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"content": "\u003cp>https://youtu.be/ng7xdsWR3N4\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bitcoin is a form of electronic cash, or cryptocurrency, that was introduced in 2009. The first of its kind, it sparked a cryptocurrency revolution. More than a thousand new cryptocurrencies have been created since then, including popular alternatives Ethereum, Dash, Monero and Ripple. Like Bitcoin, they are incredibly volatile, which means their value rise and falls dramatically, sometimes even throughout a single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[\u003ca href=\"https://learn.kqed.org/topics/9\">Visit KQED Learn to see our collection of classroom resources and student discussion prompts on this topic\u003c/a>]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first\u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-pizza-day-passes-2000-20-million-2017-5\"> reported\u003c/a> payment using Bitcoin was for two Papa John’s pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins in 2010, equivalent to about $25 then. Today, 10,000 bitcoin would be worth more than $60 million!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bitcoin’s popularity is partly due to the nature of the payment system, which is anonymous, decentralized and can be used across borders. In contrast to online payment systems like Paypal, personal identities are not directly traceable on the Bitcoin network, making it an ideal method to buy illegal items online, like drugs and weapons.\u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com.au/australian-researchers-used-the-dark-web-to-track-the-illegal-use-of-bitcoins-2017-12\"> One study\u003c/a> estimates that around half of all transactions using Bitcoin are for illegal goods and services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This also makes it pretty difficult to gather reliable information on who and where Bitcoin is actually used. And although the data varies widely, the most reliable research to date estimates that nowadays over\u003ca href=\"http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/study-highlights-growing-significance-of-cryptocurrencies\"> three million people\u003c/a> worldwide actively use cryptocurrencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The total number of transactions is disputed, however researchers have developed complicated models to estimate activity on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency networks. One\u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2808762\"> study\u003c/a> from 2016 found that activities on Bitcoin have evolved over the years; illegal trade and online gambling activities were dominant in the early days (2010-2013), while investments and other legal activities have recently become more common with growing awareness and trust of cryptocurrencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The charts below show estimates on how much Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are worth and roughly how many people use them worldwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/1-Bitcoin-Value.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/1-Bitcoin-Value.jpg\" alt=\"Value of One Bitcoin\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/2-Value-Context.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/2-Value-Context.jpg\" alt=\"Bitcoin Value Over the Years\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/3-Bitcoin-Income.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/3-Bitcoin-Income.jpg\" alt=\"What Is Bitcoin Used For?\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/4-Bitcoin-Users.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/4-Bitcoin-Users.jpg\" alt=\"How many people use Bitcoin\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/5-Top-Crypto.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/5-Top-Crypto.jpg\" alt=\"Top Five Cryptocurrencies\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/6-Total-Mined.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/6-Total-Mined.jpg\" alt=\"Number of Bitcoins Mined\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/ng7xdsWR3N4'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/ng7xdsWR3N4'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Bitcoin is a form of electronic cash, or cryptocurrency, that was introduced in 2009. The first of its kind, it sparked a cryptocurrency revolution. More than a thousand new cryptocurrencies have been created since then, including popular alternatives Ethereum, Dash, Monero and Ripple. Like Bitcoin, they are incredibly volatile, which means their value rise and falls dramatically, sometimes even throughout a single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[\u003ca href=\"https://learn.kqed.org/topics/9\">Visit KQED Learn to see our collection of classroom resources and student discussion prompts on this topic\u003c/a>]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first\u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/bitcoin-pizza-day-passes-2000-20-million-2017-5\"> reported\u003c/a> payment using Bitcoin was for two Papa John’s pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins in 2010, equivalent to about $25 then. Today, 10,000 bitcoin would be worth more than $60 million!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bitcoin’s popularity is partly due to the nature of the payment system, which is anonymous, decentralized and can be used across borders. In contrast to online payment systems like Paypal, personal identities are not directly traceable on the Bitcoin network, making it an ideal method to buy illegal items online, like drugs and weapons.\u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com.au/australian-researchers-used-the-dark-web-to-track-the-illegal-use-of-bitcoins-2017-12\"> One study\u003c/a> estimates that around half of all transactions using Bitcoin are for illegal goods and services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This also makes it pretty difficult to gather reliable information on who and where Bitcoin is actually used. And although the data varies widely, the most reliable research to date estimates that nowadays over\u003ca href=\"http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/study-highlights-growing-significance-of-cryptocurrencies\"> three million people\u003c/a> worldwide actively use cryptocurrencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The total number of transactions is disputed, however researchers have developed complicated models to estimate activity on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency networks. One\u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2808762\"> study\u003c/a> from 2016 found that activities on Bitcoin have evolved over the years; illegal trade and online gambling activities were dominant in the early days (2010-2013), while investments and other legal activities have recently become more common with growing awareness and trust of cryptocurrencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The charts below show estimates on how much Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are worth and roughly how many people use them worldwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/1-Bitcoin-Value.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/1-Bitcoin-Value.jpg\" alt=\"Value of One Bitcoin\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/2-Value-Context.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/2-Value-Context.jpg\" alt=\"Bitcoin Value Over the Years\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/3-Bitcoin-Income.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/3-Bitcoin-Income.jpg\" alt=\"What Is Bitcoin Used For?\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/4-Bitcoin-Users.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/4-Bitcoin-Users.jpg\" alt=\"How many people use Bitcoin\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/5-Top-Crypto.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/5-Top-Crypto.jpg\" alt=\"Top Five Cryptocurrencies\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/6-Total-Mined.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/education/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2018/08/6-Total-Mined.jpg\" alt=\"Number of Bitcoins Mined\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "Inside America's Devastating Opioid Epidemic: How It Started and Where It's Hitting Hardest",
"title": "Inside America's Devastating Opioid Epidemic: How It Started and Where It's Hitting Hardest",
"headTitle": "The Lowdown | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003cbr>\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/opioid_overdose.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-30064\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/opioid_overdose.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"991\" height=\"791\">\u003c/a>The United States is dealing with the deadliest drug epidemic it has ever experienced.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/The-Opioid-Epidemic-lesson-plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opioid Epidemic Lesson Plan\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Nearly 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, far exceeding the number of deaths from car crashes or guns, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db294.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the most recent data\u003c/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of overdose deaths was 21 percent higher than in 2015, making it the leading cause of death for Americans under 50.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">soaring death rate\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is largely due to a spike in the abuse of opioids -- including heroin and prescription painkillers -- which accounted for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">about two-thirds\u003c/a> of all drug overdose deaths. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/health/how-heroin-kills/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Overdoses become deadly\u003c/a> when users fall asleep and their respiratory drive shuts down. In other words, their bodies forget to breathe. Opioid overdoses can \u003c/span>also lead to dramatic \u003ca href=\"http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002861.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dips in blood pressure\u003c/a> and cause \u003ca href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19304418/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">heart failure.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And while certain regions have been hit particularly hard, the epidemic has touched nearly \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">every corner of the country, wreaking havoc among rich and poor communities alike in rural, suburban and urban areas.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_30037\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-30037\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-160x96.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-768x463.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-240x145.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-375x226.jpg 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-520x313.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Among the more than 64,000 estimated drug overdose deaths in 2016, the sharpest increase occurred among deaths related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids, with over 20,000 overdose deaths. Source: CDC WONDER \u003ccite>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates\" target=\"_blank\">National Institute on Drug Abuse\u003c/a>)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>What are opioids?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opioids include any drugs that work on \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opioid receptors\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the proteins in our brains and spinal cords that control our reactions to pain and pleasure. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term“opioids” refers to the very broad class of highly addictive drugs -- both legal and illegal -- that impact the body’s opioid receptors by blocking pain and sparking pleasurable sensations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morphine, methadone, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (OxyContin) are all popularly prescribed opioids, often used to treat chronic pain. Heroin, which is derived from morphine, has long been one of the most dangerous and commonly used illegal opioids. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/8/15454832/fentanyl-carfentanil-opioid-epidemic\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fentanyl\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a synthetic (man-made) opioid that’s \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be medically prescribed to treat severe pain, but it is now being \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">illegally produced and sold on the street at an alarming rate. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a wide spectrum of opioid users -- many who take prescription drugs responsibly, with the consent of a doctor, to manage pain. However, an\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs-2016/NSDUH-DetTabs-2016.pdf\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">estimated\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 12 million people currently abuse prescription opioids, which means they take them without a prescription or in larger amounts and for longer than prescribed.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/oHlaz0kQlRE\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>How did this become an epidemic?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.S. health care industry underwent a gradual shift in the 1980s and 1990s -- due in part to a number of influential articles in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1700150#t=article\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">medical journals \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-- in the way health care providers approached pain management. Opioids had \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/12/health/opioid-addiction-history/index.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long been recognized as highly addictive\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and were largely used primarily to treat intense pain from cancer and other severe illnesses. But based on a growing consensus that chronic pain was not being treated effectively, health care providers were increasingly expected to\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.jointcommission.org/joint_commission_statement_on_pain_management/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more routinely \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">assess their patients’ pain levels\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This change in approach happened alongside more\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622774/\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aggressive marketing\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tactics by big drug companies in an effort to sell opioid medications for non-cancer-related pain. This fueled a dramatic increase in the number of opioid prescriptions that doctors were giving to their patients. A class of drugs that was almost exclusively reserved for cancer patients was now being prescribed to a much wider group of patients experiencing various forms of chronic pain. In 2010, at the peak of this trend, there were more opioid prescriptions than residents in some\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/maps/rxcounty2010.html\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">counties\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly in rural areas in the Rust Belt, the South and the Pacific Northwest. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As prescription pills flooded into communities throughout the country, many people got hooked through a steady supply from friends, family members and drug dealers. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since then, opioid prescription rates have declined, due in part to changes in policy and medical standards. But the overdose death rate has not followed suit. The once abundant supply of prescription opioids has been largely replaced by an influx of rampant abuse of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/relationship-between-prescription-drug-abuse-heroin-use/heroin-use-driven-by-its-low-cost-high-availability\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heroin\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and illegally produced fentanyl, drugs that cost less, produce more intense highs and are much easier to get on the street.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>Who is most affected by the crisis?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opioid addiction is no longer limited to rural areas --\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/31/opioid-abuse-started-as-a-rural-epidemic-its-now-a-national-one/?utm_term=.b639b8d88f1b\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new research\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows many suburbs and cities are now facing similar opioid abuse rates.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prescription opioid\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0054496\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overdose rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tend to be higher in older adults, while heroin overdose rates are higher in younger populations. And although more men currently die from drug overdoses, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">women\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are now dying from prescription opioids and heroin abuse at a rapidly increasing rate.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in contrast to the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, which hit poor, black, urban communities the hardest, the opioid crisis disproportionately affects\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/overdose.html\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">white Americans\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And many point to this\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/there-was-no-wave-of-compassion-when-addicts-were-hooked-on-crack\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">racial divide\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a key impetus for the dramatic shift in the way that lawmakers today are addressing the issue. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 1980s and 1990s, leaders from both parties waged a\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/04/a-timeline-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-tough-on-crime-drug-sentencing/360983/\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“war on drugs”\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> -- passing laws that criminalized illicit substances and imposed increasingly strict prison sentences on drug users and dealers. Compare that with the softer approach more commonly taken now , one that focuses on rehabilitation rather than criminalization, as evidenced by President Trump’s recent\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/us/politics/trump-opioid-crisis.html?mtrref=www.google.com\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declaration\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the opioid crisis as a “public health emergency.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two maps below compare estimated age-adjusted drug overdose death rates per county in 1999 and 2016, as provided by the CDC. In 1999, the nationwide drug overdose death rate was 6.1 per 100,000 population (just under 17,000 actual deaths). In 2016, it had risen to 19.8 per 100,000 (63,632 deaths), an almost 275 percent increase. Although the crisis reaches across the nation, areas of Appalachia and the Southwest and Northwest have been particularly hard hit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the second map, click on individual counties for localized data, including the estimated number of actual deaths. The data includes all drug-related overdose deaths (of which opioids were the cause of about two-thirds). To see county-specific data for 1999 deaths on the second map, deselect \"2016 Overdose Deaths\" in the lefthand layers window. In the second map, you can also search and zoom in to specific locations by clicking the magnifying glass button on the bottom left and entering a place name or Zip Code\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullWidthWrapper\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"withMargin\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://htmlpreview.github.io/?https://github.com/charukukreja/project-data/blob/master/compare.html\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"false\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullWidthWrapper\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"withMargin\">\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja.carto.com/builder/127aa432-81a4-406b-9aec-b81c328093f7/embed?state=%7B%22map%22%3A%7B%22ne%22%3A%5B15.368949896534705%2C-153.89648437500003%5D%2C%22sw%22%3A%5B58.309488840677645%2C-49.21875000000001%5D%2C%22center%22%3A%5B40.111688665595956%2C-101.55761718750001%5D%2C%22zoom%22%3A4%7D%7D\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Source: \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/drug-poisoning-mortality/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>What’s being done to try to slow the epidemic?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ending the epidemic is a massive undertaking that by most accounts is \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/23/16909984/trump-opioid-epidemic-2017\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">just getting started\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Opioids, both legal and illegal, remain widely available, and the epidemic continues to claim about \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2017/10/27/the-health-202-there-s-a-no-brainer-way-to-solve-the-opioid-crisis/59f2058830fb0468e7653dc0/?utm_term=.657238654e2e\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100 lives per day\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There is a shortage of affordable drug treatment programs in every state, and the federal government has been slow to allocate money to the crisis. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ending an opioid addiction is often physically painful and can be incredibly difficult to manage. Until recently, many people believed that effective withdrawal treatment required extended stays in residential treatment facilities, a costly approach that many patients and public health institutions simply can't afford. It's also one that commonly focuses on abstinence, a strategy that's\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> proved to not be consistently effective for long-term recovery\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More recent evidence, however, has shown that o\u003c/span>pioid addiction can often be more successfully treated in non-residential primary care situations, especially with the use of closely monitored \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/opinion/treating-opioid-addiction.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">medication-assisted treatment options\u003c/a> like methadone or buprenorphine -- both forms of opioids themselves -- a strategy that's significantly cheaper and far less disruptive to patients' lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many health care workers view addiction as a medical condition, not a moral failing or criminal act, Yet possessing illegal opioids like heroin and fentanyl still comes with the risk of arrest and jail time. The epidemic won’t end, most \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article179382496.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">experts agree\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, without also treating the underlying causes that lead people to opioids in the first place, including prevalent mental health issues. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Federal, state and local governments have taken some steps to treat current addicts as well as stanch the flow of opioids into communities.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/4KLfZtHYBgA\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Public health emergency: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last October, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency,” which gives states more flexibility to use federal funds to fight opioid addiction and boost prevention efforts. However, the latest federal budget calls for only a 1 percent increase in federal funding for all drug prevention efforts, and Trump has yet to appoint a “drug czar” to lead the fight against the epidemic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>New limits on opioid prescriptions:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Opioid prescriptions have been \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/1/15746780/opioid-epidemic-end\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declining since 2010\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some states, like New Jersey, have limited the number of opioids that doctors can prescribe. Other states, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/23/16909984/trump-opioid-epidemic-2017\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">backed by the Justice Department\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have threatened to jail doctors who overprescribe the drugs. The CDC recently released guidelines asking doctors not to prescribe opioids for chronic pain. Despite these efforts, prescription opioids are still widely available. In 2016, there were still enough opioid pills prescribed \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/opinion/opioid-epidemic-health-care-bill.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to fill a bottle\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for every adult in the U.S. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cutting off the supply of illegal opioids: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In January, Trump signed the INTERDICT Act, which further empowers border patrol and customs officers to detect and stop illegal shipments of fentanyl.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Increased access to anti-overdosing drugs:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Walgreens announced last October that it would stock Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse a drug overdose. The spray will be available without an individual prescription in 45 states. CVS offers the spray in 43 states, also prescription-free. Narcan costs about $125 per dose. Its active ingredient is naloxone, which is also available in auto-inject form. But as demand for naloxone has increased, so has its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/26/560180901/walgreens-stocks-narcan-opioid-overdose-spray-in-all-pharmacies\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">price\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The auto-inject format called Evzio now costs thousands of dollars, although price breaks have been negotiated by first responders and insurance companies.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv id=\"viz1517546524838\" class=\"tableauPlaceholder\" style=\"position: center;\">\u003cnoscript>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/drug-poisoning-mortality/\">\u003cimg alt=\" \" src=\"https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Dr/DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends/1_rss.png\" style=\"border: none\">\u003c/a>\u003c/noscript>\u003cobject class=\"tableauViz\" style=\"display: none;\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\">\u003cparam name=\"host_url\" value=\"https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F\">\u003cparam name=\"embed_code_version\" value=\"3\">\u003cparam name=\"site_root\" value=\"\">\u003cparam name=\"name\" value=\"DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends\">\u003cparam name=\"tabs\" value=\"no\">\u003cparam name=\"toolbar\" value=\"no\">\u003cparam name=\"static_image\" value=\"https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Dr/DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends/1.png\">\u003cparam name=\"animate_transition\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_static_image\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_spinner\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_overlay\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_count\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"jsdebug\" value=\"y\">\u003c/object>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"> var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1517546524838'); var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0]; vizElement.style.width='734px';vizElement.style.height='777px'; var scriptElement = document.createElement('script'); scriptElement.src = 'https://public.tableau.com/javascripts/api/viz_v1.js'; vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement); \u003c/script>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Rachel Roberson contributed to this article.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003cbr>\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/opioid_overdose.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-30064\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/opioid_overdose.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"991\" height=\"791\">\u003c/a>The United States is dealing with the deadliest drug epidemic it has ever experienced.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/The-Opioid-Epidemic-lesson-plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Opioid Epidemic Lesson Plan\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Nearly 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, far exceeding the number of deaths from car crashes or guns, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db294.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the most recent data\u003c/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of overdose deaths was 21 percent higher than in 2015, making it the leading cause of death for Americans under 50.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">soaring death rate\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is largely due to a spike in the abuse of opioids -- including heroin and prescription painkillers -- which accounted for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">about two-thirds\u003c/a> of all drug overdose deaths. \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2014/02/04/health/how-heroin-kills/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Overdoses become deadly\u003c/a> when users fall asleep and their respiratory drive shuts down. In other words, their bodies forget to breathe. Opioid overdoses can \u003c/span>also lead to dramatic \u003ca href=\"http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002861.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dips in blood pressure\u003c/a> and cause \u003ca href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19304418/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">heart failure.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And while certain regions have been hit particularly hard, the epidemic has touched nearly \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">every corner of the country, wreaking havoc among rich and poor communities alike in rural, suburban and urban areas.\u003cbr>\n\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_30037\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-30037\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-160x96.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-768x463.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-240x145.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-375x226.jpg 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2018/01/overdosedeaths1-520x313.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Among the more than 64,000 estimated drug overdose deaths in 2016, the sharpest increase occurred among deaths related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids, with over 20,000 overdose deaths. Source: CDC WONDER \u003ccite>(\u003ca href=\"https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates\" target=\"_blank\">National Institute on Drug Abuse\u003c/a>)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>What are opioids?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opioids include any drugs that work on \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opioid receptors\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the proteins in our brains and spinal cords that control our reactions to pain and pleasure. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term“opioids” refers to the very broad class of highly addictive drugs -- both legal and illegal -- that impact the body’s opioid receptors by blocking pain and sparking pleasurable sensations.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morphine, methadone, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (OxyContin) are all popularly prescribed opioids, often used to treat chronic pain. Heroin, which is derived from morphine, has long been one of the most dangerous and commonly used illegal opioids. \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/8/15454832/fentanyl-carfentanil-opioid-epidemic\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fentanyl\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a synthetic (man-made) opioid that’s \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be medically prescribed to treat severe pain, but it is now being \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">illegally produced and sold on the street at an alarming rate. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a wide spectrum of opioid users -- many who take prescription drugs responsibly, with the consent of a doctor, to manage pain. However, an\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs-2016/NSDUH-DetTabs-2016.pdf\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">estimated\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 12 million people currently abuse prescription opioids, which means they take them without a prescription or in larger amounts and for longer than prescribed.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/oHlaz0kQlRE'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/oHlaz0kQlRE'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch4>\u003cb>How did this become an epidemic?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.S. health care industry underwent a gradual shift in the 1980s and 1990s -- due in part to a number of influential articles in \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1700150#t=article\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">medical journals \u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-- in the way health care providers approached pain management. Opioids had \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/12/health/opioid-addiction-history/index.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long been recognized as highly addictive\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and were largely used primarily to treat intense pain from cancer and other severe illnesses. But based on a growing consensus that chronic pain was not being treated effectively, health care providers were increasingly expected to\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.jointcommission.org/joint_commission_statement_on_pain_management/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more routinely \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">assess their patients’ pain levels\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This change in approach happened alongside more\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622774/\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aggressive marketing\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tactics by big drug companies in an effort to sell opioid medications for non-cancer-related pain. This fueled a dramatic increase in the number of opioid prescriptions that doctors were giving to their patients. A class of drugs that was almost exclusively reserved for cancer patients was now being prescribed to a much wider group of patients experiencing various forms of chronic pain. In 2010, at the peak of this trend, there were more opioid prescriptions than residents in some\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/maps/rxcounty2010.html\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">counties\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly in rural areas in the Rust Belt, the South and the Pacific Northwest. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As prescription pills flooded into communities throughout the country, many people got hooked through a steady supply from friends, family members and drug dealers. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since then, opioid prescription rates have declined, due in part to changes in policy and medical standards. But the overdose death rate has not followed suit. The once abundant supply of prescription opioids has been largely replaced by an influx of rampant abuse of \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/relationship-between-prescription-drug-abuse-heroin-use/heroin-use-driven-by-its-low-cost-high-availability\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heroin\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and illegally produced fentanyl, drugs that cost less, produce more intense highs and are much easier to get on the street.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>Who is most affected by the crisis?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opioid addiction is no longer limited to rural areas --\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/31/opioid-abuse-started-as-a-rural-epidemic-its-now-a-national-one/?utm_term=.b639b8d88f1b\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new research\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows many suburbs and cities are now facing similar opioid abuse rates.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prescription opioid\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0054496\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overdose rates\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tend to be higher in older adults, while heroin overdose rates are higher in younger populations. And although more men currently die from drug overdoses, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">women\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are now dying from prescription opioids and heroin abuse at a rapidly increasing rate.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, in contrast to the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, which hit poor, black, urban communities the hardest, the opioid crisis disproportionately affects\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/overdose.html\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">white Americans\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And many point to this\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/there-was-no-wave-of-compassion-when-addicts-were-hooked-on-crack\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">racial divide\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a key impetus for the dramatic shift in the way that lawmakers today are addressing the issue. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 1980s and 1990s, leaders from both parties waged a\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/04/a-timeline-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-tough-on-crime-drug-sentencing/360983/\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“war on drugs”\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> -- passing laws that criminalized illicit substances and imposed increasingly strict prison sentences on drug users and dealers. Compare that with the softer approach more commonly taken now , one that focuses on rehabilitation rather than criminalization, as evidenced by President Trump’s recent\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/26/us/politics/trump-opioid-crisis.html?mtrref=www.google.com\"> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declaration\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the opioid crisis as a “public health emergency.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The two maps below compare estimated age-adjusted drug overdose death rates per county in 1999 and 2016, as provided by the CDC. In 1999, the nationwide drug overdose death rate was 6.1 per 100,000 population (just under 17,000 actual deaths). In 2016, it had risen to 19.8 per 100,000 (63,632 deaths), an almost 275 percent increase. Although the crisis reaches across the nation, areas of Appalachia and the Southwest and Northwest have been particularly hard hit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the second map, click on individual counties for localized data, including the estimated number of actual deaths. The data includes all drug-related overdose deaths (of which opioids were the cause of about two-thirds). To see county-specific data for 1999 deaths on the second map, deselect \"2016 Overdose Deaths\" in the lefthand layers window. In the second map, you can also search and zoom in to specific locations by clicking the magnifying glass button on the bottom left and entering a place name or Zip Code\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullWidthWrapper\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"withMargin\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://htmlpreview.github.io/?https://github.com/charukukreja/project-data/blob/master/compare.html\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"false\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullWidthWrapper\">\n\u003cdiv class=\"withMargin\">\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja.carto.com/builder/127aa432-81a4-406b-9aec-b81c328093f7/embed?state=%7B%22map%22%3A%7B%22ne%22%3A%5B15.368949896534705%2C-153.89648437500003%5D%2C%22sw%22%3A%5B58.309488840677645%2C-49.21875000000001%5D%2C%22center%22%3A%5B40.111688665595956%2C-101.55761718750001%5D%2C%22zoom%22%3A4%7D%7D\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Source: \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/drug-poisoning-mortality/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>\u003cb>What’s being done to try to slow the epidemic?\u003c/b>\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ending the epidemic is a massive undertaking that by most accounts is \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/23/16909984/trump-opioid-epidemic-2017\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">just getting started\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Opioids, both legal and illegal, remain widely available, and the epidemic continues to claim about \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2017/10/27/the-health-202-there-s-a-no-brainer-way-to-solve-the-opioid-crisis/59f2058830fb0468e7653dc0/?utm_term=.657238654e2e\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">100 lives per day\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There is a shortage of affordable drug treatment programs in every state, and the federal government has been slow to allocate money to the crisis. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ending an opioid addiction is often physically painful and can be incredibly difficult to manage. Until recently, many people believed that effective withdrawal treatment required extended stays in residential treatment facilities, a costly approach that many patients and public health institutions simply can't afford. It's also one that commonly focuses on abstinence, a strategy that's\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> proved to not be consistently effective for long-term recovery\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More recent evidence, however, has shown that o\u003c/span>pioid addiction can often be more successfully treated in non-residential primary care situations, especially with the use of closely monitored \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/opinion/treating-opioid-addiction.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">medication-assisted treatment options\u003c/a> like methadone or buprenorphine -- both forms of opioids themselves -- a strategy that's significantly cheaper and far less disruptive to patients' lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many health care workers view addiction as a medical condition, not a moral failing or criminal act, Yet possessing illegal opioids like heroin and fentanyl still comes with the risk of arrest and jail time. The epidemic won’t end, most \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article179382496.