11/16/2017

DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “Democrat Doug Jones, who hopes to pull off an upset in Alabama’s Dec. 12 special Senate election, is gaining traction as Republican Roy Moore is being weighed down by sexual-misconduct allegations. On the campaign trail, Mr. Jones is running an under-the-radar campaign, compared with the television klieg lights surrounding his rival. His campaign message […]

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11/16/2017

LEGAL/POLITICAL FIGURES/WOMEN: “Sen. Al Franken (D., Minn.) faced allegations of sexual misconduct Thursday [11-16-17], after a woman said he kissed her against her will during a 2006 rehearsal and he posed for a photo in which he appeared to grope her while she was asleep. Mr. Franken said he didn’t recall the rehearsal events occurring […]

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11/16/2017

LEGAL/POLITICS/WOMEN: “Two things have become painfully clear on Capitol Hill this week: Lawmakers and staffers say sexual harassment is ‘rampant’ — but even members of Congress have no idea just how widespread the problem is. The controversial and sensitive issue has taken center stage in Congress this week, with female lawmakers making fresh allegations of […]

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11/15/2017

GOP/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS/TAXES: “Senator Susan Collins is back in the spotlight as a crucial swing vote in the U.S. Senate as she raises questions about how combining a Republican tax-cut plan with a partial repeal of Obamacare will affect middle-class Americans. A day after Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell decided to link the two issues in a […]

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11/15/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “State and local governments could suffer hits to revenue collections under the tax reform bills being considered in the U.S. Senate and House because of the potential loss of a federal subsidy applied to bond issues and because a proposed increase in the standard taypayer deductions would affect some states. These additional risks to […]

Read More… from 11/15/2017

11/14/2017

NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. senators on Tuesday [11-14-17] took a rare look at the decades-old presidential authority to launch a nuclear strike, posing questions at a hearing about the process President Donald Trump would follow if he were to order such an attack. Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.), the Senate Foreign Relations Committee committee […]

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11/14/2017

LEGAL/POLITICS/WOMEN: “Two female lawmakers, one Republican and one Democrat, shared stories at a hearing Tuesday [11-14-17] about male members of Congress who engaged in sexual harassment, though they declined to name them.Two female lawmakers, one Republican and one Democrat, shared stories at a hearing Tuesday about male members of Congress who engaged in sexual harassment, […]

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11/14/2017

BUSINESS/DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/LOBBYING/POLITICS: “Large U.S. businesses and their lobby groups are redoubling a push for legislation to protect young people brought to the U.S. illegally as children, urging lawmakers to act before the year is out. On Wednesday [11-15-17], executives from about 40 companies plan to travel to Capitol Hill to lobby members of Congress, with some […]

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11/13/2017

GOP/POLITICS/STEVE BANNON: “Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, the GOP’s most prominent megadonor, is publicly breaking with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon over his efforts to oust Republican incumbents in 2018… The public pronouncement comes about a month after Adelson met with Bannon in Washington. Bannon has been huddling with major Republican contributors […]

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11/13/2017

POLITICS/TEXAS: “Texas Democratic Rep. Gene Green won’t seek reelection next year after serving more than two decades in Congress. Green, who represents the Houston area, was first elected in 1992 and is a longtime member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Green said he was confident he would have won reelection in 2018 but […]

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11/13/2017

DODD-FRANK/POLITICS: “A group of senators have agreed to relieve regional banks from some expensive regulations put in place after the financial crisis, the most significant deal to curb the 2010 Dodd-Frank law in the Senate. The bipartisan agreement released Monday, between Republicans led by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo of Idaho and a group […]

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11/10/2017

LGBTQ/POLITICS: “Danica Roem knew she had made history this week when former Vice President Joe Biden called to congratulate her… The Democrat’s win Tuesday [11-7-17] means she will become the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature… While the focus has been on her defeat of a longtime incumbent and social […]

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11/10/2017

GOP/LEGAL/POLITICS: “Alabama’s special election for a U.S. Senate seat was rattled Thursday [11-9-17] by allegations that Republican nominee Roy Moore initiated a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl several decades ago, when he was 32. The allegations surfaced in a report in the Washington Post just one month before Alabama voters are set to hold […]

