Foreign Relations

Thursday, October 18, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the past few weeks, the focus has been on domestic affairs, particularly on the midterm elections and the Kavanaugh confirmation. But last week a murder in the Saudi consulate in Turkey has gotten attention because of its gruesome details. Meanwhile, the trade war with China escalates and may continued into the upcoming climate talks in December.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Saudi Arabia: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
• Fareed: How Trump can win cold war with China
• China vs US on climate change policy going into 2018
• UN report predicts grim outlook for 2040 if carbon emissions rise

---------------------------- Updated 10/18/18 ---------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• China has world's largest nuclear power capacity under construction
• Bill Gates explains why China might build the first fourth generation nuclear reactor

Kavanaugh Aftermath

Thursday, October 11, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Kavanaugh is now the new SCOTUS justice; so now what. There is the immediate impact on next month's election. Both side see this as a winning issue, so we can expect the Kavanaugh controversy to continue until then. There there is the long term impact on how SCOTUS cases will be decided and the impact on our lives. It seems that the Red-Blue divide will just get worst, for now and for decades to come.

But maybe a true global threat might force us to work together. Yesterday, the IPCC released a special report saying that the climate change needs drastic action now. Recent extreme weather has made this report credible. Distraction may no longer be an option.

Here are the videos for the next meeting:

• Democrats and Republicans Focus on Midterms After Kavanaugh Confirmation
• How Kavanaugh will change the Supreme Court
• World needs to make near-revolutionary change to avoid imminent climate disaster

Kavanaugh Continues

Thursday, October 4, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The big story remains to be the Kavanaugh confirmation. Since our last meeting, we had the testimony of Ford and Kavanaugh, then the Jeff Flake forcing a one week FBI investigation, and then the questioning if the scope of the investigation. In any case Mitch McConnell is promising a vote next Friday. There are new developments every hour, so I will select the video for the meeting on Thursday morning. See you there.

---------------------------------------- Updated 10/4/18 -------------------------------------------

Here are the videos shown at the meeting:

• Hope for Kavanaugh & Other Men Accused of Sexual Assault
• Senators to review single copy of FBI findings on Kavanaugh in secure room
• Graham: Klobuchar should apologize to Kavanaugh
• Brett Kavanaugh Fails Own Test of Judicial Temperament
• Judiciary Committee spars over Kavanaugh
• 4 ways the Kavanaugh confirmation could end

News Distractions

Thursday, September 27, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Just when the Kavanaugh-Ford hearings were scheduled for Thursday, on the same hour as our meeting, news broke that Rosenstein will meet with Trump, also on Thursday, which could lead to his firing and putting the Mueller probe into jeopardy. Some have said that the Rosenstein meeting was scheduled to distract from the new accusations against Kavanaugh. But both events distract from the big picture events happening at the UNGA debates this week, where the news media could finally cover big global issues that have so far have been mostly ignored by our press.

Here are some videos which illustrates my point:

• Rosenstein’s Potential Ouster and the Mueller Investigation
• UN General Assembly 2018 – 5 Key Global Issues

------------------------------------------- Updated 9/27/18 -----------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• New Kavanaugh accusation raises ‘doubt’ on eve of hearing
• Sen. Feinstein corners Sen. Murkowski ahead of Kavanaugh hearing
• How will Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford approach Senate hearing?
• Brett Kavanaugh: Couple Things
• President Trump gives rare solo press conference
• Leaders confront Trump’s ‘America First’ philosophy at UN
• Trump accuses China of interfering in upcoming US election
• The World Unites in Laughing at Trump

You Too Kavanaugh

Thursday, September 20, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court could be derailed after Monday's Senate hearings on his alleged attempted rape while he was in high school. All this seems to parallel the Hill-Thomas hearings in 1991, except that today victims of sexual abuse are taken more seriously because of the me-too movement.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Kavanaugh accuser ‘struggled’ with decision to go public
• Judge Napolitano on if Kavanaugh's nomination
• What Hasn't Changed Since Anita Hill

--------------------------------------- Updated 9/20/18 ------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• What people who knew Kavanaugh and his accuser are saying
• How the FBI Could Investigate the Brett Kavanugh Allegation
• Kavanaugh accuser has until Friday to decide if she'll testify

Fear

Thursday, September 13, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Bod Woodward book, Fear, has been released today. Last week's excerpts have added to the belief that Trump is dysfunctional and dangerous. We expect to see more examples as the public reads the full book. 

At the same time, a monster hurricane is approaching North Carolina. The current prediction is that it will make landfall on Cape Fear, where there is a nuclear power plant. This hurricane is just one of many recent unusually harsh climate related events, which supports the fear that the worse of climate change is happening now and Trump is derailing the world's effort to stop it.

Here are two of the videos that will be shown at the meeting:

• Bob Woodward on Fear in the Trump White House
• Climate Change Supercharges Hurricane Florence

---------------------------------------- Updated 9/13/18 -----------------------------------------

Here is the other video that was shown at the meeting:

• Anderson Cooper slams Trump's 'tone-deaf' remarks

The Next SCOTUS Justice

Thursday, September 6, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting, we will discuss the confirmation hearing for Judge Kavanaugh, It has just started today, so I will hold-off selecting the videos until Thursday morning. Nevertheless, here is a good PBS video on Kavanaugh's background.

• What you should know about Brett Kavanaugh’s life and record

------------------------------------------  Updated 9/6/18 ---------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• In hearing showdown, Democrats push for Kavanaugh documents
• Recap of Kavanaugh's first day of hearings
• Kavanaugh avoids presidential powers questions
• Kavanaugh on abortion
• Brett Kavanaugh in for a Long, Hard Fight for Supreme Court Spot
• Senator Durbin Accuses Brett Kavanaugh of Lying Under Oath
• Kavanaugh quizzed over abortion, gun rights, executive power