All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[Tami]

How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill

WASHINGTON — The House voted 227-203 on Tuesday to pass the Republican tax overhaul bill. The Times tracked how every representative voted, live from the House chamber.

In my state, four Republicans voted no, but that doesn't get them off the hook for this tax bill mess. I am certain that if Paul Ryan told them that they need every vote to pass it, that they would have switched their vote to yes.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill



In my state, four Republicans voted no, but that doesn't get them off the hook for this tax bill mess. I am certain that if Paul Ryan told them that they need every vote to pass it, that they would have switched their vote to yes.

In my state of Pennsylvania, each and every Republican voted for that abominable bill. No surprise there, but it's still revolting.

[Tami]

In my state of Pennsylvania, each and every Republican voted for that abominable bill. No surprise there, but it's still revolting.

Not sure how it is in Pennsylvania, but the common belief here in NJ is that each of those four Republican seats is highly vulnerable to being flipped. We have some good candidates and a strong movement to do what we can to take back Congress.

So each one knows how at risk they are, which is the only reason why they voted no.

[Tami]

Fox News contributor, channeling Alex Jones, suggests FBI plot to assassinate Trump

For weeks, Fox News and far-right pundits have been working overtime to discredit the FBI and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference in the U.S. 2016 presidential election. Fox contributors have suggested that a “coup” could be in the works against the administration.

But on Tuesday, the criticism hurtled across an even more extreme line, when Fox News contributor Kevin Jackson suggested the FBI might have had plans to assassinate President Trump. It’s a conspiracy theory that has already been percolating on the extreme fringe, the petri dish for much of the “deep state” rhetoric. And Jackson’s comments on are a case study of how fringe whispers can quickly slip into prime time cable.

Jackson was making an appearance Tuesday afternoon on Fox News’s “Outnumbered.” Flanked by four regular Fox guests, Jackson was talking about text messages sent by FBI agent Peter Strzok, who later joined Mueller’s team, worrying about Trump’s candidacy and mentioning an “insurance policy” against a Trump presidency. As the discussion kicked off, the panel chewed over the implications.

[Tami]

And as if things aren't insane enough

A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

Federal officials on Tuesday ended a moratorium imposed three years ago on funding research that alters germs to make them more lethal.

Such work can now proceed, said Dr. Francis S. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, but only if a scientific panel decides that the benefits justify the risks.

Some scientists are eager to pursue these studies because they may show, for example, how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine.

Critics say these researchers risk creating a monster germ that could escape the lab and seed a pandemic.

[Tami]

School flooded with blankets after girl's plaintive letter to Santa

(CNN)When teacher Ruth Espiricueta asked her first-grade class to write letters to Santa Claus, she wasn't expecting what would happen next.

One girl, Crystal Pachecho, 7, asked Santa only for food, a blanket and a ball for her brothers to play with.

Now their elementary school in rural Texas is being flooded with donated blankets from around the world.

"It all started with a discussion about our needs and wants," Espiricueta told CNN. "We talked about needs and what we wanted to survive."

Espiricueta teaches at Monte Cristo Elementary in Edinburg, Texas, some 30 miles north of the Mexico border.

hen the school's principal shared the Facebook post and started a blanket drive.

"We have 724 kids on our campus. How do you select a few to help?" said Principal Diane Smith.

Just in a few days, they surpassed their initial goal of 724 blankets. To date, the school has received about 900 blankets, and they are still coming in, said Romeo Cantu, a spokesman for the school district.

Most of the school district's 30,000 students live in poverty, and "the majority of my students are in need like that," Espiricueta said.

But for many of them, Christmas this year will be a little warmer. Blankets have come from as far away as New Zealand and Germany -- a global response to a young girl's simple letter to the North Pole.

[Kevinroc]

How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill



In my state, four Republicans voted no, but that doesn't get them off the hook for this tax bill mess. I am certain that if Paul Ryan told them that they need every vote to pass it, that they would have switched their vote to yes.

Two Republicans in my state voted no. Darrel Issa and Dana Rohrabacher. Issa BARELY won his last election. He's going down in 2018. And seeing Rohrbacher go down will be pretty nice too.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

We will vote them all out . We will make our votes matter and once gain control demand a Democratic Congress scrap this. As someone told Joy Reid , show them they work for us . Take it all from them.

[mojotastic]

And as if things aren't insane enough

A Federal Ban on Making Lethal Viruses Is Lifted

I am all for the progress of science, if there is a chance of creating antibiotics from bird flu, why not take it?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I am all for the progress of science, if there is a chance of creating antibiotics from bird flu, why not take it?

Given the stupid people in this administration , do you really wanna risk they create a super virus by accident ? Its like telling the 3 Stooges to work at some top secret lab.

[TheInvisibleMan]

so Chris Murphy (one of ours from CT) is trying his best to advocate for not being stupid, and some local idiot here in the town I live (inspired by Trump) is going to run against him next term

says he thinks Murphy is a career politician who needs to learn a lesson

meanwhile he's some idiot hockey dad who runs a landscaping company

[JBatmanFan05]

No matter all the lies spewed about this bill....

NPR: The average household would get a tax cut of $1,610 in 2018 according to Tax Policy Center

[TheInvisibleMan]

No matter all the lies spewed about this bill....

NPR: The average household would get a tax cut of $1,610 in 2018 according to Tax Policy Center

what do they mean by "average household"?

median income of.....?

[mojotastic]

Given the stupid people in this administration , do you really wanna risk they create a super virus by accident ? Its like telling the 3 Stooges to work at some top secret lab.

I dont think Trump will be the one at the laboratories, is more probably to see the ebola virus resurface in some African country than letting some deadly virus escape.

[Kirby101]

No matter all the lies spewed about this bill....

NPR: The average household would get a tax cut of $1,610 in 2018 according to Tax Policy Center

A misleading stat. But to be expected. Did you think no one would check your right wing talking point?

However, extremes make averages, and the benefits would be much larger for richer households. A household earning $1 million or more would get an average cut of $69,660, an income bump of 3.3 percent. Compare that with the a tax cut of $870, or 1.6 percent, for the average household earning $50,000 to $75,000.

For example, the bill changes tax rates across income brackets, increases the standard deduction and increases the child tax credit — but only until the end of 2025.

As a result, the Tax Policy Center predicts that in 2027, the average tax cut would amount to $160, or just a 0.2 percent income bump.

This would mean a tiny tax bump for many lower- and middle-class households — the average $50,000 to $75,000 — earning household would have a tax bill that is $30 higher than today. The average household earning more than $1 million would get a cut of more than $23,000.

https://www.npr.org/2017/12/19/57175...e-middle-class