by Bob Braun -

THESE DEMOCRATS “APPLAUD” TRUMP’S BILLIONAIRE EDUCATION SECRETARY

Shavar Jeffries--applauding Betsy De Vos's views on privatized public schools.
Shavar Jeffries–applauding Betsy De Vos’s views on privatized public schools.

The people who run Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), a national, pro-school-privatization  organization with roots in Newark, can’t quite figure out what to do about an incoming national administration that promises to give the group just what it wants–billions for privatized public schools. Of course, the Trump administration also brings racism and white supremacy to the highest levels of government–a fact that can hardly escape the notice of DFER’s, president, an African-American law professor from Newark.

by Bob Braun -

Trump Time Capsule #2: Eliminating “gun-free zones” in schools

Newtown victims
Newtown victims

Editor’s Note: In the spring of 2016, James Fallows, the senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly magazine, began what he called a series of “time capsules” that could, in the future, provide a key as to what Americans were thinking during the election campaign–as Trump began his march to the presidency. He finished with 152 of the “time capsules” just before the vote. This site will publish one of the capsules every week or so and that should bring us to the doorstep of the 2020 election.

by Bob Braun -

The Trump Time Capsule #1: Rushing to dangerous judgment

James Fallows of The Atlantic Monthly
James Fallows of The Atlantic Monthly

Editor’s Note: In the spring of 2016, James Fallows, the senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly magazine, began what he called a series of “time capsules” that could, in the future, provide a key as to what Americans were thinking during the election campaign–as Trump began his march to the presidency. He finished with 152 of the “time capsules” just before the vote. This site will publish one of the capsules every week or so and that should bring us to the doorstep of the 2020 election.

by Bob Braun -

Anger over election turns to action, chants and tears in Newark

Nenseh Koneh, a Temple University student from Newark, speaks to anti-Trump demonstrators at City Hall
Nenseh Koneh, a Temple University student from Newark, speaks to anti-Trump demonstrators at City Hall

About 100 demonstrators, mostly young women of color, marched and chanted their way through the streets of downtown Newark Saturday afternoon, part of a spreading movement against the presidency of Donald Trump. They staged two sit-down protests in four hours, closing McCarter Highway and occupying the concourse of Newark Penn Station.

by Bob Braun -

BRIDGEGATE–Why would a federal judge want to keep the truth from the public?

Baroni, Christie and Wildstein on 9/11/13--what were they laughing about? Someone's lying about that.
Baroni, Christie and Wildstein on 9/11/13–what were they laughing about? Someone’s lying about that.

In September of 2013, a small number of highly-paid government employees from New Jersey–men and women close to Chris Christie, the state’s governor running for re-election and aspiring to be a presidential candidate–tied up traffic at the entrance of the George Washington Bridge to New York, the busiest interstate crossing in the nation. Those employees didn’t want you to know the purpose of the tie-up or who caused it. Now, three years later, another small group of people–including a federal judge, the US Attorney and defense lawyers are still trying to keep the truth about what has come to be known as Bridgegate from the residents of New Jersey and the rest of the nation.