Daily: 03/31/2019

Trump’s Battle With ‘Obamacare’ Moves to Courts

After losing in Congress, President Donald Trump is counting on the courts to kill off “Obamacare.” But some cases are going against him, and time is not on his side as he tries to score a big win for his re-election campaign.

Two federal judges in Washington, D.C., this past week blocked parts of Trump’s health care agenda: work requirements for some low-income people on Medicaid, and new small business health plans that don’t have to provide full benefits required by the Affordable Care Act.

But in the biggest case, a federal judge in Texas ruled last December that the ACA is unconstitutional and should be struck down in its entirety. That ruling is now on appeal. At the urging of the White House, the Justice Department said this past week it will support the Texas judge’s position and argue that all of “Obamacare” must go.

A problem for Trump is that the litigation could take months to resolve — or longer — and there’s no guarantee he’ll get the outcomes he wants before the 2020 election.

“Was this a good week for the Trump administration? No,” said economist Gail Wilensky, who headed up Medicare under former Republican President George H.W. Bush. “But this is the beginning of a series of judicial challenges.”

It’s early innings in the court cases, and “the clock is going to run out,” said Timothy Jost, a retired law professor who has followed the Obama health law since its inception.

“By the time these cases get through the courts there simply isn’t going to be time for the administration to straighten out any messes that get created, much less get a comprehensive plan through Congress,” added Jost, who supports the ACA.

In the Texas case, Trump could lose by winning.

If former President Barack Obama’s health law is struck down entirely, Congress would face an impossible task: pass a comprehensive health overhaul to replace it that both Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Trump can agree to. The failed attempt to repeal “Obamacare” in 2017 proved to be toxic for congressional Republicans in last year’s midterm elections and they are in no mood to repeat it.

“The ACA now is nine years old and it would be incredibly disruptive to uproot the whole thing,” said Thomas Barker, an attorney with the law firm Foley Hoag, who served as a top lawyer at the federal Health and Human Services department under former Republican President George W. Bush. “It seems to me that you can resolve this issue more narrowly than by striking down the ACA.”

Trump seems unfazed by the potential risks.

“Right now, it’s losing in court,” he asserted Friday, referring to the Texas case against “Obamacare.”

The case “probably ends up in the Supreme Court,” Trump continued. “But we’re doing something that is going to be much less expensive than Obamacare for the people … and we’re going to have (protections for) pre-existing conditions and will have a much lower deductible. So, and I’ve been saying that, the Republicans are going to end up being the party of health care.”

There’s no sign that his administration has a comprehensive health care plan, and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus among Republicans in Congress.

A common thread in the various health care cases is that they involve lower-court rulings for now, and there’s no telling how they may ultimately be decided. Here’s a status check on major lawsuits:

‘Obamacare’ repeal

U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, ruled that when Congress repealed the ACA’s fines for being uninsured, it knocked the constitutional foundation out from under the entire law. His ruling is being appealed by attorneys general from Democratic-led states to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

The challenge to the ACA was filed by officials from Texas and other GOP-led states. It’s now fully supported by the Trump administration, which earlier had argued that only the law’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions and its limits on how much insurers could charge older, sicker customers were constitutionally tainted. All sides expect the case to go to the Supreme Court, which has twice before upheld the ACA.

Medicaid work requirements

U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg in Washington, D.C., last week blocked Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas approved by the Trump administration. The judge questioned whether the requirements were compatible with Medicaid’s central purpose of providing “medical assistance” to low-income people. He found that administration officials failed to account for coverage losses and other potential harm, and sent the Health and Human Services Department back to the drawing board.

The Trump administration says it will continue to approve state requests for work requirements, but has not indicated if it will appeal.

Small-business health plans

U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates last week struck down the administration’s health plans for small business and sole proprietors, which allowed less generous benefits than required by the ACA. Bates found that administration regulations creating the plans were “clearly an end-run” around the Obama health law and also ran afoul of other federal laws governing employee benefits.

The administration said it disagrees but hasn’t formally announced an appeal.

Also facing challenges in courts around the country are an administration regulation that bars federally funded family planning clinics from referring women for abortions and a rule that allows employers with religious and moral objections to opt out of offering free birth control to women workers as a preventive care service.

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White House Not Backing Down on Trump’s Threat to Close US-Mexico Border

Washington is focused yet again on immigration and border security after President Donald Trump threatened to close America’s southern border with Mexico and declared he wants U.S. aid terminated to three Central American nations. VOA’s Michael Bowman reports, Trump’s moves come amid a continuing surge of undocumented migrant arrivals that have strained federal resources and personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Zelenskiy Leads Poroshenko in First Round of Ukraine’s Elections

Comedian and political novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy defeated incumbent president Petro Poroshenko in Ukraine’s first round of presidential elections, according to exit polls Sunday, leading the two candidates into a run-off election.

