Wednesday News: 2 Pages of Trump’s 2005 Tax Return Tell Us…Not Much; Wittman, Brat, Garrett Oppose Trumpcare

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, March 15.

• The cost of failure on health care? It may be the rest of Trump’s agenda. (And his entire presidency…)
• Did Trump have his own tax return leaked? That was the big question after Maddow. (“All told, Trump seemed to make it through the segment in pretty good shape — so good that a cyberspace chorus wondered for hours after the fact: Did Trump leak his own tax return?” Yep, that was a huge bust, despite all the hype from Rachel Maddow and Company.)
• Trump allies call GOP health-care plan ‘a trap’ (“A simmering rebellion of conservative populists believes the plan being advanced by Republican congressional leaders to replace the Affordable Care Act is deeply flawed, and are warning the president to abandon the proposal. They worry Trump is jeopardizing his presidency by promoting the bill spearheaded by House Speaker Paul Ryan.”)
• Former aides to longtime EPA critic Inhofe are now reshaping the agency (Along with their assault on our democracy and on Muslims, their insanity about global warming and the environment more broadly is probably the most disturbing thing about this administration from hell.)
• Trump paid a 25 percent tax rate in 2005, reported $105 million write-down, return shows (“Trump has repeatedly refused to release his tax returns, and the administration’s disclosure came ahead of an MSNBC report publishing part of the 2005 returns.”)
• Republicans should really read the CBO report
• The GOP masterminds behind Obamacare’s ‘death spiral’ (“The Affordable Care Act may or may not be in the death spiral Republicans have long craved, but it has definitely deteriorated since the Trump administration and the new GOP Congress assumed power. And no wonder: They sabotaged it.” Exactly!)
• G.O.P. Senators Suggest Changes for Health Care Bill (“But those changes would alienate conservative House Republicans who already believe the bill is too generous.” This party is bonkers.)
• Into the Void, With Steve King (“Earth to Mr. King: Illegal immigration is not an abortion-linked repopulation scheme.” Note that King has not been condemned, certainly not forcefully, by his fellow Republicans. That kind of says it all about his party.)
• Obama tried to take Andrew Jackson off the $20. Now Trump is visiting his grave.
• Trump’s Fans Are Blaming Paul Ryan For The Disaster Of Trumpcare (“And By Trump’s Fans, I Mostly Mean Breitbart”)
• Republicans Can’t Defend Trumpcare on the Merits (“So they’re not even trying”)
• Trumpcare Is Doomed (“Unless Republican leaders make fundamental changes.”)
• This White House Lies About Everything (“And other lessons from the Flynn-Turkey-Trump saga.”)
• The AHCA’s war on women: There’s nothing “pro-life” about the Republican health care bill(“The GOP’s Obamacare repeal bill would increase unwanted pregnancies, and likely abortions and maternal mortality”)
• NRA’s million dollar Supreme Court bet: Gun lobby to spend big on Neil Gorsuch (Which basically means Democrats need to vote no.)
• Is Trump Sabotaging Obamacare? (“The record is mixed, but he sure keeps hinting at it.”)
• Trump-state Democrats choose party over president (I’d say they’re choosing sanity over insanity.)
• ‘People are scared’: Paranoia seizes Trump’s White House (“Staffers are leaving their phones at home, using secret apps and monitoring each other’s social media.” Yeah, THAT’s totally normal – not!)
• It’s not just the Freedom Caucus. The Coverage Caucus could kill the GOP health bill too.
• Exxon Concealed Tillerson’s ‘Alias’ Emails From NY Climate Fraud Probe, AG Claims (“For eight years Rex Tillerson used a shadow email under alias ‘Wayne Tracker’ to discuss global warming and its risks to Exxon’s business, says AG Eric Schneiderman.”)
• Washington region braces for budget that could shake up the historically stable local economy(“President Trump’s budget, which is set to call for cuts of 10 to 20 percent to federal agencies headquartered in and around the nation’s capital, could threaten the prosperity that the D.C. region has built.”)
• In Virginia, three GOP congressmen line up against GOP health care plan (Brat and Garrett don’t think it goes far ENOUGH! My god, these people are nuts and if at all possible need to be defeated in 2018.)
• Schapiro: Va. redistricting trial is just that
• At political gerrymandering trial, key Va. lawmaker says ‘real world’ matters more than experts’ scores (Riiiiiight.)
• U.S. Attorney General Sessions to visit Richmond on Wednesday; two top state officials not invited (“Not invited were Brian J. Moran, Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s secretary of public safety and homeland security, and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring, both Democrats.” I sure hope there are protests of this racist slimeball.)
• Editorial: On the minimum wage, Democrats Northam and Perriello go off the deep end (I’m including this Republican Times-Disgrace editorial just to demonstrate how far off the “deep end” they’ve gone!)
• A. Barton Hinkle column: Maybe it’s time for gun owners and Muslim advocates to join hands (Another WTF??? moment from the faaaar-right Republican Times-Disgrace.)
• Admiral, 7 other Navy officials charged with corruption in newly unsealed “Fat Leonard” indictment
• Despite slower power forecast, Skiffes line needed, grid operator says (Dominion needs to be dismantled. This company is hopeless.)
• Editorial: Should Virginia allow recall elections?
• Del. Charles Poindexter faces primary challenger
• Roanoke School Board trims proposed budget
• D.C.-area forecast: Blustery chill today gives way to gradual warming