Articles and Editorials:
The major pieces of Trump news this week were:
- Putin’s alleged tactics with Trump are nothing new for the former KGB officer
- Congressional Budget Office estimates impact of “Repeal and Replace”
- Worldwide uncertainty about the incoming Administration
- Trump’s Inauguration
- Trump Administration argues with press over Inauguration crowd size
- 2.9 million women respond to Trump’s Inauguration with the largest one-day protest in U.S. history
Prostitutes and Hidden Hotel Cameras Not a New Tactic for Putin
Important video in which MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow walks through the uncanny similarities between how Putin rose to power in Russia and what US intelligence officials believe is credible evidence of alleged Russian “kompromat” on Trump. This Russia expert believes Trump is already being blackmailed by Putin (Full Article – Minnesota Public Radio). The FBI was first informed of Russia’s alleged compromising material in June or July, 2016, by a source whom they deem credible (Full Article – Mother Jones). If true, the allegations dwarf any national security danger posed by Hillary Clinton’s e-mails.
Even without Putin’s likely help in getting Trump elected, a Huffington Post writer lays out the case for a domestic disinformation strategy among Trump associates that helped deliver the needed votes for Trump (Full Article – Huffington Post).
Impact of “Repeal and Replace
The bipartisan Congressional Budget Office has released its report on the likely impact of Republicans’ most recent proposal for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). The verdict: 27 million people without health insurance and skyrocketing premiums for everyone else (Full article – Business Insider).
Uncertainty About Trump is Causing Anxiety for People Across the US and World
Donald Trump’s reactive behavior, which often seems petty, vindictive, and demonstrating a childlike emotional maturity, is causing uncertainty and worry around the country and in other nations (Full Article – New York Times). Some further wonder at the lack of alarm among Trump’s supporters (Full Article – New York Times).
Aside from physical and policy concerns, there is worry about preserving fact and history in order to prevent its distortion or elimination. A couple weeks ago, climate scientists took the unusual step of backing up their data in Canada out of fear that it would be purged by the Trump Administration (Full Article – BBC). A man posted this on Facebook:
And a woman posted this in response to a blog entry by John Paplovitz:
Trump’s Inauguration
On Friday, January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. During the Inauguration – an event at which he had hoped to have a showing of tanks and missile launchers (Full Article – Business Insider) – Trump swore the following Oath of Office: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States” (Footage – YouTube). Numerous U.S. Congresspeople chose to boycott the Inauguration (Full Article – CNN), because they believe that he has no intention of living up to that oath.
After being sworn in, President Trump delivered his Inaugural address, which included a harsh criticism of the Obama Administration’s economic stewardship of the country, and a strongly delivered vow that “this American carnage stops right here and stops right now” (Annotated Full Transcript – New York Times).
Trump Administration Uses “Alternative Facts” to Attack Media for Accurately Reporting Inauguration Crowd Size
On Friday, a Time Magazine journalist inaccurately and irresponsibly reported that a bust of Martin Luther King had been removed from the Oval Office. The report was repeated by other news outlets including Huffington Post. On Saturday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer held a press conference to scold the media for that report, and to then go on to scold the media for not reporting that Donald Trump’s Inauguration was the largest Inauguration crowd ever (Full footage – CNBC). Spicer’s claim of crowd size was provably false (Full Article – Fortune Magazine).
Photo published by Fortune Magazine comparing crowd size at 2009 Obama Inauguration and 2017 Trump Inauguration:
On Sunday (today) MSNBC’s Chuck Todd confronted Kellyanne Conway about Trump’s decision to communicate easily provable and seemingly petty lies to the public for Spicer’s first official interaction with the press. Conway asserted that the Trump Administration merely uses “alternative facts” (Full footage – MSNBC).
All of this sets a worrisome tone for the beginning of the Trump Administration’s relationship with the press, and shows that media must be up to the challenges that they will be presented with in reporting the truth (Full Article – Brookings Institution).
Women’s Marches Set Historic Record in United States and Beyond
On Saturday, 2.9 million women (and men) took part in Women’s Marches in more than 600 cities nationwide. It was the largest one-day protest in U.S. history. Not one person was arrested. Solidarity marches took place in countries around the world (Photos – New York Times) (Photos – Mother Jones).
Some Trump supporters believe that these protesters should just “get over it” like they did when Obama was elected. That assertion may include a bit of revisionist history.
Cartoons, Images & Videos
Saturday Night Live from 1/21: a message from “Vladimir Putin.”
Cartoon by Michael de Adder, Halifax Chronicle Herald:
Artwork attributed to Tim O’Brien posted on Boing Boing’s Facebook page:
Artwork posted by Andrea Levin:
Photo of Women’s March on Washington posted by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders:
Women’s March in St. Paul (photo by rob rünt):
Women’s March in St. Paul –official crowd size estimate: 90,000-100,000 (photo by rob rünt):
Posted by The Other 98%:
The Week In Trump 