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">experts agree\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, without also treating the underlying causes that lead people to opioids in the first place, including prevalent mental health issues. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Federal, state and local governments have taken some steps to treat current addicts as well as stanch the flow of opioids into communities.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/4KLfZtHYBgA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/4KLfZtHYBgA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>Public health emergency: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last October, President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency,” which gives states more flexibility to use federal funds to fight opioid addiction and boost prevention efforts. However, the latest federal budget calls for only a 1 percent increase in federal funding for all drug prevention efforts, and Trump has yet to appoint a “drug czar” to lead the fight against the epidemic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>New limits on opioid prescriptions:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Opioid prescriptions have been \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/1/15746780/opioid-epidemic-end\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declining since 2010\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Some states, like New Jersey, have limited the number of opioids that doctors can prescribe. Other states, \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/23/16909984/trump-opioid-epidemic-2017\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">backed by the Justice Department\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, have threatened to jail doctors who overprescribe the drugs. The CDC recently released guidelines asking doctors not to prescribe opioids for chronic pain. Despite these efforts, prescription opioids are still widely available. In 2016, there were still enough opioid pills prescribed \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/opinion/opioid-epidemic-health-care-bill.html\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to fill a bottle\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for every adult in the U.S. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cutting off the supply of illegal opioids: \u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In January, Trump signed the INTERDICT Act, which further empowers border patrol and customs officers to detect and stop illegal shipments of fentanyl.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Increased access to anti-overdosing drugs:\u003c/b>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Walgreens announced last October that it would stock Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse a drug overdose. The spray will be available without an individual prescription in 45 states. CVS offers the spray in 43 states, also prescription-free. Narcan costs about $125 per dose. Its active ingredient is naloxone, which is also available in auto-inject form. But as demand for naloxone has increased, so has its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/26/560180901/walgreens-stocks-narcan-opioid-overdose-spray-in-all-pharmacies\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">price\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The auto-inject format called Evzio now costs thousands of dollars, although price breaks have been negotiated by first responders and insurance companies.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv id=\"viz1517546524838\" class=\"tableauPlaceholder\" style=\"position: center;\">\u003cnoscript>\u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data-visualization/drug-poisoning-mortality/\">\u003cimg alt=\" \" src=\"https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Dr/DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends/1_rss.png\" style=\"border: none\">\u003c/a>\u003c/noscript>\u003cobject class=\"tableauViz\" style=\"display: none;\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\">\u003cparam name=\"host_url\" value=\"https%3A%2F%2Fpublic.tableau.com%2F\">\u003cparam name=\"embed_code_version\" value=\"3\">\u003cparam name=\"site_root\" value=\"\">\u003cparam name=\"name\" value=\"DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends\">\u003cparam name=\"tabs\" value=\"no\">\u003cparam name=\"toolbar\" value=\"no\">\u003cparam name=\"static_image\" value=\"https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Dr/DrugPoisoningMortality1999-2016/U_S_Trends/1.png\">\u003cparam name=\"animate_transition\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_static_image\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_spinner\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_overlay\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"display_count\" value=\"yes\">\u003cparam name=\"jsdebug\" value=\"y\">\u003c/object>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cscript type=\"text/javascript\"> var divElement = document.getElementById('viz1517546524838'); var vizElement = divElement.getElementsByTagName('object')[0]; vizElement.style.width='734px';vizElement.style.height='777px'; var scriptElement = document.createElement('script'); scriptElement.src = 'https://public.tableau.com/javascripts/api/viz_v1.js'; vizElement.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, vizElement); \u003c/script>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Rachel Roberson contributed to this article.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/i8T9651KKag\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. has long been the world's most popular destination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's home to about 43 million immigrants, or roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\">20 percent\u003c/a> of the world's total immigrant population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the vast majority of people who enter the country legally each year don't actually apply for permanent residency. Most are here, ostensibly at least, for temporary periods of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the nearly 11 million visas the U.S. issued in fiscal year 2016, just 6 percent were immigrant visas, mostly green cards granted to people seeking to live here permanently. The remaining 94 percent were non-immigrant visas issued for temporary stays, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2016AnnualReport/FY16AnnualReport-TableI.pdf\">State Department\u003c/a>. That includes visas for everything from tourism and business travel (except for citizens of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/16/us/visa-process-united-states.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">38 mostly European nations\u003c/a> in the visa-waiver program for short visits) to all foreign workers and students seeking to stay here for longer than 90 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27507 size-large\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1020x1255.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"787\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1020x1255.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-160x197.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-800x985.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-768x945.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1180x1452.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-960x1181.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-240x295.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-375x461.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-520x640.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As most U.S. visa holders can attest, applying for one is no easy feat. The process can be a notoriously long and complicated affair involving fees, volumes of documentation and multiple security screenings. It's particularly arduous for foreigners \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">applying for permanent residency\u003c/a>, but those merely \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/16/us/visa-process-united-states.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">seeking temporary, non-immigrant visas\u003c/a>, it's not exactly a walk in the park either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if the Trump administration gets its way, that process stands to become all the more difficult and restrictive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Central to the \"America First” protectionist platform that catapulted President Trump into the White House is a dramatic tightening of entry into the country. In addition to his promise to crack down on illegal immigration, Trump also pledged to set historically low caps on legal immigration, part of a purported effort to increase security and increase American jobs by reducing the number of foreign workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Trump's first major moves in office was an \u003ca href=\"http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/here-s-full-list-donald-trump-s-executive-orders-n720796\">executive action\u003c/a> temporarily banning travel from six predominantly Muslim countries, a measure that was held up for months in federal courts and recently received partial clearance from the U.S. Supreme Court, which will further review it this fall. His administration has sought enhanced security screenings before issuing any type of visa, even those for tourism and business travel, an example of the \"extreme vetting\" he promised during the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, though, most of Trump’s hard-line immigration actions have been largely symbolic, with lots of tough talk but not much in terms of significant policy changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Immigrant visas (permanent residents)\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The total number of immigrant visas issued each year steadily rose to over \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/statistics/immigrant-visas.html\">600,000\u003c/a> during President Barack Obama’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of immigrant visas are allocated to \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/family/family-preference.html\">family members\u003c/a> of U.S. citizens. Immediate relatives, such as spouses and children under 21, are given preference. The government also issues a small number of immigrant visas based on employment, as well as through a “diversity” program, allocated to people from countries with historically low immigration rates. Immigrant visa holders must then pay a fee to receive a \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/consular-processing\">green card\u003c/a>, which acts as proof of lawful permanent residency. Green card holders can apply for citizenship after living in the U.S. for five years, or after three if married to a citizen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-27480\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-800x588.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"588\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-800x588.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-160x118.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-768x565.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-1020x750.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-1180x868.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-960x706.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-240x177.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-375x276.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-520x382.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These numbers do not include refugees and asylum-seekers, 110,000 of whom were admitted to the U.S. in 2016. President Trump has proposed increased screening for this group -- the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/07/03/united-states-refugees-trump/443818001/\">current cap\u003c/a> for the 2017 fiscal year is set at 50,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Non-immigrant visas (temporary visitors)\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are more than \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/all-visa-categories.html\">20 different categories\u003c/a> of non-immigrant visas, ranging widely from tourist visas to highly specialized visas for foreigners with \"extraordinary abilities.\" Below are descriptions of the most commonly issued non-immigrant visas, and how access to them could change under the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-27481\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-800x701.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"701\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-800x701.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-160x140.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-768x673.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-1020x893.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-1180x1033.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-960x841.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-240x210.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-375x328.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-520x455.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>B visas: Temporary visitors for business or pleasure\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>B visas account for the vast majority of all U.S. visas issued. B1/B2 visas are given to people visiting the U.S. for business or pleasure, up to six months at a time. Under special agreements, residents of 38 countries -- including South Korea, Australia, Chile and most of western Europe -- do not need to apply for these to enter the U.S. for short-term visits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Border crossing cards, a special type of B visa, are issued to Mexican citizens allowing limited entry to the U.S. of up to 75 miles from the southern border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of Trump’s proposed six-nation travel ban , there are no immediate policy proposals impacting the B visa category. However, the administration recently rolled out a \u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-visa-idUSKBN18R3F8\">new questionnaire\u003c/a> for all visa applicants, tightening an already strict application process. Under the new rules, consular officials can request 15 years' worth of biographical information, including the last five years of social media handles.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>H visas: Temporary workers; trainees\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>The majority of H visas are classified as H-1B -- allowing people with advanced degrees to live and work in the U.S. for up to six years. Many companies sponsor workers on H-1B visas to fill specialized roles, including computer programmers and doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government currently uses a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/technology/h1b-visa-facts-tech-worker.html?_r=0\">lottery system\u003c/a> to award 65,000 H-1B visas per year to private industries, 20,000 to graduate student workers and an unrestricted number to students and trainees that meet certain criteria (over 180,000 total H-1B visas were awarded in 2016). Although the government doesn't release official numbers, an estimated 600,000 to 900,000 workers are currently in the U.S. on H-1B visas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>H2 visas are another major subcategory, allocated for seasonal agricultural workers (H-2A) and non-agricultural workers (H-2B), including many seasonal employees who work at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “Buy American, Hire American” \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/18/presidential-executive-order-buy-american-and-hire-american\">executive order\u003c/a>, signed by Trump in April contains a provision to reform the H-1B visa program. The Trump administration wants to reform the current lottery system with a “merit-based” one, to ensure jobs are awarded to the most skilled and highest-paid workers, and to restrict the number of visas awarded each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The current H-1B program has plenty of critics on both sides of the aisle -- companies have been accused of improperly using the program to train foreign workers in the U.S. and then send them back to their home countries to work for lower rates. The overall effect, critics say, is lower wages, and fewer training and jobs opportunities for U.S. citizens in these industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curiously, the Trump administration has not proposed any reforms targeting the H2 worker programs for seasonal low-wage workers. One possible reason? Trump family businesses, including his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, have received over 1,000 H-2B (non-agricultural) visas for seasonal employees since 2000, according to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/politics/trump-family-immigration-visas/index.html\">CNN review\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>J and F visas\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>J1 visas are issued to high school or college students participating\u003cbr>\nin work-study exchange programs. Employers of J-visa holders include leisure and entertainment companies, universities and colleges, and the U.S. government. F1 visas are issued to college students studying in the U.S. Employment is restricted to on-campus positions such as teaching assistants, researchers or student workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has suggested eliminating the J1 visa program, although he has yet to release any official policy. His \u003ca href=\"https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Immigration-Reform-Trump.pdf\">proposals\u003c/a> include redirecting funds from the program to create an inner-city jobs program. There are currently no proposed changes to the student visa program.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/i8T9651KKag'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/i8T9651KKag'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>The U.S. has long been the world's most popular destination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's home to about 43 million immigrants, or roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\">20 percent\u003c/a> of the world's total immigrant population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the vast majority of people who enter the country legally each year don't actually apply for permanent residency. Most are here, ostensibly at least, for temporary periods of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the nearly 11 million visas the U.S. issued in fiscal year 2016, just 6 percent were immigrant visas, mostly green cards granted to people seeking to live here permanently. The remaining 94 percent were non-immigrant visas issued for temporary stays, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/AnnualReports/FY2016AnnualReport/FY16AnnualReport-TableI.pdf\">State Department\u003c/a>. That includes visas for everything from tourism and business travel (except for citizens of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/16/us/visa-process-united-states.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">38 mostly European nations\u003c/a> in the visa-waiver program for short visits) to all foreign workers and students seeking to stay here for longer than 90 days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27507 size-large\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1020x1255.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"787\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1020x1255.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-160x197.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-800x985.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-768x945.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-1180x1452.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-960x1181.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-240x295.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-375x461.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1-520x640.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/Visa-graphic-1.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As most U.S. visa holders can attest, applying for one is no easy feat. The process can be a notoriously long and complicated affair involving fees, volumes of documentation and multiple security screenings. It's particularly arduous for foreigners \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">applying for permanent residency\u003c/a>, but those merely \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/16/us/visa-process-united-states.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">seeking temporary, non-immigrant visas\u003c/a>, it's not exactly a walk in the park either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if the Trump administration gets its way, that process stands to become all the more difficult and restrictive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Central to the \"America First” protectionist platform that catapulted President Trump into the White House is a dramatic tightening of entry into the country. In addition to his promise to crack down on illegal immigration, Trump also pledged to set historically low caps on legal immigration, part of a purported effort to increase security and increase American jobs by reducing the number of foreign workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Trump's first major moves in office was an \u003ca href=\"http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/here-s-full-list-donald-trump-s-executive-orders-n720796\">executive action\u003c/a> temporarily banning travel from six predominantly Muslim countries, a measure that was held up for months in federal courts and recently received partial clearance from the U.S. Supreme Court, which will further review it this fall. His administration has sought enhanced security screenings before issuing any type of visa, even those for tourism and business travel, an example of the \"extreme vetting\" he promised during the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, though, most of Trump’s hard-line immigration actions have been largely symbolic, with lots of tough talk but not much in terms of significant policy changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Immigrant visas (permanent residents)\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The total number of immigrant visas issued each year steadily rose to over \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/statistics/immigrant-visas.html\">600,000\u003c/a> during President Barack Obama’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of immigrant visas are allocated to \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/family/family-preference.html\">family members\u003c/a> of U.S. citizens. Immediate relatives, such as spouses and children under 21, are given preference. The government also issues a small number of immigrant visas based on employment, as well as through a “diversity” program, allocated to people from countries with historically low immigration rates. Immigrant visa holders must then pay a fee to receive a \u003ca href=\"https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/consular-processing\">green card\u003c/a>, which acts as proof of lawful permanent residency. Green card holders can apply for citizenship after living in the U.S. for five years, or after three if married to a citizen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-27480\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-800x588.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"588\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-800x588.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-160x118.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-768x565.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-1020x750.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-1180x868.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-960x706.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-240x177.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-375x276.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3-520x382.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic3.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These numbers do not include refugees and asylum-seekers, 110,000 of whom were admitted to the U.S. in 2016. President Trump has proposed increased screening for this group -- the \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/07/03/united-states-refugees-trump/443818001/\">current cap\u003c/a> for the 2017 fiscal year is set at 50,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cb>Non-immigrant visas (temporary visitors)\u003c/b>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There are more than \u003ca href=\"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/all-visa-categories.html\">20 different categories\u003c/a> of non-immigrant visas, ranging widely from tourist visas to highly specialized visas for foreigners with \"extraordinary abilities.\" Below are descriptions of the most commonly issued non-immigrant visas, and how access to them could change under the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-27481\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-800x701.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"701\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-800x701.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-160x140.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-768x673.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-1020x893.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-1180x1033.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-960x841.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-240x210.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-375x328.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4-520x455.png 520w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/06/VisaGraphic4.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>B visas: Temporary visitors for business or pleasure\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>B visas account for the vast majority of all U.S. visas issued. B1/B2 visas are given to people visiting the U.S. for business or pleasure, up to six months at a time. Under special agreements, residents of 38 countries -- including South Korea, Australia, Chile and most of western Europe -- do not need to apply for these to enter the U.S. for short-term visits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Border crossing cards, a special type of B visa, are issued to Mexican citizens allowing limited entry to the U.S. of up to 75 miles from the southern border.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside of Trump’s proposed six-nation travel ban , there are no immediate policy proposals impacting the B visa category. However, the administration recently rolled out a \u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-visa-idUSKBN18R3F8\">new questionnaire\u003c/a> for all visa applicants, tightening an already strict application process. Under the new rules, consular officials can request 15 years' worth of biographical information, including the last five years of social media handles.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>H visas: Temporary workers; trainees\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>The majority of H visas are classified as H-1B -- allowing people with advanced degrees to live and work in the U.S. for up to six years. Many companies sponsor workers on H-1B visas to fill specialized roles, including computer programmers and doctors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The government currently uses a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/technology/h1b-visa-facts-tech-worker.html?_r=0\">lottery system\u003c/a> to award 65,000 H-1B visas per year to private industries, 20,000 to graduate student workers and an unrestricted number to students and trainees that meet certain criteria (over 180,000 total H-1B visas were awarded in 2016). Although the government doesn't release official numbers, an estimated 600,000 to 900,000 workers are currently in the U.S. on H-1B visas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>H2 visas are another major subcategory, allocated for seasonal agricultural workers (H-2A) and non-agricultural workers (H-2B), including many seasonal employees who work at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “Buy American, Hire American” \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/18/presidential-executive-order-buy-american-and-hire-american\">executive order\u003c/a>, signed by Trump in April contains a provision to reform the H-1B visa program. The Trump administration wants to reform the current lottery system with a “merit-based” one, to ensure jobs are awarded to the most skilled and highest-paid workers, and to restrict the number of visas awarded each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The current H-1B program has plenty of critics on both sides of the aisle -- companies have been accused of improperly using the program to train foreign workers in the U.S. and then send them back to their home countries to work for lower rates. The overall effect, critics say, is lower wages, and fewer training and jobs opportunities for U.S. citizens in these industries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curiously, the Trump administration has not proposed any reforms targeting the H2 worker programs for seasonal low-wage workers. One possible reason? Trump family businesses, including his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, have received over 1,000 H-2B (non-agricultural) visas for seasonal employees since 2000, according to a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/18/politics/trump-family-immigration-visas/index.html\">CNN review\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>J and F visas\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>J1 visas are issued to high school or college students participating\u003cbr>\nin work-study exchange programs. Employers of J-visa holders include leisure and entertainment companies, universities and colleges, and the U.S. government. F1 visas are issued to college students studying in the U.S. Employment is restricted to on-campus positions such as teaching assistants, researchers or student workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potential changes under Trump\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has suggested eliminating the J1 visa program, although he has yet to release any official policy. His \u003ca href=\"https://assets.donaldjtrump.com/Immigration-Reform-Trump.pdf\">proposals\u003c/a> include redirecting funds from the program to create an inner-city jobs program. There are currently no proposed changes to the student visa program.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "GRAPHIC: Who's Who in the President's Cabinet? (with Lesson Plan)",
"title": "GRAPHIC: Who's Who in the President's Cabinet? (with Lesson Plan)",
"headTitle": "The Lowdown | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Trump-cabinet-lesson-plan-2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lesson Plan: The President's Cabinet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>With all the drama surrounding the White House right now, it's easy to lose track of what's going in the rest of the vast executive branch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cabinet secretaries head up their own executive departments and serve as the president’s advisers on major policy issues. There are 16 official Cabinet positions (including vice president) and eight Cabinet-level positions, all of which require Senate confirmation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New presidents must also \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/database/?tid=graphics-story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nominate about 1,200\u003c/a> other lower-level executive branch positions, including deputy and assistant secretaries, heads of agencies and ambassadors. All of them require Senate confirmation as well. As of mid-May, the Trump administration had still not even chosen nominees for a strikingly large number of these still-vacant positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president also appoints key advisers to the White House staff who don’t require Senate confirmation, including chief of staff, press secretary and major strategists (like Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the executive branch, members of the president’s Cabinet don't make any laws. They do, however, oversee massive government departments with thousands of employees and multi-billion dollar budgets, thereby shaping how laws and regulations are implemented and enforced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than a third of those serving in President Trump’s Cabinet do not have any government experience. And several of those who do -- including Energy Department nominee Rick Perry and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt -- have openly expressed disdain for the departments they’re now preparing to lead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's Cabinet is the whitest, most male-dominated group in decades. It's also the wealthiest Cabinet in history, with close ties to Wall Street and corporate America, including two billionaires and at least a dozen millionaires, with a \u003ca href=\"http://st%20a%20dozen%20millionaires,%20with%20a%20combined%20net%20worth%20of%20about%20%246.1%20billion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">combined net worth\u003c/a> of about $6.1 billion. Many faced tough questioning from Democrats about their complex financial and political connections. It wasn't until late April, more than three months after Trump's inauguration, that the Senate confirmed the last of nominees was confirmed, rounding out the Cabinet.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"Issues\">\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Cabinet and Cabinet-Level Positions\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\">(Note: this is the original list of confirmed appointees; recent changes are mentioned below)\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Tillerson\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26006 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-160x223.png\" alt=\"Tillerson\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Zinke\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26095 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Zinke\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Shulkin\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26004 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-160x223.png\" alt=\"Shulkin\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Sessions\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26003 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-160x223.png\" alt=\"Sessions\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Ross\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26014 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-160x223.png\" alt=\"Ross_Updated\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Price\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25999 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-160x223.png\" alt=\"Price\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Chao\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25986 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-160x223.png\" alt=\"Chao\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Acosta\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26963\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-160x223.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"158\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-160x223.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-240x334.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 158px) 100vw, 158px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Perry\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-26105\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Perry\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Perdue\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26956 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#DeVos\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25988 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-160x223.png\" alt=\"DeVos\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Carson\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-26092\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Carson\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Mattis\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25992 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-160x223.png\" alt=\"Mattis\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Kelly\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25990 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-160x223.png\" alt=\"Kelly\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Pruitt\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26001 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#McMahon\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25993 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Pompeo\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25998 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Haley\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25989 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Lighthizer\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-27007\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-160x222.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-160x222.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-240x333.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer.png 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Coats\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-27009\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-160x222.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-160x222.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-240x333.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats.png 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Tillerson\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26042\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png\" alt=\"Tillerson_Profile1\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary of state is the highest-ranking member in the Cabinet, and as the nation's top diplomat, is responsible for advising the president on foreign matters, and carrying out the administration’s foreign policy through the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Service. This position oversees 30,000 employees in almost every country in the world, with a budget of roughly $35 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the face of U.S. foreign policy, the secretary of state often plays a key role negotiating international agreements on a wide range of issues, including the environment, security and nuclear weapons. As secretary of state under President Obama, John Kerry played a large role advancing international climate change policies -- including the 2015 Paris climate agreement -- as well as negotiating a major nuclear deal with Iran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his Senate confirmation hearing, Tillerson was questioned about his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and potential conflicts of interest he could face as the former CEO of the world’s largest oil and gas company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the first Cabinet members to be confirmed, Tillerson must now perform a tricky balancing act in maintaining strong relations among America’s allies while also representing a president whose support of isolationist policies has ruffled feathers around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Tillerson does side with Trump on many issues, he did express divergent views from his boss during his confirmation hearing, voicing support for NATO, action on climate change and continued economic sanctions against Russia.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Mnuchin\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26030\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png\" alt=\"Mnuchin_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the principal economic adviser to the president, the Treasury secretary tracks money and financial matters of national interest. Among other duties, the secretary is a key adviser and spokesman on trade deals, the public debt and tax reform. He manages 10 special bureaus, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Mint (the secretary’s signature is on all new printed money), and oversees more than 100,000 employees and a budget of roughly $13 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This position is often in the spotlight in times of financial crisis, as was the case during the economic recession in 2008-2009 and the decision to bail out the banks. Alexander Hamilton served as America’s first (and arguably most famous) Treasury secretary, responsible for consolidating the debt of the 13 colonies after the Revolutionary War.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Tillerson, Mnuchin was also probed by the Senate on his business dealings and personal finances. Among other things, he was strongly criticized by Democrats for his failure to disclose nearly $100 million in assets, as well as profits he made on foreclosures during the 2008-2009 economic collapse. Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee twice boycotted a vote on his confirmation – but in a rare move, Republicans sent his nomination to the full Senate without their approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Mnuchin doesn’t have any prior experience in government, he will likely have a strong hand in the president’s plans to rewrite the tax code, roll back financial regulations and renegotiate international trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26028\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png\" alt=\"Mattis_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nSecond only to the president in military authority, the Defense secretary exercises “command and control” over the U.S. Armed forces (Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force). The position oversees the Department of Defense, the largest U.S. government agency, with more than two million soldiers and civilians around the world and a budget of roughly $600 billion per year (the largest of any military force in the world) -- which Trump wants to increase by $54 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top adviser on decisions regarding U.S. military strategy and actions, this position is particularly important during times of war. Under President George W. Bush, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld led the planning and execution of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan (immediately following the Sept.11 terror attacks) and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattis, a retired 4-star general, is one of only a small handful of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to receive broad bipartisan support. During his confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Forces Committee, he advocated stepping up military attacks on ISIS in the Middle East, in line with Trump’s proposed policies. However, he broke with the president in declaring Russia a major threat to U.S. security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattis recently traveled to Brussels to advance Trump’s plan to reform NATO, an international military alliance. The administration is threatening to alter the U.S. relationship with the organization if other countries do not increase their spending budgets to 2 percent of total GDP, as promised. The U.S. currently spends more than twice as much as all other NATO countries combined.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Sessions\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26039\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png\" alt=\"Sessions_Profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and lawyer, the attorney general oversees the U.S. Department of Justice, which is comprised of 40 agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency and immigration courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general has oversight on a wide range of federal crimes, and as such can play a broad role in shaping national policy. During the Obama administration, the attorney general’s office (led by Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch) prioritized its focus on criminal justice reform by investigating multiple police departments, reducing the enforcement of certain drug laws and phasing out the federal use of private prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his Senate hearing, Sessions faced intense opposition from Democrats, mostly because of his staunch conservatism and mixed record on civil rights. Most notably, as a U.S. attorney in Alabama in 1985, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/magazine/the-voter-fraud-case-jeff-sessions-lost-and-cant-escape.