Let's bring into the conversation Democratic Congressman Jim Hines of Connecticut. He's the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. Congressman, good to see you.A lot to talk to you about, including the shutdown looming, but just want to get you in on the conversation we've been having about the discussion of political violence, the divisive rhetoric we hear from the very top of the Trump administration. Um, what has been your approach as we've seen this just spate in the last couple of weeks of ...

It's scaring people so much where they feel like, "Let me not speak out against what Trump is doing. Maybe I won't do that press conference. Maybe I won't show up to that ICE detention facility. Maybe I won't do this." Right? For fear of someone using the federal government and the full and total power of it to uh essentially have retribution on you and your family. And then the second thing is actually there being, I guess, consequences to things that you might have done. And this is part of what we're see ...

As President Trump prepares to host congressional leaders in less than two hours to discuss the looming threat of a government shutdown, he continues publicly pushing against Democrats. Speaking to NBC News on the phone Sunday, he said, quote, "The problem we have with the shutdown is that Democrats want to do all health care for illegal immigrants, people that came in, many of whom are criminal, that we are removing from our country. We're not going to do that." In addition, they want open borders, which w ...

Political & Social Issues - The Trump administration's plan to deploy troops to Portland, Oregon, is facing strong opposition from local officials who view it as an unwanted and unneeded intervention [1] - Oregon officials argue that sending federal troops to Portland could escalate tensions and create chaos, potentially undermining local efforts to maintain peace and order [1] - Concerns are raised about the legality of deploying federal troops for domestic policing, citing historical precedents and the potential for authoritarian overreach [1] Government & Policy - The looming government shutdown is a key concern, with disagreements over budget priorities and the power of the purse between Democrats and the Trump administration [1] - Democrats are unwilling to support another partisan continuing resolution, emphasizing the need to reclaim Congress's constitutional power over budget allocations [1] - Healthcare is a major point of contention, with projected increases in healthcare costs for individuals and families potentially leading to reduced coverage and financial strain on hospitals and clinics [2] International Relations - The US's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is under scrutiny, with calls for the US to condemn actions that could be considered ethnic cleansing and to support the establishment of a Palestinian state [2][3] - There's a growing shift in sentiment within the Senate regarding arms sales to Israel and the recognition of a Palestinian state, indicating a potential change in US foreign policy [2][3]

Government Shutdown & Healthcare - A potential government shutdown looms due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats, with healthcare cuts being a major point of contention [1][2][3][4] - Healthcare rates are expected to increase, potentially impacting individuals buying through the Obamacare marketplace, with an example given of a Virginia couple facing an $800/month increase [2][3][9] - The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is accused of selectively funding government programs, raising concerns about the legality and impact on healthcare [6][8] H-1B Visa & Immigration - The Trump administration is reportedly considering an H-1B visa overhaul, including a $100,000 fee for authorization, which could impact companies and potentially exclude graduate students from other nations [10][11] - Concerns are raised that anti-immigrant policies are hindering the attraction of world-class talent to American graduate programs and workplaces, potentially harming the economy in the long term [12] International Relations & Security - Reports suggest the Trump administration may consider re-establishing a presence at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, raising questions about the wisdom of such a move [13][15] - Vladimir Putin is perceived to be testing NATO's resolve, with concerns about whether the US will honor its commitments, especially given incidents involving Russia and NATO allies like Poland and Estonia [14][15][16][17] - Bibi Netanyahu's actions, such as bombing Qatar, an American ally, are seen as straining relations and raising questions about Trump's stance on international alliances [18] Intelligence Community - Concerns are voiced about the politicization of the intelligence community, with accusations that officials are being removed for not aligning with the president's ideology [19][20][21][22][23] - The removal of experienced intelligence professionals is seen as detrimental to national security, potentially discouraging future talent from joining the CIA [24][27] - Tulsi Gabbard is criticized for allegedly failing to uphold her promise not to politicize the intelligence community during her confirmation [19][20][25]

Joining us now, House Minority Leader, Democratic Congressman Hakee Jeff of New York. Of course, we want to talk to you about the looming shutdown. But first, uh would like to get your reaction and what you're hearing from your colleagues on the Hill uh about uh the Jimmy Kimmel situation being yanked off the air.Well, good morning. Great to be with you. Uh Democrats in the House and the Senate are deeply disturbed uh by the events.This is another example of Donald Trump and the Trump administration weaponi ...

Making a government shutdown about a last stand to save Americans' health care is a politically savvy move for Chuck Schumer, writes @niamalikah (via @opinion) https://t.co/BZk9gVlHqS ...

As the committee gathers today, the United States is in the midst of a health care calamity. The largest cuts to American health care in the history of our nation. And they are approaching like an avalanche. Last week, most of the senior leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were fired or they resigned after refusing to bow to Robert Kennedy's unceasing crusade against vaccines. I traveled across Oregon last month and the message was the same from one end of the state to the other. Fa ...

Political & Economic Implications - The document suggests a bill slashes healthcare for the needy while providing tax cuts for billionaires and multinational corporations [1][4] - The Treasury Secretary's statement is interpreted as a potential move to privatize Social Security, a politically sensitive issue [2][3][4][5][6] - The Trump administration is accused of breaking promises regarding Medicaid, Social Security, and the release of the Epstein files [3] - The bill is described as unpopular and politically damaging, touching "all the third rails of American politics" [4][5] Policy & Social Security - There is discussion about the distribution level date (30 or 60) and its potential impact on privatizing Social Security [1] - The Treasury Secretary's statement on privatizing Social Security was later retracted by the department [2][5] - Democrats have been warning about the potential privatization of Social Security [6]

As Trump dismantles the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans could lose access to affordable health care — without knowing who to blame, writes @lisamjarvis (via @opinion) https://t.co/PYLQvpDPxx ...