Politics/Religion Consolidated Megathread Extravaganza

[Oliver the Second]

[Herman]

The Department of Education has opened an investigation into whether the University of California at Berkeley has properly disclosed its foreign funding.

In its announcement Friday, the ED hinted that UC Berkeley's significant receipt of funds from communist China was at issue, referring to "credible news media reports" from May 2023 and a June 6, 2023, department letter to the university concerning troubling funding allegations.

The Daily Beast reported in May 2023 that UC Berkeley failed to declare "a single cent" of the financial support it received from Chinese sources for its joint technology venture with the state-controlled Tsinghua University, including a $220 million investment from the municipal government of Shenzhen to construct a research campus in China.

Under section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, postsecondary institutions receiving federal funding must disclose foreign source gifts and contracts valued at $250,000 or more to the Education Department.

In addition to failing to mention the $220 million investment, Berkeley acknowledged that it also failed to disclose to the American government a $19 million contract it was paid from Tsinghua University in 2016.

According to the Daily Beast, Berkeley researchers gave Chinese communist officials private tours of their "cutting-edge U.S. semiconductor facilities and gave 'priority commercialization rights' for intellectual properties they produced to Chinese government-backed funds."

Just as there were various benefits to the investment on the Chinese side of the equation, Berkeley faculty members also reportedly took full advantage, "extending [their] research capabilities" and earning "consulting fees" for working as research advisers.

[Herman]

Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) insisted to CNN that he had no clue as to how severely former President Joe Biden's mental acuity had declined until his disastrous debate with then-candidate Donald Trump.

[Herman]

This is different.

[DKG]

The Senate failed to pass a resolution Wednesday night that would have halted President Donald Trump's tariffs after Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote.

Three Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, bucked their party and sided with 46 Democrats in favor of passing the resolution. The remaining 49 Republicans voted against it, resulting in a 49-49 tie that Vance broke.

[Lokmar]

The Senate failed to pass a resolution Wednesday night that would have halted President Donald Trump's tariffs after Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote.

Three Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, bucked their party and sided with 46 Democrats in favor of passing the resolution. The remaining 49 Republicans voted against it, resulting in a 49-49 tie that Vance broke.

Rand Paul  has really punched himself in the face with this one. The other 2 cunts may as well be democRATs anyway for what they're worth.

[DKG]

Rand Paul  has really punched himself in the face with this one. The other 2 cunts may as well be democRATs anyway for what they're worth.

Rand Paul, who I have tremendous respect for, has never been a MAGA Republican.

[Lokmar]

Rand Paul, who I have tremendous respect for, has never been a MAGA Republican.

I'm happy that Congress has not acted to stop Trump on these tariffs as I know Congress doesnt have the willpower to do what needs to be done. Our debt and trade deficits were a national threat even in the 90's.

[Brent]

I'm happy that Congress has not acted to stop Trump on these tariffs as I know Congress doesnt have the willpower to do what needs to be done. Our debt and trade deficits were a national threat even in the 90's.

That would have been a big mistake.

[DKG]

I'm happy that Congress has not acted to stop Trump on these tariffs as I know Congress doesnt have the willpower to do what needs to be done. Our debt and trade deficits were a national threat even in the 90's.

I'm skeptical about tariffs. Particularly the disorganized way the president has rolled them out. But, trade imbalances should have been addressed long ago.

[DKG]

Afederal judge issued a scathing ruling against the Trump administration for an executive order issued against the Perkins Coie law firm.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said Friday that the order violated three separate amendments to the Constitution and ordered that it be permanently blocked.

Perkins Coie is known for its involvement in the Trump dossier debacle, where dubious documents were collected in an attempt to substantiate accusations against President Donald Trump that he was colluding with the Russian government.

Howell was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

[DKG]

The Australian Labor government won reelection.

[Brent]

The Australian Labor government won reelection.

I don't know anything about Australia's Labour party. I assume they threw the working class under the bus in the name of fighting climate change.

[Lokmar]

I'm skeptical about tariffs. Particularly the disorganized way the president has rolled them out. But, trade imbalances should have been addressed long ago.

And thats just it, we got NONE of the guard rails or penalties for chanks taking advantage of our markets since 1994!!! NOTHING!!! How many damned times did YOU hear of china stealing EVERYTHING, OVER AND OVER, yet they flooded the fuck out of us still? IDGAF how big of a shit show you think Trump is or how he actually is, HE IS DOING SOMETHING!!!!! Doing something is 10 billion % better than what anyone else has done! FACT!

We've had do nothing POTUS and Congresses for the vast majority of my life. I'm seriously #PISSED! enough to see Trump become a dictator and I'd follow him all the way down to the bunker for cyanide capsules and bullets to the temples!

Oh, and they WERE discussed decades ago. It amounted to a circle jerk!

[DKG]

And thats just it, we got NONE of the guard rails or penalties for chanks taking advantage of our markets since 1994!!! NOTHING!!! How many damned times did YOU hear of china stealing EVERYTHING, OVER AND OVER, yet they flooded the fuck out of us still? IDGAF how big of a shit show you think Trump is or how he actually is, HE IS DOING SOMETHING!!!!! Doing something is 10 billion % better than what anyone else has done! FACT!

We've had do nothing POTUS and Congresses for the vast majority of my life. I'm seriously #PISSED! enough to see Trump become a dictator and I'd follow him all the way down to the bunker for cyanide capsules and bullets to the temples!

Oh, and they WERE discussed decades ago. It amounted to a circle jerk!

I recognize that the people decided they had enough of the status quo. They wanted their government to start forcing other countries to trade fairly with the US.