by LowellHere are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, December 31. Happy New Year's to all of Blue Virginia's readers; let's all work for a happy, politically "blue" 2016! :) By the way, that photo of Jerry Seinfeld and President Obama is real ("Comedian Jerry Seinfeld knocks on the Oval Office window to begin a segment for his series, 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee'"). Also, thanks to President Obama for another year of economic recovery, major progress on dealing with global warming, the recapture of Ramadi, a glimmer of hope for a peace process in Syria, the Iran nuclear agreement (already bearing fruit, as Iran has shipped most of its enriched uranium to Russia for safekeeping), etc, etc, etc. Definitely one of our best presidents ever, even if it drives the right wing into potentially lethal "Obama Derangement Syndrome."
- Freakish weather runs from the top of the world to the bottom (Forget "climate change," this is climate CHAOS on a massive scale!)
- Wow, the Republicans really don’t understand how they created Donald Trump ("Conservative establishment will never figure this out unless they start talking honestly about their base and race")
- The 15 Most Ridiculous Things Conservative Media Said About Climate Change in 2015
- How Rubio helped his ex-con brother-in-law acquire a real estate license (Rubio "used his official position to urge state regulators to grant a real estate license to his brother-in-law, a convicted cocaine trafficker who had been released from prison 20 months earlier")
- Are Trump supporters driven by economic anxiety or racial resentment? Yes.
- Jeb Bush cancels Iowa TV buy, shifts money to ground game
- Activists protest plan to deport Central Americans with White House march
- Ted Cruz would leave a strongman alone and let terrorism fester
- Bill Cosby Charged in Sexual Assault Case (Long past time.)
- We weren’t ready for a black president: Race, hate, Donald Trump, guns, Fox News, terror and our tragic American condition ("Right-wing pseudo-statesmen haven't changed, grown up or dropped the race-baiting, even as Obama has delivered")
- He’s getting desperate: Trump’s campaign used to be confident, but Cruz has gotten him feeling downright thirsty ("Trump used to campaign on his self-confidence and arrogance, but lately his run has the stink of desperation")
- Does Rubio Even Want to Be President? ("The Florida senator doesn’t understand what it takes to win the White House.")
- Jeb the Destroyer ("Bush’s campaign strategy is a perfect capstone to the ineptitude of the Republican establishment.")
- Trump’s objections to Va. voter pledge are stirring divisions in state GOP (I'm lovin' it.)
- Trump's Va. campaign threatens legal action against state GOP
- GOP, Democrats begin process of selecting 5th District candidates (I've now had a chance to chat with both Democrats running for this seat, and am feeling optimistic about our chances in 2016, even in this slightly reddish-leaning district!)
- Long: Work still to do on ethics reform in Virginia
- 10 most-read Virginia politics stories of 2015 ("The McDonnells' continuing woes and the continuing soap opera that is Joe Morrissey were the big political stories of this year. " Two stupid soap operas. Blech.)
- Virginia inmates to court: Forbid 'dehumanizing conditions'
- RPV Brass Doubles Down on Anti-Trump Primary Vote Scheme, Pushes “Talking Points” to VA Unit Chairs to Combat Media Firestorm (Hahahahaha.)
- The GOP is Going Crazy and It Is Glorious (Repeat previous comment! LOL)
- Moulton: Time to Pull the Plug on the Loyalty Oath
- D.C. area forecast: Some glimpses of sun and a mild end to a very warm year