Zelenskiy, a comedian who plays the role of the president in a television comedy series, was projected to win 30.4 percent of the vote, easily beating Poroshenko, in power since 2014, who earned 17.8 percent, according to the Central Election Commission’s report as of 6 p,m.

If no candidate wins more than half of the votes, the election will proceed to a run-off to be held on April 21.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy is seeking to prove life can indeed imitate art. He in the protagonist of a long-running popular series called the Servant of the People in which he plays a teacher who unexpectedly finds himself president after a student posts on YouTube one of his rants denouncing the elite.

President Petro Poroshenko had the support of just 13.7 percent of the voters, according to a pre-election poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

The 53-year-old billionaire dubbed the chocolate king because of his confectionery business has been accused by opponents of running schemes to buy votes, especially in small towns where the pull of political paternalism is strong.

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Thousands March in Spain to Demand More Help for Rural Areas

Thousands of Spaniards gathered in Madrid on Sunday to demand that the government take steps to curb the depopulation of rural areas.

Sunday’s march under the slogan “The Revolt of the Emptied Spain” was organized by grassroots groups from rural areas in the southern European Union nation.

 

In Spain, 90 percent of the population is now concentrated in 30 percent of the country’s territory, namely in Madrid and the coastal areas. That leaves 10 percent of its people spread over large swaths of the interior.

 

On Friday, the government announced measures to improve internet networks in the countryside.

 

The march comes before Spain’s April 28 general election, when rural areas could play a key role in deciding if the Socialists stay in power. Spanish election law gives more weight to underpopulated areas.

 

 

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Місцеві вибори в Туреччині: двоє членів опозиційної партії вбиті

Двох членів Ісламістської партії процвітання – працівника виборчої дільниці і спостерігача на виборах – застрелили в турецькій провінції Малатья. За даними місцевих ЗМІ, одну людину затримали.

Ще двоє людей отримали ножові поранення в провінції Діярбакир, один з них у критичному стані. Десятки людей отримали ушкодження у сутичках, пов’язаних із місцевими виборами, на східному півдні країни.

Ще одна масова бійка сталася в Стамбулі між прихильниками двох різних кандидатів, одна людина отримала ножові поранення.

Порядок під час виборів охороняють 553 тисячі поліцейських і співробітників сил безпеки.

Читайте також: Посол США в Україні прийшла на виборчу дільницю в Києві​

Партія справедливості і розвитку, яка вигравала кожні вибори з 2002 року, наражається на все більш відчутний тиск опозиції на тлі економічної рецесії в Туреччині, росту безробіття й інфляції.

Зокрема в столиці Анкарі шанси на перемогу має опозиційний кандидат Мансур Явас. Президент і лідер правлячої партії Реджеп Тайїп Ердоган неодноразово звинувачував його у підробці документів і ухиленні від сплати податків. Явас, який програв вибори на посаду мера Анкари 2014 року, всі звинувачення заперечує.

Нинішні муніципальні вибори є першими відтоді, коли в 2017 році президент Реджеп Тайїп Ердоган унаслідок конституційної реформи отримав широкі повноваження.

Внаслідок волевиявлення буде обрано 1 тисячу 389 мерів та тисячі депутатів місцевих рад. З 82-мільйонного населення Туреччини право голосувати має понад 57 мільйонів.

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У Туреччині відбуваються місцеві вибори, партія Ердогана може програти у великих містах

У Туреччині 31 березня відбуваються місцеві вибори. Опитування, проведені до голосування, свідчать, що владна Партія справедливості та розвитку може програти в Анкарі, Стамбулі та інших великих містах.

Нинішні муніципальні вибори є першими відтоді, коли в 2017 році президент Реджеп Тайїп Ердоган унаслідок конституційної реформи отримав широкі повноваження.

Вибори назвуть 1 тисячу 389 мерів та тисячі депутатів місцевих рад.

Ердоган та його Партія справедливості та розвитку незмінно вигравали кожні вибори з 2002 року, але нинішня кампанія, на відміну від попередніх, відбувалася за умов рецесії, зростання безробіття та зростання інфляції.

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В Австралії завершується голосування на виборах президента України

У столиці Австралії Канберрі завершується голосування на єдиній відкритій у цій країні закордонній виборчій дільниці на виборах президента України. Дільниця, утворена при посольстві України, відкрилася о 23:00 за київським часом 30 березня, голосування на ній триватиме до 11:00 за київським часом 31 березня.