Read More… from 11/10/2017

11/8/2017

DEMS/POLITICS/NOMINATIONS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Tuesday’s [11-7-17] elections favoring Democrats could give conservative forces more urgency in an area President Donald Trump is already moving on aggressively: reshaping the federal courts. Trump and his advisers are moving at break-neck speed compared with past presidents. Republicans pushed four conservative US appeals court judges through the Senate last week, […]

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11/8/2017

DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “Republicans scrambled Wednesday [11-8-17] to prevent a potential Democratic wave in next year’s midterm elections after a political shellacking Tuesday fueled by opposition to President Donald Trump. The results of elections from Virginia to Washington state produced Democratic victories up and down the ballot, prompting both parties to take fresh looks at their plans […]

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11/7/2017

POLITICS/VOTING: “Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for. Don’t forget, Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 08:40pm […]

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11/7/2017

POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VOTING: “The governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey usually receive heightened attention because they are the first big statewide races (except for special elections) after a new president takes office. But after all the tumult of Donald Trump’s first months as president, this year’s focus is even more intense — for at […]

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11/7/2017

POLITICS/VOTING: “.@EdWGillespie will totally turn around the high crime and poor economic performance of VA. MS-13 and crime will be gone. Vote today, ASAP!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 05:56am […]

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11/7/2017

POLITICS/VOTING: “Ralph Northam will allow crime to be rampant in Virginia. He’s weak on crime, weak on our GREAT VETS, Anti-Second Amendment… and has been horrible on Virginia economy. Vote @EdWGillespie today!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 05:53am […]

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11/6/2017

POLITICS/VOTING: “The state of Virginia economy, under Democrat rule, has been terrible. If you vote Ed Gillespie tomorrow, it will come roaring back!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 6, 2017 04:12pm […]

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11/6/2017

LEGAL/POLITICS/WOMEN: “After six women accused Florida Senate budget chairman Jack Latvala of sexual harassment, his allies launched a counteroffensive over the weekend targeting the accusers as well as a congressman who had faulted his fellow Republican for being ‘a hound.’… Latvala is facing pressure publicly from the Florida House and privately from within the Senate […]

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11/1/2017

CLIMATE CHANGE/ENERGY/POLITICS: “Senator Lisa Murkowski was unequivocal when asked recently about rising global temperatures. ‘Climate change is real,’ the Alaska Republican told an audience in Anchorage. Yet her stance on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is just as clear. Senator Murkowski, who heads the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has long argued […]

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11/1/2017

IMMIGRATION/POLITICS: ” ‘Senator Chuck Schumer helping to import Europes problems’ said Col.Tony Shaffer. We will stop this craziness! @foxandfriends” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 1, 2017 06:40am […]

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11/1/2017

DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS: “Senate Democrats are weighing whether to use their ultimate leverage — the threat of a government shutdown in December — in their bid to protect hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers from possible deportation. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), a prospective 2020 presidential hopeful, raised the specter of a year-end showdown last week when she […]

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10/31/2017

2016 ELECTION/CYBERWAR/POLITICS/RUSSIA: “Senators pressed representatives from three technology giants to explain why they didn’t recognize Russia-linked accounts earlier, as the officials struck a contrite tone about the role their services played in stoking political tensions during the 2016 campaign… The officials also faced questions about voter-suppression efforts and whether Silicon Valley can or should police […]

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10/31/2017

CALIFORNIA/LEGAL/PAUL MANAFORT/POLITICS: “A California neuroscientist vying to unseat Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher stepped up his criticism of the conservative on Tuesday [10-31-17], demanding he return a $1,000 contribution from indicted Trump adviser Paul Manafort. The Orange County seat held by Rohrabacher is key to Democrats’ hopes to increase their numbers in the U.S. House of […]

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10/31/2017

2016 ELECTION/CYBERWAR/POLITICS: “A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators plans to introduce legislation on Tuesday [10-31-17] seeking to boost the cyber defenses of state election systems, after warnings from senior U.S. officials that future elections may be vulnerable to foreign interference. The Securing America’s Voting Equipment, or SAVE, Act is the latest attempt by lawmakers to […]

Read More… from 10/31/2017

10/31/2017

LGBTQ/POLITICS: “Virginia Democrat Danica Roem has been called a man by conservative opponents attacking her views on LGBT rights as she campaigns to become the United States’ only transgender state legislator. Roem does not shy away from her gender identity. In one campaign ad, she applies makeup at a bathroom mirror and takes hormone pills. […]

