A New Perspective on Constantine

(Worthy News) – Senate Republicans voted Tuesday to begin the debate on how to overhaul Obamacare, overcoming a series of false starts and setting up a weeklong showdown over options ranging from a full repeal to a complicated Republican replacement.

Yet their first try — on a replacement plan that Republican leaders drafted and redrafted for weeks to try to win over conservatives and moderates — was defeated hours later, with nine Republicans voting “no,” underscoring the uphill climb leaders face in trying to tailor a plan on the fly.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who has received a shocking brain cancer diagnosis, made a dramatic return to the chamber and, combined with Vice President Mike Pence’s tie-breaking vote, his support was enough to launch the debate. [ Source (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to toughen sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia in legislation expected also to be backed by the Senate.

The House voted 419-3 to pass the bill, a version of which had previously been approved by the Senate. The Senate bill — which only sanctioned Russia — was nullified under the constitutional provision that legislation raising revenue must originate in the House.

When House leadership took up the bill, they added additional sanctions on Iran and North Korea. [ Source (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – On the day the Senate moved on long-promised health-care legislation, President Donald Trump signaled his next priority: overhauling the tax code to push corporate rates down and give middle-class taxpayers a break, even if it means some of the wealthiest pay more.

“The people I care most about are the middle-income people in this country, who have gotten screwed,” Mr. Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, reiterating that he wants to bring down the corporate tax rate to 15%. “And if there’s upward revision it’s going to be on high-income people.”

“I have wealthy friends that say to me, ‘I don’t mind paying more tax,’ ” the president said.

He added that “we have to take care of middle-income people in this country. They built the country. They started this whole beautiful thing that we have. And we have to take care of them. And people have not taken care of them, and we’re going to.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The Justice Department issued a new warning to sanctuary cities Tuesday, saying they must prove they fully cooperate with immigration agents in order to claim federal law enforcement grant money.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said jurisdictions that don’t allow federal agents into their prisons and jails, and that refuse to give at least 48 hours’ notice before releasing illegal immigrants, will lose money.

“This is what the American people should be able to expect from their cities and states, and these long overdue requirements will help us take down MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs, and make our country safer,” he said. [ Source (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The United States and China said Tuesday they are making progress on a new U.N. resolution that would impose additional sanctions against North Korea following its test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The U.S. gave China a proposed resolution several weeks ago, and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters that China has been negotiating with its close ally Russia on possible new sanctions.

“The true test will be what they’ve worked out with Russia,” she said. [ Source:Washington Times (Read More…) ]