«Вибори президента України на нашій планеті починаються із виборчої дільниці в консульстві України в Канберрі. Це єдина виборча дільниця в усій Австралії та Океанії. Тож, насправді, нам дуже пощастило, що нам до неї їхати лише 300 км. Бо від Окленда, що у Новій Зеландії, сюди – 2300 км. А від Дарвіна, що в Північній Австралії, – більше 4000 км. Коли ви прокинетеся у неділю, в нас вже буде вечір, вже по виборах. Вітання вам з майбутнього! Можна напевно сказати, що майбутнє у нас є», – написала громадянка України Діна Крочук у Facebook.

У Європі дільниці на виборах президента України відкрилися водночас або із затримкою на одну-дві години від часу початку голосування в Україні.

«Важливий день. Закордонна виборча дільниця у посольстві України в Естонській Республіці розпочала свою роботу та вже прийняла перших виборців», – повідомила посол України в Естонії Мар’яна Беца.

«У Берліні розпочався процес голосування на виборах президента України. Панує піднесений настрій, адже сьогодні – справжнє свято української демократії!» – вказав посол України в Німеччині Андрій Мельник.

В Україні 31 березня відбуваються вибори президента. Виборчі дільниці розпочали свою роботу о 8:00 і працюватимуть до 20:00. У виборчих бюлетенях є прізвища 39 кандидатів.

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Радіо Свобода проведе спецефір до дня виборів

Радіо Свобода проведе спецефір до дня виборів. Ефір розпочнеться о 12:00 і триватиме до 1:00 1 квітня. Подивитися його можна буде на YouTube-каналі Радіо Свобода.

З 21:40 до 22:50 Радіо Свобода та Голос Америки разом з Суспільним проведуть марафон «Зворотний відлік: Ніч виборів», у якому обговорять день голосування.

31 березня в Україні відбуваються вибори президента України. За посаду змагаються 37 кандидатів. Виборчі дільниці розпочали свою роботу о 8:00 і працюватимуть до 20:00. Для перемоги в першому турі кандидат повинен набрати понад 50 відсотків голосів. Якщо цього не станеться, 21 квітня відбудеться другий тур виборів.

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Slovaks Elect Newcomer Caputova as President

A liberal environmental activist has been elected as the first female president of Slovakia.

Relative newcomer Zuzana Caputova had 58 percent of the vote with almost 95 percent of returns counted in Saturday’s runoff election, topping European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, who had 42 percent.

Sefcovic conceded defeat and congratulated his rival.

“I’m extremely happy about the result,” Caputova said. “It’s an extremely strong mandate for me,” she said.

“Zuzana, Zuzana,” her supporters chanted.

Political newcomer

Caputova, 45, has little experience in politics and attracted voters who are appalled by corruption and mainstream politics.

She only recently became vice chairman of the Progressive Slovakia, a party so new it has not had a chance to run in parliamentary elections. Caputova resigned from her party post after winning the first round of the presidential vote two weeks ago.

She becomes Slovakia’s fifth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993.

​Rising star in Slovakia

The president of the nation of 5.4 million people has the power to pick the prime minister, appoint Constitutional Court judges and veto laws. Parliament can override the veto with a simple majority, however. The government is led by the prime minister, who possesses most executive powers.

A lawyer by profession, Caputova is a rising star of Slovak politics. She became known for leading a successful fight against a toxic waste dump in her hometown of Pezinok, for which she received the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016.

A divorced mother of two, she is in favor of gay rights and opposes a ban on abortion in this conservative Roman Catholic country.

She was also part of a campaign in 2017 that led to the annulment of pardons granted by former authoritarian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar.

Sefcovic, 52, is a career diplomat who was supported by the leftist Smer-Social Democracy party led by former populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, a major force in Slovak politics that was tarnished by corruption scandals. He campaigned on a traditional family values ticket.

Popular incumbent Andrej Kiska, who did not stand for a second term, backed Caputova in the vote.

​Street protests of corruption

The two had supported the massive anti-government street protests last year triggered by the slayings of an investigative reporter and his fiancee that led to the fall of Fico’s coalition government. Investigators have linked Jan Kuciak’s death to his work probing possible widespread government corruption.

Fico’s party suffered losses in local elections in November, the first votes since the largest demonstrations in the country since the anti-Communist Velvet Revolution of 1989.

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Eiffel Tower, Other Sites Go Dark for Earth Hour 

The Eiffel Tower was plunged into darkness late on Saturday as the city of Paris switched off the lights on its best-known tourist attraction to mark this 

year’s Earth Hour. 

