“A prison of political caution.” | Crooked Media
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July 11, 2019
Pod Save America
“A prison of political caution.”

In This Episode

The Affordable Care Act is in legal jeopardy, House Democrats argue over how to handle the latest Trump scandals, Tom Steyer runs for president, and our new PollerCoaster results show a 5-way tie for first. Then Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib joins to talk about Nancy Pelosi, impeachment, and the humanitarian crisis at our border.

Show Notes

ACA lawsuit

  • NYT: Appeals Court Seems Skeptical About Constitutionality of Obamacare Mandate
  • WaPo: Appeals judges question whether the ACA can stand without insurance penalty
  • LA Times – Federal appeals court appears skeptical of Obamacare, putting future of law in doubt
  • Texas Tribune – As Texas seeks to overturn Obamacare, attention focuses on a potential swing judge
  • Vox: The latest legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, explained
  • NPR: The Affordable Care Act Is Back In Court: 5 Facts You Need To Know
  • HuffPo: Obamacare Had Another Bad Day In Court. That’s Pretty Alarming.
  • WaPo: The Daily 202: Trump might win a Pyrrhic victory against Obamacare, as the balance of judicial power shifts his way
  • NY Mag – Suit to Destroy Obamacare Slouches Toward the Supreme Court
  • NYT: So You Want to Overturn Obamacare. Here Are Some Things That Would Be Headaches.
  • LA Times – Op-Ed by Jon Healey – The GOP’s nightmare scenario is playing out in its Obamacare lawsuit
  • WaPo: Trump’s Next Phase on Health Care: Everywhere and Nowhere
  • Roll Call – High-stakes lawsuit makes health care law a 2020 issue
  • Bloomberg – Winning the Obamacare Suit Would Be a Disaster for Republicans
  • WaPo: PowerPost  Analysis – The Health 202: The Obamacare lawsuit, by the numbers
  • Politico: Long-shot legal challenge could end Obamacare during the 2020 campaign
  • WaPo: GOP lies and bad faith are set to unleash an epic health-care disaster – Plumline
  • CNN: Obamacare’s fate will be at stake at 2020 ballot box as well as in court
  • The Atlantic – The Most Critical Argument Democrats Will Have in 2020
  • CNN: 2020 Democrats signal showdown over the future of health care
  • Vox: Abolish private insurance? It depends.
  • NYT: Democrat vs. Democrat: How Health Care Is Dividing the Party
  • WaPo: Voters have big health-care worries, but not the ones Democrats are talking about
  • Daily Beast: Dems Ran on Health Care in 2018. During the First 2020 Debate, It Sharply Divided Them
  • Politico: Democratic group’s poll shows Trump vulnerable with his base on health care

Investigation Hesitation

  • WaPo: Acosta defends wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s plea deal, says Epstein would’ve had no jail time if his office had not intervened
  • Politico: Acosta saves his job … for now
  • NYT: Acosta Defends His Role in Brokering Jeffrey Epstein Plea Deal
  • NYT: Cyrus Vance’s Office Sought Reduced Sex-Offender Status for Epstein
  • WaPo: The big question Acosta failed to answer
  • Bloomberg – Acosta Blames Grand Jury for Prostitution Charge: Epstein Update
  • The Hill – Pelosi calls for Acosta to step down over Epstein case
  • HuffPo: Nancy Pelosi On Trump Rape Allegation: ‘I Haven’t Paid Much Attention To It’
  • Vox: Pelosi on latest sexual assault allegation against Trump: “I don’t know what Congress’s role would be”
  • The Atlantic – Nancy Pelosi Would Prefer Not to
  • NYT: Jeffrey Epstein Was a ‘Terrific Guy,’ Donald Trump Once Said. Now He’s ‘Not a Fan.’
  • WaPo: Trump praises Acosta,who faces growing calls to resign over earlier Epstein case
  • Vanity Fair – “HE SAID NOT TO TELL ANYONE”: HOW TRUMP KEPT TABS ON JEFFREY EPSTEIN
  • NYT: Labor Secretary Acosta Faces Calls to Resign Over Epstein Case
  • The Atlantic – Instead of an Apology, Acosta Offers Epstein’s Victims Implicit Blame
  • The Atlantic – What Acosta Has Done Other Than Let Epstein Off the Hook
  • Vox: Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has no good answer for cushy Jeffrey Epstein plea deal
  • Mother Jones – “It’s an Uncomfortable Reality.” An Expert on How Jeffrey Epstein’s Case Isn’t All That Unique.
  • New Yorker – The Judicial System Finally Catches up to Jeffrey Epstein
  • The Intercept: JEFFREY EPSTEIN SHIPPED HIMSELF A 53-POUND SHREDDER AND A CARPET AND TILE EXTRACTOR, MARITIME RECORDS SHOW
  • Axios: What we know: The Jeffrey Epstein indictment
  • Axios: House panel requests Acosta’s testimony on Epstein’s 2008 plea deal
  • Newsweek – DEMOCRATS WHO VOTED FOR ACOSTA SAY THEY LACKED EPSTEIN CASE DETAILS, DESPITE CONFIRMATION HEARING QUESTION
  • Esquire – Democrats Should Cut Off Alex Acosta’s Paychecks
  • The Atlantic – Arresting Jeffrey Epstein Is Just the Start
  • WaPo: ‘Regrets is not what I do’: Pelosi defends her comment about four House women
  • Vox: Why Nancy Pelosi is at odds with House progressives over Twitter
  • NYT: Pelosi Appeals for Democratic Unity While Dressing Down Dissenters
  • WaPo: Twin challenges on budget, trade test withering Pelosi and Trump relationship
  • NY Mag – What Does Nancy Pelosi Think She’s Doing?
  • NYT: “Cuomo Signs a Bill to Allow Release of Trump’s State Tax Returns”
  • Politico: “Cuomo signs law allowing New York to hand over Trump’s taxes”
  • WaPo: “GOP scoffs at law allowing release of Trump’s state taxes”
  • Vox: “New York just gave Democrats another way to get Trump’s tax returns. Will they act?”
  • CNN: “New York gov signs law that would allow Congress to get Trump’s state tax returns”
  • WaPo: Op-ed by Cass Sunstein – Impeachment isn’t optional. If facts point in that direction, Congress must act.
  • Politico: Impeachment push freezes as Mueller testimony looms

