Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Will the Government Have to Shut Down?

Saturday will mark President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, and reviews of his performance so far have not been that great. So naturally, Trump responded to media reports with an angry tweet, calling the first 100 days a “ridiculous standard.”

No matter how much I accomplish during the ridiculous standard of the first 100 days, & it has been a lot (including S.C.), media will kill!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2017

But to add to his headache, the 100-day milestone will coincide with the deadline to pass a funding bill. Right now it looks like the government could be headed for a shutdown, as the White House and Congress can’t seem to forge an agreement–Trump wants the bill to include funding for the debated border wall, while Democrats want to make sure contested Obamacare subsidy payments are funded. Senators come back from a two-week recess this evening; the House is back tomorrow. This means they only have three days to reach a compromise.

House Speaker Paul Ryan tells GOP members House will focus on avoiding a government shutdown, not health care vote https://t.co/8LqFqttDdP pic.twitter.com/YLHN2cg0ye

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 24, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: April 24, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Good morning everyone, hope you have all your Christmas gifts in order and you’re finished shopping! Some of us get really stressed out from those last minute errands, but here are some of today’s rants to help you channel all that energy. Stay calm and have a good day! Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

After Berlin, Trump Doubles Down on Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

Yesterday, President-elect Donald Trump insinuated that the deadly truck attack in Berlin shows that he was right to want to ban Muslims from entering the United States. When reporters asked him whether the attack would cause him to re-evaluate his stance on Muslims, he replied: “You know my plans, all along, I’ve been proven to be right. One hundred percent correct.” It wasn’t clear exactly what Trump meant.

Donald Trump seemed to suggest that the Berlin attack vindicated his proposal to bar Muslims from entering the U.S. https://t.co/V9Wsrnu0Gd

— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 22, 2016

But later, one of his advisers, Jason Miller, said that Trump was only repeating his previous statements that he would “suspend admission of those from countries with high terrorism rates and apply a strict vetting procedure.” Trump has both said and tweeted confusing comments since appearing on the political scene and seems unable to make up his mind on some things. “We know he’s got some instincts and predilections, but there is no coherent Trump foreign-policy doctrine, and we’re not likely to see one,” said vocal Trump critic Professor Eliot A. Cohen to the New York Times.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: December 22, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

You know the feeling when you’re witnessing something amazing, and it makes you a little sad that no one else is there to see it? There’s a television equivalent to that–when you’re watching an amazing show with disappointing ratings and you hope against hope that the sponsors and executives will continue supporting it for the art’s own sake. In another context, you might feel a little proud to be enjoying something that the general public hasn’t caught onto yet–but you can’t because you’re too worried that the program won’t last long enough (see: any good show on the CW.) That’s exactly how I feel watching “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.”

If you don’t remember her, she was a correspondent on “The Daily Show” who did hilarious exposés and interviews ranging from abortion rights and labor laws to women and gays in the military. “Full Frontal” is her standalone late night show, and unbeknownst to seemingly everyone, it’s the best late night talk show for political coverage. While the primaries and the general seem exhausting, it’s always nice to have a voice of sanity you can tune into every week, and if you haven’t tried “Full Frontal,” you’re really missing out.

What makes Samantha Bee’s program head and shoulders over the others? Shall I compare her to the other hosts?–after all, she art more lovely and less temperate. There are of course the three Jameses: Fallon, Kimmel, and Corden are all goofy and fun, but they’re rarely political. Seth Meyers has short political segments called “a closer look,” which are usually informative but full of very flat jokes. Colbert’s new show has some highlights, but the tone is generally very silly. He’s a gifted live interviewer, but the show’s other material can feel repetitive. John Oliver has great long form excerpts, but they’re not consistently about politics, and aren’t usually about current news. Bill Maher is consistently political and keeps up with the election, but is often too abrasive and acerbic, and can alienate those who aren’t on the far-left. I’ve got to be honest, I haven’t seen much of Trevor Noah. I asked some friends who like the show what he’s like, and I heard that he is “dreamy” and has “the cutest accent.” So I guess he’s got that going for him.

Samantha Bee manages to mix together all the best elements of the other hosts to create the best late-night refuge from political craziness. Her best segments teach you something new while making you laugh–and include a call to action to right wrongs. Plus, none of the aforementioned guys have jackets anywhere near as cool as Sam’s.

After working with Jon Stewart so closely, it’s no surprise that she has a well-developed knack for making jokes about topics like mass shootings and rapes without seeming callous or mean-spirited. The delicate balance between serious punditry and side-splitting commentary can be treacherous, but Bee’s explanation videos manage both perfectly. Some highlights include the origins of the religious right movement, abortion restriction in Texas, and explaining what the hell superdelegates are. Just about any video produced for her show will teach you something new, and arm you with funny one-liners about the election perfect for any office party schmoozing.

For a glimpse at how she unflinchingly tackles a subject matter as taboo as rape, check out this video of her argument for passing MJIA, a bill regarding military sexual assault.

She also has a segment where she interviews a group of people to better understand them–and while it’s not always comfortable, it’s always hilarious. Her ‘unironic’ interview with Trump supporters and her meeting with the “Bernie bros,” are great examples.

On the “Colbert Report,” Colbert’s character was a staunch conservative, and his opinions made him interesting to watch. Even if his opinions weren’t real, they provided satirical outlets for his writers’ actual opinions.  Samantha Bee doesn’t pretend to be an impartial observer–she’s got strong opinions, and that’s exactly why her show is interesting. She has an angle, and she owns it. It’s time for more people to tune in.

Sean Simon

Sean Simon is an Editorial News Senior Fellow at Law Street, and a senior at The George Washington University, studying Communications and Psychology. In his spare time, he loves exploring D.C. restaurants, solving crossword puzzles, and watching sad foreign films. Contact Sean at SSimon@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Samantha Bee Deserves More Buzz appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Cruz Blasts Democrats’ “Political Gamesmanship”

Ted Cruz took to the Senate floor to address the shooting in Orlando, Florida, last weekend. The address was more of a heated criticism of the “show” Democrats put on this week as they staged a filibuster for gun control. Ted Cruz once again blamed Democrats for not taking the violent attack as an issue of terrorism but as an issue of domestic gun violence. See Cruz’ speech here:

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The post RantCrush Top 5: June 17, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

As it turns out, there’s a lot of unedited, raw footage of Ted Cruz out there. It’s a not-so-secret trick that campaigns use to coordinate with their corresponding Super PACs–by releasing the footage publicly, PACs can use whatever they want. While the Cruz campaign uploaded the roughly 15 hours of raw footage this summer, the denizens of the internet appear to have just recently found it. Now, everyone is having quite a bit of fun at the expense of the Cruz family.

The entire thing is incredibly awkward. As New York Magazine stated about the segments of footage:

Presented in segments ranging anywhere from 24 minutes to more than an hour long, they contain unedited video from ad shoots for presidential campaign videos. What comes across is a bizarro campaign ad, full of awkward pauses, multiple takes, and uncomfortable hugs.

A lot of the best moments have already been cherry-picked; here’s my personal favorite:

The Daily Show host Trevor Noah had a bit of fun with Cruz’s footage, pointing out that the 15 hours of tape can be mixed and matched to create pretty much whatever. He dubbed it #CruzYourOwnAdventure, and gave some examples.

Noah then encouraged viewers to make and submit their own versions. Check out some of the best of #CruzYourOwnAdventure below.

Cruzac Commercial from Justin Bare on Vimeo.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best of #CruzYourOwnAdventure appeared first on Law Street.