DAILY NEWS
Party before country, how to create a death spiral, LAPOTUS
Friday, June 9, 2017
PARTY BEFORE COUNTRY
► In today’s Washington Post — Comey testimony threatens to deepen political crisis engulfing White House — Former FBI director James B. Comey said President Trump and his team told “lies, plain and simple” in an effort to cover up the real reason for his firing last month.
► In today’s NY Times — All the president’s lies — Weeks after being described by Donald Trump as a “nut job,” James Comey on Thursday deftly recast his confrontation with the president as a clash between the legal principles at the foundation of American democracy, and a venal, self-interested politician who does not recognize, let alone uphold, them.
The question before Congress is whether or not it’s appropriate for a president to fire law enforcement officials in order to protect his friends and associates from legal scrutiny. And the answer Congressional Republicans have given is that it’s fine. The question before the public is now whether or not they will face political consequences for having reached that conclusion.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Can we have a snap election? Please?
TRUMPCARE
► In today’s NY Times — A key Republican demands subsidies to calm insurance markets — A powerful House Republican said Thursday that Congress should immediately provide money for subsidy payments to health insurance companies, which have been demanding big rate increases or fleeing from Affordable Care Act markets because of President Trump’s threat to cut off the funds.
► From The Hill — Parliamentarian threatens deadly blow to GOP healthcare bill — The Senate parliamentarian has warned Republicans that a provision in their healthcare reform bill related to abortion is unlikely to be allowed, raising a serious threat to the legislation.
► In today’s Washington Post — Drug crisis pushing up death rates for almost all groups of Americans — After falling for a century, the overall death rate for Americans aged 25 to 44 rose 8 percent between 2010 and 2015.
LOCAL
► From KUOW — Opponents call Vancouver oil terminal ‘bad plan’ while supporters tout jobs — More than 100 people testified before the Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council in Vancouver Wednesday. It was one of the last opportunities for the public to sound off on a proposed oil terminal there.
► In today’s Columbian — EFSEC listens to foes, supporters of proposed oil terminal — Lee Newgent, executive secretary of the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO: “We’re not climate deniers in any way, shape or form … but we know our economy is tied to carbon use.”
ALSO at The Stand — Rally against racist anti-Muslim group on Saturday in Seattle
► From KNKX — How much do you have to make to rent in Washington? — A person has to make nearly $19 per hour to comfortably rent a one-bedroom apartment in Washington state, according to a new report from a national housing advocacy group.
► In today’s Bellingham Herald — In Whatcom County, housing is out of reach for minimum wage earners — A new report estimates a Whatcom County resident making minimum wage would have to work 52 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment.
► From The Stranger — To afford a one-bedroom apartment in Seattle, a minimum wage worker has to work 87 hours per week
► In today’s Denver Post — Nowhere in America can a full-time minimum wage worker afford to rent a two-bedroom apartment
THAT WASHINGTON
EDITOR’S NOTE — All Republicans from Washington state voted for this (except Rep. Dave Reichert, who missed the vote), and all Democrats voted “no.”
PREVIOUSLY at The Stand — Tell Congress: Don’t put economy at risk by deregulating banks
► From The Hill — Trump’s ‘infrastructure week’ goes off the rails — The White House’s self-proclaimed “infrastructure week” has generated a flurry of headlines on nearly everything else.
T.G.I.F.
► This one goes out to Donald Trump.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.