Happy Friday and welcome back to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco — your daily briefing on U.S. politics. Let’s break it down.
Bolton Pleads Not Guilty in Espionage Case….Former National Security Adviser John Bolton appeared today in court in Greenbelt, Maryland, pleading not guilty to an 18-count indictment for allegedly mishandling classified material and transmitting state secrets to relatives. Bolton becomes the third major Trump critic recently targeted by prosecutions.
Common Sense takeaway: I’m not the biggest Bolton fan, but it’s clear that he’s the next stop on the revenge tour. The only difference is there are real career prosecutors that are taking on this case, and they may end up with a conviction, unlike James Comey and Letitia James.
Trump Pulls Back on 100% China Tariff While Planning Xi Meeting….Trump admitted his proposed 100% tariff on Chinese goods is “not sustainable,” even as he confirmed a meeting with President Xi Jinping in South Korea in two weeks. Markets rallied modestly on the news, with investors hoping America is scaling back from a full-blown trade war.
Common Sense takeaway: Threaten economic war one day, extend an olive branch the next? That’s not a strategy, that just makes us look weak. Now, China knows we need them just as much as they need us. He never should have threatened such ridiculous tariffs in the first place.
DHS Promises Pay for ICE, Border Agents Despite Shutdown….While most federal workers go unpaid or furloughed, the administration has committed to pay tens of thousands of ICE, CBP, TSA, Secret Service, and other DHS law enforcement staff during the shutdown. An internal “supercheck” covering both the shutdown pay gap and next payroll was promised by October 22.
Common Sense takeaway: Paying ICE agents while letting teachers and public servants suffer is deranged. But that’s the priority of this administration. It’s not to make people’s lives better, it’s to fund as much law enforcement and military in our streets as possible.
U.S. Senators Push Limits on Venezuela Strikes….In response to repeated U.S. military strikes on boats off Venezuela, Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Rand Paul introduced legislation to block further military action without congressional approval. Their efforts seek to reassert Congress’s constitutional “declare war” power in the midst of secretive, impulsive strikes being made by this administration.
Common Sense takeaway: That’s my Senator (Tim Kaine!) Honestly, good for Rand Paul for joining the right side for once. Donald thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, meanwhile he has been unilaterally declaring on just about everything. It’s time to remind him that he is not a dictator.
“No Kings” Protests to Sweep U.S. This Weekend….Organizers expect hundreds of thousands to rally across 2,500 sites nationwide in “No Kings” protests opposing Trump’s authoritarian aspirations. Major cities like D.C., New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco will be anchor points for the demonstrations. You can see all the planned protests on the map provided by the No Kings website.
Common Sense takeaway: Time to make your voices heard again. This time, I predict there will be an even bigger showing of force than during the June protests. Everyday there is a new reason to fight back against this administration, including their latest attacks on free speech. All the more reason to get out on the streets tomorrow.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.
He could careless about Congress or the rule of law….clearly.
Hi Ally,
Do you know if the Billionaire PEDO PALS OF DONALD party at Mar-a-PEDO underway?
Perhaps the "No Kings" organizers arranged for a "No Kings Eve" gathering at Mar-a-PEDO.
My hope is that a plane pulling a banner is circling the area.
Banner would proclaim " Welcome to Mar-a-PEDO" and would be blasting a loop audio recording of young girls screeching NO and CRYING.