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he prosecuted\u003c/a> three African-American civil rights activists, accusing them of voter fraud. The following year he was nominated to be a federal district judge, but rejected by the Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Sessions will be in charge of advancing and defending key aspects of Trump’s “law and order” criminal justice platform and enforcing his tough immigration policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Sessions’ first actions was to reverse the Obama administration’s plan to end private prisons. He has also hinted at more support for law enforcement officials and tougher enforcement of drug laws, including heightened enforcement of marijuana (which is legal, to varying degrees, in 28 states), though no official plans have been released to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than a month into the job, though, Sessions found himself under fire following a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-spoke-twice-with-russian-ambassador-during-trumps-presidential-campaign-justice-officials-say/2017/03/01/77205eda-feac-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_no-name%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&tid=a_inl&utm_term=.56eae0665fc0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Washington Post report\u003c/a> that he met twice last year with Russia's ambassador to the United States, a nugget he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearing. Amid mounting pressure, Sessions on March 2 announced that he was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/jeff-sessions-russia-trump-investigation-democrats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recusing himself\u003c/a> from any current or future investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Meanwhile, top Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer -- the House and Senate minority leaders -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/politics/jeff-sessions-russian-ambassador-meetings/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">called \u003c/a>for Sessions to resign.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Zinke\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26094\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png\" alt=\"Zinke_Profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nThe Department of Interior is the principal conservation agency of the United States. The secretary oversees management and conservation of millions of acres of federal land and natural resources (about 20 percent of all U.S. land) through agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service. The department has a budget of roughly $16 billion, although it also raises billions from activities such as “energy, mineral, grazing and timber leases as well as recreational permits and land sales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary plays a key role in controlling development of the county’s natural resources - over 20 percent of natural gas and oil and 40 percent of the nation’s coal is mined from federal lands. The secretary is also a key communicator with the public in regard to the administration’s official policy positions on issues like climate change and natural resource management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zinke was confirmed by the Senate on March 1 with less rancor than some of Trump's other nominees. At his \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/1/nomination-hearing-of-the-honorable-ryan-zinke-to-be-the-secretary-of-the-interior\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">confirmation hearing\u003c/a>, the former Montana congressman, who has \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/17/ryan-zinke-says-humans-influence-climate-change-scientists-say-were-the-dominant-cause/?utm_term=.41e691cda8ce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">previously questioned\u003c/a> climate science, said he now believes that humans do have an \"influence\" on climate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also said he opposes selling federal land to states or private owners, even though he voted in Congress to ease those same rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Zinke also made his support quite clear for expanding leases to oil and gas development on public land as a way of boosting domestic energy production, a clear departure from the Obama administration's efforts to scale back drilling on federal land.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Ross\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26038\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png\" alt=\"Ross_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Commerce secretary is in charge of promoting U.S. business interests domestically and abroad and “promoting economic development and technological innovation.” With 38,000 employees and a budget of roughly $6.5 billion, the department includes 12 special bureaus with wide-ranging duties, from economic and demographic data collection (U.S. Census Bureau) to weather monitoring (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Penny Pritzker, former Commerce secretary under Obama, advanced a number of public-private partnerships in an effort to boost U.S. manufacturing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At his Senate subcommittee hearing, Ross largely backed President Trump’s stance on trade, despite having made much of his fortune by opening factories overseas. He says that as Commerce secretary, he’ll support Trump’s agenda to toughen international trade policies and craft agreements that protect and create more jobs for American workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross also wants to crack down on what he calls China’s unfair trade practices and, like the president, pledges to make bold changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). At his confirmation hearing, Ross said: “We cannot afford trade that is inherently bad for American workers and for American businesses.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditionally, the Commerce secretary has less influence on economic policy than the Treasury secretary and other White House economic staff. Many political observers, though, predict that Ross will take on an expanded role in the Trump administration, given the president’s focus on redrawing trade agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Acosta\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26973 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Labor secretary heads a department that oversees workplace standards, worker protections, job training programs and employment statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary can be involved in mediation between large employers and their employees - for example, Labor Secretary Tom Perez (under Obama) settled a dispute between workers, unions and management at \u003ca href=\"https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/opa/opa20160527\">Verizon\u003c/a> during his tenure. Perez also proposed \u003ca href=\"https://mic.com/articles/159787/what-does-the-secretary-of-labor-do-5-things-you-should-know#.5kOvwRgEr\">changes\u003c/a> to the Fair Labor Standards Act, which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay and other important employment standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acosta is Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/alexander-acosta-labor-secretary-trump.html\">second pick\u003c/a> for the post - Andrew Pudzer, the first, withdrew his nomination amid controversy. Considered a more moderate candidate with broader bipartisan support, Acosta is in charge of advancing \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-unions-war-232382\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trump’s agenda\u003c/a> to boost job development and reduce workplace regulations and union influence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Formerly the dean of Florida International University’s law school, Acosta was also briefly a member of the National Labor Relations Board under President George W. Bush and then went on to serve as U.S. attorney in the Bush's Justice Department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acosta is the only Latino member of Trump's Cabinet.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Price\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26035\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png\" alt=\"Price_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>UPDATE (Sept. 29)\u003c/strong>: \u003cem>Tom Price \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/09/29/trump-to-decide-friday-night-whether-to-fire-hhs-secretary-price/?utm_term=.b249ec1e7281\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">resigned on Sept. 29\u003c/a>, amid sharp criticism over spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on private charter flights. In January 2018, the Senate confirmed Alex Azar, the former president of the U.S. arm of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/24/580381981/former-drug-industry-executive-will-lead-dept-of-health-and-human-services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to NPR\u003c/a>: \"Azar will oversee the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates prescription drugs including those produced by his former employer. He'll also oversee Medicare and Medicaid, which together spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on prescription medications.\" \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Health and Human Services secretary is responsible for carrying out the administration’s plans on health, welfare and other income security programs. The post oversees a huge budget of over $1 trillion and 11 operating divisions including the Food & Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (which administers health care for over 130 million Americans).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Affordable Care Act, or \"Obamacare,\" greatly \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/hhs-secretary-tom-price-significant-powers-change-health-care/\">expanded the powers\u003c/a> of this position, allowing the secretary to influence the implementation of important details of the law, including how Medicaid funds are distributed to the states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other duties, Price will be tasked with implementing Trump’s plan to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. Although he has been a strong critic of the law in the past, and advocates for “free-market” solutions, he has not revealed a comprehensive plan for reform to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Carson\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26093 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1.png\" alt=\"Carson_Profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary leads the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees public housing, fair-housing laws, home loan programs for lower- and middle-income families, and administers community development grants. The department operates on an annual budget of nearly $50 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bulk of the department’s \u003ca href=\"https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=ProposedFY17FactSheet.pdf\">budget\u003c/a> goes toward providing housing assistance, including public housing, to over 4.5 million low-income families across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, who made his own bid for president last year, grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Detroit (though, not public housing) and is Trump’s only African-American Cabinet pick. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 2, despite being criticized by Democrats for having no prior experience in government or housing policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although known for his comments urging an end to reliance on \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/ben-carsons-hud-housing-nominee-hearing.html\">public assistance\u003c/a>, Carson acknowledged the importance of “safety net” programs during his Senate hearing. His vision for the agency includes expanding private sector involvement in public housing and community development programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Chao\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26022\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png\" alt=\"Chao_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Transportation secretary heads -- you guessed it -- the Department of Transportation. With a budget of nearly $100 billion, the department includes the Federal Aviation Agency, Federal Highway Association, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and eight other transportation agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/recovery-act-still-paying-dividends\">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act\u003c/a>, which Obama signed into law in 2009 to help jump-start the free-falling economy, the department received a major boost for road and bridge repair projects, transit expansion and new transportation facilities. A major aspect of the secretary’s job involves \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/politics/elaine-chao-transportation-trump.html\">allocating funds\u003c/a>, setting timelines and proposing financing options for transportation projects across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chao is one of the few Cabinet members who received \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/trumps-transportation-secretary-pick-elaine-chao-confirmed-in-senate-with-some-top-democrats-balking/2017/01/31/a15c7604-df42-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.0f2aaf62afc8\">broad support\u003c/a> in the Senate, largely due to her experience as Labor secretary under President George W. Bush. As Transportation secretary, Chao will be one of the key members of Trump’s cabinet tasked with advancing his campaign pledge to invest $1 trillion into roads, bridges and other infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"DeVos\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26024\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png\" alt=\"Devos_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the head of the Department of Education (the smallest cabinet-level department), the Education secretary advises the president on federal education policies and administers federal aid to local schools. The DOE also administers Pell Grants, which account for the largest share of the department’s budget, a nearly $23 billion program that provides financial aids to lower-income college students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although most public and charter k-12 schools receive the brunt of their funding from local and state taxes, a small but notable amount comes from the federal government (and is largely directed at low-income families). The DOE is also tasked with handling \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/what-does-secretary-of-education-do-betsy-devos-2017-2\">discrimination cases\u003c/a> though its Office of Civil Rights. Notably, the ACLU sued the department in 2014 on behalf of a transgender student who was blocked by his school from using the bathroom that corresponded with his gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist, was sharply criticized during her Senate hearing for her lack of experience and knowledge of public education standards. Her confirmation has been regarded as the most controversial of Trump’s picks to date, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a Senate tie to cast the deciding vote in her favor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has repeatedly suggested reducing or \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-department-of-education-does-2016-11\">eliminating\u003c/a> the Department of Education, favoring state and local administration of schools (rather than federal). While it appears the department will remain for now, DeVos is not supportive of traditional public education; she strongly advocates for school voucher programs, which would expand alternatives to public education (like charter schools), and allow K-12 students to attend private and religious schools funded with public dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Perry\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26104\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1.png\" alt=\"Perry_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">The secretary leads the Department of Energy, with a focus on promoting new technologies, providing related education and overseeing nuclear energy programs. The secretary also works with heads of federal intelligence agencies to closely monitor compliance with domestic and international nuclear agreements. The majority of the department's budget is allocated to \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-does-energy-department-do/\">national security\u003c/a> (i.e. nuclear weapon programs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created in the early 1970s (under President Jimmy Carter) in response to an oil embargo that nearly quadrupled the price of oil, sending the global and national energy sectors into shock. President’s generally set the agenda for Energy secretaries - under Obama, the department focused on \u003ca href=\"http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/271364-obamas-energy-efficiency-rules-will-last-secretary-says\">clean energy\u003c/a> research and development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his 2012 presidential run, Perry actually vowed to eliminate the Energy Department (and notoriously forgot the name of it during a primary debate). More recently, he's demonstrated \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-donald-trump.html\">apparent confusion\u003c/a> about the responsibilities he would have as secretary. Nevertheless, Perry \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rick-perry-confirmation-vote-former-texas-governor-heads-to-full-senate/\">cleared\u003c/a> the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and was confirmed by the full Senate on March 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Governor of Texas, Perry was an advocate for the fossil fuel industry and maintains strong personal and business ties to major Texas \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/perry-oil-industry-energy-department/\">oil companies\u003c/a>. He was, however, also supportive of some renewable energy development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In keeping with Trump's priorities to expand domestic energy production by increasing fossil fuel production, Perry will likely steer the department away from the larger Obama-era focus on renewable energy development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Shulkin\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26040\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png\" alt=\"Shulkin_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the secretary oversees health care and other benefits for people who have served in the military. The VA employs roughly 300,000 employees and controls a budget of about $150 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created in 1930 (12 years after World War I) and grew exponentially following a sharp rise in the number of U.S. veterans after World War II. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.va.gov/health/findcare.asp\">VA health care system\u003c/a> (one of three subdivisions of the department) is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., providing care for roughly 9 million veterans each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A holdover from the Obama administration, Shulkin is Trump’s only nominee to date approved unanimously by the Senate. As secretary, he will be tasked with improving care for veterans, which Trump says was sorely neglected under the Obama administration. Shulkin has promised “major reform and transformation of the VA” including increased options for veterans to receive \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/01/david-shulkin-veterans-affairs-nominee-faster-change-more-choice-veterans/97348212/\">private sector\u003c/a> medical care.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Kelly\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26026\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png\" alt=\"Kelly_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>UPDATE (July 28)\u003c/strong>\u003cem>: After a short stint leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kelly was \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/07/28/trump-names-homeland-security-secretary-john-kelly-as-white-house-chief-of-staff-ousting-reince-priebus/?utm_term=.ebdaff753dc2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">appointed by Trump\u003c/a> to be White House chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhs.gov/person/elaine-c-duke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elaine Duke\u003c/a> initially served as acting secretary of the department. On Dec. 5, the Senate confirmed \u003ca href=\"http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/363399-senate-confirms-trumps-homeland-security-secretary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kirstjen Nielsen\u003c/a> by a vote of 62-37. Nielsen previously served on George W. Bush’s homeland security council, worked under Kelly at the DHS earlier this year, and most recently was his chief of staff at the White House.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As head of the Department of Homeland Security, the secretary is responsible for protecting domestic safety. The department’s broad responsibilities include fighting terrorism, securing the border, immigration and customs enforcement, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created under President George W. Bush to consolidate homeland security efforts after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It’s comprised of seven agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Transportation Security Administration (airport security).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly will oversee the third largest federal department, and be responsible for advancing some of Trump’s controversial actions on immigration and border security. During his confirmation \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2017/01/10/509128004/trumps-homeland-security-pick-faces-confirmation-hearing-today\">hearing\u003c/a> however, Kelly appeared to break with his boss, downplaying the importance of a U.S.- Mexico border wall and pushing back on proposed policies to restrict immigration of Muslims and to revive \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/john-kelly-homeland-security-senate-confirmation-hearing/\">torture\u003c/a> techniques in the fight against terrorism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also recently promised more \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/26/politics/kelly-travel-immigration-governors/\">moderate \u003c/a>laws on deportations and travel following public outcry in response to a series of \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/executive-orders-presidents-actions-presidential-memoranda/\">executive orders \u003c/a>signed last month by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Perdue\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26974\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003cbr>\nThe Department of Agriculture oversees the country’s massive farming industry. Among other things, the department provides subsidies and support to farmers and agribusiness, nutritional aid to low-income families and it administers agricultural trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roughly 80 percent of the department’s budget goes to food assistance programs (formerly known as food stamps) which provide for more than 40 million low-income people across the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department also oversees the U.S. Forest Service, which manages nearly 200 million acres of public land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As head of the department, Perdue, a former agricultural businessman, will likely look to reduce \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/nikolaikuznetsov/2017/02/10/the-next-agriculture-secretary-could-be-great-for-agribusinesses/#6b89f10530d5\">farming industry regulations \u003c/a>and renegotiate agricultural trade agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Pruitt\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26037\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA administrator is responsible for guiding federal environmental policy and enforcing the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts and other environmental regulations. Under the Obama administration, the agency took steps to combat climate change by trying to regulate carbon emissions and promote renewable energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pruitt is a \u003ca href=\"http://web.archive.org/web/20170108114336/https:/www.ok.gov/oag/Media/About_the_AG/\">self-described\u003c/a> “leading advocate against the EPA activist agenda.” As Oklahoma attorney general, he sued the agency multiple times, and has made it clear that he wants to reform the agency by significantly reducing its reach. Pruitt also has strong ties to the fossil fuel industry, and says he wants to roll back federal environmental regulations, particularly when they hinder domestic energy production. He is a strong advocate for state and local control over environmental laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"McMahon\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27011\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-960x387.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-240x97.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Small Business Administration is responsible for providing loans, securing government contract work and generally advocating for small business interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahon is a billionaire businesswoman with no government experience. A key player on Trump’s economic team, she is tasked with cutting back \u003ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-trump-chooses-pro-wrestling-magnate-linda-mcmahon-213126676--finance.html\">federal regulations\u003c/a> on small businesses, promoting job growth and supporting entrepreneurship.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Pompeo\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26034\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The head of the CIA oversees a huge network of intelligence agents positioned around the world, with the intent of protecting national security. The director is responsible for providing regular intelligence briefings to the president and his staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pompeo took over the CIA in the midst of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/trumps-relationship-intelligence-community-off-rocky-start/\">strained relationship\u003c/a> between the agency and the White House. Trump had initially dismissed agency intelligence reports that Russian agents likely hacked the U.S. presidential election. While supportive of the president in general, Pompeo says he backs the CIA’s Russia findings. During his confirmation hearings, Pompeo also said that he would not resume the use of enhanced interrogation techniques (like waterboarding) that Trump has advocated for.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Haley\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26025\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003cbr>\nAlthough the secretary of state takes the lead on establishing foreign policy, the UN ambassador is responsible for interpreting U.S. policy positions and building international support in the UN’s General Assembly and Security Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike many of Trump’s nominees, Haley received \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-us-ambassador-to-un-nikki-haley-would-face-worlds-most-intractable-conflicts/2016/11/23/4ae99573-7661-416a-97d7-dee36793ae10_story.html?utm_term=.a78c1f36747c\">broad support\u003c/a> in the Senate and was confirmed quickly, despite her lack of foreign policy experience. Although she agrees with Trump on a number of key foreign policy issues, including opposition to the Iran Nuclear deal, she has also shown a willingness to disagree with him on certain issues, including her denunciation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “acts of aggression” in Eastern Ukraine.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Lighthizer\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27008\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-800x321.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-768x308.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade representative is member of the president’s economic team, advises on domestic and international trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lighthizer shares Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/03/us/politics/trump-robert-lighthizer-trade-mexico.html\">protectionist approach\u003c/a> to the U.S. economy. With the goal of protecting American jobs, he is tasked with negotiating and enforcing existing trade agreements, forging new ones, and potentially raising import taxes. Lighthizer will likely play a key role in Trump’s promise to renegotiate the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Coats\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27010\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-960x387.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-240x97.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The intelligence director is responsible for coordinating the intelligence gathering and analysis of the country’s 16 civilian and military spy agencies, including the CIA, NSA and FBI. Created in 2004, partly in in reaction to criticism that the nation’s spy agencies had failed to detect and prevent the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the post is intended to be the president's primary interpreter on national intelligence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Confirmed with broad bipartisan support, Coats served as a two-time Republican Senator from Indiana, where he was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Trump-cabinet-lesson-plan-2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lesson Plan: The President's Cabinet (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>With all the drama surrounding the White House right now, it's easy to lose track of what's going in the rest of the vast executive branch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cabinet secretaries head up their own executive departments and serve as the president’s advisers on major policy issues. There are 16 official Cabinet positions (including vice president) and eight Cabinet-level positions, all of which require Senate confirmation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New presidents must also \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/database/?tid=graphics-story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nominate about 1,200\u003c/a> other lower-level executive branch positions, including deputy and assistant secretaries, heads of agencies and ambassadors. All of them require Senate confirmation as well. As of mid-May, the Trump administration had still not even chosen nominees for a strikingly large number of these still-vacant positions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president also appoints key advisers to the White House staff who don’t require Senate confirmation, including chief of staff, press secretary and major strategists (like Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of the executive branch, members of the president’s Cabinet don't make any laws. They do, however, oversee massive government departments with thousands of employees and multi-billion dollar budgets, thereby shaping how laws and regulations are implemented and enforced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than a third of those serving in President Trump’s Cabinet do not have any government experience. And several of those who do -- including Energy Department nominee Rick Perry and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt -- have openly expressed disdain for the departments they’re now preparing to lead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's Cabinet is the whitest, most male-dominated group in decades. It's also the wealthiest Cabinet in history, with close ties to Wall Street and corporate America, including two billionaires and at least a dozen millionaires, with a \u003ca href=\"http://st%20a%20dozen%20millionaires,%20with%20a%20combined%20net%20worth%20of%20about%20%246.1%20billion\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">combined net worth\u003c/a> of about $6.1 billion. Many faced tough questioning from Democrats about their complex financial and political connections. It wasn't until late April, more than three months after Trump's inauguration, that the Senate confirmed the last of nominees was confirmed, rounding out the Cabinet.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"Issues\">\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Cabinet and Cabinet-Level Positions\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\">(Note: this is the original list of confirmed appointees; recent changes are mentioned below)\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Tillerson\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26006 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-160x223.png\" alt=\"Tillerson\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Zinke\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26095 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Zinke\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Shulkin\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26004 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-160x223.png\" alt=\"Shulkin\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Sessions\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26003 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-160x223.png\" alt=\"Sessions\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Ross\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26014 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-160x223.png\" alt=\"Ross_Updated\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_Updated.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Price\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25999 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-160x223.png\" alt=\"Price\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Chao\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25986 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-160x223.png\" alt=\"Chao\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Acosta\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26963\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-160x223.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"158\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-160x223.jpg 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3-240x334.jpg 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta-3.jpg 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 158px) 100vw, 158px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Perry\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-26105\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Perry\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Perdue\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26956 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#DeVos\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25988 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-160x223.png\" alt=\"DeVos\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/DeVos.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Carson\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-26092\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-160x223.png\" alt=\"Carson\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson-1.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Mattis\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25992 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-160x223.png\" alt=\"Mattis\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Kelly\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25990 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-160x223.png\" alt=\"Kelly\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Pruitt\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26001 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#McMahon\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25993 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/McMahon.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Pompeo\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25998 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Haley\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-25989 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-160x223.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-160x223.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley-240x334.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley.png 256w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Lighthizer\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-27007\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-160x222.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-160x222.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer-240x333.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer.png 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"#Coats\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-27009\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-160x222.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-160x222.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats-240x333.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats.png 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Tillerson\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26042\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png\" alt=\"Tillerson_Profile1\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Tillerson_Profile1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary of state is the highest-ranking member in the Cabinet, and as the nation's top diplomat, is responsible for advising the president on foreign matters, and carrying out the administration’s foreign policy through the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Service. This position oversees 30,000 employees in almost every country in the world, with a budget of roughly $35 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the face of U.S. foreign policy, the secretary of state often plays a key role negotiating international agreements on a wide range of issues, including the environment, security and nuclear weapons. As secretary of state under President Obama, John Kerry played a large role advancing international climate change policies -- including the 2015 Paris climate agreement -- as well as negotiating a major nuclear deal with Iran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his Senate confirmation hearing, Tillerson was questioned about his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and potential conflicts of interest he could face as the former CEO of the world’s largest oil and gas company.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among the first Cabinet members to be confirmed, Tillerson must now perform a tricky balancing act in maintaining strong relations among America’s allies while also representing a president whose support of isolationist policies has ruffled feathers around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Tillerson does side with Trump on many issues, he did express divergent views from his boss during his confirmation hearing, voicing support for NATO, action on climate change and continued economic sanctions against Russia.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Mnuchin\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26030\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png\" alt=\"Mnuchin_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mnuchin_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the principal economic adviser to the president, the Treasury secretary tracks money and financial matters of national interest. Among other duties, the secretary is a key adviser and spokesman on trade deals, the public debt and tax reform. He manages 10 special bureaus, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Mint (the secretary’s signature is on all new printed money), and oversees more than 100,000 employees and a budget of roughly $13 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This position is often in the spotlight in times of financial crisis, as was the case during the economic recession in 2008-2009 and the decision to bail out the banks. Alexander Hamilton served as America’s first (and arguably most famous) Treasury secretary, responsible for consolidating the debt of the 13 colonies after the Revolutionary War.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Tillerson, Mnuchin was also probed by the Senate on his business dealings and personal finances. Among other things, he was strongly criticized by Democrats for his failure to disclose nearly $100 million in assets, as well as profits he made on foreclosures during the 2008-2009 economic collapse. Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee twice boycotted a vote on his confirmation – but in a rare move, Republicans sent his nomination to the full Senate without their approval.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Mnuchin doesn’t have any prior experience in government, he will likely have a strong hand in the president’s plans to rewrite the tax code, roll back financial regulations and renegotiate international trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26028\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png\" alt=\"Mattis_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Mattis_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nSecond only to the president in military authority, the Defense secretary exercises “command and control” over the U.S. Armed forces (Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force). The position oversees the Department of Defense, the largest U.S. government agency, with more than two million soldiers and civilians around the world and a budget of roughly $600 billion per year (the largest of any military force in the world) -- which Trump wants to increase by $54 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The top adviser on decisions regarding U.S. military strategy and actions, this position is particularly important during times of war. Under President George W. Bush, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld led the planning and execution of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan (immediately following the Sept.11 terror attacks) and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattis, a retired 4-star general, is one of only a small handful of Trump’s Cabinet nominees to receive broad bipartisan support. During his confirmation hearing in the Senate Armed Forces Committee, he advocated stepping up military attacks on ISIS in the Middle East, in line with Trump’s proposed policies. However, he broke with the president in declaring Russia a major threat to U.S. security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mattis recently traveled to Brussels to advance Trump’s plan to reform NATO, an international military alliance. The administration is threatening to alter the U.S. relationship with the organization if other countries do not increase their spending budgets to 2 percent of total GDP, as promised. The U.S. currently spends more than twice as much as all other NATO countries combined.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Sessions\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26039\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png\" alt=\"Sessions_Profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Sessions_Profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer and lawyer, the attorney general oversees the U.S. Department of Justice, which is comprised of 40 agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Drug Enforcement Agency and immigration courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The attorney general has oversight on a wide range of federal crimes, and as such can play a broad role in shaping national policy. During the Obama administration, the attorney general’s office (led by Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch) prioritized its focus on criminal justice reform by investigating multiple police departments, reducing the enforcement of certain drug laws and phasing out the federal use of private prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his Senate hearing, Sessions faced intense opposition from Democrats, mostly because of his staunch conservatism and mixed record on civil rights. Most notably, as a U.S. attorney in Alabama in 1985, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/09/magazine/the-voter-fraud-case-jeff-sessions-lost-and-cant-escape.