by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, March 16.
- Trump’s budget seeks deep cuts (“Plan calls for reductions in spending for science, diplomacy and the poor” This. Must. Be. Stopped.)
- Federal judge halts Trump travel ban hours before it was to take effect (“In a blistering opinion, U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson of Hawaii pointed to the president’s own comments and those of his close advisers as evidence that Trump’s order was meant to discriminate against Muslims. Early this morning, a federal judge in Maryland issued a second, narrower restraining order against the ban — suspending only the portion that stopped the issuance of visas to citizens of six Muslim-majority countries.”)
- Dutch prime minister claims victory over anti-Muslim candidate Geert Wilders
- The Make Inequality Worse Act of 2017 (“Under the GOP’s plan, Americans are ‘free’ to live without health insurance.” Disgusting.)
- Donald Trump, Steve King – and some very happy white nationalists (“They’re giddy over the president’s new thing for Old Hickory.”)
- The Trump team’s response to leaked tax information only raises more questions (“Until the president releases his returns, people are entitled to assume he has something to hide.”)
- Ryan: Health care plan must change to pass the House (Brilliant, eh?)
- Ryan, Pence race to salvage Obamacare repeal amid GOP dissent (How about just tweaking the Affordable Care Act so that it works better? I know, a radical idea! LOL)
- Coral Reefs’ Only Hope Is Halting Global Warming, Study Says (“Bleaching events have stressed coral worldwide, particularly the Great Barrier Reef, and research says their survival depends on quickly slowing climate change.” Which is why it’s completely unacceptable to support new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline here in Virginia, supported for some cockamamie reason by Gov. McAuliffe and his pals at Dominion “Global Warming Starts Here!”) Power.)
- The Grown-Ups Are Locked Out (“Trump is depriving Tillerson, Mattis, and McMaster of any real influence or support.”)
- GOP apologetics hide the real “health care” agenda: Cut taxes for the rich, punish the poor
- Trump in Graham’s cross hairs as Russia probe kicks off (“The South Carolina senator vows ‘to find out all things Russia.'”)
- How the GOP Crackup Happens (“Ryan should amend his bill to, among other things, get the coverage numbers up and make it a sturdier vessel for the turbulence ahead. The alternative is a defeat that may precipitate a nasty, perhaps enduring, split in a party desperate to paper over its divisions.”)
- McCain: Rand Paul ‘is now working for Vladimir Putin’
- Donald Trump Sees Himself in Andrew Jackson (“The president deserves the Jackson legacy, but not for the reasons he’d like.”)
- Trump will ask the U.S. government for $1.5 billion to fund his border wall (“Mexico isn’t paying for it.” Nor should US taxpayers!)
- The unfixable problem with Trump’s Muslim ban (“If you’re going to flout the Constitution, don’t brag about it.”)
- Blow: Disciples of a False Prophet
- Collins: Trump Channels Old Hickory
- VA Governor’s Race Is Good Test for Post-Trump Election Strategy (“All in all, Virginia is less of a probable blue paradise in 2017 than its off-year counterpart in New Jersey, where Chris Christie’s deep unpopularity is even more of a problem than Trump’s issues. But the odds are good for a Democratic sweep of the top offices in both states — especially if the president becomes a millstone rather than a hot-air balloon for his party.”)
- Fox News Poll: 34% of voters favor GOP health care plan
- Kristof: And Jesus Said Unto Paul of Ryan …
- Trump budget would eliminate funding for Chesapeake Bay cleanup (Insane/evil.)
- Even Trump’s Republican defenders won’t defend his wiretapping allegation anymore (Why did they ever?)
- There May Be 22 House Republicans Ready to Sink the GOP Health Care Bill
- Former rival to Virginia speaker considering another run (My god, this lunatic again?)
- Three Virginia GOP congressmen, including Rep. Tom Garrett in 5th District, line up against GOP health care plan
- GO Virginia’s regional councils named
- Lawyers make closing arguments in gerrymandering trial; ruling forthcoming (“Lawyers in a political gerrymandering trial made closing arguments Wednesday to a Richmond Circuit Court judge, who will rule on whether 11 General Assembly districts lawmakers drew in 2011 are constitutional.”)
- McAuliffe signs legislation letting ex-cops work as armed guards in Virginia schools
- Alexandria council to consider major tax rate hike (“Even boosting property taxes by 5.7 cents would not address all school, city needs, officials say.”)
- Wilder on Morrissey’s lawsuit against him: ‘As Marvin Gaye would say, let’s get it on’ (Hahahaha, love it.)
- “Game on”: Virginia Beach accepts financing deal to build $220 million arena, Sessoms says
- Ex-Navy officer is the first Republican to join the race for Norfolk treasurer
- 5-figure debts for tunnel tolls? Virginia transportation secretary plans to pressure private firm.
- Richmond Public Schools quietly built up $8.3 million in surplus money; now officials are discussing how to spend it
- D.C.-area forecast: Sun barely dents cold today but thawing for the weekend
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