Category Archives: Politics

“Killing wolves and bears in this cruel, unsportsmanlike fashion is outrageous, especially in national wildlife refuges that belong to all Americans.”

NPR the two-way: Congress Rolls Back Obama-Era Rule On Hunting Bears And Wolves In Alaska.

“By a largely party-line vote Tuesday, the Senate approved a bill that repeals Obama-era hunting restrictions on national wildlife refuges in Alaska. The House already voted last month to abolish those restrictions — which were instituted by the Fish and Wildlife Service in 2016 to protect predator species from hunters — and so the bill now heads to the desk of President Trump, who is widely expected to sign it.

The FWS rule facing repeal explicitly prohibited many kinds of “predator control” on the 16 federally owned refuges in Alaska. That prohibition included a ban on the aerial hunting, live trapping or baiting of predators such as bears and wolves — as well as killing those predators while near their dens or their cubs.”

ErdoÄŸan-Auftritt in Deutschland

Die Zeit: ErdoÄŸan-Auftritt: Verbieten! Nein, aushalten! “Der türkische Präsident ErdoÄŸan will in Deutschland für seine autokratische Verfassung werben. Sollen deutsche Behörden das verhindern – oder zulassen? Ein Pro & Contra von Till Schwarze und Ludwig Greven”. Erschienen am 24.02.2017.

“Bundesverfassungsgericht[:] “Es ist damit Sache des Bundes zu entscheiden, ob und unter welchen Rahmenbedingungen sich ausländische Staatsoberhäupter oder Regierungsmitglieder auf dem Gebiet der Bundesrepublik Deutschland im öffentlichen Raum durch amtliche Äußerungen politisch betätigen dürfen”, heißt es in dem Beschluss.

[…]

Ein Verbot von ErdoÄŸans Auftritt würde […] die Konflikte unter den hier lebenden Türken und Türkischstämmigen nur verschärfen. Es würde politisch vermutlich genau das Gegenteil erreichen: eine noch größere Zustimmung zum Referendum. Und ErdoÄŸan könnte sich wieder einmal als Verfolgter darstellen.”

(Bin momentan mit dem Lesen der “Zeit” etwas hinterher…)

Merkel meets Trump

Deutsche Welle

News: US President Trump welcomes Chancellor Merkel to the White House. “Chancellor Merkel and President Trump have held their first joint press conference at the White House. Items on the agenda for the first meetings between the two leaders are NATO, immigration and global trade.”

Merkel meets Trump: The ending of a beautiful friendship? “Trump does not only want to build real walls, he also wants to isolate the USA economically. Merkel will seek to fend off his plans as she visits Washington – and that is not only in her interest.”

Business: Uncertainty clouds German firms’ US outlook. “Amid growing protectionist rhetoric and fears of increasing barriers to trade across the world, German business leaders look at the new Donald Trump administration in the US with cautious optimism.”

In German:

Transatlantische Beziehungen: Erster Auftritt von Kanzlerin Merkel und US-Präsident Trump. “Chaos à la Donald Trump oder Ordnung à la Angela Merkel? Das war die Frage im Vorfeld des ersten gemeinsamen Auftritts. So viel vorweg: Er lief deutlich gesitteter ab als Trumps vorige Pressekonferenzen in Washington.”

Merkel in Washington: Das Ende einer wunderbaren Freundschaft? “Nicht nur echte Mauern will Trump hochziehen, auch wirtschaftlich will er die USA einigeln. Merkel wird sich bei ihrem Besuch in Washington dagegen stemmen. Aber auch andere würden unter einem isolierten Amerika leiden.”

Transatlantische Beziehungen: Merkel trifft Trump: Worum geht es? “Es dürfte kompliziert werden in Washington: Trump findet Merkels Flüchtlingspolitik “katastrophal”. Sie findet sein Einreise-Dekret ungerechtfertigt. Einem konstruktiven Dialog steht allerdings noch viel mehr im Weg.”

Only 25% on 150 Million?

By the way, here in Germany the top income tax rate is 47.48%.

NPR the two-way: Trump Paid About $38 Million In Federal Taxes In 2005, Leaked Returns Say.

“Donald Trump and his wife Melania earned about $150 million in 2005 and paid federal taxes of about $38 million, the White House said tonight.

The Trump administration made the revelation after copies of the tax returns anonymously were put in the mailbox of journalist David Cay Johnston.”

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Stephen Pulls A ‘Rachel Maddow’. “The Late Show has acquired a long-awaited joke that has Americans on the edge of their seats. He’s going to share it with the world. Shortly. Keep watching.”

“You were used to having no one share the reward but now there was no one to share the work, either.”

Washington Post Opinion: The day they disappeared. By Alexandra Petri.

“At first it seemed as if it might be heaven.

You could walk down the street and attend school free from the uncomfortable presence of a woman who had chosen distracting attire. There were no women in sweatpants or yoga pants or skirts of any length, with hair covered or with hair uncovered — or women, indeed, of any kind at all. Finally, you did not have to worry about feelings. The world was one big locker room.”