2020

  • WaPo: Swalwell drops out of presidential race, will seek reelection to House
  • FiveThirtyEight – Why Eric Swalwell’s Campaign Failed
  • The Atlantic – What You Gain by Losing Quickly
  • Daily Beast – Good Riddance to ‘Another White Guy’
  • Vox: Rep. Eric Swalwell drops out of the Democratic 2020 presidential primary
  • Politico: Democratic field readies for the big shrink
  • WaPo: When do struggling 2020 candidates have to bail to run for another office?
  • The Atlantic – The Long-Shot Candidacy Conundrum
  • USA Today: As Swalwell drops out, 2020 candidates face similar question: Do I have a chance at winning?
  • NYT: Farewell, Swalwell: As One 2020 Democrat Drops Out, Will Others Follow?
  • NYT: Democrats Grapple With a Sprawling Primary Field, and No One to Shape It
  • FiveThirtyEight- Lanes Are Starting To Emerge In The 2020 Democratic Primary
  • Politico – Hickenlooper campaign in shambles
  • NYT: Tom Steyer Will Run for President and Plans to Spend $100 Million on His Bid
  • WaPo: Billionaire Tom Steyer says he will run for president after spurning the race earlier this year
  • Center for Public Integrity – 9 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TOM STEYER
  • Politico: Impeachment and environmental activist Tom Steyer announces presidential bid
  • FiveThirtyEight – Why We’re Not Treating Tom Steyer As A ‘Major’ Candidate (Yet)
  • Politico: STEYER’s presidential strategy
  • Politico: Tom Steyer unleashes TV ad blitz
  • Mother Jones – Tom Steyer Has a Big Advantage in the 2020 Race: Your Email Address
  • Politico: Steyer to draw on California methods in presidential bid
  • CNN: Why you should be skeptical of Tom Steyer 2020
  • WaPo: By David Weigel – The Trailer: Democrats weren’t really clamoring for another candidate
  • The Atlantic  Why Tom Steyer Changed His Mind on Running for President
  • Axios: How Tom Steyer made his fortune – By Felix Salmon
  • NYT Op-Ed by David Leonhardt – A Better Way to spend $100 Million
  • WaPo: Power Up: Steyer presidential bid sparks Democratic worries about congressional races
  • Vox: Tom Steyer — please, don’t run for president
  • WaPo: The Finance 202: Steyer’s wealth may put him at odds with direction of Democratic Party
  • Slate: How Many Florida Voters Could Tom Steyer Enfranchise for the Amount He Plans to Spend Running for President?

Rep. Rashida Tlaib

  • WaPo: ‘Outright disrespectful’: Four House women struggle as Pelosi isolates them
  • Politico: “’Do not tweet’: Pelosi scolds progressives in closed-door meeting”
  • NYT: “Pelosi Appeals for Democratic Unity While Dressing Down Dissenters”
  • NYT: “Tensions Between Pelosi and Progressive Democrats of ‘the Squad’ Burst Into Flame”
  • NYT: “‘It Feels Like a Jail’: Lawmakers Criticize Migrant Holding Sites on Border”
  • NYT: “From Celebrated to Vilified, House’s Muslim Women Absorb Blows Over Israel”
  • Vox: “Rashida Tlaib wants to give low-income adults $3,000 a year each, no questions asked”
  • NYT: “For Rashida Tlaib, Palestinian Heritage Infuses a Detroit Sense of Community”