PROGRESSIVE INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM: “White House Having Weekly Bible Studies (Which Trump Skips)” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur ☮

Trump thinks setting up Bible studies for his cabinet and not attending them will play well with his evangelical base. He’s probably right.

“Many of President Trump’s Cabinet members gather at a weekly session to study the Bible,” the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) reported Monday.

Ralph Drollinger, the founder of Capitol Ministries, says he leads a weekly Bible study with Cabinet members such as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

“It’s the best Bible study that I’ve ever taught in my life. They are so teachable. They’re so noble. They’re so learned,” Drollinger told CBN. Vice President Pence, who is a sponsor of the faith sessions, reportedly joins the group when his schedule allows.”

CANNABIS: “Trump Administration Coming for Your Weed” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian ☮

A massive federal crackdown on marijuana may be coming. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, the hosts of The Young Turks, break it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. What you can do to take part in solving the climate crisis. Use your choice, use your voice, use your vote. https://inconvenientsequel.tumblr.com…

“Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made no secret of his feelings about marijuana legalization. Now he may be poised to kill the buzz of pot enthusiasts—legal and otherwise.

The Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety is expected to issue a report next week that advocates believe will link cannabis use to violent crime, and will call for tougher sentences for growers, sellers and users.

An April memo from Sessions signaled tougher enforcement is on the way. In it, he wrote, “Task Force subcommittees will also undertake a review of existing policies in the areas of charging, sentencing, and marijuana to ensure consistency with the Department’s overall strategy on reducing violent crime and with Administration goals and priorities.”

SCIENTIFICALLY ILLITERATE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN BIGOTED ASSHOLERY: “You Probably Don’t Want to Work for Steve Harvey” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur, and Ana Kasparian ☮

Steve Harvey on Atheism!

Richard Dawkins: Why are there still Chimpanzees?

 

CANNABIS: “Republicans Flipping on Legal Weed?” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian ☮

“COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Rep. Eric Bedingfield once shunned all marijuana use, but when his eldest son’s six-year struggle with opioid addiction ended with his overdose a year ago, the conservative Republican co-sponsored medical cannabis legislation.

“My mindset has changed from somebody who looked down on it as a negative substance to saying, ‘This has benefits,'” Bedingfield said recently.

The 50-year-old teetotaler believes marijuana may effectively wean addicts from an opioid dependence. Ultimately, the Marine veteran hopes medical marijuana can be an alternative to people being prescribed OxyContin or other opioid painkillers to begin with, helping curb an epidemic he’s seen destroy families of all economic levels.

Two decades after California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana, efforts to let patients legally access pot are slowly taking root in the South.”

ANTI-NATALISM: “Parents Open Up About Regretting Having Kids” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian ☮

Not all people should have kids and these people wish they hadn’t. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, the hosts of The Young Turks, tell you why they regret becoming parents.

The Guardian Article: ‘It’s the breaking of a taboo’: the parents who regret having children

PROGRESSIVE INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM: “Cenk Uygur and the Truthdig Team Question the Future of Progressive Politics” / truthdig / 02.16.2017 ☮

https://youtu.be/8AdZYHlXQkI

Cenk Uygur, host and co-founder of the progressive online news show The Young Turks, closely covered the 2016 election chaos. Although he regularly condemned Donald Trump in the days leading up to the election, he also did not hold back from criticizing the Democratic Party. Disillusionment with that party ultimately led Uygur and others to launch a political movement, the Justice Democrats.

Introduced by Uygur three days after Trump’s inauguration, Justice Democrats is a branch of the Democratic Party dedicated to promoting progressive ideals and replacing establishment politicians. Along with Uygur, Kyle Kulinski of the program “Secular Talk Radio” and leaders from Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign are also at the head of the movement.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, Truthdig Editor in Chief Robert Scheer and the Truthdig editorial team sat down with Uygur to discuss the new political movement, as well as media political coverage in the age of Trump.

h/t: truthdig

CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN BIGOTRY: “Ellen Cancels Famous Gospel Singer After Anti-Gay Comments” / The Young Turks / Cenk Uygur, and Ana Kasparian ☮

Ellen DeGeneres has decided to rescind a show invitation to famous gospel singer Kim Burrell after a video of Burrell saying homophobic things was released online. Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur discuss Kim Burrell’s bigoted comments and Ellen’s response.