Here are a few Virginia and national news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, January 1, 2014. Also see FCDC Chair candidate Sue Langley’s New Year’s message, including the importance of Democratic unity and of course the urgent need to win the January 21 special election for Attorney General-elect Mark Herring’s State Senate seat.
*With new year, Medicaid takes on broader role (It should be taking on a broader role in Virginia as well…)
*The GOP’s Darwinism (“Has the Republican big tent evolved into a house of worship?”)
*The 20 Worst Fox News Moments Of 2013 (Here’s part of the answer to the previous question: Faux “News” is a bizarre, far-right-wing echo chamber/propaganda outfit which drums an alternate/false reality into its viewers 24/7.)
*Will Benghazi Facts Penetrate The Right-Wing Bubble? (Quick prediction: no, of course not!)
*Edward Snowden, the insufferable whistleblower (“Time has not deflated Edward Snowden’s messianic sense of self-importance. Nor has living in an actual police state given the National Security Agency…whistleblower any greater appreciation of the actual freedoms that Americans enjoy.”)
*New Report Undermines Claims That Millions Will Lose Coverage Due To Obamacare
*Improved Climate Models Show Lower End Warming Estimates Likely Wrong
*Tim Kaine: Give Virginia the gift of strong ethics laws (“Virginia’s wide-open rule is justified by a smug attitude: We can trust ourselves to do the right thing, and transparency is all that is needed to keep the system honest.”)
*FDA warns supplement company at center of Gov. McDonnell gifts scandal (“The agency says Star Scientific should have sought approval before marketing Anatabloc.”)
*GOP issues survey does not mention Medicaid expansion
*Jeff Schapiro: Next few months likely to be intriguing (” Until Herring’s successor is sworn in – and assuming it’s one of their own – Democrats won’t have the 20 votes they need to force a party-line tie that Northam would break in their favor. This doesn’t mean Democrats can’t and won’t strike, if and when they are back at full strength. January could end with a bang.”)
*Top Republicans heavily finance Octavia Johnson’s effort (“The speaker of the House of Delegates is betting that Republican Octavia Johnson can flip the Roanoke-based 11th District seat to the GOP in next week’s special election”)
*Bills seek to address psychiatric emergencies
*14 things that are going to make 2014 a great year in RVA
*Lexington Confederate flag flap discussion continues
*Health care proposal ignites advertising firestorm in Va. Beach (“The city’s firefighters and police officers started the ad blitz in an attempt to fight changes to the employee health care system, as well to push for pay increases.”)
*A brisk start to the year, with the chance of snow showers Thursday (“Skies stay clear and calm Wednesday, with snow and more cold maybe on the way.”)
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