Saturday News: GOP Tax Plan’s “Shocking Math”; “U.S. Forest Service will allow Atlantic Coast Pipeline through two national forests”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, November 18.

• The tax bill’s not looking so popular (Why would anyone, other than perhaps big corporations and/or people who make millions of dollars per year, approve of this monstrosity?)
• The Shocking Math of the Republican Tax Plan (“…the Republican tax plan—and, in its Senate form, the health-care repeal—at least provides clarity. There is no debate. The middle class will, in the long run, pay more in taxes than under current law, and the rich will pay less.”)
• December Disaster Looms As Spending, Debt, and Tax Controversies Pile Up
• The head of Puerto Rico’s power utility resigns after the Whitefish debacle (“And more than half of the island is still in the dark.”)
• Towns and cities fear trickle-down effects of federal tax plan
• Puerto Rico is still in the dark (“The general in charge of military recovery departs the island, leaving behind painful questions.”)
• The Deepening Partisan Split Over Sexual Misconduct (“While the leadership of both parties views sexual misconduct as a political problem to minimize, the Republican and Democratic bases could not be farther apart.”)
• Trump backs off decision on big-game hunting after outcry (The fact that he did this in the first place shows his true character – sociopath.)
• White House: Only men who admit to sexual assault should be investigated for it (“The administration stands by Trump’s claim that all of his accusers are liars.”)
• Conservatives Reap the Whirlwind of Their War on the Media (“For years, Republican politicians have attacked the mainstream press. With Roy Moore’s Senate bid, they’re facing the consequences.”)
• Gird yourself for more gun rampages (“And more hand-wringing, until action is taken.”)
• NASCAR provides the ultimate proof that the NFL’s rating decline isn’t because of politics (Wait, so crazy extremist and possible 2018 U.S. Senate candidate from Virginia, Ewwww Jackson, is wrong yet again?)
• Top Russian Official Tried to Broker ‘Backdoor’ Meeting Between Trump and Putin
• Kushner failed to disclose outreach from Putin ally to Trump campaign
• Clinton blasts Trump and Moore over sexual misconduct allegations (“Look at the contrast between Al Franken, accepting responsibility, apologizing, and Roy Moore and Donald Trump, who have done neither” Agreed, huge difference. Plus, what Moore and Trump did was repeated/serial and much worse than what Franken did.)
• Aides give up on trying to control Trump’s tweets (“Trump’s post on Franken allegations was the latest example of the president’s habit of using his Twitter account to draw fire, rather than deflecting it.”)
• Tax reform roadblocks emerge in Senate (“Sens. John McCain and Lisa Murkowski have been wildcards, avoiding taking a public position on the proposal.”)
• Trump risks hypocrisy charges with Franken attack
• Gillibrand remark on Clinton sends shockwaves through Democratic Party (“The anti-sexual harassment crusader and potential 2020 candidate prompted an uncomfortable debate among Democrats about a beloved party figure.”)
• McAuliffe to raise money for cash-strapped DNC (“McAuliffe, who has promised to spend 2018 campaigning for governors across the country, is widely thought to be considering a run for president in 2020 after leaving Richmond with high approval ratings.”)
• Virginia Makes Every Voter Count (“In House District 94, which includes Newport News, almost 24,000 people went to the polls; the Republican and Democratic candidates there are separated by just 10 votes. The race appears to be headed for a recount, as do those in two other districts where the margin of victory is in the dozens. With control of the Virginia House of Delegates in the balance, literally every vote counts. That’s particularly exciting in Virginia, where more than 40,000 previously disenfranchised citizens were registered to vote this year, many for the first time.”)
• The battle for the Virginia House (“With parity in the House within striking distance, Democratic leaders now also dare to consider whether they might be able to increase Virginia’s minimum wage or pass a measure to provide paid family leave for Virginians.”)
• The Gillespie campaign’s real ‘malpractice’ (“Racial dog whistles are morally repugnant. (And by the way, they don’t work.)” I love how the VPAP forum only asked about tactics and strategy, not about whether doing something – like most of Gillespie’s disgusting TV ads – was morally acceptable or not.)
• U.S. Forest Service will allow Atlantic Coast Pipeline through two national forests (“The Virginia State Water Control Board is preparing for a marathon series of meetings next month on water quality certifications for the ACP and the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a similar project that would cross the Roanoke and New River valleys.” It’s time for Gov. McAuliffe to fight these destructive, idiotic projects and stop his rah rah Dominion cheerleading routine.)
• Editorial: Boucher was right (“In 1998, House Republicans sought to impeach Clinton on grounds of perjury and obstruction of justice. A group of Democrats — including Boucher — proposed another response. They wanted Congress to censure Clinton— a formal vote of condemnation.”)
• Mother’s health prompts candidate to withdraw from 2nd District race
• Virginia Senate may consider complete overhaul of state’s Medicaid program
• Comstock Votes Yes on Tax Bill Despite Local Concern
• Judge refuses to order count of late Stafford absentee ballots in Virginia’s District 28th House race
• Virginia’s legislature has received few formal complaints of sexual harassment
• Virginia Tech teaching assistant apologizes for his white supremacist statements. Sort of. (“Mark Neuhoff still says the Holocaust was misinterpreted.” WTF is VA Tech doing here?)
• Virginia bureaucrats are keeping nonviolent convicts in prison longer than murderers (That’s crazy.)
• Chesapeake Bay funding could get a big boost under new farm bills
• D.C.-area forecast: Shower odds rise through tonight before a cold front delivers a windy Sunday