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he prosecuted\u003c/a> three African-American civil rights activists, accusing them of voter fraud. The following year he was nominated to be a federal district judge, but rejected by the Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As attorney general, Sessions will be in charge of advancing and defending key aspects of Trump’s “law and order” criminal justice platform and enforcing his tough immigration policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Sessions’ first actions was to reverse the Obama administration’s plan to end private prisons. He has also hinted at more support for law enforcement officials and tougher enforcement of drug laws, including heightened enforcement of marijuana (which is legal, to varying degrees, in 28 states), though no official plans have been released to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than a month into the job, though, Sessions found himself under fire following a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/sessions-spoke-twice-with-russian-ambassador-during-trumps-presidential-campaign-justice-officials-say/2017/03/01/77205eda-feac-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_no-name%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&tid=a_inl&utm_term=.56eae0665fc0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Washington Post report\u003c/a> that he met twice last year with Russia's ambassador to the United States, a nugget he failed to disclose during his confirmation hearing. Amid mounting pressure, Sessions on March 2 announced that he was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/jeff-sessions-russia-trump-investigation-democrats.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recusing himself\u003c/a> from any current or future investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Meanwhile, top Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer -- the House and Senate minority leaders -- \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/politics/jeff-sessions-russian-ambassador-meetings/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">called \u003c/a>for Sessions to resign.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Zinke\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26094\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png\" alt=\"Zinke_Profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Zinke_Profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\nThe Department of Interior is the principal conservation agency of the United States. The secretary oversees management and conservation of millions of acres of federal land and natural resources (about 20 percent of all U.S. land) through agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service. The department has a budget of roughly $16 billion, although it also raises billions from activities such as “energy, mineral, grazing and timber leases as well as recreational permits and land sales.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary plays a key role in controlling development of the county’s natural resources - over 20 percent of natural gas and oil and 40 percent of the nation’s coal is mined from federal lands. The secretary is also a key communicator with the public in regard to the administration’s official policy positions on issues like climate change and natural resource management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zinke was confirmed by the Senate on March 1 with less rancor than some of Trump's other nominees. At his \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/1/nomination-hearing-of-the-honorable-ryan-zinke-to-be-the-secretary-of-the-interior\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">confirmation hearing\u003c/a>, the former Montana congressman, who has \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/17/ryan-zinke-says-humans-influence-climate-change-scientists-say-were-the-dominant-cause/?utm_term=.41e691cda8ce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">previously questioned\u003c/a> climate science, said he now believes that humans do have an \"influence\" on climate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also said he opposes selling federal land to states or private owners, even though he voted in Congress to ease those same rules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Zinke also made his support quite clear for expanding leases to oil and gas development on public land as a way of boosting domestic energy production, a clear departure from the Obama administration's efforts to scale back drilling on federal land.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Ross\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26038\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png\" alt=\"Ross_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Ross_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Commerce secretary is in charge of promoting U.S. business interests domestically and abroad and “promoting economic development and technological innovation.” With 38,000 employees and a budget of roughly $6.5 billion, the department includes 12 special bureaus with wide-ranging duties, from economic and demographic data collection (U.S. Census Bureau) to weather monitoring (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Penny Pritzker, former Commerce secretary under Obama, advanced a number of public-private partnerships in an effort to boost U.S. manufacturing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At his Senate subcommittee hearing, Ross largely backed President Trump’s stance on trade, despite having made much of his fortune by opening factories overseas. He says that as Commerce secretary, he’ll support Trump’s agenda to toughen international trade policies and craft agreements that protect and create more jobs for American workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross also wants to crack down on what he calls China’s unfair trade practices and, like the president, pledges to make bold changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). At his confirmation hearing, Ross said: “We cannot afford trade that is inherently bad for American workers and for American businesses.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Traditionally, the Commerce secretary has less influence on economic policy than the Treasury secretary and other White House economic staff. Many political observers, though, predict that Ross will take on an expanded role in the Trump administration, given the president’s focus on redrawing trade agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Acosta\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_Profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26973 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Acosta_profile-1-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Labor secretary heads a department that oversees workplace standards, worker protections, job training programs and employment statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary can be involved in mediation between large employers and their employees - for example, Labor Secretary Tom Perez (under Obama) settled a dispute between workers, unions and management at \u003ca href=\"https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/opa/opa20160527\">Verizon\u003c/a> during his tenure. Perez also proposed \u003ca href=\"https://mic.com/articles/159787/what-does-the-secretary-of-labor-do-5-things-you-should-know#.5kOvwRgEr\">changes\u003c/a> to the Fair Labor Standards Act, which establishes minimum wage, overtime pay and other important employment standards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acosta is Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/alexander-acosta-labor-secretary-trump.html\">second pick\u003c/a> for the post - Andrew Pudzer, the first, withdrew his nomination amid controversy. Considered a more moderate candidate with broader bipartisan support, Acosta is in charge of advancing \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-unions-war-232382\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trump’s agenda\u003c/a> to boost job development and reduce workplace regulations and union influence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Formerly the dean of Florida International University’s law school, Acosta was also briefly a member of the National Labor Relations Board under President George W. Bush and then went on to serve as U.S. attorney in the Bush's Justice Department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acosta is the only Latino member of Trump's Cabinet.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Price\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26035\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png\" alt=\"Price_profile\" width=\"1000\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-800x320.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-768x307.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-960x384.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-375x150.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Price_profile-520x208.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>UPDATE (Sept. 29)\u003c/strong>: \u003cem>Tom Price \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/09/29/trump-to-decide-friday-night-whether-to-fire-hhs-secretary-price/?utm_term=.b249ec1e7281\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">resigned on Sept. 29\u003c/a>, amid sharp criticism over spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on private charter flights. In January 2018, the Senate confirmed Alex Azar, the former president of the U.S. arm of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/24/580381981/former-drug-industry-executive-will-lead-dept-of-health-and-human-services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">According to NPR\u003c/a>: \"Azar will oversee the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates prescription drugs including those produced by his former employer. He'll also oversee Medicare and Medicaid, which together spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year on prescription medications.\" \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Health and Human Services secretary is responsible for carrying out the administration’s plans on health, welfare and other income security programs. The post oversees a huge budget of over $1 trillion and 11 operating divisions including the Food & Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (which administers health care for over 130 million Americans).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Affordable Care Act, or \"Obamacare,\" greatly \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/hhs-secretary-tom-price-significant-powers-change-health-care/\">expanded the powers\u003c/a> of this position, allowing the secretary to influence the implementation of important details of the law, including how Medicaid funds are distributed to the states.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among other duties, Price will be tasked with implementing Trump’s plan to “repeal and replace” Obamacare. Although he has been a strong critic of the law in the past, and advocates for “free-market” solutions, he has not revealed a comprehensive plan for reform to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Carson\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-26093 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1.png\" alt=\"Carson_Profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Carson_Profile-1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secretary leads the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees public housing, fair-housing laws, home loan programs for lower- and middle-income families, and administers community development grants. The department operates on an annual budget of nearly $50 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The bulk of the department’s \u003ca href=\"https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=ProposedFY17FactSheet.pdf\">budget\u003c/a> goes toward providing housing assistance, including public housing, to over 4.5 million low-income families across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, who made his own bid for president last year, grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Detroit (though, not public housing) and is Trump’s only African-American Cabinet pick. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 2, despite being criticized by Democrats for having no prior experience in government or housing policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although known for his comments urging an end to reliance on \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/ben-carsons-hud-housing-nominee-hearing.html\">public assistance\u003c/a>, Carson acknowledged the importance of “safety net” programs during his Senate hearing. His vision for the agency includes expanding private sector involvement in public housing and community development programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Chao\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26022\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png\" alt=\"Chao_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Chao_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Transportation secretary heads -- you guessed it -- the Department of Transportation. With a budget of nearly $100 billion, the department includes the Federal Aviation Agency, Federal Highway Association, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and eight other transportation agencies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under the \u003ca href=\"https://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/recovery-act-still-paying-dividends\">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act\u003c/a>, which Obama signed into law in 2009 to help jump-start the free-falling economy, the department received a major boost for road and bridge repair projects, transit expansion and new transportation facilities. A major aspect of the secretary’s job involves \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/politics/elaine-chao-transportation-trump.html\">allocating funds\u003c/a>, setting timelines and proposing financing options for transportation projects across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chao is one of the few Cabinet members who received \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/trumps-transportation-secretary-pick-elaine-chao-confirmed-in-senate-with-some-top-democrats-balking/2017/01/31/a15c7604-df42-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.0f2aaf62afc8\">broad support\u003c/a> in the Senate, largely due to her experience as Labor secretary under President George W. Bush. As Transportation secretary, Chao will be one of the key members of Trump’s cabinet tasked with advancing his campaign pledge to invest $1 trillion into roads, bridges and other infrastructure.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"DeVos\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26024\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png\" alt=\"Devos_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Devos_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the head of the Department of Education (the smallest cabinet-level department), the Education secretary advises the president on federal education policies and administers federal aid to local schools. The DOE also administers Pell Grants, which account for the largest share of the department’s budget, a nearly $23 billion program that provides financial aids to lower-income college students.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although most public and charter k-12 schools receive the brunt of their funding from local and state taxes, a small but notable amount comes from the federal government (and is largely directed at low-income families). The DOE is also tasked with handling \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/what-does-secretary-of-education-do-betsy-devos-2017-2\">discrimination cases\u003c/a> though its Office of Civil Rights. Notably, the ACLU sued the department in 2014 on behalf of a transgender student who was blocked by his school from using the bathroom that corresponded with his gender identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist, was sharply criticized during her Senate hearing for her lack of experience and knowledge of public education standards. Her confirmation has been regarded as the most controversial of Trump’s picks to date, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a Senate tie to cast the deciding vote in her favor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has repeatedly suggested reducing or \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-department-of-education-does-2016-11\">eliminating\u003c/a> the Department of Education, favoring state and local administration of schools (rather than federal). While it appears the department will remain for now, DeVos is not supportive of traditional public education; she strongly advocates for school voucher programs, which would expand alternatives to public education (like charter schools), and allow K-12 students to attend private and religious schools funded with public dollars.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Perry\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26104\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1.png\" alt=\"Perry_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perry_profile-1-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">The secretary leads the Department of Energy, with a focus on promoting new technologies, providing related education and overseeing nuclear energy programs. The secretary also works with heads of federal intelligence agencies to closely monitor compliance with domestic and international nuclear agreements. The majority of the department's budget is allocated to \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-does-energy-department-do/\">national security\u003c/a> (i.e. nuclear weapon programs).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created in the early 1970s (under President Jimmy Carter) in response to an oil embargo that nearly quadrupled the price of oil, sending the global and national energy sectors into shock. President’s generally set the agenda for Energy secretaries - under Obama, the department focused on \u003ca href=\"http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/271364-obamas-energy-efficiency-rules-will-last-secretary-says\">clean energy\u003c/a> research and development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During his 2012 presidential run, Perry actually vowed to eliminate the Energy Department (and notoriously forgot the name of it during a primary debate). More recently, he's demonstrated \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-donald-trump.html\">apparent confusion\u003c/a> about the responsibilities he would have as secretary. Nevertheless, Perry \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rick-perry-confirmation-vote-former-texas-governor-heads-to-full-senate/\">cleared\u003c/a> the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and was confirmed by the full Senate on March 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Governor of Texas, Perry was an advocate for the fossil fuel industry and maintains strong personal and business ties to major Texas \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/perry-oil-industry-energy-department/\">oil companies\u003c/a>. He was, however, also supportive of some renewable energy development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In keeping with Trump's priorities to expand domestic energy production by increasing fossil fuel production, Perry will likely steer the department away from the larger Obama-era focus on renewable energy development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Shulkin\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26040\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png\" alt=\"Shulkin_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Shulkin_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the secretary oversees health care and other benefits for people who have served in the military. The VA employs roughly 300,000 employees and controls a budget of about $150 billion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created in 1930 (12 years after World War I) and grew exponentially following a sharp rise in the number of U.S. veterans after World War II. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.va.gov/health/findcare.asp\">VA health care system\u003c/a> (one of three subdivisions of the department) is the largest integrated health care system in the U.S., providing care for roughly 9 million veterans each year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A holdover from the Obama administration, Shulkin is Trump’s only nominee to date approved unanimously by the Senate. As secretary, he will be tasked with improving care for veterans, which Trump says was sorely neglected under the Obama administration. Shulkin has promised “major reform and transformation of the VA” including increased options for veterans to receive \u003ca href=\"http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/01/david-shulkin-veterans-affairs-nominee-faster-change-more-choice-veterans/97348212/\">private sector\u003c/a> medical care.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Kelly\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26026\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png\" alt=\"Kelly_profile\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Kelly_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cstrong>UPDATE (July 28)\u003c/strong>\u003cem>: After a short stint leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kelly was \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/07/28/trump-names-homeland-security-secretary-john-kelly-as-white-house-chief-of-staff-ousting-reince-priebus/?utm_term=.ebdaff753dc2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">appointed by Trump\u003c/a> to be White House chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dhs.gov/person/elaine-c-duke\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elaine Duke\u003c/a> initially served as acting secretary of the department. On Dec. 5, the Senate confirmed \u003ca href=\"http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/363399-senate-confirms-trumps-homeland-security-secretary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kirstjen Nielsen\u003c/a> by a vote of 62-37. Nielsen previously served on George W. Bush’s homeland security council, worked under Kelly at the DHS earlier this year, and most recently was his chief of staff at the White House.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As head of the Department of Homeland Security, the secretary is responsible for protecting domestic safety. The department’s broad responsibilities include fighting terrorism, securing the border, immigration and customs enforcement, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department was created under President George W. Bush to consolidate homeland security efforts after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It’s comprised of seven agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Transportation Security Administration (airport security).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelly will oversee the third largest federal department, and be responsible for advancing some of Trump’s controversial actions on immigration and border security. During his confirmation \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2017/01/10/509128004/trumps-homeland-security-pick-faces-confirmation-hearing-today\">hearing\u003c/a> however, Kelly appeared to break with his boss, downplaying the importance of a U.S.- Mexico border wall and pushing back on proposed policies to restrict immigration of Muslims and to revive \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/john-kelly-homeland-security-senate-confirmation-hearing/\">torture\u003c/a> techniques in the fight against terrorism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also recently promised more \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/26/politics/kelly-travel-immigration-governors/\">moderate \u003c/a>laws on deportations and travel following public outcry in response to a series of \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/executive-orders-presidents-actions-presidential-memoranda/\">executive orders \u003c/a>signed last month by Trump.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Perdue\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26974\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Perdue_profile-2-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003cbr>\nThe Department of Agriculture oversees the country’s massive farming industry. Among other things, the department provides subsidies and support to farmers and agribusiness, nutritional aid to low-income families and it administers agricultural trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roughly 80 percent of the department’s budget goes to food assistance programs (formerly known as food stamps) which provide for more than 40 million low-income people across the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The department also oversees the U.S. Forest Service, which manages nearly 200 million acres of public land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As head of the department, Perdue, a former agricultural businessman, will likely look to reduce \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/nikolaikuznetsov/2017/02/10/the-next-agriculture-secretary-could-be-great-for-agribusinesses/#6b89f10530d5\">farming industry regulations \u003c/a>and renegotiate agricultural trade agreements.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Pruitt\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26037\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pruitt_Profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The EPA administrator is responsible for guiding federal environmental policy and enforcing the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts and other environmental regulations. Under the Obama administration, the agency took steps to combat climate change by trying to regulate carbon emissions and promote renewable energy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pruitt is a \u003ca href=\"http://web.archive.org/web/20170108114336/https:/www.ok.gov/oag/Media/About_the_AG/\">self-described\u003c/a> “leading advocate against the EPA activist agenda.” As Oklahoma attorney general, he sued the agency multiple times, and has made it clear that he wants to reform the agency by significantly reducing its reach. Pruitt also has strong ties to the fossil fuel industry, and says he wants to roll back federal environmental regulations, particularly when they hinder domestic energy production. He is a strong advocate for state and local control over environmental laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"McMahon\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27011\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-960x387.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-240x97.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/McMahon_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Small Business Administration is responsible for providing loans, securing government contract work and generally advocating for small business interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahon is a billionaire businesswoman with no government experience. A key player on Trump’s economic team, she is tasked with cutting back \u003ca href=\"https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-trump-chooses-pro-wrestling-magnate-linda-mcmahon-213126676--finance.html\">federal regulations\u003c/a> on small businesses, promoting job growth and supporting entrepreneurship.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Pompeo\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26034\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Pompeo_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The head of the CIA oversees a huge network of intelligence agents positioned around the world, with the intent of protecting national security. The director is responsible for providing regular intelligence briefings to the president and his staff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pompeo took over the CIA in the midst of a \u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/trumps-relationship-intelligence-community-off-rocky-start/\">strained relationship\u003c/a> between the agency and the White House. Trump had initially dismissed agency intelligence reports that Russian agents likely hacked the U.S. presidential election. While supportive of the president in general, Pompeo says he backs the CIA’s Russia findings. During his confirmation hearings, Pompeo also said that he would not resume the use of enhanced interrogation techniques (like waterboarding) that Trump has advocated for.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Haley\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26025\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"995\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile.png 995w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Haley_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 995px) 100vw, 995px\">\u003cbr>\nAlthough the secretary of state takes the lead on establishing foreign policy, the UN ambassador is responsible for interpreting U.S. policy positions and building international support in the UN’s General Assembly and Security Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike many of Trump’s nominees, Haley received \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-us-ambassador-to-un-nikki-haley-would-face-worlds-most-intractable-conflicts/2016/11/23/4ae99573-7661-416a-97d7-dee36793ae10_story.html?utm_term=.a78c1f36747c\">broad support\u003c/a> in the Senate and was confirmed quickly, despite her lack of foreign policy experience. Although she agrees with Trump on a number of key foreign policy issues, including opposition to the Iran Nuclear deal, she has also shown a willingness to disagree with him on certain issues, including her denunciation of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “acts of aggression” in Eastern Ukraine.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Lighthizer\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27008\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-800x321.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-768x308.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-960x386.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-240x96.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Lighthizer_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The trade representative is member of the president’s economic team, advises on domestic and international trade policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lighthizer shares Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/03/us/politics/trump-robert-lighthizer-trade-mexico.html\">protectionist approach\u003c/a> to the U.S. economy. With the goal of protecting American jobs, he is tasked with negotiating and enforcing existing trade agreements, forging new ones, and potentially raising import taxes. Lighthizer will likely play a key role in Trump’s promise to renegotiate the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Coats\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-27010\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"996\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile.png 996w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-160x64.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-800x322.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-768x309.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-960x387.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-240x97.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-375x151.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/05/Coats_profile-520x209.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 996px) 100vw, 996px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The intelligence director is responsible for coordinating the intelligence gathering and analysis of the country’s 16 civilian and military spy agencies, including the CIA, NSA and FBI. Created in 2004, partly in in reaction to criticism that the nation’s spy agencies had failed to detect and prevent the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the post is intended to be the president's primary interpreter on national intelligence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Confirmed with broad bipartisan support, Coats served as a two-time Republican Senator from Indiana, where he was a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to the Cabinet\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "California Versus Trump: Get Ready to Rumble (with Lesson Plan)",
"title": "California Versus Trump: Get Ready to Rumble (with Lesson Plan)",
"headTitle": "The Lowdown | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\"> \n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>When the President of the United States is friendlier with Russia than he is with the State of California, you know we're in uncharted territory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>President Trump and the Golden State have made their mutual distaste for each other abundantly clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, California voters resoundingly rejected Trump; Hillary Clinton won the state by more than 4 million votes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Trump-vs.-California-lesson-plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lesson Plan: California in the Age of Trump (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Next Tuesday (2/21/17): History of U.S. refugee policy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A solid majority of California political leaders and residents have since vowed to resist key parts of the administration's mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The morning after the election, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) \u003ca href=\"http://sd24.senate.ca.gov/news/2016-11-09-joint-statement-california-legislative-leaders-result-presidential-election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">issued a joint statement \u003c/a>expressing as much:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land, because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California ... By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in an impassioned State of the State address on Jan. 24, Gov. Jerry Brown \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/01/24/live-brown-delivers-california-state-of-the-state-address/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> pledged war\u003c/a> against the Trump administration's policies, citing the state's leadership on key issues like climate change, women's rights and immigration. \"California is not turning back, not now, not ever,\" he declared.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, in turn, \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-trump-bill-to-make-california-a-1486330796-htmlstory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recently said\u003c/a> that \"California in many ways is out of control\" (although he didn't specify why). He's repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funds -- his \"weapon\" of choice --if the state or its cities defy his policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rift is hardly surprising. California, where more than one in 10 Americans call home, has long been a Democratic stronghold. The party gained a supermajority in the state Legislature this November. With a Democratic governor at the helm, that makes the state one of only six Democratic \"trifectas\" in the country. And that puts it in a reasonably strong position to resist some of Trump's mandates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_25738\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-25738 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png\" alt=\"Cal_Overview\" width=\"1437\" height=\"704\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png 1437w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-160x78.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-800x392.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-768x376.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-1020x500.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-1180x578.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-960x470.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-240x118.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-375x184.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-520x255.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1437px) 100vw, 1437px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California Secretary of State \u003ccite>(\u003ca href=\"http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/general-election-november-8-2016/statement-vote/\" target=\"_blank\">Source: California Secretary of State\u003c/a>)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The economic cost of resistance, though, could be steep (although it's entirely unclear if Trump will follow through on his threat to defund the state, and if doing so is even legal).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California relies on federal funding to help support a wide range of programs, including health care, education and infrastructure. Over a third of the current \u003ca href=\"http://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/federal-funds-comprise-one-third-californias-state-budget-supporting-broad-range-public-services-systems/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> state budget\u003c/a> -- close to $96 billion -- comes from Washington, according to to the California Budget and Policy Center. State residents also receive over $200 billion each year in federal benefits like Medicare (health care for the elderly) and Social Security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Funding.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Funding.png\" alt=\"Cal_Funding\" width=\"1437\" height=\"324\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California Budget and Policy Center; California Department of Finance\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the same time though, California is actually less dependent on federal funding than most other states. It has the \u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-economy-idUSKCN0Z32K2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sixth largest economy\u003c/a> in the world, generating more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/15databk.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$400 billion\u003c/a> in tax revenue in 2015 alone. It's among only a handful of states that \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/02/06/california-and-president-trump-are-going-to-war-with-each-other/?utm_term=.88f12eccea0e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gives the federal government \u003c/a>more money than it takes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>How can California fight back?\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>Yes, there is an effort underway to get\u003ca href=\"http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/initiative-and-referendum-status/initiatives-referenda-cleared-circulation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> a measure \u003c/a>on the 2018 state ballot for California to flat-out secede from United States (a prospect that one-third of the state's residents say they'd be in favor of, according to \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article128316519.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one recent poll\u003c/a>). But the likelihood of a \"Calexit\" is, well, pretty much nonexistent. Sorry guys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, the state's most realistic line of defense is to sue the Trump administration. California's new attorney general, Xavier Becerra, is an outspoken critic of Trump's policies, and appears ready and willing to take the administration to court, if need be. He'll also have the support of Eric Holder, the former U.S. attorney general under President Obama, who the state Legislature \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-legislature-eric-holder-donald-trump-20170104-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recently hired\u003c/a> to provide legal muscle in the expected court battles to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A state can challenge the federal government in court if it finds laws or actions unconstitutional or an overreach of power. The Republican-controlled state of Texas (which has also intermittently flirted with the idea of secession),\u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/17/texas-federal-government-lawsuits/%20target=\"> sued\u003c/a> the Obama administration at least 48 times (and won seven lawsuits) on issues like immigration, the environment and a host of social issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hinting that California was \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article129921589.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> gearing up \u003c/a> to challenge Trump's controversial actions on immigration, Becerra recently said: \"I'm not interested in the president of the United States sucker punching the people of California. That's how I feel, so that's how I'll act.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below is an overview of four major areas -- immigration, health care, economy/trade, energy/environment -- where Democratic lawmakers and citizens are focusing their efforts against the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>IMMIGRATION\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/immigration_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/immigration_CAL.png\" alt=\"immigration_CAL\" width=\"1000\" height=\"919\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Public Policy Institute of California, Pew Research Center; Migration Policy Institute\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump made \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/immigration/?/positions/immigration-reform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> tough immigration policy \u003c/a> one of the cornerstones of his presidential campaign. As the Republican nominee, he promised to crack down on illegal immigration, accusing undocumented immigrants of stealing jobs from U.S. citizens, straining public resources and jeopardizing national security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although as president, Trump has softened his \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-elect-trump-says-how-many-immigrants-hell-deport/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> hard-line pledge\u003c/a> to deport all of the 11.3 million estimated undocumented immigrants living in the United States, he's quickly tried to follow through on various other hard-line campaign promises. Within his first week in office, he signed an order to begin construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, defund sanctuary cities, beef up immigration enforcement and expand the criteria of undocumented immigrants to be targeted for deportation. In his second week, he issued another even more incendiary order temporarily banning travelers from seven terror-prone countries and suspending the U.S. refugee program (key parts of this order were halted by a federal court in early February).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although state governments generally have little control over federal immigration policy and enforcement, Democratic lawmakers in California are promising to provide a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/22/politics/california-immigration-donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> strong line of defense \u003c/a> for undocumented state residents facing deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proposed state bills focus on providing funding for free legal assistance and training for lawyers to better defend undocumented immigrants. Currently, less than 40 percent of immigrants facing deportation have \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/access_to_counsel_in_immigration_court.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> legal counsel, \u003c/a>according to the left-leaning American Immigration Council.\u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/access_to_counsel_in_immigration_court.