Trump’s sabotage of the Affordable Care Act costs the people of Kentucky

Donald Trump is actively sabotaging Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces, and it is costing the people of Kentucky. Today, Anthem announced that as a result of Trump destabilizing the market, they will withdraw from offering individual coverage plans in half of the counties in Kentucky.

The news comes after Donald Trump has taken a host of executive actions taken by Trump and his administration to undercut the functioning of Affordable Care Act marketplaces, including an executive order on Trump’s first day in office to compromise the effectiveness of the individual mandate, calling into question whether the mandate would be enforced at all, pulling other ACA enrollment ads that had already been paid for, and – most harmful of all – threatening to abruptly withhold cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) that are critical in order for 7 million working people to have […]

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TOMORROW: Don Jr Will Have To Account For His Dad’s Lies Before Senate Judiciary Committee

When Donald Trump Jr. appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow to answer questions about arranging the now-infamous meeting with Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, and a Kremlin-linked lawyer promising dirt on Secretary Clinton, he will also have to explain why his father tried to deceive the American people about the real intent behind the meeting.

Donald Trump’s attempted cover-up is central to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and so far, the White House’s conflicting explanations about their lies have only led to more questions than actual answers surrounding the June 9, 2016 meeting.

“The only reason for a cover up is when you’ve done something wrong,” said Kevin McAlister, a Bridge Project spokesperson. “That’s why everyone from Robert Mueller to members of the House and Senate – not to mention the public – are anxiously awaiting a real, truthful explanation about the events surrounding the now infamous June meeting with a Putin operative and the subsequent lies about the […]

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Watch: Every GOP insurance commissioner testifying today says that Trump should end his ACA sabotage 

Today, every single Republican state insurance commissioner testifying to the Senate HELP committee about stabilization of the Affordable Care Act called for the continued payment of cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) that are critical in order for 7 million working Americans to have healthcare, and without which premiums for benchmark marketplace silver plans would skyrocket by 25%.

Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to cease the payment of these funds, resulting in needless uncertainty that insurance companies have stated is the cause of double-digit premium rate hike requests.

America’s doctors and hospitals, patient advocacy organizations, and the U.S. business community have all appealed to Trump personally to guarantee payment of CSRs and remove the turbulence he has injected into marketplaces across the country.“Donald Trump should listen to these insurance commissioners from his own party and immediately end his campaign to sabotage the state insurance marketplaces,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates. “Trump […]

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Trump Is Making Millions Off Of His Pay-To-Play Golf Vacations

“This is just the latest proof that Trump is abusing the power of the presidency to make millions off of his time in office. Every time Trump goes golfing at one of his properties, he’s engaging in a corrupt pay-to-play scheme that allows CEOs and lobbyists to funnel millions of dollars into his pocket in exchange for access,” said American Bridge spokesperson Brad Bainum. “It’s all a scam, and the American people are getting screwed while the Trump family makes millions.”

USA Today: Trump gets millions from golf members. CEOs and lobbyists get access to president

By Brad Heath, Fredreka Schouten, Steve Reilly, Nick Penzenstadler, and Aamer Madhani, 9/6/17

Dozens of lobbyists, contractors and others who make their living influencing the government pay President Trump’s companies for membership in his private golf clubs, a status that can put them in close contact with the president, a USA TODAY investigation found.

Members of the clubs […]

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American Bridge response to Trump Administration abandoning 4 million Americans being denied overtime pay 

American Bridge President Jessica Mackler released the following statement after the Department of Justice announced it would stop defending the Obama Administration’s rule guaranteeing that approximately 4 million Americans would no longer be denied the overtime pay that they earn: 

“Donald Trump personally screwed over hundreds of employees by refusing to pay their overtime and now he’s using the Justice Department to slash the paychecks of 4 million hard-working Americans who will not receive the overtime pay ​that ​they earn. This is Trump’s latest action that is at odds with his campaign trail rhetoric, and ​it ​further shows how his economic agenda is solely designed to further rig the American economy for the rich – including Trump himself – at the expense of American workers. The American Dream is moving farther and father out of reach of our country’s workers and Donald Trump is to blame.” 

