Saturday News: “Don’t Mistake Trump’s Airstrikes for a Strategy”; “I’m a Peeliever and You Should Be, Too”; “James Comey Is No Hero”; Tougher Work Rules for Medicaid Expansion?

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, April 14.

• U.S., allies strike Syria after suspected chemical attack (“Trump joins Britain and France in ordering missile strikes against Syrian government”)
• Trump’s strikes on Syria risk retaliation, escalation in a war he wants to avoid (“The administration calculated that the need to send a signal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over chemical weapons outweighed the possibility of provoking a response from his allies, Russia or Iran, on the battlefield in Syria, elsewhere in the Middle East or even in cyberspace.”)
• Syria latest: Theresa May calls strikes ‘right and legal’
• Vladimir Putin calls US-led Syria strikes an ‘act of aggression’ (That’s hilarious coming from Putin, whose military has been heavily involved in Syria, backing up war criminal Assad.)
• U.S. Upholds Its Red Line in Syria, While Steering Clear of Russia’s (“Airstrikes were narrowly focused, seeking to cripple chemical-weapons infrastructure without triggering a broader conflict”)
• Don’t Mistake Trump’s Airstrikes for a Strategy (“Trump’s understaffed administration is ill-equipped to handle the security challenges it faces. It can’t help that Trump appears to be deploying abroad the strategy that he has adopted domestically – improvisational chaos.”)
• Russia is lying about Syria. But Trump has no credibility to counter it. (“There’s no reason to think he has a long-term strategy or any policy on chemical weapons.”)
• Will Assad “Get the Message” This Time? (“The U.S. once again opts for a limited response to Syria’s chemical weapons use.”)
• Ryan endorses McCarthy as next speaker (“Speaker Paul Ryan’s endorsement may not matter much in the long run; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bigger problem is at the far-right end of the conference.”)
• Risks loom for Comey’s book blitz (“The former FBI director faces attacks on his reputation and could complicate Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.”)
• I’m a Peeliever and You Should Be, Too (“I used to doubt that this episode really happened. I now believe it probably did. I am obviously far from certain, but since Steele’s dossier came out, an accumulation of evidence has tipped the balance from unlikely to likely.”)
• Infowars’ Alex Jones blasts Trump over airstrikes: ‘He’s crapping all over us’ (Hahahahahaha!)
• Trump supporters rip decision to strike Syria
• McCain to Trump: Airstrikes alone won’t achieve objectives in Syria (“To succeed in the long run, we need a comprehensive strategy for Syria and the entire region”)
• From One Strike in Syria, a World of Potential Risks
• Ex-CIA director tears into Trump: ‘Your kakistocracy is collapsing’
• Andrew McCabe Got Fired for Allegedly Misleading James Comey, Which Screws Up Pretty Much Everyone’s Narrative (WTF?)
• Democrats: Firing Rod Rosenstein would ignite constitutional crisis (“Leakers say the deputy attorney general is ‘at peace’ with the possibility that he may be fired shortly”)
• France says its analysis points to Syria behind Douma gas attack
• Germany’s Merkel backs air strikes on Syria as ‘necessary and appropriate’
• Trump is suddenly very concerned about Scooter Libby. Here’s why. (“The former Bush aide was convicted of obstruction of justice — the same thing Trump is being investigated for.”)
• Why Trump’s legal advisers think he can get away with firing Rosenstein
• Trump Pardoned Libby to Protect Himself From Mueller (“But the president is unlikely to be able to use his pardon power to get out of his legal jam.”)
• The Self-Destruction of Paul Ryan and the G.O.P.
• Tethered to a Raging Buffoon Called Trump (The question continues: how can 40% of the American people support this raging buffoon?)
• Trump can pardon whomever he wants (“Scooter Libby could be just the beginning.”)
• James Comey Is No Hero (“The former FBI director has a low opinion of the president who fired him, but his disregard for Justice Department rules helped put Trump in the White House to begin with.”)
• Trump Sees Inquiry Into Cohen as Greater Threat Than Mueller
• Trump sees ally in possible House leader ‘My Kevin’ McCarthy
• Trump’s Scooter Libby Pardon Is a Signal in More Ways Than One (“It’s not just a sign for Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen.”)
• James Comey Is No Hero(“The ex-FBI director is a self-reverential careerist who should be marked lousy by history.”)
• R.N.C. Official Who Agreed to Pay Playboy Model $1.6 Million Resigns
• Kaine rips Syria strikes: What’s stopping Trump from bombing Iran, North Korea next?
• Sen. Mark Warner says tech companies need to work with Congress
• Ex-Virginia governor says he could beat Trump in general election (Yeah, except first TMac would have to win the Democratic nomination, and good luck with that.)
• 5th District Republicans Expected to Choose Garrett for Another Term
• Candidates expound on their desire to unseat Garrett (“With locality caucuses kicking off Saturday, candidates seeking the 5th District Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives are gearing up to finish the race.”)
• California man charged with threatening Garrett
• Schapiro: GOP leader’s subtle, significant shift on Medicaid (“Tommy Norment knows how to count. And the arithmetic is telling the Republican majority leader of the Virginia Senate that he could be facing a loss on Medicaid expansion.”)
• House committee adopts new budget, with changes for Medicaid work requirement, insurance and cash reserve
• Va. House committee tries again for Medicaid expansion, with tougher work rules (Definitely don’t want tougher work rules, which have nothing whatsoever to do with people needing healthcare and are simply punitive GOP bullshit.)
• Democrats begin party-run caucuses to pick nominee against Rep. Tom Garrett (Caucuses today in Charlotte, Fluvanna, Franklin, Lunenburg, Madison, Pittsylvania, and Rappahannock counties…more to come, followed by a convention on May 15.)
• Shad Plank: Personality in politics, primary ballot update and Medicaid expansion
• Roanoke County cuts off supplies to tree-sitters blocking pipeline crews
• Desjadon: 6th District GOP Food Fight, Dems Talk Issues
• The Atlantic Coast Pipeline threatens Virginia’s economy and clean-energy jobs (The Atlantic Coast Pipeline makes no sense on any level, other than $$$ for Dominion, etc.)
• Surovell: Three more reasons why Richmond is more efficient than Washington (Ha, yeah, Richmond is a LOT more “efficient” in killing progressive and environmental legislation, also doing the bidding of Dominion and other corporations. Ahhhh…the “Virginia Way”)
• Gov. Ralph Northam gears up for his next race: The Monument Avenue 10K
• Editorial: Trash (train) talk
• Priscilla Feral: There’s no reason to allow hunting of black bears (Agreed.)
• Why eviction rates in Hampton Roads are among the worst in the United States
• Warm today, then turning cooler and eventually rainy Sunday