2017 - Page 40 of 105

GOP Hit with $15 Million Ad Spend Against Healthcare Bill

July 28, 2017 Buck Banks

$14.8 million

NBC News: “The Republican senators whose votes are crucial to the fate of health care in America have faced a $15 million barrage of TV advertising from outside groups opposing the GOP legislation — and no air cover from any group backing the bills. … According to ad-buying tracker Advertising Analytics, groups opposing the GOP health care push have spent $14.8 million since May on TV ads targeting 13 key senators, with even more ad buys rolling in daily as the debate in the Senate reaches fever pitch. No groups have run ads in those states in support of the ever-evolving Republican legislation to repeal and replace parts or all of Obamacare.”

Most Republicans Favor Shutting Down Media Outlets

July 26, 2017 Buck Banks

45% to 20%

A new Economist/YouGov poll finds that Republicans favor having courts “shut down media outlets” for “biased or inaccurate” stories by a 45% to 20% margin, with 35% unsure.

Republicans Believe Trump Won Popular Vote

July 26, 2017July 26, 2017 Buck Banks

47%

A new Morning Consult/Politico poll finds that 47% of Republican voters believe Donald Trump received more popular votes in the presidential election than Hillary Clinton. Just 42% think Clinton won by 2.9 million votes, which was the official tally after all the states certified their election results.

Trump Redefines ‘Presidential’

July 26, 2017 Buck Banks

“With the exception of the late, great Abraham Lincoln, I can be more presidential than any president that’s ever held this office.”

— President Trump, quoted by Fox News.

— White House communications directory Anthony Scaramucci, quoted by the New York Times.

Trump Threatens Price If Healthcare Bill Fails

July 26, 2017 Buck Banks

“Are you gonna get the votes? He better get them. He better get them. Oh, he better, otherwise I’ll say, ‘Tom, you’re fired.’ I’ll get somebody.”

— President Trump, at an event for Boy Scouts, threatening to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price if Congress does not repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Daily Beast reports.

Americans Split on Removing Trump from Office

July 26, 2017 Buck Banks

42% to 42%

A new USA Today/iMediaEthics Poll finds Americans already are split down the middle, 42% to 42%, over whether President Trump should be removed from office.

Sean Spicer was someone Donald Trump could count on —
He’d stand at the podium and lie until the day was done.
But Trump pulled a doozy
When he tapped Anthony Scaramucci,
And now that old reliable Sean is gone.

Mar-A-Lago Wants to Hire 70 Foreign Workers

July 21, 2017 Buck Banks

70

“President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida has asked permission to hire 70 foreign workers this fall, attesting — in the middle of the White House’s ‘Made in America Week’ — that it cannot find qualified Americans to serve as cooks, waiters and housekeepers,” the Washington Post reports. “Those requests were made to the Department of Labor in recent days and posted online Thursday.”

Even Corker Is Confused

July 21, 2017 Buck Banks

$14.8 million

45% to 20%

A new Economist/YouGov poll finds that Republicans favor having courts “shut down media outlets” for “biased or inaccurate” stories by a 45% to 20% margin, with 35% unsure.

47%

“With the exception of the late, great Abraham Lincoln, I can be more presidential than any president that’s ever held this office.”

— President Trump, quoted by Fox News.

“I was left for dead on the street, and now I’m headed for Air Force One.”

— White House communications directory Anthony Scaramucci, quoted by the New York Times.

“Are you gonna get the votes? He better get them. He better get them. Oh, he better, otherwise I’ll say, ‘Tom, you’re fired.’ I’ll get somebody.”

— President Trump, at an event for Boy Scouts, threatening to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price if Congress does not repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Daily Beast reports.

42% to 42%

A new USA Today/iMediaEthics Poll finds Americans already are split down the middle, 42% to 42%, over whether President Trump should be removed from office.

70

“Things are starting to feel incoherent.”

— Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), quoted by the New York Times.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.