Warren Fights To Defend Dodd-Frank
Warren goes on attack over Dodd-Frank rollback. WaPo: "The Senate banking deregulation bill looks primed to pass this week. But Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a clear signal Sunday that whatever happens will come with some fireworks. The industry's Public Critic No. 1 blitzed the Sunday talk-show circuit to keep up her drumbeat of criticism of the package — a campaign she has aimed at both its Republican and Democratic supporters. 'I don’t understand how anybody in the United States Senate votes for a bill that’s going to increase the likelihood of taxpayer bailouts,' Warren said on NBC’s 'Meet the Press.' Seventeen Senate Democrats last week joined Republicans in a procedural vote to advance the measure to roll back some Dodd-Frank protections. The move laid bare a rift on the left over whether to ease up on financial interests against which the Democratic Party has rallied as recently as the 2016 campaign."
GOP Pours Cash Into PA To Save Seat
GOP pours cash into PA to prevent upset defeat. NPR: "At least for one more day, the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania are alive with the sound of campaign cash. Voters in the state's 18th congressional district tomorrow elect a new member of Congress. It's a surprisingly close race in this reliably-Republican district between Democratic former prosecutor Conor Lamb, and Republican state legislator Rick Saccone. GOP and conservative groups are shoveling in dollars to overcome Saccone's lackluster fundraising — this despite his claim that he 'was Trump before Trump was Trump.' The Center for Responsive Politics reported Friday the two sides had spent a total of $15.6 million — slightly more than the most costly House races in 2016, although far less than the maelstrom of a special election in Georgia last year, which cost $69.2 million. Republicans have poured more than twice as much into the Pennsylvania race as Democrats. That flood of spending comes even though the district won't exist after this November's election following the state Supreme Court's decision to redraw Pennsylvania's 18 congressional districts. Neither Lamb nor Saccone will reside in the redrawn district."
Dems Steer Towards Center In PA Race
Grassroots women, guns, and organized labor: How Conor Lamb plans to win in Trump country. ThinkProgress: "If you’re wondering who Conor Lamb is, United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts offers this summary: a 'God-fearing, union-supporting, gun-owning, job-protecting, pension-defending, social-security-believing, healthcare-greeting, sending-drug-dealers-to-jail Democrat.' Just 18 months ago, Trump won Pennsylvania’s 18th district by 20 points. Now, Lamb is locked in a widely-hyped special election to replace Rep. Tim Murphy (R), who resigned in recent months when his scandalous affair found its way into the headlines. The seat, tucked deep within Trump country, seemed safe for Republicans — until suddenly, it didn’t."
DeVos Struggles To Explain Education Failures In Her Home State
DeVos pressed on performance of public schools under policies she promoted. The Hill: "Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Sunday seemed to struggle to explain why public schools in her home state of Michigan have performed poorly despite school choice policies she’s championed... DeVos, who has long been an advocate of promoting school choice initiatives, acknowledged public schools in Michigan need to do better. She added that she has not 'intentionally visited' underperforming institutions to learn why they are struggling. DeVos, a Republican mega-donor, was a controversial pick to lead the Department of Education due to her support for charter schools and tuition vouchers that use public funds. She was barely approved as the nominee to lead the department, with Vice President Pence casting the tie-breaking vote in her favor. The White House announced Sunday that DeVos will chair a federal commission on school safety. The panel will include local, federal and school officials, and will assess best practices for preventing future school shootings before making recommendations to the president."
More from OurFuture.Org:
A Penny for Your National Security. Leo Gerard: "A great wailing and gnashing of teeth arose across the land after the Trump administration announced its plan to place tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. Some conservatives cried that the tariffs, 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum, would incite an international trade war. But most Americans are willing to pay an extra penny per six-pack to ensure their country has the domestic aluminum smelting and steel forging ability that is crucial to national security."
