Preserve the Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act is endangered.
The Trump administration last week proposed major changes to parts of the 45-year-old law credited with saving countless species, including the Bald Eagle - our nation's national symbol.
The proposal, of course, loosens regulations and favors commerce over conservation by allowing officials to consider economic impact when enforcing the act.
"We propose to remove the phrase, 'without reference to possible economic or other impacts of such determination'" the proposal states.
The government suggests this will lead to the "best conservation results."
Environmentalists warn it almost certainly will harm species that need protection, and would change the designation process of critical habitats - areas identified as essential to a species' conservation.
Brett Hartl with the Center for Biological Diversity said the proposals would "slam a wrecking ball" into crucial protections that have made it possible for us to still have bald eagles and gray whales today.
"This proposal turns the extinction-prevention tool of the Endangered Species Act into a rubber stamp for powerful corporate interests," Hartl said.
Christy Goldfuss, senior vice president for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress, said the Endangered Species Act has helped keep "99 percent" of listed species from going extinct, and this dangerous proposal "will further accelerate the loss of species and habitat" in our world.
We have 60 days to provide mind-changing feedback to the Interior Department and Commerce Department after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.
It's time to get busy.
The latest Trump zipper tale
Poor Melania.
The New York Times and the Associated Press report that the FBI raid on Michael Cohen's offices turned up a September 2016 tape recording of Cohen and Donald Trump in which the two discussed a potential payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed she had an affair with Trump.
The recording's existence, the Times writes, undercuts the Trump campaign's denial of any knowledge of payments to the model who says she began a nearly yearlong affair with Trump in 2006, shortly after Melania gave birth to son Barron Trump. And although Trump didn't pay McDougal, he apparently spoke to Cohen about the possibility. And Cohen recorded it.
McDougal sold her story for $150,000 to The National Enquirer, which was supportive of Trump, during the final months of the presidential campaign. Then the tabloid sat on the story, keeping it from becoming public. The practice, known as "catch and kill," silenced McDougal for the remainder of the campaign.
The Justice Department is investigating Cohen's involvement in paying women to tamp down embarrassing news stories about Trump ahead of the 2016 election to determine whether there were violations of federal campaign finance laws.
Last month, the Washington Post reported that during the campaign, National Enquirer executives "sent digital copies of the tabloid's articles and cover images" related to Trump and his political opponents to Cohen in advance of publication. The article added that the tabloid would sometimes change photos and headlines in response to Cohen's feedback.
Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, confirmed Friday that Trump discussed the payments with Cohen on the tape, but Giuliani said the payment was never made, according to the New York Times. "He said the recording was less than two minutes and demonstrated that the president had done nothing wrong."
CNN reports that Trump, when informed of the tape, said, "I can't believe Michael would do this to me."
Gosh, Donald, what do you suppose Melania is thinking?
Anyone seen the NRA?
Well, shoot yeah, alleged Russia spy Maria Butina cozied up to the National Rifle Association.
How better to quickly and consistently meet the most politicians who are most willing to be compromised and bought?
The NRA has a ready list of pols ready to snuggle up to anyone with a gun for a photo opportunity - especially a cute redhead in her 20s. At NRA conventions in 2014 and 2016, Butina met and was photographed with at least three future Republican presidential hopefuls - Rick Santorum, Scott Walker and Bobby Jindal. Who knows how many members of Congress gave her an opportunity to flirt.
She even somehow managed to get into a televised campaign Q&A session with then-candidate Donald Trump: "Do you want to continue the politics of sanctions" against Russia, she asked with a thick accent. Trump's quick and predictable answer: "I don't think you need the sanctions. I think that we would get along very, very well."
No doubt.
But, gosh, have you heard any comments from the NRA about Butina or their suspected foray into fundraising with Russia? Funny huh? The NRA, usually so quick to swagger all over the airwaves to talk about gun rights, has been dead silent on the indictment of Maria Butina.
Listen to all those crickets.