Advertisement 
by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, January 9.
- We have to be ready to adapt,’ WHO chief says about the spread of virulent new virus variants
- With AstraZeneca rollout suspended, South Africa scrambles for a vaccine plan — a ‘preview’ of new fight against variants
- WHO says ‘most likely’ pathway of virus was from animals to humans, but investigation still a ‘work in progress’
- ‘Invisible killer’: fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds (That’s far, FAR more than from COVID-19.)
- Antony Blinken: U.S. Standing As Beacon Of Democracy ‘Took A Hit’ After Capitol Riot (“What’s made us different is our willingness, our ability to confront these challenges with full transparency”)
- Mountains, Ice and Climate Change: A Recipe for Disasters
- Climate Is Next Race for Global Supremacy, Bank of America Says (“China spent twice as much as the U.S. on climate action; Economic impact of climate change may reach $69 trillion”)
- Europe’s offshore wind sector saw a record $31 billion of investment in 2020
- 2021 a ‘crucial year’ for climate change, UN chief tells Member States
- Bitcoin powers towards $50K as Tesla takes it mainstream
- Experts warn states are removing the very restrictions driving Covid cases down
- Democrats upsize Covid aid bill as they embrace big spending to revive shattered economy
- House Democrats propose sending $1,400 stimulus payments to Americans who earn up to $75,000
- Trump’s trial set to rock Washington and echo through the ages (“The question posed by Trump’s second impeachment trial is whether a president who loses reelection can get away with a violent coup attempt in a bid retain power”)
- My fellow Republicans, convicting Trump is necessary to save America
- Capitalism Is Struggling With the Language of Climate Change
- What to Watch For as Donald Trump’s Impeachment Trial Begins (“Debate will begin at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Though the trial is expected to be fast-paced, arguments could stretch into next week. The House managers will argue before the Senate that former President Trump is guilty of inciting a deadly mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6.”)
- You May Want to Forget Him, but Trump’s Trial Must Be Thorough (“Democrats should be willing to call witnesses.”)
- How Republicans’ defense of Trump at his impeachment trial will actually hurt him
- Senate sets stage for rapid impeachment trial
- Trump’s impeachment trial will tackle two big constitutional questions
- Trump tells aides he thinks he’ll be acquitted as he remains fixated on ‘accountability’ for GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach
- Trump lawyer withdraws request not to have impeachment trial on Sabbath
- Biden’s strategy for Trump’s impeachment: Sit back and STFU
- I want to Watch All the Enablers Squirm
- Four guidelines for the House impeachment managers (“Keep it short and simple.”)
- The GOP is not a normal party (“The Republican Party is incapable of reform.”)
- Opinion: The Senate must convict Donald Trump
- Trump’s Defense Is an Act of Nihilistic Audacity
- Trump’s 2nd Impeachment Trial Starts With Debate On Constitutionality
- Trump prosecutors pitch to the public in made-for-TV impeachment trial (“Democrats hope harrowing audio and video from Capitol attack will make plain what no legal argument might deny”)
- Trump Claimed Election ‘Rigged’ Or ‘Stolen’ Over 100 Times Ahead Of Capitol Riot (“The then-president whipped up distrust of U.S. democracy, the media and his own vice president in tweets and speeches leading up to the Jan. 6 attack.”)
- Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial and the Future of Free Speech (“Trump should be convicted, and the First Amendment should remain protected”)
- A Conservative Constitutional Scholar Left Trump’s Impeachment Gambit in Tatters
- Biden works hard to suggest he’s not paying attention to Trump’s impeachment trial
- House Republicans who backed impeaching Trump have no regrets as Senate GOP reckons with former President’s role
- Biden Warms to Fast-Track Stimulus After Liberal Pressure Mounts
- Biden Presidency Starts With a Giant Bet on Run-It-Hot Economics
- Vice President Kamala Harris could kill the filibuster herself (“The Constitution has given Harris, as vice president, a second job — a side gig to most modern observers. She’s not just President Joe Biden’s No. 2; she’s also president of the Senate. And it’s not a role she should overlook. It may, in fact, be the key to transforming Biden’s agenda from notions into laws. In the right hands, in a Senate as closely divided as this one, it’s a job that can finally break the chamber’s famed deadlock and transform Washington.”)
- How Democrats Learned to Seize the Day (“It seems that they won’t repeat Obama’s mistakes.”)
- Trump supporters want us to believe the Framers were fools
- DOJ to ask Trump-appointed US attorneys to resign
- Pentagon: Extremist groups recruit from military
- The Republican Party Is Radicalizing Against Democracy (“The GOP is moderating on policy questions, even as it grows more dangerous on core questions of democracy and the rule of law.”)
- ‘Its Own Domestic Army’: How the G.O.P. Allied Itself With Militants
- Man charged in US Capitol riot worked for FBI, lawyer says (Troubling.)