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Sanders Questions: Not The Bride Edition

Get ready to answer a lot of questions President Trump and Attorney General Sessions were afraid to take themselves. American Bridge Rapid Response Director Emily Aden calls on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to answer the following questions:

1. What specifically is the White House doing to work with Congress to pass legislation reinstating DACA to prevent 800,000 Dreamers from being cruelly deported?

2. Was the President Trump sad when he learned Vladimir Putin said the President is not his bride?

3. Has President Trump discussed the Russia investigation with Donald Trump Jr. or Michael Cohen ahead of their expected testimonies before congressional investigators this month? Has he advised them to tell the truth?

4. Can you assure working Americans, including many Trump supporters, who make just $600 a week that President Trump will not take away the overtime payments they have earned?

5. What is the President’s response to House Republican […]

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American Bridge DACA Statement

American Bridge President Jessica Mackler statement on Donald Trump ending DACA:

“Over the past few weeks, Donald Trump praised neo-Nazis, pardoned a racist criminal convicted of jailing people based on the color of their skin, and he’s now authorizing the mass-deportation of young people who have done nothing wrong. Trump’s actions will force a million people out of the country, break up hundreds of thousands of families, and throw away the contributions that a generation of young immigrants would have made to the United States — all in the name of a partisan agenda that solely caters to extremists in his party.

“DACA recipients are the best of us; young people who, despite difficult circumstances and challenges, achieve success and make the best lives they can for themselves and their families. They are the epitome of the American dream that Donald Trump is hell-bent on undermining.” 

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American Bridge DACA Statement

American Bridge President Jessica Mackler statement on Donald Trump ending DACA:

“Over the past few weeks, Donald Trump praised neo-Nazis, pardoned a racist criminal convicted of jailing people based on the color of their skin, and he’s now authorizing the mass-deportation of young people who have done nothing wrong. Trump’s actions will force a million people out of the country, break up hundreds of thousands of families, and throw away the contributions that a generation of young immigrants would have made to the United States — all in the name of a partisan agenda that solely caters to extremists in his party.

“DACA recipients are the best of us; young people who, despite difficult circumstances and challenges, achieve success and make the best lives they can for themselves and their families. They are the epitome of the American dream that Donald Trump is hell-bent on undermining.” 

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Sanders Questions: 178,752 American Workers Edition

Should we expect some late night pardons this Friday evening or was that just a hurricane special? 

American Bridge Rapid Response Director Emily Aden calls on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to answer the following questions:

1. So far under President Trump, 178,751 American workers have been notified of layoffs. What is the President going to do to help them and their families? 

2. What is the President’s reaction to the Georgia police officer who said “we only kill black people?” Does he believe the police officer should be fired? 

3. How is kicking Dreamers out of their country once their current work visas run out treating them with “great heart” as the President promised? 

4. Given the President’s history of lying about his charitable donations will he make receipt for his $1 million pledge to Hurricane Harvey relief public?

5. Is President Trump going to actually meet with Hurricane Harvey victims on his trip tomorrow? 

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Editorials Round Up: Relief for Texas Edition

Editorial boards from all over the country criticized President Trump this week for his unpresidential behavior amidst one of the worst natural disasters the United States has ever seen. As Houston braced for the Hurricane Harvey, the President pardoned the reprehensible Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and as thousands remained stranded in their homes waiting to be rescued, the President announced a “tax plan” only the ultra wealthy and billionaire CEOs could love.

 

Throw in a threat to shutdown the government over his border wall that Mexico will never pay for and a broken promise to Dreamers and you have another disastrous week for the Trump presidency. Here’s what Americans saw this week in their local newspapers:

 

8/25

Arizona Republic: Donald Trump Just Resurrected Joe Arpaio From Irrelevance

His pardon of Joe Arpaio elevated the disgraced former Maricopa County sheriff to monument status among the immigration hardliners and nationalists […]

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