Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, September 24. Also, check out Pope Francis’ address to Congress starting at 10 am today; I’m very much looking forward to hearing his thoughts on economic inequality, climate change, immigration, and other things that make right wingnuts’ heads explode but that are crucial to all of us.
*In D.C., pope weighs in on climate, poverty, immigration to start U.S. tour
*Pope Francis poses a threat to the current economic order (“The pope addresses Congress Thursday, and conservatives are fearing the worst. Their belief systems can tolerate a lot – laissez-faire economics, xenophobia – but Pope Francis’s emphasis on the Roman Catholic Church’s historic antipathy to capitalism has them in a dither.”)
*This Fox News GOP Primary Is Already So Much Worse Than The Last One (“Welcome to the Republican Party’s bigotry primary, sponsored by Fox News.”)
*Papa! Pope stirs excitement in DC, calls for climate action (By the way, climate change isn’t “controversial,” other than among fossil fuel companies, their paid lackies, and some useful idiots out there. Among climate scientists there’s 99% agreement.)
*Editorial: Government shutdown? Not again
*At least 220 die in deadliest haj stampede since 2006
*This is why they have such hate: Coulter, Trump, Carson and the real history behind right-wing intolerance (“Ann Coulter’s tweet — and the GOP race — sheds frightening light on the deep archetypes of American conservatism”)
*10 Excuses the GOP’s Catholic Candidates Use to Ignore the Pope’s Teachings
*Ben Carson: The World Was Created in Six Days. Literally. (How can this guy have studies science, gone through medical school, etc?!?)
*Jim Webb defends commitment to presidential race (“The former Virginia senator was also the only declared candidate to miss a candidate forum held last weekend in New Hampshire, which holds the nation’s first Democratic primary. And he was the only candidate to not attend a Democratic National Committee event in late August in Minneapolis.” LOL, that’s our Jim!)
*Tim Kaine column: Creative Investment in transportation could ease I-95 congestion
*GOP candidate Bush to make visit to Bristol museum (“Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush will visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum on Thursday as part of a private fundraiser for the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus.”)
*Opinion: Virginia Supreme Court’s recent ruling a troubling victory for secrecy (Yep.)
*Virginia’s contempt for transparency (“VIRGINIA’S SUPREME Court has just handed a ringing victory, and a misguided one, to champions of secrecy in government. In doing so the court has misread the clear intent of state law and signaled its contempt for the public’s legitimate interest in obtaining information about the workings of state agencies.” Agreed, this ruling is totally wrong.)
*Court picks professor to help redraw Virginia’s congressional district lines (“Judge Albert Diaz of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a court filing Wednesday that a judicial panel has selected Bernard Grofman, an economics and political science professor at the University of California, Irvine.”)
*Editorial: Martese Johnson report – Nothing to see here (“The State Police conclude that the agents acted in accordance with policy. This is what law enforcement agencies often say, apparently thinking it amounts to exoneration. It doesn’t. It simply invites questions about whether bad policy needs changing.”)
*Richmonders head to D.C. for Pope’s first U.S. visit
*Portsmouth officials’ abuse of public trust
*Tidal flooding hits Hampton Roads, will continue into next week
*Alexandria mayoral candidates might not debate (“‘I will not be debating any write-in candidate, and the Alexandria Democratic Committee agrees with me,’ Silberberg said in a phone interview.” I disagree; just go ahead and debate, and let the stronger candidate win.)
*D.C. area forecast: Last day of sun for a while; Weekend brings clouds, chance of rain
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