In the wake of the House tax plan passing, nobody seems very happy about the Senate GOP tax plan—including a lot of the GOP. This week brought stirrings of discontent among Republican lawmakers as the GOP tax scam—aka tax shelter for the wealthy (including a provision offering tax breaks for private jets…seriously)—draws closer to the floor. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is balking because it disproportionately benefits corporations at the expense of other businesses; Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and John McCain—generally the sole GOP senators courageous enough to stand against the party and protect their constituents—are once again also on the fence, particularly if the tax plan sneaks in the repeal of the individual mandate for insurance, which would effectively erase any tax gains for middle and lower-income Americans through higher health care premiums.
Local officials around the country from both major parties decried proposals that they say threaten housing and infrastructure projects by eliminating ways to pay for them. Three former defense secretaries have rejected the bill for inadequate provisions for defense spending and creating a threat to national security. In fact, only a quarter of the country approves of the plan. The tax plan also sneaks in the definition of “personhood” beginning at conception, an insidious undermining of Roe v Wade that may be a harbinger of more attacks to come. The GOP can lose only two votes and still get their tax package passed. CALL OR FAX OR TEXT YOUR SENATORS and demand they vote no—especially unless these sneaky inclusions are removed.
More than 400 millionaires and billionaires signed a letter to the White House asking Donald not to cut their taxes—not to pass any tax bill that “further exacerbates inequality” and adds to the national debt. “Repealing the estate tax alone would lose an estimated $269 billion over 10 years — more than we would spend on the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control, and Environmental Protection Agency combined,” the letter said.
The House joined the Senate in adopting mandatory anti-sexual-harassment training.
Speaking of sexual misconduct, Senate Republicans have finally united against Roy Moore (including, shockingly, calls for him to step down from former endorsers Cornyn and Cruz). The GOP apparently can support Moore’s flouting of the law and record of racist, homophobic, and anti-Muslim statements and actions, but at least multiple allegations of pedophilia are a bridge too far for them (except in Alabama—no, really). The Republican National Committee pulled out of funding his race for Congress, after the Republican Senatorial Committee did the same thing last week, leaving the Alabama Republican Party as Moore’s only remaining GOP fundraising partner. Although the Alabama GOP refuses to withdraw support from Moore despite an additional three women coming forward alleging inappropriate sexual advances (making it nine in total, if you have a score card), on the plus side in pollsMoore is trailing his Democratic opponent, Doug Jones. (And yes, nine accusations of sexual misconduct, some against minors, and still he trails by only 8 points.)
A federal judge ruled that Donny’s White House can’t withhold federal law-enforcement grants from sanctuary cities.
In Russian news—Jared Kushner forwarded emails he previously failed to disclose about a “Russian backdoor overture” to campaign officials. He’s been asked to turn over all relevant documents. Meanwhile, Mueller has subpoenaed more than a dozen of Donald’s campaign officials for Russia-related documents. And the British publicist who arranged the infamous Trump Tower meeting for Kushner and Don Jr. has agreed to come to the States to talk to Mueller’s investigation.
Despite rustlings spurred by an antsy White House desperately trying to deflect attention from itself as Mueller’s investigation closes in, Jeff Sessions announced there is not enough basis to appoint special counsel to investigate Hillary. Again.
Six Democrats have introduced articles of impeachment against the “mentally deranged U.S. dotard.”
In the first 11 days of open enrollment, nearly 1.5 million people have signed up for Obamacare—beating last year’s totals for this time by 500K.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced gun-control legislation that would instigate penalties for state and federal agencies that fail to report records relevant in background checks and incentivize states to improve reporting.
Ohio Republican House rep Wes Goodman—a religious conservative vocal proponent of “natural marriage” between a man and a woman, and who is “straight-married” himself—resigned this week after being caught in a consensual instance of “inappropriate behavior” in his office…with another man.
This happened.
Remind yourself of our many victories, warriors, and stay vocal, active, and engaged. We are literally the defenders of our nation and governance against the current administration’s self-stated efforts to dismantle it. We have to keep speaking up for the truth—democracy literally depends upon it.