CHAIN REACTION

People want to know why so many people in Team Trump were pussyfooting with the Russians. I want to know why so many people with ties to shady elements in Russia were hired by Trump in the first place. He didn't know these people -- who was recommending them? Think about it!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-manafort-lobbying-firm-foreign-agent-20170428-story.html
Manafort-linked lobbying firm registers as foreign agent; ex-Trump campaign chair backtracks

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/who-in-the-hell-is-carter-page-everything-you-were-afraid-to-ask-about-this-suddenly-important-person/
Who in the hell is Carter Page?! 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/was-michael-flynn-a-russian-agent-of-influence-a-modest-proposal-for-how-that-could-have-gone-down/
Was Michael Flynn a Russian agent of influence?

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/rob-reiner-sums-michael-flynn-treason-5
Rob Reiner Sums Up The Michael Flynn Treason In 5 Minutes

Trump has his own take on his first 100 days -- and it's exactly what you'd expect

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-first-100-days-most-successful
Trump Declares His First 100 Days ‘Just About The Most Successful’ In History

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/100-days-in-trump-profound-change
“In just 14 weeks, my administration has brought profound change to Washington.”
 
100 days of presidential threats

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/100-days-of-presidential-threats/

100 days of presidential racism

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/30/donald-trumps-first-100-days-have-been-a-big-success-at-least-when-it-comes-to-vicious-racist-policies/

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/28/1657182/-The-president-of-the-United-States-is-an-open-racist  

One last 100 day review

https://twitter.com/nick_ramsey/status/858162821221273600

Trump's attacks on the judicial branch

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/trumps-unconstitutional-assault-on-the-judiciary_partner/

Remember when the Trump Gang said they only wanted to arrest and deport the criminals?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/bad-hombres.html

Trump says he'll be "so angry" if health care reform doesn't pass

https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/trump-will-be-so-angry-if-health-bill-not-passed/2017/04/29/fd587b44-2d42-11e7-9081-f5405f56d3e4_video.html

The whole administration is learning to Speak Trump

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fact-check-trump-aides-exaggeration 

More: http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/100-days-of-sean-spicer-the-white-houses-press-strategy-is-more-sinister-than-you-think/

Chuck Schumer tries to talk to Trump. It doesn't go well

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/schumer-slams-trump-fox-news 

Fewer people are paying attention to Trump's tweets

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fewer-people-interacting-trump-tweets

What is the NRA turning into?

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/theres-certainly-nothing-disconcerting.html
[Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president and CEO of the National Rifle Association] “It’s up to us to speak up against the three most dangerous voices in America: academic elites, political elites, and media elites,” he said. “These are America’s greatest domestic threats.”

Remember when scientists were desperately downloading data from EPS climate websites, out of fear that the Trump admin would "disappear" them? Trump's people said this concern was ridiculous. Well . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/29/1657465/-Trump-s-EPA-destroys-vital-climate-data-web-site-on-eve-of-Climate-March

Photos from the latest Resistance event: the People's Climate March

http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/29/15486370/peoples-climate-march-signs-live-stream

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/29/best-signs-from-the-people-s-climate-march

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/29/another-weekend-another-protest-thousands-turn-out-for-worldwide-climate-march/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/29/1657438/-Climate-marches-turn-out-tens-of-thousands-to-demand-action-oppose-denialism

Bonus item: Best moments from the White House Correspondents' Dinner

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/29/15490230/hasan-minhaj-whcd-trump
You know, that statement, anything is possible, used to have a positive connotation. Now we’re all like, “anything is possible.” Anything. . . . [Watch!]

And from Sam Bee's alternative event: http://www.vox.com/culture/2017/4/29/15487890/samantha-bee-full-frontal-will-ferrell-white-house-correspondents-dinner

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

The first hundred days have been . . .

