Sunday News: “The Green New Deal Is Better Than Our Climate Nightmare”; “Women rebuke bishops at Vatican summit on clergy sex abuse”; Former Trump Campaign Chair Paul Manafort “a ‘hardened’ and ‘bold’ criminal”; Kaine Says “Virginia can turn pain into action”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, February 24.

• Amid chaos and defiance, Venezuelan opposition faces off against security forces as Maduro digs in
• Venezuela’s Maduro cuts ties with Colombia amid border conflict
• Theresa May makes progress on Brexit as Labour tilts toward a referendum (“While May insists the United Kingdom will leave as planned on March 29, even some of her senior ministers are now openly threatening to side with rebels to stop putting it to another vote in parliament. If she fails, May will have to decide whether to delay Brexit or endanger the world’s fifth largest economy by leaving without a deal on March 29.”)
• ‘Chilling the atmosphere’: North Korea media condemns U.S. Democrats ahead of summit
• Trump faces a legal reckoning – but are his worst troubles yet to come? (“Damning evidence revealed by Mueller or Cohen could set in motion proceedings that threaten Trump in new ways”)
• Mueller slams Manafort’s ‘deceit,’ suggests sentence that could amount to life in prison (Just think about the fact that this scumbag was Trump’s CAMPAIGN CHAIR!)
• Paul Manafort a ‘hardened’ and ‘bold’ criminal, Mueller prosecutors tell judge
• Robert Mueller files 800+ page sentencing memo for Paul Manafort
• Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller’s Inquiry (“A diminutive, multilingual political operative who was born in Ukraine while it was still part of the Soviet Union, Mr. Kilimnik has continued to attract intense interest from prosecutors for his interactions with his longtime boss and mentor, Paul Manafort, and his suspected ties to Russian intelligence, even as Mr. Mueller prepares to wrap up his investigation.”)
• The Mueller report is coming! Oh, wait. (“There is no upside for journalists trying to predict when this investigation is going to end. It ends when it ends”)
• This is an emergency, damn it (“Green New Deal critics are missing the bigger picture.” “To put it bluntly: this is not normal. We are not in an era of normal politics. There is no precedent for the climate crisis, its dangers or its opportunities. Above all, it calls for courage and fresh thinking.”))
• The Loud Silence of Mueller’s Manafort Memo (“A court filing by the special counsel is filled with elegant omissions—but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there.”)
• The Green New Deal Is Better Than Our Climate Nightmare (“A dream? Maybe. But it’s better than the climate nightmare we’re living.”)
• Either We’re a Free and Self-Governing People, Or We’re Not (“If we are, it’s time to push Congress to begin impeachment proceedings.”)
• The Hard Lessons of Dianne Feinstein’s Encounter with the Young Green New Deal Activists (Bill McKibben: “Feinstein was, in fact, demonstrating why climate change exemplifies an issue on which older people should listen to the young. Because—to put it bluntly—older generations will be dead before the worst of it hits. The kids whom Feinstein was talking to are going to be dealing with climate chaos for the rest of their lives, as any Californian who has lived through the past few years of drought, flood, and fire must recognize.”)
• ‘You’re fired!’ America has already terminated Trump
• Democrats demand Trump’s labor secretary resign over sweetheart deal for child sex abuser (“In a letter, lawmakers ask Trump to remove Alexander Acosta.”)
• ‘This storm will not pass’: Women rebuke bishops at Vatican summit on clergy sex abuse (“Just three women were invited to address nearly 200 mostly male Catholic leaders gathered at the Vatican.”)
• Pope Francis Calls for ‘All-Out Battle’ to Fight Scourge of Sexual Abuse (They need to clean house and enact massive reforms, or fold up shop.)
• “A publicity stunt”: Why some doubt Pope Francis’ Vatican summit on systemic sex abuse (“Pennsylvania congressman who was molested by a priest says Pope Francis’ summit may have been a publicity stunt”)
• Pope calls abusive clergy ‘tools of Satan’ (It’s not “Satan,” it’s definitely humans.)
