from Coeur d'Alene Press
THE TRADITION CONTINUES
American Indian tribes coming together on sacred Coeur d'Alene soil is a tradition that spans many, many generations. This tradition of togetherness continues this weekend during the 20th
Julyamsh Coeur d'Alene Tribal Encampment and Powwow at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.
JULYAMSH EAGLE FEATHER IN THE SKY
The eagle is an important part of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s culture. Mark Sales sent us this photo he took earlier today as the Tribe’s Julyamsh powwow is under way in Coeur d’Alene at the Kootenai County fairgrounds. “An airborne Julyamsh feather above Cd’A just now,” Sales wrote.
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White House Procurement Priorities for Renegotiating NAFTA Do Not Advance Free Trade
The Trump Administration released its list of objectives for renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The original goal of NAFTA was to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. In renegotiating NAFTA, the Trump administration should focus on opening markets and increasing competition, not closing them off.
As Justice Department Ramps Up Fight Against Violent and Drug Crime, Property Owners Put at Risk
The nation is currently reeling under the weight of an opioid crisis that has given rise to a surging heroin market. Shootings and violent crime in many major cities have spiked in recent years, perhaps portending a reversal of a decades long decline in crime rates. Arresting, charging, and convicting those suspected of criminal activity should remain the No. 1 focus of law enforcement officials.
Putin Wants Back in the USSR, But With Version 2.0
After a hiatus of 25 years, the Pentagon’s unclassified report on Soviet, er, Russian military might is being published again by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The new report, “Russia Military Power: Building a Military to Support Great Power Aspirations” does a fine job on a timely topic. Indeed, after reading this Russia report, you can’t help but feel — like that old Beatles song—that you’re back in the USSR.
Waiving Federal Insurance Rules: How the Senate Bill Would Allow States to Improve Their Health Insurance Markets
The Senate health reform bill allows states to take advantage of a broad waiver authority that would enable them to regulate their own health insurance markets. It would give states ample opportunity to pursue more aggressive reforms of the insurance markets. The Senate bill holds open the possibility of securing an even broader range of coverage options and more robust cost control.
Here’s What Trump Has Done Right in His First 6 Months
President Donald Trump came to power as a wrecking ball. But what if we were to judge Trump’s presidency thus far not by traditional metrics, but on his own terms—specifically by his success in upsetting the status quo. Clearly, Washington is a far different place today than it was six months ago. The economy is stronger. The regulatory state is shrinking, not growing.
Ukraine's Future Is Brighter Than You Think
Most of the attention Ukraine gets these days is about the war in the eastern part of the country. More than 10,000 people have been killed since 2014. While Russia poses an existential threat to Ukraine, another issue of vital importance for country’s survival cannot be overlooked: the economy. Ukraine finally appears to be heading in the right direction, and the Euro-Atlantic community should do all that it can to keep them on this path.
House and Senate Set to Protect Consumers From an Overreaching Federal Agency
On Thursday, Republicans in both the House and Senate took a major step toward nullifying the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s harmful arbitration rule. The new rule would ban arbitration agreements that block groups of consumers from bringing class-action lawsuits. Congress should use the Congressional Review Act to protect consumers sooner rather than later.
Why This European Leader Is Embracing the Trump Presidency
Hungary’s foreign minister came to Washington last week seeking something from the Trump administration that his government is being denied by the European Union (EU)—sympathy for its sovereign right to make its own internal decisions and laws. Such a return to basic relations among nation-states—let alone treaty allies and friends—is also a radical departure from the previous administration. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the Obama administration had failed to respect Budapest’s right to self-determination.
A Positive Step Toward Occupational Licensing Reform: The ALLOW Act
Title I of the ALLOW Act would enable the spouse of a servicemember to travel from one state to another and use on any military base a license received elsewhere. Title II would subject occupational licensing laws to more rigorous judicial scrutiny than courts normally apply to economic and social legislation. Title III would allow a large number of people to be paid for giving a tour of federal battlefields and parks.
Appropriations “Mini-bus” Makes Progress in Some Areas, Misses the Mark in Others
The House of Representatives is poised to consider its first fiscal year (FY) 2018 appropriations bill. The legislation would combine the separate Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy and Water Development appropriations bills into one “mini omnibus” bill. The bill also includes $1.6 billion in funding to continue border wall construction in the southwestern United States, a major policy goal of the President. Ensuring the nation’s defense should be the top priority of Congress. Passing these individual bills now instead of including them in a politically charged spending deal in September is a step in the right direction. However, the “mini-bus” package misses numerous opportunities to rein in the reach of the federal government and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
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