Tuesday News: UN Climate Report Highlights Need for Emergency Action NOW; “Presidents are not kings” – McGahn Must Testify; WTF Is SCOTUS Doing?!?; “Environmental Groups Were Top Donors In Virginia’s Elections. Now, They Want Results”; “Will Dems gut Dillon Rule?”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, November 26.

• In bleak report, U.N. says drastic action is only way to avoid worst effects of climate change (“The report warns that the world has squandered so much time mustering the action necessary to combat climate change that global temperatures are on pace to rise as much as 3.9 degrees Celsius (7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.” Yep, humanity has now gotten itself into a dire emergency thanks to ignorance, apathy, overconsumption, etc, etc. At this point, we need to treat the situation as the emergency that it is. That includes here in Virginia, where we need super-strong action in the 2020 session towards moving the state off of fossil fuels ASAP. And yes, that means canceling the two fracked-gas pipeline monstrosities immediately. That’s what the science is overwhelming telling us, which means that failure to do so is utterly irresponsible.)
• UN calls for push to cut greenhouse gas levels to avoid climate chaos (“Global emissions must fall by 7.6% a year for next decade to avoid crisis, report says”)
• Earth’s carbon dioxide levels hit a 3 million year high
• China, U.S. Hold Phone Call in Sign of Progress on Phase 1 Deal
• The Great Chinese Climate Hoax Is Recreating Venice in the Florida Keys
• Majority of Americans favor US support to pro-democracy protesters, as Trump weighs veto on Hong Kong bill: Survey
• The Pope Might Make Destroying the Earth a Sin. Will Catholics Listen?
• China is achieving its ‘beauty’ by means of cultural genocide
• The Amazon rainforest is in trouble. Again. (“Our three-part video series looks at the world’s largest rainforest, why it’s in jeopardy, and the people trying to save it.”)
• Exclusive: China sets up Hong Kong crisis center in mainland, considers replacing chief liaison
• American Climate: A Shared Experience Connects Survivors of Disaster (“In three U.S. communities devastated by disaster, themes of loss and survival resonate through the personal stories of the people who were there.”)
• If solar and wind are so cheap, why are their haters making so much noise (“A report from US research labs shows natural gas as the leading reason wholesale electricity pricing has fallen over the last decade across the country, however, looking at key markets it is clear there are larger downward effects where wind and solar have been most heavily deployed.”)
• The Don McGahn Ruling Has Big Consequences for Impeachment (“Particularly when it comes to John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney”)
• ‘Presidents are not kings’: Judge rules ex-White House counsel Don McGahn must testify before Congress
• McGahn must testify — and so must other holdouts
• ‘Presidents Are Not Kings’: Judge Orders Trump Lawyer Don McGahn To Testify Before Congress (“House Democrats subpoenaed McGahn to testify after the Mueller report laid out several instances of the counsel refusing to carry out orders.”)
• Why Testimony From Don McGahn Would Doom Trump (“A judge has just ruled that the former White House counsel must testify. If the ruling stands, he’ll be on national TV, under oath. And so will others, maybe. Dum da dum dum.”)
• Ex-White House counsel McGahn must comply with House subpoena, judge rules
• Trump’s second act is rife with enablers of constitutional degradation
• Trump cites fake polls to make the case that support for impeachment is falling (“Trump claims support for impeachment is ‘down into the 20’s in some Polls.’ But these polls do not seem to exist.”)
• Supreme Court blocks House committee from immediately reviewing Trump’s financial records (That’s absurd, but of course this is the Roberts/Kavanaugh/Gorsuch/Thomas/Alito court. Ugh.)
• The Supreme Court lets Trump keep his tax returns secret — for now (“Trump’s legal arguments against House Democrats are weak. We’ll soon find out if that matters to this Supreme Court.” If so, then this Supreme Court is completely illegitimate.)
• Trump short-circuits a system of order with his own dangerous judgment
• Who but a demon could impeach God’s chosen one?
• Trump’s second act is rife with enablers of constitutional degradation
• Trump and the Military Do Not Share the Same Values
• Ousted Navy Secretary Richard Spencer defends handling of Navy SEAL case
• The GOP’s galling accommodation of Trump (Totally warped as usual.)
• Pentagon chief says he was ‘flabbergasted’ by Navy secretary’s attempt to make a private deal with Trump
• Ousted Navy secretary says Trump’s war crimes intervention signals ‘you can get away with things’
• Waiting for Obama (“The Democratic establishment is counting on him to stop Trump and, perhaps, stave off Bernie as well. But can his cerebral politics still galvanize voters in an age of extremes?” Weird framing.)