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/pretty-close-to-perfect-sean-hannity-lou-dobbs-grade-president-trumps-first-100-days/
“Pretty close to perfect”

http://www.vox.com/conversations/2017/4/28/15406376/donald-trump-100-days-history-2016-election
"Very little has been done"

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/100-days-of-trump-delivering-for-the-extreme-religious-right_partner/
Delivering for the extreme religious right

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/28/15449578/trump-100-days-government-business-company
The myth that government should be run like a business

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/donald-trumps-administration-after-100-days-a-second-rate-salesman-surrounded-by-con-men-and-losers/
A second-rate salesman surrounded by con men and losers 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/trumpbeat-10-lessons-from-the-first-100-days/
10 Lessons

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/28/the-32-word-history-of-trumps-first-100-days/?utm_term=.dfde0d6d5842
The 32-word history of Trump’s first 100 days

http://www.vox.com/a/trump-first-100-hundred-days-evaluating-terms-promises-accomplishments
Evaluating Trump's first 100 days — on his own terms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u0M4syuNo0
Trump’s flailing presidency 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/polling-at-the-100-day-mark-shows-president-trumps-policies-are-widely-unpopular/
Trump’s policies are widely unpopular

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/the-specter-of-illegitimacy-haunts-trumps-first-100-days.html
The Specter of Illegitimacy

More: http://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/4/28/15467816/5-best-worst-100-days-presidents-trump-harrison-washington
5 great presidential starts — and 5 historically bad ones

[NB: Let me be clear -- it's fun to ridicule Trump for all the phony inflated promises he has failed to keep. But of course that's a GOOD THING, since those promises were terrible ideas in the first place. Moving forward, three important things are quite apparent. One is that the Trump-Russia scandal will continue for months, maybe even longer, and no one knows yet the sustained damage it will do. The second is that the Republican party is fractured and incapable of governing, and they have no intention of sabotaging their own electoral futures to save Trump's agenda. Certainly he has no ability to unify them. The third is that the courts are doing what they should be doing, thank goodness. There will be many more Trump failures ahead.] 

Trump cozies into a warm bath at the NRA meetings. He knows he can say whatever he likes

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/28/1657172/-Trump-promises-to-work-side-by-side-with-the-NRA-warns-2020-could-bring-Pocahontas
Trump promises to work 'side by side' with the NRA, warns 2020 could bring 'Pocahontas'

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-nra-annual-conference  

My god

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/20-percent-of-republicans-are-completely-okay-with-the-trump-campaigns-possible-collusion-with-russia/
CNN/ORC poll shows that almost a quarter of GOP voters believe improper Russia contacts are "not a problem at all" 

Thanks Digby

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/its-hard-work.html
Trump has made one of the most famous presidential statements in history this week, one that should be his epitaph:      

"I loved my previous life. I had so many things going. This is more work than in my previous life. I thought it would be easier. I do miss my old life. This — I like to work, but this is actually more work."

Yeah. He said that. Out loud. Because he's an imbecile.

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/presidenting-hard

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/how-trump-changes-his-mind-or-how-his-aides-do-it-him
How Trump changes his mind (or how his aides do it for him)

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions can't quite separate his role as the nation's chief law enforcement officer, and his role as apologist for Trump

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sessions-not-sure-anyone-catch-flynn-foreign-payments
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday that nobody could have been expected to catch ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s failures to disclose payments from foreign governments. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/28/1657060/-Michael-Flynn-is-another-thing-the-attorney-general-won-t-be-investigating
 
Yes, somebody is Walled in

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/28/15439632/he-cant-pass-it-he-cant-abandon-it-donald-trump-has-walled-himself-in
He can’t pass it. He can’t abandon it.

