Challenge to First Amendment? It’s possible
The White House is “looking into” ways to potentially change the nation’s libel laws to make it easier to go after reporters whose stories it deems inaccurate.
That’s according to President Trump’s chief spokesman, Sean Spicer, who told reporters Monday that: “That is something that is being looked into, substantively and then both logistically how it would happen.”
Trump pledged during his campaign to “open up” the nation’s libel laws — a process that could not be accomplished by the White House. That would require a constitutional amendment or a reversal of Supreme Court precedent interpreting the First Amendment.
On the same issue, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told ABC on Sunday that “how that gets executed or whether that goes anywhere is a different story.”
Trump repeatedly threatened news outlets with lawsuits during his campaign. At a Texas campaign rally, Trump said of the media: “Believe me: If I become president, oh, do they have problems.” But Trump often has threatened lawsuits only to not follow through.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a plaintiff in a libel case must demonstrate that statements were factually inaccurate as well as made with “actual malice” or a “reckless disregard” for the truth.
President open to raising fuel taxes
President Donald Trump on Monday said he will explore the possibility of higher gasoline and diesel fuel taxes, suggesting an increase could pay for his ambitious infrastructure plan.
“It’s something that I would certainly consider,” Trump told Bloomberg News. Fuel taxes have been unchanged since 1993.
The president indicated that the additional money would be directed toward highway construction and repair.
The federal government currently finances its Highway Trust Fund with an 18.4 cents per gallon tax on gasoline and a 24.4 cents per gallon tax on diesel fuel, neither of which are adjusted for inflation, so the revenue raised has effectively fallen over time.
The U.S. trucking industry — which shoulders roughly half the cost of the fuel taxes — would welcome an increase if it’s dedicated to fixing infrastructure. The industry benefits because better roads reduce travel times, curb the frequency of vehicle repairs and improve roadway safety.
But higher fuel taxes could disproportionately hit lower-income workers, who spend a greater percentage of their money on gasoline.
Trump links Jackson to Civil War era
In his latest foray into what might be called the alternative past, President Donald Trump suggested Monday that Andrew Jackson was “really angry” about the Civil War, which did not break out until 16 years after his death. And for good measure, Trump questioned “why was there the Civil War?” — suggesting it should have simply been worked out.
White House officials said Trump was being misinterpreted and that a few random comments had been twisted into meaning something they did not. The criticism of his remarks, they said, reflects a “gotcha” game by intellectual elitists who fail to understand him.