• Trump Tells Allies He Wants Absolved War Criminals to Campaign for Him
• Jared Kushner’s new assignment: Overseeing construction of Trump’s border wall (One of the first things a new president will need to do is, as President Reagan once said, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!)
• Trump needs to appoint scientists to run scientific agencies
• Poll: Public hearings didn’t do much to move the needle on impeachment (“In the survey, one of the first to measure public support for the inquiry following the conclusion of public hearings last week, voters backed the investigation by a 5-point margin, 48 percent to 43 percent, compared with a 3-point margin the week before.”)
• Are Trump’s Critics Demonically Possessed? (“Two of the president’s most prominent evangelical supporters are literally demonizing his opponents”)
• How Democrats can win, everywhere (“We urge Democrats to focus on, care about and invest more in state races, and to see our victories as blueprints for winning across the country.”)
• Democrats Increasingly Vocal in Calling ‘Medicare for All’ a Political Liability (“Party leaders are describing the health care proposal that appeals to the party’s left as a risky bet that could neutralize one of the Democrats’ prime issues in 2020.”)
• Self-confessed liar Sarah Sanders says: ‘I don’t like being called a liar’ (She lies and lies and lies some more, then gets upset when people call her out on her pathological lying.)
• Audio: Sen. Tim Kaine on Dems Needing to Nominate a “Practical Progressive” for 2020
• In Virginia, Bloomberg blasts Trump for Navy leader’s ouster
• Bloomberg makes first stop of his campaign in Virginia, where he spent millions to help Democrats
• Tucker Carlson says that he’s rooting for Russia against Ukraine
• Spanberger says people want ‘transparent and clear’ process during impeachment inquiry
• Virginia Senate Democrats Announce 2020 Policy Priorities
• Virginia Speaker-Designee Eileen Filler-Corn Nominates Suzanne Denslow for Clerk of the House – “the first woman to ever hold that position”
• “Flanked” by Dominion’s CEO and Right-Wing Republican Kirk Cox, Gov. Northam Says He Does NOT Support Repealing Virginia’s Anti-Union “Right-to-Work” Laws
• Northam discourages repeal of right-to-work law in remarks to revenue council
• Will this be the year Virginia imposes a plastic bag tax? (They mean next year, but yes…long past time.)
• Virginia has weaker payday loan rules than most states (Need to toughen these up significantly.)
• EDITORIAL: Will Dems gut Dillon Rule? (“The likely thrust by Democratic lawmakers won’t be to do away with the Dillon Rule altogether, but to make exceptions, especially in the case of statue removal.” Yep, I’d make a bunch of exceptions, including letting localities enact stronger environmental regulations – protecting tree canopy, combating the climate crisis, etc.)
• Environmental Groups Were Top Donors In Virginia’s Elections. Now, They Want Results (Absolutely – let’s get moving!)
• In Letter to Trump Administration, Governor Northam Reaffirms Virginia’s Commitment to Welcoming Refugees
• Northam tells Trump administration Virginia will accept more refugees
• Editorial: New majority’s priorities (The premise of this editorial is false. In fact, Democrats will show true leadership by crafting thoughtful legislation that responds to a) what the majority voted for; and b) what will actually make Virginia a better place for everyone. If Republicans want to work with Democrats, that’s great. If not, then Democrats should move ahead anyway.)
• Study: Legislature has options for regulating electronic gaming machines
• Report: Casinos could bring state millions, but wouldn’t be economic driver developers have pitched
• Casino gambling could generate millions in Virginia, but it’s a complicated wager, state study says
• Virginia schools’ rapid solar growth is headed for ceiling without legislative fix (“A 2013 state law limits how much solar power schools and other entities can buy from third-party projects.” Need to fix that ASAP!)
• After Supreme Court ruling, battle over uranium mining going to Virginia trial
• Arlington/Falls Church Commonwealth’s Attorney-Elect Parisa Deghani-Tafti Joins “Nearly 40 Elected Prosecutors [Who] Pledge to Visit Their Local Correctional Facilities
• Jens Soering, diplomat’s son convicted in 1985 double murders, wins release
• Amazon pledges $20 million for Arlington affordable housing in exchange for more density
• What it’s like to be the last remaining Republican lawmaker in Fairfax County
• Report: Agritourism in Loudoun County generated more than $400M in ’18
• New museum in Fairfax Co. will honor women’s suffrage movement
• Does a cold November portend a snowy winter in Washington?
• Nicest day of the week before showers tomorrow and a colder Thanksgiving