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It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy. We think of it as a mini-magazine in your Inbox.
WHY JOHN BOLTON’S FIRING MATTERS
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews and Saher Khan, @SaherMKhan
In a lunchtime tweet, President Donald Trump announced the latest high-profile departure from his White House on Tuesday, writing that he “informed (national security adviser John Bolton) that his services are no longer needed.”
As others have chronicled, the Trump White House is a dizzying whirlwind of comings and goings. But this departure is unique for its global implications. Here is a quick look at why this job, and Bolton’s departure, matter.
What is the national security adviser?
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This person is the president’s top adviser on national security, often working as a key contact point for nations allied with the United States and influencing the country’s approach to world conflicts.
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Officially called “Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs,” the job was created in 1953 and rose in importance during the Cold War.
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McGeorge Bundy, national security adviser to John F. Kennedy in 1961, transformed the role into a key face of U.S. foreign policy.
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Henry Kissinger, national security adviser to Richard Nixon, was so prominent in the role that he eclipsed the secretary of state at the time and soon went on to replace him.
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Twenty-nine people have served in the role (in both permanent or acting capacities) under 11 presidents.
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Five advisers have served under Trump, including the man taking over at least temporarily -- former defense contractor and Reagan administration official Charles Kupperman.
Who is John Bolton?
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Bolton is a lightning-rod conservative who is seen as a defense hawk.
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He has advocated for more U.S. military intervention overseas and was a vigorous supporter of the Iraq War under former President George W. Bush.
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His experience includes time served as Bush’s U.N. ambassador. Bush installed Bolton as a recess appointment, avoiding a potentially controversial approval vote in the U.S. Senate.
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Bolton’s resignation comes after reports that he was opposed to a potential meeting at Camp David between President Trump and the Taliban.
Why it matters
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Bolton’s departure may indicate that Trump is placing more priority and attention on removing U.S. troops and assets from conflict zones overseas.
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It also underscores that Trump is most comfortable keeping his own counsel, and that few advisers stay within his inner circle for long.
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His replacement will come in at a time when the U.S. is facing a range of global conflicts, including rising tensions with Iran, the Saudi-led war in Yemen, continued migrant crises and increasingly assertive postures from Russia and China.
RETAILERS ASK: “KEEP YOUR GUNS AT HOME”
By Alexandra D’Elia, @Alex_DElia11
Walmart, Kroger, Walgreens, Wegmans, and CVS -- five large, national retail chains -- took the gun debate into their own hands before Congress got the chance (or not) in the new legislative session.
After a series of mass shootings last month, many retailers have asked their customers not to openly carry weapons in their stores even where it is legal. The moves are notable because of the companies’ national reach, and the fact that the changes reflect the growing influence of gun control advocates who are also hoping to play a role in the 2020 election.
According to a PBS NewsHour, NPR and Marist poll published Tuesday, a majority of Americans think it is more important to control gun violence than to protect gun rights. The survey also found strong public support for "more funding for mental health screening and treatment, mandatory background checks and licensing for gun purchases," wrote the NewsHour's Laura Santhanam. Read more about the four types of gun legislation most Americans support.
Walmart, the site of the Aug. 3 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, also announced last week that it would no longer sell handguns and certain ammunition in its stores.
Whether customers will comply, and whether retail managers will enforce the policy by asking customers with visible guns to leave, is yet to be seen. Some are skeptical that the policies would be effective.
Back in 2013 and 2014, Starbucks, Target and Chipotle also asked their customers not to openly carry firearms in their establishments. Costco, which is a membership-only retailer, has outright banned guns..
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors unanimously voted last week to declare the National Rifle Association a domestic terrorist organization. The NRA has since filed suit against the city.
Gun policy is issue No. 1 for congressional Democrats as they return from the August break. Just yesterday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., publicly pressured Senate Republicans and the White House to act on House Resolution 8, which requires background checks for all gun sales.
“What courage does it take to support legislation that will save lives?” Pelosi said. She specifically called out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., by a nickname he has given himself -- the “Grim Reaper” -- and said that the public would weigh in on Democrats’ bills.
FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Alexandra D'Elia, @Alex_DElia11
Politics production assistant
Energy Department moves to roll back light bulb restriction -- Sept. 4. The Energy Department reversed rules that would require more efficient light bulbs to eventually replace incandescent and halogen bulbs. Why it matters: The move is another attempt by the Trump administration to roll back Obama-era energy regulations. -- The Wall Street Journal
Trump pushing for major crackdown on homeless camps in California, with aides discussing moving residents to government-backed facilities -- Sept. 10. The Trump administration is looking into ways to move homeless people off California’s streets and possibly into federal facilities. Why it matters: Reports of the plans come after Trump attacked Democratic lawmakers on Twitter about the problem of homelessness in their home districts. -- The Washington Post
Number of uninsured Americans goes up for the first time since Obamacare -- Sept. 10. The number of Americans who do not have health insurance rose from 7.9 to 8.5 percent from 2017 to 2018 (roughly 27.5 million Americans last year), according to a new census report. Why it matters: The report comes as the debate around health care continues on the campaign trail and in Washington. -- POLITICO
#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Alexandra D'Elia, @Alex_DElia11
Politics production assistant
On this day in 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the admission of a black student into this university. What was the school?
Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.
Last week, we asked: On this day in 1838, a famous abolitionist, author, journalist and political advocate escaped from slavery. He went on to write a book about his life, advise President Lincoln during the civil war and serve as U.S. Marshall of the District of Columbia.
Our question: Which statesman and former slave are we describing?
Answer: Frederick Douglass
Here is where we would congratulate the winners who knew that first!
But, sadly, our email problem persisted another few days and we are without names to call out. Don’t give up! It is working now and this week’s winners will get a shoutout next Tuesday!
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