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> \u003c/a> Another proposed state bill would establish \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-senate-leader-proposes-safe-zones-at-1481144070-htmlstory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> \"safe zones\" \u003c/a> prohibiting immigration enforcement in public spaces such as schools and hospitals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also at stake is federal funding for so-called \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2015/07/10/explainer-what-are-sanctuary-cities/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sanctuary cities\u003c/a> that don't fully comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Major cities with sanctuary policies include San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland -- in addition, California passed a \u003ca href=\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_4_bill_20130916_enrolled.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> statewide bill\u003c/a> in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the face of Trump's threat to defund these jurisdictions, most of California's sanctuary cities have reaffirmed their commitment to such policies. San Francisco became the first city to sue the administration, charging that denying funding over policy disagreements is a violation of the 10th Amendment. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/Statement-of-Principles-in-Support-of-Undocumented-Members-of-UC.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> University of California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.laweekly.com/news/california-university-leader-promises-safe-campuses-for-undocumented-students-7618087\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> California State University\u003c/a> have also issued statements pledging not to cooperate with federal enforcement authorities and to continue admitting eligible students regardless of immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>HEALTH CARE\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/healthcare_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/healthcare_CAL.png\" alt=\"healthcare_CAL\" width=\"1437\" height=\"720\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Health Care Foundation\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- popularly known as Obamacare -- was signed into law in 2010 and survived two major Supreme Court challenges, it's still among the most hotly contested partisan issues in American politics. Since it went into effect in 2014, an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2016/03/03/20-million-people-have-gained-health-insurance-coverage-because-affordable-care-act-new-estimates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 million \u003c/a> more Americans now have some form of health coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like much of the Republican establishment, Trump is strongly \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> opposed to the ACA\u003c/a> and has pledged to \"repeal and replace\" it. \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/tom-price-save-republicans-obamacare-mess/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tom Price\u003c/a>, Trump's recently confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary, calls the law \"stifling and oppressive.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although House Republicans have already voted to take the first steps toward repeal and Trump has already signed an executive order (largely symbolic) to limit \"burdens of the Affordable Care Act,\" a replacement plan is still unclear. Proposals include restoring \"free market principles\" by allowing people to deduct health insurance payments from their tax returns, changing federal aid to \"block grants,\" and removing barriers to entry for legal drug providers to lower prescription costs. Trump has also argued that deporting undocumented immigrants would \"relieve health care cost pressure on state and local governments.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will be difficult to completely repeal the law; it would require 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, including the support of at least eight Democrats. More likely, the law will be picked apart piece by piece. Certain portions, such as allowing children to stay on their parents' policies until the age of 26 and requiring insurance companies to offer plans to those with existing conditions, have broad public support and are less likely to be slashed from the ACA. However, the Republican-controlled Congress will most likely reduce federal funding for state exchanges (such as Covered California) and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California), a program for the poor and elderly, which provides health insurance for nearly one in three statewide, including undocumented immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most Californians are covered under their employer-sponsored health care programs. However, nearly 5 million are newly covered under the ACA. Since the law went into effect in 2014, California has signed up more people for the program than any other state in the nation. At stake is $20.5 billion in federal funding -- $15.5 billion for Medi-Cal and $5 billion in Covered California subsidies. Drastic reductions in federal funding would almost certainly deal a huge blow to the level of coverage and number of insured Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Individuals who currently buy insurance through Covered California are already seeing a \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/19/486613011/covered-californias-health-plan-rates-to-jump-sharply-in-2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> spike\u003c/a> in monthly premiums -- just over \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2016/07/18/why-obamacare-covered-california-premiums-going-up/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> 13 percent on average\u003c/a> -- due to expiring federal funding programs and rising medical costs. The impact of these increases on enrollment numbers is still unclear. However, the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, predicts that 7.5 million Californians will be uninsured by 2021 if the ACA is repealed -- nearly double the number than if the law remains in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California's 2017 enrollment numbers will be released in March, but nationally an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/02/10/us/politics/ap-us-health-overhaul-sign-ups.html\">12.2 million\u003c/a> have signed up so far this year despite threats to discontinue the ACA. A clear majority of those enrolled - nearly 64 percent - live in states that Trump won.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the outlook is not rosy, Democratic lawmakers say they will examine \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/ask-emily/article114059303.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> state budgeting tools\u003c/a> to fill federal funding gaps, and that they are committed to keeping health care affordable for all Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>ECONOMY/TRADE\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_25799\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-25799\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png\" alt=\"Source: World Bank; California Employment Development Department\" width=\"1000\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-160x80.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-800x401.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-768x385.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-960x481.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-240x120.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-375x188.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-520x261.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: World Bank; California Employment Development Department\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The national economy is officially rebounding from the depths of the 2008 recession, and employment rates continue to rise. However, with the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs, wages have remained stagnant for millions of Americans, a factor that's contributed to a shrinking middle class and growing gap between rich and poor. Wealth inequality in the U.S. is now at near record highs, with about 90 percent of wealth owned by the top 0.1 percent of families, according to recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/13/us-wealth-inequality-top-01-worth-as-much-as-the-bottom-90\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> economic research\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to public pressure, a number of states have recently raised their minimum wages, even as the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's \"America First\" \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> economic plan\u003c/a> includes ways to simplify the tax code, increase trade enforcement with Mexico and China and strike down federal agency regulations, which he describes as \"the anchor dragging us down.\" The president has consistently appealed to \u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> big business\u003c/a>, pledging to slash the top tax rate on corporations by more than half\u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Republican presidential primary, Trump advocated \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/08/03/a-guide-to-all-of-donald-trumps-flip-flops-on-the-minimum-wage/?utm_term=.03fd239f9e53\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> strongly against\u003c/a> raising the federal minimum wage, but has since shifted his position. More recently, he suggested it should be \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/politics/donald-trump-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> increased\u003c/a> to \"at least $10,\" but thinks it's an issue best left to the states, not the federal government, to decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a candidate, Trump railed against international trade deals, which he claimed has hurt U.S. workers and sent more jobs overseas. So far, President Trump seem to be sticking to his campaign pledges to withdraw from or renegotiate these agreements. During his first week in office, he signed an executive order formally withdrawing from the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/07/29/the-trans-pacific-partnership-explained/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Trans-Pacific Partnership\u003c/a>, a trade deal orchestrated by President Obama that would have lowered tariffs on imports and exports among the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. He also promised to renegotiate the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians are paying \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-risk-california-economy-20161206-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> close attention\u003c/a> to the president's proposals to redraw trade agreements. The state economy is heavily tied to markets in Asia and Central America, and more than 40 percent of all U.S. imports come through California's ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some economists have predicted that trade agreements that boost U.S. exports, as the TPP proposes to do, could lead to significant job creation in wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing sectors. However, policies that increase taxes on goods made abroad -- particularly those in China and Mexico -- could potentially hurt many California businesses involved in logistics and trade. Trump has threatened a 35 percent tax on cars and parts from Mexico and a 45 percent tariff on Chinese products. (His spokesperson also recently suggested a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports in order to fund the border wall).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president's tough immigration policies may also have unintended consequences for the agriculture industry, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-anderson-forecast-new-economy-under-new-administration-trumponomics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> UCLA report\u003c/a>. About half of all agriculture workers in the state are undocumented immigrants. Deporting a portion of the workforce would likely increase the cost of fruits and vegetables nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite inaction at the federal level, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2017/01/04/raising-the-minimum-wage-how-millions-of-workers-started-2017-with-a-bigger-paycheck-with-lesson-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California's minimum wage\u003c/a> was raised to $10.50 in 2017 and is slated to reach $15 by 2022. The federal minimum wage is likely to remain at or close to its current level under the Trump administration, which some argue puts businesses in California at a competitive disadvantage. However, state leaders maintain they are committed to providing living wages to all Californians. In fact, some cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, have passed laws to raise the minimum wage to $15, ahead of the state's schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/environment_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/environment_CAL.png\" alt=\"environment_CAL\" width=\"1000\" height=\"501\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California EPA Air Resources Board & California Energy Commission\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>President Obama was unable to push through any domestic climate change legislation during his presidency, but his administration continued to try to make the United States a global leader in curbing carbon emissions -- even as it remains one of the world's largest carbon emitters. At the 2015 United Nations climate change conference in Paris, the Obama administration pledged a 32 percent reduction in the nation's carbon emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writing in the journal \u003cem>Science\u003c/em> ahead of his final week in office, Obama urged the incoming administration not to walk away from the Paris agreement: \"Were the United States to step away from Paris, it would lose its seat at the table to hold other countries to their commitments, demand transparency, and encourage ambition,\" \u003ca href=\"http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2017/01/06/science.aam6284.full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> he wrote\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Globally, 2016 was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-noaa-data-show-2016-warmest-year-on-record-globally\">hottest year\u003c/a> on record, the third year in a row of record-setting global average surface temperatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite broad scientific consensus, Trump has \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/03/hillary-clinton/yes-donald-trump-did-call-climate-change-chinese-h/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> disputed\u003c/a> the notion that climate change is caused by human activity. He has called global warming a \"hoax\" and a \"pseudoscience\" invented by America's global competitors to stifle U.S. economic growth. As spelled out in his \"America First Energy Plan,\" \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-energy-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> he plans\u003c/a> to renegotiate Obama's carbon reduction strategy, revive coal mining and other carbon-intensive industries and withdraw from the Paris agreement. As of the Trump administration's first day in office, any mention of climate change has been removed from the White House website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president's nomination of \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/08/pruitt-trumps-epa-pick-has-both-sides-of-climate-divide-girding-for-a-major-fight/?utm_term=.581ff7d7a795\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Scott Pruitt\u003c/a> for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a well-known climate change denier and state attorney general with a history of lawsuits against the EPA, has environmental activists preparing for battle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's recently confirmed Secretary of State \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/10/who-is-rex-tillerson-the-exxonmobil-chairman-who-may-become-secretary-of-state/?utm_term=.3e274e1811e1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rex Tillerson\u003c/a>, has also given environmentalists serious cause for concern. He is, after all, the former chief executive of ExxonMobile, the largest oil and gas company in the world that's not exactly known for its pristine environmental record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, under Tillerson's leadership, the company publicly embraced the scientific consensus that climate change is linked to human activity, proposed some solutions to address the problem and issued a statement in support of the Paris agreement. And during Tillerson's January confirmation hearing, he acknowledged the validity of climate science and said he supported sticking with the Paris agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Gov. Jerry Brown has emerged as a national and global figure in the fight to combat climate change. In response to rumors that President Trump's administration may eliminate funding for earth-science programs, including NASA satellites that provide important data for climate change research, Brown \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/ca-gov-jerry-brown-california-could-launch-its-own-damn-satellite-2016-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> recently proclaimed\u003c/a>, \"If Trump turns off the satellites, California will launch its own damn satellite.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has extensive programs that aim to reduce carbon emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels and increase \u003ca href=\"http://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/tracking_progress/documents/renewable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> renewable energy use\u003c/a> to 50 percent of total generation by 2030. California's environmental regulations have historically exceeded national standards and set the benchmarks for federal policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the U.S. \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/12/12/if-trump-wont-can-california-sign-the-international-climate-treaty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> backs out\u003c/a> of the Paris agreement, as President Trump has promised to do, California lawmakers would not be able to sign the agreement as a separate entity. The state would likely be challenged in court if it attempted to circumvent national foreign policy. However, Brown has signed the state on to its own climate movement, \u003ca href=\"http://under2mou.org/background/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Under2 MOU\u003c/a>, an international pact to slash carbon emissions with even more ambitious emission reduction goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaders of the state's environmental groups and the scientific community are \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/26/us/california-climate-change-jerry-brown-donald-trump.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> more concerned\u003c/a> the Trump administration may reduce funds for important research facilities, and cut federal regulations on emissions and vehicle fuel standards. Some business groups are worried that removing federal environmental protections may put California at a competitive disadvantage if other states choose to opt out of climate change policies or environmental regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, California's political leaders remain optimistic and committed to leading the national and global campaigns to stop climate change. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/ca-gov-jerry-brown-california-could-launch-its-own-damn-satellite-2016-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Gov. Brown\u003c/a>, \"We've got the scientists, we've got the lawyers, and we're ready to fight.\"\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\"> \n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>When the President of the United States is friendlier with Russia than he is with the State of California, you know we're in uncharted territory.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>President Trump and the Golden State have made their mutual distaste for each other abundantly clear.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, California voters resoundingly rejected Trump; Hillary Clinton won the state by more than 4 million votes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: x-large\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, writing/discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan collection \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Trump-vs.-California-lesson-plan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lesson Plan: California in the Age of Trump (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Next Tuesday (2/21/17): History of U.S. refugee policy\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A solid majority of California political leaders and residents have since vowed to resist key parts of the administration's mandate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The morning after the election, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) and state Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) \u003ca href=\"http://sd24.senate.ca.gov/news/2016-11-09-joint-statement-california-legislative-leaders-result-presidential-election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">issued a joint statement \u003c/a>expressing as much:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Today, we woke up feeling like strangers in a foreign land, because yesterday Americans expressed their views on a pluralistic and democratic society that are clearly inconsistent with the values of the people of California ... By a margin in the millions, Californians overwhelmingly rejected politics fueled by resentment, bigotry, and misogyny.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in an impassioned State of the State address on Jan. 24, Gov. Jerry Brown \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/01/24/live-brown-delivers-california-state-of-the-state-address/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> pledged war\u003c/a> against the Trump administration's policies, citing the state's leadership on key issues like climate change, women's rights and immigration. \"California is not turning back, not now, not ever,\" he declared.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump, in turn, \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-trump-bill-to-make-california-a-1486330796-htmlstory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recently said\u003c/a> that \"California in many ways is out of control\" (although he didn't specify why). He's repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funds -- his \"weapon\" of choice --if the state or its cities defy his policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rift is hardly surprising. California, where more than one in 10 Americans call home, has long been a Democratic stronghold. The party gained a supermajority in the state Legislature this November. With a Democratic governor at the helm, that makes the state one of only six Democratic \"trifectas\" in the country. And that puts it in a reasonably strong position to resist some of Trump's mandates.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_25738\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-25738 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png\" alt=\"Cal_Overview\" width=\"1437\" height=\"704\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview.png 1437w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-160x78.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-800x392.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-768x376.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-1020x500.png 1020w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-1180x578.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-960x470.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-240x118.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-375x184.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Overview-520x255.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1437px) 100vw, 1437px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California Secretary of State \u003ccite>(\u003ca href=\"http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/prior-elections/statewide-election-results/general-election-november-8-2016/statement-vote/\" target=\"_blank\">Source: California Secretary of State\u003c/a>)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The economic cost of resistance, though, could be steep (although it's entirely unclear if Trump will follow through on his threat to defund the state, and if doing so is even legal).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California relies on federal funding to help support a wide range of programs, including health care, education and infrastructure. Over a third of the current \u003ca href=\"http://calbudgetcenter.org/resources/federal-funds-comprise-one-third-californias-state-budget-supporting-broad-range-public-services-systems/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> state budget\u003c/a> -- close to $96 billion -- comes from Washington, according to to the California Budget and Policy Center. State residents also receive over $200 billion each year in federal benefits like Medicare (health care for the elderly) and Social Security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Funding.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/Cal_Funding.png\" alt=\"Cal_Funding\" width=\"1437\" height=\"324\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California Budget and Policy Center; California Department of Finance\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At the same time though, California is actually less dependent on federal funding than most other states. It has the \u003ca href=\"http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-economy-idUSKCN0Z32K2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sixth largest economy\u003c/a> in the world, generating more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/15databk.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$400 billion\u003c/a> in tax revenue in 2015 alone. It's among only a handful of states that \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/02/06/california-and-president-trump-are-going-to-war-with-each-other/?utm_term=.88f12eccea0e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gives the federal government \u003c/a>more money than it takes.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>How can California fight back?\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>Yes, there is an effort underway to get\u003ca href=\"http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/initiative-and-referendum-status/initiatives-referenda-cleared-circulation/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> a measure \u003c/a>on the 2018 state ballot for California to flat-out secede from United States (a prospect that one-third of the state's residents say they'd be in favor of, according to \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article128316519.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one recent poll\u003c/a>). But the likelihood of a \"Calexit\" is, well, pretty much nonexistent. Sorry guys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That said, the state's most realistic line of defense is to sue the Trump administration. California's new attorney general, Xavier Becerra, is an outspoken critic of Trump's policies, and appears ready and willing to take the administration to court, if need be. He'll also have the support of Eric Holder, the former U.S. attorney general under President Obama, who the state Legislature \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-legislature-eric-holder-donald-trump-20170104-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recently hired\u003c/a> to provide legal muscle in the expected court battles to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A state can challenge the federal government in court if it finds laws or actions unconstitutional or an overreach of power. The Republican-controlled state of Texas (which has also intermittently flirted with the idea of secession),\u003ca href=\"https://www.texastribune.org/2017/01/17/texas-federal-government-lawsuits/%20target=\"> sued\u003c/a> the Obama administration at least 48 times (and won seven lawsuits) on issues like immigration, the environment and a host of social issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hinting that California was \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article129921589.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> gearing up \u003c/a> to challenge Trump's controversial actions on immigration, Becerra recently said: \"I'm not interested in the president of the United States sucker punching the people of California. That's how I feel, so that's how I'll act.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below is an overview of four major areas -- immigration, health care, economy/trade, energy/environment -- where Democratic lawmakers and citizens are focusing their efforts against the Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>IMMIGRATION\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/immigration_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/immigration_CAL.png\" alt=\"immigration_CAL\" width=\"1000\" height=\"919\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Public Policy Institute of California, Pew Research Center; Migration Policy Institute\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump made \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/immigration/?/positions/immigration-reform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> tough immigration policy \u003c/a> one of the cornerstones of his presidential campaign. As the Republican nominee, he promised to crack down on illegal immigration, accusing undocumented immigrants of stealing jobs from U.S. citizens, straining public resources and jeopardizing national security.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although as president, Trump has softened his \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-elect-trump-says-how-many-immigrants-hell-deport/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> hard-line pledge\u003c/a> to deport all of the 11.3 million estimated undocumented immigrants living in the United States, he's quickly tried to follow through on various other hard-line campaign promises. Within his first week in office, he signed an order to begin construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, defund sanctuary cities, beef up immigration enforcement and expand the criteria of undocumented immigrants to be targeted for deportation. In his second week, he issued another even more incendiary order temporarily banning travelers from seven terror-prone countries and suspending the U.S. refugee program (key parts of this order were halted by a federal court in early February).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although state governments generally have little control over federal immigration policy and enforcement, Democratic lawmakers in California are promising to provide a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/22/politics/california-immigration-donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> strong line of defense \u003c/a> for undocumented state residents facing deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proposed state bills focus on providing funding for free legal assistance and training for lawyers to better defend undocumented immigrants. Currently, less than 40 percent of immigrants facing deportation have \u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/access_to_counsel_in_immigration_court.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> legal counsel, \u003c/a>according to the left-leaning American Immigration Council.\u003ca href=\"https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/sites/default/files/research/access_to_counsel_in_immigration_court.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> \u003c/a> Another proposed state bill would establish \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-senate-leader-proposes-safe-zones-at-1481144070-htmlstory.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> \"safe zones\" \u003c/a> prohibiting immigration enforcement in public spaces such as schools and hospitals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also at stake is federal funding for so-called \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2015/07/10/explainer-what-are-sanctuary-cities/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sanctuary cities\u003c/a> that don't fully comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Major cities with sanctuary policies include San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland -- in addition, California passed a \u003ca href=\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_4_bill_20130916_enrolled.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> statewide bill\u003c/a> in 2013.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the face of Trump's threat to defund these jurisdictions, most of California's sanctuary cities have reaffirmed their commitment to such policies. San Francisco became the first city to sue the administration, charging that denying funding over policy disagreements is a violation of the 10th Amendment. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/Statement-of-Principles-in-Support-of-Undocumented-Members-of-UC.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> University of California\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.laweekly.com/news/california-university-leader-promises-safe-campuses-for-undocumented-students-7618087\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> California State University\u003c/a> have also issued statements pledging not to cooperate with federal enforcement authorities and to continue admitting eligible students regardless of immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>HEALTH CARE\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1437px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/healthcare_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/healthcare_CAL.png\" alt=\"healthcare_CAL\" width=\"1437\" height=\"720\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">California Health Care Foundation\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- popularly known as Obamacare -- was signed into law in 2010 and survived two major Supreme Court challenges, it's still among the most hotly contested partisan issues in American politics. Since it went into effect in 2014, an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2016/03/03/20-million-people-have-gained-health-insurance-coverage-because-affordable-care-act-new-estimates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 million \u003c/a> more Americans now have some form of health coverage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like much of the Republican establishment, Trump is strongly \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> opposed to the ACA\u003c/a> and has pledged to \"repeal and replace\" it. \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/tom-price-save-republicans-obamacare-mess/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tom Price\u003c/a>, Trump's recently confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary, calls the law \"stifling and oppressive.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although House Republicans have already voted to take the first steps toward repeal and Trump has already signed an executive order (largely symbolic) to limit \"burdens of the Affordable Care Act,\" a replacement plan is still unclear. Proposals include restoring \"free market principles\" by allowing people to deduct health insurance payments from their tax returns, changing federal aid to \"block grants,\" and removing barriers to entry for legal drug providers to lower prescription costs. Trump has also argued that deporting undocumented immigrants would \"relieve health care cost pressure on state and local governments.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will be difficult to completely repeal the law; it would require 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, including the support of at least eight Democrats. More likely, the law will be picked apart piece by piece. Certain portions, such as allowing children to stay on their parents' policies until the age of 26 and requiring insurance companies to offer plans to those with existing conditions, have broad public support and are less likely to be slashed from the ACA. However, the Republican-controlled Congress will most likely reduce federal funding for state exchanges (such as Covered California) and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California), a program for the poor and elderly, which provides health insurance for nearly one in three statewide, including undocumented immigrants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most Californians are covered under their employer-sponsored health care programs. However, nearly 5 million are newly covered under the ACA. Since the law went into effect in 2014, California has signed up more people for the program than any other state in the nation. At stake is $20.5 billion in federal funding -- $15.5 billion for Medi-Cal and $5 billion in Covered California subsidies. Drastic reductions in federal funding would almost certainly deal a huge blow to the level of coverage and number of insured Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Individuals who currently buy insurance through Covered California are already seeing a \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/19/486613011/covered-californias-health-plan-rates-to-jump-sharply-in-2017\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> spike\u003c/a> in monthly premiums -- just over \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2016/07/18/why-obamacare-covered-california-premiums-going-up/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> 13 percent on average\u003c/a> -- due to expiring federal funding programs and rising medical costs. The impact of these increases on enrollment numbers is still unclear. However, the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, predicts that 7.5 million Californians will be uninsured by 2021 if the ACA is repealed -- nearly double the number than if the law remains in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California's 2017 enrollment numbers will be released in March, but nationally an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/02/10/us/politics/ap-us-health-overhaul-sign-ups.html\">12.2 million\u003c/a> have signed up so far this year despite threats to discontinue the ACA. A clear majority of those enrolled - nearly 64 percent - live in states that Trump won.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the outlook is not rosy, Democratic lawmakers say they will examine \u003ca href=\"http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/ask-emily/article114059303.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> state budgeting tools\u003c/a> to fill federal funding gaps, and that they are committed to keeping health care affordable for all Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>ECONOMY/TRADE\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_25799\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-25799\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png\" alt=\"Source: World Bank; California Employment Development Department\" width=\"1000\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit.png 1000w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-160x80.png 160w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-800x401.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-768x385.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-960x481.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-240x120.png 240w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-375x188.png 375w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/economy_edit-520x261.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: World Bank; California Employment Development Department\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The national economy is officially rebounding from the depths of the 2008 recession, and employment rates continue to rise. However, with the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs, wages have remained stagnant for millions of Americans, a factor that's contributed to a shrinking middle class and growing gap between rich and poor. Wealth inequality in the U.S. is now at near record highs, with about 90 percent of wealth owned by the top 0.1 percent of families, according to recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/13/us-wealth-inequality-top-01-worth-as-much-as-the-bottom-90\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> economic research\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to public pressure, a number of states have recently raised their minimum wages, even as the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's \"America First\" \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> economic plan\u003c/a> includes ways to simplify the tax code, increase trade enforcement with Mexico and China and strike down federal agency regulations, which he describes as \"the anchor dragging us down.\" The president has consistently appealed to \u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> big business\u003c/a>, pledging to slash the top tax rate on corporations by more than half\u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the Republican presidential primary, Trump advocated \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/08/03/a-guide-to-all-of-donald-trumps-flip-flops-on-the-minimum-wage/?utm_term=.03fd239f9e53\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> strongly against\u003c/a> raising the federal minimum wage, but has since shifted his position. More recently, he suggested it should be \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/politics/donald-trump-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> increased\u003c/a> to \"at least $10,\" but thinks it's an issue best left to the states, not the federal government, to decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a candidate, Trump railed against international trade deals, which he claimed has hurt U.S. workers and sent more jobs overseas. So far, President Trump seem to be sticking to his campaign pledges to withdraw from or renegotiate these agreements. During his first week in office, he signed an executive order formally withdrawing from the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/07/29/the-trans-pacific-partnership-explained/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Trans-Pacific Partnership\u003c/a>, a trade deal orchestrated by President Obama that would have lowered tariffs on imports and exports among the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. He also promised to renegotiate the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Californians are paying \u003ca href=\"http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-risk-california-economy-20161206-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> close attention\u003c/a> to the president's proposals to redraw trade agreements. The state economy is heavily tied to markets in Asia and Central America, and more than 40 percent of all U.S. imports come through California's ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some economists have predicted that trade agreements that boost U.S. exports, as the TPP proposes to do, could lead to significant job creation in wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing sectors. However, policies that increase taxes on goods made abroad -- particularly those in China and Mexico -- could potentially hurt many California businesses involved in logistics and trade. Trump has threatened a 35 percent tax on cars and parts from Mexico and a 45 percent tariff on Chinese products. (His spokesperson also recently suggested a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports in order to fund the border wall).