Left wins in Denmark, Asylum corners Trump, Dems silence climate debate, Pelosi’s plan, Abortion news

By Robert A. Vella

The political left rode to victory in Denmark yesterday bucking a wave of right-wing wins across much of the world.  Social Democrats campaigned on reversing austerity cuts to social services and being more proactive on climate change while saying they will continue the current government’s strict immigration policies.  These three policy stances, especially the latter, have marked a recent resurgence of popular support for center-left parties in parts of Europe which contrast significantly with the Democratic Party in the U.S. (more on that later).  The climate issue is particularly important to younger people who feel their future is being sacrificed.

President Trump’s harsh (and frequently illegal) opposition to asylum seekers (who want sanctuary in the U.S.) has created a conundrum for himself regarding Venezuela.  Millions of Venezuelans are fleeing that nation at the same time Trump has condemned and taken action against its embattled leader Nicolas Maduro.  If Trump continues his anti-asylum policies, he risks exposing it as blatantly racist since he has been rhetorically supporting (within the context of political ideology) the very people now fleeing Venezuela.

In a stunning move, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is attempting to silence climate change debate among its presidential candidates including a threat issued to Washington state governor Jay Inslee.  This appears to be a maneuver to cater to wealthy donors who have been angered by the rise of progressivism within the party.  It’s also consistent with the pro-centrist, anti-socialist rhetoric coming from Democratic Party leaders recently (e.g. Nancy Pelosi).  However, it is inconsistent with opinion polls which clearly show strong acceptance of climate change among the general populace and across the political spectrum.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve suggested that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is intentionally delaying the push to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump because she knows it will become a political impossibility the closer we get to the 2020 presidential campaign.  Now, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting the same.

At the end of this post there is some important abortion news.  But, I’ll conclude today’s remarks with a brief editorial about the intentions of the Democratic Party leadership.  It is simply about speaking truth to power.  I very strongly urge you to vote in 2020 and in all elections.  There is no more immediate threat to the health and safety of America and the world than President Donald Trump.  Kick his ass out of the White House for everyone’s sake.  However, don’t hold the illusion that Democratic leaders are on your side.  They are first and foremost serving their own interests regardless if it coincides with the best interests of the nation and its people.

Left wins in Denmark

From:  Danish PM resigns after left-leaning parties’ election win

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Denmark’s center-right prime minister resigned Thursday after a general election that ended with a gain for left-leaning parties and a big loss for populists who were supporting the government.

Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen’s resignation leaves the center-left Social Democrats, Denmark’s largest party, to start talks to form a one-party minority government.

Social Democrat leader Mette Frederiksen had rejected forming a coalition with Loekke Rasmussen’s Liberals.

See also:  Centre-left Social Democrats victorious in Denmark elections

Asylum corners Trump

From:  Venezuela, now a top source of US asylum claims, poses a challenge for Trump

Nearly 3.9 million people have fled Venezuela, with millions more expected to follow this year, according to William Spindler, spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency.

As a result, Venezuela has overtaken China to become the No. 1 country of origin for those claiming asylum in the U.S. upon arrival or shortly after, with nearly 30,000 Venezuelans applying for asylum with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2018. Nearly one-third of claims filed with the agency come from Venezuelans, the most of any country by far, according to the latest data.

That has created a dilemma for the Trump administration in which its foreign policy, which considers Maduro’s government an oppressive dictatorship, is colliding with its immigration policy, which has sought aggressively to hold down the number of people admitted to the country through asylum.

Dems silence climate debate

From:  DNC opts against climate change debate, Inslee says

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday the Democratic National Committee informed him it will not dedicate one of its presidential primary debates to the issue of climate change.

The decision comes despite a furious push from progressive and environmental advocates for a climate change debate, as well as strong support across the Democratic ideological spectrum. At least half a dozen Democratic candidates, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and former Obama cabinet official Julián Castro, have backed the idea.

Inslee, who led the push among presidential candidates and has made climate change the centerpiece of his campaign, called the decision “deeply disappointing” and out of step with Democratic primary voters. He also said the organization threatened not to invite him to future debates if he participated in any other climate change debate.

Pelosi’s plan

From:  Tick tock goes the political clock as Dems weigh impeachment

WASHINGTON — The political clock is a significant factor in whether majority House Democrats launch any impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

There’s increasing pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to at least start an impeachment inquiry into whether Trump obstructed special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. Pelosi is resisting for a number of reasons. But the tick-tock of time is an inexorable one as the 2020 presidential and congressional elections cast a widening shadow over Washington. As it spreads, the window for launching any impeachment proceedings shrinks, making the prospect of doing so beyond December unappetizing for wide swaths of Democrats.

That reality could limit how long Pelosi can say yes or no to impeachment questions stemming from Mueller’s report.

Related stories:

Poll: 74 percent of Americans say former Trump officials should obey congressional subpoenas

Bill granting Oregon’s electoral votes to national popular vote winner heads to governor’s desk

Abortion news

From:  CNN Poll: Abortion growing in importance for voters heading into 2020 election

Three-in-10 Americans say they would only vote for a candidate for major office who shares their views on abortion, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS. That’s higher than at any point in CNN polling on the topic from 1996 on.

Gender is a big factor in whether a person views abortion as a critical issue, even more than partisanship. Women (33%) — especially independent women (42%) and non-white women (39%) — are more apt to consider it a critical issue than men (26%). The share who say it is critical for them is about the same across party lines (33% for independents, 29% for Democrats, 28% for Republicans).

Twenty percent overall say they don’t see abortion as a major issue, while 45% would consider a candidate’s position on abortion, but don’t see it as a decisive issue.

Related stories:

NC House fails to block Cooper’s veto on ‘born alive’ abortion bill

Trump ending fetal tissue research by federal scientists