Read More… from 10/31/2017

10/29/2017

LEGAL/POLITICS/SANCTUARY CITIES: “The candidates for governor of Virginia this fall are battling over the question of ‘sanctuary cities,’ and Democrats fear it will become a new cudgel to be used against them in next year’s mid-term elections, especially if they lose in Virginia. Republican Ed Gillespie has pressed the matter in TV ads, debates and […]

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10/27/2017

POLITICS: “Good luck to @Joy_Villa on her decision to enter the wonderful world of politics. She has many fans!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 27, 2017 06:16am […]

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10/27/2017

LEGAL/POLITICS/WOMEN: “Two female lawmakers and several congressional staffers are calling for an overhaul of Capitol Hill’s policies on sexual harassment, citing a culture of tolerance in a workplace long known as a boys’ club. The sexual harassment scandals involving major Hollywood and media figures are focusing new attention on Congress’ procedures, which critics say are […]

Read More… from 10/27/2017

10/26/2017

DEMS/GOP/POLITICS: “Six Democrats are crowding into a House primary race here to challenge an incumbent Republican in next year’s midterm election. One identifies with the anti-Trump ‘resistance’ movement. Another calls himself a ‘practical progressive.’ Two already have more campaign cash than the incumbent, Rep. John Culberson. It’s exactly the kind of congressional seat Democrats will […]

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10/25/2017

2016 ELECTION/INTELLIGENCE/POLITICS/RUSSIA: “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s GOP chairman and top Democrat are splitting off in different directions when it comes to investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, risking a collapse of their once bipartisan probe… Feinstein is working with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on the foreign-influence bill, a spokesman said. The legislation gives Feinstein, […]

Read More… from 10/25/2017

10/25/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on Wednesday [10-25-17] that tax legislation is likely to include an expanded child tax credit, adding that any reform without such a change would not truly provide relief for the middle class. ‘My sense is it will be in the underlying bill,’ Rubio told reporters, adding that he […]

Read More… from 10/25/2017

10/21/2017

POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I agree getting Tax Cuts approved is important (we will also get HealthCare), but perhaps no Administration has done more in its first… 9 months than this Administration. Over 50 Legislation approvals, massive regulation cuts, energy freedom, pipelines, border security… 2nd Amendment, Strong Military, ISIS, historic VA improvement, Supreme Court Justice, Record […]

Read More… from 10/21/2017

10/19/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Sens. Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D., Wash.) released their bipartisan bill Thursday [10-19-17] with the backing of 22 additional senators, evenly split between the two parties. Acknowledging the challenge of advancing legislation currently opposed by Mr. Trump, both senators said they were open to working with the president to strengthen it… […]

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10/18/2017

CYBERWAR/JOHN MCCAIN/POLITICS: “A proposal to require social-media companies to disclose information about political advertising on their platforms has drawn the support of a key Senate Republican. Sen. John McCain (R, Ariz.), a longtime proponent of stricter political advertising disclosure rules and spending restrictions, has signed onto a bill being written by two Senate Democrats that […]

Read More… from 10/18/2017

10/18/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “The Democrats will only vote for Tax Increases. Hopefully, all Senate Republicans will vote for the largest Tax Cuts in U.S. history.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 18, 2017 05:38am […]

Read More… from 10/18/2017

10/17/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Two leading senators have reached a bipartisan deal to provide funding for critical subsidies to health insurers that President Trump said last week that he would cut off, Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, said Tuesday [10-17-17]. The plan agreed to by Mr. Alexander and Senator Patty Murray of Washington, a Democrat, is intended […]

Read More… from 10/17/2017

10/17/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Two key senators reached a bipartisan agreement Tuesday [10-17-17] aimed at shoring up the Affordable Care Act and lifting some of the health law’s requirements, drawing support from President Donald Trump who called it a ‘short-term deal.’ While some details are still being completed, the proposal by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.) and Patty […]

Read More… from 10/17/2017

10/15/2017

POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Before Bob Corker, there was Jeff Flake. Mr. Flake, the even-tempered Republican senator from Arizona, has for months offered stinging critiques of President Trump’s character, demeanor and truthfulness — the same message forcefully echoed a week ago by Mr. Corker, a Republican colleague from Tennessee, who warned that Mr. Trump’s reckless […]

