OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 4:30 PM PT – Fri. July 5, 2019
President Trump says he’s preparing an executive order which would lower drug prices.
President
Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House
before departing for his Bedminster, N.J. golf club, Friday, July 5,
2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Speaking to reporters Friday, the president said his administration plans to create a “favored nations clause.” The clause would ensure the U.S. would pay no more for a drug than the lowest price paid by another country. The Trump administration is working to shed more light on the healthcare industry’s non-transparent pricing practices. Starting this month, big pharma will have to include drug prices in TV ads.
Some Democrats
are beginning to use terminology popular with conservatives in order to
highlight their policies, according to pollster Frank Luntz.
Republicans must create a cogent message to combat this new trend if they want to win in future elections, Luntz claimed Friday on "The Ingraham Angle."
"My
concern is that the Democrats are using -- sometimes -- language of
the right as a way to push policies of the left," he said.
"And
conservatives have to be careful about that. You use softer, gentler,
kinder words to push things that are about either government control or
government giveaways, and the conservatives need to have a message --
they need to have an answer to that."
Luntz was reacting to a montage of 2020 Democratic candidates claiming health care is a "human right."
To
that extent, Ingraham added a conservative analyst once explained, if
something "is a human right, you don't have to debate it anymore."
"So, if it's a 'human right,' there's no debate, you have to give it to them," she added, characterizing the idea.
Luntz agreed, adding if someone is against certain policy proposals in that regard they can be painted as, "cruel and inhumane."
In regard to the idea of Medicare-for-all, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel claimed recently on "Fox & Friends" the platform will not resonate with voters in the end.
Voters
will turn away from candidates pushing the idea in the end and claims
the plan will improve access to quality health care are unfounded,
Siegel said last month.
"I think it's a campaign slogan. I don't think it's ever going to happen. They will self-destruct by getting behind it," he claimed.
"I can't believe they are making it a campaign issue. It's so unpopular."
Name a topic, and chances are good that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are on opposite sides.
But
now McCarthy appears to agree with AOC that members of Congress deserve
a pay raise. Without a salary increase, McCarthy says, only
millionaires will be able to serve.
The top Republican in the
House made the comments this week as lawmakers scrapped the bill over
the possible backlash from increasing salaries for themselves and their
staffs.
“When
you talk this subject about COLA, a cost-of-living increase, it does
invoke an emotion, kind of an impulsive emotion," McCarthy told
reporters, according to the Washington Examiner.
“I do not want Congress at the end of the day to only be a place that millionaires serve. This should be a body of the people.” — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
“I
think it's one that we should pause and look at. It's been more than 10
years in the process. The current study says that pay has decreased by
15 percent. I do not want Congress at the end of the day to only be a
place that millionaires serve. This should be a body of the people.”
Members
of Congress generally make $174,000 per year, with senior leaders
earning more, and no cost-of-living adjustments have been made in the
past nine years.
Last month, some vulnerable swing-state
Democrats, concerned how the proposed $4,500 pay hike would look if it
didn't also have Republican support, had signed onto amendments
rejecting a similar measure to increase their pay.
McCarthy’s
comments echoed previous remarks by Ocasio-Cortez, who argued that
lawmakers deserve the increase, otherwise the politicians will turn to
lobbying.
“It’s not even like a raise,” Ocasio-Cortez said. She
called opposition to the pay increase “superficial. ... This is why
there's so much pressure to turn to lobbying firms and to cash in on
member service after people leave, because precisely of this issue.”
The
Congressional Research Service (CRS) found in May that, adjusted for
inflation, salaries for members of Congress "have decreased 15 percent
since the last pay adjustment in 2009." Following a cost-of-living
adjustment formula established in 2009, members of Congress should
currently be making $210,900, the CRS found. Fox News’ Gregg Re contributed to this report.
President Trump’s 2020 campaign will seize on Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden’s mixed Senate record rather than his eight years as Barack Obama’s right-hand man.
The re-election campaign has been figuring out how – if Biden snatches the Democratic Party’s nomination – to respond to Biden’s candidacy that enjoys some protection among some voters due to nostalgia for the Obama years.
But
Republican Party strategist Ford O’Connell, who works closely with the
White House, told the Washington Times that the Trump campaign will
attack Biden’s six-term record as a U.S. senator from Delaware.
