Since January, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has prevented over 100 bills that have passed in the House from even coming up for a vote. His actions obstruct and ignore legislation that millions of Americans backed by electing a Democratic House majority in 2018. Transportation Secretary Chao, who was swiftly confirmed to her cabinet post in January 2017 by the Senate that’s run by her husband Mitch McConnell, was forced to scrap a trip to China later that year after she tried to get State Department officials to serve as travel agents for a family member. In the same trip, she sought to have her relatives, who run a prominent American shipping company in China, included in a government meeting with Chinese officials. After State Department officials at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing flagged the requests and reporters began asking questions, Chao suddenly backed out of the trip. Nonetheless, during Chao's first year leading the Transportation Department, her calendar included "at least 21 interviews or meetings with Chinese-language news organizations," according to reporting by the New York Times. It just so happens that Chao and McConnell have been big beneficiaries, both personally and politically, of the Foremost Group shipping company run by Chao's family. Chao's father James ran the company until last year and showered the two with "millions of dollars in gifts." Chao's father and sister Angela, who has taken over as the company's CEO, have also funneled more than $1 million in donations to McConnell's campaign coffers. McConnell has always been a huge fan of politics being awash in money, and he has relied heavily on out-fundraising his opponents to make up for what he lacks in natural charisma as a politician. On top of it all, Chao now oversees the American shipping industry as Transportation Secretary, raising obvious conflict of interest issues. But her efforts to promote the company in China, particularly among government officials, are also at odds with the Trump administration's current posture toward China on trade. Foremost, for instance, has secured "hundreds of millions of dollars in loan commitments" from a state-run bank in China. The company also has long-term agreements with a state-owned steel maker that help ensure Foremost maintains a steady stream of revenues. Chao's sister and father have also sat on the board of a state-owned company that builds ships for the Chinese military, while her sister also sits on the board of Bank of China, one of the state-owned shipbuilders' primary lenders. In the meantime, Chao in her capacity at Transportation Secretary has been actively slashing efforts to shore up the American shipping industry. In other words, while her family's business has cozied up to the Chinese government to promote its business interests, Chao is effectively undermining the American shipping industry here at home. That conflict of interest has caught the eye of lawmakers like California Rep. Alan Lowenthal, whose district features a massive cargo port. "The Chinese government is massively engaged in maritime expansion as we have walked away from it,” Lowenthal told the Times. “There is going to come a crisis, and we are going to call upon the U.S. maritime industry, and it is not going to be around.” The Times piece is lengthy and includes a statement from Chao, though she did not grant an interview. A Transportation Department spokesperson accused the Times of weaving “together a web of innuendos and baseless inferences.” The Times maintained that its reporting uncovered “the Chaos had an extraordinary proximity to power in China for an American family.”

As an avid USMNT supporter, I cannot sit idly by as the USSF and Gregg Berlhalter continue to show a blatant disregard for the supporters and a heightened level of nepotism when it comes to player selection. It is clear to me that Gregg Berlhalter doesn't see the big picture when it comes to preparation for the next World Cup, and instead has provided a squad that will not be competitive on the world stage, even with a lot of young talent at his disposal. If we continue down this path, it will be difficult for us to recover. This needs to end.

Each time we post on Facebook through a link given by an organization or company, we are tracked and Facebook can further delineate specific advertising based on that data. Facebook should not profit until they are willing to remove deceitful characters and information from their platform.

Climate change is the biggest crisis our nation is facing. Other nations have made major steps to address climate change. We need bold action now!

I believe that big money in politics is the root of most of the problems in our democracy.

We are residents and concerned neighbors of the COALITION TO OPPOSE THE EXPANSION OF US ECOLOGY- Detroit. There are more than 25K people within 2 miles of the US ECOLOGY NORTH hazardous waste facility. We must protect our people, our water, our air from further pollution and potential harm from a facility fire or a truck accident/spill, impacting our neighborhoods.

I see these cups everywhere; in parking lots, on the sides of roads, and ending up in the gutters. I can't help but think Starbucks should re-evaluate their impact on this planet.

Language funding is always a target for budget cuts and it's rare that a school has a strong Japanese program. Ms. Cooper was the best Japanese teacher we've ever seen. She always brings a positive energy and truly cares about her students. She is rare in her field and everyone wants her to stay.

The governor of Kansas was a state senator. She neglected her duties as state senator and now wants to fix the problem by sending inmates to a private prison in Arizona. She can reduce the population of Prisons in Kansas by commuting sentences of-of low-level nonviolent offenders. Let low-level non-violent offenders out of prison, Governor Kelly.

Climate crisis will be the most pressing issue the next President of the US will face. It is the most critical issue this planet has ever faced. We are asking the DNC to reconsider their stance on not having a Presidential debate focused on climate change or allow the Candidates to have their own debate focused on the issue. The climate crisis should be the most prominent issue on all Democratic Candidate's platforms. The DNC should be considering the climate crisis as its #1 platform issue as well.

The Kansas legislature has been absolutely derelict in their Duty including the Democrats to oversee Kansas prisons. Laura Kelly who was in the Senate is partially responsible for this. Now she is governor and wants to send inmates to private prisons. But yet she says we have people locked up that don't need to be in prison. Governor Kelly you were the only one that can reduce prison population by reducing low-level non-violent offenders now.

Children should not be pawns of a political agenda. They deserve education, activities, exercise and legal representation while incarcerated in the USA Office of Resettlement centers. The Red Cross has the infrastructure and experience to deal with and alleviate the terrible, inhuman situation we have imposed on these children. The Red Cross/Crescent has operated in some of the worst war situations and substandard prisons in history and they should be monitoring and helping children here as well. These vulnerable souls need our help and the Red Cross should show they are not political by becoming involved.