by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, March 24.
- Trump delivers ultimatum: Pass health bill or he’ll move on
- Trump Has No Good Options On Health Care (“And it’s his own fault.”)
- What’s Missing From This Photo of Politicians Deciding the Future of Women’s Health?
- Wonkblog: The GOP wants to take money from Medicare’s trust fund and give it to the rich (Anyone who votes for this needs to be defeated in November 2018.)
- CBO: Latest House GOP health-care bill would mean as many uninsured by 2026 (And as an added “bonus,” it would “reduce savings in federal spending by half as much as their original plan.” Debacle.)
- Sad Paul Ryan Is Sad (“Sad!”)
- In a do-or-die moment, Republicans come undone (“The promise to repeal Obamacare was easy. Producing a bill to make good on the promise remains elusive.”)
- Democrats are going to filibuster Gorsuch. It’s the right thing to do. (This seat was stolen by Republicans. Democrats should not cooperate in any way with the thieves.)
- Krugman: The Scammers, the Scammed and America’s Fate (“How, in particular, did a man whose fraudulence, lack of concern for those he claims to care about and lack of policy coherence should have been obvious to everyone nonetheless manage to win over so many gullible souls? No, this isn’t a column about whatshisname, the guy on Twitter, who’s getting plenty of attention. It’s about Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House…The answer lies in the impenetrable gullibility of his base. No, not his constituents: the news media, who made him what he is…media adulation, more than anything else, propelled him to his current position.” Thanks a LOT media!)
- Rep. Nunes Is a Lapdog in a Watchdog Role
- Devin Nunes Puts Credibility of House Panel He Leads in Doubt (Nunes has none.)
- Trump Invokes Right-Wing Media’s Misrepresentation Of NY Times Article To Defend His Wiretap Lie
- The Press Seemed Amazed By Trump’s Wiretapping Lie, But Trump Lies About Everything
- Brooks: The Trump Elite. Like the Old Elite, but Worse!
- Forget the post-truth presidency. Welcome to the pre-truth presidency. (“We have now entered even scarier territory, the pre-truth presidency: If an assertion isn’t true, no worry. President Trump will find a way to make it so, or at least claim it is.”)
- Trumpcare Is Coming to a House Vote. It Could Even Pass.
- We know what Sean Spicer did last summer: Today he barely recognizes Paul Manafort — last June he praised Manafort’s “strong” leadership
- After this disastrous week, it’s clearer than ever: Yes, Donald Trump is a “real” Republican (Ignorant, cruel, bigoted, etc. Yep, he’s a Republican!)
- If Trumpcare isn’t dead, it’s critical — and Republicans have no one to blame but themselves (“Greed and incompetence may have killed off the GOP’s cherished dream of repealing Obamacare. But don’t gloat yet”)
- Neil Gorsuch is “not a neutral legal mind”: Key Senate Democrats vow to filibuster President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee
- Trump: ‘I can’t be doing so badly, because I’m president and you’re not’ (You can’t make this s*** up.)
- The health care bill could be Donald Trump’s Iraq War (“Sold on lies, poorly planned, deadly to thousands, and a catastrophe for its authors.” Except Bush actually got reelected in 2004, proving that there might actually be people gullible enough, stupid enough, crazy enough to vote for Trump again.)
- Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe joined WTOP on March 23 for “Ask the Governor.” (“Virginia has tasked former U.S. Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood to conduct a ‘top-to-bottom’ and independent review of Metro in order to create a road map for the transit agency’s future.”)
- Trump travel ban appeal set for May 8 in Virginia
- Editorial: GO Virginia’s $1.01 million question
- Federal judge finds arsenic from Dominion coal ash violated Clean Water Act
- McAuliffe breaks all-time veto record for Virginia governors by striking ‘religious freedom’ legislation; bill on sexually explicit material also vetoed (Good; these bills richly deserved to die.)
- Metro makes it official: Higher fares, reduced service coming July 1(Dedicated funding source. Now.)
- Dominion is looking for good news (“It probably has more to do with keeping more of its profits than concern about ratepayers.” This corrupt company needs to be broken up.)
- Look out! Hibernation is over and bears are coming out, officials in Virginia warn.
- McAuliffe commits to fund independent review of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (This needs to lead to a dedicated funding source for Metro.)
- Coal ash: ‘Why in the world would we be importing it?’ (Coal is filthy, nasty stuff; nothing “clean” about it from start to finish. Go solar/wind/energy efficiency instead!)
- Tom Perriello Visits Charlottesville, Defends ACA
- Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam Visits Charlottesville
- Central Virginia fruit crop affected by March freeze
- Roanoke County unveils draft plan for Virginia 419 corridor
- Editorial: Is VCU men’s basketball destined to be a stepping stone for coaches?
- Ward picks up a challenger in Hampton: Michael Harris (“Del. Jeion Ward has picked up a primary challenger: Michael Harris, an ex-Navy man who works now at the Newport News shipyard. Harris, 33, said he doesn’t have a problem with Ward’s positions, but he wants to bring ‘a new perspective on things’ to the House. “)
- D.C.-area forecast: Hello, spring? We may generally stay warm(ish) for the foreseeable future.
