re required to by federal law. Moreover, these are crimes that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers are instructed to look into during the naturalization process. So, if you ever try to become a citizen, you’ll be caught.
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April 4, 2024
Judge Arthur Engoron responded to a brief filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James asking for financial information that can confirm the company that insured Donald Trump's bond was solvent.
Donald Trump was found liable for damages of $454 million, which ballooned after interest. He then asked the court to reduce the bond amount to $174 million, and the court agreed. He then secured a bond sponsor from the Knight Speciality Insurance Company.
The filing said she, “Hereby takes exception to the sufficiency of the surety,” noting the Knight Specialty Insurance Company is trying to operate “without a certificate of qualification.” In New York, state regulators are required to meet certain standards, guaranteeing they are “solvent, responsible and otherwise qualified to make policies or contracts of the kind required.”
Since the company is out of California, New York doesn't have that information. James explained in her filing that the company must prove that they are financially able to cover Trump's hefty sum if he loses the appeal.
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Judge schedules a hearing to find out if Trump's bond sponsor is properly backed
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-bond-sponsorhearing/Judge Arthur Engoron responded to a brief filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James asking for financial information that can confirm the company that insured Donald Trump's bond was solvent.
Donald Trump was found liable for damages of $454 million, which ballooned after interest. He then asked the court to reduce the bond amount to $174 million, and the court agreed. He then secured a bond sponsor from the Knight Speciality Insurance Company.
The filing said she, “Hereby takes exception to the sufficiency of the surety,” noting the Knight Specialty Insurance Company is trying to operate “without a certificate of qualification.” In New York, state regulators are required to meet certain standards, guaranteeing they are “solvent, responsible and otherwise qualified to make policies or contracts of the kind required.”
Since the company is out of California, New York doesn't have that information. James explained in her filing that the company must prove that they are financially able to cover Trump's hefty sum if he loses the appeal.
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April 3, 2024
Documents related to Donald Trump's $175 million bond were "returned for correction" after his lawyers reportedly forgot to attach a financial statement.
The New York County Supreme Court's electronic filing system showed Wednesday that Trump's "bond/undertaking" had been "returned for correction." Another reporting system listed the document as "rejected."
New York litigator Jeffrey K. Levine shed some light on why the court had rejected the filing. He shared a New York County Supreme Court document explaining the need for re-filing.
"The court has returned the documents listed below for the following reasons: Please include a current financial statement and Power of Attorney," the instructions said. "Additionally, please list the name of the Attorney-in-Fact under the signature line on the Undertaking. Please use the 'Refile Document' link for Doc. No. 1707 to resubmit the corrected filing. Thank you and have a great day."
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Rejected': Trump bond filing 'returned for correction' over botched lawyering
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-bond-2667675522/Documents related to Donald Trump's $175 million bond were "returned for correction" after his lawyers reportedly forgot to attach a financial statement.
The New York County Supreme Court's electronic filing system showed Wednesday that Trump's "bond/undertaking" had been "returned for correction." Another reporting system listed the document as "rejected."
New York litigator Jeffrey K. Levine shed some light on why the court had rejected the filing. He shared a New York County Supreme Court document explaining the need for re-filing.
"The court has returned the documents listed below for the following reasons: Please include a current financial statement and Power of Attorney," the instructions said. "Additionally, please list the name of the Attorney-in-Fact under the signature line on the Undertaking. Please use the 'Refile Document' link for Doc. No. 1707 to resubmit the corrected filing. Thank you and have a great day."
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March 5, 2024
Trump’s Allies Ramp Up Campaign Targeting Voter Rolls
A network of right-wing activists and allies of Donald Trump is quietly challenging thousands of voter registrations in critical presidential battleground states, an all-but-unnoticed effort that could have an impact in a close or contentious election.
Calling themselves election investigators, the activists have pressed local officials in Michigan, Nevada and Georgia to drop voters from the rolls en masse. They have at times targeted Democratic areas, relying on new data programs and novel legal theories to justify their push.
In one Michigan town, more than 100 voters were removed after an activist lobbied officials, citing an obscure state law from the 1950s. In the Detroit suburb of Waterford, a clerk removed 1,000 people from the rolls in response to a similar request. The ousted voters included an active-duty Air Force officer who was wrongly removed and later reinstated.
The purge in Waterford went unnoticed by state election officials until The New York Times discovered it. The Michigan secretary of state’s office has since told the clerk to reinstate the voters, saying the removals did not follow the process laid out in state and federal law, and issued a warning to the state’s 1,600 clerks.
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Trump allies are quietly purging names from voter rolls in battleground states
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-allies-ramp-campaign-targeting-122537189.htmlTrump’s Allies Ramp Up Campaign Targeting Voter Rolls
A network of right-wing activists and allies of Donald Trump is quietly challenging thousands of voter registrations in critical presidential battleground states, an all-but-unnoticed effort that could have an impact in a close or contentious election.
Calling themselves election investigators, the activists have pressed local officials in Michigan, Nevada and Georgia to drop voters from the rolls en masse. They have at times targeted Democratic areas, relying on new data programs and novel legal theories to justify their push.
In one Michigan town, more than 100 voters were removed after an activist lobbied officials, citing an obscure state law from the 1950s. In the Detroit suburb of Waterford, a clerk removed 1,000 people from the rolls in response to a similar request. The ousted voters included an active-duty Air Force officer who was wrongly removed and later reinstated.
The purge in Waterford went unnoticed by state election officials until The New York Times discovered it. The Michigan secretary of state’s office has since told the clerk to reinstate the voters, saying the removals did not follow the process laid out in state and federal law, and issued a warning to the state’s 1,600 clerks.
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Name: DoloresGender: Female
Hometown: California
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Current location: California
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