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(02/04/18 12:08am)
In this episode, Justice, Lucas, and Ryan analyze the government shutdown and the bi-partisan deal that was implemented to reopen the government. Did Schumer or Trump win this political battle? Later, the three discuss Trump's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, an event that is considered one of the most "globalist" events on Earth. Why was Trump there? Did his message resonate with the liberal audience in attendance?
(02/04/18 12:01am)
In this episode, Justice and Ryan discuss Michael Wolff's book "The Fire and the Fury" which contains several on-the-record interviews with Trump's White House staff that demonize Trump. The two also discuss the possible "blue wave" that is forecasted to hit congress during the midterm elections this November.
(01/30/18 9:13pm)
This story was produced and edited by WIUX News Journalist Sophie Lahey.
Community members gathered Saturday to have their voices heard and advocate for others in the Bloomington Resistance March. The courthouse lawn was filled with women, men, and children carrying signs and of course wearing pink hats.
Rachel Guglielmo, a co-organizer of the march, explains why she wanted to organize a march locally.
GUGLIELMO: And we decided it was time to bring the march local, because that’s part of the message this year. It’s that it’s sort of think globally, act locally. And we were excited that 11 marches: women’s marches, or satellite marches, were organized all over Indiana.
Kelly Hanson, a participant in the March, explained why she chose to march today in Bloomington:
HANSON: I wanted to show up, and I wanted to make sure that the momentum that we started last year with the Women’s March in D.C. and throughout the U.S. continued, because continuing to show up and continuing to stand for positive change, for what we believe is really important. For me, that has to do with making sure women have equal access to health care. That we stand up to promote equality and equity for all people. That we stand up against injustice when we see it.
Hanson explained that the issues presented today encompass more than women’s rights:
HANSON: This is an intersectional march. It’s women showing up and making their voices heard but these issues affect everybody. Women’s rights are humans rights. And when we talk about issues that impact women, we’re also talking about issue that impact men and that impact people of all races, all religions. This is far beyond just affecting women.
Emily Nehus, the other co-organizer of the march, explained her motivation for creating a more local march.
NEHUS: We needed more local, more local visibility of these things. That at this point, after a year of the struggle, that the action that we’re taking needs to start at home.
Though there was a lot of energy brought today, Nehus wants this energy and action to continue after the march, and even beyond Bloomington.
NEHUS: I feel that we need to have a lot of conversations that reach beyond our own little safe, amazing bubble of Bloomington. I had friends who were candidates in the last election who lost that I felt could have won if we had started this conversation sooner, and I’m going to be a part of that effort.
(12/23/17 2:06am)
In this episode, Justice, Ryan and Lucas analyze how Facebook and Congress are responding to the dissemination of “fake news” and Russian meddling in the 2016 election. John McCain, Barack Obama and George W. Bush’s recent speeches blasting Trumpism are also discussed.
(12/05/17 2:04am)
In this week’s episode, Justice, Ryan, and Lucas dissect the Senate version of the Republican’s Tax Reform bill (spoiler alert: it’s bad). Also, Ajit Pai, the Chairman of the FCC, is attempting to make the internet undemocratic. The guys posit some solutions to stop his relentless brigade to limit free speech and expand the rights of the largest corporations in the U.S.
