Today’s edition of quick hits:
* I’ll have more on this tomorrow: “Republicans in the House and Senate have reached an agreement in principle on their sweeping tax package that will slash individual and corporate rates, White House and GOP sources said Wednesday.”
* It’s almost as if Republicans are trying to get Trump to fire Mueller: “Republicans in Congress redoubled their attacks on the integrity of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation Wednesday, in what analysts believe is a concerted political strategy designed to discredit any potential Mueller findings that could argue for the impeachment of the president.”
* The latest failed con: “Here’s a new way to fight back attempts to spread fake news: file a police report. That’s what Senator Chuck Schumer’s staff did on Tuesday in reporting to the Capitol Police the existence of a fraudulent document that described false allegations against the New York Democrat.”
* The Federal Reserve “raised interest rates by one-quarter of a point on Wednesday, in a widely expected move that signifies the central bank’s confidence that the economy is continuing to strengthen.”
* Only two days remain: “Over 1 million people chose insurance through the federal health care exchange last week as open enrollment approaches its Dec. 15 deadline. But the total number is likely to fall short of last year, which featured both a longer enrollment period and a far more robust outreach campaign from the White House.”
* Signing statement: “President Trump signed a $700 billion defense policy bill Tuesday, saying the United States military “has got to be perfecto.” But less than three hours later, he pointed out the bill’s imperfections in a signing statement. Among them: A variety of provisions lawmakers included to force a more aggressive U.S. policy toward Russia.” * TRMS viewers will recognize this name: “Kaspersky Lab, a Russian cybersecurity firm, has long asserted its independence of the Russian government. But a court document posted on the Facebook page of a Russian criminal suspect this year shows what appears to be an unusual degree of closeness to the FSB, the country’s powerful security service.” * Best wishes for a speedy recovery: “Rep. Mo Brooks announced on the House floor Wednesday he has high-risk prostate cancer. He will be receiving surgery Friday.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