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10/15/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The House won a major institutional victory over the White House on health care spending last week, but it wasn’t really a fair fight in the end. The Trump administration capitulated in a long-running legal dispute over health insurance subsidies paid out under the Affordable Care Act, concurring with House Republicans’ claim […]

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10/12/2017

POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “On Wednesday [10-11-17], the 264th day of Donald J. Trump’s presidency, a Democratic congressman from Texas walked onto the floor of the House and presented articles of impeachment against the commander in chief. President Trump has not necessarily committed a crime, the congressman said, but he has ‘undermined’ the integrity of his […]

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10/11/2017

POLITICS/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said Wednesday [10-11-17] that average U.S. households could save $4,000 on their taxes if Congress approves his plan to overhaul the federal tax code, the first such estimate the White House has attached to its proposal. Speaking in Harrisburg, Pa., Mr. Trump said those savings would result from his […]

Read More… from 10/11/2017

10/10/2017

INTELLIGENCE/LEGAL/POLITICS/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A congressional committee has issued subpoenas targeting a research firm that compiled a dossier of unverified and unflattering information about President Donald Trump. The subpoenas were recently issued by the House Intelligence Committee to employees at Fusion GPS, which performs research for political and corporate clients. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Fusion […]

Read More… from 10/10/2017

10/9/2017

GOP/POLITICAL FIGURES/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A public feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and Senate Republican maverick Bob Corker could narrow the path for tax reform in the U.S. Senate, where a Republican go-it-alone effort is already showing signs of disunity. Days after the Republican-controlled Congress took two important steps toward advancing tax legislation, a Trump-Corker […]

Read More… from 10/9/2017

10/6/2017

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS/ETHICS/POLITICS/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA/JARED KUSHNER: “A state assemblyman wants state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to investigate Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance’s decision to drop a case against two of President Trump’s kids. Vance received a $31,000 donation from Trump’s personal lawyer in 2013 after deciding not to prosecute Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Vance […]

Read More… from 10/6/2017

10/5/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/POLITICS: “With support building in Congress for action against devices like those the Las Vegas gunman had, which allow a rifle to fire hundreds of rounds per minute, the National Rifle Association on Thursday [10-5-17] endorsed tighter restrictions on the gadgets, but did not say they should be outlawed. The stance by the N.R.A., and […]

Read More… from 10/5/2017

10/5/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/POLITICS: “The National Rifle Association on Thursday [10-5-17] called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to review whether ‘bump stocks’ — similar to the devices used in Sunday’s Las Vegas shooting massacre — comply with federal law… The move by the influential gun lobby, which often stifles any legislation that might be […]

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10/5/2017

CRIME/POLITICS: “Ralph Northam,who is running for Governor of Virginia,is fighting for the violent MS-13 killer gangs & sanctuary cities. Vote Ed Gillespie!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 5, 2017 08:58pm […]

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10/5/2017

POLITICS: “A U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday [10-4-17] unanimously gave the green light to a bill aimed at speeding the use of self-driving cars without human controls, a measure that also bars states from imposing regulatory road blocks. The bill still must clear a Senate vote, but it appears on track to passage. This should […]

Read More… from 10/5/2017

10/4/2017

BUDGET/HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “As Congress struggles to reauthorize the broadly popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, states are increasingly concerned lawmakers won’t act quickly enough to help them avoid budget shortfalls and possibly a shutdown of some state programs by year’s end. House and Senate committees both approved packages Wednesday [10-4-17] to renew spending on CHIP, days after […]

Read More… from 10/4/2017

10/4/2017

BUDGET/CRISIS/FEMA/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House asked Congress on Wednesday [10-4-17] to approve $29 billion in additional hurricane relief and debt forgiveness, seeking to help Puerto Rico and other battered areas and to shore up the troubled federal program that provides flood insurance to homes and small businesses. The request came nearly a month after […]

Read More… from 10/4/2017

10/4/2017

GOP/GUNS/POLITICS: “In a departure from years of opposition to new gun control measures, some congressional Republicans started to show cautious interest Wednesday in legislation that would restrict devices that enable semi-automatic rifles to fire rapidly like automatic weapons. Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said he would like a hearing on […]

