Monday News: Trump Budget Would Be a Disaster for Federal Workers, Virginia, Country; Winter Storm on the Way

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, March 13.

• Blow: Trump and the Parasitic Presidency
• Krugman: Facts Are Enemies of the People
• Man Without an ISIS Plan (“Trump derided Obama’s anti-ISIS strategy as a disaster, though offering none of his own.”)
• Why can’t Republicans give straight answers about their health care bill? Because the truth is ugly (“Behind all the buzzwords about freedom, the AHCA isn’t about health care. It’s just another tax cut for the rich”)
• GOP Congressman’s White Supremacist Tweet: “We Can’t Restore Our Civilization With Somebody Else’s Babies.” (Yep, that’s today’s Republican Party for ya.)
• Trump budget expected to seek historic contraction of federal workforce (Insane. Congress needs to stop this.)
• Next steps for the Trump resistance (“The opposition should consider which Trump voters would be open to changing their minds about him.”)
• House investigators on a Trump-Russia ‘collision course’ (“The top Republican on the intelligence committee was on Trump’s transition team. The lead Democrat is a fierce Trump critic.”)
• This weekend saw massive town hall protests against Trumpcare and Trump (“California Republicans Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter Jr. faced angry constituents, while Virginia’s Barbara Comstock bravely ran away.”)
• Europe’s aim: Sway, not provoke, Trump on climate (“Angela Merkel’s visit this week will test whether U.S. allies can persuade the president not to blow up their efforts on global warming.”)
• The Marines’ nude photo scandal is a sorely needed wake-up call (“This aberrant, if not criminal, behavior must not be tolerated.”)
• Another key Republican senator knocks GOP Obamacare plan (“Nevada Sen. Dean Heller raises numerous objections to the House bill, according to audio obtained by POLITICO.”)
• The Left Might Have A Hard Time Replicating The Tea Party’s Success (“Self-organizing grass-roots groups, top-down professional advocacy and money groups, such as FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity, along with right-wing media, swirled together to make the movement a success, according to Skocpol. It remains to be seen if the climate on the left will prove to be hospitable for the growth of a similarly effective movement.” Not just “right-wing media” – remember that the so-called “liberal media” also hyped the Tea Party like just about nothing we’ve ever seen.)
• Trump Wants Faster Growth. The Fed Moves for Restraint.
• Holder, Pelosi, McAuliffe start redistricting fundraising
• Medicaid block grants embraced by GOP candidates for governor, but not some Republican budget leaders
• McCain calls on Trump to clarify wiretapping claim
• The Nation’s Katrina Vanden Heuvel: “People Will Die” Because Of Trump’s ACA Repeal (Vanden Heuvel: “Trumpcare, Is Essentially A Massive Redistribution Of Wealth Through Tax Cuts To The Rich”)
• CNN’s Stelter Explains How Sean Hannity’s Low Standards Are “Anti-Journalism” And “Hurting His Viewers” (Brian Stelter: “Hannity Does Not Recognize Real Journalism. He Actively Opposes Real Journalism.”)
• Democrats’ Best Bet for 2018: Accentuate the Negative (“It is an environment tailor-made for a bad White House midterm and for an opposition focused intently on making it worse. For a donkey party searching to regain its kick, the positive stuff can come later.”)
• US Attorney Preet Bharara Was Investigating Fox News When Trump Fired Him
• The Big Winner in Donald Trump’s Decision to Fire Preet Bharara Might Be Rupert Murdoch (“Trump’s decision to fire Bharara ignited speculation that it was designed to blunt investigations like the Fox News probe. In November, Trump had promised Bharara he could remain in the job. But on Friday, he reversed course…”)
• GOP gubernatorial candidate Wagner wants gas tax increase
• Group of 25 who will vet requests for GO Virginia money includes Richmond region’s most influential
• Mark Webb column: Dominion still offers the best deal around (Hahahahahaha. This is by the “senior vice president, corporate affairs for Dominion Energy.” LOL
• Editorial: Let the sun shine in (“This week is Sunshine Week, the annual observance of what are often called ‘sunshine laws’ – the laws that require most government records to be made public. Sunshine is said to be the best disinfectant, and ‘sunshine laws’ are one way to force government officials to make public things that they usually don’t want made public.”)
• Pipeline’s passage through the region would add sediment to Roanoke River watershed
• Because of a criminal record, a Va. woman can’t adopt now. She’s fighting the state’s 10-year ban. (“Laura Tarantino of Alexandria is mounting a challenge to a law she says is unfair, antiquated and needs to be changed.”)
• Virginia Beach has a better deal on the arena thanks to 2 council members
• Editorial: A door opens with lawmaker’s pending exit (“DEL. RICK MORRIS had attracted a crowd of Republicans and Democrats ready to usher the embattled Suffolk legislator from office.”)
• ‘I am not convinced this is safe for our community or its water’
• Potomac Nationals stadium lease deal would be most expensive in Minor League Baseball
• Richmond mayor’s plan for bulk trash: faster pickups, higher fees, bagged leaves and garbage police
• Chesapeake schools settled lawsuit over alleged child abuse, but don’t want to say for how much
• Winter weather advisory issued for Roanoke/NRV
• D.C.-area forecast: Heavy snow and mixed precipitation to sweep through metro Monday night into Tuesday (“Depending on where you live, moderate to heavy amounts of snow could fall or a sloppy mix of snow, sleet and rain.”)