Archives for May 6, 2020 at 3:32 pm EDT

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Abortion Keeps Young Republicans In GOP Orbit

May 6, 2020 at 3:32 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “Even as young Republicans often accept the science of climate change and support LGBT rights, abortion remains a powerful force pulling them toward the Republican Party — and toward President Trump, whom many of them dislike.”

“Most of those interviewed said they were economically conservative, too, and several emphasized their support for Republican immigration policies and gun rights. But many young Republicans said, they would consider crossing the aisle in this election if not for abortion.”

Trump Will Urge Justices to Strike Down Obamacare

May 6, 2020 at 3:23 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump said his administration will urge the Supreme Court to overturn Obamacare, maintaining its all-out legal assault on the health care law amid a pandemic that will drive millions of more Americans to depend on its coverage,” Politico reports.

“The administration appears to be doubling down on its legal strategy, even after Attorney General Bill Barr this week warned top Trump officials about the political ramifications of undermining the health care safety net during the coronavirus emergency.”

Justices Question Roll Back of Birth Control Coverage

May 6, 2020 at 3:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Supreme Court justices on Wednesday expressed skepticism that the Trump administration can broadly allow employers to deny workers free birth control coverage, in a case that could inflame the nation’s culture wars ahead of the presidential election,” Politico reports.

“The court’s conservative majority was expected to side with the administration’s weakening of the contraceptive coverage requirement under Obamacare. However, Chief Justice John Roberts joined some of his liberal colleagues in questioning whether President Trump’s rollback of the policy went too far.”

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Exchange of the Day

May 6, 2020 at 2:50 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

From a pool spray in the Oval Office:

JOHN ROBERTS: Will the nation just have to accept the idea that by reopening there will be more death?

PRESIDENT TRUMP: We have to be warriors. We can’t keep our country closed down for years… hopefully that won’t be the case, John, but it could very well be the case.

Thank You for Voting

May 6, 2020 at 2:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Just published: Thank You for Voting: The Maddening, Enlightening, Inspiring Truth About Voting in America by Erin Geiger Smith.

“Voting is a prized American right and a topic of debate from the earliest days of the country. Yet in the 2016 presidential election, about 40 percent of Americans—and half of the country’s young adults—didn’t vote. Why do so many Americans choose not to vote, and what can we do about it?”

No products found.

The Issue with Biden’s Pledge of a Black Female Justice

May 6, 2020 at 2:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

NBC News: “Supreme Court justices are usually elevated from a federal appeals court. Eleven of the last 12 confirmed justices were plucked from an appellate court … Only five black women are currently serving on U.S. appeals courts, and all of them will be 68 or older this year.”

“There are only nine Democratic-appointed black women on the federal bench younger than 55 this year. All are district court judges picked by President Barack Obama. The youngest is Leslie Abrams Gardner, 45, the sister of Biden vice presidential contender Stacey Abrams.”

Firm Set Up By GOP Operatives Under Scrutiny

May 6, 2020 at 1:59 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A company created just six weeks ago by a pair of Republican operatives collected hundreds of millions of dollars in payments from desperate state and local governments for coronavirus supplies, but is now facing a federal criminal investigation and a rising chorus of complaints from customers who say their orders never arrived,” the New York Times reports.

Trump Questions Death Toll Statistics

May 6, 2020 at 1:44 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump has complained to advisers about the way coronavirus deaths are being calculated, suggesting the real numbers are actually lower — and a number of his senior aides share this view,” Axios reports.

“A senior administration official said he expects the president to begin publicly questioning the death toll as it closes in on his predictions for the final death count and damages him politically.”

“The U.S. death toll has surpassed 71,000… There is no evidence the death rate has been exaggerated, and experts believe coronavirus deaths in the U.S. are being undercounted — not over-counted.”