(05/29/17 8:29am)
Our directors Justice Eiden and Ethan Brown covered Moogfest for WIUX last weekend. Below are their top five acts from the Durham-based music and tech festival:
Avalon Emerson
I wish I could have stayed for her whole set. We arrived in Durham on Thursday after a 16-hour car ride from Chicago, so it's safe to say I was not going to be staying up until 2 AM to catch the whole thing, but I wanted to. Avalon Emerson has been on fire lately, with a string of amazing releases on a wide variety of labels. Now based in Berlin, Avalon Emerson rose out of San Francisco’s fertile underground scene. Her discography is well worth digging into (even if you’re not necessarily a dance music person – it’s melodic and beautiful). Her set was an eclectic exercise in danceable, beautiful techno. (written by Ethan Brown)
808 State
In all honestly, I had no clue who in the hell 808 State was until researching the artists that would be attending this year’s Moogfest. After listening to State’s first commercially successful album, Ninety, which was released in 1989, I was immediately sold. State’s sound fit perfectly into the PA system at The Armory, one of the venues in Durham which hosted many of the major house, techno and experimental artists throughout the festival. The electronic trio played a live set, full of intense drum solos, fat synth hooks, and even a Saxophone solo from the trio’s ostensible frontman, Graham Massey. Despite a few technical difficulties throughout the show, the band displayed an expertise in technical performance that made me choose them as one of the top acts of Moogfest. (written by Justice Eiden)
Octo Octa
In 2013, Octo Octa released Between Two Selves, an album which contains a coded message about being a transgender woman. Everything from the album cover (a man longingly hugging a bronze statue of a woman), to track titles like "Fear" and "Who Will I Become" evidence this invisible message. Octo Octa has since come out as transgender. She did so with an honest and eye-opening interview with Resident Advisor in which she detailed her experiences as a closeted trans artist. Her newest work, Where Are We Going, which was released earlier this year, is a reflection on the new chapter in her life. Octo Octa has a rare ability to create a narrative experience within largely non-lyric dance music. The album includes elements of celebration, but it is also a piece of self-reflection. Anyways, you can tell I was geeked to see Octo Octa at Moogfest. Her set didn’t disappoint. She played a live set filled with original productions that were well-arranged into a format that brought the crowd to joyful celebration. Octo Octa’s career is just beginning and she is definitely one to watch out for. (written by Ethan Brown)
Flying Lotus
I had the pleasure of witnessing the live visual and sonic spectacle put on by Steven Ellison, better known as his stage name Flying Lotus, for the second time on Saturday night of Moogfest. FlyLo seamlessly flowed through various genres during his set, including hip hop, avant-garde electronic, techno, soul, amongst others with the dexterity of a virtuoso. The L.A.-based beat-maker was sandwiched between two screens, each with its own projected image, which created a visual three-dimensional effect which changed throughout the show. It was absolutely the most visually stunning atmosphere at any electronic music show that I’ve ever attended. FlyLo played plenty of tracks from both his older albums such as Los Angeles and his newest album, You’re Dead! He satisfied the electronic-music savvy crowd with a Aphex Twin track in the middle of his set. He capped his set off with variety of tracks that he has produced along with Kendrick Lamar, such as "Never Catch Me" off of You’re Dead! and "Wesley’s Theory" off of Kendrick’s third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly. (written by Justice Eiden)
K-Hand
Kelli Hand (otherwise known as K-Hand) has a massive resume of music behind her. She founded Acacia Records at the beginning of her career, and it has since become an outlet for her excellent brand of house and techno. She’s recently had releases on Trip Records, Nina Kraviz’s label. She’s seen support from Nina Kraviz, BPitch Control label boss Ellen Allien, and Mixmag’s DJ of the Year, The Black Madonna, among others. I am pretty picky with techno DJ sets. It’s all too common for some djs to play hours of banging techno that all blends together as one and gets boring. K-Hand was not that. Her set was a roller coaster of sounds that kept everyone on the dance floor. P.S. WIUX (as in me) got to sit down with K-Hand late Saturday night (technically Sunday morning) and learn more about her journey through dance music. Stay tuned ;)
(05/15/17 4:54pm)
This Thursday through Sunday, WIUX will be covering its first ever Moogfest! The festival will take place in Durham, North Carolina, home of Duke University and close to Ashville, North Carolina, which is home to the Moog Synthesizer factory. Headliners include Flying Lotus, Animal Collective, Talib Kweli, and many, many more artists than span across almost all genres.
Our own Justice Eiden (News Director) and Ethan Brown (Event DJ Director) will be covering the festival all weekend long.
We've created a Spotify playlist in advance of the festival that's comprised of our favorite tracks and artists. Check it out!