Read More… from 10/4/2017

10/4/2017

BUSINESS/CONSUMER PROTECTION/CYBERWAR/POLITICS: “Senators questioning Equifax Inc.’s former chief Wednesday [10-4-17] attacked the business model of the credit-reporting industry, asking why consumers shouldn’t have power over the data that the companies collect on them. The hearing, one of a series this week, was as much about the control consumers have over their personal data as it […]

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10/3/2017

MIKE PENCE/POLITICS: “Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff railed against congressional leaders in closed-door remarks to wealthy donors and called for a ‘purge’ if GOP lawmakers don’t quickly rally behind President Donald Trump’s agenda. In remarks at a Republican National Committee event at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington on Tuesday [10-3-17] morning, Nick […]

Read More… from 10/3/2017

10/3/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/LOBBYING/POLITICS: “Democrats lashed out at the National Rifle Association after the worst mass shooting in American history on Monday [10-2-17], but instead of fighting back the gun rights group retreated to a familiar posture: silence. The NRA’s website, Twitter feed and Facebook page — all of which are typically updated frequently throughout the day —went […]

Read More… from 10/3/2017

10/2/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/POLITICS: “The deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas renewed debate on Capitol Hill Monday [10-2-17] over a controversial bill in the House that would make it easier to buy gun silencers… On Monday evening the top Democrats on two House committees with jurisdiction over the legislation asked House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) to pledge […]

Read More… from 10/2/2017

10/2/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/POLITICS: “The White House said Monday [10-2-17] it was too soon after the Las Vegas shootings to begin a policy debate about whether the nation needs stricter gun laws, in the face of Democratic lawmakers’ calls to revive their longstanding push for greater restrictions. In televised morning remarks, President Donald Trump called the shootings on […]

Read More… from 10/2/2017

10/2/2017

CRISIS/GUNS/POLITICS: “The White House on Monday [10-2-17] rebuffed attempts to restart the gun control debate after Sunday’s deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying now is not the time for such a discussion. Pressed on whether President Donald Trump and his administration felt the mass shooting that claimed the […]

Read More… from 10/2/2017

9/28/2017

GOP/POLITICS/TAXES: “A day after announcing their ambitious tax plan, Republicans debated scaling back one of their largest and most controversial proposals to pay for lower tax rates: repeal of the individual deduction for state and local taxes. Faced with the potential for defections by House Republicans from high-tax states such as New York and New […]

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9/26/2017

POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Alabama Republicans on Tuesday voted decisively to nominate Roy Moore, a former state Supreme Court judge, for a U.S. Senate seat, delivering a rebuke to President Donald Trump and the GOP establishment that supported his rival. Mr. Moore defeated Sen. Luther Strange in a runoff primary election for the seat that was […]

Read More… from 9/26/2017

9/26/2017

POLITICS: “ALABAMA, get out and vote for Luther Strange – he has proven to me that he will never let you down! #MAGA” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 26, 2017 08:31am […]

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9/26/2017

POLITICS: “Luther Strange has been shooting up in the Alabama polls since my endorsement. Finish the job – vote today for ‘Big Luther.’ “ -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 26, 2017 05:55am […]

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9/25/2017

POLITICS: “Big election tomorrow in the Great State of Alabama. Vote for Senator Luther Strange, tough on crime & border – will never let you down!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 25, 2017 08:50pm […]

Read More… from 9/25/2017

9/19/2017

DEMS/HILLARY CLINTON/POLITICS/WOMEN: “Hillary Clinton’s defeat last year sparked an intense debate about the role of gender in American politics, but the presidential race overshadowed a deeper structural challenge for Democrats: They have a scarcity of female officeholders in state capitals. Only two governors and five state attorneys general are Democratic women, an acute problem for […]

Read More… from 9/19/2017

9/19/2017

IMMIGRATION/LEGAL/POLITICS: “Three congressmen were among a group of protesters arrested outside Trump Tower on Tuesday, where they were participating in a demonstration in support of immigrants and protections recently ended by the Trump administration. Democratic Reps. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Adriano Espaillat of New York were arrested on civil disobedience […]

Read More… from 9/19/2017

9/19/2017

DRUGS/POLITICS: “A bipartisan group of states investigating the opioid painkiller industry and the causes of widespread addiction has stepped up its probe with a fresh demand for documents from drugmakers and distributors. States including New York, California and Tennessee announced the moves, saying a group of 41 attorneys general served subpoenas on manufacturers Endo International […]

