Progressive Breakfast: Can The Pope Give Republicans Religion On Climate?

MORNING MESSAGE

Twenty years ago Pope John Paul II delivered an encyclical, an authoritative letter to all Catholic bishops, that urged them to champion a “culture of life,” ... Today, Pope Francis delivers another encyclical, urging bishops to speak out on the moral imperative to stop climate change ... Republicans may have a harder time with this one ... Our politicians, practicing democracy under a system separating church and state, should not take a position just because a religious leader commands it. But the encyclical will make Republican resistance to the climate science even harder to maintain.

House Vote On Fast Track Today

Second fast-track House expected today. The Hill: “Under the plan, the House and Senate would vote for a second time on passing fast-track … The problem for Obama and Republicans is that they must first convince Senate Democrats to vote for fast-track on the promise the TAA bill would be finished later … In the Senate, it’s not as clear that pro-trade Democrats are ready to endorse the new strategy.”
More from The Hill: “Pro-trade Democrats are looking for other sweeteners, such as a vote to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, which is set to expire at the end of June.”
“They Are Trying To Sneak Fast Track Past Us Again” says OurFuture.org’s Dave Johnson.
Go to ClickToCallCongress.org to contact your House representative.

Paul Goes Flat

Sen. Rand Paul proposes flat tax in WSJ oped: “[I] would repeal the entire IRS tax code … and replace it with a low, broad-based tax of 14.5% on individuals and businesses. I would eliminate nearly every special-interest loophole. The plan also eliminates the payroll tax on workers and several federal taxes outright, including gift and estate taxes, telephone taxes, and all duties and tariffs
Paul assures Social Security would be fine without payroll tax. WSJ: “Mr. Paul said his plan would ‘fully fund’ Social Security and Medicare because it specifies that incoming business-tax revenues go first to fund those programs … he wasn’t specific about which programs would be cut to keep the budget deficit from ballooning…”
Scott Walker targets college tenure. Politico: “…Walker and his critics see parallels between his new effort to cut back on tenure and the 2011 initiative to strip away the protections of public union workers…”
Trump goes after Walker. The Hill quotes:Wisconsin has got tremendous problems. The debt and the difficult problems that they have going on in Wisconsin that a lot of people don’t understand and know about. Tremendous borrowings.”
“Hillary Clinton Strikes Bipartisan Theme in South Carolina” reports NYT: “Mrs. Clinton proposed a $1,500 tax credit for businesses hiring apprentices who register with programs that meet state or federal standards … [She said,] ‘You know what is great about this idea is that it is not a partisan idea.'”
Hillary eyes Bernie rise warily. Politico: “Clinton faces a growing threat from Bernie Sanders in the once-safe haven of New Hampshire, but her campaign has no intention of attacking or even name-checking the white-tufted democratic socialist — yet.”

Breakfast Sides

Fed holds off rate increase, but one could be coming. Bloomberg: “Projections from the Federal Open Market Committee published Wednesday showed that five officials foresee one increase in the federal funds rate this year, up from just a single policy maker who said so in March. And while policy makers said the economy has picked up after a first-quarter slump, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said she still wants to see more ‘decisive’ evidence of a lasting turnaround.”
House and Senate GOPers divided over highway trust fund plan. Politico: “In the House, Republicans have basically given up on finding the tens of billions of dollars they’d need for a long-term fix … they’re mulling how to pay for the latest punt … Senate Republicans refuse to admit defeat, even though they have yet to come up with the huge sums of money they’d need … Democrats have been needling Republicans for weeks about the highway bill and are preparing to make it their primary messaging plank of the summer…”

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