Obama Policies in Peril as New Congress Gets Started and More You Missed in Politics Today

It’s difficult to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in this country and to break through the clutter, so we’re here to make it easier. Here’s what we at Countable are reading today:

1. "With new Congress poised to convene, Obama’s policies are in peril"

"The most powerful and ambitious Republican-led Congress in 20 years will convene Tuesday, with plans to leave its mark on virtually every facet of American life — refashioning the country’s social safety net, wiping out scores of labor and environmental regulations and unraveling some of the most significant policy prescriptions put forward by the Obama administration."

"Even before President-elect Donald J. Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, giving their party full control of the government, Republicans plan quick action on several of their top priorities — most notably a measure to clear a path for the Affordable Care Act’s repeal."

Read more at the New York Times.

2. "Trump questions quest for cybersecurity"

"President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned whether critical computer networks can ever be protected from intruders, alarming cybersecurity experts who say his comments could upend more than a decade of national cybersecurity policy and put both government and private data at risk."

"Asked late Saturday about Russian hacking allegations and his cybersecurity plans, Trump told reporters that “no computer is safe" and that, for intelligence officials, “hacking is a very hard thing to prove.”

Read more at the Washington Post.

3. "ISIS claims nightclub shooting in Turkey"

"ISIS claimed responsibility for the New Year's attack at Istanbul's Reina nightclub that left 39 people dead, but authorities are still scrambling to find the killer. ISIS' claim, made in a statement posted to Twitter, cannot be independently verified by CNN. But it boasted about the first major terrorist attack of 2017."

"In continuation of the blessed operations which ISIS carries out against Turkey, a soldier of the brave caliphate attacked one of the most popular nightclubs while Christians were celebrating their holiday," the statement read. Both Turkish and US officials have called the attack an act of terrorism."

Read more at CNN.

4. "Democrats take sides in race for DNC chair"

"Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) has dominated the endorsements game in the race to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee.Ellison has accumulated support from a broad swath of liberals, including key figures from the party’s progressive wing, major labor groups and scores of Capitol Hill lawmakers. Still, that won’t be enough to seal the deal for him."

"There is little appetite among some rank-and-file Democrats to merely follow the direction of party leaders like Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), both of whom are backing Ellison. And many of those who have endorsed Ellison are not among the 447 DNC members that will have a vote in the late-February election."

Read more at The Hill.

5. "Expelled Russian diplomats leave US"

"Thirty-five Russian diplomats expelled from the United States by President Barack Obama have left the country, Russian news agencies report. An embassy official said the plane had taken off with all the affected personnel and their families aboard."

"Mr Obama's order had given the affected diplomats just 72 hours to leave the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin had been expected to respond in kind, with the expulsion of US diplomats from its territory. However, he later said he would not "stoop" to "irresponsible diplomacy", but rather attempt to repair relations once Donald Trump takes office."

Read more at BBC.

— Erin Wright

(Photo Credit: Flickr user marcn)