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/republicans-in-congress-do-not-want-the-wall-democrats-taunt-trump-as-he-drops-funding-fight-for-his-big-beautiful-wall/
“Republicans in Congress don’t want the wall”
 
More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/john-kelly-see-through-wall-border-mexico

Obama's fault, obviously

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/28/the-economy-grew-0-7-percent-in-trumps-first-quarter-federal-data-show/?utm_term=.66f3f80dfa5c
The economy grew 0.7 percent in Trump’s first quarter

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/economic-growth-first-quarter-sucked

Pathetic. Really. This is just embarrassing

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/donald-trump-has-copies-of-the-electoral-college-map-and-hands-them-out-to-people/
Donald Trump has copies of the electoral college map, and hands them out to people

More: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-self-defeating-obsession-2016-victory-hasnt-faded

If there has been a star of he early Trump admin, it has been UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. But you can't have a star competing with the orange-haired monster. So she needs to be reined in

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/state-department-moves-to-rein-in-high-flying-nikki-haley.html

Trump won't attend the White House Correspondents' dinner -- the first president to miss it since Reagan was recovering from a gunshot wound. I guess being seriously wounded IS an acceptable excuse. But we all know the real reason: he can't sit there and accept being made fun of

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/28/15418202/white-house-correspondents-dinner-trump-explained 

The Cesspool

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/cory-lewandowski-is-selling-face-time-with-president-donald-trump-and-white-house-staffers/
Cory Lewandowski is selling face time with President Donald Trump and White House staffers 

Trump's anti-science appointee to Health and Human Services. This one's scary 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/28/1657115/-Trump-appoints-woman-who-believes-abortion-causes-breast-cancer-to-top-post-at-HHS
 
Despite what Trump says, it's Democrats who have played the crucial role in keeping the government open

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/28/1657123/-House-Democrats-ride-to-rescue-to-keep-government-open-after-Republican-fail-to-govern-again

More: http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/president-trumps-blase-attitude-on-a-potential-government-shutdown-if-theres-a-shutdown-theres-a-shutdown/
President Trump’s blasé attitude on a potential government shutdown: “If there’s a shutdown, there’s a shutdown!”  

The astonishingly ham-handed story of the GOP struggle with health care

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/paul-ryan-isnt-quite-done-flubbing-the-health-care-fight
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) asserted Thursday that people with pre-existing conditions would be better off under Republicans’ amended health care bill. . . .

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/paul-ryan-isnt-even-trying-pass-health-care-bill-anymore
“They’re not interested in how health policy actually works,” said one insurance company official, who asked not to be identified discussing conversations with GOP officials. “It’s incredibly frustrating.” 

Papa Trump is VERY disappointed in them

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-disappointed-republicans-health-care
President Donald Trump said Friday that he was “disappointed” with congressional Republicans, especially over the failed effort to repeal and replace Obamacare. . . .

[NB: Yes, I am sure they appreciate being condescended to.] 

Jim DeMint OUT as head of the Heritage Foundation?

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/jim-demint-ousted-as-head-of-heritage-foundation-amid-criticism-he-politicized-the-conservative-think-tank/

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/ideological-commissar-demint-ousted-from-heritage-foundation.html
 
One thing we have Trump to be thankful for -- the press is now willing to use the word "lie"

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/after-only-3-months-covering-trump-63-percent-white-house-reporters-have-been-lie
A full 63 percent of the press corps has been lied to by the Trump administration. It might even be as high as 88 percent. And that's in just the first three months. . .

WTF Newsweek? I mean really: W . . . T . . . F??!?

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/eat-your-heart-out-donald-newsweek-has

Hope for progressives

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/a-must-read-5

Bonus item: 99 days in 99 seconds

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/colberts-beautiful-review-99-days-99

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

DAY 99

Looks like the House Republicans may try to force through a health care vote today -- on a bill their own moderates hate, which has received zero publicity (so no one knows what's in it), and which has no chance in the Senate. Why? Simply and only so that Trump can claim he "passed" an Obamacare repeal and replace bill before his 100 days are up

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656805/-Trump-demands-moderate-Republicans-walk-the-plank-on-his-futile-Trumpcare-3-0-effort
Trump demands moderate Republicans walk the plank on his futile Trumpcare 3.0 effort

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/moderates-obamacare-repeal-conundrum
GOP Moderates Boxed In On Latest Obamacare Repeal Bill

http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/politico-pulse/2017/04/gop-looks-short-on-repeal-vote-220005
GOP looks short on repeal vote 

BREAKING NEWS: Nope, no vote, another failure

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/breaking-no-vote-trumpcare-30-week
There are at least 21 verified "No" votes from Republicans on the amended bill, and apparently a few more who are not on the record. . . .