- One mystery involving the insurrection may be close to getting solved (“Democrats make headway in learning why panic buttons were removed from a congresswoman’s office.”)
- “I Think People Will Get Tired of Him”: For Donald Trump, Sarah Palin’s Fall Shows the Limits of Media Obsession
- Jared and Ivanka Made Up To $640 Million While Working in Washington (How on earth is this legal?!?)
- Manafort Can’t Be Prosecuted in New York After Trump Pardon, Court Rules
- Exclusive: Congressional Democrats set to back more than $50 billion for transportation sector
- Achoo! Climate Change Lengthening Pollen Season in U.S., Study Shows
- Why progressives should be celebrating Liz Cheney and Ben Sasse right now
- Exclusive: Georgia Secretary of State opens investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn election
- George Shultz’s death reminds us that the GOP hasn’t always been this crazy (No, although it was pretty bad back then too…)
- Trump Isn’t the Only One on Trial. The Conservative Media Is, Too. (“Conservative media organizations face a consequential test in the weeks and months ahead, our On Politics columnist writes.”)
- What Absentee Voting Looked Like In All 50 States (“It was historically popular — and historically Democratic.”)
- After years of shrugging off Trump’s lack of interest in working with Democrats, the press suddenly cares about bipartisanship (The media sucks, part infinity.)
- Hackers breach, attempt to poison Florida city’s water supply (Very disturbing.)
- Facebook bans misinformation about all vaccines after years of controversy (Why did it take years?!?)
- Mike Lindell predicts the end times and calls the COVID-19 vaccine “mark of the beast stuff” on Bannon podcast
- Social media could be sued for stalking, harassment, death (“Three Democratic senators introduce bill that would overhaul Section 230 of federal communications law”)
- Pamela Karlan, Who Taught at UVA Law School for 10 Years, Will Be Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Justice Department
- Mary Wilson, longest-reigning original Supreme, dies at 76 (R.I.P.)
- Lou Dobbs is lashing out at Fox on Twitter for dropping his show
- Video: Sen. Kaine Calls Impeachment Trial “Uncharted Waters,” Says It’s “Likely to Last Into Early Next Week”
- Appalachian Women of Action Demand Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09) Step Down Following the 1/6 U.S. Capitol Riot
- Video: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Joins Impeachment Experts for National Town Hall on the Need to Convict Trump (Rep. Connolly: “We must convict Trump and lance this festering boil”)
- Luria urges Biden administration to invest in rural broadband
- No Daylight Between Cox and Chase on Marriage Equality
- Virginia lawmakers are moving to eliminate mandatory minimums, but they’re at odds over which ones
- Terry McAuliffe Releases Plan to Tackle Housing Crisis in Virginia
- Monday (2/8) Virginia Data on COVID-19 Finds +1,700 Confirmed/Probable Cases (to 530,825), +65 Hospitalizations (to 22,167), +42 Deaths (to 6,820)
- CVS vaccinations pushed back a day as Virginia requires coordination (“COVID-19 vaccinations at three dozen CVS retail pharmacies in the state will begin on Friday, a day later than originally planned”)
- Bill requiring public reporting of major outbreaks still alive, but Senate nixes emergency enactment
- Gov. Ralph Northam frustrated by early vaccine rollout while vaccination numbers climb
- Virginia’s General Assembly heads to special session with bipartisan momentum on coronavirus relief bills
- New COVID cases in Virginia drop to lowest level since December as more than 1.1 million shots given
- Here’s a look at where key issues stand in the General Assembly at halftime
- Vee Lamneck column: The General Assembly has the opportunity to help end Virginia’s HIV Epidemic
- Editorial: Virginia lawmakers right to work toward PPP tax fix
- Del. Sam Rasoul pursues reelection to House, nomination for lieutenant governor as GOP lines up House challenger
- Video: Speaking for Repeal of Anti-Same-Sex-Marriage Amendment, Sen. Boysko Argues, “This is a moment in history for us to right a wrong, to accept that love matters to everybody who lives here” (Sen. Janet Howell adds: “We have to correct that horrible, disgusting mistake that was made several years ago.”)
- Richmond Health Officials Work to Boost Latino Vaccinations
- Divided Richmond School Board votes 6-3 to offer Kamras four more years
- VMI resists letting investigators interview cadets, faculty without its lawyers present, report says
- Hanover school touts donation from group that participated in Capitol insurrection (Yikes.)
- Stoney to introduce ordinances to redevelop public safety building
- Nothing Wasted: Arlington Co. Uses 97% of It’s Vaccine Supply Each Week.
- Rally in Loudoun County Pushes for Return to Schools 5 Days a Week
- Loudoun County schools complete 1st stage of employee COVID-19 vaccination
- Newport News schools now plan to have all grades back by March 8
- Cloudy and milder today before winter storm threats arrive
There's no paywall on Blue Virginia, and we definitely want to keep it that way! If you want to help support our work, you can donate here - thanks! Also, you can sign up for our weekly email list here. 
