If you read the Good News Roundup regularly, or if you just pay attention to the news, you know that things have been looking pretty good lately. The GOP was massacred in the midterms, the walls are closing in around the Trump Crime Syndicate, and the Mueller investigation just keeps chugging along. You’ll see some of that, as well as other positive and uplifting stories, in today’s Roundup. Good news has been abundant and easy to find over the last couple of months, which is why I changed my headline picture from a single bluebonnet pushing through the snow to fields of wildflowers like today’s photo, which I took near my house last spring.
Yet even now there are those who just can’t let go of their negativity. I checked out several DKos diaries this past week, which I rarely do anymore, and saw several examples of diarists trying to fill us with fear and pessimism. As one might expect, they had to stretch the truth and invent some unlikely scenarios in their attempts to spread doom and gloom. The best way to describe them is in the words of Bob Dylan:
While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society's pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole that he's in
A couple of these diaries fall into the category of Trump as Supervillian. Most have evolved beyond the silly idea that Trump will “cancel elections” and into bizarre claims that Trump will (and is allowed to) declare martial law just because he feels like it, as if ex parte Milligan and posse comitatus did not exist. Such panicky warnings about martial law are usually the fare of Infowars and its ilk; in the real world, Trump can no more frivolously declare military rule than he can decree that pi equals exactly 3.14. Or, to be more accurate, Trump can declare whatever he wants but, as we have seen repeatedly over the last two years, he would be smacked down immediately by the court system.
Corollary to this was a diary claiming that Nancy Pelosi had made a grave error by humiliating Trump during Tuesday’s White House reality show spectacle. The claim was made that, having been embarrassed, Trump would now unleash his full awesome power in some undefined way and that Ms Pelosi is especially vulnerable to whatever the diarist thinks Trump will do. The sexism of this notion is unexpected on DKos. The idea expressed is that Ms Pelosi should not have talked back to an unstable man and is only bringing future abuse on herself by doing so. And, as is almost always the case with doomsayers, the whole idea is beyond the bounds of reality, unless one can find a way to prove that Ms Pelosi is a frail and vulnerable female.
I’ll pause here and post a picture of this frail and vulnerable female while I wait for you to stop laughing.
Trump can and has done a lot of damage, but he is not an evil wizard who can rain down hellfire with a wave of his hand. The GOP counts on our fear to keep them in power. By now one would think that they have stepped on enough rakes to be objects of scorn rather than terror, but some folks choose to see nothing but darkness, even if they have to close their eyes to do so.
I could go on about people who complain about the slow pace of the Mueller investigation even as indictments and convictions keep dropping like rain, or who claim that the Democratic Party is surely doomed in 2020 because (fill in the blank) is running for the presidential nomination, or any number of far-fetched reasons to despair. But you came here for the good news, and I intend to deliver.
But before we return to the land of reality, let’s provide equal time for the Gloomy Guses and Negative Nancy’s to have their say.
Alright, let’s get down to it. Good news is our business, and business has been good.
RUMBLINGS THAT TRUMP WILL NOT FINISH HIS FIRST TERM
In the wake of the bombshell statement in the Cohen plea agreement that he acted at the direction of Trump, there are reports that several congressional Republicans are facing up to the possibility that Trump’s White House days may be numbered.
Appearing on the PBS News Hour, longtime New York Times columnist David Brooks said that the rumblings he is hearing from Republican lawmakers is that they feel President Donald Trump may not serve out his full term as the White House spirals into chaos.
Appearing with liberal stalwart Mark Shields, Brooks — long a voice of mainstream conservatism — said Republicans are rightfully concerned by the findings released by special counsel Robert Mueller on Friday afternoon that could be used in impeachment hearings against Trump.
Most interesting to me is this sentence.
He then went on to add that some Republican lawmakers are speculating they won’t have Trump as a millstone around their necks when the 2020 elections come around.