[NB: Eight tweets from Trump blaming the Democrats for the failure of the bill.]

More failures (it's quite a list)

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/congressional-republicans-are-unimpressed-with-trumps-tax-plan-not-even-close-to-tax-reform/
Congressional Republicans are unimpressed with Trump’s tax plan: “Not even close” to tax reform 

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/sorry-trump
President Trump says he’s considering breaking up the 9th federal judicial circuit since it’s been the source of so many of his reversals. First of all, the President can’t do that. . . [read on]

More: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/scotus-not-amused-by-doj-hard-line-on-deportations-for-lying.html

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-does-himself-no-favors-attacks-the-federal-judiciary
Trump does himself no favors with attacks on the federal judiciary 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/donald-trumps-jobs-numbers-arent-as-good-as-his-website-says-they-are/
Trump’s jobs numbers aren’t as good as his website says they are  

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/04/27/a-case-study-in-trump-chaos-nafta
A Case Study in Trump Chaos: NAFTA  

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/donald-trumps-north-korea-briefing-was-a-political-stunt-to-get-senators-to-come-to-him-before-the-100-day-mark/
Donald Trump’s North Korea briefing was a political stunt

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656715/--Oh-come-on-Supreme-Court-justices-incredulous-at-Justice-Department-immigration-argument
'Oh, come on': Supreme Court justices incredulous at Justice Department immigration argument  

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/team-trump-launches-misguided-anti-immigrant-effort
Team Trump launches a misguided anti-immigrant effort 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/6-reasons-trump-and-sessions-are-constitutional-idiots-when-it-comes-to-threatening-and-punishing-sanctuary-cities_partner/
Trump and Sessions are constitutional idiots

Will Trump's tax cut help the middle class? Don't ask

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mnuchin-cant-say-middle-class-tax-cut-guarntee

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656711/-Hey-working-class-Trump-voters-Remember-when-Trump-promised-tax-cuts-for-you-and-not-the-rich
Hey, working class Trump voters. Remember when Trump promised tax cuts for you and not the rich?  

The 100 day countdown 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/donald-trump-is-historically-unpopular-as-he-reaches-the-100-day-mark/
Donald Trump is historically unpopular as he reaches the 100-day mark  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-first-100-days-were-alarming--and-relieving/2017/04/27/03f55a0e-29eb-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?utm_term=.032f339048bb
ONE HUNDRED days into the Donald Trump presidency, we have neither achieved the nirvana he promised nor entered the dystopia critics, including us, feared. Since nirvana was never likely, it may be more productive to examine why we have, so far, avoided the worst. Preliminary thanks are owed to Congress, judges, the Congressional Budget Office, the American citizenry, and voters in the Netherlands and France.  . . . [read on]

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/we-are-6-8-percent-of-the-way-home-the-simpsons-rips-president-trumps-first-100-days-in-office/
“The Simpsons” rips President Trump’s first 100 days in office  

Here's a couple of lists for you: http://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/04/27/100-days-100-horrors-of-the-trump-presidency/
100 Days, 100 Horrors 

https://www.thenation.com/article/relax-donald-after-100-days-youve-already-done-so-much/
Relax, Donald: After 100 Days, You’ve Already Done So Much

One undeniable success

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/28/15365438/donald-trump-100-days-kleptocracy
Donald Trump’s first 100 days have been a moneymaking success story

Trump's learning curve

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/i-kind-of-pooh-poohed-experience-stuff.html
Politico has published an article on "The Education of Donald Trump" and it is really alarming. It's not just him. It's the whole White House . . . “I kind of pooh-poohed the experience stuff when I first got here,” one White House official said of these early months. “But this shit is hard.”

