Corporations Win Big In GOP Tax Plan
Republican plan delivers permanent corporate tax cut. NYT: "Republican lawmakers unveiled a sweeping rewrite of the tax code on Thursday, outlining a $1.5 trillion plan that will deliver a significant tax cut for corporations and more modest savings for middle-class families while tilting the United States closer, but not entirely, toward the kind of tax system long championed by businesses. The House plan, released after weeks of internal debate, conflict and delay, immediately ignited a legislative and lobbying fight as business groups, special interests and Democrats began tearing into the text ahead of a Republican sprint to get the legislation passed and to President Trump’s desk by Christmas. Lawmakers appeared unfazed by the blowback and scheduled the first official “markup” of the bill for Monday."
Trump Departs WH Chaos For Asia Trip
Trump, dogged at home, heads on longest presidential Asia trip in years. Reuters: "Beset by challenges at home, President Donald Trump on Friday embarks on the longest trip to Asia by an American president in more than a quarter century, looking for help to pressure North Korea to stand down from a nuclear crisis. Trump’s tour of Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines from Friday to Nov. 14 will take him out of Washington as is preoccupied with several issues. These include an intensifying federal investigation into Russian meddling in last year’s election, New York’s recovery from an attack that killed eight people and debate over a tax-cut plan that if approved by Congress would be his first major legislative victory."
Trump Brandishes Naval Threat To North Korea
Is the United States planning to attack North Korea? The Nation: "The aircraft carriers USS Nimitz, USS Theodore Roosevelt, and USS Ronald Reagan—three of the most powerful warships in the world—have now converged on the western Pacific in a mighty show of force on the eve of President Trump’s 10-day trip to Asia. The three carriers, along with their accompanying cruisers, destroyers, and submarines—all armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles or other advanced munitions—are capable of raining immense destructive force on any nation targeted by the commander in chief. Not since 2007 has there been such a concentration of US firepower in the Asia-Pacific region. There can be only two plausible explanations for this extraordinary naval buildup: to provide Trump with the sort of military extravaganza he seems to enjoy; and/or to prepare for a pre-emptive military strike on North Korea."
Could Pardons Lead To Impeachment?
Presidential pardons might pave road to impeachment. NPR: "So, what are the limits of Trump's pardoning power? Would such pardons be grounds for impeachment? Indeed, would firing Mueller be grounds?
The Constitution gives the president the broad power to grant pardons 'for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.' That means he can pardon anyone charged with a federal crime — but not state crimes — and he can't prevent his own impeachment by pardoning himself... Experts say there is nothing anyone could do to invalidate such pardons. A presidential pardon cannot be undone. But constitutional scholar Cass Sunstein, author of a new book on impeachment, notes that the Framers of the Constitution, in the Virginia ratification debate, discussed whether abuse of the pardon power would be an impeachable offense and James Madison explicitly said it would be."
Brazile Slams Clinton For 2015 DNC Power Play
Inside Hillary Clinton’s Secret Takeover of the DNC. Politico: "When I got back from a vacation in Martha’s Vineyard, I at last found the document that described it all: the Joint Fund-Raising Agreement between the DNC, the Hillary Victory Fund, and Hillary for America... in exchange for raising money and investing in the DNC, Hillary would control the party’s finances, strategy, and all the money raised. Her campaign had the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff. The DNC also was required to consult with the campaign about all other staffing, budgeting, data, analytics, and mailings. I had been wondering why it was that I couldn’t write a press release without passing it by Brooklyn. Well, here was the answer."
More from OurFuture.org:
Carter’s Bold Bid to Make Peace Between Trump and North Korea. Miles Mogulescu: "Donald Trump leaves this weekend for a 12-day trip to Asia, including stops in South Korea and China. Unless advisors keep a tight muzzle on him, there’s reason to worry that aggressive rhetoric could increase the risks of escalating into a deadly war with a nuclear-armed North Korea. But former President Jimmy Carter has stepped up to point a direction to potentially achieving a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula. Carter personally told National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster that Carter is prepared to go to North Korea to initiate peace talks, which could eventually lead to an agreement consummated by a trip by to Pyongyang, similar to President Nixon’s world-changing peace trip to communist China in 1973. Trump should take Carter up on it."
