NEWS ROUNDUP
Amtrak crash | Another Hanford leak | Tax vote(s) today | Drug profiteers
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
AMTRAK CRASH
► In today’s Seattle Times — Amtrak train was reportedly going 80 in a 30-mph zone — The Amtrak train that derailed Monday morning on its inaugural trip through a faster railway route was supposed to slow dramatically, to 30 mph, before entering the curve where the crash occurred.
► In today’s News Tribune — Mayor’s words echo after Amtrak wreck (editorial) — The time will come for the “I told you so”s, including some from this editorial board, but for now, we extend our sympathies to the victims and our deep appreciation to the first responders.
► From Reuters — Amtrak safety record under scrutiny even before deadly derailment — The fatal derailment of an Amtrak train south of Seattle on Monday is likely to intensify scrutiny of the national passenger railroad company’s safety record, which was already under the microscope following a series of fatal incidents.
LOCAL
► In today’s Tri-City Herald — Another radioactive contamination spread at Hanford. Work halted at plant — Demolition is stopped at the Hanford nuclear reservation’s Plutonium Finishing Plant after another spread of radioactive contamination. Some workers in portable offices at the plant, which are well away from the plant’s demolition zone, were told to remain in their office trailers until areas nearby were surveyed for radioactive contamination Monday afternoon. Some of the contamination was found on workers’ cars or pickups.
TRUMP’S TAX SCAM
► From the AFL-CIO — Seven reasons why the Republican tax bill is bad for working people — 1. Rigging the rules. Big banks, hedge funds and other Wall Street firms are the biggest winners from this tax bill. The richest 1% of households would receive 83% of tax cuts, and the richest 0.1% would get an average tax cut of more than $148,000. The tax bill is full of complex tax gimmicks that would encourage tax dodging while enriching lawyers and accountants.
ALSO from The Stand — It’s not over! Call Representatives to stop this tax scam for the rich — Call 1-844-899-9913 and urge your representative to vote NO on this tax bill.
► From HuffPost — Republicans already say they’ll need another bill to fix their tax mistakes — Republicans wrote their massive tax legislation in such a rush that even before they’ve sent it to the president’s desk, they’re already talking about writing another bill to fix all the mistakes in the first one.
► In the Columbian — GOP taxes credibility (editorial) — The process that has brought congressional Republicans to the brink of passing tax “reform” has been nothing short of shameful. If that plays out as expected, it will reflect gross legislative malpractice. In short, Congress might be about to sell the American people a bill of goods that has undergone little scrutiny.
ALSO at The Stand — Ads warn of GOP plan to cut Social Security, Medicare
► In today’s NY Times — Demoralized IRS faces monumental task with new bill — The agency, upbraided for years by the Republicans, must now interpret the new bill. It has been struggling with a budget cut of nearly $1 billion since 2010, and a 23-percent reduction in personnel.
► From HuffPost — #CorkerKickback turns up the flame under senator for his tax vote switch — Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) was still scrambling to do damage control Monday after it was revealed that he switched his vote on the GOP tax bill to yes soon after a tax deduction was added that could benefit his real estate investments.
► From Vox — We’re witnessing the wholesale looting of America (by Matthew Yglesias) — Politicians are making decisions to enrich their donors — and at times themselves personally — with a reckless disregard for any kind of objective policy analysis or consideration of public opinion.
THIS WASHINGTON
“I’m constantly hearing that public pressure, public shaming will be sufficient to curb these bad actors in these industries. It often feels if you take your attention off of them, even for a second, they’ll revert to these old ways,” said Rachel Sachs, an associate law professor at Washington University in Saint Louis. “It’s just another example of how the system has some problems that need to be fixed.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This is why Washington state needs Prescription Drug Price Transparency!
ALSO at The Stand — 2018 Washington Voting Rights Act has been introduced
THAT WASHINGTON
► From USA Today — Congress faces deadline to save DREAMers, which could come to a head this week — The fate of nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants could blow up negotiations to keep the federal government running past this week. The federal program that protects from deportation undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. before age 16 could be a bargaining chip as Congress faces a Friday deadline to pass a spending bill.
► In today’s NY Times — Boeing, Bombardier trade clash poses more risks for NAFTA — Boeing clashed with Canadian jet maker Bombardier in a hearing on Monday over a trade dispute that has pitted the United States against Canada, adding to already heightened trade tensions between the two nations.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Robert Reich calls Fox News “Trump’s personal propaganda machine” and asks, “Will Trump use the congressional recess to fire Mueller, and rely on Fox News to give him cover? That would be a real coup in America.” Reich is urging folks to boycott Fox News advertisers and, in particular, Sean Hannity’s advertisers (which includes the Appleby’s, DirecTV, FedEx, McDonald’s, National Car Rental, Starbucks, and others).
► From The Hill — Trump approval rating hits new low in CNN poll — Just 35 percent of Americans in the CNN poll released early Tuesday say they approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president.
NATIONAL
► In today’s LA Times — The Social Security cost-of-living increase is a cruel fraud (by Les Gapay) The tiny Social Security increase that will be bestowed on retirees and the elderly in January is a cruel fraud perpetrated by the government. That’s because increases in Medicare Part B and Part D insurance premiums will negate all of the Social Security 2% cost of living increase for many recipients. Instead of staying even, we’ll fall behind.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.