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/quote-day-shit-hard
“If you’re an adviser to him, your job is to help him at the margins,” said one Trump confidante. “To talk him out of doing crazy things.”  ....“You don’t walk in with a traditional presentation, like a binder or a PowerPoint. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t consume information that way,” said one senior administration official. “You go in and tell him the pros and cons, and what the media coverage is going to be like.”...What the president hears on the cable morning gabfests on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN can redirect his attention, schedule and agenda. The three TVs in the chief-of-staff's office sometimes dictate the 8 a.m. meeting — and are always turned on to cable news, West Wing officials say.

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/27/15450720/trump-100-days-politico
Trump’s aides now prefer to present him with one option rather than letting him choose among several

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/donald-trump-thought-leading-the-country-would-be-easier-this-is-more-work-than-in-my-previous-life/
Donald Trump thought leading the country would “be easier”: “This is more work than in my previous life” 

Oh, how he loves to threaten

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/trump-warns-of-major-major-conflict-with-north-korea.html
Trump Warns of ‘Major, Major Conflict’ With North Korea

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/msnbc-analyst-rips-trumps-latest-north
MSNBC analyst Rick Wilson was having none of it whatsoever.  "Donald Trump keeps looking at these things as a real estate negotiation with a lot of bluster and a lot of bluffing. and fails to realize that we're dealing with a country that is not a rational actor and that is poised to do damage to a significant ally of ours if we miscalculate on this thing," Wilson fumed. "A lot of people could die unless Donald Trump leaves this to the grown-ups," he continued. "I would much rather have Mcmaster and Mattis and even Rex Tillerson handling this right now than this verbally incontinent man-child who feels like he is moving little toy soldiers around the board."

Flynn is screwed

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/27/michael-flynn-hid-33-000-russian-payday-from-feds-officials-say
Michael Flynn Hid $33,000 Russian Payday From Feds, Officials Say

More: http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/michael-flynn-under-investigation-after-2014-pentagon-warning-against-accepting-foreign-payments/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656743/-Michael-Flynn-didn-t-just-break-the-law-in-taking-payments-from-Russia-he-was-warned-in-advance

http://www.vox.com/world/2017/4/27/15452168/michael-flynn-law
Michael Flynn’s latest legal problems: a brief guide

The Trump response? It's all Obama's fault (no, I'm not joking)

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/sean-spicer-blames-michael-flynn-security
When pressed by Major Garrett and Jim Acosta on whether there were any regrets for the lack of vetting of General Michael Flynn, Spicer blamed the Obama administration for giving him a security clearance in 2014, before Flynn's contacts with and payments from foreign agents. . . . [read on]

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656821/-Obama-fired-Michael-Flynn-Trump-made-him-National-Security-Advisor-Guess-who-Spicer-blames
Obama fired Michael Flynn. Trump made him national security adviser. Guess who Spicer blames.

How Trump's lies work for him

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/04/27/trumps-lies-are-working-brilliantly-this-new-poll-proves-it/?utm_source=rss_plum-line&utm_term=.247303feea89

Spicey blurts out something he doesn't know anything about and nearly triggers a financial crisis

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/by-being-bad-at-his-job-spicer-nearly-causes-market-panic.html
JAVERS: “Can you lay out what the president’s vision is for 401ks and specifically tax deductions surrounding those, does the president imagine removing those deductions entirely, or is he going to protect them?” SPICER: “So the Secretary of the Treasury and director Cohn yesterday both talked about that the current plan both protects charitable givings and mortgage interest and that’s it.”