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president's tough immigration policies may also have unintended consequences for the agriculture industry, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-anderson-forecast-new-economy-under-new-administration-trumponomics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> UCLA report\u003c/a>. About half of all agriculture workers in the state are undocumented immigrants. Deporting a portion of the workforce would likely increase the cost of fruits and vegetables nationwide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite inaction at the federal level, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2017/01/04/raising-the-minimum-wage-how-millions-of-workers-started-2017-with-a-bigger-paycheck-with-lesson-plan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California's minimum wage\u003c/a> was raised to $10.50 in 2017 and is slated to reach $15 by 2022. The federal minimum wage is likely to remain at or close to its current level under the Trump administration, which some argue puts businesses in California at a competitive disadvantage. However, state leaders maintain they are committed to providing living wages to all Californians. In fact, some cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, have passed laws to raise the minimum wage to $15, ahead of the state's schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT\u003c/h4>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/environment_CAL.png\">\u003cimg src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2017/02/environment_CAL.png\" alt=\"environment_CAL\" width=\"1000\" height=\"501\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: California EPA Air Resources Board & California Energy Commission\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>President Obama was unable to push through any domestic climate change legislation during his presidency, but his administration continued to try to make the United States a global leader in curbing carbon emissions -- even as it remains one of the world's largest carbon emitters. At the 2015 United Nations climate change conference in Paris, the Obama administration pledged a 32 percent reduction in the nation's carbon emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writing in the journal \u003cem>Science\u003c/em> ahead of his final week in office, Obama urged the incoming administration not to walk away from the Paris agreement: \"Were the United States to step away from Paris, it would lose its seat at the table to hold other countries to their commitments, demand transparency, and encourage ambition,\" \u003ca href=\"http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2017/01/06/science.aam6284.full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> he wrote\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Globally, 2016 was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-noaa-data-show-2016-warmest-year-on-record-globally\">hottest year\u003c/a> on record, the third year in a row of record-setting global average surface temperatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What Trump proposes\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite broad scientific consensus, Trump has \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/03/hillary-clinton/yes-donald-trump-did-call-climate-change-chinese-h/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> disputed\u003c/a> the notion that climate change is caused by human activity. He has called global warming a \"hoax\" and a \"pseudoscience\" invented by America's global competitors to stifle U.S. economic growth. As spelled out in his \"America First Energy Plan,\" \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-energy-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> he plans\u003c/a> to renegotiate Obama's carbon reduction strategy, revive coal mining and other carbon-intensive industries and withdraw from the Paris agreement. As of the Trump administration's first day in office, any mention of climate change has been removed from the White House website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The president's nomination of \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/08/pruitt-trumps-epa-pick-has-both-sides-of-climate-divide-girding-for-a-major-fight/?utm_term=.581ff7d7a795\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Scott Pruitt\u003c/a> for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a well-known climate change denier and state attorney general with a history of lawsuits against the EPA, has environmental activists preparing for battle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump's recently confirmed Secretary of State \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/10/who-is-rex-tillerson-the-exxonmobil-chairman-who-may-become-secretary-of-state/?utm_term=.3e274e1811e1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rex Tillerson\u003c/a>, has also given environmentalists serious cause for concern. He is, after all, the former chief executive of ExxonMobile, the largest oil and gas company in the world that's not exactly known for its pristine environmental record.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, under Tillerson's leadership, the company publicly embraced the scientific consensus that climate change is linked to human activity, proposed some solutions to address the problem and issued a statement in support of the Paris agreement. And during Tillerson's January confirmation hearing, he acknowledged the validity of climate science and said he supported sticking with the Paris agreement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>What California can do\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California Gov. Jerry Brown has emerged as a national and global figure in the fight to combat climate change. In response to rumors that President Trump's administration may eliminate funding for earth-science programs, including NASA satellites that provide important data for climate change research, Brown \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/ca-gov-jerry-brown-california-could-launch-its-own-damn-satellite-2016-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> recently proclaimed\u003c/a>, \"If Trump turns off the satellites, California will launch its own damn satellite.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state has extensive programs that aim to reduce carbon emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels and increase \u003ca href=\"http://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/tracking_progress/documents/renewable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> renewable energy use\u003c/a> to 50 percent of total generation by 2030. California's environmental regulations have historically exceeded national standards and set the benchmarks for federal policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the U.S. \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/science/2016/12/12/if-trump-wont-can-california-sign-the-international-climate-treaty/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> backs out\u003c/a> of the Paris agreement, as President Trump has promised to do, California lawmakers would not be able to sign the agreement as a separate entity. The state would likely be challenged in court if it attempted to circumvent national foreign policy. However, Brown has signed the state on to its own climate movement, \u003ca href=\"http://under2mou.org/background/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Under2 MOU\u003c/a>, an international pact to slash carbon emissions with even more ambitious emission reduction goals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leaders of the state's environmental groups and the scientific community are \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/26/us/california-climate-change-jerry-brown-donald-trump.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> more concerned\u003c/a> the Trump administration may reduce funds for important research facilities, and cut federal regulations on emissions and vehicle fuel standards. Some business groups are worried that removing federal environmental protections may put California at a competitive disadvantage if other states choose to opt out of climate change policies or environmental regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For now, California's political leaders remain optimistic and committed to leading the national and global campaigns to stop climate change. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/ca-gov-jerry-brown-california-could-launch-its-own-damn-satellite-2016-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Gov. Brown\u003c/a>, \"We've got the scientists, we've got the lawyers, and we're ready to fight.\"\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "election-2016-where-clinton-and-trump-stand-on-the-major-issues-interactive",
"title": "The Big Issues of the 2016 Election: Where Trump and Clinton Stand (with Lesson Plan)",
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"content": "\u003chead>\u003cstyle>\na.specialhover:hover \nimg {\n background-color: grey;\n}\n\u003c/style>\n\u003c/head>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003cb>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/b>\u003cbr>\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan library \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\">here\u003c/a>.\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Candidate-nine-issues-lesson-plan.docx_final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">9 Issues Lesson plan (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/political_terminology.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Political terminology infographic\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump share the dubious distinction of being among the \u003ca href=\"http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-distaste-for-both-trump-and-clinton-is-record-breaking/\" target=\"_blank\">least popular\u003c/a> presidential nominees in recent history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They don’t share much else, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2016 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have vastly different worldviews, with often dramatically opposing visions of the kind of nation America should be and the type of government it should have.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click on issues in the grid below to learn more about what’s at stake in this election and the contrasting positions of the two candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"Issues\">\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Big Issues of the 2016 Election\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Climate%20Change\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23328\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environment-e1472253769729.png\" alt=\"environment\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Criminal%20Justice\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23327\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/CriminalJustice-e1472253783578.png\" alt=\"CriminalJustice\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Abortion\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23326\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortion-e1472253798930.png\" alt=\"abortion\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#National%20Defense\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23334\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/nationaldefense-e1472253534205.png\" alt=\"nationaldefense\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Money\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-23333 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/money-e1472253555593.png\" alt=\"money\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Immigration\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23332\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Immigration-e1472253578957.png\" alt=\"Immigration\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Higher%20Education\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23331\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/HigherEducation-e1472253720385.png\" alt=\"Higher Education\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Health%20Care\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23330\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Healthcare-e1472253739159.png\" alt=\"Healthcare\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Gun%20Control\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23329\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/GunControl-e1472253755463.png\" alt=\"GunControl\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Gun Control\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23240\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23240\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow.jpg\" alt=\"Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow.jpg 700w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow-400x171.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Houston_Gun_Show_at_the_George_R._Brown_Convention_Center.jpg\"> Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a> \u003ccite>(Wikipedia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Gun Control\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The number of U.S. gun deaths has fallen considerably since peaking in the mid-1990s. But it still remains far higher than in any other wealthy nation in the world, as does the rate of \u003ca href=\"https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tocta/6.Firearms.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> gun ownership.\u003c/a> And while mass shootings only make up a small percentage of total U.S. gun deaths, they occur with alarming frequency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue resurfaced in June, when a lone gunman wielding a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun singlehandedly killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in American history, reigniting a fierce national debate over gun violence and gun control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the aftermath, Democratic leaders staged a day-long \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/22/483091059/demanding-action-on-gun-control-house-democrats-stage-sit-in\" target=\"_blank\"> sit-in\u003c/a> on the house floor, hoping to push legislation to broaden background checks and prevent people on the government’s “no-fly list” from purchasing firearms. Republican congressional leaders, however, denounced the action, and effectively \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/house-gop-indefinitely-delays-gun-control-votes-225234\" target=\"_blank\"> blocked a vote\u003c/a> on the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the stalemate in congress, there’s strong public support for gun control measures. In a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/20/politics/cnn-gun-poll/\" target=\"_blank\"> CNN poll\u003c/a> 92 percent of respondents said they supported expanded background checks, and 85 percent want the “no-fly” purchasing ban. Nevertheless, the political influence of gun rights groups, like the National Rifle Association, remains huge, effectively squashing most efforts to strengthen gun laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of the December 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, President Obama went around Congress and announced a series of executive actions to marginally expand background checks and crack down on illegal online gun sales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gundata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"345\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2016/images/06/20/cnn_orc_poll_june_20.pdf\"> CNN/ORC poll (survey conducted June, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tocta/6.Firearms.pdf\"> UNODC & Small Arms Survey\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton is pushing for what she calls “common sense” \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/gun-violence-prevention/\" target=\"_blank\">reforms\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\nHer plan includes a ban on assault weapons, stricter background checks for firearm purchases and a crackdown on illegal gun traffickers. At a June campaign event in Chicago, she declared gun control a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160627/south-loop/hillary-clinton-delivers-keynote-at-rainbow-push-convention\" target=\"_blank\">“civil rights issue”\u003c/a> and attacked the gun lobby for preventing legislative action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton has received some push-back from Democrats, including former-rival Bernie Sanders, for her proposal to make gun makers and sellers \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/26/opinions/keane-gun-liability-hillary-clinton/\" target=\"_blank\"> liable\u003c/a> for weapons that end up being used in crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump calls gun bans \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/second-amendment-rights\" target=\"_blank\"> “a total failure.”\u003c/a> He’s opposed to any expansion of background checks and wants concealed carry permits to be allowed all 50 states. He has also pledged to \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/02/politics/donald-trump-obama-guns/\" target=\"_blank\"> “un-sign”\u003c/a> President Obama’s executive actions on gun control and eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. On his website, Trump states that an important way to fight crime is to “empower law-abiding gun owners to defend themselves.” He further claims that America’s failed mental health system, not gun legislation, is the real culprit behind the mass shooting dilemma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After receiving an endorsement from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-nra-clinton-most-anti-gun-candidate-ever-n577711\" target=\"_blank\"> National Rifle Association\u003c/a> (NRA) in May, Trump called Clinton “the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate to ever run for office.” And in early August, at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Trump made a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/09/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-second-amendment/\" target=\"_blank\"> controversial remark\u003c/a> about his opponent that was widely interpreted as inciting violence: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Abortion\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23242\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23242\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood.jpg\" alt=\"Photo Credit: Flickr/Charlotte Cooper\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood.jpg 700w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood-400x171.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/cecooper/5479766813\" target=\"_blank\">Flickr/Charlotte Cooper\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>ABORTION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s been more than 40 years since the Supreme Court’s landmark \u003ci>Roe v. Wade\u003c/i> decision that protects a woman’s right to have an abortion. But Americans still remain deeply divided on the issue, particularly along religious and regional lines. In recent years, various \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-wont-revive-arizonas-strict-abortion-rules/2014/01/13/33feee68-7c60-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html\" target=\"_blank\"> conservative states\u003c/a> in the South and Midwest have enacted laws aimed at restricting access to abortion facilities and services. However, in a \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/supreme-court-texas-abortion.html?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\"> major ruling \u003c/a> in June, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law that placed steep restrictions on abortion providers. Reaching a 5-3 decision, the Court found the state’s laws placed an “undue burden” on women seeking abortions, violating their constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23226\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated.png\" alt=\"Sources: Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abortion Surveillance Reports. *Based on legally induced abortions reported to the CDC.\" width=\"796\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated.png 796w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated-400x164.png 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated-768x315.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/27/5-facts-about-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/abortion.htm\" target=\"_blank\"> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abortion Surveillance Reports.\u003c/a> *Based on legally induced abortions reported to the CDC.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Throughout her career, Clinton has consistently described herself as \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/womens-rights-and-opportunity/\" target=\"_blank\"> “pro-choice.”\u003c/a> She’s fought efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and opposed laws aimed at restricting access to safe, legal abortions. She praised the recent Supreme Court decision on Texas, and has pledged to continue working to protect \u003ci> Roe v Wade\u003c/i>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Democratic debate in March, Clinton said she would consider \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-answer-questions-about-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> some restrictions\u003c/a> on late-term abortions, “so long as there is an exception for the life and health of the mother.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s pick for Vice President, Tim Kaine, says he’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/tim-kaine-abortion-predicament-225053\" target=\"_blank\"> personally opposed\u003c/a> to abortion, but will work to uphold \u003ci> Roe v Wade.\u003c/i> Kaine has been criticized in the past by pro-choice groups for signing \u003ca href=\"http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/press-releases/2009/pr03302009_kaine.html\" target=\"_blank\"> “anti-choice”\u003c/a> bills into law as Governor of Virginia – however, since joining the Senate in 2012, he has consistently voted in line with abortion-rights advocates and the Democratic Party platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Prior to running for office, Trump described himself as, “very pro-choice.” However, as a candidate, he’s shifted his position to one more in line with the Republican Party’s anti-abortion stance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After catching heat for suggesting that women should receive \u003ca href=\"http://www.vox.com/2016/3/30/11333472/trump-abortions-punishment-women\" target=\"_blank\"> “some sort of punishment”\u003c/a> for having an abortion, his campaign back-peddled, saying that Trump believes the person performing the procedure should be held accountable, not the woman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump is pledging to change abortion laws by appointing pro-life judges, particularly to the Supreme Court. He also advocates allowing states to protect the rights of the unborn. He does, however, stray from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/politics/donald-trump-republican-platform-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> Republican platform\u003c/a> in arguing that abortion laws should contain exceptions for rape and incest, when the life of the mother is at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, is a vocal anti-abortion advocate, recently signing into law \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/politics/mike-pence-indiana-disability-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> broad restrictions\u003c/a> for doctors and women who seek abortions in Indiana, which already has restrictive abortion laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Immigration\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/borderwall.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Border_Mexico_USA.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>IMMIGRATION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Immigration policy is one of the most divisive issues in this election. The United States has long been a top destination for foreigners, attracting roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\" target=\"_blank\"> 20 percent\u003c/a> of the world’s immigrant population. The more than 41 million immigrants who live here make up roughly 13 percent of the nation’s total population. About \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/19/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/\" target=\"_blank\"> 11.3 million\u003c/a> of them are undocumented: living here without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although most Americans believe it’s unrealistic to deport every undocumented immigrant, many support some tighter immigration restrictions. Only about a third, though, are in favor of building a U.S.-Mexican border wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A 2016 \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/15/americans-views-of-immigrants-marked-by-widening-partisan-generational-divides/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll\u003c/a> found that 75 percent of Americans say undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements should be allowed to stay in the U.S. legally, and a majority (59 percent) say immigrants strengthen the country through their hard work and talent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/22/us/who-is-affected-by-supreme-court-decision-on-immigration.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> Supreme Court\u003c/a> upheld a lower court’s decision overturning President Obama’s executive actions that would have protected nearly five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The decision leaves federal immigration reform unresolved, an issue the next president will likely address.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/immigrationdata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"345\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/15/americans-views-of-immigrants-marked-by-widening-partisan-generational-divides/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016 )\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\" target=\"_blank\">Migration Policy Institute (based on 1970-2000 decennial Census data)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton supported President Obama’s executive actions to provide deportation relief to eligible undocumented immigrants. She’s vowed to go beyond Obama’s short-term measures and fight for \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/immigration-reform/\" target=\"_blank\"> comprehensive immigration reform\u003c/a> that includes a path to citizenship. She’s also proposed reducing barriers to naturalization for green card holders, closing private immigration detention centers and creating the first national \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/04/hillary-clinton-immigrants-affairs-221873\" target=\"_blank\"> Office of Immigrant Affairs\u003c/a> to coordinate programs across federal agencies, as well as state and local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton also supports a \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/13/donald-trump/donald-trump-says-hillary-clinton-wants-let-500-pe/\" target=\"_blank\"> five-fold increase\u003c/a> — from 10,000 to 65,000 — in the number of Syrian refugees allowed to enter the United States. However, \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/statements/2015/12/15/comprehensive-plan-to-bolster-homeland-security/\" target=\"_blank\"> she maintains\u003c/a> that the U.S. would have to, “be vigilant in screening and vetting refugees from Syria” – a \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/4116619/syrian-refugees-screening-process/\" target=\"_blank\"> multi-step process\u003c/a> that currently takes 18 to 24 months to complete. She’s consistently criticized \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/us/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-speeches.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Trump’s plan\u003c/a> to ban Muslim immigration as discriminatory and counterproductive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/immigration-reform\" target=\"_blank\"> tough immigration policy\u003c/a> one of the cornerstones of his campaign. From the beginning of his campaign, he’s promised to deport all 11.3 million undocumented immigrants, consistently accusing them of stealing jobs from U.S. citizens, straining public resources and jeopardizing national security. A key part of his plan is building a U.S.-Mexico border wall, and making Mexico foot the estimated $10 billion bill. At a press conference announcing his run for president last year, Trump \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/06/16/full-text-donald-trump-announces-a-presidential-bid/#annotations:7472552\" target=\"_blank\"> infamously said\u003c/a>: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best … They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” His plans also include tripling the number of immigration enforcement officers and ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Trump had hinted at the possibility of softening his hard-line stance on removing all undocumented immigrants — and even arranged a surprise meeting in late August with Mexico’s president — the candidate recently outlined a\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/donald-trumps-10-point-immigration-plan/\" target=\"_blank\"> 10-point immigration plan\u003c/a>, reiterating his intention to crack down on illegal immigration, build a wall and even set new historically low caps on legal immigration. Although he shelved his initial pledge to hunt down and deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants, he didn’t say he was taking the idea off the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Criminal Justice\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/prisoncell.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Alcatraz_prison_cell_(pfnatic).JPG\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>CRIMINAL JUSTICE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. About \u003ca href=\"http://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2016.html\" target=\"_blank\">2.3 million\u003c/a> people are currently behind bars, or roughly 716 for every 100,000 people. The huge prison population is the result of decades of harsh sentencing policies and steep penalties for non-violent drug offenses. Because of the system’s astronomical costs and the stark racial disparities of those impacted, prison reform is actually one of the few issues in which Republicans and Democrats have found some common ground. Although strategies differ, both parties agree that it’s necessary to end mass incarceration, and reduce the severity of sentences for low-level, non-violent offenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of recent high-profile police shootings and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, both parties have also been forced to confront issues on policing and race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/prisondata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"359\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/assets/2012/03/30/pew_nationalsurveyresearchpaper_final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Prison Policy Initiative: “Public Opinion on Sentencing & Corrections Policy in America” (March 2012)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total\" target=\"_blank\"> World Prison Brief – Institute for Criminal Policy Research (2013)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has worked hard to try to distance herself from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.salon.com/2016/05/07/its_worse_than_just_the_1994_crime_bill_the_clintons_criminal_justice_and_the_damage_of_90s_crime_politics/\" target=\"_blank\"> criminal justice policies\u003c/a> implemented during her husband’s administration. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/billfs.txt\" target=\"_blank\"> sweeping crime bill\u003c/a> that some blame for the drastic spike in the nation’s prison population. Hillary Clinton has \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/criminal-justice-reform/\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged to reverse\u003c/a> many of those policies, vowing to end mass incarceration and close private prisons. She also plans to reform mandatory minimum sentencing for non-violent offenders and redirect federal enforcement resources away from the War on Drugs and towards combating violent crime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She supports police body cameras and says she would provide federal matching funds to allow state and local police departments to implement emerging technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the primary elections, Clinton met with members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and following a series of high-profile police shootings in early July, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/751133678269587456\" target=\"_blank\">tweeted:\u003c/a> “Alton Sterling Matters. Philando Castile Matters. Black Lives Matter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump hasn’t released any formal positions on criminal justice and has \u003ca href=\"http://www.vox.com/2016/5/25/11737264/donald-trump-criminal-justice-republican-president\" target=\"_blank\"> yet to clearly outline\u003c/a> how he’d specifically address the issue. He’s repeatedly promised to be \u003ca href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-restore-law-order-week-police-involved/story?id=40429817\" target=\"_blank\"> tough on crime\u003c/a> and “restore law and order.” He also claims that \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/trump-police-are-mistreated-misunderstood-617933379521\" target=\"_blank\"> police are often\u003c/a> “mistreated and misunderstood,” and says that the nation’s “racial tensions have gotten worse, not better.” Recently, Trump has noted the level of crime and poverty in many inner-city communities, claiming that unlike Democratic leaders, he would make conditions better. In a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/19/politics/donald-trump-african-american-voters/\" target=\"_blank\">speech in August\u003c/a> he appealed to black voters, asking: “What the hell do you have to lose?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Money\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/bills.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Money_Cash.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>MONEY\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The economy is officially rebounding from the depths of the 2008 recession, and employment rates continue to rise. However, with the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs, wages have remained stagnant for millions of Americans, a factor that’s contributed to a shrinking middle class and growing gap between rich and poor. Wealth inequality in the U.S. is now at near record highs, with about 90 percent of wealth owned by the top .1 percent of families, according to recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/13/us-wealth-inequality-top-01-worth-as-much-as-the-bottom-90\" target=\"_blank\"> economic research\u003c/a>. Such frustrations have become a key focus in this year’s presidential race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to public pressure, a number of states have recently raised their minimum wages, even as the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trade agreements have also emerged as a hot-button issue this election. The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/07/29/the-trans-pacific-partnership-explained/\" target=\"_blank\"> Trans-Pacific Partnership\u003c/a>, a trade deal among the Pacific Rim countries, ruffled feathers at both the Republican and Democratic conventions. The agreement, backed by President Obama, would lower tariffs on imports and exports for the nations involved. However, critics, including some prominent Republicans and Democrats, argue the deal would hurt U.S. workers and send more jobs overseas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/wealthdata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"331\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.gallup.com/poll/182987/americans-continue-say-wealth-distribution-unfair.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Gallup Poll Series (survey conducted April, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage\" target=\"_blank\"> United States Department of Labor (2012)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Since becoming the Democratic nominee, Clinton has adopted some of Bernie Sanders’ more left-leaning positions on income inequality, and made the issue a more \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/12/08/ending-inversions-and-investing-in-america/\" target=\"_blank\"> central part\u003c/a> of her campaign. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2016/06/22/stronger-together-hillary-clintons-plan-for-an-economy-that-works-for-everyone-not-just-those-at-the-top/\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged to\u003c/a> “make the economy work for everyone, not just those at the top” through an ambitious plan that includes job creation, slashing corporate loopholes and raising the minimum wage (although not as high as the $15 per hour target set in the Democratic Party platform).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2016/05/25/hillary-clinton-will-make-the-boldest-investments-in-our-infrastructure-since-eisenhower-built-the-interstate-highway-system-donald-trump-will-build-a-wall/\" target=\"_blank\"> jobs plan\u003c/a>, which calls for “the boldest investment … since Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System,” is mainly focused on the nation’s transportation, technology and energy sectors. To fund her plan, \u003ca href=\"http://finance.yahoo.com/news/conventional-tax-proposals-unconventional-us-082939987.html;_ylt=AwrBT9rgKrtXNcgANFJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNnQ4cHI3BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDVUkyQzNfMQRzZWMDc3I-\" target=\"_blank\"> Clinton proposes\u003c/a> raising taxes on the rich, including a minimum 30 percent tax rate for those making more than $1 million a year, and a 4 percent surcharge for incomes over $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The TPP became a deeply divisive issue leading up to the Democratic National Convention in July. Clinton’s former rival, Bernie Sanders, led a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/09/sanders-loses-on-trade-at-democratic-platform-meeting/\" target=\"_blank\"> failed campaign\u003c/a> to strike support for the TPP from the Democratic Party platform. Clinton supported the trade deal as a senator, but has reversed her stance amid criticism from Sanders supporters and labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump unveiled his \u003ci> “America First” \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\"> economic plan\u003c/a> in early August, in his first comprehensive policy address on the issue. The proposal includes ways to simplify the tax code, increase trade enforcement with China and strike down federal agency regulations – which he describes as “the anchor dragging us down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s initial tax reform plan released last September proposed broad relief for the middle class and \u003ca href=\"http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-says-wealthy-may-see-tax-increase-1462741116\" target=\"_blank\"> closing loophole\u003c/a> for the rich. However, in response to \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/donald-trump-taxes-tax-reform-223041\" target=\"_blank\"> criticism\u003c/a> that the plan would greatly expand the federal deficit, his campaign has released a revised \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/us/politics/donald-trump-economy-speech.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> three-tier tax plan.\u003c/a> More in line with the Republican Party platform, the current proposal would cut top income tax rates from nearly 40 percent to 33 percent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has consistently appealed to \u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\"> big business\u003c/a>, pledging to slash the top tax rate on corporations by more than half. Additionally, he wants to abolish the estate tax (which Republicans derisively call the “Death Tax) and make inheritance money tax-free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the primaries, Trump advocated strongly against raising the federal minimum wage, but has since \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/08/03/a-guide-to-all-of-donald-trumps-flip-flops-on-the-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\"> shifted his position\u003c/a>. More recently, he has suggested it \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/politics/donald-trump-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\"> should be increased\u003c/a> to “at least $10,” but thinks it’s an issue best left to the states, not the federal government, to decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump is also \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/politics/donald-trump-special-interests-rape-our-country/\" target=\"_blank\"> strongly oppose\u003c/a> to the TPP, calling it “another disaster done and pushed by special interests who want to rape our country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"National Defense\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/military.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Helicopter_Extraction-Tal_Afar_Iraq.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"> Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>NATIONAL DEFENSE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In reaction to the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) and recent attacks at home and abroad, global terrorism has reemerged as a major issue in this election. A majority of Americans continue to approve of U.S. military campaigns against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.people-press.org/2016/05/05/4-u-s-military-action-against-isis-policy-toward-terrorism/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll\u003c/a>, although there’s wide disagreement on whether to send more American ground troops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the same poll, however, about 70 percent of respondents said the next president should focus more on domestic policy than foreign policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/militarydata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"326\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.people-press.org/2016/05/05/4-u-s-military-action-against-isis-policy-toward-terrorism/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll (survey conducted April, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/milex\" target=\"_blank\"> Stockholm International Peace Research Institute\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s foreign policy positions are \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/feed/hillary-clinton-has-real-plan-defeat-isis-and-prevent-another-attack-brussels-heres-how/\" target=\"_blank\"> more hawkish\u003c/a> than those of President Obama, who she served under as Secretary of State until 2012. As a presidential candidate, she’s advocated for greater U.S. involvement overseas, and argues that the current administration should have acted more proactively to stop the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Clinton is in favor of increasing pressure against ISIS by intensifying air and ground military campaigns and by launching an “intelligence surge” to discredit terrorist ideologies and thwart online recruitment tactics. As a senator, Clinton backed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and also supported the 2009 troop surge in Afghanistan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In a June \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/us/politics/transcript-trump-foreign-policy.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> campaign speech\u003c/a>, Trump described his foreign policy plan as replacing “chaos with peace,” and has adopted rhetoric that’s much more isolationist than that of his opponent. He argues that America needs to focus on defending its own border rather than borders of others countries, and has consistently claimed that he was strongly opposed to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 (although a \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/22/donald-trump/trump-still-wrong-his-claim-opposed-iraq-war-ahead/\" target=\"_blank\">PolitiFact analysis\u003c/a> of Trump’s previous statements on Iraq contradicts this claim).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-foreign-policy-speech\" target=\"_blank\"> Trump says\u003c/a> that although “war and aggression will not be my first instinct,” the U.S. should continue to invest heavily in the military to protect its status as a world superpower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has repeatedly vowed to “crush ISIS.” However, he’s remained intentionally vague on the specifics, claiming that “we must as a nation be more unpredictable.” At a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/07/12/trump_were_not_closing_gitmo_were_going_to_fill_it_up.html\" target=\"_blank\"> campaign rally\u003c/a>, Trump called for upping attacks against terrorists, sending more of them to U.S. military prisons like Guantanamo and expanding the use of forceful interrogation methods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s been outspoken in his opposition to President Obama‘s defense and foreign policy strategies, arguing that they’ve been far too lenient with known enemies, hurt U.S. relations with allies and made America weaker. “Our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster,” he said in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-foreign-policy-speech\" target=\"_blank\"> April speech\u003c/a>. “No vision, no purpose, no direction, no strategy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Climate Change\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environment.