MORNING MESSAGE
...his
inclination to tie everything back to union-busting quickly became pathetic. It
was only one month later when he said about ISIS, “If I can take on 100,000
protesters, I can do the same across the globe.” Even conservatives recognized
that was a disturbingly glib answer to a complex foreign policy challenge. In
the waning days of his campaign, he offered his one big idea: eliminate federal
worker unions and abolish the National Labor Relations Board. Nobody
cared.
Obama and Pope To Meet
Moral
Action on Climate Justice Rally to coincide with Pope Francis’ congressional
address tomorrow: Join the Moral Action for Climate Justice Rally to demand
urgent action on the climate crisis – and a strong response to the cry of the
Poor. Join the rally between 3rd and 7th Streets on the National Mall, 9/24,
7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. More info at FollowFrancis.org and #followfrancis on
Twitter.
Pope
and President meet today. Roll Call: “Francis and Obama will discuss a host
of shared interests, including improving economic opportunity, alleviating
poverty, the environment, religious freedom and immigration, per the White
House.”
Chinese
president says he won’t manipulate currency, in advance of meeting with Obama.
Reuters: “Xi, delivering a keynote address to some 650 business executives
and other guests in Seattle, touched on a litany of issues that have strained
U.S.-China ties. China will not manipulate its currency to boost exports and
will never engage in commercial theft, he said, adding it will not discriminate
against foreign businesses, will speed its market opening and make efforts to
improve human rights.”
Clinton Opposes Keystone
Hillary
Clinton comes out against Keystone. The Hill: “Clinton announced her shift
at a campaign event in Iowa, one of two early-voting states where some polls
have shown Sanders in the lead. ‘I think it is imperative that we look at the
Keystone pipeline as what I think it is, as a distraction to the important work
we have to do on climate change,’ she said.”
Will
Hillary go farther on the environment? TNR’s Rebecca Leber: “The key is
whether she continues to focus on policies that discourage the production of
fossil fuels, like mining and drilling on public lands. The federal government
leases 67 million acres to the fossil fuel industry, and Obama has approved
leases for a quarter of them.”
Nine
major corporations to pledge 100% renewable energy use. NYT: “Nine major
companies are expected on Wednesday to join a global coalition of firms intent
on converting to renewable energy. The new members include Johnson &
Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks,Walmart and Goldman Sachs.”
Biden Boom?
Biden
bump in Bloomberg poll: “Clinton, once the prohibitive front-runner, is now
the top choice of 33 percent of registered Democrats and those who lean
Democrat, the poll shows. Biden places second with 25 percent and Vermont
Senator Bernie Sanders is at 24 percent.”
Clinton
would empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The Hill: “[Clinton]
accused pharmaceutical companies of ‘price gouging’ and ‘profiteering’ while
millions of people struggle with skyrocketing healthcare prices … Like Sanders,
Clinton on Tuesday pledged to give Medicare bargaining power over drug prices —
a position she also adopted in her 2008 campaign.”
The
Nation’s William Greider says neither Sanders or Trump are populists: “…
they are both working within the established order. By definition, populism
requires plain people in rebellion … but the great disturbances already roiling
party politics suggest that the political status quo is vulnerable to more
upheavals, particularly if timidity and stalemate continue to suppress
meaningful change.”
Senate GOP vs. House GOP
Sen.
Kelly Ayotte tells fellow Republicans not to shutdown. The Hill: “‘We all
know where the votes are, and it’s not going to happen,’ the New Hampshire
Republican said from the Senate floor. ‘I’m tired of the people on my side of
the aisle who have been pushing this strategy…'”
Other
Republican senators back “clean” bill to keep government open. Roll Call:
“[Sen. Susan] Collins, R-Maine, said Tuesday after the weekly conference lunch
that Republicans across the Rotunda should see the writing on the wall …
‘[Let’s] see, as the leader said, where the votes are, and then go to Plan B,’
Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune of South Dakota said … ‘I would
support a clean CR,’ said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn …”
Federal
workers prepare for shutdown. W. Post: “…the White House’s Office of
Management and Budget is following a playbook last used in 2013 when a similar
standoff resulted in parts of the government being closed for more than two
weeks.”
Progressive
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