The Hill: “Democrats say they’re in need of serious course corrections to stay competitive in future elections, warning the party may no longer be able to rely on anger at President Trump to drive voters to the polls.”
Americans and Germans Differ on Transatlantic Alliance
A new Pew Research poll finds Americans and Germans heading into 2021 with divergent opinions on transatlantic alliance: 74% of Americans continue to say that relations between the two countries are good. At the same time, 79% of Germans say the relationship is in poor shape.
Census Gives Trump Final Supreme Court Showdown
“President Trump’s administration has one last blockbuster showdown at the Supreme Court over his divisive immigration policies, and this one goes to the heart of how U.S. political power is allocated,” Bloomberg reports.
“In an argument set for Monday, the administration will seek the right to exclude undocumented immigrants from the census count used to divvy up congressional seats and federal funds. The move would change more than two centuries of practice in a nation that has always counted non-citizen residents, even those in the U.S. illegally.”
A Setback for Bolsonaro
Centrist mayors won in Brazil’s two biggest cities — Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro — defeating President Jair Bolsonaro’s candidates in nationwide municipal elections, consolidating the return of more moderate political actors following a conservative wave that swept the country two years ago, Bloomberg reports.
Moderna Seeks Vaccine Emergency Authorization
“Pharmaceutical company Moderna intends to apply Monday to the FDA for authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine,” CNN reports.
“The company will ask the FDA to review an expanded data set showing the vaccine is 94.1% effective at preventing Covid-19 and 100% effective at preventing severe cases of the disease.”
Inside the Killing of Iran’s Nuclear Mastermind
Financial Times: “The hit squad behind last week’s deadly attack on the man long thought to be the mastermind of Iran’s alleged military nuclear programme left nothing to chance.”
“As nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh’s black Nissan sedan car approached a boulevard in the Damavand region, about 60km from the capital Tehran, an automatic machine gun, installed inside a blue pick-up truck parked under an electric transmitter, began firing.”
“The pick-up truck, packed with explosives, was then detonated by remote control.”
The Lame Duck Checklist
Playbook: “This may be the only full week both the House and Senate will be in D.C. for the lame-duck session of Congress. And the backdrop is grim: The pandemic is hitting its height, the economy is showing some signs of struggle, and society is, again, being tested.”
“There are 11 days for Congress to put together a spending bill — either an omnibus or stopgap measure — to avert a shutdown during the last month of Donald Trump’s presidency. While Republicans and Democrats have agreed to the top-line numbers, there remain significant details to be negotiated. There is also increased pressure from lawmakers in both parties to include economic stimulus measures like the Paycheck Protection Program in the spending bill even if a broader consensus over state and local funding can’t be reached. Look for lawmakers to publicly call on their leaders not to adjourn until that happens.”
Lawmakers Brace for Redistricting
Politico: “It could be months before Census apportionment data shows exactly which states will gain and lose seats, and it will take even longer to gauge the impact of the maps, from those drawn by partisan state legislators to commission-drawn maps in places like Michigan and New York.”
“But already, there are a few members of Congress who will almost certainly find themselves in more challenging terrain in 2022. This redraw will be most painful in the roughly ten states which are on track to lose a district, particularly ones with smaller populations. That could mean bare-knuckled maneuvering between the two Democrats in Rhode Island and three Republicans in West Virginia — states likely to drop a seat.”
GOP Super PAC Launched as Georgia Worries Mount
“Advisers to Donald Trump Jr. are launching a super PAC to prod the president’s supporters to vote in the upcoming Georgia Senate runoffs, as Republicans grow concerned that Trump’s backers will boycott the elections,” Politico reports.
Democrats Fear GOP Will Block Biden’s Judges
“It’s not just the Senate majority on the line in Georgia’s runoffs. It’s also Joe Biden’s chance to reshape the courts,” Politico reports.
“Should Senate Republicans win the fight to keep their majority, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will have unilateral authority to stifle Biden’s picks to the federal judiciary, weakening Democrats’ hopes to make up for four years of confirming conservative judges and two years of a McConnell blockade during President Barack Obama’s final years.”
Trump Leaves States to Grapple with Vaccine Distribution
“The Trump administration is shunting to the states hard decisions about which Americans will get the limited early supplies of coronavirus vaccines — setting up a confusing patchwork of distribution plans that could create unequal access to the life-saving shots,” Politico reports.
“Federal and state officials agree that the nation’s 21 million health care workers should be first in line. But there is no consensus about how to balance the needs of other high-risk groups, including the 53 million adults aged 65 or older, 87 million essential workers and more than 100 million people with medical conditions that increase their vulnerability to the virus.”
Jon Ossoff Bookends the Trump Era
“Jon Ossoff is ending the Trump era the same way he began it: as a young Democrat unexpectedly at the center of the political universe,” NBC News reports.
“He lost his first run for office in June 2017, but the stakes then were largely symbolic. This time, some say, the fate of the country, and even the world, hangs in the balance on what will be the last election of the Trump era. No pressure.”
Trump Slams 60 Minutes After Krebs Interview
President Trump ripped 60 Minutes after an interview with his former cybersecurity chief, Christopher Krebs, was broadcast on Sunday.
Krebs said that he stands by his comments defending the integrity of the 2020 election, which Trump pointed to when firing him.
Said Krebs: “We did a good job. We did it right. I’d do it a thousand times over.”
EU Proposes New Post-Trump Alliance with U.S.
The European Union is seeking to forge a new alliance with the United States to bury the tensions of the Trump era and meet the challenges posed by China, the Financial Times reports.
The plan proposes rebuilding ties with common fronts on issues from digital regulation to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cornyn Aide Says Neera Tanden Won’t Be Confirmed
A spokesperson for Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) tweeted that Neera Tanden, President-elect Joe Biden’s reported pick to head the Office of Management and Budget, has “no chance” of being confirmed by the Senate should Republicans remain in control next year.
Lawmaker Tested Positive While Meeting with Trump
Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R) abruptly left a West Wing meeting with President Trump after being informed he had tested positive for the coronavirus, the AP reports.
Biden Fractures Foot While Playing with His Dog
“President-elect Joe Biden twisted his ankle playing with his one of his dogs over the holiday weekend, an injury that his doctor said on Sunday resulted in hairline fractures in his foot that would most likely require him to wear a walking boot for several weeks,” the New York Times reports.
President Trump reposted on Twitter video of Biden leaving the doctor’s office on Sunday, and added, “Get well soon!”
Rahm Emanuel Floated for Transportation Secretary
“President-elect Biden is strongly considering Rahm Emanuel to run the Department of Transportation, weighing the former Chicago mayor’s experience on infrastructure spending against concerns from progressives over his policing record,” Axios reports.
“The DOT could effectively become the new Commerce Department, as infrastructure spending, smart cities construction and the rollout of drone-delivery programs take on increasing economic weight.”
