The Healthcare Vote

Thursday, July 27, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The senate healthcare bill is going to the floor without the votes to pass any of its various forms. Right now the plan is just to start debate and allow amendments and hope that some kind of consensus will be reached. Is this an act of desperation or a back-door way to get the Democrats involved? Over the next two days before our meeting, a lot could happen or nothing at all, if the Republican leadership decides to delay again. We will cover the floor fight if anything interesting develops. If not we will cover how healthcare could be solved. We will start with this video:

• Confusion and mystery shroud health care bill ahead of Senate vote

------------------------------------------ Updated 7/27/17 ----------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• GOP struggles to unite ahead of pivotal health care vote
• Senators Don't Know What's In The Healthcare Plan They Passed
• Inside the dramatic Senate vote to start health care debate
• What John McCain's Health Care Vote Really Means
• The Senate GOP’s best shot at a health care bill after other ideas fail
• Dean Heller under pressure
• ‘We will be in a single payer system’ within 7 years

The Donald Trump Jr. Emails

Thursday, July 20, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Yes, we will talk about the Donald Trump Jr. emails. At first, this story seemed to be another tempest that would blow over. But then on Friday, while Trump was in France for Bastille Day, the story broke that there was also a former Russian spy in the meeting, that Trump Jr. had not mentioned. So the story continued over the weekend and into this week. With Jared Kushner's security clearance in jeopardy, the story has least a few more days to play.

Here are the videos for the coverage before Friday:

• Donald Trump Jr. Reminds Everyone How Incompetent His Dad's Administration Is
• Donald Trump Jr. Is His Own 'Deepthroat'
• Reaction to Trump Jr. emails pours in from Capitol Hill
• Krauthammer on Trump Jr.: 'I love it' are the fatal words
• Timeline Is Now Evidence
• Trump furious over emails
• Trump in France defends son
• Gingrich slams idea Trump Jr. meeting was Russian 'set up'

There are a lot more videos to cover the events since Friday. The videos will be selected before our meeting.

--------------------------------- Updated 7/20/17 -------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Russian-American lobbyist was in the meeting with Trump Jr.
• Chris Wallace & Shep. Smith Is Fed Up With Trump
• Russia developments have little effect on Trump’s base

Missile Defense for the North Korean Threat

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For our next meeting, we will talk about the missile treat from North Korea, the diplomatic efforts to thwart it, and the state of missile defense. Here are the videos:

• The growing North Korean nuclear threat, explained
• Action against North Korea at UN Security Council meeting
• US, China at odds over path forward in Korean nuclear crisis
• Secretary Mattis downplays talk of war with North Korea
• S. Korea, U.S., Japan agree to up financial sanctions to get China involved on N. Korea
• G20 leaders to discuss North Korea crisis
• Is America prepared for a confrontation with North Korea?
• Facing the North Korea threat
• The state of our Missile Defense
• Missile Defense Countermeasures

A Tweet Too Far

Thursday, July 6, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Last Thursday, Trump tweeted an insult to Joe and Mika, cohosts on the MSNBC talk show "Morning Joe", which went too far and was condemned by many Trump supporters. In spite of all the pressing issues, such as the Senate healthcare bill and the G20 summit, the nation's attention was focused on the fallout from this Trump tweet. At least until Sunday, when another Trump tweet, this time against CNN, shifted the discussion to violence against the media.

I am still going through the videos so I do not have a complete agenda, but we will start with these video from last Thursday:

• This Is What's Wrong With The American President
• This Is What It's Like in a Banana Republic
• Counter-puncher Trump delivers self-inflicted wound

------------------------------------------- Updated 7/7/17 -----------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Mika and Joe Respond to President Trump
• Mika and Joe Say Something Nice About Trump