Wednesday News: Trump’s “Monstrous,” “Revealing” Puerto Rico Response; Gillespie’s Lobbying Firm Worked to Make College LESS Affordable

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, October 4. Also check out Stephen Colbert mocking Donald Trump for giving himself an “A+” for his disastrous Puerto Rico response.

• Trump’s Puerto Rico Visit Is a Political Disaster (“The president told residents to be ‘very proud’ they hadn’t endured a ‘real catastrophe’ like Katrina, doing little to erase the impression that he sees hurricane relief more as a political story than a human one.”)
• Trump’s response on Puerto Rico has been monstrous — and all too revealing (“Trump doesn’t even pretend to be a president for all Americans, as his thoughtless cruelty makes all too clear”)
• In San Juan, Trump Tells Puerto Ricans That They Have Been Lucky (Yes, this is our sociopathic “president.” Ugh…)
• Trump Says Puerto Rico’s Debt Needs to Be ‘Wiped Out,’ Doesn’t Explain What He Means
• Puerto Rico Needs More Than Relief—It Needs Reconstruction (“For PR and the U.S. Virgin Islands, recovering from the devastation of two hurricanes must involve tough questions about the legacy of American colonialism.”)
• Ex-FEMA Director: Rebuilding Puerto Rico Requires Acknowledging Climate Change
• Trump to Puerto Rico: your hurricane isn’t a “real catastrophe” like Katrina (Trump is insane.)
• Ginsburg Slaps Gorsuch in Gerrymandering Case (“In short, Ginsburg was saying to Gorsuch that he and his allies might control the future of the Supreme Court, but she wasn’t going to let them rewrite the history of it—at least not without a fight.”)
• Gunman Made Meticulous Plan Before Assault in Las Vegas
• Exclusive: Russian-linked Facebook ads targeted Michigan and Wisconsin
• Mattis Contradicts Trump on Iran Deal Ahead of Crucial Deadline
• Republicans Backing Away From Repeal Plan for Deduction (“A plan to end state and local tax deductions that are used by 40 million people is running into resistance from party leaders.”)
• The lives we have lost (“The list grows and grows. And these are preventable deaths.”)
• No plans to bring gun silencer bill to House floor, Ryan says
• If Only Stephen Paddock Were a Muslim (“If only Stephen Paddock had been a Muslim … If only he had shouted “Allahu akbar” before he opened fire on all those concertgoers in Las Vegas … If only he had been a member of ISIS … If only we had a picture of him posing with a Quran in one hand and his semiautomatic rifle in another…If all of that had happened, no one would be telling us not to dishonor the victims and “politicize” Paddock’s mass murder by talking about preventive remedies.”)
• The U.S. Has Never Been So Polarized On Guns
• Fox & Friends host speculates that Las Vegas shooter’s motive was that he “didn’t have a god” (Fox continues to be demented)
• Is Partisan Gerrymandering Dead? (“Not quite. But the Supreme Court appears poised to put a stop to the nation’s most egregious political redistricting.”)
• Obamacare Stabilization Talks Languish In Congress As Rate Hikes Hit States
• The Dreamer “Deal” Is Falling Apart (“The Republicans want more. Chuck Schumer is mad. It is unclear what Trump is doing.”)
• United States rejects UN resolution condemning use of death penalty to target LGBTQ people (WTF????)
• Swing-seat Republicans squirm over GOP tax plan (Whatcha gonna do, Barbara Comstock? LOL)
• Congressman who reportedly pressured his mistress to have an abortion votes for extreme abortion ban (Yep, that’s Republicans right there…)
• House Republicans Just Voted (Again) to Outlaw Abortions After 20 Weeks
• More GOP senators willing to tell Trump to take a hike (“An increasing number of Republicans have nothing to lose in crossing the president and Mitch McConnell — a warning sign for tax reform.”)
• Megyn Kelly cuts off Tom Brokaw when he starts criticizing the NRA (“In an uncomfortable moment on ‘Megyn Kelly Today,’ Kelly talked over the veteran anchor”)
• Critics say Gillespie firm’s lobbying for lenders raises questions about commitment to college affordability (I love that wimpy corporate media formulation, “critics say.” On the front page of the paper, they go with an alternate headline: “Va. GOP candidate Gillespie has vowed to make college cheaper. His lobbying firm fought for the opposite.”)
• McAuliffe urges delegation to vote against firearm suppressors bill
• Tim Kaine’s claim the Las Vegas shooter ‘was only stopped’ because he lacked a ‘silencer’
• Democrats Play Trump Card in Virginia. Will It Put Them Over the Top?
• A second Trump campaign veteran joins Vogel’s team in Va. lt. governor’s race (Why am I not surprised?)
• Energy, environment key issues in Virginia governor’s race
• Why Ralph Northam doesn’t call Trump a ‘narcissistic maniac’ anymore (“Virginia Democratic gubernatorial contender still critical of the president, but cooled his rhetoric”)
• Schapiro: Remedy to a taxing political problem (“A possible remedy for both gubernatorial nominees: Do something that the president refuses to do — make public their income tax returns or provide an authoritative snapshot of them.”)
• Progressive political group obtains cell phone numbers from Virginia Tech, Radford students for electoral campaigns
• Editorial: The separation of powers works. Richmond should try it.
• Jason Kessler, Charlottesville protest organizer, indicted on a charge of perjury
• A White Supremacist TA? (“Students and activists are alleging a graduate student at Virginia Tech is a white supremacist — and some want him gone.”)
• RTD-CNU poll: Majority of Richmond residents oppose removing Confederate statues, support adding historical context
• Draft rules for rallies at Richmond’s Lee statue call for slashing crowd sizes, banning guns
• D.C.-area forecast: Warming up through the weekend