“He’s
got an Obama card he can play, but the problem is the 36 years of
baggage before Obama. That’s the ticket in terms of getting him,” the
strategist said.
“He’s got an Obama card he can play,
but the problem is the 36 years of baggage before Obama. That’s the
ticket in terms of getting him.” — Ford O’Connell, GOP strategist
Blueprint for beating Biden?
The heated exchange during a debate last month between Sen. Kamala Harris
and Biden over the issue of federally mandated busing, a measure Biden
opposed it during his Senate years -- which also meant he had found a
common cause with segregationist Democrats -- may be a blueprint how to
damage Biden’s credibility in the eyes of the electorate.
Harris
surged among voters after her stellar debate performance, in which she
challenged Biden to apologize for opposing federally mandated busing as
part of the broader desegregation effort.
“There was a little girl
in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public
schools, and she was bused to school every day — and that little girl
was me,” she said. “So, I will tell you that on this subject, it cannot
be an intellectual debate among Democrats. We have to take it
seriously.”
Biden didn’t offer an apology and instead went on
defense and damage control, insisting he went into politics because of
civil rights.
Among other issues that could damage Biden is his
support for the 1994 crime bill that greatly increased incarceration of
African-Americans and is now widely agreed as having had a detrimental
effect on the communities.
Biden was one of the leading proponents
of the bill while in the Senate and the issue plays well with Trump’s
legislative victories as his administration passed the First Step Act,
the criminal justice reform that ramped up rehabilitation efforts.
Trump has already attacked Biden over the issue multiple times, most recently just before the Democratic debate.
“Ever
since the passage of the Super Predator Crime Bill, pushed hard by
@JoeBiden, together with Bill and Crooked Hillary Clinton, which
inflicted great pain on many, but especially the African American
Community, Democrats have tried and failed to pass Criminal Justice
Reform,” Trump said.
In May, Trump said nobody associated with the 1994 bill could get elected and urged Biden to apologize for his involvement.
“Anyone
associated with the 1994 Crime Bill will not have a chance of being
elected. In particular, African Americans will not be able to vote for
you. I, on the other hand, was responsible for Criminal Justice Reform,
which had tremendous support, & helped fix the bad 1994 Bill!
“Super
Predator was the term associated with the 1994 Crime Bill that Sleepy
Joe Biden was so heavily involved in passing. That was a dark period in
American History, but has Sleepy Joe apologized? No!”
Another
issue that will likely draw scrutiny is Biden’s treatment of Anita Hill
during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
over 30 years ago.
Biden’s campaign is still reeling from a
scathing op-ed penned by Hill on the onset of his 2020 candidacy, saying
that the movement against sexual misconduct might have begun sooner had
he done a better job of handling her claims of sexual harassment
against Thomas.
“If
the Senate Judiciary Committee, led then by Mr. Biden, had done its job
and held a hearing that showed that its members understood the
seriousness of sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence, the
cultural shift we saw in 2017 after #MeToo might have began [sic] in
1991 — with the support of the government,” Hill, who is now a professor
at Brandeis University, wrote.
Other Dems gaining momentum
Even though Biden has taken a hit recently, including a small decline in his poll numbers, while other candidates such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren or Mayor Pete Buttigieg are gaining momentum behind their campaigns, the campaign is working under the assumption that Biden will win the nomination.
“The
opposition research is focused on Biden. And we hope we get Biden
because when it comes to who’s got a better record, Trump has a
significantly better record than Biden,” a Trump campaign official told the newspaper.
"When it comes to who’s got a better record, Trump has a significantly better record than Biden." — Trump campaign official
Another
campaign staffer told the Times that Biden’s close association with
Obama is his biggest strength as people might perceive his candidacy as a
“return to normalcy.”
But Tim Murtaugh, communications director
for the campaign, struck a rather different tone. He said the campaign
isn’t totally preoccupied with neutralizing Biden -- as Biden's
record will likely do that by itself.
“Joe
Biden is an existential threat to Joe Biden. His poor performance on
the campaign trail and lame defense of his four decades in public office
have already caused him problems,” Murtaugh said.