• Pete Buttigieg May Have Just Found a Way to Get Noticed in the Crowded Democratic Primary (Given that Republicans stole a Supreme Court seat – and make no mistake, that’s exactly what they did with Gorsuch -the norms have already been shattered.)
• As tax refunds shrink, Republicans scramble to defend Trump tax cut (LOL)
• Kamala Harris’s plan to crush 2020 rivals on her home turf
• Oscars 2019: Who Should Win, Who Will Win
• Ole Miss players take knee during anthem as pro-Confederate rally unfolds on campus (“We’re just tired of these hate groups coming to our school”)
• Spanberger talks internet, immigration, solar plans during Spotsylvania town hall (“During her second town hall in as many months in office, freshman Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D–7th District, fielded questions on topics as far-flung as broadband access in rural America, the immigration debate and the massive solar farm set for a vote in Spotsylvania County next week. More than 100 people gathered in the auditorium of the Marshall Center on Courthouse Road on Saturday afternoon in a county where a majority of votes went to Spanberger’s opponent, Republican incumbent Dave Brat. The former CIA operative’s narrow win marked the first time in almost 50 years the 7th District went blue.”)
• Tim Kaine: Virginia can turn pain into action (“We can work toward equal access to affordable housing and education funding; close the wealth gap; and address inequities and biases in our criminal justice institutions, just as a starting point. Because if we neglect addressing today’s injustices, we are doomed to be humbled again and again by incidents like the marches in Charlottesville and the ongoing controversy in Virginia. But if we turn the pain of the past few weeks into action, I believe we can chart a path to truly free ourselves from the lingering evils of racism.”)
• Virginia House, Senate negotiators agree on a budget
• BREAKING: Huge Loss as Long-Time Virginia Democratic House Leader David Toscano Announces Retirement
• Toscano announces retirement from House of Delegates
• On the 11th Hour, General Assembly Finds a Redistricting Amendment Most Can Live With
• General Assembly approves independent redistricting commission, despite objections from black lawmakers
• A singular legislative session in Virginia hits one last obstacle (“Late Saturday, the House and Senate voted to extend the session by one day and cut the public notice to 24 hours. They said they plan to return at 11 a.m. Sunday to vote on the budget.”)
• Opinion/Commentary: Democratic takeback could lift Northam, but carries risks (According to Jeff Schapiro, it’s supposedly “left-leaning” to support things like closing the gun-show loophole and adding LGBTQ protections, both of which have overwhelming support, and therefore by definition are in the CENTER.)
• Gordon C. Morse: After adjournment, a chance to think (“Have Virginia lawmakers ever more happily put the State Capitol into their rear-view mirror?”)
• Virginia Del. Lee Carter to “Rape Apologists”: “Eat shit before you even think about accusing a survivor of lying again.”
• Exclusive Blue Virginia Interview: Arlington/Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos
• Two histories, one future
• School board in Va. takes no action in transgender student’s case
• Statewide report finds region’s technology industry falls short of potential
• About 100 protesters gather at Capitol Square to demand Gov. Northam’s resignation (Sounds like a bunch of right wingers against what they call “infanticide.”)
• Opinion/Editorial: Population changes point up problems
• Editorial: Jailhouse death continues to haunt Virginia
• Norfolk promised to help people forced out of public housing. Then came delays and changes.
• Arlington County adds 160 affordable housing units atop American Legion Post (“The Arlington American Legion Post 139 is going to get a face-lift, and Arlington County will get 160 housing units in the redevelopment of the property. The county board approved a plan to replace the building on Washington Boulevard with a seven-story building, and allocated a $5.79 million from the county’s Affordable Housing Investment plan to build the project.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Warmer this afternoon, roaring winds late today into tomorrow (“A wind advisory takes effect this afternoon, as winds gust near 40-50 mph at times later today, tonight, and through much of tomorrow.”)