1-29-2017 : The Usual Suspects (T. Rich, Kristy Hunt, and da Vinci Parks) break down the first full week of Donald J Trump's executive memos and actions in office, Louisiana adds hate crime charges to resisting arrest, Minnesota proposes a bill that would allow civil action against protesters, and believe it or not--more!
Podcast Notes:
Louisiana Makes Resisting Arrest a Hate Crime
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/king-louisiana-resisting-arrest-hate-crime-cops-article-1.2955185
(Taken from Vibe.com) In August 2016, Louisiana’s “Blue Lives Matter” bill went into effect. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards (pictured above) signed the new piece of legislation with the intention of protecting police, firefighters and EMS under the state’s hate crime statute. However, a police chief is ready to apply the law to anyone who resists arrest.
The “Blue Lives Matter” law does not specifically list resisting arrest as an offense, but does include battery or assault. Under the law, if someone is arrested for petty theft, which is considered a misdemeanor, and the officer thinks that person is resists arrests they can be charged with a felony hate crime, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
St. Martinville Police Chief Calder Hebert said this new measure will protect law enforcement and offenders.
Trump Proposes 20% Tax on Mexican IMPORTS--not American Exports to Fund Border Wall!
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/analysis-trump-import-tax-to-pay-for-mexican-wall-would-hit-american-consumers/ar-AAmi87x?li=BBnb7Kz
“Simply put, any policy proposal which drives up costs of Corona, tequila, or margaritas is a big-time bad idea. Mucho Sad,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tweeted.
Trump can impose the tax temporarily for 120 days. But a permanent tariff would require congressional approval, hardly a sure thing given Republicans’ longstanding pro-trade stance. If passed, the tariff would wreak havoc on American commerce with its third largest trading partner, which exports a wide range of products to the U.S., including cars, electrical machinery, snacks and produce. A retaliatory measure by the Mexican government would be all but certain.
Trade between the U.S. and Mexico totaled $583.6 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Goods brought to the U.S. totaled $295 billion, including products that are sold by American companies but manufactured in Mexico.
If prices of Mexican imports rise, U.S. competitors will likely raise their prices. And demand for those products could plummet if consumers can’t find less expensive alternative sources.
A similar tax on U.S. imports imposed by the Mexican government would make American goods more expensive in Mexico and their market shares would drop. American exports to Mexico supported more jobs — about 792,000 as of 2010 — than exports to China, said Robert Scott, senior economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. “It’ll cost jobs here and Mexico,” he said.
Minn. Proposes Bill That Would Enable Civil Action Suits Against Protesters
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/25/minnesota-protesters-bill-liable-policing-costs
http://www.twincities.
