The United States signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (#UNCRC) in 1995, but is the only United Nations member state that is not a party to it. A short explanatory history follows. 1/
On 16 February 1995, Madeleine Albright, at the time the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, signed the Convention. Ratification requires that the President send it to the Senate for a 2/3 majority vote to pass; if it does, the President can then ratify it. 2/
Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama each ratified the CRC but failed to submit it to the Senate. As of June 2018, the Trump administration has not ratified it. Apparently the reasons why are too varied and complex to relate here. 3/
Also, I do not think it is place to opine on them here. I do suggest reading about them on the Wikipedia topic page "U.S. ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child." 4/
You can then decide how you would like to pursue getting the CRC submitted, passed and ratified by the only nation on earth that has not done so. Let's remove this ugly stigma. 5/x
This is sad news. My late mom had Alzheimer's so I know the way his life will take now. And what a life he's had! I lived in Atlanta for 35+ years, so I've followed Captain Outrageous's adventures, achievements (the Braves won their only World Series under his ownership)... 1/
businesses (@CNN is just one of many), interests (flying, ranching, conservation, etc.), marriages and occasional bellyflops (Time-Warner merger) with great interest. I still eat/buy bison at Ted's Montana Grill when I can. I regard Ted as an authentic genius, a visionary... 2/
STUDY: Mail ballots cast by youngest voters, blacks and Hispanics were much more likely to be rejected than mail ballots cast by white voters, and that those voters are less likely to cure problems with their ballots when notified by election supervisors. tampabay.com/florida-politi…
"The main reasons why mail ballots are rejected are that a voter didn't sign the ballot envelope or that the voter's signature on the envelope did not match the voter's signature on file with the county elections office." 1/
"About 1 percent of all mail ballots cast are rejected and not counted. That's about 1 of 100 ballots cast by mail. Smith said that rate is about 10 times higher than for voters voting either at an early site or on election day." 2/
Dr. José Baselga, chief medical officer at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. didn't follow financial disclosure rules set by the American Association for Cancer Research when he was its president. nyti.ms/2MUXlcl
When you’re asked to donate to cancer research at a leading hospital, you’re basically giving money to wealthy doctors on the pharmaceutical industry payroll. Given all the potential + actual self-dealing, how do these places keep their nonprofit + charity status? ~ Gwen, Queens
"One of the most vulnerable states of being is a person walking into a cancer treatment center. How do they know what they are in for when a trial drug treatment is offered to them? They don't. In my opinion there should be no financial relationship between drug producers... 1/
Why Afghanistan? It's not so much about the military cost of the war. There are two other reasons. One: The country is one of the world's largest sources of opium syrup for heroin, a very lucrative trade. brookings.edu/blog/order-fro…
You waged a long fight with the feds to delay upping clean water standards. In 2012 you killed a statewide septic tank inspection program; you ended a springs restoration initiative. You forced the state's 5 regional water mgmt districts to reduce their budgets by $700M 1/
... and appointed industry insiders to them who profit off their positions. He shut down water-quality monitoring offices. You shut down water-quality monitoring offices. Under Bush and Crist, FL opened 1,000-1,500 yearly to crack down on bad actors; now it's close to 250. 2/
Wow. That was the most disgusting and and disgraceful performance by a U.S. President during a press conference with a world leader that I have ever heard -- and I'm in my 70s. The @GOP had better stand up against Trump ASAP or they'll pay for it big time at the polls.
"... and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." IMO @realDonaldTrump breached his oath of office with his presser remarks denigrating the US government and show of obvious approval of and collusion with Vladimir Putin.
If Congress can legislate to prevent any @POTUS or @VP meetings with world leaders without witnesses or notes taken, I hope it will move to do so immediately. IMO the United States cannot afford to permit another dangerous, possibly treasonous executive secret session.