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/white-house-401k-not-affected
WH Quickly Clarifies

The far right are going after Ivanka (and Jared)

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/trumps-problem-child-mark-levin-alex-jones-rage-against-ivanka-after-her-uncomfortable-embrace-of-refugees/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/27/alex-jones-turns-on-ivanka-trump-and-her-democrat-husband-jared-kushner-over-syrian-refugees.html

In other news. . . 

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/27/the-trump-familys-massive-grift-who-cares-about-policy-as-a-business-and-branding-venture-this-presidency-is-going-swell/
The Trump family’s massive grift: Who cares about policy? As a business and branding venture, this presidency is going swell 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/25/1656182/-Trump-might-put-a-professional-union-buster-on-board-intended-to-protect-workers-right-to-organize
Trump might put a professional union-buster on board intended to protect workers' right to organize

http://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/1/26/14383040/thune-net-neutrality-bill
A Republican proposal could be our best chance to save net neutrality

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/department-of-interior-scrubs-climate-change-page
Department Of The Interior Scrubs 'Climate Change' Page

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/ben-carson-is-proving-to-be-the-bizarre-and-incompetent-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development-we-expected-him-to-be_partner/
Ben Carson is proving to be the bizarre and incompetent Secretary of Housing and Urban Development we expected him to be 

Bonus item: What/Who Made Trump Look Like An Even Bigger Fool This Month

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/27/1656415/-Cheers-and-Jeers-Thursday

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SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE

You remember what an utter outrage the Clinton Foundation was (run by FORMER officials of government) and their fundraising with foreign governments. An outrage! Blatant exploitation of government connections! A palpable conflict of interest!

Well, forget all that now

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/ivanka-trump-wants-foreign-leaders-to-give-money-to-her-foundation/
Ivanka Trump wants foreign leaders to give money to her foundation 

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/26/1656405/-Ivanka-Trump-has-been-soliciting-donations-from-foreign-governments-companies-for-a-women-s-fund
Like her husband, Jared, Ivanka Trump is wearing many hats in her role as a “special assistant” to the president. Although she has no defined role, she has been given her own chief of staff, who presumably will oversee a full staff attending to Ivanka Trump, something that is wholly unprecedented in American history. Her role pushes ethical boundaries relating to nepotism rules in the White House, but that may not be the only ethical boundary she’s testing. . . .  Collecting donations for a “massive fund” from foreign governments while working in the White House? Do we seriously need to spell out why this is problematic?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/this-is-amazing-6
This is really quite astounding. . . .

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/what-is-ivanka-trump-fund-empower-women-entrepreneurs
Ethics Experts Baffled

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/26/1621562/-AP-s-Clinton-Foundation-non-scandal-was-the-worst-journalistic-malpractice-of-the-2016-election
AP's Clinton Foundation non-scandal was the worst journalistic malpractice of the 2016 election

More money-making from government office

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/26/15324846/trump-pass-through-cartoon
How Trump could make himself richer through tax reform

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/donald-trump-is-getting-rich-off-states-and-thats-causing-a-major-ethics-problem/
Donald Trump is getting rich off states

Hmmm . .  how many shoes does a centipede wear?

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/sen-mccain-flynn-russian-activities-are
Sen. McCain On Flynn: Russian Activities Are Like A 'Centipede' And 'More Shoes' Will Drop

I think this is what you call "getting cut loose": http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/sean-spicer-flynn-uh-oh
When asked at yesterday's presser if Donald Trump stands by his statement earlier this year that Michael Flynn was the victim of a "media witch hunt," Sean Spicer wouldn't go there: "I think all the facts haven't come out." said the press secretary. . . .

Trump keeps issuing Executive Orders of dubious legality, then getting challenged in the courts, then blaming the courts. Maybe he should draw a different lesson from these experiences

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/see-you-in-the-supreme-court-donald-trump-rages-over-blow-to-his-sanctuary-city-crackdown/
“See you in the Supreme Court”: Donald Trump rages over blow to his sanctuary city crackdown

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/26/president-trump-s-tantrums-sink-him-in-court-again.htm
President Trump’s Tantrums Sink Him in Court Again

Oops -- wrong court! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/04/26/1656396/-Trump-swings-and-misses-on-sanctuary-city-ruling-in-fresh-attack-on-the-independent-judiciary
[Trump] "First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities-both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!" 