You could view the Moogfest lineup here: http://www.moogfest.com/program
You could purchase tickets for Moogfest here (get them while they last!): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/moogfest-2017-tickets-24912748702?aff=ticketsdotmoogfestdotcom&utm_campaign=moogfest2017&utm_medium=subdomain&utm_source=officialsite
...and don't forget to follow WIUX on...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WIUXFM/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WIUX?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiux991/
...for more great content during and after Moogfest!
[embed]https://open.spotify.com/user/1229318968/playlist/43ehbrfjsl7UZfoZpvRnkg[/embed]
(04/10/17 5:04pm)
Earlier today, Neil Gorsuch, President Donald Trump's pick for the vacant U.S. Supreme Court seat, was officially sworn in as the high court's 113th justice.
Gorsuch's accession to the court came after one of the most controversial Senate procedural maneuvers in U.S. history. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) employed the "nuclear option" to move Gorsuch to a Senate vote that required his appointed to be passed with a simple majority vote rather than the 60-vote majority vote that was required for every Supreme Court justice since Hawaii was accepted into the Union.
"To my new colleagues and the staff of the Supreme Court, thank you for the very warm welcome. I look forward to many happy years together," Gorsuch said during the ceremony in the White House Rose Garden this morning.
(03/15/17 6:13am)
For years, before and after the Affordable Care Act, also infamously known as “Obamacare” passed, Congressional Republicans used the piece of legislation to delegitimize the Obama administration and the Democratic party as a whole.
They claimed that the bill was fundamentally unconstitutional and would lead to a massive rise in federal debt and amass severe job losses in the private sector.
“Repeal and replace” was the universal creed of the Republican party for years.
Today, the Republicans control both houses of Congress, the Presidency, and sooner than later, the Supreme Court. And now, they’re learning the immense administrative and political difficulties of repealing and replacing Obamacare.
Last week, Paul Ryan and Co. revealed the long-awaited G.O.P. replacement to Obamacare, the American Health Care Act. So, does it live up to the hype? Will it provide cheaper and better coverage than the ACA? Will it provide “insurance for everybody” like President Trump promised voters during the 2016 campaign?
In short, the answer is no.
The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan federal governmental agency, released its cost and coverage estimates of the AHCA.
The report, which was released on Monday, provided estimates that should scare the absolute hell out of anyone who’s currently covered by Obamacare, Medicare, or Medicaid.
The CBO estimates that 14 million people would lose their coverage in the first year of the law’s existence. An additional 10 million people would lose coverage over the next decade. Finally, tax credits would be substantially cut and would be allotted based on age rather than financial need. This would lead to a dramatic rise in health care premiums, especially for older individuals. Thought Obamacare was bad? Think again.
People will die if this bill is put into law. People that live and work in our communities. Our school teachers, our janitors, our construction workers, our friends and family.
That doesn’t seem to bother Paul Ryan and Co. House Republicans have already hurried the bill through two House Congressional committees, slating it for a floor vote.
Several Senate Republicans have come out publicly stating that this bill is “dead on arrival” in the Senate, including Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). The Trump administration has refused to stamp the Trump brand on this bill, most likely because Trump himself also believes that this bill is dead on arrival.
And c’mon, what was the last time that Trump actually refused to place his name on a product that someone else created when given the opportunity?
What this moment in American politics shows is that the Republican party is both fractured internally and completely ignorant of American public opinion.
If Republicans attempt to continue to push incoherent policies that do more harm than good through Congress and then to the White House, it’s only a matter of time until low and middle-income Trump voters realize that the Republican party simply does not represent their values.
*****
The full CBO cost estimate of the American Health Care Act could be found here: https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/americanhealthcareact.pdf
Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
(02/08/17 10:16am)
This article was written by Olivia Little for WIUX News.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate voted narrowly to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education with a vote of 51-50. Republican Senators Collins and Murkowski joined the fourty-six Democrats and two Independents opposed to DeVos’ appointment which brought the vote to an even tie.
Vice President Mike Pence casted the deciding vote for DeVos. Under Constitutional rules, if the Senate is equally divided, the Vice President is granted the deciding vote. It was the first time that a Vice President casted the deciding vote on a cabinet nominee in U.S. history.
