Wednesday News: “Merrick Who? McConnell Says He’d Totally Fill Another SCOTUS Seat in 2020”; “Clarence Thomas Pens Screed Comparing Women Who Obtain Abortions to Eugenicists”; “Trump Country sees majority of new enrollees under Va.’s Medicaid expansion”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, May 29.

• Reasons for Hope and Concern in Europe’s Elections (“The far-right populists did somewhat worse than expected, but mainstream political parties took a beating.”)
• Nigel Farage Is the Most Dangerous Man in Britain (“He’s the most effective demagogue in a generation. Now he sets the agenda.”)
• Europe needs smart climate policy. The Greens’ E.U. elections success could help. (“The Greens’ success can represent a positive turning point, if the new political energy to confront climate change is channeled into effective reforms.”)
• Trump Undercuts Bolton on North Korea and Iran
• Treasury Yields, Stocks Fall Further Amid Trade Jitters
• Huawei challenges legality of U.S. defense bill as sanctions fight ramps up
• Trump has a new VP in mind (“How reassuring it is that the president of the United States has found a kindred spirit in the North Korean dictator.”)
• No ‘treason.’ No coup. Just lies — and dumb lies at that. (James Comey: “It is tempting for normal people to ignore our president when he starts ranting about treason and corruption at the FBI.”)
• In reversal from 2016, McConnell says he would fill a potential Supreme Court vacancy in 2020 (Of course!)
• Merrick Who? McConnell Says He’d Totally Fill Another SCOTUS Seat in 2020
• How to make sense of the clown show that is Trump’s foreign policy (“The president is in full campaign mode, and he doesn’t want to be seen to fail in anything.”)
• Trump’s Orwellian plan to ruin our children’s health and erase their future (“Trump appointee directs USGS to stop looking at any climate change impacts after the year 2040.”)
• Dangerous floods leave Plains, Midwest ‘at the mercy of Mother Nature’
• Amash gets standing ovation at first town hall after calling for Trump’s impeachment
• Democrats up requirements for 2nd round of primary debates (“The DNC’s outline for its September debate — the third of at least a dozen promised matchups during the 2020 nominating fight — decrees that candidates can participate only by reaching 2% in four approved polls released between June 28 and Aug. 28 while also collecting contributions from a minimum of 130,000 unique donors before Aug. 28” Good!)
• The Memo: Huge Democratic field boosts Biden (“On Tuesday afternoon, he had about 35 percent support nationally according to the RealClearPolitics polling average — a roughly 2-to-1 advantage over his nearest challenger, Sen. Bernie Sanders”)
• The Swamp Isn’t Drained. The Trumpists Are Just an Invasive Species. (“Members of the administration* have turned their offices into vehicles for greed.”)
• We just got the first Supreme Court abortion opinion of the Kavanaugh era (“For the time being, in other words, the court does not appear eager to weigh into the abortion wars — at least with respect to this trolly law.”)
• The Supreme Court Dodges an Abortion Case (“The majority has managed to deal with a contentious issue by not really dealing with it at all.”)
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas Are Officially at War Over Abortion
• Ruth Bader Ginsberg Just Sized Up Mike Pence for Exactly What He Is (“The justice’s opinion on Indiana’s anti-abortion law also went after Clarence Thomas.”)
• Senate Democrats will seek to force vote on Trump authority for Iran war (“Sen. Tim Kaine quotes ’Dr. Strangelove‘ after Armed Services panel thwarts vote on the question”)
• Clarence Thomas Pens Screed Comparing Women Who Obtain Abortions to Eugenicists (The fact that this lunatic is on the Supreme Court is an ongoing travesty.)
• A House Republican is holding up $19 billion in disaster aid funding — again (“Thomas Massie is the second Republican to object to a vote on the package.”)
• Blocking a Disaster Aid Package Out of Partisan Vandalism? Sounds Like Modern Conservatism. (“Two House Republicans demonstrate how Donald Trump was inevitable.”)
• Bannon described Trump Organization as ‘criminal enterprise’, Michael Wolff claims in new book (“Former White House adviser says financial investigations will take down president in sequel to Fire and Fury”)
• The AP promoted anti-choice misinformation about abortion access and Roe v. Wade. Here are the facts. (“On May 27, The Associated Press’ David Crary and Clara Johnson wrote an article that uncritically repeated talking points from anti-abortion advocates to claim that if the Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade, the impact will not be as drastic as pro-choice activists allege it would be. In reality, overturning Roe could have detrimental impacts on low-income communities’ ability to access care and could spur a reinvigorated anti-choice movement pushing to restrict access to contraceptives and abortion in states where these reproductive rights are currently protected.”)