The 13th annual edition of the global event, organized by environmental group World Wildlife Fund to push for action on climate change and other man-made threats to the planet, called for nearly 200 major landmarks around the world to be unplugged at 8:30 p.m. local time.

They included New York’s Empire State Building, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil and the Sydney Opera House.

Ahead of the Eiffel Tower shutdown, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Junior Environment Minister Brune Poirson appeared at the foot of the 130-year-old edifice for a public discussion on global warming and declining biodiversity. 

Earth Hour has grown steadily since the first event in 2007 and is now marked in more than 180 countries and territories, according to its organizers.

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World Turns Off Lights for Earth Hour 

The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House, the Brandenburg Gate, the Acropolis and many more iconic landmarks went dark at 8:30 p.m. local time, Saturday night, for Earth Hour, an annual call for local action on climate change.

Earth Hour is the brain child of the World Wildlife Fund.

“By going dark for Earth Hour, we can show steadfast commitment to protecting our families, our communities and our planet from the dangerous effects of a warming world,” said Lou Leonard, WWF senior vice president, climate and energy. “The rising demand for energy, food and water means this problem is only going to worsen, unless we act now.”

Individuals and companies around the world participated in the hour-long demonstration to show their support for the fight against climate change and the conservation of the natural world.

WWF said Earth’s “rich biodiversity, the vast web of life that connects the health of oceans, rivers and forests to the prosperity of communities and nations, is threatened.”

The fund also reports that wildlife populations monitored by WWF “have experienced an average decline of 60 percent in less than a single person’s lifetime, and many unique and precious species are at risk of vanishing forever.”

“We have to ask ourselves what we’re willing to do after the lights come back on,” Leonard said. “If we embrace bold solutions, we still have time to stabilize the climate and safeguard our communities and the diverse wildlife, ecosystems and natural resources that sustain us all.”

“We are the first generation to know we are destroying the world,” WWF said. “And we could be the last that can do anything about it.”

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Trump Calls for Ending Aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras Over Migrants

The Trump administration wants to halt funding to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the State Department confirmed Saturday.

“We are carrying out the president’s direction and ending [fiscal year] 2017 and [fiscal year] 2018 foreign assistance programs for the Northern Triangle,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement. “We will be engaging Congress as part of this process.”

The Northern Triangle refers to the three northern Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The three countries were set to receive about $500 million in aid in the 2018 fiscal year plus millions more that were left over from 2017, according to The Washington Post.

The move comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said the countries had “set up” migrant caravans that make their way to the United States.

“We were giving them $500 million. We were paying them tremendous amounts of money, and we’re not paying them anymore because they haven’t done a thing for us,” Trump said Friday. Trump also warned he was ready to close the southern border if Mexico doesn’t do more to push back migrants.

Congressional action would be needed to cut off aid to the three countries.

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Trump’s order a “reckless announcement” and urged Democrats and Republicans alike to reject it.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat and chairman of the Hispanic Caucus, warned in a statement released Saturday that cutting off aid will further destabilize these countries.

“By cutting off desperately needed aid, the administration will deprive El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras of critical funds that help stabilize these countries by curbing migration push factors such as violence, gangs, poverty and insecurity. Ultimately, this short-sighted and flawed decision lays the groundwork for the humanitarian crisis at our border to escalate further,” he said.

Foreign aid and stability

The U.S. has viewed foreign aid programs to Central American countries as a vital component in stabilizing these countries, potentially reducing the flow of immigrants seeking to migrate to the United States. Under the Trump administration, aid to those countries began falling.

The U.S. provided about $131 million in aid to Guatemala, $98 million to Honduras, and $68 million to El Salvador in 2016, according to Reuters. The following year the funding fell to about $69 million for Guatemala, $66 million for Honduras and $46 million for El Salvador.

Michael Clemens, a senior fellow at The Center for Global Development, says the administration’s strategy to shape migration through aid needs to be done right.

“If what the United States wants to do is prevent irregular child migration in a way that works and is cost-effective, it should not do what it has traditionally done — spend 10 times as much on border enforcement trying to keep child migrants out as it spends on security assistance to the region. In fact, smartly packaged security assistance is the only things that have been shown to reduce violence effectively and cost effectively,” he said.

The U.S. has had an inconstant history of involvement in Central America, with some arguing that it is American foreign policy in the region has caused the instability and inequality at the root of the current crisis.

Jeff Faux, at the left-leaning think tank the Economic Policy Institute, argues that U.S. policy created the immigration crisis.

“For at least 150 years, the United States has intervened in these countries with arms, political pressure and money in order to support alliances between our business and military elites and theirs — who prosper by impoverishing their people,” Faux wrote in an article for The American Prospect magazine last year.

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