But in this case, there’s an eensy issue with Trump’s tweet other than just it’s open disdain for the third branch of the government. . . . Judge William Orrick does happen to be in San Francisco. No, he’s not on the Ninth Circuit. This was a United States District Court ruling.

Dumb ass: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-floats-breaking-ninth-circuit
Trump Floats Breaking Up 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals

Another one

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/reports-trump-considering-executive-order-withdraw-us-from-nafta
Trump Admin Considering Draft Executive Order To Withdraw From NAFTA

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/desperate-president-on-the-loose
President Donald Trump’s top advisers are embroiled in a debate over how aggressively to proceed on reshaping U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement, with hard-liners favoring a threatened withdrawal as soon as this week and others advocating for a more measured approach to reopening negotiations with Canada and Mexico. Some of Trump’s advisers want a dramatic move before Trump’s 100th day in office on Saturday to fulfill a key campaign promise . . .

And . . . . within hours, he backs down: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/trump-drops-rumored-threat-to-scrap-nafta-will-renegotiate.html
Hours After Floating Threat to Scrap NAFTA, Trump Says He’ll Renegotiate 

Talk tough, fold like a cheap suit

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/mulvaney-goes-full-fail-on-trumps-behalf
Coming down off a hard to demand from less than a week ago (that Obamacare would get it if Dems didn’t fund his border wall) OMB Director Mulvaney says Trump will sign a funding bill without any money for a border wall.

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/04/26/bluster-followed-by-surrender-is-this-another-trump-pattern/
Bluster Followed By Surrender: Is This Another Trump Pattern? 

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/how-trumps-religion-of-winning-is-sabotaging-his-presidency 

Funny. Trump says the 100 day mark is "ridiculous" and doesn't matter. But there's never been a president so obsessed with it

http://www.vox.com/2017/4/26/15413388/trump-100-days-obsession

Seth Meyers! http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/26/seth-meyers-100-days-in-trump-has-completely-backtracked-on-everything.html

However low your expectations were about Trump's trumpeted "tax plan" release, all we got was a one-page, 500 word outline

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/donald-trumps-proposed-tax-cuts-are-joke-not-plan
A joke, not a ‘plan’

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/26/15436264/trump-white-house-tax-plan-questions
Trump’s “tax plan” isn’t a real plan

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/white-house-finally-unveils-trumps-grand-tax-plan-in-a-scant-one-page-memo-not-even-close-to-reform/
“Not even close to reform” 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/trump-tax-plan-rollout.html
Trump Officials Unveil Their Plan to Make a Plan

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mnuchin-cohn-press-conference-details
‘Lots And Lots Of Details’ On The Way

More: http://www.vox.com/2017/4/26/15438404/trump-tax-plan-april-mnuchin-cohn-changes
Overall, it’s a huge cut to corporate taxes and individual rates for high earners, with some significant cuts to deductions that are nowhere near enough to pay for it all. The plan is almost identical to the final plan Trump released on the campaign trail . . .

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/trump-tax-plan-unveiled
It's not worth the 60 seconds it would take to check this, but I'm pretty sure this is less detailed than Trump's campaign document. What a f---ing embarrassment. It's like something a high school class would put together. . .  [read on]

http://prospect.org/article/trump-big-tax-cut-unadulterated-trickle-down-fundamentalism
Unadulterated Trickle-Down Fundamentalism  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/26/trumps-tax-proposal-what-it-means-for-the-rich-for-the-world-and-for-you/?utm_term=.865646b36d59
What it means for the rich, for the world and for you

Trump's wacky tax plan math

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/one-chart-shows-how-trump-tax-plan-will-totally-pay-itself

More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/04/its-embarrassing-be-american-these-days
This is the United States of America, the biggest, richest country on the planet. The leader of the free world. And this is what we get from our president these days. He wants to cut taxes by $4 trillion or more—$4 trillion!—and he can't be bothered to produce more than a single page of bullet points about it. No details. No legislation. No analysis from the OMB. Nothing. Just a comic book version of a tax overhaul. The contempt and incompetence this displays is breathtaking. . . .