"Joe Biden is an existential threat to Joe Biden." — Tim Murtaugh, Trump campaign communications director
“He
was a bad candidate the first two times he ran for president, and
there’s no reason to expect that he’s improved any. We are a year away
from knowing who our opponent will be, and we are unconvinced that Joe
Biden will be the nominee.”
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:40 AM PT – Thur. June 4, 2019
Congressman Justin Amash announces he is leaving the Republican
party, saying “modern politics is trapped in a partisan death spiral.” In an op-ed in the Washington Post Thursday, Amash laid out his new values and, new political affiliation.
FILE
– In this June 12, 2019 file photo, Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., listens
to debate as the House Oversight and Reform Committee considers whether
to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur
Ross in contempt for failing to turn over subpoenaed documents related
to the Trump administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to
the 2020 census, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Amash, the only
Republican in Congress to support the impeachment of President Donald
Trump, said Thursday, July 3 he is leaving the GOP because he has become
disenchanted with partisan politics and “frightened by what I see from
it.” (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File )
He claimed, recent years have caused him to become “disenchanted and frightened with party politics” and the two party system. Amash said he will now become an Independent, and stated he will work to reject divisive loyalties. The moves comes just weeks after Amash came forward as the only GOP
member to call for the impeachment of President Trump back in May. Meanwhile, President Trump said Amash’s departure from the Republican party is “great news”. In a tweet Thursday the president slammed Amash, saying he is “one of the dumbest and most disloyal men in Congress.”
Great news for the Republican Party as one of the
dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is “quitting” the Party. No
Collusion, No Obstruction! Knew he couldn’t get the nomination to run
again in the Great State of Michigan. Already being challenged for his
seat. A total loser!
He said the congressman’s decision to quit was a guise for knowing
“he couldn’t get the nomination to run again in the great state of
Michigan.” The president added he is already being challenged for his seat, and closed by calling Amash a “total loser.”
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:20 AM PT – Thur. June 4, 2019
Vice President Mike Pence marks the nation’s independence by welcoming in 44 new U.S. citizens at the National Archives D.C. Speaking at the naturalization ceremony Thursday, Pence congratulated
everyone for successfully going through the legal process in order to
become a U.S. citizen.
Vice
President Mike Pence speaks at a naturalization ceremony for new
naturalized citizens in celebration of Independence Day at the National
Archives in Washington, Thursday, July 4, 2019. Also at the event is
Acting Director, US Immigration and Immigration Services, Kenneth T.
Cuccinelli, left seated. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
He went on to praise their journeys and sacrifices to reach this
point, as the new U.S. citizens hailed from 26 different countries. Pence also informed them of the debates in America they will now take
place in, including immigration, referring to the current system as
broken. But touted the unmatched freedom in America that several across
the globe pursue. “Our freedom continues to inspired the world,” said Pence. “Millions
over the generations now who you’ve joined who’ve come to these shores
and nations around the world who inspire to be like us.” The VP went on to encourage the new U.S. citizens to pursue their
passions, saying no dream is too big in the land of the free and the
home of the brave.
Sen. Ted Cruz responded Thursday night after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick posted a passage earlier on the Fourth of July from a famous speech by Civil War-era abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
The passage Kaepernick cites is from Douglass’ speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
Douglass delivered to the speech at a meeting of the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society in Rochester, N.Y., on July 5, 1852 – nearly nine years before the Civil War began.
Kaepernick
posted the following portion, without adding any comments: “What have
I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? This
Fourth of July is yours, not mine…There is not a nation on the earth
guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of
these United States at this very hour.”
But the former San
Francisco 49ers signal-caller includes a video montage of a longer
version of the speech, accompanied by drawings depicting American slaves
and photos from the Civil War era. Interspersed are videos from recent
years, showing police using force against people of color.
“You quote a mighty and historic speech by the great
abolitionist Frederick Douglass,” Sen. Cruz writes in response, “but,
without context, many modern readers will misunderstand.”
Cruz
goes on to acknowledge that slavery was an “abomination” in the U.S. but
was eliminated through the efforts of Douglass and “so many other
heroes.”
The senator then asserts that Douglass “was not anti-American; he was, rightly and passionately, anti-slavery.”
As evidence, Cruz quotes another portion of the same Douglass speech:
“Allow
me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this
day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this
country.
