Tuesday News: While GOP Obstructs Action, “Climate crisis in Western US is worst in 1,200 years”; “As McConnell effectively dares Senate Dems, will they respond?”; “Critical race theory invades school boards — with help from conservative groups”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, June 15.

• Countries lavish subsidies, perks on semiconductor manufacturers as a global chip war heats up
• Expect China to be furious at being cast as a threat to the west (“Analysis: Political divergences within Nato’s 30 members – from the US to North Macedonia – may well threaten ambitions for its strategy on China”)
• No sign of thaw between Russia and US ahead of Geneva summit (“Analysts say event will be ‘boring’ as both sides attempt a reboot following catastrophic meeting between Trump and Putin in 2017”)
• Vladimir Putin refuses to guarantee Navalny will survive prison (“In US TV interview, Russian leader deflects allegations over cyber-attacks and human rights” Thug.)
• Vatican Warns U.S. Bishops: Don’t Deny Biden Communion Over Abortion
• Biden Worked With Allies To Speak Out On China and Russia. Now The Hard Part Begins
• After NATO, Biden turns to EU for renewal of transatlantic ties
• Biden will give Putin a list of demands. The Russian president may ignore them.
• America and Europe will create a joint tech council to craft new rules on trade
• EU and US set to end Airbus-Boeing trade dispute after 17 years
• Khamenei set to tighten grip in Iran vote as frustrations grow (Ugh.)
• Netanyahu just showed that he’s as graceless and selfish as Trump
• Shift in Israel Provides Biden a Chance for Better Ties (“The departure of Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister is a relief for Democrats, but Iran and the Palestinians could test Mr. Biden’s relations with a fragile new Israeli government.”)
• Israelis and Palestinians brace for unrest over ultranationalist march
• Like the U.S., Israel bids goodbye to an unhinged leader (“The world has lost another right-wing provocateur. And got a little bit saner.”)
• Coronavirus infections dropping where people are vaccinated and rising where they are not, Post analysis finds
• Why Is Merrick Garland Defending Bill Barr’s Policies? (“Biden’s attorney general is siding with Donald Trump’s Justice Department on everything from the Mueller Report to a rape accusation.”)
• Merrick Garland has said some fine words. Now he needs to act. (“The Justice Department needs to be pursuing lawsuits, not ‘guidance.'”)
• Climate crisis in Western US is worst in 1,200 years
• How Long Can the West Survive Republican Obstruction on Climate? (“Some of the senators blocking climate policy represent states struggling with drought and wildfire.”)
• Dangerous heatwave grips US south-west as temperatures hit 120F in some areas (This is the climate crisis.)
• Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wants to restore safeguards at three major national monuments.
• 2020 was the deadliest gun violence year in decades. So far, 2021 is worse.
• A different America: How Republicans hold near total control in 23 US states (“In those states, Republicans hold the governorship and the legislature, giving them the power to take aim at abortion access, trans rights, voting and gun safety” Huge mistake for voters to EVER give Republicans a governing “trifecta,” or really ANY lever of power.)
• As McConnell effectively dares Senate Dems, will they respond? (“Those who decry bitter partisanship need to realize how much bitter partisanship they encourage through their passivity and tolerance of extremist tactics.”)
• Believe Mitch McConnell: Republicans Will Never Confirm Another Democrat-Appointed Supreme Court Justice
• Mitch McConnell Just Fired on Fort Sumter and Shot the Archduke (“And the Senate Minority Leader did it live on the radio.”)
• McConnell haunts Democrats with new pledge to block Biden court nominee (“He indicated he would implement his self-declared rule and refuse to confirm a Supreme Court nominee picked by Biden in 2024 if the GOP wins the Senate next year”)
• Manchin defends coal-fired plants, expresses concern over ‘aggressive’ Biden climate goals (Manchin just sucks.)
• McConnell says ‘highly unlikely’ he would let Biden fill a Supreme Court vacancy in 2024 if GOP wins back Senate (McConnell is evil. Democrats need to start treating him as such.)
• Senate confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson to be judge on powerful appeals court
• Republicans plot an infrastructure 2-step: Spend more, then kill Biden’s agenda
• Why Manchin’s defense of bipartisanship is a canard (“Some state laws should bear the presumption of bad faith.”)
• Liberals start to draw the line on infrastructure negotiations
• Are Democrats doomed in the midterms? Not if they can do this first.
• White House unveils strategy to battle domestic extremism (“The strategy includes a call to bolster law enforcement partnerships and stem extremist recruitment paired with elements deemed more essential after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, including better analysis of social media and programs to boost civics education and battle disinformation.”)
• New emails show how Trump and his allies pressured DOJ to try to challenge 2020 election results
• There’s not going to be a post-presidency revelation that submarines Trump
• First on CNN: FBI warns lawmakers that QAnon ‘digital soldiers’ may become more violent
• I’m leading the fight for voting rights in Arizona. We need the Senate to step up, now.
