|
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.
A BANNER HEADLINE DAY
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent
Over the course of just 14 remarkable, head-spinning hours, House Democrats made three banner-headline worthy announcements: A massive defense bill compromise, including the biggest step toward paid family leave in U.S. history; a new trade deal with two of the country’s biggest economic partners and two articles of impeachment against President Trump.
Here is a quick look at what we know and why each matters:
- The National Defense Authorization Act. The 3,500+-page bill governs nothing less than the policies and budget for the Pentagon and U.S. military components. It is also seen as one of the few must-pass pieces of legislation where both parties can implement some policy goals.
And with that in mind, House Democrats and Senate Republicans announced last night they had agreed on some novel compromises in this year’s bill. The bill formally creates and codifies the U.S. Space Force, naming it as the sixth branch of the military. This was a project close to President Trump and Vice President Pence. In return, Democrats wrestled out a sweeping policy change for families. The bill will give federal workers 12 weeks of paid family leave.
- U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal. The sweeping trade agreement is a key policy goal for President Trump, who campaigned on dropping or rewriting NAFTA. This replacement has been the subject of a tedious debate between House Democrats and the White House, with extensive meetings over some key Democratic demands for better labor protections, higher environmental standards and work to prevent higher drug prices, especially for new classes of drugs.
The resulting compromise has backers in both parties, including President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It also has a few skeptics, including Senator Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who decried that it has an expiration date and says it does not protect the work of pharmaceutical companies in cutting edge research areas.
The deal must get approval by both chambers. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated the Senate will not take it up until next year.
- Impeachment. The biggest of the big headlines is the formal unveiling of articles of impeachment against President Trump.
Democrats debated internally over how many and what kinds of charges to levy. In the end, they chose two. And they chose to be brief, writing up both charges in a nine-page document.
The first is abuse of power, specifically related to the president’s call for Ukraine to investigate the Biden family while his administration simultaneously blocked $391 million in aid to Ukraine and held back on a promised White House meeting with the nation’s president.
The second article is obstruction of Congress. This also focuses largely on the president’s actions regarding the Ukraine investigation and his direction that top aides refuse to testify to House Democrats. But read more deeply and you’ll see the Democrats allege a pattern, saying that the president has made “previous efforts to try to undermine United States government investigations into foreign interference.” Translation: the accusations from the Mueller Report that Trump tried to block or end Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign and any ties to Russian operatives.
What happens next on all of these? Impeachment and NDAA will move quickly, with votes on impeachment expected in the full House next week and the NDAA expected to get to the president’s desk by then.
The USMCA will take longer, as McConnell described today. That will have to wait until after the Senate holds an impeachment trial, expected early next year.
FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Alex D’Elia, @AlexDEliaNews
Politics production assistant
Grandson of former President George H.W. Bush is running for Congress in Texas -- Dec. 9. Bush joins a large field of 14 other Republicans who are vying for the seat of retiring Representative Pete Olson. Why it matters: Pierce Bush is the newest member of the Bush family to enter politics at a time when it is unclear if voters will tolerate political dynasties. -- NPR
Supreme Court won’t review abortion law challenged by doctors who say it violates their right to free speech -- Dec. 9. The suit was filed by doctors at Kentucky’s sole abortion clinic where, under Kentucky law, doctors must give detailed description of the fetus while showing an ultrasound image. Why it matters: The move could be a signal from the newly majority-conservative court ahead of oral aruments on another abortion case, this one from Louisiana, next month. -- The Washington Post
Amid impeachment drama, a bipartisan celebration of the arts -- Dec. 9. The night before House Intelligence and Judiciary committee counsels presented their impeachment reports to the House Judiciary Committee, Washington leaders gathered at the Kennedy Center to honor artists. Why it matters: During a time of intense partisan divisiveness in the country, the nonpartisan Washington tradition offered a breath of fresh air. -- The New York Times
Democrats' voting proposals include scrapping photo ID requirement, allowing no-excuse absentee balloting -- Dec. 6. The Democratic-led Virginia legislature is proposing reforms to make it easier for voters to cast their ballots in 2020. Why it matters: Democrats argue that barriers to voting mostly impact younger, poorer voters. Those voters are also more likely to vote Democratic. -- Richmond Times-Dispatch
California bans insurers from dropping policies in fire-ravaged areas -- Dec. 5. For one year, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to drop policies for homeowners in California communities hit by several years of fatal wildfires. Why it matters: The moratorium, which affects more than 800,000 homeowners near wildfire disasters, comes after a 2018 report showed that complaints about getting dropped by insurance plans tripled from 2010 to 2016, while complaints about increased premiums rose 217%. -- Los Angeles Times
#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer
On this day in 1906, Theodore Roosevelt was the first U.S. president to win a Nobel peace prize. He won for his role in mediating the Russo-Japanese war.
Our question: How many presidents and vice presidents have won a Nobel prize?
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: How many ballots did the House of Representatives have to cast before Jefferson was declared the winner? The answer was 36.
Congratulations to our winners: Phil Muth!!
Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your Inbox next week.
|
