by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, February 25.
- Netanyahu Sparks Outrage Over Pact With Racist Party (Bibi continues to be-be a disgrace.)
- Can President Trump and Kim Jong-un Make a Real Deal? (“One wants to make North Korea safe for the world. The other wants to make the world safe for North Korea.”)
- Trump says he’s delaying March 1 deadline for China trade deal
- The fierce urgency of climate change (“We need to take action now.” I’ve been saying this for years and will keep saying it.)
- U.S. wants North Korea to view Vietnam as a model for transformation
- White House to select scientists to counter government climate findings, officials say (This alone should be a massive scandal.)
- Former senior national security officials to issue declaration on national emergency (“A bipartisan group of 58 former senior national security officials will issue a statement Monday saying that ‘there is no factual basis’ for President Trump’s proclamation of a national emergency to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. The joint statement, whose signatories include former secretary of state Madeleine Albright and former defense secretary Chuck Hagel, will come a day before the House is expected to vote on a resolution to block Trump’s Feb. 15 declaration.”)
- The Republicans’ big gut-check vote on Tuesday (“To support the national emergency or not. That is the question.” Supporting the “national emergency” means that you don’t support rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, etc.)
- Republicans Have a Chance to Stop a Travesty. But They Won’t. (“Over in Westminster, a few MP’s finally said ‘enough’ to Corbyn’s disastrous leadership. Will Republicans have the same courage to stop Trump from abusing our Constitution?”)
- Most Economists See U.S. Recession by 2021, Survey Shows
- The stakes could not be higher for Trump in extraordinary split screen week
- Pope Francis Ends Landmark Sex Abuse Meeting With Strong Words, but Few Actions
- History will mark how many Republicans shy from Trump’s extremism (“It’s up to the current GOP to separate themselves from the president’s vitriol.” Not seeing it at all from folks like Denver Riggleman)
- The Awful Irony of Trump Going to Vietnam (“The flight suit of a true American hero will be on display a mere nine blocks from where Trump will likely end up rubbing elbows with a dictator this week.”)
- Adam Schiff: DOJ must share Mueller evidence since they shared Clinton emails (“The House Intelligence chairman will go to court if necessary to get Robert Mueller’s report and evidence.”)
- Republican senator: No Trump investigation needed, because even George Washington wasn’t perfect (My god, where do they come up with this crap?)
- China has put 1 million Muslims in concentration camps. MBS had nothing to say.
- Beyond ‘Bumper Sticker’ Slogans: 2020 Democrats Debate Details Of Medicare-For-All
- NRA under fire for ‘Target Practice’ magazine photo of Pelosi and Giffords (“Intentionally or otherwise, the gun group’s headline evokes memories of the 2011 Tucson shooting.”)
- GOP donors: Trump campaign lacks a strategy to win in 2020 (“Their chief worries: How Trump can win again in Rust Belt states that swung to Democrats in the midterms. And the president’s lack of discipline.”)
- Warren shuts down donor dinners, insider access
- ‘Green Book’ wins best picture; Rami Malek and Olivia Colman take home top acting prizes
- Spike Lee Nearly Walks Out Of Oscars After ‘Green Book’ Wins Best Picture (“Asked what he thought of the film’s victory, Lee laughed and shouted, ‘Next question.'”)
- Oscars 2019 verdict: lovely surprises can’t compensate for shock horrors (“The Academy voters got it right with gongs for Olivia Colman and Alfonso Cuarón, but Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book have been sorely overrated”)
- Dem governors stand by calls for Northam to quit
- Justin Fairfax likens himself to victims of ‘terror lynchings’ as he battles assault allegations (“His words seemed to echo the explosive charge leveled in 1991 by Clarence Thomas, then a nominee to the United States Supreme Court, that the Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee was conducting a ‘high-tech lynching’ under the guise of investigating Anita Hill’s claims that he had sexually harassed her.”)
- Justin Fairfax Compares Himself to Lynching Victims in Speech to Virginia Senators (Meredith Watson: “I will not dignify that statement with a response”)
- In Senate speech, Fairfax cautions against ‘political lynchings’ and says ‘the truth is on my side’ (In fact, lynchings were horrific, extra-judicial murders, often brutally violent. There’s no analogy here at all…)
- Virginia’s Fairfax compares himself to lynching victims (“‘That is the worst, most disgusting type of rhetoric he could have invoked,’ Gilbert said. ‘It’s entirely appropriate for him to talk about due process and we would intend to offer him every ounce of it, and he’s welcome to take advantage of that anytime he would like’…Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Del. Lamont Bagby said he’s heard similar rhetoric from his constituents, who have expressed concerns that Fairfax is being treated unfairly because of his race.”)
- ‘No short road to redemption:’ Budget is a step toward racial reconciliation, black lawmakers say
- Virginia legislature passes budget and closes scandal-marred session a day late
- General Assembly session ends after tackling the budget, foster care reform, tobacco sales (More relevant headline: Republican-controlled General Assembly ends session after killing almost every bill that’s remotely progressive, pro-environment, pro-clean-energy, etc.)
- Tracking bills during the General Assembly session: like drinking from a fire hose
- Video: Black Legislators in Virginia House of Delegates Blast “Piss-Poor” Independent Redistricting Constitutional Amendment
- On the 11th Hour, General Assembly Finds a Redistricting Amendment Most Can Live With
- Redistricting reform clears first major hurdle with General Assembly approval
- Video: Speeches at Mt. Vernon Dems’ Mardi Gras Party by Candidates for Fairfax County Board Chair; Commonwealth’s Attorney; At-Large School Board; Lee District Supervisor
- Video: Big Crowd, Huge Enthusiasm as Abrar Omeish Kicks Off Campaign for Fairfax County At-Large School Board
- Editorial: How quickly will water board act? (“Environmentalists who see the pipeline as an unnecessary polluter that will only heat up the earth even faster may not think of Wall Street money-managers as natural allies, but in this case they might be.”)
- Confederate flag incident at Virginia high school sparks concern of racist behavior (“The incident has resurrected concerns about Jefferson Forest High School’s culture and comes amid soul-searching on campuses throughout the nation about the persistence of racist imagery.”)
- Bowers and Limpert: Water board should revoke MVP certificate
- Peninsula legislators played a key role in the 2019 session. Here are notable bills they proposed.
- Hampton University graduate Ruth Carter wins her first Oscar
- Metro’s deja vu debate over late hours keeps happening because people keep forgetting (“District officials are pressing Metro to expand late-night service — despite warnings this time from a federal oversight agency that allowing Metro to stay up late again will risk billions of dollars in funding.”)
- D.C.-area forecast: A very windy Monday, but fairly tranquil weather follows until Friday
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