Massive Drop In Autos Sparks Push to Aid Industry

May 6, 2020 at 1:40 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “With consumers spending less, and factories nationwide shuttered or severely hamstrung, Democrats and Republicans largely representing the hard-hit, auto heavy-Midwest are leading an early push to persuade their colleagues to help manufacturers and suppliers as part of a future pandemic relief package. Absent that assistance, they warn that massive losses could leave workers unemployed and stall any economic recovery.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

May 6, 2020 at 12:56 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The fact is if you undermine science, if you underfund testing, if you exaggerate the opportunity that is out there for the economy at the risk of people dying, that’s not a plan. Death is not an economic motivator.”

— Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a MSNBC interview.

House Democrats’ Advantage Grows

May 6, 2020 at 12:46 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Cook Political Report: “It’s amazing what a difference two months and a pandemic make. Just ten weeks ago, House Republicans could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of tying 30 Democrats in Trump-won districts to self-avowed democratic socialist Bernie Sanders and their votes to impeach President Trump. Today, Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee, and impeachment feels like ancient history.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has all but frozen House recruitment and fundraising, shielding Democratic incumbents with big financial head starts. Now, Republicans’ path to picking up the 18 seats needed to win back the majority now looks slim to non-existent.”

Quote of the Day

May 6, 2020 at 12:39 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Today at our news briefing, there was an audio glitch. And it sounded like I had said a bad word—a word I would never say nor have I ever said. No possibility in any way shape, form or fashion.”

— West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R), quoted by WCHS. after several people said he used the F-bomb when discussing the pandemic.

Biden Holds Small Lead In Nevada

May 6, 2020 at 12:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Anzalone poll in Nevada finds Joe Biden leading Donald Trump in the presidential race, 49% to 45%.

Trump’s approval rate is 46% to 53%.

Hickenlooper Widens His Lead Over Gardner

May 6, 2020 at 11:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Keating-Onsight-Melanson (D) poll in Colorado shows John Hickenlooper (D) crushing Sen. Cory Garnder (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 54% to 36% with 9% undecided.

A new Montana State University poll shows Hickenlooper leading 48% to 31%.

Painting Trump’s Border Wall Will Cost $500 Million

May 6, 2020 at 11:41 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump is once more pushing to have his border wall painted black, a design change that is projected to add at least $500 million in costs,” the Washington Post reports.

“The president’s determination to have the steel bollards coated in black has fluctuated during the past several years, and military commanders and border officials believed as recently as last fall that they had finally talked him out of it.”

“Trump has not let go of the idea, insisting that the dark color will enhance its forbidding appearance and leave the steel too hot to touch during summer months.”

Biden Widens National Lead Over Trump

May 6, 2020 at 11:14 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Monmouth poll finds Joe Biden leading Donald Trump among registered voters, 50% to 41% with another 3% saying they would vote for an independent candidate and 5% undecided.

When Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan is added to the mix as a Libertarian candidate, Biden gets 47%, Trump gets 40% and Amash gets 5%.

Said pollster Patrick Murray: “Overall, there is not as much of an appetite for a third option as there was four years ago. It’s too early to tell whether Amash will have an impact but if this election ends up being as close as 2016, even a small showing can have a crucial impact.”

Also interesting: Trump’s favorability rating is now 40% to 53%.

Un-American

May 6, 2020 at 10:42 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Just published: Un-American: The Fake Patriotism of Donald J. Trump by John Pitney.

“The book exposes a core irony of Trump’s presidency: that a man who is quick to question the patriotism of his critics is himself deeply unpatriotic.”

Un-American: The Fake Patriotism of Donald J. Trump

Amazon Kindle Edition
Pitney, John J. (Author)
English (Publication Language)
306 Pages - 04/28/2020 (Publication Date) - Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (Publisher)

Trump Now Says Task Force Will Continue Work

May 6, 2020 at 9:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Trump reversed course and said that the coronavirus task force will keep working “indefinitely,” a day after he and other officials suggested it would be phased out in the coming weeks.

CNBC reports White House staff had signaled to task force officials that a phase-out was forthcoming. Vice President Mike Pence appeared to confirm those reports, suggesting that winding down the task force is “all a reflection of the tremendous progress we’ve made as a country.”