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"5 promises Trump made for day one of his second term."

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Russ Roberts (https://trendsingeopolitics.blogspot.com).

 

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January 19, 2025 Good morning. This week, the FTC sued John Deere over farmers' rights to repair tractors, the World Monuments Fund announced its biennial list of the most endangered places on Earth, and LA theaters brought entertainment to families for a breather from fires. Best of NPR — Obed Manuel, Morning Edition digital editor President-elect Donald Trump made big promises leading up to the election. He made no secret during his first term and the campaign for his second that he planned to push the boundaries of the power of the presidency. Morning Edition dove into five of those promises after the election. We’re revisiting them in this newsletter ahead of tomorrow’s inauguration. Alex Brandon/AP ➡️ Trump has promised to pardon some Jan. 6 rioters convicted of various offenses. A legal expert told Morning Edition that this is possible due to the president’s unlimited pardoning power. But she warned that pardons, paired with his newly defined presidential immunity, is “sort of a recipe for a massive criminal enterprise in the White House." ➡️ Immigration was central to Trump’s campaign. He blamed migrants, asylum seekers and other immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization for driving up crime and housing costs. He promised the “largest deportation” in the country’s history as a solution. Here’s how he might get started. ➡️ Shuttering the Department of Education has long sat on the conservative wish list — and Trump has vowed to do it. Closing the department would require an act of Congress, and doing so could cause a number of headaches — especially for some conservative states.  ➡️ Oil and gas production hit record highs under President Biden. Trump said he wants the U.S. to produce more. An energy policy expert explained how the incoming president might go about doing that and discussed some of the green initiatives Trump may target in his second term. ➡️ "Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you" were words frequently heard in TV attack ads against Vice President Harris’ support for trans rights. Trump has vowed to sign an executive order banning federal agencies from promoting “sex or gender transition at any age.” These are some ways Trump might try to limit trans healthcare treatment at the federal level and the legal hurdles his moves could face.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message The Week That Was — Brittney Melton, Up First newsletter writer Alina Selyukh/NPR NPR has tracked the prices of dozens of items at a Walmart Supercenter in Georgia for six years. The list includes 96 items from almost every aisle, including chips, veggies, shampoo, T-shirts, dog food and paper towels. Last year, the prices, on average, increased 0.7% — far less than overall annual inflation, which was 2.7% in November. In fact, 21 items on the shopping list were cheaper in 2024. However, some items, like eggs and laundry detergent, became more expensive. Check out the graphs breaking down the price differences throughout the years. An international committee of scientists has proposed changing how obesity is diagnosed and defined. For years, physicians have used BMI, or body mass index, to determine whether a person has obesity. However, the commission concludes that BMI doesn’t provide enough information about a person’s health, and the reliance on BMI alone can result in a misdiagnosis. One recommendation from the commission includes measuring a person's waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, or waist-to-height ratio. In 2018, New York Times journalist Pagan Kennedy became obsessed with finding out who created the rape kit while working on a column. Rape kits are boxes used to collect evidence after a sexual assault. The invention was commonly credited to a Chicago police sergeant named Louis Vitullo. But after some deep digging, Kennedy found another name connected to its creation: Martha "Marty" Goddard. She helped develop a standard for the evidence collection. Check out the history behind rape kits and why Goddard isn't widely credited today. The Facts are Powerful In an age of fake news and disinformation, NPR strives to amplify the truth. That’s why when power structures are threatened, those in power target journalists. They want to silence journalists to conceal the truth.    Your financial support ensures our journalists can stay on the ground, uncovering the facts, and reporting on the truth. Can you donate today? Yes! I Can Donate Today ➔ Podcast Picks Amovitania/Shutterstock TED Radio Hour: Explore the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires listeners to learn more about the world, their communities, and most importantly, themselves. 🎧 In unpredictable times, how can we stay calm, grounded, and on course? This hour, TED speakers lead listeners through uncertainty.  The Common, via WBUR: News and culture meet on Greater Boston's weekly podcast. 🎧 Tomorrow's Inauguration Day is a little different than most others because it also falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Common saw this as an opportunity to step back and look at King's legacy, how he's remembered and if we'll ever truly see the progress he's envisioned.  Short Wave: Learn about new discoveries, everyday mysteries and the science behind the headlines — in just under 15 minutes. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor, with hosts Emily Kwong and Regina Barber. 🎧 Air quality in the Los Angeles region has plummeted due to smoke from the wildfires. With all that smoke comes possible risks to human health. So what is smoke and why is it so harmful? Jessica Gilman, an atmospheric chemist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, explains what smoke is made of , how it behaves in the atmosphere and smoke's role in climate change. Plus, hear tips for how to lessen your exposure. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from Hawai‘i Public Radio (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can  sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more!