DeVos’ contentious confirmation begs the question: why is there so much volatility surrounding a nominee, especially a nominee for Secretary of Education?
Betsy DeVos’ lack of experience in public education has proved to be nationally troubling. In fact, the nomination of Betsy DeVos has been scrutinized and rejected by nearly 250 civil rights and education groups.
Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, wrote a letter repudiating the nomination of DeVos; “The Secretary of Education should be committed to policies and practices that make schools safe and welcoming for all children who spend most of every day there. Betsy DeVos has failed to demonstrate that she is qualified to do that job or that she understands what the job requires.”
DeVos’ inability to articulate education policy concerning growth versus proficiency models, accommodations for students with disabilities, and the allowance of firearms in public schools has sparked unrest among educators. The President of the American Federation of Teachers, an organization that represents over one million education professionals nationwide, has called the confirmation of DeVos a “sad day for children.”
Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Senate Democrats occupied the floor for a ‘talkathon’ in an effort to derail DeVos’ confirmation. Democrats fear that she doesn’t understand the nuances of national education policy. They also fear that she is fundamentally opposed to public education and has several conflicts of interest from her former donations to politicians.
So, what does the future of public education look like under the control of Secretary DeVos?
Glancing at DeVos’ records provides insight as to what education policy changes might occur under her governance. DeVos’ unfaltering support of voucher programs, charter schools, and redirecting public funds to religious institutions is quite significant. Yet, only time will tell if her unequivocal support for such reforms will translate into meaningful action.
While the fate of public education under DeVos’ administration is unclear, we do know for certain that those opposed to her appointment will be sure to keep a keen eye on her future actions.
(02/02/17 6:35pm)
This article was written by Evan Spiegel for WIUX News.
Since Donald Trump was sworn in as president almost two weeks ago, he has signed what appears to some to be a flurry of executive orders, from building a border wall with Mexico to repealing the Affordable Care Act to banning refugees and more. These orders have caused controversy, not only due to their partisan nature, but also because the president is not waiting for Congress to give their stamp of approval to these hot-button issues. This early activity from the White House has raised a couple of questions:
What is an executive order?
An executive order is an official statement from the president that tells federal agencies how they should use (or not use) their resources. It is not the creation or passing of a new law, since only Congress can do that, so it is not unilateral legislation on the part of the president. It merely instructs federal agencies (such as the Department of Homeland Security or EPA) to use funds a certain way and to work within the confines of existing law. However, executive orders are still recorded in the Federal Register, are considered binding and are subject to legal review.
They are the most formal type of executive action, which can also refer to presidential memorandums (which are just below executive orders and basically state an administration’s position on a certain policy), proclamations, and directives. Executive orders have been used since George Washington; some examples include former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), the Emancipation Proclamation, the establishment of the Peace Corps by John F. Kennedy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by Jimmy Carter.
Have presidents been using an increasing amount of Executive Orders?
In a word, no. At least not by the numbers (see chart below). It is, of course, important to look at not only the number of executive orders but also what they do. Obama has been criticized by many on the right for what they see as his overexpansion of executive power (he signed 275 total during his tenure as President), but he actually signed fewer than former Presidents George W. Bush (291), Ronald Reagan (381) and Richard Nixon (346), and fewer than Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt by a large margin (1,081 and 3,522, respectively). President Trump has been signing executive orders at a seemingly rapid pace, signing twenty in his first ten days, but Obama did something similar when he first entered office back in 2009, signing nine in his first 10 days, and 16 total in January and February.
What are the pros and cons?
The obvious advantage to using executive orders is that you don’t need to wait for a bill to pass through the houses of Congress to take action on an issue. This has become ever more convenient for presidents presiding over an increasingly partisan and often obstructive government.
The downside is that the more you do it, the more the other side is able to paint you as an authoritarian despot, handing down judgments like Zeus with his lightning bolts, ignoring the will of the people and the Constitution itself.
It’s important to remember, though, that executive orders do not create or pass new laws. They only tell federal agencies what to do with their resources in ways that adhere to laws that are currently in place.