Read More… from 9/19/2017

9/18/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS/PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: “Just when the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act appeared to be dead, a last-ditch push to obliterate the law could be nearing a showdown vote in the Senate, and a handful of Republicans insist they are closing in on the votes. The leaders of the latest repeal effort, Senators Lindsey Graham […]

Read More… from 9/18/2017

9/16/2017

POLITICS: “I will be in Huntsville, Alabama, on Saturday night to support Luther Strange for Senate. ‘Big Luther’ is a great guy who gets things done!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 16, 2017 06:04pm […]

Read More… from 9/16/2017

9/15/2017

POLITICS: “With the ridiculous Filibuster Rule in the Senate, Republicans need 60 votes to pass legislation, rather than 51. Can’t get votes, END NOW!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 15, 2017 05:37am […]

Read More… from 9/15/2017

9/14/2017

CLIMATE CHANGE/POLITICS: “For years, climate change activists have faced a wrenching dilemma: how to persuade people to care about a grave but seemingly far-off problem and win their support for policies that might pinch them immediately in utility bills and at the pump. But that calculus may be changing at a time when climatic chaos […]

Read More… from 9/14/2017

9/14/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “The House and Senate versions of a plan to overhaul the nation’s tax code are likely to diverge on many issues, including the treatment of business interest expenses and their write-offs for investments. The tax-writing committees in the House and the Senate are eager to make their own marks on the U.S. tax system, […]

Read More… from 9/14/2017

9/14/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “The U.S. Senate’s top Republican tax law writer warned on Thursday [9-14-17] that the ‘Big Six’ negotiators from the White House, Senate and House of Representatives would not dictate to his committee the direction of expected tax reform legislation. In a defiant statement coming as Republican leaders from the Trump administration and Congress prepare […]

Read More… from 9/14/2017

9/13/2017

MILITARY/POLITICS/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Nearly 16 years to the day after Congress first authorized a military response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Senate on Wednesday rejected an effort to repeal the virtual blank check that Congress granted to the president while smoke still rose from the rubble of the World Trade Center. The […]

Read More… from 9/13/2017

9/13/2017

DREAMERS/IMMIGRATION/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump worked Wednesday [9-13-17] to find an agreement on legislation legalizing undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, pitching the issue at a bipartisan White House meeting and inviting the Capitol’s top two Democrats to dinner to plot strategy. The overtures have conservatives worried that the president […]

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9/13/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Two groups of senators on Wednesday [9-13-17] released the details of diametrically opposed health plans, reflecting an enduring partisan split on health care despite calls for more bipartisanship after the failed Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. A week after Republicans and Democrats held the first bipartisan hearing on ways to fix […]

Read More… from 9/13/2017

9/13/2017

MILITARY/POLITICS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate voted Wednesday [9-13-17] to retain two resolutions authorizing the use of military force that date back to the early 2000s, even while lawmakers from both parties complained that Congress has avoided reopening debate on U.S. military commitments overseas. In a 61-36 vote, the Senate set aside an amendment from Sen. […]

Read More… from 9/13/2017

9/13/2017

POLITICS/TAXES: “The approval process for the biggest Tax Cut & Tax Reform package in the history of our country will soon begin. Move fast Congress!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 13, 2017 06:28am […]

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9/13/2017

HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS: “Two Senate bills aimed at shaping the future of the Affordable Care Act are facing uncertainty, as the White House voices tepid support for an ACA repeal effort and opposition to a bipartisan bill to shore up insurance markets. Republican senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Wednesday plan […]

Read More… from 9/13/2017

9/12/2017

POLITICS/RACISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Senate has approved a resolution condemning white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other hate groups following a white-nationalist rally in Virginia that descended into deadly violence. Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced the measure along with four colleagues from both parties. The resolution, approved unanimously Monday [9-11-17] night, recognizes […]

Read More… from 9/12/2017

9/10/2017

POLITICS/PAUL RYAN: “Paul D. Ryan rode to power two years ago like a hero on a white horse, a reluctant candidate for House speaker elected to heal wounds left by his predecessor, who could not tame the incessant infighting between hard-line conservatives and establishment Republicans. In one of his first real tests, Mr. Ryan discovered […]

Read More… from 9/10/2017