I’ve long thought that many in the GOP will back Trump only as long as it benefits them to do so. If it becomes clear that he is “a millstone around their necks,” he’ll be lucky to make it to next spring.
LA Times reporter Eli Stokols is hearing the same kind of talk on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump is facing “looming problem” as Republicans contemplate abandoning the president as more evidence of wrongdoing comes to light, Los Angeles Times White House reporter Eli Stokols explained on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House” on Monday.✂️
“...there is some understanding, I think, inside the White House of just how dark it may be getting, especially in terms of conversations — private conversations — that people there are having with Republicans on the Hill who are starting to be concerned,” Stokols reported.
“Republican lawmakers who are — have a huge role to play in this if it goes forward — are starting to tell me privately, some of them, that, you know, if there’s obvious evidence, the bottom is going to fall out,” he explained.
“They’re not going to be able to stand by this White House and that’s a looming problem for the president,” he concluded.
TRUMP CONSIDERS IMPEACHMENT “A REAL POSSIBILITY”
If even he can see the writing on the wall, it must be very clear indeed.
President Donald Trump has expressed concern that he could be impeached when Democrats take over the House, a source close to the President told CNN Monday. The source said Trump sees impeachment as a "real possibility."✂️
A separate source close to the White House told CNN that aides inside the West Wing believe "the only issue that may stick" in the impeachment process is the campaign finance violations tied to former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's payouts to Trump's alleged mistresses.
Impeachment talk has ratcheted up in recent days following a blockbuster filing from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. In that filing, prosecutors directly alleged for the first time that Cohen was being directed by Trump when he broke the law during the 2016 presidential campaign.✂️
These beliefs about the politics at play in impeachment proceedings are based on what White House officials believe Mueller has on Trump right now. It's still unclear exactly where else the special counsel's probe could go.
Of course, Trump has threatened a popular revolution if he is impeached. But while it’s true that Trump supporters are revolting, any Nervous Nellies worried about a civil war should remember this:
NANCY PELOSI AGREES TO DEAL ENSURING HER ELECTION AS SPEAKER
The deal includes an agreement that Ms Pelosi will remain Speaker for no more than four years.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has very likely sewn up the support she needs to become speaker of the House next year when the new Congress is sworn in.
In a deal struck with a group of House Democrats who had vowed to vote against the longtime Democratic leader in next month's House speaker election, the California lawmaker agreed to term limits that would see her hold the post through 2022 at the latest.
The agreement ensures Pelosi will easily have the 218 votes she needs to win the speakership on the House's first ballot.
"Over the summer, I made it clear that I see myself as a bridge to the next generation of leaders," Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday evening announcing the agreement, "a recognition of my continuing responsibility to mentor and advance new Members into positions of power and responsibility in the House Democratic Caucus."
This is good news because the primary challenge to Pelosi came a small group of Democratic lawmakers who chose to ignore the message of the midterms and attempted to drag the party to the right. After their clumsy attempt to deny her the speakership, let’s hope they will have no influence on the House’s direction in 2019.
RICK SANTORUM SAYS NO TO WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF ROLE
At the rate things are going, Trump’s going to be left with a choice of Alex Jones or Ted Nugent. Even Rick Santorum is not desperate enough for relevance to consider the least-desired job in Washington.
The search for President Donald Trump’s next apprentice White House chief of staff continues after twice-failed GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum turned down the prospect live on CNN.✂️
“I think it’s a great job and I know that there are a lot of good people out there,” Santorum told Burnett, adding that “my family situation really doesn’t allow me to do that right now.”
I think that’s the first time anyone’s used the “spend more time with my family” line before even being hired.
And now, as is our wont, we’ll take a musical break before getting to even more good news.
SENATE DEFIES TRUMP AND REVERSES DONOR DISCLOSURE RULE
It’s not often that we get good news out of the Senate, and today we have two great stories. First, yesterday the Republican-controlled chamber decided yesterday that Trump’s rule shielding disclosure of the identity of donors to political nonprofits would not stand.