Psych!

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2017/04/whirlwind-of-nothingness.html
Donald Trump invited the entire Senate for a briefing at the White House on North Korea and military preparation, but only spent 14 minutes with his fellow leaders. Based on what those senators are now telling reporters, the entire meeting seems to have been a colossal waste of time. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told the Washington Post, “There was very little, if anything new” in the meeting, adding, “I remain mystified about why the entire Senate had to be taken over to the White House rather than conducting it here.” A Democratic senator told the New York Times that, during the meeting, Trump did his “ridiculous adjective” bit, and that in response there were “about 80 sets of invisible eyes rolling.” . . . 

Trump is a joke around the world. The evidence is everywhere

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/laughable-white-house-claim-trump-has-rebuilt-us-global-standing
Laughable White House claim: Trump has ‘rebuilt’ US global standing

The growing problem of unfulfilled govt jobs -- not because of "Democratic obstruction," but because the Trump gang can't get their act together to appoint them (and apparently because a lot of people are turning them down)

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-has-99-problems-democratic-obstruction-isnt-one-them

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/trumps-cabinet-still-isnt-close-to-fully-staffed-and-secretaries-are-feeling-the-pressure/

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/dem-senators-trump-fda-pick

Nope, still nowhere near an agreement on health care

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/26/15430182/republican-health-care-bill-revived-or-not

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/26/15437560/ahca-house-moderates-freedom-caucus

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/4/26/15434740/congress-obamacare-exemption-health-care

Yep

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/04/donald_trump_is_a_terrible_negotiator.html
Donald Trump Is a Terrible Negotiator

The new Trump threat to destroy Obamacare

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/04/26/the-white-house-just-ratcheted-up-its-threat-to-destroy-obamacare-a-dem-aide-says/?utm_source=rss_plum-line&utm_term=.1758b5b4f5ec

Betsy DeVos blurts an inconvenient truth

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/quid-pro-quo-betsy-devos

In other news. . .

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lawmakers-faith-based-adoption-groups-gay-couples
Alabama Lawmakers: Faith-Based Adoption Groups Can Spurn Gay Couples

http://www.vox.com/new-money/2017/4/26/15363592/tesla-uber-google-waymo-spacex-innovation
9 radical changes that are coming to transportation

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/26/republicans-launch-effort-to-roll-back-the-dodd-frank-banking-regulations/?utm_term=.6572eb3b68c3
Republicans launch effort to roll back the Dodd-Frank banking regulations

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/04/26/sanders-and-21-democrats-introduce-bill-to-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour/?utm_term=.25c850b092e3
Sanders and 21 Democrats introduce bill to raise minimum wage to $15 an hour

http://www.salon.com/2017/04/26/barack-obamas-400000-speech-to-wall-street-sparks-liberal-blowback/
Barack Obama’s $400,000 speech to Wall Street sparks liberal blowback  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/27/industry-is-counting-on-trump-to-back-off-rules-that-tell-you-whats-in-your-food/?utm_term=.c04e60aadb89
Industry is counting on Trump to back off rules that tell you what’s in your food

Fox World still has lots of pigs

http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/fox-host-calls-gender-equality-then-makes

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fox-news-jesse-watters-denies-ivanka-mic-comment-was-innuendo

More: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/26/inside-fox-news-s-explosive-racism-lawsuit.html

Bonus item: A linguist looks at Trump-speak

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-speaking-style-linguists

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***