Skimm This: Cutting Aid, Security Clearances, and Japan’s New Era

It’s April 1st. No joke. Today, we Skimm’d This:

• The Trump Administration wants to cut aid to Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Because of the border crisis. We’ll connect the dots on how those two things are related, and what this could mean for the hundreds of thousands of migrants trying to escape violence and poverty in Central America.

• Today we learned that the Trump administration gave out security clearances to at least 25 people. After their applications had been denied. We’ll intro you to the whistleblower, and explain how her testimony could shape the Congressional investigation into security clearances.

• The robots are coming. Which could present a problem for workers. And the government. Some Democratic rising stars have a solution: taxes on robots. We’ll break it down.

• Japan’s saying, ‘new emperor, new us.’ Over the weekend, it unveiled the name of its new imperial era. We’ll tell you about it.

theSkimm:

The Trump Administration is thinking about cutting aid to a few Central American countries. And it’s pointing to the border crisis. But how are the two related, again? In other DC news, today we found out that the White House has been overriding their staff and giving out security clearances to dozens of officials. After their applications were denied. Also on today’s episode: some Democrats are talking about taxes on robots, and Japan is ready for a new era.

PS: Equal Pay Day is coming up. Leave us a voicemail at 646.461.6370 to tell us how you’ve fought for equal pay at the office. And you just might hear your two cents on the show next week.