The Senate passed legislation Wednesday to reverse a Trump administration policy limiting donor disclosure requirements for political nonprofits in a rare rebuke to the White House.
In a 50-49 vote, the Senate approved a resolution from Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) that would block the recent Treasury Department change to IRS forms allowing political nonprofits to avoid listing some donors.
While the bill will not be allowed to come to a vote in the House, this bodes well for next session when the GOP will lose control of the lower chamber.
And there’s more from the Senate:
SENATE VOTES TO HONOR “HIDDEN FIGURES” MATHEMATICIANS
It’s recognition long overdue. The Senate has voted to award Congressional Gold Medals to the four African-American women who were important contributors to NASA’s early success.
...
the U.S. Senate passed a bill to honor Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden with the Congressional Gold Medal they so richly deserve.
The four women will be honored for their work at NASA, which was also the subject of the book, Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, which was later adapted for the film, Hidden Figures.
“These four remarkable women and their contribution to the success of the Space Race remained unacknowledged for far too long,” Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, who introduced the Senate bill, said in a shared statement. “We are thrilled that their achievements while at NASA Langley, particularly during a tough period of racial inequality, continue to be brought to light. This recognition will help carve their rightful place in history and inspire a new generation of diverse women to lead the way in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.”
KANSAS STATE SENATOR LEAVES THE GOP, BECOMES A DEMOCRAT
Something is definitely happening in Kansas. After electing a Democratic Governor and one Democratic US Representative, the Sunflower State saw one of its state Senate seats flip without even having an election, as yet another person came to the realization that there can no longer be any moderate Republicans.
A Kansas state senator has switched parties from Republican to Democrat, saying she cannot be complicit in supporting President Donald Trump.
Sen. Barbara Bollier’s switch was dramatic but not entirely surprising. The Mission Hills lawmaker has a long history of bucking Republican leadership, and had endorsed Democrat Laura Kelly for governor. Her district also leans Democratic.
She cited Trump as a factor in her decision, as well as a state Republican party platform change on transgender identity. She has also clashed with Republicans on a number of issues, from Medicaid expansion to gay rights.
“I cannot be complicit in supporting that,” Bollier said, referring to Trump’s presidency. “I can’t call it leadership. I don’t even know what to call him. He is our president, but he is not representing my value system remotely.”
NATIONAL ENQUIRER OWNER ADMITS PAYOFFS TO HELP TRUMP CAMPAIGN
The noose tightened a little more as American Media said they had paid one of Trump’s mistresses for her silence in order to aid the Trump campaign in 2016.
The owner of the National Enquirer has admitted the company paid off a former Playboy model to squelch her account of an alleged sexual affair that could have jeopardized Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
New York federal prosecutors on Wednesday disclosed that the intent of a $150,000 payment American Media Inc. gave the woman in August 2016 "was to suppress the model's story so as to prevent it from influencing the election."
While AMI was not prosecuted, this still matters.
In other words, this was clearly not “a private matter” and was clearly intended to influence the election.
As if the Trump Crime Syndicate wasn’t already awash in “very bad news.” Looks like there’s more bad days in store for Trump and his enablers.
NO SECOND TRY FOR SOUTH DAKOTA “BATHROOM BILL”
South Dakota state Senator Fred Deutsch has given up on his attempt to oppress transgender people in South Dakota.
The sponsor of an unsuccessful bill to restrict the bathrooms South Dakota transgender students could use says he won't try again when he returns to the Legislature this session.✂️
Deutsch's decision comes as a supportive governor will take office in January. Republican Gov.-elect Kristi Noem has said she would have signed the bill.
I guess gender fascism is staring to lose some of its cachet even among Republicans.
WORLD’S BIGGEST CONTAINER SHIP OPERATOR PLEDGES TO ELIMINATE ITS CARBON EMISSIONS ENTIRELY
Container shipping is especially harmful to the environment, since it uses an unusually dirty form of fuel. But now Maersk, which runs 20% of the world’s container ships, is pledging to eliminate its use of that and any other fuel which adds to climate-changing carbon emissions.
