MORNING MESSAGE
By Picking Tillerson and Perry, Trump’s Pretty Much Just Trolling Us Now
Trump
isn’t just making “wrong choices” for these jobs. He’s displaying his contempt
for the positions themselves. He’s showing himself and his friends just how much
he can get away with.
Rates may go up today
Federal
Reserve expected to raise interest rates today. Politico: “Expectations of
more rapid growth, coupled with the threat of inflation, could bring more rate
hikes, which could undermine Trump’s plans to fire up the economy … Trump and
congressional Republicans are signaling plans for steep tax cuts and massive
infrastructure investment. Economists say that would raise the risk of
inflation, which the Fed tries to combat to keep the economy from
overheating.”
Some
companies pause plans to offshore … for now. Bloomberg: “Ross Baldwin, whose
San Diego-based firm Tacna helps U.S. companies set up manufacturing operations
in Mexico, said three new clients put their plans on hold until they see what
Trump does as president … ‘What they did in Indiana has made it clear to every
board member in America that there is a clear and present danger in outsourcing’
said Jim Courtovich, managing partner of the Washington public affairs firm
Sphere Consulting … Some companies are still moving ahead … Rexnord Corp. is
planning to move some 300 manufacturing positions to Mexico … Companies that
have cold feet from Trump’s rhetoric have merely put their plans on ‘a pause,’
he said, ‘until we sort out what’s happening.'”
Big
banks try to throw out financial crisis lawsuits. NYT: “A handful of banks,
including Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, have asked the Supreme
Court to review a lower court decision that said the regulators filed their
claims on time despite a Depression-era securities law that gave them only a
three-year window. The Justice Department is pushing back. In a brief submitted
last week, it says the banks’ argument lacks merit and asked the court not to
take up the case.”
BIG OIL POPS CORK
Bloomberg
assesses Big Oil’s influence: “All across the oil patch, they’re
figuratively uncorking the champagne bottles … The industry is poised to wield
previously unimaginable influence on a global scale in a Trump administration …
‘Donald Trump doesn’t want to drain the swamp, he wants to drill in it,’ said
Senator Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat …
Dems
press for longer Sessions hearings. Politico: “… California Sen. Dianne
Feinstein … pointed out that documents sent by Sessions to the committee
detailing his work history, public speeches and other items to be scrutinized by
senators total more than 150,000 pages … She argued that Sessions left out key
documents, even amid 150,000 pages of material … [Sen. Chuck Grassley] indicated
that the schedule for Sessions’ confirmation hearing won’t change. The two-day
hearing will be held Jan. 10 and Jan. 11.”
California
may slow Trump’s deportation plans. Mother Jones: “… Democratic legislators
in California—home to about one-fifth of the country’s estimated 11 million
undocumented immigrants—introduced a series of measures aimed at protecting the
state’s immigrants under Trump’s policies. Two of those bills could help
immigrants facing deportation in a crucial way: by making sure they have legal
representation in court.”
Republicans
in Congress face deadlines. The Hill: “The first big one comes on March 16,
when the current debt-limit deal expires … The Treasury Department will likely
use ‘extraordinary measures’ to push the deadline for raising the ceiling until
at least midsummer … Congress also faces an April 28 deadline to fund the
government … Republicans face an April 15 deadline for passing a budget … On
Sept. 30, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding ends … A law
passed by Congress in 2012 to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program
also is poised to expire after five years on Sept. 30 … Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) authorization will also expire on Sept. 30 … At the end of
the year, a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as
Section 702, will expire.”
DNC FIELD MAY WIDEN
Politico
survey indicates DNC race wide open: “…a POLITICO email survey of the 447
voting DNC members and follow-up interviews with more than two dozen national
and state Democratic officials reveal that [Rep. Keith Ellison] faces serious
hurdles … the overwhelming majority of the DNC respondents say they have yet to
make up their mind … some DNC members view the Minnesota congressman as part of
the faction that delivered a mortal wound to Clinton …
Mayor
de Blasio backs Ellison. NBC New quotess: “The Democratic Party stands at a
crossroads, and needs leadership that will expand our vision to more Americans —
while also intensifying our commitment to our core values. Keith Ellison is that
leader.”
South
Bend, IN mayor may enter race. Politico: “The 34-year-old [Pete] Buttigieg —
who was featured in a June New York Times op-ed titled, ‘The First Gay
President?’ — is testing the waters for a run…”
WIND FARM SUCCESS
First
offshore wind farm in operation. NYT: “…the country’s first offshore wind
farm, developed by a company called Deepwater Wind and helped along by [Rhode
Island’s] political leadership, started spinning its turbines to bring
electricity to Block Island … Mr. Trump has expressed skepticism of wind power,
saying in an interview with The New York Times that ‘the wind is a very
deceiving thing.'”
Arctic
in crisis. Time: “The report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) shows that in 2016 the Arctic experienced the warmest land
temperatures on record, the lowest snow cover on record and the lowest fall
sea-ice cover on record.”
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