NEWS ROUNDUP
Will we stop Trump? | Students support teachers | #DreamStillLives
Friday, April 6, 2018
RESIST
► In today’s Washington Post — 1 in 5 Americans have joined protests or rallies in past two years, often in reaction to Trump, poll shows — For tens of millions of Americans, their activism is often driven by admiration or outrage toward President Trump, according to a new poll showing a new activism that could affect November elections.
At one time or another, Trump has attacked the judiciary, ridiculed the media, defended torture, condoned police brutality, urged supporters to rough up hecklers and — jokingly or not — equated mere policy disagreements with treason. He tried to undermine faith in America’s electoral process through a bogus advisory commission on voter integrity. He routinely vilifies federal law enforcement institutions. He libels immigrants and the countries from which they come. His words are so often at odds with the truth that they can appear ignorant, yet are in fact calculated to exacerbate religious, social and racial divisions. Overseas, rather than stand up to bullies, Trump appears to like bullies, and they are delighted to have him represent the American brand. If one were to draft a script chronicling fascism’s resurrection, the abdication of America’s moral leadership would make a credible first scene.
TEACHER STRIKES
► From The Nation — Oklahoma teachers strike for a 4th day to protest rock-bottom education funding — The Oklahoma legislature has approved an increase in teacher pay, but teachers still haven’t returned to their classrooms, demanding more funding for education in a state that has slashed it dramatically—and paid the price.
► This morning from AP — Oklahoma teacher walkout stretches into 5th day
► In today’s Washington Post — Teacher strikes may be more powerful now than ever before (by Jon Shelton) — The media loves a good labor stoppage. The nonstop coverage of teacher demonstrations in West Virginia earlier this year and now in Oklahoma and Kentucky proves it. But these walkouts are more than publicity stunts. Public school teachers have enormous bargaining power, and some of the lowest paid have clearly realized it. Just as happened in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, the price of peace will come from treating teachers like the important professionals they are.
LOCAL
► From Willamette Week — After more than a year of campaigning, Burgerville agrees to allow employees to vote to unionize — Burgerville announced that it will allow Portland employees to vote to on whether or not they want to unionize.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Under the National Labor Relations Act, it is the workers’ legal right to vote on unionization, not something that employers can “grant” when they see fit. (You’re Burgerville, not Burger King.) After a year-plus of ignoring the law and filing NLRB appeals to try to block or delay a union vote, the company has simply agreed to obey the law.
THAT WASHINGTON
► In today’s Washington Post — Trump seeks tariffs on $100 billion more in Chinese goods as trade fight intensifies — President Trump’s threat, which came after China unveiled tariffs against $50 billion in U.S. goods, moves the world’s two largest economies closer to an open brawl on trade. It is certain to spook allies in Europe and Japan as well as U.S. business leaders desperate for a resolution of the dispute.
► In today’s NY Times — White House tries to pull NAFTA deal back from brink — After months of stalemate, American negotiators are eager for quick progress on the North American trade deal as deadlines loom.
ALSO at The Stand — NAFTA should work for everyone – not just investors (by Stan Sorscher)
► In today’s Washington Post — Pruitt fights for his job amid a barrage of new ethics issues — The president has resisted calls from aides to oust the head of the Environmental Protection Agency but has complained privately about Scott Pruitt for days, advisers said.
► From KUOW — More than 500 pregnant women in ICE detention, after reversal of Obama policy — Immigration authorities have detained 506 pregnant women since December, when the Trump administration ended a policy to release most pregnant women while their immigration cases are pending.
NATIONAL
“SAG-AFTRA has been in contact with Sinclair to express our concerns with this campaign, and we stand with our members and journalists everywhere in challenging corporate directives that call into question the journalistic integrity of the news presented to the public. SAG-AFTRA opposes such directives in the interest of defending the professionalism of journalists and preserving the basic rights of a free and independent press.”
► In today’s Washington Post — Sinclair’s remarkable gaslighting operation (by Erik Wemple) — What Sinclair and Trump are doing transcends mere channel preferences. They’re trying to sever an entire population — their followers, that is — from the truth about their deeds.
► From Vox — Sinclair’s takeover of local news, in one striking map
► From Vox — Workers don’t have much say in corporations. Why not give them seats on the board? — Americans largely support the idea. A poll of more than 3,300 American likely voters by Civis Analytics finds that a majority (53 percent) would support allowing employees at large companies to elect representatives to those companies’ boards of directors, thus giving employees a direct, democratic say in how the company is run.
ALSO TODAY at The Stand — MLK knew unions are vital voice for workers (by Tina Morrison of the Spokane Regional Labor Council)
T.G.I.F. #DreamStillLives
► In lieu of our usual music video, we present Stevie Wonder’s inspirational video posted Thursday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. — and his dream.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.