EPA

This week on the New World Next Week: To cut climate funding you have to find it first; a new bill would allow companies to force genetic testing of workers; and Portland's anarchists take to the streets - to fix the roads.

This week on the New World Next Week: To cut climate funding you have to find it first; a new bill would allow companies to force genetic testing of workers; and Portland's anarchists take to the streets - to fix the roads.

President Donald Trump smiles while speaking to a meeting of the National Governors Association, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, at the White House in Washington. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Ahead of its formal release Thursday, the White House unveiled key details about U.S. President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal which would gut key departments, going as far to entirely eliminate 19 federal agencies, all in the name of boosting military spending and increasing “border security”.

(ZHE) If we had a dime for every kooky conspiracy theory we’ve heard alleging some vast corporate conspiracy to exploit the treasures of the earth, destroy the environment and poison people with unknown carcinogens all while buying off politicians to cover their tracks, we would be rich. The problem, of course, is that sometimes the conspiracy theories prove to be completely accurate.

Monsanto herbicides are prepared prior to being sprayed on food crops. (Photo from the USDA via Wikimedia Commons)
If we had a dime for every kooky, left-wing theory we’ve heard alleging some vast corporate conspiracy to exploit the treasures of the earth, destroy the environment and poison people with unknown carcinogens all while buying off politicians to cover their tracks, we would be rich.  The problem, of course, is that sometimes the kooky conspiracy theories prove to be completely accurate.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks to employees of the EPA in Washington. Pruitt said Thursday, March 9, 2017, he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to global warming. (AP/Susan Walsh)
(ANALYSIS) — Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt made heads turn on CNBC Thursday morning when he argued against decades of scientific consensus and said that carbon dioxide emissions aren’t a primary driver of global warming.

Trump is the first president to take on America the Beautiful. He’s at war with America. This is not new news. Yet, it is worthy of further discussion.

Trump wants to build up the military and cut taxes for the wealthy, so he's busy slashing budgets. One victim is funding for Great Lakes cleanup-- by a phenomenal 97%! Is that what he meant by Making America Great Again? That's a fifth of the world's freshwater!

Yesterday the Maine Beacon reported that 8 Democrats-- 2 in the state Senate and 6 in the House-- signed on to Paul LePage's plan to roll back a just-passed minimum wage increase. And by "signed on," I mean co-sponsoring a bill that would target restaurant workers.

In this Jan. 4, 2017, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator-designate Scott Pruitt answer a reporter’s question during his meeting with Sen. Shelley Moore Capitol, R-W.Va., on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP/Cliff Owen)