• Study: Right-wing sources dominate abortion-related news on Facebook (“In the month of April, 63% of links and 72% of posts on Facebook related to abortion news in the U.S. came from right-leaning sources.”)
• Of Course Trump Hates Maggie Haberman. Why Does the Left?
• The New York Times Claims Maggie Haberman’s Much-Criticized Hope Hicks Article Was ‘Rigorous’ (“’The reporting was rigorous and we stand by it,’ a Times spokesperson said of the report, which said Hicks was facing an ‘existential’ decision around whether to obey federal law.”)
• Don Jr. warns Roy Moore: Stay out of Alabama Senate race
• GOP candidate expects Roy Moore to announce Senate bid in June
• KC native Sen. Tim Kaine: Continue abortion’s decline with our ‘common ground’
• Rep. Abigail Spanberger: A moderate Democrat working to survive in the AOC era (This headline is basically a parody of the corporate media, as is the entire framing of this article.)
• National group to reward Democratic statehouse candidates in Virginia for knocking on doors
• Future Now Fund Announces Virginia Door Knocking Challenge (“FNF To Raise More Than $400K to Flip VA Legislature and Create First-of-Its-Kind Voter Contact Program”)
• Northam signs law expanding health care for people with autism
• Editorial: The problem with being disorderly while black in Virginia (“Virginia should add language to its code clarifying the parameters of a disorderly conduct charge It is a charge officers might default to when nothing else applies. Stand too close, raise your voice or comply too slowly to commands and you could be cuffed and facing a charge of disorderly conduct”)
• The Washington Post Endorsed No Female Candidates in Fairfax. What’s Up With That?
• Alicia Plerhoples for Fairfax County Board Chair: Adam Siegel Explains His Choice
• Our endorsement for Fairfax chairman: Jeff McKay (Greater Greater Washington: “While we are endorsing McKay, we also greatly appreciate Georgetown Law professor Alicia Plerhoples’ participation in this race. Besides being the only woman and the only person of color in the field, she had some excellent answers to some of our questions.”)
• GOP state Senate candidate compares anti-abortion movement to abolition (“Republican Tina Freitas also claimed abortion prevented justice in rape and incest cases.”)
• Editorial: The costs of restoring the Chesapeake are worth it
• Chaz Analyzes One of Top-Two Most Important Virginia State Senate Races This Year; “Toss-Up” Now, Could End Up “Likely D”
• Trump Country sees majority of new enrollees under Va.’s Medicaid expansion (Oh, the sad irony.)
• Tuition freezes are a ‘watershed moment’ for college affordability, advocates say
• What to expect from the RPV Executive Committee on Thursday
• Independent candidate endorses incumbent in Arlington prosecutor race (“Arlington County Board candidate Audrey Clement won’t be on the ballot until November, but she has weighed in with a ringing endorsement of incumbent Theo Stamos in the June 11 Democratic primary for commonwealth’s attorney.”)
• In Richmond, speaker of Britain’s House of Commons lauds Virginia’s birth of representative democracy
• Republicans Thomas, Milde to debate in 28th District House race (Crazier and craziest?)
• Joan Vannorsdall column: A gift for Gov. Ralph Northam (“We take as Northam’s truth his avowed commitment to bridge the racial divide in Virginia in this time of separation and distrust. We ask him to come to Green Pastures and witness this unique and endangered piece of Virginia African American history. Stand by the lake. Share a picnic in the hand-hewn picnic shelter. Walk with us at Green Pastures.”)
• New proposal for Chesterfield megasite calls for solar farm, data center
• Va. Sen. Tim Kaine discusses school gun violence with local students
• Coen intends to seek re-election to Stafford Board of Supervisors
• Democratic nominee for Albemarle sheriff to be picked June 11 (“Harding’s chief deputy, Chanses R. “Chan” Bryant, will face off in the party vote with Patrick Estes, regional director for RMC Events, which provides security at University of Virginia and other events around Charlottesville and across the state.”)
• ‘We can do better than this!’ 10 tons of trash left on Virginia beach after Memorial Day event (Disgusting.)
• Mike Wray to seek reelection to Roanoke County School Board
• Two-day heat wave today and tomorrow, with some hit-or-miss storms possible