David Swanson lists at least a dozen better reasons to impeach President Trump than the ongoing saga over Russian involvement in the 2016 elections (and in the subsequent Trump Administration). They're better reasons not only because they describe a historic animus on Mr. Trump's part toward our Constitution and our heritage, but because they're all a lot easier to prove than Russian hacking. I admit the timing of Mr. Comey's firing (and Mr. Trump's behavior during and afterward!) is suspicious, but couldn't it be that Mr. Trump wants you to think there's more to this Russia thing than there really is?
Bots apparently leave over 125,000 anti-net neutrality comments with the FCC -- at least some of them "signed" by people who deny having left them or even having strong feelings one way or the other about net neutrality. If the FCC can't (or won't!) keep fake comments off its net neutrality proceedings, I'd think that would be legal grounds for reversing any eventual anti-net neutrality order coming from the FCC, though the damage done in the meantime by a corporate junk news internet would be great. Wait, let me guess what the Trump Klan will say: there is no Constitutional right to a public comment period that actually works the way it's supposed to work.
I must admit I'm a little surprised that Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) even did a town hall meeting with constituents after writing the nefarious pre-existing conditions amendment that got it through the House, but I'm still not willing to give him an ounce of credit even for enduring five hours of hostility -- you should know when you do evil that people are going to be mad about it, and that they're going to speak out about it. This is America, after all. Great bit: Mr. MacArthur says "I’m looking at an insurance market that is collapsing," and a constituent yells, "that's because you drilled holes in it!"
Electric car-manufacturing corporation Tesla announces that it'll start selling and installing solar roof shingles this year. The price of installation is pretty up there ($65,000), but that was about the price of a system based on solar panels a dozen years ago; I expect the price will come down for the shingle-system, too. And I expect that'll be true even if no one steps up to compete with Tesla on these solar roof shingles -- I mean, there aren't that many rich people in America, and if you want to keep making money, sooner or later you'll have to sell to people who aren't rich.
Finally, in a marvelous surprise, the Senate rejects the "resolution of disapproval" aiming to repeal methane emissions limits on public lands in a 51-49 vote. Three Republicans -- Sens. McCain (AZ), Graham (SC), and Collins (ME) voted against it, and though all three have plausible reasons for doing so, David Dayen theorizes that Mr. McCain might have sunk the resolution out of anger over Mr. Comey's firing. He also says Mr. McConnell might have counted on two Democrats (Heidtkamp of North Dakota and Manchin of West Virginia) to vote for the resolution, which would have been unusually politically inept of him, but it would explain why he would have allowed Sens. Collins and Graham to vote against the resolution -- to burnish their otherwise largely-unearned "moderate" and "maverick" bona fides without sinking it. No doubt he'll let his caucus indulge in even less fake independence after this defeat.
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