by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, January 4.
- ‘They can do what they want’: Trump’s Iran comments defy the position of his top aides (Can you even IMAGINE if Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton had said anything like that? My god, Republicans would be going bonkers!)
- Saudi Arabia begins trial for 11 suspects in Khashoggi murder (“Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for at least five individuals.” Unless the guy who ordered the murder – the Crown Prince – is also put on trial, this is a sick joke.)
- Speaker Pelosi will show Trump he’s not the only one with power in Washington (Pelosi is far, far smarter than Trump, and also far, far more effective.)
- The Democratic House wants to reform democracy. It’s not a panacea — but it’s a start. (“The new House aims to repair rules — and democracy itself.”)
- Trump And Congressional Leaders To Meet Again, But Shutdown Deal Remains Unlikely
- GOP senator calls on Congress to end shutdown without border deal (“Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who faces a potentially tough reelection in 2020, says Congress should re-open the federal government, even without a deal on funding President Trump’s border wall.” Where’s Willard?)
- House Passes Spending Package in Bid to End Shutdown (“On their first day in power, House Democrats rebuff President Trump on border-wall funding; Senate unlikely to take up House bills”)
- Pelosi Rises to Speaker, Firing First Shot With Vote to Reopen Government (“Representative Nancy Pelosi of California was elected speaker on Thursday, as Democrats assumed control of the House and gaveled in the 116th Congress.”)
- Democrats Lay Out Their Agenda as Shutdown Fight Casts Shadow (“House Democrats will present an ambitious bill proposing changes to ethics, campaign finance and voting laws. But the rollout is at risk of being overshadowed by the impasse over President Trump’s demand for $5 billion to fund a border wall.”)
- President Trump hasn’t publicly mentioned the 800,000 federal workers who aren’t being paid.
- Government Shutdown Leaves Workers Reeling: ‘We Seem to Be Pawns’ (“There was a widely shared frustration that the people in charge seemed to lack concern for the people who keep the government working.”)
- McConnell Faces Pressure From Republicans to Stop Avoiding Shutdown Fight (“Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, had hoped to push the shutdown blame onto Democrats while protecting Republicans running for re-election next year. But now Mr. McConnell is facing pressure from members of his own party to step in.”)
- Trump, Pelosi face off in epic power struggle
- Trump’s Syria withdrawal snatches defeat from the jaws of victory (“The reasons for the president’s decision remain a mystery to some of his subordinates.”)
- Last Month, Investors Seemed Too Pessimistic. Now, They Seem Prescient. (“Companies like Apple and Delta issued warnings this week about the health of their businesses that suggest investors were right to be worried. Scores of companies will soon report fourth-quarter results. A White House official said that there could be a torrent of bad news from corporate America.”)
- Jerome Powell Pledged Allegiance to Data and Some of It Looks Grim (Ah, the Trump economy…#MAGA, eh?)
- Market Swoon Raises Stakes for U.S.-China Trade Talks Next Week
- A eulogy for the most incompetent House majority in modern history (“Republicans squandered their best chance to ravage poor people the way they’ve always wanted. And with incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi taking up her gavel on Thursday, they will not get another chance for at least another two years.”)
- Workers and local communities alike suffer as shutdown takes toll on EPA (“Pollution, waters, and streams — they’re monitored by the EPA.”)
- Mulvaney eggs Trump on in shutdown fight
- Pain may be coming from shutdown — except for Trump and Democrats
- Bernie Sanders’ fans can’t be allowed to poison another Democratic primary with personal attacks (“Bashing Beto O’Rourke (and every other Democrat) doesn’t help liberals’ cause in 2020. It only helps Trump.”)
- That Viral Video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Dancing Is a Meta-Meme (Republicans are obsessed – and not in a healthy way – with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.)
- Senators warm to immigration deal as shutdown solution
- Evangelicals have hired their own Goliath (“It doesn’t take much biblical research to discover that this isn’t quite how God accomplished things in the original story.”)
- The Democratic Primary Doesn’t Have to Be a Nightmare (“Let’s talk about whose policy proposals are most likable!”)
- We Had to Shut Down the Government Because Mexico Is Paying for the Wall (“Twelve talking points for congressional Republicans.”)
- The House of Representatives Is Different Now. The Future Is in It. (“As of January 3, 2018, our representative democracy looks a lot more representative.”)
- Ocasio-Cortez after being booed voting for Pelosi: ‘Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me’
- Dem introduces bills to eliminate electoral college, stop presidents from pardoning themselves
- Kyrsten Sinema swears in to Congress using law book instead of religious book (Good for her. By the way, one of the most underrepresented groups in Congress is atheists/agnostics/people with no faith. Why is that?)
- White House Mulls Jim Webb, Ex-Democratic Senator, as Next Defense Secretary
- Why Virginia Representative Jennifer Wexton Hangs the Transgender Pride Flag Outside Her Office (“‘The trans community has been under attack,’ Wexton, who is aunt to a transgender child, tells Washingtonian. ‘I wanted to show my solidarity because we are talking about my friends and family.'”)
- New legislation sponsored by Warner & Kaine would provide back pay to federal workers
- AG Mark Herring to Appeal Affordable Care Act Ruling
- Jim Webb for Defense Secretary? 5 Reasons Why It Might Be a Good Idea; 5 Reasons Why It Might Not Be.
- Virginia Democrats Vote to Reopen the Government; Virginia Republicans Vote to Keep It Closed
- Virginia’s Elaine Luria sworn in as Democrats take over House
- Spanberger sworn in as U.S. representative in 7th District, says constituents ‘want Congress to start functioning’
- Republicans Ben Cline, Denver Riggleman sworn in amid divided government (Prediction: Cline and Riggleman will suck very badly.)
- Video, Photos: Dozens Protest Northam-Dominion Fundraiser (“People from across the state gathered to demand an end to the corporate corruption in Virginia’s government”)
- Their View: Terry McAuliffe’s presidential audition tape
- Terry McAuliffe is the grown-up in the Democrats’ 2020 room (This crap is by the same right-wingnut who also wrote, on 12/20, “Don’t let shutdown fears spoil your Christmas: It won’t be a big deal”)
- Saying Virginia can’t risk environmental catastrophe, Northam backs bill forcing Dominion to dig up coal ash (Riiight, so then why is Northam supporting two gigantic new fracked-gas pipelines, the equivalent of 45 new coal-fired power plants? Now THAT is a catastrophe.)
- Northam proposes coal ash disposal, coastal protection bills
- Arlington faces tough fiscal times, despite Amazon, new board chair warns (“Possible property tax increase, service cuts on the way this spring”)
- Lawsuit says UVa shouldn’t have suspended Latina sorority
- LOOKING AHEAD: Could changes be coming to Virginia’s alcohol laws?
- Activist Launches Challenge to Favola, Arguing Senator Has Been ‘Just Another Democratic Vote’
- Virginia State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington/Fairfax/Loudoun) Draws a Primary Challenge (“If elected, ‘Nicole Merlene would be the youngest sitting State Senator in the United States'”)
- Former Delegate David Ramadan Considers Running for Dick Black Senate Seat
- Williams: Will the risks of accepting money from Dominion be worth the reward for Richmond’s mayor? (Good question!)
- Clouds rule ahead of rain that arrives late then lasts into the night
********************************************************
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
