Sunday News: SNL Does “White House Tree Trimming”; “Rumor is Trump could fire Mueller before Christmas”; “Gillespie just doesn’t get it”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, December 17.

• File Taxes on a Postcard? A G.O.P. Promise That Fell Short (“The tax bill on the cusp of being passed by Congress is not the grand simplification of the code that Republicans promised.” Nope, not even close!)
• Key Officials Push Back Against Trump Campaign’s Claim That A Federal Office Illegally Turned Over Emails To Special Counsel
• Scoop: Mueller obtains “tens of thousands” of Trump transition emails
• Trump is not on the 2018 ballot, but White House plans full-on campaign for GOP candidates (“The president has told advisers he wants to travel extensively and hold rallies. The strategy carries risks for a historically unpopular commander in chief and could help drive angry Democrats to the polls.”)
• The unchecked threat from Russia (“Whether coverup or ego boost, the president’s refusal to face the Kremlin endangers the country.”)
• Republicans keep on telling voter-fraud fairy tales (“An utter lack of evidence doesn’t deter them from peddling untruths.”)
• Mueller unlawfully obtained emails, Trump transition team says (What the Trump @#!ers are doing is very dangerous; get ready to protest if Trump fires Mueller.)
• Wave of misconduct claims reshape 2018 elections (“Sexual harassment allegations are ending some campaigns and creating openings for others.”)
• Trump Plans to Help More Republicans Lose in 2018
• GOP chairman worried by Trump’s stance on Russian interference (We don’t need “worry,” we need strong action from Republicans in Congress against Trump’s creeping authoritarianism and trashing of the rule of law.)
• Kihuen won’t seek reelection amid sexual harassment allegations
• The Final Version of the G.O.P. Tax Bill Is a Corrupt, Cruel, Budget-Busting Hairball
• Are We Going to War With Iran? (“Little wonder, then, that the International Crisis Group is warning of a high risk that the U.S. and Iran come to blows over the Yemen conflict.”)
• Democrat: Rumor is Trump could fire Mueller before Christmas
• The Winners and Losers in the Tax Bill
• Minnie Driver: men like Matt Damon ‘simply cannot understand what abuse is like’ (“Actor calls former co-star’s remarks about ‘spectrum of behaviour’ in sexual misconduct ‘Orwellian’ and questions defence of disgraced comedian Louis CK”)
• Omarosa’s exit highlights ‘ridiculous’ lack of diversity at Trump White House
• GOP Leader Sen. Cornyn Casts Doubt On Legitimacy Of Mueller’s Probe (Cornyn is a menace.)
• Buried in 503-page tax bill, a new provision that personally benefits Trump (“The president cashes in.”)
• Former Sen. George Allen regularly appears in the media to defend manufacturers on taxes and regulations without disclosure that he works for them (Yep, the guy’s a scumbag.)
• Ryan P. Mulvey: Lawsuit against McAuliffe, GreenTech Automotive is long overdue (Note that the author of this piece works for the Koch brothers-related right-wing “Cause of Action.” Of course, the Republican Times-Disgrace doesn’t mention those details.)
• GOP senate candidate: It’s OK to call gay people “perverted” if it’s on Christian radio (“A Republican Senate candidate with a history of bigoted anti-LGBTQ rhetoric says he should get a pass because he made them while appearing on ‘Christian radio.'” Yep, that’s Ewwww Jackson for ya.)
• A Democratic winner in Virginia says it’s time for bipartisanship (“That business-friendly, bipartisan message may be at odds with a national Democratic mood emphasizing ‘resistance.’ In that climate, Virginia could be a test case for whether political unity is still a viable route.”)
• EDITORIAL: Virginia’s economy is ‘stuck in neutral’ (Mostly a result of “sequestration” and other stupid federal policies, mostly thanks to Republicans.)
• Gordon Morse: Visionary leaders are now in place to spark Virginia’s economy (This seems like hyperbole, but we’ll see.)
• Schapiro: Gillespie just doesn’t get it (“Gillespie lamented the current atmosphere as needlessly negative; that he couldn’t recommend that a friend stand for office. This ignores Gillespie’s contribution to political polarization: hyperpartisan gerrymandering, advanced with cash and computer technology from a group that he led, the Republican State Leadership Committee.” Gillespie is a pathological liar and/or has zero self awareness. Either way, thank goodness he’s not going to be our governor.)
• McAuliffe expected to propose pay raise for state employees and teachers, big boost in cash reserve
• Editorial: Does culture matter? (“Some in Appalachia entertain hopes of creating a ‘Silicon Hollow’ in the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and Southwest Virginia. Wise County actually has broadband speeds that rival Northern Virginia. Tech companies would find a surprising number of reasons to locate there. But it’s worth asking whether those companies would find, to use Amazon’s words, a ‘cultural community fit.'”)
• When Bob Goodlatte retires, what happens to his $900,000 campaign kitty?
• Tesla will give Norfolk up to 100 electric car charging stations
• Our greatest expectations (“Usually, graduation speeches are innocuous affairs. Sometimes, the effort is philosophical. Sometimes, comical. Generally, of course, celebratory. It’s fair to say that many of those who heard Del. Marcia Price’s remarks to the latest Newport News police academy graduates did not read her comments that way.”)
• Arlington creates housing conservation district — but some say too quickly (“Residents object to lack of detail, community input; rules to be worked out next year.”)
• Warming up through Tuesday, then temperatures take a step back (“Another average December day is in the cards today, before a warming trend takes over.”)