NB Primary Win Adds to Left's Resurgence
Primary win gives resurgent left a new shot of adrenaline. The Hill: "The upset defeat of a former Democratic congressman in a Nebraska House primary has become the latest sign of an ascendant left within the Democratic Party. Social worker and nonprofit executive Kara Eastman’s defeat of former Rep. Brad Ashford in Tuesday’s primary for the House seat Ashford once held is the latest shot of adrenaline for the left, which also saw victories by a number of left-of-center candidates in Pennsylvania’s primaries. Progressives see Eastman’s win as mounting evidence that candidates backing 'Medicare-for-All' and other policies from the party’s left wing can win over voters, as moderates and progressives battle for the soul of the party. "
Farm Bill Fracas
GOP leaders, Freedom Caucus face off on farm bill, immigration. Politico: "House GOP leaders are daring the Freedom Caucus to sink their prized partisan farm bill, pushing ahead with a Friday morning vote despite conservative threats to tank it. Speaker Paul Ryan’s team haggled late into the night Thursday with Freedom Caucus leaders. To win the far-right, leaders gave the group what it originally asked for: the promise of a vote on a conservative immigration bill — albeit not until June. But the Freedom Caucus retorted that they want the immigration roll call now before the farm bill gets a vote. Some fear leadership will renege on that vow, as they have on the issue in the past. After Ryan’s team explained to the group late Thursday that they could not do immigration before the farm bill, the group of conservatives held a conference call to discuss what to do. With the vote still scheduled for Friday morning, it is unclear where things stand. GOP leaders are waiting for word on whether the Freedom Caucus will deliver the final votes needed to push the bill over the finish line. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, tweeted about the matter, asserting pressure on the right to get in line."
Congress Can't End Payday Lending Rule
Time runs out for Congress to upend payday lending rule. CNBC: "The deadline for Congress to kill a rule imposing new requirements on so-called payday lenders has come and gone, according to consumer advocacy groups tracking it. Resolutions in both chambers would have reversed a federal regulation aimed at making sure borrowers of such short-term loans can afford to repay their debt. Under the Congressional Review Act, lawmakers had 60 legislative days to act from the day the rule was published in the Federal Register. The last day to do so was yesterday. 'By its inaction, Congress has affirmed the need to protect Americans against loans with an average annual interest rate of 390 percent,' said Mike Litt, consumer campaign director for advocacy group U.S. Public Interest Research Group."
Sessions Curbs Judges' Immigration Authority
Sessions moves to curb immigration judges' authority. NPR: "Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered the nation's immigration judges to end their practice of temporarily removing cases from their dockets without issuing decisions. Immigrant advocates say the move is part of a broader strategy to influence the immigration courts, which fall under the purview of the Department of Justice, in order to hasten the removal of some immigrants. As NPR's Joel Rose reports, the practice is known as 'administrative closure.'Sessions is the most prominent critic of administrative closures. In January, he took the unusual action of directing the Board of Immigration Appeals to refer an immigration case to himself for review."
More from OurFuture.org:
Yes, Collusion. Miles Mogulescu: "What is already publicly known makes a prima facie case that a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States government and the American people was formed between Russian operatives and the highest levels the Trump campaign, perhaps including Donald Trump himself. Hundreds of denials from Trump and the White House can’t erase this truth."
