Parkland Continues

Thursday, March 1, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The Parkland shooting continues in the news, as the student demand some action to curtail gun violence. The NRA, of course, want more guns to fight guns, but their political allies are offering concessions that the NRA opposes. However, they still reject a ban on assault weapons.

For the next meeting, we will explore the gun issue in three parts, what is currently being proposed, what is being avoided and what is overlooked. Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Trump: 'I really believe I'd run in' Florida school during deadly shooting
• The President Lives In A Fantasy World
• My son was a Columbine shooter

--------------------------------------- Updated 3/1/18 -------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• AR-15 style rifle used in another mass shooting
• Did the last assault weapons ban work?

NeverAgain Rising

Thursday, February 22, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

At first the Parkland shooting seemed like it would play out like all the other mass shootings, but the reaction by the students, in the NeverAgain movement, may indicate that this time it's different. The speech by Emma Gonzales was the wake call to the media that it needs to pay attention to this movement.

Just before the shooting, the Porter domestic abuse scandal and the MeToo movement dominated the media. We covered this last week, but some members wanted to stay on this topic to look beyond the politics to the underlying cause. So for the next meeting, we will also look at the common factor in domestic violence and mass shootings, which is male violence.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Emma Gonzalez’s Powerful Speech Demanding Gun Control
• Violence against women—it's a men's issue

---------------------------- Updated 2/22/18 --------------------------------

Here are the other Videos shown at the meeting:

• Parkland Survivors Transform Gun Debate
• Parkland Survivor Sam Zeif

MeToo Rising

Thursday, February 15, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

In spite of the huge deficit projections in the face of the rollout of the infrastructure plan, the news focused on the domestic abuse scandal involving two Whitehouse aides. It is now more likely that the MeToo movement will be the primary issue in the 2018 midterm elections.

Here are some of the videos for the next meeting:

• Trump calling for due process after staffers resign
• Donald Trump White House Facing Security Clearance Questions
• Why was Porter allowed to work closely with Trump?
• Abuse allegations against former White House aide overshadow Trump budget

--------------------------------------- Updated 2/15/18 --------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Donald Trump Has Never Condemned Domestic Violence
• Rob Porter’s Ex-Wife Jennifer Willoughby
• FBI Director Contradicts White House On Porter Investigation
• Trump breaks silence on domestic abuse
• Pence: "I think the White House could have handled this better."
• Judge Nap on Porter Scandal

Two Memos

Thursday, February 8, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting, we will be talking about the released Nunez memo and the yet to be released rebuttal memo. I am still going through the videos, so I will not have the complete selection before the meeting.

For starters here are two videos which provide the background and a quick summary of what was in the Nunez memo:

• Trump and Republicans Hail Release of Classified Memo on Russia Probe
• Schiff: Key part of Nunes memo is untrue

------------------------------------------ Updated 2/8/18 -----------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• What's in the Nunes memo?
• Schiff: Just part of dossier used for Carter Page warrant
• Will declassified Nunes memo impact Russia probe?
• A Footnote Completely Ruins Devin Nunes' Argument
• Cooper: Is memo delay a double standard?
• Lawyers Reportedly Advise Trump to Refuse Meeting with Mueller
• Jeff Flake: Treason Is Not A Punchline
• Tucker Carlson: You Can't Trust Government That Abuses Power
• Top Democrats claim Russian bots are pushing #ReleaseTheMemo
• Just Between Us: Nunes Memo Dominates Court of Public Opinion

Trump's First SOTU

Thursday, February 1, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting we will discuss Trump's first State of the Union address. He will probably cover how amazing his accomplishments has been and propose his terms for a DACA compromise. He may even offer his plans for the long awaited infrastructure spending. Whatever he says, there will be controversy.

Since the speech is tonight, we will have to wait until tomorrow for the new segments on YouTube. Even though there are no videos yet, you can post your comments on what you think Trump will talk about.

------------------------------------- Updated 2/1/18 ---------------------------------------

Here are the video that were shown at the meeting:

• Breaking down Trump's 1st State of the Union
• President Donald Trump's Bold Immigration Claims At The State Of The Union
• Notable moments from Trump's State of the Union address
• Did the State of the Union help or hurt Trump’s immigration plan?
• Stormy Daniels and Trump's State of the Union

The Quickie Shutdown

Thursday, January 25, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Everything happens faster in the age of Trump. So while the Obama shutdown lasted 17 days, the Trump shutdown only lasted 3 days. So before the news gets stale, here are videos for the next meeting:

• The key change that convinced Democrats to strike a shutdown deal
• Dreamer to Schumer: Why did Democrats blink?
• Tapper to panel: Did the Democrats cave?
• How Democrats caved on the shutdown standoff
• How Trump aides are driving immigration policy

------------------------------ Updated 1/25/18 ----------------------------------

Here is the Other video shown at the meeting:

• Who Can America Blame for the Government Shutdown?

This is the video which defends Schumer that we did not have time to show:

• Mitch McConnell Owns Shutdown's Worst Harms

Now What

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

The immigration issue was front and center this MLK Day with Trump's reported slur against Africa and Haiti. For now it seems that the DACA compromise is dead, making a government shutdown next Friday more likely. Breaking the focus on DACA was the false alarm of a missile attack in Hawaii.

Here are the Videos for the next meeting:

• On MLK Day, U.S. grapples with furor over Trump’s words
• The Backlash Continues on Trump's "S**thole" Comments
• What's dividing lawmakers on DACA and threatening a shutdown
• Inside the Hawaii command center where missile alert mistake was made
• Hawaii's Weekend Missile Mishap
• Hawaii's false missile alert highlights shortcomings in emergency system

------------------------------------ Updated 1/18/18 ----------------------------------

Here are the other video shown at the meeting:

• Republicans say there won't be a DACA vote this week
• Durbin: ‘I stand by every word that I’ve said’ about Trump disparaging remarks