Politico: Five Things Donald Trump Did This Week While You Weren't Looking

[erpowers]

1. The State Department turns up the heat on Egypt

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So, it came as some surprise this week when the State Department delayed $200 million in aid to Egypt and cut another $100 million in aid altogether. State officials said the move was a result of Egypt’s human rights record, including a new law that restricts the activities of nongovernmental organizations. But experts also suggested another motive: isolating North Korea. Egypt has historically had ties to North Korea, with North Korean pilots training Egyptian pilots in the 1970s. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert did not deny that North Korea was a reason for the cuts in aid, saying, “We have a deep and multifaceted relationship with the country of Egypt. We have a lot of areas of close cooperation.”

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2. Interior could shrink national monuments

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On Thursday, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke delivered that review to the White House. He didn’t release it publicly, instead publishing a vague two-page fact sheet; in an interview with The Associated Press, Zinke said he was not recommending any monuments be rescinded but was suggesting a “handful” of changes. The New York Times later reported that Zinke recommended shrinking at least four monuments. It’s unclear whether—or when—the White House will accept the recommendations. But given Trump’s commitment to rolling back Obama’s environmental legacy, Zinke’s recommendations will likely find a favorable reception in the Oval Office. And if it does, it would be historic—no national monument has been shrunk by a president since 1963.

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3. The White House changes American research priorities

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This week, the Trump administration revealed that it intends to use that lever. The Office of Management and Budget, led by Director Mick Mulvaney, published a four-page memo—dated August 27—that lays out the administration’s research and development priorities for fiscal 2019, which includes a focus on military technologies, border security and treatments for drug addiction. In a break from the Obama administration’s efforts to combat climate change, there is almost no mention of environmental research, with the exception of one reference to renewable energy. The memo also directs agencies to focus on early stage research and, in a bolded section, strongly recommends the use of quantitative data to evaluate any R&D investments, terminating those in which “federal involvement is no longer needed or appropriate.”

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4. The Amazon-Whole Foods merger sails through

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Despite those attacks, Amazon had no problem receiving approval from regulators to acquire the grocery giant Whole Foods. Although the deal has alarmed some antitrust watchers, who worry that Amazon’s expansion is undermining competition in the long run by driving out competitors through its low prices, it barely hit a speed bump in Washington: The Federal Trade Commission released a short statement saying it had completed its investigation into the $13.7 billion deal, which was announced in June, and isn’t going to challenge it. The quick approval also assuaged concerns that Trump would attempt to interfere in the regulatory review for political reasons. The deal is set to close on Monday.

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5. Trump ratchets up sanctions

This week, the administration took another unilateral step to stop Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions when the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Chinese and Russian individuals and entities, an effort to reduce North Korea’s exports, which it uses to finance its nuclear program, and to choke off its access to the global financial system. The move is the second time in two months that Trump has sanctioned Chinese entities over North Korea. In addition, on Friday, the White House also announced new sanctions on Venezuela that attempt to cut financing to the country and its state-owned oil company.

http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/08/25/trump-policy-monuments-sanctions-research-000502

[pangaia]

1. Somebody need to keep track of all this shit so IF/WHEN

the adults gain control again, we can fix it.

[Control-Z]

4. I've been thinking about this for a while now.

If Hillary were to somehow be placed into her rightful roll as POTUS this week I have no doubt that she would immediately undo all of the BS, temper tantrum, dictator changes he's made to destroy President Obama and America.

But I'm worried that by the time we can get a reasonable Democrat back in office too much damage will have been done. It will be another 8 years of digging ourselves out while moving forward very little.

[pangaia]

5. I agree. And by the time we get another Democrat in, IF we wver get one in,

the planet may be under water and our grandchildren living under the L A freeways.

[Control-Z]

7. I have a lot of faith in science

and in true Americans. We are the majority. We will just have to handle climate change together. Screw the maggot. He can't stop the citizens and scientists from working together.

[BigmanPigman]

2. He does at least 5 things a day when people aren't looking.

Maybe people should stop staring at their damn devices for 30 seconds and join the grown up, active world.

[msongs]

3. systematic destruction of democrats' ability to vote in elections. dems dont fight back nt

[pangaia]

6. Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine is as relevant now as it was when she wrote it.

[pansypoo53219]

8. swampy.

[secondwind]

9. My heart goes out to the wonderful people of Venezuela. Haven't they suffered enough?