by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, February 2. Also, check out video from the protest last night at National Airport over Trump’s Muslim ban.
- In which Trump discovers some guy named Frederick Douglass (“His resurrection of the African American statesman made for an awkward start to Black History Month.” And Sean “Baghdad Bob” Spicer seems to think Douglass is alive today, has no idea who he was.)
- Breitbart Editor’s Event Canceled As Protests Turn Violent At UC Berkeley (PEACEFUL protests against this fascist are 100% cool/justified/etc, but violent protests are not just completely unacceptable/wrong but also counterproductive and idiotic.)
- It’s time to make Republicans pay for their supreme hypocrisy (“Robert Bork got a hearing and a vote. Merrick Garland was denied even a chance to make his case.” This Supreme Court was outright STOLEN from President Obama by Mitch McConnell and his merry band of anti-democracy Republicans. F*** them.)
- ‘This was the worst call by far’: Trump badgered, bragged and abruptly ended phone call with Australian leader (Trump is unhinged, time for the 25th amendment to kick in.)
- Report: In a ‘humiliating’ and ‘threatening’ tone, Trump lambasted Mexico’s president during a phone call (Again, 25th Amendment time. Fast!)
- Combative tone set for Trump’s foreign policy as Flynn puts Iran ‘on notice’ (The question is, which country does the Trump administration go to war with first, and how quickly?)
- The Trump administration threatens to imperil women’s health worldwide (“The reimposition of a harsher version of the so-called ‘Mexico City policy’ will hurt poor women most.” This will actually INCREASE abortions, by the way, not decrease them.)
- President urges Republicans in Senate to ‘go nuclear’ if Democrats block high court pick (Of course he does.)
- Backer of charter schools opposes DeVos nomination (“Eli Broad, a billionaire philanthropist and major supporter of charter schools, has urged senators to block education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos, saying she is unqualified for the post.”)
- Is Sessions ready to say no to Trump? (“When it comes to the Justice Department, the new president could be Nixon all over again.”)
- Trump Executive Order Draft Could Curtail LGBT Rights
- Charles Blow: Fruit of a Poison Tree (“This seat on the Supreme Court was stolen from Barack Obama when Republicans refused to even hold hearings for his nominee, and the election was stolen from the American public by maleficent figures, foul of motive and moving in shadows.”)
- Kristof: An Apology to Muslims for President Trump
- The Trump Administration’s War On The Press (This is what authoritarians and dictator-wannabes always do. Watch out.)
- ABC World News Tonight Explores The Anti-Muslim Extremism Of Trump’s White Nationalist Advisor Stephen Bannon
- Trump’s White Supremacist Support Is Thrilled With His Supreme Court Pick
- Conservative Media Figures Backing Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee Are Whitewashing 293 Days Of GOP Obstruction
- Trump’s “amazing” ignorance: The president’s Black History Month celebration was embarrassing (We went from one of the smartest, most literate presidents in U.S. history to one of the stupidest, most illiterate.)
- Trump Versus Everyone (“A comprehensive guide to the lawsuits against the president’s executive order.”)
- On the same day Rex Tillerson is confirmed, the House votes to kill a transparency rule for oil companies
- White House refuses to condemn Bannon’s Islamophobic remarks
- Trump wants less scrutiny on violent white supremacists (“Instead, the exclusive focus of a Homeland Security program would be Islamic extremism.” This is dangerous and nuts.)
- DREAMers take hopes, fears to lawmakers
- Admitting women to VMI made it ‘a better place,’ Justice Ginsburg says
- Editorial: Fixing the coalfields
- Tom Perriello brings campaign to UVA
- Gov. Terry McAuliffe: ‘Not the America I know’
- Virginia Just Filed A Contempt Motion Against Trump Over Immigration Order (“Virginia asked a U.S. District Court to make the federal government prove it complied with a temporary restraining order.”)
- Virginia House passes bill to require proof of citizenship to vote in state, local elections (Appalling voter suppression measure. Also totally unnecessary, as there is no voter fraud to speak of in this country or state. Republicans simply want to suppress the vote of minorities, poor people, etc.)
- School suspension caps move forward at legislature
- Defamation lawyer turns up heat on Va. state senator over anonymous emails (“A GOP contender for lt. governor lawyers up with attorney who won case against Rolling Stone” Loving this battle between right wingnuts Jill Vogel and Bryce Reeves.)
- Va. demands more details on travel ban detentions at Dulles International Airport
- Senate committee rejects bill to expand hate crimes definition (Republicans yet again…)
- Porn isn’t a “public health hazard,” but it’s a problem, Virginia lawmakers say
- Richmond notebook: Rapt silence, then applause for a lawmaker with a critique of McAuliffe’s Cuba outreach (“Del. Miyares, a Cuban American, asks why human rights abuses went unmentioned by the governor”)
- Dominion-backed bill on burying power lines sails through Senate committee (This is very simple: if Dominion’s for it, legislators should be against it 9 times out of 10.)
- Bill would make it illegal for police chiefs to identify officers who shoot citizens (Uhhhhhh….no.)
- Roanoke veterans form group over Trump concerns
- Richmond administrators say city attorney never warned them Jones’ end of term bonuses violated state law
- Nestle USA moving headquarters from California to Virginia, bringing 750 jobs (Hmmmm. For those celebrating this, I may have a lot more to say later. For now, I’ll just say “taxpayer-funded corporate welfare,” “race to the bottom” and “check out Nestle’s record on the environment, labor rights, human rights, etc.)
- Virginia Beach will likely have to repay state $20 million for light rail property, city manager says
- Candidates to succeed McClellan say they’d stand out in House of Delegates (Go Jeff Bourne!)/li>
- Clouds and sun share this breezy day. A chilly weekend on the way.
