| | | | Victories have been few and far between for President Trump in his first year in office -- the result of a series of self-inflicted errors, sinking poll numbers and a decidedly fractious Republican Party.
But, on Tuesday afternoon, Trump won one -- or, at the very least, took a major step in the right direction toward securing the first real legislative accomplishment of his first year.
That win came in the form of Trump's tax cuts plan clearing the Senate Budget Committee, a prospect that seemed somewhat dicey even as the day began.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who had announced his opposition to the bill before Congress left for the Thanksgiving recess, decided to cast a vote for the measure to proceed to the Senate floor -- following an extended back-and-forth with Trump at the weekly GOP conference meeting on Tuesday.
So did Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, who had expressed significant reservations about how much the legislation would add to the deficit. (Corker is also someone who has been outspoken within the Republican Party about his doubts about Trump.)
Now. Before I get a bunch of emails from people that passing the tax cut bill through a committee with a GOP majority isn't the same thing as getting it through the full Senate and signed into law, let me say: Passing the tax cut bill through a committee with a GOP majority isn't the same thing as getting it through the full Senate and signed into law.
But this was a hurdle. And Trump cleared it. And every time you clear a hurdle in Congress, you gain the most precious commodity on Capitol Hill: Momentum.
There are still no guarantees about passage before the full Senate. But people like Corker, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) -- all of whom had been considered very much on the fence -- sounded positive about the direction the bill was headed after meeting with Trump on Tuesday afternoon.
That can change, especially since even the smallest tweak to a bill like this one can mean billions of dollars diverted here or there -- and the potential loss of a vote the White House was counting on.
Still. For a White House that has struggled to do even the most basic blocking and tackling when it comes to legislation, today is a step in the right direction.
Now comes the highest hurdle: Actually finding some way to make the tax cut bill law.
-- Chris | | CONYERS ACCUSATIONS CONTINUE | | CNN's Betsy Klein noticed a flier for new app #MeToo Network, created by engineer Ted Henderson (a former Hill staffer) outside Democratic Rep. John Conyers' office on Tuesday, the same day another former aide to the Michigan lawmaker accused him of sexual harassment. CNN'S Sara Ganim and Sarah Jorgensen report:
"Deanna Maher told CNN that Conyers made three sexual advances toward her when she worked for him in his district office in Detroit from 1997 to 2005. Maher says she considered telling her story over the years, but never went on the record with it until now. The Detroit-News first published her allegations Tuesday based on a 2013 interview with her. She told CNN last week that the societal moment of reckoning on issues of sexual harassment and abuse of power across the country gave her the confidence that she would finally be believed. "'For the young people that Conyers continually brought in ... I can't forget them. I cannot forget them,' Maher told CNN. 'I saw all the lives that were impacted by the system. I call it 'system' in Capitol Hill, of how these members protect each other.'"
Read more in CNN's full story here. | | "It is a situation that we will handle."
— President Trump on North Korea | | | | Wilco, 'Being There: Deluxe Edition,' courtesy of NPR's "First Listen." This album was Chris' college soundtrack. The previously unreleased tracks make a great thing even better. | | | Photo courtesy: Grammys/Screengrab | | Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday became the most recent politician to pick up a Grammy nomination for the spoken word category. The Vermont lawmaker was nominated with actor Mark Ruffalo for their spoken word album "Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In."
Others nominated in the category include late actress Carrie Fisher for "The Princess Diarist;" Shelly Peiken for "Confessions of a Serial Songwriter;" Bruce Springsteen for "Born To Run;" and Neil Degrasse Tyson for "Astrophysics For People In A Hurry."
Ruffalo tweeted out congratulations to the senator. "Honored to be a part of your wonderfully human #OurRevolution Book," he wrote.
Other politicians who have been nominated -- or won -- in the spoken word category include: Former presidents Jimmy Carter, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; Sens. Al Franken, Hillary Clinton and Everett Dirksen; and former Vice President Al Gore.
Read more in Saba's story here. | | ANOTHER DEPARTURE ON THE HORIZON | | Twenty-five years after his first election to Congress, Illinois US Rep. Luis Gutierrez announced he will not seek re-election next year in order to focus his efforts on helping to repair Puerto Rico. First elected in 1992, the Democrat -- one of the most vocal advocates for comprehensive immigration reform -- represents the only majority-Hispanic district in the Midwest.
In case you need a refresher, CNN has a full list of who's announced their plans to resign, retire or run for another office. | | CNN's Ryan Struyk writes:
It's the GOP's big gamble on tax reform, and it might just pay off. Does it matter if the Republican tax plan isn't revenue neutral? It's sure eye-popping that tax reform is slated to add more than $1.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. But a new Pew Research poll shows only 54% of Americans think the budget deficit is a "very serious" problem — down from a broad 75% in 2011 at the peak of tea party influence. That 54% number is similar to levels in 2003, 2004 and 2005. It's sunk roughly 20 points among each group, including a drop from 85% to 60% of Republicans who say it's a "very serious" problem. But it's still a gamble: A broad 66% of Americans (evenly split to include 67% of Democrats, 65% of Republicans and 70% of independents) say they aren't in favor of increasing the national deficit if it means you'll get a tax cut, per a new NPR/PBS/Marist poll. But when push comes to shove, does it matter enough? Time will tell.
Read more in Ryan's full story here. | | From CNN's Maegan Vazquez: Short-lived White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci defended President Donald Trump's racially charged swipe at Sen. Elizabeth Warren, saying it was justified in the context of their antagonistic relationship. "I don't think he'd be in the office if he didn't have that style," he told CNN's Chris Cuomo on "New Day."
Mooch also made headlines this week after Tufts University postponed his scheduled event following his legal attack on the student newspaper, The Tufts Daily. Per the Daily, the Mooch threatened to sue the paper for publishing two op-eds written by student Camilo A. Caballero, questioning whether Scaramucci should have an advisory role at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. On Tuesday, the Boston Globe reported Scaramucci resigned from the Tufts board. | | | Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi bailed on a meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday, leaving some empty seats at Trump's table. Don't bail on us: Tell everyone you know to subscribe to The Point. | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba. | | | | | | |
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