On his administration’s first full workday, the President got to work, work, work, work, work. Here are the 5 things you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Donald Trump
The first full workday of the Trump administration seemed to go a lot smoother than the weekend did. The President signed some executive orders, met with business leaders, got some Cabinet picks confirmed and his press secretary made nice with the media. But Trump slipped into some old habits, like saying once again (with no evidence) that voter fraud cost him millions of votes during the election. Or bringing up the size of his inauguration crowd with congressional leaders (He just can’t let that one go.).
2. Trade
America is officially out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump fulfilled one of his main campaign promises when he signed an executive order pulling the US out. The 12-nation trade deal was a big deal for former President Obama, but it became downright toxic during Campaign 2016, with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders joining Trump in denouncing it. The President says he’ll negotiate new deals with other countries. Critics say he just handed China a huge economic victory.
3. Obamacare
If a state likes its Obamacare, it can keep it. The promise is at the center of an Obamacare replacement plan pushed by a pair of GOP senators. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Susan Collins of Maine say their plan would let states choose to either stay with the Affordable Care Act or go with whatever health care replacement the Republicans come up with.
4. Brexit
Brexit’s going to have to go through parliament. Britain’s Supreme Court ruled this morning that the UK must hold a vote there before starting the process of getting out of the EU. Well, that’s a bugaboo for Prime Minister Theresa May. She wanted to start the heavy lifting on this in March. Taking this to lawmakers will unquestionably slow down that timetable.
5. Weather
2017’s not even a month old and already it’s been more deadly than 2016. Tornadoes that raged through the South over the weekend killed 19 people. In all of 2016 just 17 people were killed by twisters. Ground zero for this year’s carnage is Georgia. That’s where the bulk of the deaths (15) occurred and where there’s six people missing, including a 2-year-old boy. A resident at one trailer park that was hit by a tornado says he saw people “tossed through the air.” Weather woes are hitting other parts of the country too. There were three weather-related deaths in California and one in Pennsylvania. A nor’easter wreaked havoc on the Eastern seaboard overnight, bringing heavy r
BREAKFAST BROWSE
The best …
Oscar nominations are out this morning (8:18 a.m. ET, to be exact). So check in later with CNN to see if your favorite movie or actor made the cut.
… and the worst
Which was worse, “Zoolander 2” or “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?” Some choices you shouldn’t have to make. Thankfully the Razzies do it for us.
Just stick to salads?
Add this to the list of foods that might kill you: burnt toast. A campaign in the UK says burnt toast carries a cancer risk, but others say it’s not that simple.
No fear
Seven marathons. In seven days. On seven continents. That’s challenging, but BethAnn Telford’s already faced down a monster challenge — brain cancer.
RIP
He was walking across the country — barefoot — to make a point about climate change. But his trek came to a tragic end in the Florida panhandle.
WHAT’S FOR LUNCH
Voting day
The Senate Judiciary Committee is due to vote on Jeff Sessions’ nomination for attorney general this morning, but Dems are expected to try to delay the vote for another week. But in the end the GOP is in control in the Senate, so his nomination should pass. Elaine Chao (transportation secretary), Wilbur Ross (commerce secretary) and Nikki Haley (UN ambassador) are all expected to get the OK from committees when their nominations are voted on today.
AND FINALLY …
Balls of fun
He made a beanbag filled with giant Orbeezs, because, well, why not? (Click to view)