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Sheringham_Shoal_Wind_Farm_2012.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>CLIMATE CHANGE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Obama was unable to push through any domestic climate change legislation during his presidency, but his administration has continued to try and make the United States a global leader in curbing carbon emissions – even as it remains one of the world’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/each-countrys-share-of-co2.html#.VmDMZb8sBoE\" target=\"_blank\"> largest carbon emitter\u003c/a>. At the United Nations climate change conference in Paris last December, the administration pledged a 32 percent reduction in the nation’s carbon emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) – a proposal that faces staunch opposition from Republican leaders in Congress and is also being challenged in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although renewable energy use is growing, America remains deeply \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=427&t=3\" target=\"_blank\">reliant on fossil fuels\u003c/a>. Coal, natural gas and oil still comprise about two-thirds of our total energy generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proposals to increase alternative energy production and reduce emissions are often perceived as a threat to the economy and jobs, particularly in regions where fossil fuel production remains the backbone of the local economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite these concerns, a \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/environment-energy-2/\" target=\"_blank\"> strong majority\u003c/a> of Americans (71 percent, according to a 2015 poll) agree that “the country should do whatever it takes to protect the environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environmentdata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"331\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/environment-energy-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Report (January, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/tools/models/timeseries.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"> U.S. Energy Information Administration (2014)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has an \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/climate/\" target=\"_blank\">ambitious plan\u003c/a> to combat climate change, which she calls, “an urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She proposes to make the U.S. a “clean energy superpower” by implementing President Obama’s carbon reduction plan, cutting energy waste and oil consumption by a third and promoting the growth of renewables. She’s also pledged to oversee the installation of 500 million solar panels by the end of her first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The centerpiece of Clinton’s plan is the $60 billion “Clean Energy Challenge” – a proposed federal grant program to help states and local communities adopt clean energy policies. Much of the plan is geared towards impacting low-income communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Despite broad scientific consensus, Trump disputes the notion that climate change is caused by human activity. He’s called global warming a “hoax” and a “pseudoscience” invented by America’s global competitors to \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/03/hillary-clinton/yes-donald-trump-did-call-climate-change-chinese-h/\" target=\"_blank\">stifle U.S. economic growth\u003c/a>. As spelled out in his “\u003ci>America First Energy Plan\u003c/i>,” he’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-energy-plan\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged\u003c/a> to renegotiate President Obama’s carbon reduction strategy, revive coal mining and other carbon-intensive industries and abolish what he calls the “totalitarian” Environmental Protection Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\">recent investigation\u003c/a> however, revealed that the candidate has had his own personal climate change concerns: he recently applied for permission to build a wall around one of his private golf courses in Ireland in order to protect it from “global warming and its effects,” according to the permit application.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Health Care\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/drugs.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit:\u003ca href=\"https://www.stockmonkeys.com\" target=\"_blank\">StockMonkeys.com\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>HEALTH CARE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Although the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare as it’s known – was signed into law in 2010 and survived two major Supreme Court challenges, it’s still among the most hotly contested partisan issues in American politics. Since it went into effect in 2014, some seven million more Americans now have some form of health coverage, according to Centers for Disease Control \u003ca href=\"http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur201508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> estimates\u003c/a>. The fundamental disagreement, though, still rests on whether the government can or should require its citizens to have health insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/healthcaredata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"322\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/04/opinions-on-obamacare-remain-divided-along-party-lines-as-supreme-court-hears-new-challenge/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Report (January, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://kff.org/global-indicator/health-expenditure-per-capita/\" target=\"_blank\"> Kaiser Family Foundation (2012)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has pledged to defend and build on Obamacare. Her \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/\" target=\"_blank\">health care proposal\u003c/a> focus primarily on lowering out-of-pocket expenses, reducing the cost of prescription drugs and expanding Medicaid for lower-income people. She’s also in support of tax credits for people purchasing health insurance on government exchanges, and has guaranteed that families will spend no more than 8.5 percent of their incomes on insurance premiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Like much of the Republican establishment, Trump is staunchly \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform\" target=\"_blank\">opposed to Obamacare\u003c/a>, and pledges to overturn it. On his campaign site, he calls the law, “an incredible economic burden” that’s resulted in “less competition and fewer choices.” He aims to restore “free market principles” by allowing people to deduct health insurance payments from their tax returns, and by removing barriers to entry for legal drug providers to lower prescription costs. Trump also claims that providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants costs $11 billion annually and that mass deportation would,“relieve healthcare cost pressure on state and local governments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Higher Education\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/graduation.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit:\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatcouldgowrong/4608963722\" target=\"_blank\"> Flickr/John Walker\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>HIGHER EDUCATION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Amid the skyrocketing cost of private and public universities, student debt has reached historic highs. More Americans than ever before are attending college. That’s generally considered a good thing, but about \u003ca href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/10/pf/college/student-loans/\" target=\"_blank\"> 40 million\u003c/a> of them – up from 29 million in 2008 – are currently paying off student loans. On average, borrowers are carrying $29,000 in loans (up from $23,000 in 2008). That amounts to roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/upshot/new-data-gives-clearer-picture-of-student-debt.html?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\">$1.2 trillion\u003c/a> in student debt, three times what it was 10 years ago. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Education, nearly \u003ca href=\"http://www.wsj.com/articles/about-7-million-americans-havent-paid-federal-student-loans-in-at-least-a-year-1440175645\" target=\"_blank\">7 million Americans\u003c/a> in the past year defaulted (failed to make a payment for over a year) on their federal student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/collegedata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"322\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.gallup.com/poll/182441/americans-say-higher-education-not-affordable.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"> Gallup Poll (April, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/tuition-and-fees-and-room-and-board-over-time-1975-76-2015-16-selected-years\" target=\"_blank\"> College Board (2015)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Since winning the Democratic nomination, Clinton has adopted some of the more progressive measures proposed by her former rival Bernie Sanders. Although she did not originally, Clinton is now calling to \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/us/politics/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-education.html\" target=\"_blank\"> eliminate tuition\u003c/a> at in-state public colleges and universities for families with incomes below $125,000. The plan would include federal tuition grants for states that agree to provide matching funds. While generally praised by young voters and education experts, some have criticized the plan for being light on details and unrealistic in terms of being able to get all states on board to fund it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other components of Mrs. Clinton’s plan include a three-month moratorium on federal student loan repayment and the restoration of year-round Pell Grant funding, a federal program for students with financial need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has said \u003ca href=\"https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/05/17/what-college-students-should-expect-from-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\">very little\u003c/a> regarding college affordability. He’s acknowledged the rising cost of higher education and said that he wants to help people struggling with student loan debt, but has offered little in the way of specific proposals. During an April town hall event, he also suggested \u003ca href=\"http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2016/04/04/donald-trump-on-what-learned-about-political-system-delegate-battle-gop/\" target=\"_blank\">eliminating\u003c/a> the Department of Education, which is the agency responsible for federal aid and Pell Grants. In late July, Trump announced that his campaign would likely \u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/trackers/2016-08-09/trump-says-student-loan-plan-coming-likely-in-early-september\" target=\"_blank\">release its education plan\u003c/a> by early September.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003chead>\u003cstyle>\na.specialhover:hover \nimg {\n background-color: grey;\n}\n\u003c/style>\n\u003c/head>\u003cp>\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003cb>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\">\u003cspan style=\"color: #993300;\">Teach with the Lowdown\u003c/span>\u003c/span>\u003c/b>\u003cbr>\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-22868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg\" width=\"340\" height=\"122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-400x143.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-800x286.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680-768x274.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/hands-e1469568663680.jpg 957w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\">Suggestions for nonfiction analysis, discussion prompts and multimedia projects. Browse our lesson plan library \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/category/lesson-plans-and-guides/\" target=\"_blank\">here\u003c/a>.\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Candidate-nine-issues-lesson-plan.docx_final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">9 Issues Lesson plan (PDF)\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/political_terminology.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Political terminology infographic\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump share the dubious distinction of being among the \u003ca href=\"http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-distaste-for-both-trump-and-clinton-is-record-breaking/\" target=\"_blank\">least popular\u003c/a> presidential nominees in recent history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They don’t share much else, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 2016 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have vastly different worldviews, with often dramatically opposing visions of the kind of nation America should be and the type of government it should have.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click on issues in the grid below to learn more about what’s at stake in this election and the contrasting positions of the two candidates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"Issues\">\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Big Issues of the 2016 Election\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Climate%20Change\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23328\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environment-e1472253769729.png\" alt=\"environment\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Criminal%20Justice\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23327\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/CriminalJustice-e1472253783578.png\" alt=\"CriminalJustice\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Abortion\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23326\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortion-e1472253798930.png\" alt=\"abortion\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#National%20Defense\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23334\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/nationaldefense-e1472253534205.png\" alt=\"nationaldefense\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Money\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-23333 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/money-e1472253555593.png\" alt=\"money\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Immigration\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23332\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Immigration-e1472253578957.png\" alt=\"Immigration\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Higher%20Education\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23331\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/HigherEducation-e1472253720385.png\" alt=\"Higher Education\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Health%20Care\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23330\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/Healthcare-e1472253739159.png\" alt=\"Healthcare\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca class=\"specialhover\" href=\"#Gun%20Control\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-23329\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/GunControl-e1472253755463.png\" alt=\"GunControl\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Gun Control\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23240\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23240\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow.jpg\" alt=\"Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow.jpg 700w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gunshow-400x171.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Houston_Gun_Show_at_the_George_R._Brown_Convention_Center.jpg\"> Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a> \u003ccite>(Wikipedia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Gun Control\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The number of U.S. gun deaths has fallen considerably since peaking in the mid-1990s. But it still remains far higher than in any other wealthy nation in the world, as does the rate of \u003ca href=\"https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tocta/6.Firearms.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> gun ownership.\u003c/a> And while mass shootings only make up a small percentage of total U.S. gun deaths, they occur with alarming frequency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue resurfaced in June, when a lone gunman wielding a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun singlehandedly killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. The incident marked the deadliest mass shooting in American history, reigniting a fierce national debate over gun violence and gun control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the aftermath, Democratic leaders staged a day-long \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/22/483091059/demanding-action-on-gun-control-house-democrats-stage-sit-in\" target=\"_blank\"> sit-in\u003c/a> on the house floor, hoping to push legislation to broaden background checks and prevent people on the government’s “no-fly list” from purchasing firearms. Republican congressional leaders, however, denounced the action, and effectively \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/house-gop-indefinitely-delays-gun-control-votes-225234\" target=\"_blank\"> blocked a vote\u003c/a> on the issue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the stalemate in congress, there’s strong public support for gun control measures. In a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/20/politics/cnn-gun-poll/\" target=\"_blank\"> CNN poll\u003c/a> 92 percent of respondents said they supported expanded background checks, and 85 percent want the “no-fly” purchasing ban. Nevertheless, the political influence of gun rights groups, like the National Rifle Association, remains huge, effectively squashing most efforts to strengthen gun laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of the December 2015 mass shooting in San Bernardino, President Obama went around Congress and announced a series of executive actions to marginally expand background checks and crack down on illegal online gun sales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/gundata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"345\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2016/images/06/20/cnn_orc_poll_june_20.pdf\"> CNN/ORC poll (survey conducted June, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/tocta/6.Firearms.pdf\"> UNODC & Small Arms Survey\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton is pushing for what she calls “common sense” \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/gun-violence-prevention/\" target=\"_blank\">reforms\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\nHer plan includes a ban on assault weapons, stricter background checks for firearm purchases and a crackdown on illegal gun traffickers. At a June campaign event in Chicago, she declared gun control a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160627/south-loop/hillary-clinton-delivers-keynote-at-rainbow-push-convention\" target=\"_blank\">“civil rights issue”\u003c/a> and attacked the gun lobby for preventing legislative action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton has received some push-back from Democrats, including former-rival Bernie Sanders, for her proposal to make gun makers and sellers \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/26/opinions/keane-gun-liability-hillary-clinton/\" target=\"_blank\"> liable\u003c/a> for weapons that end up being used in crimes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump calls gun bans \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/second-amendment-rights\" target=\"_blank\"> “a total failure.”\u003c/a> He’s opposed to any expansion of background checks and wants concealed carry permits to be allowed all 50 states. He has also pledged to \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/02/politics/donald-trump-obama-guns/\" target=\"_blank\"> “un-sign”\u003c/a> President Obama’s executive actions on gun control and eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. On his website, Trump states that an important way to fight crime is to “empower law-abiding gun owners to defend themselves.” He further claims that America’s failed mental health system, not gun legislation, is the real culprit behind the mass shooting dilemma.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After receiving an endorsement from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-nra-clinton-most-anti-gun-candidate-ever-n577711\" target=\"_blank\"> National Rifle Association\u003c/a> (NRA) in May, Trump called Clinton “the most anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment candidate to ever run for office.” And in early August, at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Trump made a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/09/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-second-amendment/\" target=\"_blank\"> controversial remark\u003c/a> about his opponent that was widely interpreted as inciting violence: “If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don’t know.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Abortion\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23242\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23242\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood.jpg\" alt=\"Photo Credit: Flickr/Charlotte Cooper\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood.jpg 700w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/plannedparenthood-400x171.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit: \u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/cecooper/5479766813\" target=\"_blank\">Flickr/Charlotte Cooper\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>ABORTION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s been more than 40 years since the Supreme Court’s landmark \u003ci>Roe v. Wade\u003c/i> decision that protects a woman’s right to have an abortion. But Americans still remain deeply divided on the issue, particularly along religious and regional lines. In recent years, various \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-wont-revive-arizonas-strict-abortion-rules/2014/01/13/33feee68-7c60-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html\" target=\"_blank\"> conservative states\u003c/a> in the South and Midwest have enacted laws aimed at restricting access to abortion facilities and services. However, in a \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/supreme-court-texas-abortion.html?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\"> major ruling \u003c/a> in June, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law that placed steep restrictions on abortion providers. Reaching a 5-3 decision, the Court found the state’s laws placed an “undue burden” on women seeking abortions, violating their constitutional rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_23226\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23226\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated.png\" alt=\"Sources: Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abortion Surveillance Reports. *Based on legally induced abortions reported to the CDC.\" width=\"796\" height=\"327\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated.png 796w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated-400x164.png 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/abortiondata_updated-768x315.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/06/27/5-facts-about-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/abortion.htm\" target=\"_blank\"> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abortion Surveillance Reports.\u003c/a> *Based on legally induced abortions reported to the CDC.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cspan style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/span>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Throughout her career, Clinton has consistently described herself as \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/womens-rights-and-opportunity/\" target=\"_blank\"> “pro-choice.”\u003c/a> She’s fought efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and opposed laws aimed at restricting access to safe, legal abortions. She praised the recent Supreme Court decision on Texas, and has pledged to continue working to protect \u003ci> Roe v Wade\u003c/i>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a Democratic debate in March, Clinton said she would consider \u003ca href=\"http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-answer-questions-about-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> some restrictions\u003c/a> on late-term abortions, “so long as there is an exception for the life and health of the mother.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s pick for Vice President, Tim Kaine, says he’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/tim-kaine-abortion-predicament-225053\" target=\"_blank\"> personally opposed\u003c/a> to abortion, but will work to uphold \u003ci> Roe v Wade.\u003c/i> Kaine has been criticized in the past by pro-choice groups for signing \u003ca href=\"http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/press-releases/2009/pr03302009_kaine.html\" target=\"_blank\"> “anti-choice”\u003c/a> bills into law as Governor of Virginia – however, since joining the Senate in 2012, he has consistently voted in line with abortion-rights advocates and the Democratic Party platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Prior to running for office, Trump described himself as, “very pro-choice.” However, as a candidate, he’s shifted his position to one more in line with the Republican Party’s anti-abortion stance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After catching heat for suggesting that women should receive \u003ca href=\"http://www.vox.com/2016/3/30/11333472/trump-abortions-punishment-women\" target=\"_blank\"> “some sort of punishment”\u003c/a> for having an abortion, his campaign back-peddled, saying that Trump believes the person performing the procedure should be held accountable, not the woman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump is pledging to change abortion laws by appointing pro-life judges, particularly to the Supreme Court. He also advocates allowing states to protect the rights of the unborn. He does, however, stray from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/politics/donald-trump-republican-platform-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> Republican platform\u003c/a> in arguing that abortion laws should contain exceptions for rape and incest, when the life of the mother is at risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, is a vocal anti-abortion advocate, recently signing into law \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/24/politics/mike-pence-indiana-disability-abortion/\" target=\"_blank\"> broad restrictions\u003c/a> for doctors and women who seek abortions in Indiana, which already has restrictive abortion laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Immigration\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/borderwall.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Border_Mexico_USA.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>IMMIGRATION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Immigration policy is one of the most divisive issues in this election. The United States has long been a top destination for foreigners, attracting roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\" target=\"_blank\"> 20 percent\u003c/a> of the world’s immigrant population. The more than 41 million immigrants who live here make up roughly 13 percent of the nation’s total population. About \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/11/19/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/\" target=\"_blank\"> 11.3 million\u003c/a> of them are undocumented: living here without legal status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although most Americans believe it’s unrealistic to deport every undocumented immigrant, many support some tighter immigration restrictions. Only about a third, though, are in favor of building a U.S.-Mexican border wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A 2016 \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/15/americans-views-of-immigrants-marked-by-widening-partisan-generational-divides/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll\u003c/a> found that 75 percent of Americans say undocumented immigrants who meet certain requirements should be allowed to stay in the U.S. legally, and a majority (59 percent) say immigrants strengthen the country through their hard work and talent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/22/us/who-is-affected-by-supreme-court-decision-on-immigration.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> Supreme Court\u003c/a> upheld a lower court’s decision overturning President Obama’s executive actions that would have protected nearly five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The decision leaves federal immigration reform unresolved, an issue the next president will likely address.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/immigrationdata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"345\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/15/americans-views-of-immigrants-marked-by-widening-partisan-generational-divides/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Center (survey conducted March, 2016 )\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states\" target=\"_blank\">Migration Policy Institute (based on 1970-2000 decennial Census data)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton supported President Obama’s executive actions to provide deportation relief to eligible undocumented immigrants. She’s vowed to go beyond Obama’s short-term measures and fight for \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/immigration-reform/\" target=\"_blank\"> comprehensive immigration reform\u003c/a> that includes a path to citizenship. She’s also proposed reducing barriers to naturalization for green card holders, closing private immigration detention centers and creating the first national \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/04/hillary-clinton-immigrants-affairs-221873\" target=\"_blank\"> Office of Immigrant Affairs\u003c/a> to coordinate programs across federal agencies, as well as state and local governments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton also supports a \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/13/donald-trump/donald-trump-says-hillary-clinton-wants-let-500-pe/\" target=\"_blank\"> five-fold increase\u003c/a> — from 10,000 to 65,000 — in the number of Syrian refugees allowed to enter the United States. However, \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/statements/2015/12/15/comprehensive-plan-to-bolster-homeland-security/\" target=\"_blank\"> she maintains\u003c/a> that the U.S. would have to, “be vigilant in screening and vetting refugees from Syria” – a \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/4116619/syrian-refugees-screening-process/\" target=\"_blank\"> multi-step process\u003c/a> that currently takes 18 to 24 months to complete. She’s consistently criticized \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/us/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-speeches.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Trump’s plan\u003c/a> to ban Muslim immigration as discriminatory and counterproductive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump has made \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/immigration-reform\" target=\"_blank\"> tough immigration policy\u003c/a> one of the cornerstones of his campaign. From the beginning of his campaign, he’s promised to deport all 11.3 million undocumented immigrants, consistently accusing them of stealing jobs from U.S. citizens, straining public resources and jeopardizing national security. A key part of his plan is building a U.S.-Mexico border wall, and making Mexico foot the estimated $10 billion bill. At a press conference announcing his run for president last year, Trump \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/06/16/full-text-donald-trump-announces-a-presidential-bid/#annotations:7472552\" target=\"_blank\"> infamously said\u003c/a>: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best … They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” His plans also include tripling the number of immigration enforcement officers and ending the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Trump had hinted at the possibility of softening his hard-line stance on removing all undocumented immigrants — and even arranged a surprise meeting in late August with Mexico’s president — the candidate recently outlined a\u003ca href=\"http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/donald-trumps-10-point-immigration-plan/\" target=\"_blank\"> 10-point immigration plan\u003c/a>, reiterating his intention to crack down on illegal immigration, build a wall and even set new historically low caps on legal immigration. Although he shelved his initial pledge to hunt down and deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants, he didn’t say he was taking the idea off the table.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Criminal Justice\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/prisoncell.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Alcatraz_prison_cell_(pfnatic).JPG\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>CRIMINAL JUSTICE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. About \u003ca href=\"http://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2016.html\" target=\"_blank\">2.3 million\u003c/a> people are currently behind bars, or roughly 716 for every 100,000 people. The huge prison population is the result of decades of harsh sentencing policies and steep penalties for non-violent drug offenses. Because of the system’s astronomical costs and the stark racial disparities of those impacted, prison reform is actually one of the few issues in which Republicans and Democrats have found some common ground. Although strategies differ, both parties agree that it’s necessary to end mass incarceration, and reduce the severity of sentences for low-level, non-violent offenders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wake of recent high-profile police shootings and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, both parties have also been forced to confront issues on policing and race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/prisondata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"359\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/assets/2012/03/30/pew_nationalsurveyresearchpaper_final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Prison Policy Initiative: “Public Opinion on Sentencing & Corrections Policy in America” (March 2012)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total\" target=\"_blank\"> World Prison Brief – Institute for Criminal Policy Research (2013)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has worked hard to try to distance herself from the \u003ca href=\"http://www.salon.com/2016/05/07/its_worse_than_just_the_1994_crime_bill_the_clintons_criminal_justice_and_the_damage_of_90s_crime_politics/\" target=\"_blank\"> criminal justice policies\u003c/a> implemented during her husband’s administration. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law a \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncjrs.gov/txtfiles/billfs.txt\" target=\"_blank\"> sweeping crime bill\u003c/a> that some blame for the drastic spike in the nation’s prison population. Hillary Clinton has \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/criminal-justice-reform/\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged to reverse\u003c/a> many of those policies, vowing to end mass incarceration and close private prisons. She also plans to reform mandatory minimum sentencing for non-violent offenders and redirect federal enforcement resources away from the War on Drugs and towards combating violent crime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She supports police body cameras and says she would provide federal matching funds to allow state and local police departments to implement emerging technology.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the primary elections, Clinton met with members of the Black Lives Matter movement, and following a series of high-profile police shootings in early July, \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/751133678269587456\" target=\"_blank\">tweeted:\u003c/a> “Alton Sterling Matters. Philando Castile Matters. Black Lives Matter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump hasn’t released any formal positions on criminal justice and has \u003ca href=\"http://www.vox.com/2016/5/25/11737264/donald-trump-criminal-justice-republican-president\" target=\"_blank\"> yet to clearly outline\u003c/a> how he’d specifically address the issue. He’s repeatedly promised to be \u003ca href=\"http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-restore-law-order-week-police-involved/story?id=40429817\" target=\"_blank\"> tough on crime\u003c/a> and “restore law and order.” He also claims that \u003ca href=\"http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/trump-police-are-mistreated-misunderstood-617933379521\" target=\"_blank\"> police are often\u003c/a> “mistreated and misunderstood,” and says that the nation’s “racial tensions have gotten worse, not better.” Recently, Trump has noted the level of crime and poverty in many inner-city communities, claiming that unlike Democratic leaders, he would make conditions better. In a \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/19/politics/donald-trump-african-american-voters/\" target=\"_blank\">speech in August\u003c/a> he appealed to black voters, asking: “What the hell do you have to lose?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Money\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/bills.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Money_Cash.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>MONEY\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The economy is officially rebounding from the depths of the 2008 recession, and employment rates continue to rise. However, with the continuing loss of manufacturing jobs, wages have remained stagnant for millions of Americans, a factor that’s contributed to a shrinking middle class and growing gap between rich and poor. Wealth inequality in the U.S. is now at near record highs, with about 90 percent of wealth owned by the top .1 percent of families, according to recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/13/us-wealth-inequality-top-01-worth-as-much-as-the-bottom-90\" target=\"_blank\"> economic research\u003c/a>. Such frustrations have become a key focus in this year’s presidential race.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to public pressure, a number of states have recently raised their minimum wages, even as the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trade agreements have also emerged as a hot-button issue this election. The \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/07/29/the-trans-pacific-partnership-explained/\" target=\"_blank\"> Trans-Pacific Partnership\u003c/a>, a trade deal among the Pacific Rim countries, ruffled feathers at both the Republican and Democratic conventions. The agreement, backed by President Obama, would lower tariffs on imports and exports for the nations involved. However, critics, including some prominent Republicans and Democrats, argue the deal would hurt U.S. workers and send more jobs overseas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/wealthdata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"331\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.gallup.com/poll/182987/americans-continue-say-wealth-distribution-unfair.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Gallup Poll Series (survey conducted April, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage\" target=\"_blank\"> United States Department of Labor (2012)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Since becoming the Democratic nominee, Clinton has adopted some of Bernie Sanders’ more left-leaning positions on income inequality, and made the issue a more \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2015/12/08/ending-inversions-and-investing-in-america/\" target=\"_blank\"> central part\u003c/a> of her campaign. She’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2016/06/22/stronger-together-hillary-clintons-plan-for-an-economy-that-works-for-everyone-not-just-those-at-the-top/\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged to\u003c/a> “make the economy work for everyone, not just those at the top” through an ambitious plan that includes job creation, slashing corporate loopholes and raising the minimum wage (although not as high as the $15 per hour target set in the Democratic Party platform).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/briefing/factsheets/2016/05/25/hillary-clinton-will-make-the-boldest-investments-in-our-infrastructure-since-eisenhower-built-the-interstate-highway-system-donald-trump-will-build-a-wall/\" target=\"_blank\"> jobs plan\u003c/a>, which calls for “the boldest investment … since Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System,” is mainly focused on the nation’s transportation, technology and energy sectors. To fund her plan, \u003ca href=\"http://finance.yahoo.com/news/conventional-tax-proposals-unconventional-us-082939987.html;_ylt=AwrBT9rgKrtXNcgANFJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNnQ4cHI3BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDVUkyQzNfMQRzZWMDc3I-\" target=\"_blank\"> Clinton proposes\u003c/a> raising taxes on the rich, including a minimum 30 percent tax rate for those making more than $1 million a year, and a 4 percent surcharge for incomes over $5 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The TPP became a deeply divisive issue leading up to the Democratic National Convention in July. Clinton’s former rival, Bernie Sanders, led a \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/09/sanders-loses-on-trade-at-democratic-platform-meeting/\" target=\"_blank\"> failed campaign\u003c/a> to strike support for the TPP from the Democratic Party platform. Clinton supported the trade deal as a senator, but has reversed her stance amid criticism from Sanders supporters and labor leaders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Trump unveiled his \u003ci> “America First” \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\"> economic plan\u003c/a> in early August, in his first comprehensive policy address on the issue. The proposal includes ways to simplify the tax code, increase trade enforcement with China and strike down federal agency regulations – which he describes as “the anchor dragging us down.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump’s initial tax reform plan released last September proposed broad relief for the middle class and \u003ca href=\"http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-says-wealthy-may-see-tax-increase-1462741116\" target=\"_blank\"> closing loophole\u003c/a> for the rich. However, in response to \u003ca href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/donald-trump-taxes-tax-reform-223041\" target=\"_blank\"> criticism\u003c/a> that the plan would greatly expand the federal deficit, his campaign has released a revised \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/us/politics/donald-trump-economy-speech.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> three-tier tax plan.