To the horror of a nation still celebrating Roy Moore’s defeat, House and Senate Republicans reached a compromise on their noxious tax plan, putting it on schedule for a vote next week.
Liberals might be pleasantly surprised by how liberal Alabama’s senator-elect Doug Jones is for a deep-South Democrat. National Democrats seem particularly impressed that he held to the pro-choice line in the face of withering anti-abortion attacks.
Alabama Republicans got more bad news yesterday: Rep. Mo Brooks, a Freedom Caucus kook elected in 2010 and second runner-up in the primary for the Senate race Moore just lost, announced he has prostate cancer. This is the guy who defended higher rates for pre-existing conditions by saying rates should be lower for people who “lead good lives.”
A Kentucky state rep and preacher killed himself after allegations surfaced that he molester a 17-year-old in 2013.
The pattern is becoming clear: Nominate a batch of hardcore horribles to federal positions — judgeships, say — let the media focus on the kookiest, and sacrifice those few so the many get through. Yesterday’s example: two clearly unqualified judicial nominees withdrew, the one who’s never tried a case and the one who thinks transgendered people are part of Satan’s plan.
HuffPo hears whispers about Paul Ryan resigning the Speakership after the tax bill passes. Makes no sense to me, but I don’t follow the House closely.
Daily Kos is going all in on Kirsten Gillibrand for 2020 with this love letter praising her guts and leadership on the sexual assault issue.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called on the administration to scuttle the proposed Monsanto-Beyer merger on anti-trust grounds. Dow-DuPont would love that, but what are the odds Trump will pass up another dig at a favorite target?
Add anything else you find interesting or important.