• Justice official resigning amid uproar over Dems’ subpoenas
• QAnon influencers want their followers to infiltrate Republican precinct committees — and the plan shows signs it’s working
• Former NSA contractor Reality Winner, jailed for leaking secrets about Russian hacking, released early from prison
• Critical race theory invades school boards — with help from conservative groups (“In towns nationwide, well-connected conservative activists, and Fox News, have ramped up the tension in fights over race and equity in schools.”)
• Why Mike Lindell Can’t Stop (“The MyPillow tycoon has lost business pumping up Trump conspiracy theories, and probably lost his chance at a political future. But he believes he’s on a divine mission to overturn the election—and he’s not alone.”)
• California Defies Doom With No. 1 U.S. Economy
• Rep. Greene apologizes for comparing face masks to Holocaust, but stands by comparison of Democrats to Nazi party
• Gohmert Swears $5,500 ‘Donation’ to Holocaust Denier Was a Mistake
• Marjorie Taylor Greene led early in the House’s crazy stakes. But a dark horse has emerged. (“And now, with an assist from Gohmert and from former Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli (a crazy horse long ago put to pasture), Clyde has filed a federal lawsuit on a matter of the most pressing constitutional importance.”)
• Rep. Louie Gohmert Hires Former Trump Appointee Ken Cuccinelli as Attorney in Lawsuit Over New House Screening Rules (That says it all.)
• Texas’ main power grid operator urges reduced electricity use through Friday due to “tight grid conditions”
• Ex-Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, now a Mainer, marched on the Capitol on Jan. 6
• Adams, Garcia top latest poll in New York mayor’s race
• Is Bill de Blasio Secretly Backing Eric Adams for Mayor?
• Video: Sen. Mark Warner Says Trump DoJ “worse than Nixonian”; “I wish I was more optimistic about the future of the Afghan government” (On infrastructure packages, Sen. Warner says “this is a once in a generation opportunity to take on the challenge around climate change”)
• Rep. Spanberger: Biden needs ‘to stand up for our country’ in Putin meeting (Which, obviously, he will.)
• Area wildlife experts look for what’s causing surge of sick, dying birds
• Trump Republican Glenn Youngkin REALLY Doesn’t Want Virginians To Know Where He Stands on the Issues. Unfortunately For Him, There’s Audio and Video…
• Brady PAC Endorses Terry McAuliffe for Virginia Governor
• For Virginia, adapting to sea level rise starts with choosing a curve
• PolitiFact VA: McAuliffe Didn’t Inherit Deficit From His GOP Predecessor
• Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Talks Racist Photo Scandal and How It ‘Opened My Eyes’ (“He maintains to this day that he doesn’t know if he is either man seen in the widely denounced image”)
• Governor Northam Announces Virginia’s Offshore Wind Project Among the First in the Nation to Use New Federal Permitting Initiative (“This is a critical step forward to advance renewable energy in the Commonwealth and move toward a future that’s greener tomorrow than it is today”)
• “Skimming the independent investigative report on the 2020 Parole Board & OIG actions…I can’t help but wonder if @GovernorVA & his COS Clark Mercer have gotten apologies yet from the GOP”
• Law firm’s review finds Va. investigator was ‘most likely biased’ in Parole Board probe
• Outside firm faults Virginia inspector general investigator for likely bias in report related to actions of state parole board (“Report clears Northam administration of accusations of interference, but Republicans have said the probe was too limited in scope.” Republicans, of course, are not acting in good faith.)
• Contract deal lifts Virginia utility’s cap on public entities’ solar aspirations (“After more than a year of negotiations, Appalachian Power has agreed to a new contract with 162 public entities in the state that will allow them to pursue significantly more solar power before hitting a limit.”)g
• Law firm’s report says inspector general’s lead investigator was ‘likely biased’ in parole board probe, but Republicans cry foul (Haha, of course Republicans cry foul…dishonestly, of course.)
• Monday (6/14) Virginia Data on COVID-19: Hospitalizations, 10-Day New COVID Cases Near Lowest Points Since Start of Pandemic
• Legislative Debates Over VMI Emerge
• High court rejects 2 Virginia white nationalist rally cases
• Virginia Tech announces Lane Stadium will be at full capacity for 2021 season
• Richmond City Council votes to hold November referendum on Urban One casino project in South Side
• Editorial: Report lends insight to Beach shooting
• Sentara relaxes strict COVID-19 policies for visitors and surgery patients
• 86% of Charlottesville students in grades 3-11 are identified as gifted (86%?!? This is like Lake Wobegon, “where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.” LOL)
• D.C.-area forecast: A burst of beautiful weather before humid heat returns Saturday