\u003c/a> More in line with the Republican Party platform, the current proposal would cut top income tax rates from nearly 40 percent to 33 percent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has consistently appealed to \u003ca href=\"http://fortune.com/2016/08/08/donald-trump-corporate-tax/\" target=\"_blank\"> big business\u003c/a>, pledging to slash the top tax rate on corporations by more than half. Additionally, he wants to abolish the estate tax (which Republicans derisively call the “Death Tax) and make inheritance money tax-free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the primaries, Trump advocated strongly against raising the federal minimum wage, but has since \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/08/03/a-guide-to-all-of-donald-trumps-flip-flops-on-the-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\"> shifted his position\u003c/a>. More recently, he has suggested it \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/politics/donald-trump-minimum-wage/\" target=\"_blank\"> should be increased\u003c/a> to “at least $10,” but thinks it’s an issue best left to the states, not the federal government, to decide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump is also \u003ca href=\"http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/politics/donald-trump-special-interests-rape-our-country/\" target=\"_blank\"> strongly oppose\u003c/a> to the TPP, calling it “another disaster done and pushed by special interests who want to rape our country.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">\u003cbr>\n\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"National Defense\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/military.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Helicopter_Extraction-Tal_Afar_Iraq.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"> Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>NATIONAL DEFENSE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In reaction to the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) and recent attacks at home and abroad, global terrorism has reemerged as a major issue in this election. A majority of Americans continue to approve of U.S. military campaigns against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.people-press.org/2016/05/05/4-u-s-military-action-against-isis-policy-toward-terrorism/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll\u003c/a>, although there’s wide disagreement on whether to send more American ground troops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the same poll, however, about 70 percent of respondents said the next president should focus more on domestic policy than foreign policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/militarydata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"326\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.people-press.org/2016/05/05/4-u-s-military-action-against-isis-policy-toward-terrorism/\" target=\"_blank\"> Pew Research poll (survey conducted April, 2016)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/milex\" target=\"_blank\"> Stockholm International Peace Research Institute\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton’s foreign policy positions are \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/feed/hillary-clinton-has-real-plan-defeat-isis-and-prevent-another-attack-brussels-heres-how/\" target=\"_blank\"> more hawkish\u003c/a> than those of President Obama, who she served under as Secretary of State until 2012. As a presidential candidate, she’s advocated for greater U.S. involvement overseas, and argues that the current administration should have acted more proactively to stop the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq. Clinton is in favor of increasing pressure against ISIS by intensifying air and ground military campaigns and by launching an “intelligence surge” to discredit terrorist ideologies and thwart online recruitment tactics. As a senator, Clinton backed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and also supported the 2009 troop surge in Afghanistan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In a June \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/us/politics/transcript-trump-foreign-policy.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\"> campaign speech\u003c/a>, Trump described his foreign policy plan as replacing “chaos with peace,” and has adopted rhetoric that’s much more isolationist than that of his opponent. He argues that America needs to focus on defending its own border rather than borders of others countries, and has consistently claimed that he was strongly opposed to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 (although a \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/22/donald-trump/trump-still-wrong-his-claim-opposed-iraq-war-ahead/\" target=\"_blank\">PolitiFact analysis\u003c/a> of Trump’s previous statements on Iraq contradicts this claim).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-foreign-policy-speech\" target=\"_blank\"> Trump says\u003c/a> that although “war and aggression will not be my first instinct,” the U.S. should continue to invest heavily in the military to protect its status as a world superpower.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has repeatedly vowed to “crush ISIS.” However, he’s remained intentionally vague on the specifics, claiming that “we must as a nation be more unpredictable.” At a recent \u003ca href=\"http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/07/12/trump_were_not_closing_gitmo_were_going_to_fill_it_up.html\" target=\"_blank\"> campaign rally\u003c/a>, Trump called for upping attacks against terrorists, sending more of them to U.S. military prisons like Guantanamo and expanding the use of forceful interrogation methods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s been outspoken in his opposition to President Obama‘s defense and foreign policy strategies, arguing that they’ve been far too lenient with known enemies, hurt U.S. relations with allies and made America weaker. “Our foreign policy is a complete and total disaster,” he said in an \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-foreign-policy-speech\" target=\"_blank\"> April speech\u003c/a>. “No vision, no purpose, no direction, no strategy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Climate Change\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environment.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Source: \u003ca href=\"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Sheringham_Shoal_Wind_Farm_2012.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">Wikimedia Commons\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>CLIMATE CHANGE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Obama was unable to push through any domestic climate change legislation during his presidency, but his administration has continued to try and make the United States a global leader in curbing carbon emissions – even as it remains one of the world’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/each-countrys-share-of-co2.html#.VmDMZb8sBoE\" target=\"_blank\"> largest carbon emitter\u003c/a>. At the United Nations climate change conference in Paris last December, the administration pledged a 32 percent reduction in the nation’s carbon emissions by 2030 (from 2005 levels) – a proposal that faces staunch opposition from Republican leaders in Congress and is also being challenged in federal court.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although renewable energy use is growing, America remains deeply \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=427&t=3\" target=\"_blank\">reliant on fossil fuels\u003c/a>. Coal, natural gas and oil still comprise about two-thirds of our total energy generation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Proposals to increase alternative energy production and reduce emissions are often perceived as a threat to the economy and jobs, particularly in regions where fossil fuel production remains the backbone of the local economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite these concerns, a \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/environment-energy-2/\" target=\"_blank\"> strong majority\u003c/a> of Americans (71 percent, according to a 2015 poll) agree that “the country should do whatever it takes to protect the environment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/environmentdata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"331\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/environment-energy-2/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Report (January, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/tools/models/timeseries.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"> U.S. Energy Information Administration (2014)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has an \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/climate/\" target=\"_blank\">ambitious plan\u003c/a> to combat climate change, which she calls, “an urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She proposes to make the U.S. a “clean energy superpower” by implementing President Obama’s carbon reduction plan, cutting energy waste and oil consumption by a third and promoting the growth of renewables. She’s also pledged to oversee the installation of 500 million solar panels by the end of her first term.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The centerpiece of Clinton’s plan is the $60 billion “Clean Energy Challenge” – a proposed federal grant program to help states and local communities adopt clean energy policies. Much of the plan is geared towards impacting low-income communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Despite broad scientific consensus, Trump disputes the notion that climate change is caused by human activity. He’s called global warming a “hoax” and a “pseudoscience” invented by America’s global competitors to \u003ca href=\"http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/03/hillary-clinton/yes-donald-trump-did-call-climate-change-chinese-h/\" target=\"_blank\">stifle U.S. economic growth\u003c/a>. As spelled out in his “\u003ci>America First Energy Plan\u003c/i>,” he’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-energy-plan\" target=\"_blank\"> pledged\u003c/a> to renegotiate President Obama’s carbon reduction strategy, revive coal mining and other carbon-intensive industries and abolish what he calls the “totalitarian” Environmental Protection Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/an-america-first-economic-plan-winning-the-global-competition\" target=\"_blank\">recent investigation\u003c/a> however, revealed that the candidate has had his own personal climate change concerns: he recently applied for permission to build a wall around one of his private golf courses in Ireland in order to protect it from “global warming and its effects,” according to the permit application.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Health Care\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/drugs.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit:\u003ca href=\"https://www.stockmonkeys.com\" target=\"_blank\">StockMonkeys.com\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>HEALTH CARE\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Although the Affordable Care Act – or Obamacare as it’s known – was signed into law in 2010 and survived two major Supreme Court challenges, it’s still among the most hotly contested partisan issues in American politics. Since it went into effect in 2014, some seven million more Americans now have some form of health coverage, according to Centers for Disease Control \u003ca href=\"http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur201508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> estimates\u003c/a>. The fundamental disagreement, though, still rests on whether the government can or should require its citizens to have health insurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/healthcaredata_updated.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"322\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/04/opinions-on-obamacare-remain-divided-along-party-lines-as-supreme-court-hears-new-challenge/\" target=\"_blank\">Pew Research Report (January, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://kff.org/global-indicator/health-expenditure-per-capita/\" target=\"_blank\"> Kaiser Family Foundation (2012)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clinton has pledged to defend and build on Obamacare. Her \u003ca href=\"https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/\" target=\"_blank\">health care proposal\u003c/a> focus primarily on lowering out-of-pocket expenses, reducing the cost of prescription drugs and expanding Medicaid for lower-income people. She’s also in support of tax credits for people purchasing health insurance on government exchanges, and has guaranteed that families will spend no more than 8.5 percent of their incomes on insurance premiums.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Like much of the Republican establishment, Trump is staunchly \u003ca href=\"https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform\" target=\"_blank\">opposed to Obamacare\u003c/a>, and pledges to overturn it. On his campaign site, he calls the law, “an incredible economic burden” that’s resulted in “less competition and fewer choices.” He aims to restore “free market principles” by allowing people to deduct health insurance payments from their tax returns, and by removing barriers to entry for legal drug providers to lower prescription costs. Trump also claims that providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants costs $11 billion annually and that mass deportation would,“relieve healthcare cost pressure on state and local governments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch1 id=\"Higher Education\">\u003c/h1>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/graduation.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"300\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo Credit:\u003ca href=\"https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatcouldgowrong/4608963722\" target=\"_blank\"> Flickr/John Walker\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>HIGHER EDUCATION\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Amid the skyrocketing cost of private and public universities, student debt has reached historic highs. More Americans than ever before are attending college. That’s generally considered a good thing, but about \u003ca href=\"http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/10/pf/college/student-loans/\" target=\"_blank\"> 40 million\u003c/a> of them – up from 29 million in 2008 – are currently paying off student loans. On average, borrowers are carrying $29,000 in loans (up from $23,000 in 2008). That amounts to roughly \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/upshot/new-data-gives-clearer-picture-of-student-debt.html?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\">$1.2 trillion\u003c/a> in student debt, three times what it was 10 years ago. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Education, nearly \u003ca href=\"http://www.wsj.com/articles/about-7-million-americans-havent-paid-federal-student-loans-in-at-least-a-year-1440175645\" target=\"_blank\">7 million Americans\u003c/a> in the past year defaulted (failed to make a payment for over a year) on their federal student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 796px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/08/collegedata.png\" width=\"796\" height=\"322\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sources: \u003ca href=\"http://www.gallup.com/poll/182441/americans-say-higher-education-not-affordable.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"> Gallup Poll (April, 2015)\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/tuition-and-fees-and-room-and-board-over-time-1975-76-2015-16-selected-years\" target=\"_blank\"> College Board (2015)\u003c/a>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: blue;\">Hillary Clinton\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Since winning the Democratic nomination, Clinton has adopted some of the more progressive measures proposed by her former rival Bernie Sanders. Although she did not originally, Clinton is now calling to \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/07/us/politics/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-education.html\" target=\"_blank\"> eliminate tuition\u003c/a> at in-state public colleges and universities for families with incomes below $125,000. The plan would include federal tuition grants for states that agree to provide matching funds. While generally praised by young voters and education experts, some have criticized the plan for being light on details and unrealistic in terms of being able to get all states on board to fund it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other components of Mrs. Clinton’s plan include a three-month moratorium on federal student loan repayment and the restoration of year-round Pell Grant funding, a federal program for students with financial need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003ch3 style=\"color: red;\">Donald Trump\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump has said \u003ca href=\"https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/05/17/what-college-students-should-expect-from-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\">very little\u003c/a> regarding college affordability. He’s acknowledged the rising cost of higher education and said that he wants to help people struggling with student loan debt, but has offered little in the way of specific proposals. During an April town hall event, he also suggested \u003ca href=\"http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2016/04/04/donald-trump-on-what-learned-about-political-system-delegate-battle-gop/\" target=\"_blank\">eliminating\u003c/a> the Department of Education, which is the agency responsible for federal aid and Pell Grants. In late July, Trump announced that his campaign would likely \u003ca href=\"http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/trackers/2016-08-09/trump-says-student-loan-plan-coming-likely-in-early-september\" target=\"_blank\">release its education plan\u003c/a> by early September.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca href=\"#Issues\">Back to Issues\u003c/a>\u003c/h3>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"disqusTitle": "MAP: Why Black Women Outnumber Black Men in the Bay Area and Beyond",
"title": "MAP: Why Black Women Outnumber Black Men in the Bay Area and Beyond",
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"content": "\u003cp>For every 100 black women living in the Bay Area, there are only 88 black men, according to a KQED Lowdown analysis.\u003cbr>\n\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This gender imbalance is notably greater than in any other racial group, and reflects the disproportionately high rate of incarceration among black males.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20320\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-20320\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png\" alt=\"hadkjfhkjashkj\" width=\"794\" height=\"929\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png 794w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide-400x468.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>African-Americans made up about 7 percent of the San Francisco Bay Area's total population, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Yet they accounted for almost 40 percent of people from the Bay Area in prison. The majority of this prison population is male.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Lowdown borrowed a methodology used by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/20/upshot/missing-black-men.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Times\u003c/a> in its April 2015 analysis of “missing black men\" nationwide. Across the country, the gender imbalance in the black community is actually higher than it is in the Bay Area: the Times calculated 83 black men for every 100 black women (our analysis found 82 per 100) -- or approximately 1.5 million black men “missing” from daily life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, about 12,500 – or 12 percent — of primarily working-age black men (ages 25 to 54) are, in a sense, “missing” from daily life. In other words, these men, who under different circumstances would be a part of their local communities, are not present. The black gender imbalance is greatest in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20313\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-20313 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-800x1368.png\" alt=\"men per women\" width=\"800\" height=\"1368\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-800x1368.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-400x684.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-1180x2018.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-960x1642.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women.png 1372w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>The gender imbalance among blacks throughout California resembles that in the Bay Area, for what appear to be similar reasons. Statewide, there are 89 black men for every 100 black women, according to our analysis. That amounts to roughly 53,000 more black women than black men living in California households. The imbalance is greatest in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While African-Americans make up about 6 percent of California’s total population, they make up nearly 30 percent of the state’s prison population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The maps below show Bay Area and regional Los Angeles communities with the greatest gender imbalances among black residents. The imbalance of men to women is shown in absolute numbers and divided by designated U.S. Census tracts (a statistical subdivision of a county used for population counts). Only tracts with more than 200 black adults and a deficit of more than 50 black men are shown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20319\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright wp-image-20319 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png\" alt=\"share of prison <a href=\" width=\"1626\" height=\"1370\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png 1626w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-400x337.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-800x674.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-1440x1213.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-1180x994.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-960x809.png 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1626px) 100vw, 1626px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Our analysis assumes a roughly even male-to-female birthrate for every race and shows the number of “prime-age” adults between 25 and 54 years old living in households, as reported in the 2010 Census.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tracts shaded in red have the largest gender disparities. Note that the geographically large \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/CensusTract_356002.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bay Area census tract 356002\u003c/a> includes parts of Richmond, Martinez and Hercules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja16.cartodb.com/viz/085bc030-71ee-11e5-9a04-0e3ff518bd15/embed_map\" width=\"1000\" height=\"650\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja16.cartodb.com/viz/df1fb9d0-7358-11e5-b649-0e674067d321/embed_map\" width=\"1000\" height=\"650\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>“The economic impact of this is huge,” said Brian Goldstein, Director of Policy and Development at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cjcj.org/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice\u003c/a> (CJCJ), a San Francisco-based criminal justice advocacy group. Not only are large numbers of black men removed from the workforce, Goldstein said, those released from jail or prison often find their earning potential significantly diminished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein also points out that there are many hidden costs associated with such a big gender imbalance, including family instability and the loss of civic engagement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The collateral consequences,\" he added, \"extend far beyond the individuals who are incarcerated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>Additional factors\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>Higher mortality rates resulting from accidents, heart disease and, most notably, homicide also appear to affect the gender imbalance in black communities both in the Bay Area and statewide. Although the number of black homicide victims in California has fallen sharply over the last decade – from 758 in 2005 to 510 in 2014 – the rate remains disproportionately high: more than 30 percent of all homicide victims in the state are black. And almost 90 percent of these victims are men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demographers also point to a historical under-counting of black men in the national census, as well as high rates of black male military deployment and those living in other “non-institutional facilities” such as mental hospitals or homeless shelters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These factors, however, pale in comparison to the impact of mass incarceration on the overall gender imbalance in the black community, both locally and statewide.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For every 100 black women living in the Bay Area, there are only 88 black men, according to a KQED Lowdown analysis.\u003cbr>\n\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This gender imbalance is notably greater than in any other racial group, and reflects the disproportionately high rate of incarceration among black males.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20320\">\u003cimg class=\"size-full wp-image-20320\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png\" alt=\"hadkjfhkjashkj\" width=\"794\" height=\"929\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide.png 794w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/statewide-400x468.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>African-Americans made up about 7 percent of the San Francisco Bay Area's total population, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Yet they accounted for almost 40 percent of people from the Bay Area in prison. The majority of this prison population is male.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Lowdown borrowed a methodology used by the \u003ca href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/20/upshot/missing-black-men.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Times\u003c/a> in its April 2015 analysis of “missing black men\" nationwide. Across the country, the gender imbalance in the black community is actually higher than it is in the Bay Area: the Times calculated 83 black men for every 100 black women (our analysis found 82 per 100) -- or approximately 1.5 million black men “missing” from daily life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, about 12,500 – or 12 percent — of primarily working-age black men (ages 25 to 54) are, in a sense, “missing” from daily life. In other words, these men, who under different circumstances would be a part of their local communities, are not present. The black gender imbalance is greatest in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20313\">\u003cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-20313 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-800x1368.png\" alt=\"men per women\" width=\"800\" height=\"1368\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-800x1368.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-400x684.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-1180x2018.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women-960x1642.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/men-per-women.png 1372w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>The gender imbalance among blacks throughout California resembles that in the Bay Area, for what appear to be similar reasons. Statewide, there are 89 black men for every 100 black women, according to our analysis. That amounts to roughly 53,000 more black women than black men living in California households. The imbalance is greatest in Los Angeles County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While African-Americans make up about 6 percent of California’s total population, they make up nearly 30 percent of the state’s prison population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The maps below show Bay Area and regional Los Angeles communities with the greatest gender imbalances among black residents. The imbalance of men to women is shown in absolute numbers and divided by designated U.S. Census tracts (a statistical subdivision of a county used for population counts). Only tracts with more than 200 black adults and a deficit of more than 50 black men are shown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003caside class=\"alignright\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-20319\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright wp-image-20319 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png\" alt=\"share of prison <a href=\" width=\"1626\" height=\"1370\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1.png 1626w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-400x337.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-800x674.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-1440x1213.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-1180x994.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/12/share-of-prison-pop1-960x809.png 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1626px) 100vw, 1626px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/aside>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>Our analysis assumes a roughly even male-to-female birthrate for every race and shows the number of “prime-age” adults between 25 and 54 years old living in households, as reported in the 2010 Census.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tracts shaded in red have the largest gender disparities. Note that the geographically large \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2016/07/CensusTract_356002.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bay Area census tract 356002\u003c/a> includes parts of Richmond, Martinez and Hercules.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja16.cartodb.com/viz/085bc030-71ee-11e5-9a04-0e3ff518bd15/embed_map\" width=\"1000\" height=\"650\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://ckukreja16.cartodb.com/viz/df1fb9d0-7358-11e5-b649-0e674067d321/embed_map\" width=\"1000\" height=\"650\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>“The economic impact of this is huge,” said Brian Goldstein, Director of Policy and Development at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.cjcj.org/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice\u003c/a> (CJCJ), a San Francisco-based criminal justice advocacy group. Not only are large numbers of black men removed from the workforce, Goldstein said, those released from jail or prison often find their earning potential significantly diminished.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Goldstein also points out that there are many hidden costs associated with such a big gender imbalance, including family instability and the loss of civic engagement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The collateral consequences,\" he added, \"extend far beyond the individuals who are incarcerated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch4>Additional factors\u003c/h4>\n\u003cp>Higher mortality rates resulting from accidents, heart disease and, most notably, homicide also appear to affect the gender imbalance in black communities both in the Bay Area and statewide. Although the number of black homicide victims in California has fallen sharply over the last decade – from 758 in 2005 to 510 in 2014 – the rate remains disproportionately high: more than 30 percent of all homicide victims in the state are black. And almost 90 percent of these victims are men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demographers also point to a historical under-counting of black men in the national census, as well as high rates of black male military deployment and those living in other “non-institutional facilities” such as mental hospitals or homeless shelters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These factors, however, pale in comparison to the impact of mass incarceration on the overall gender imbalance in the black community, both locally and statewide.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/08/22/election-2016-where-clinton-and-trump-stand-on-the-major-issues-interactive/\">[\u003cem>Click here for an updated version of this post, contrasting the views of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump\u003c/em>]\u003c/a>\u003cbr>\n\u003cbr>\nOn the public radio show \u003ca href=\"http://www.thisamericanlife.org/\" target=\"_blank\">This American Life\u003c/a>, the host Ira Glass once noted the widening chasm in American politics:\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everyone knows that politics is now so divided in our country that not only do the two sides disagree on the solutions to the country’s problems, they don’t even agree on what the problems are. It’s two versions of the world in collision.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There's a lot at stake in the upcoming presidential election, and no shortage of disagreement about how the United States should move forward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click each box below to learn more about the issues, get a sense of where the majority of Americans stand and see the dramatically different positions taken by the slew of Republican and Democratic candidates vying for the presidency. If the interactive is not appearing below, \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2015/12/04/the-big-issues-of-the-2016-campaign-and-where-the-candidates-stand/\">click here\u003c/a> to reload the page. \u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv>\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"http://dcrdesign.net/2016Graphic/index4.html\" width=\"100%\" height=\"750\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"disqusTitle": "MAP: Chicago Is Latest In Long List Of Police Departments To Be Investigated By the Feds",
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"content": "\u003cp>[http_redir]\u003cbr>\nThe Chicago Police Department is the latest local law enforcement agency to come under fire, following the recent release of 2014 graphic video showing a white Chicago police officer shooting and killing a 17-year-old black male.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protests erupted last week after the city was forced to release the year-old footage. And on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced the dismissal of police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Emmanuel said he would appoint a \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/01/457981923/amid-criticism-chicago-mayor-will-announce-police-accountability-taskforce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">task force to look at police accountability\u003c/a>, noting that \"public trust\" in the police had been \"shaken\" and \"eroded.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy's dismissal comes on the same day that Illinois Attorney General asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the Chicago Police Department's practices violated constitutional law, \u003ca href=\"http://Illinois%20Attorney%20General%20Lisa%20Madigan%20asked%20the%20Justice%20Department%20Tuesday%20to%20investigate%20whether%20the%20Chicago%20Police%20Department's%20practices%20violated%20constitutional%20law.%20The%20agency%20confirmed%20to%20NPR's%20Carrie%20Johnson%20that%20it%20is%20reviewing%20the%20request.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NPR reports\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the Justice Department decides to take up the investigation, the Chicago PD will join the ranks of roughly 70 other police departments nationwide that have been investigated by the feds for brutality, racial bias and other civil rights violations.\u003cbr>\nClick points on the map below for specific DOJ 14141 investigations of police departments around the country (with data compiled by \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/themarshallproject/doj14141\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Marshall Project\u003c/a>.) The map details on-going cases and negotiated settlements (not all 67 cases). Map design by Charu Kukreja and Roland Hansson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>View \u003ca href=\"http://www.dcrdesign.net/maps/kqed_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a> in fullscreen mode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://www.dcrdesign.net/maps/kqed_1.html\" width=\"1000\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although they make up only a tiny percentage of the the nearly 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies around the country, some of these departments are among the nation's largest, serving nearly one in five Americans, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2414673\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">analysis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright wp-image-19347\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-400x355.jpg\" alt=\"14141-graphic_full_updated2-1\" width=\"306\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-400x355.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-800x710.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-1440x1278.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-1180x1048.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-960x852.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px\">\u003c/a>DOJ investigations of police forces, from Detroit to the U.S. Virgin Islands, are the outcome of a federal law prompted by a 1991 incident involving Rodney King, an unarmed black man savagely beaten by Los Angeles police officers during a traffic stop. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.justice.gov/crt/conduct-law-enforcement-agencies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act\u003c/a>, enacted three years later, includes a provision -- Section 14141 -- that gives the DOJ authority to investigate systemic civil rights abuses. It's one of the few federal tools that can compel widespread change in local law enforcement agencies, empowering the DOJ to take legal action against a police department unless it enters into a negotiated settlement -- such as a consent decree or memorandum of agreement -- and makes proposed reforms under a specified timeline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been 67 formal investigations opened under Section 14141 to date. Of those, 22 cases have been closed without an agreement, 33 cases resulted in a negotiated settlement, and 12 cases are ongoing, including four currently in litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tactic has its naysayers: some critics call it a blatant form of government overreach that places unrealistic expectations and financial burdens on already strapped local police departments. Others question its effectiveness, pointing to instances where the DOJ's mandates were ignored or where reform efforts after federal oversight ended, as in the case of Cleveland's department, which has undergone two DOJ investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But advocates point to numerous examples of success that have led to sustained reforms and significantly improved police-community relations.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>[http_redir]\u003cbr>\nThe Chicago Police Department is the latest local law enforcement agency to come under fire, following the recent release of 2014 graphic video showing a white Chicago police officer shooting and killing a 17-year-old black male.\u003c!--more-->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protests erupted last week after the city was forced to release the year-old footage. And on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced the dismissal of police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Emmanuel said he would appoint a \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/12/01/457981923/amid-criticism-chicago-mayor-will-announce-police-accountability-taskforce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">task force to look at police accountability\u003c/a>, noting that \"public trust\" in the police had been \"shaken\" and \"eroded.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>McCarthy's dismissal comes on the same day that Illinois Attorney General asked the Justice Department to investigate whether the Chicago Police Department's practices violated constitutional law, \u003ca href=\"http://Illinois%20Attorney%20General%20Lisa%20Madigan%20asked%20the%20Justice%20Department%20Tuesday%20to%20investigate%20whether%20the%20Chicago%20Police%20Department's%20practices%20violated%20constitutional%20law.%20The%20agency%20confirmed%20to%20NPR's%20Carrie%20Johnson%20that%20it%20is%20reviewing%20the%20request.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NPR reports\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the Justice Department decides to take up the investigation, the Chicago PD will join the ranks of roughly 70 other police departments nationwide that have been investigated by the feds for brutality, racial bias and other civil rights violations.\u003cbr>\nClick points on the map below for specific DOJ 14141 investigations of police departments around the country (with data compiled by \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/themarshallproject/doj14141\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Marshall Project\u003c/a>.) The map details on-going cases and negotiated settlements (not all 67 cases). Map design by Charu Kukreja and Roland Hansson.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>View \u003ca href=\"http://www.dcrdesign.net/maps/kqed_1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here\u003c/a> in fullscreen mode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv align=\"center\">\n\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe src=\"https://www.dcrdesign.net/maps/kqed_1.html\" width=\"1000\" height=\"800\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\" frameborder=\"0\">\u003c/iframe>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although they make up only a tiny percentage of the the nearly 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies around the country, some of these departments are among the nation's largest, serving nearly one in five Americans, according to a recent \u003ca href=\"http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2414673\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">analysis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"alignright wp-image-19347\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-400x355.jpg\" alt=\"14141-graphic_full_updated2-1\" width=\"306\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-400x355.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-800x710.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-1440x1278.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-1180x1048.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/26/2015/08/14141-graphic_full_updated2-1-960x852.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px\">\u003c/a>DOJ investigations of police forces, from Detroit to the U.S. Virgin Islands, are the outcome of a federal law prompted by a 1991 incident involving Rodney King, an unarmed black man savagely beaten by Los Angeles police officers during a traffic stop. The \u003ca href=\"http://www.justice.gov/crt/conduct-law-enforcement-agencies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act\u003c/a>, enacted three years later, includes a provision -- Section 14141 -- that gives the DOJ authority to investigate systemic civil rights abuses. It's one of the few federal tools that can compel widespread change in local law enforcement agencies, empowering the DOJ to take legal action against a police department unless it enters into a negotiated settlement -- such as a consent decree or memorandum of agreement -- and makes proposed reforms under a specified timeline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been 67 formal investigations opened under Section 14141 to date. Of those, 22 cases have been closed without an agreement, 33 cases resulted in a negotiated settlement, and 12 cases are ongoing, including four currently in litigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The tactic has its naysayers: some critics call it a blatant form of government overreach that places unrealistic expectations and financial burdens on already strapped local police departments. Others question its effectiveness, pointing to instances where the DOJ's mandates were ignored or where reform efforts after federal oversight ended, as in the case of Cleveland's department, which has undergone two DOJ investigations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But advocates point to numerous examples of success that have led to sustained reforms and significantly improved police-community relations.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
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"soldout": {
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