Saturday News: GOP in Disarray on ACA; Trump Goes UnAmerican and Unconstitutional on Refugees; Dems’ Weekly Address

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, January 28. Also see the Weekly Democratic Address, on how “Democrats will stand our ground to protect the Affordable Care Act, because — as we, and many marchers believe — health care is the right of every American — not just the privileged few.”

• GOP lawmakers, in closed session, fret about quick Obamacare repeal
• Leaked audio reveals Republicans are in utter disarray on Obamacare repeal (“A Washington Post scoop shows there’s no consensus yet on even the most basic details.”)
• How Trump’s Executive Orders Could Set America Back 70 Years (“The president is taking the United States back to the nightmares of the world before the Second World War: closed borders, limited trade, and a go-it-alone national race to the bottom.”)
• Trump’s erratic first week was among the most alarming in history (“You will notice that my lament about the week is largely devoid of ideological content. That is not because his policy moves are not appalling — they are. But you don’t have to disagree with Trump’s policies to be rattled to the core by his unhinged behavior. Many congressional Republicans privately express concerns that range from apprehension to outright dread.”)
• McConnell warns Trump to back off on killing filibuster (“In a POLITICO interview, the Senate leader mocked his counterpart, Chuck Schumer, ahead of a Supreme Court showdown.”)
• Trump fails to mention Jews in Holocaust remembrance statement (Maybe he’s anti-Semitic after all? Or maybe this was written by an adviser who is anti-Semitic and Trump signed it anyway?)
• Trump’s First Week: Governing Without a Script (And, predictably, it’s a debacle.)
• Trump’s anti-refugee policies are illegal — thanks to the GOP’s war on birth control (“Thanks, Sam Alito!”)
• Republicans warn Trump against lifting Russia sanctions (If anything, sanctions should be sharply increased on Russia after their interference in our election.)
• Anti-abortion marchers celebrate a new era under Trump (The “freedom” people want to take away women’s freedom to choose what they do with their own bodies. Gotta love it.)
• Republicans Went to Philadelphia in Search of Health Care Answers (“And all they got were these lousy metaphors.”)
• Trump order temporarily halts admission of refugees and increases vetting of Muslims; vows priority for Christians (Yes, Christians in Syria and Iraq have been horribly treated, but so have Muslims!)
• Reversing course, Trump administration will continue Obamacare outreach (“The Trump administration has reversed plans to scrap all Obamacare outreach in the finals days of the law’s enrollment period, a day after the move sparked outcry from the law’s supporters and health insurers.”)
• Trump Bars All Refugees, and Citizens From 7 Muslim Nations (This is sick. On Holocaust Remembrance Day no less. Trump is evil incarnate.)
• Fears That Visa Ban Will Hurt Allies and Bolster Rivals (Aside from being heartless and cruel, what Trump did was really really stupid. In other words, the usual combo from him.)
• Democrats are putting up a tougher fight than liberals realize (“Obama got 12 nominees confirmed in 2 days”)
• Trump’s “Curveball” moment: His “voter fraud” investigation is apparently based on one unsubstantiated tweet (Trump is insane.)
• President Trump’s United Nations, European Union ambassadors send early message, shock waves (“The president’s U.N. ambassador will ‘take names,’ while his ambassador to the EU is comparing it to the USSR”)
• The First Week in Donald Trump’s Kleptocracy Was Very, Very Kleptocratic
• Trump Supporters Refuse to Believe Their Own Eyes (“They still think Trump’s inauguration crowds were bigger, despite the evidence. Here’s why.”)
• Gillespie Body Slams Stewart With One Tweet (All of this crap just drives home how crucial it is that we elect a DEMOCRAT to the governorship in November.)
• Parents of children with mental illness: spend McAuliffe’s proposed $4.5 million on programs, not consultants
• Slain UVa student’s parents call for expanded DNA testing
• Pipeline’s impacts on Appalachian Trail raise concerns
• Virginia lawmakers file bills requiring presidential candidates to release tax returns
• Editorial: On questions of tolerance, North Carolina has nothing on Virginia
• GOP lawmaker drops effort to change Virginia’s winner-take-all electoral system in presidential races (Expect this kind of thing around the country.)
• Virginians rally against abortion at March for Life in Washington (You can oppose abortion, just don’t tell women what they can/can’t do with their bodies.)
• One Republican running for Va. governor attacks another on abortion
• Ken Cuccinelli: McAuliffe takes a page out of the conservative playbook (Of course, crazy Cooch and his hard-right party won’t end the war on drugs. Also, the concept that “conservatives have stuck to the facts and focused on data-driven solutions that enhance public safety” is beyond laughable, basically a Big Lie. Nice job, Cooch.)
• Proposed changes in Va. tax policy linked to state budget (Bring back the estate tax, which raises over $100 million a year and only affects a few super-rich families.)
• Virginia hits highest employment level in history, governor says
• Rising pension costs a growing problem in budget-weary Fairfax County (“Retirement expenses doubled since 2010, fueling tensions over spending in Va.’s largest jurisdiction”)
• Governor discusses Virginia Beach’s $20 million light rail bill
• Stoney, Rhodes to lead regional collaborative effort (“The new mayor of Richmond and the longtime president of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College were named Friday to lead the Capital Region Collaborative, a group of local business and government leaders focused on ways to enhance the quality of life in the region.”)
• Morris, awaiting trial, seeks change to court rules
• Two more candidates running for McClellan’s former House seat (“Two additional candidates, a Libertarian and an independent, will appear on the ballot with Democratic nominee Jeff Bourne in a Feb. 7 special election for a vacant, Richmond-area seat in the House of Delegates.” Bourne should win easily in this overwhelmingly “blue” district.)
• Winter’s back in town this weekend, and beyond