This is not to say that executive orders should be immune from scrutiny and criticism; presidents would typically rather have Congress’s approval so they don’t look like dictators. However, as mentioned earlier, these orders are not written in stone and are subject to legal review. If the Supreme Court decides that an order is unconstitutional, it’s out.
It’s only President Trump, not King Trump, after all.
You can look at all of Trump’s executive actions so far here: http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/01/all-trump-executive-actions-000288
(01/24/17 4:33am)
This article was written by Emma Atkinson for WIUX News.
Indianapolis, IN - An estimated 7,500 people attended the Indiana Women’s March on Washington Rally at the Indiana State House on Saturday morning to protest the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump.
According to a report by Fox59 News, organizers said that more than 7,500 people had pledged to attend the rally through the event’s Facebook page. That morning, the crowd gathered outside the West Side Plaza of the Indiana State House was a sea of pink – an undulating mass of pink posters, pink jackets, and pink hats, otherwise known as “pussy hats” by many of the women in attendance.
Attendee Morgana Thomas knitted five of these hats: one for each of her three young daughters, and one for herself and her mother, respectively. “They are basically an art form to celebrate women, and to let others know, and Washington know, that we are together for women,” Thomas said. Her daughters sat on a concrete bench next to the statehouse, beaming. “They’re kitty hats for my kids,” Thomas added.
Other attendees held homemade signs and banners. Jennifer Bradley and Susan Woods were stationed near the State House with signs that read “Herr Trump” and “Hear Our Voice, Hear Us Roar.” Bradley’s young daughter was with them, running around with a sign around her neck that said “We Believe Black Lives Matter; Women’s Rights Are Human Rights; No Human is Illegal; Science is Real”. Bradley made it very clear that while she was attending a rally, she was there to make her voice heard. “I feel like we all need to use our bodies to protest [President Donald J. Trump], and I am here for protest, there is no question about that,” she said.
While women did make up the majority of those in attendance, there was a significant male presence as well. “I have a daughter…I feel strongly about women’s rights and I’m thinking about her future,” said Matt, a protestor from Indianapolis who did not provide his last name. He held a poster that said, “Fight Fascism.”
A group of female Indiana University Law students stood near the back of the crowd. Kayla Frye, Elaena Harris, Sunrita Sen, and Star Martinez held colorful signs that read, “Women Taking Over For the 99’s and the 2000’s,” “Back That Ass Off My Rights,” and “I Got 24 Karat Black Girl Magic #loveformysisters,” which they said were references to songs by artists Juvenile and Bruno Mars.
“The law school took a large group of women to the Women’s March in DC, and we didn’t get to go for various reasons so we wanted to come here, and show the same support,” said Harris.
The four women expressed their desire to show solidarity with women across the country on that day and stressed that their respective statuses as minorities made taking action even more important. Martinez said, “As women of color, I think that we have a lot at stake over the next four years to be concerned with, and part of it all is just showing up and making sure you show support.”
She added, “I feel like a lot of what’s going on right now is a, ‘OK, give [President Trump] a chance, it’s not that bad’…. setting an example for people to get up and do what they need to do over the next four years is gonna be really important.”
One of the featured speakers at the rally was rally organizer Terri Siler, who announced the formation of a new political action committee, Hoosiers for Action. The PAC’s goal is to fund the lower-level campaigns of Democratic candidates across the state. Over the roar of the crowd, she said, “It’s time to move Indiana into the future and we need the next generation to come forward and become our legislators and lawmakers. We want all of you to join our organization and to help us make a change that will be good for everyone in Indiana.”
(09/11/16 6:05pm)
WIUX will once again be covering Riot Fest taking place this weekend (September 16-18) in Chicago. For those of you traveling to Chicago this weekend for the festival, we've created a headbangin'-worthy playlist to pump you up before the bands start thrashing.
You can get tickets for Riot Fest here.
https://open.spotify.com/user/1229318968/playlist/2sKz7HzF3iNdhHYWRFG0mT