Big bucks versus the state: Conservative lawmakers in Texas have proposed a transphobic bathroom bill that they see as having a negative impact on the state economy. The bathroom bill just passed in the state senate and is now moving onto the House of Representatives. Corporate leaders fear that the state could lose as much as $5.6 billion by 2026. Apple, Microsoft and other big name companies are campaigning against the anti-trans legislation to protect their financial assets and support the transgender community.According to CBS News , North Carolina legislators repealed a law that required transgender people to use the bathroom of their assigned sex rather than their gender identity after less than six months of it being in effect. The cause of the repeal was the economic nosedive where state businesses lost approximate $630 million in revenue.You can take action in support of trans students across the country, including Texas, now.Legalize it: Today at 12:30pm ET, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker will introduce the Marijuana Justice Act to legalize marijuana at federal level. You can watch a live-stream of the announcement on Booker's Facebook page, and VICE Impact will bring you a recap of what Booker says.
Not Laughing : In a speech last Friday on Long Island, President Trump encouraged police officers to use rough tactics when doing their jobs, as if police brutality was something to be celebrated. Trump said police should not be "too nice", later attributing the remark as his attempt as "making a joke." The families of Sandra Bland, Eric Garner, and more wouldn't think it's much of a joke at all.Now Charles Ramsey, the former D.C. police chief and Philadelphia police commissioner, is pushing back on Trump's statements. "If you engage in misconduct, if you think the president of the United States is going to save you, you're mistaken," Ramsey said in an interview with CNN. Excessive force is a national topic of conversation, and Ramsey said that the President should be more careful about his messaging to cops.The plot thickens: GOP Congressman Greg Gianforte from Montana must perform 40 hours of community service at a wheelchair for children nonprofit after pleading guilty to attacking a reporter during his campaign. The reporter, Ben Jacobs of the Guardian, had asked then-candidate Gianforte about health care, which prompted the altercation. Jacob's said that Gianforte "body-slammed" him and broke his glasses.Gianforte was initially defensive of his actions and criticized the media for being too aggressive. He later said he was sorry and said that he would make it up with some act of charity. The skirmish is a peak example of the toxic political climate that President Trump has created, which has emboldened politicians and their supporters to mistrust and direct their anger towards journalists.Tipping the scales: Job creation has outpaced housing construction in most major cities, which means that rental costs are skyrocketing and workers commutes are getting longer. According to a report from Apartment List and data from both the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Census, the housing shortage is a systemic problem that has only gotten worse over time. The cause is from a lack of affordable housing and a decline in labor in the construction industry. It's hard lesson in supply and demand as infrastructures for cities across the country from San Jose to Denver haven't been able to keep up with worker populations.
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