“There are forces in operation, which must inevitably,
work the downfall of slavery. ‘The arm of the Lord is not shortened,’
and the doom of slavery is certain.
“I, therefore, leave off where
I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from ‘the Declaration
of Independence,’ the great principles it contains, and the genius of
American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious
tendencies of the age.”
After quoting Douglass, Cruz then writes:
“Let me encourage everyone, READ THE ENTIRE SPEECH; it is powerful,
inspirational, and historically important in bending the arc of history
towards justice.”
The senator then includes a link to the full text of the Douglass speech.
Kaepernick
has gained notoriety away in recent years for drawing attention to the
issue of police use of force against African-Americans and other
minorities. It began with his kneeling protests during the playing of the national anthem before NFL games and continued in other ways after he left the league.
Earlier this year, Kaepernick reached a settlement with the NFL after being unable to get a job with another team since leaving the 49ers.
This
week, the former quarterback made headlines for opposing the so-called
Betsy Ross flag added to a new design of Nike sneakers, viewing the flag
as a reminder of slavery.
The
apparel company agreed to halt sales of the sneaker after Kaepernick’s
complaint, “based on concerns that it could unintentionally offend”
people. Kaepernick has been an endorser of Nike products.
Others
have argued that the 13-starred Betsy Ross flag is symbolic of
America’s fight for independence from Britain, and is separate from the
slavery issue.
Cruz was one of several top Republicans to oppose Nike's decision to end sales of the sneakers.
A Republican congressman has encouraged President Trump to ignore the Supreme Court and print the 2020 U.S. Census with the question about citizenship, as the president mulls an executive order.
Rep.
Chip Roy, who represents the Lone Star State's 21st Congressional
District -- covering much of the area north of San Antonio, plus much of
Austin -- made the call on social media amid the controversy over the
census citizenship question that caused some confusion within the Trump
administration on whether the question will appear on the survey.
“It’s
the lawyers advising him,” Roy wrote in a tweet. “[Trump] should ignore
them. Completely. Print the Census with the questions — and issue a
statement explaining why — ‘because we should.’ Done.”
The
Supreme Court last week blocked the citizenship question for the time
being until more reasoning from the administration can be provided.
This
prompted Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to initially announce that his
department would print the census without the citizenship question amid
the Supreme Court objections.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, made the call on social media amid the
controversy over the census citizenship question that caused some
confusion within the Trump administration of whether the question will
appear on the survey. (Associated Press)
“The Census Bureau has started the process of
printing the decennial questionnaires without the question,” Ross said
in a statement. “My focus and that of the bureau and the entire
department is to conduct a complete and accurate census.”
The
Texas congressman, a freshman Republican, fired back on social media
after being accused of openly calling on Trump to ignore the high court.
“Lawless
is the state of our border. Lawless is being ruled by Judges on matters
of policy choices,” he tweeted. “Lawless is NOT rightly advising the
President to follow the Constitution and include a citizenship question
on the census — particularly in light of the opinion.”
Trump has
been critical of the Supreme Court block, attacking it as “totally
ridiculous” that the U.S. government “cannot ask a basic question of
Citizenship.”
On Wednesday, Trump said that reports that that Commerce had dropped the “quest” to put the question on the census were “fake!”
“We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question,” he tweeted.
On
Thursday Trump said his administration is still working to add the
question on the census, with reports saying he’s mulling an executive
order to do so, a move that would lead to a showdown between his
administration and the Supreme Court.
“So important for our
Country that the very simple and basic ‘Are you a Citizen of the United
States?’ question be allowed to be asked in the 2020 Census,” he
tweeted.
Multiple outlets reported that Trump is considering using
an executive order to move forward with the push. The Washington Post
reported that Trump had told lawyers to fix the situation with an
executive order and add it to the census later.
"The
administration is considering the appropriateness of an executive order
that would address the constitutional need for the citizenship question
to be included in the 2020 census," a source told Axios. Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, made the call on social media amid the
controversy over the census citizenship question that caused some
confusion within the Trump administration of whether the question will
appear on the survey. (Associated Press)
CNN’s Scott Jennings once again took liberals to the cleaners on the Abrego Garcia case, the ‘Maryland man...