If you’ve ever seen a shipping container, there’s a good chance it has said “Maersk” on the side. That’s because the Danish group AP Moller Maersk is the world’s largest container shipping company and ships one out of every five containers worldwide. Those many football field sized, mini cities on water also run on bunker fuel, which is the leftover hot dog parts of the oil world, making its transportation significantly dirtier than even typical hydrocarbons like gas or even diesel.
But that’s set to change as the line pledges to go carbon neutral by 2050. And while that initially may sound like too little, too late there is a lot of good news to unpack here…
According to an FT report, Maersk’s COO heralded the news:
“We will have to abandon fossil fuels. We will have to find a different type of fuel or a different way to power our assets. This is not just another cost-cutting exercise. It’s far from that. It’s an existential exercise, where we as a company need to set ourselves apart. We’ve been able to absorb the last 10 years’ growth without adding to CO2 emissions. It’s a good starting point but it’s not enough . . . Not just governments and countries, but also companies and industries need to make a change. The maritime industry and Maersk need to take their responsibility,” he added.
Maersk spun off its Oil division earlier this year to Total. That in of itself rid the company of the footprint of about 600,000 barrels of oil a day.
IS THIS GOOD NEWS? I REPORT, YOU DECIDE
BETO O’ROURKE MEETS WITH OBAMA, GETS SUPPORT OF MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR PRESIDENTIAL RUN
If you like the idea of Beto running for President, you’ll be glad to hear that he is attracting notice and support from the Obama wing of the Democratic party. Last month he had a meeting with the former President and appears to be drawing the backing of some former Obama aides.
Beto O’Rourke, weighing whether to mount a 2020 presidential bid, met recently with Barack Obama at his post-presidency offices in Washington.
The meeting, which was held on Nov. 16 at the former president’s offices in Foggy Bottom, came as former Obama aides have encouraged the Democratic House member to run, seeing him as capable of the same kind of inspirational campaign that caught fire in the 2008 presidential election.
The meeting was the first sign of Obama getting personally involved in conversations with O’Rourke, who despite his November loss in a U.S. Senate race in Texas has triggered more recent discussion and speculation than any other candidate in the burgeoning 2020 field.
O’Rourke has also gained some significant fundraising support.
One of former President Obama’s major fundraisers during his 2008 campaign has vowed to raise money for Texas Democrat Beto O’Rourke if he runs in 2020.
Chicago financier Louis Susman said he is encouraging O’Rourke, a rising Democratic star who narrowly lost a Senate race to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), to run against President Trump, CNN reported Friday.
Susman has served as one of the Democratic Party’s most prolific fundraisers, previously working as the finance chairman for John Kerry’s 2004 presidential run.
Beto also won a straw poll at Moveon.org, which endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016.
JULIAN CASTRO SET TO BECOME SECOND OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
Texans seem to be lining up for the Democratic 2020 primary. Former San Antonio mayor and Obama HUD head Julian Castro is taking the first serious steps towards a run for the White House, and plans a formal announcement next month.
Former Obama housing chief Julian Castro says he’s taking a step toward a possible White House campaign in 2020 by forming a presidential exploratory committee. The Texas Democrat tells The Associated Press that he will announce a decision Jan. 12.
The move Wednesday gives the 44-year-old former San Antonio mayor an early start to what’s shaping up as a crowded Democratic field without a clear front-runner to challenge President Donald Trump.
Castro indicated in an AP interview that his mind was all but made up.
Castro would be the second officially declared candidate after Maryland’s John Delaney, who announced his run in July, 2017 and hasn’t been seen nor heard from since.
And on that ambiguous note I’m going to wrap up today’s Roundup. Remember to keep on pushing, take time out for yourself when you need to, and don’t let the naysayers bring you down.
And, as always, if this isn’t enough good news for you, go out and make some of your own.
Play us out, boys…