7. Tax Day is here — The media and their Democrats have been lying to you
— Under President Donald Trump’s tax cuts, more than 65 percent of American tax filers will see their tax burden decrease by at least $100. Less than 30 percent of people will see very little change in their taxes, while 6 percent will see an increase. These tax cuts will be in place until at least 2025. Despite a majority of Americans getting a tax cut, most people don’t understand that they’re paying less in taxes. NBC News/Wall Street Journal released a poll this week that showed only 17 percent of people think they’re getting a tax cut, and 28 percent think they’re going to pay more. Previous claims that Trump’s tax cuts wouldn’t actually benefit the majority of people are being proven to be false.
6. The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees proposes tuition freeze for in-state students
— On Friday, Interim Chancellor Finis St. John IV announced the board’s proposal of a system-wide freeze for in-state students for the 2020-2021 academic year. The official proposal will be heard in June and it’s expected to be approved. The freeze will cover the University of Alabama, the University at Birmingham (UAB) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). If the freeze is approved, it would be the first time in history that all three campuses would freeze tuition rates. St. John stated that this issue has been of great emphasis and importance to the board for a long time, but it has just become a financial reality.
5. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says he is not on a “crusade” against illegal gambling
— Speaking on Alabama Public Television, Attorney General Steve Marshall said his office’s raids on alleged gambling facilities in Jefferson County was fulfilling his “responsibility as the attorney general of Alabama” to enforce the law, rather than part of a “crusade.” Even though these machines are illegal gambling machines, he doesn’t want to be seen as if he is on a “crusade against illegal gambling.” The AG appears to believe these machines are not for bingo, as decided by the Alabama Supreme Court. He referred to them as slot machines. It is unclear what the difference is between the machines in Jefferson County and in other “electronic bingo” operations in the state, like Greenetrack and Victoryland.
4. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) wants troops on the border and asylum laws changed
— On Sunday, Graham said in an interview with Fox News, “If I were the president, I’d send military troops to the border as soon as I could in large numbers. But we’re never going to stop this jut by having walls and troops at the border. We have to change our laws so these people stop coming.” He noted that we should be sending illegal immigrants back to their country of origin, adding, “So I’m going to put a legislative package together right after the break. We’re going to mark it up in the Judiciary Committee and we’re going to get on with solving this problem. I’ve got to get a package that will deter people from Central America from continuing to come, change our asylum laws, make sure you have more than 20 days to deal with an unaccompanied minor and send people back to Central America.” Graham has not given an exact date on when he will introduce legislation, but he did make it clear that White House and Republican leaders have been reaching out to Democratic colleagues to try and gain bipartisan support.
3. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh compares President Donald Trump’s plan to send illegal aliens to sanctuary cities to Obama’s plan to send illegal aliens to Alabama
— During a conversation on the president’s plan to disperse illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, Limbaugh quoted an AL.com article titled, “White House Considers Sending Illegal Immigrant Children to Sessions’ Home State,” and added, “Alabama’s not a sanctuary anything. I don’t even know if they have a sanctuary city in Alabama, but the state is not.” There are no sanctuary cities in Alabama, although Birmingham flirted with the idea before backing down. Limbaugh’s point was that Democrats tried and succeeded at shipping illegal immigrants all over the country.
2. The White House is, in fact, working with ICE and Homeland Security to send illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities
— White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley appeared on Fox News stating, “We’re working with DHS, we’re working with ICE, to try and make sure that happens because after all, it’s what they want. They should not say ‘This is retribution politically,’ they should say, ‘This is an olive branch.'” The White House is also determining whether or not they can legally send illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, and President Donald Trump said on Twitter that the U.S. does have the legal right. The policy that would send illegal immigrants to these cities has been criticized, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) even called the plan “disrespectful” and “unworthy of the presidency.” The plan is currently under “complete and thorough review according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.
1. Presidential candidates for 2020 rush to defend Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from mean tweets
— After President Donald Trump responded to Omar’s comments that “some people did something” on 9/11, several presidential candidates and high-profile Democrats quickly defended her and condemned the president. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tweeted, “Ilhan Omar is a leader with strength and courage. She won’t back down to Trump’s racism and hate, and neither will we. The disgusting and dangerous attacks against her must end.” Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) weighed in and said the president was inciting violence against Omar and other American Muslims, and she continued to say, “And any elected leader who refuses to condemn it shares responsibility for it.” The Democrats defending Omar have turned the rhetoric of President Trump disagreeing with her into inciting violence and an attack on her life. She has jumped in, too, although it clearly is not an act of inciting violence.
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