>Asked if entitlement cuts would ever be on his agenda, Trump responded, “At some point they will be.”

https://apnews.com/7f7434c75fbef63aacaa0b8aeb851d1e

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump appeared to suggest in a television interview Wednesday that he’s willing to consider entitlement cuts in the future, a move that would mark a tectonic shift from his stance during his 2016 run for the White House.

Trump suggested he was open to a cut in social safety net benefits, such as Medicare and Social Security, in comments during a CNBC interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

While Trump has repeatedly talked up strong economic growth, the federal budget deficit has swollen as his administration has pressed for tax cuts and increased government spending.

Asked if entitlement cuts would ever be on his agenda, Trump responded, “At some point they will be.”

As a candidate for the White House, Trump stood apart from much of the GOP primary field as he vowed to oppose cuts to Social Security and Medicare, while also ensuring every American had health coverage.

In the CNBC interview, Trump called tackling entitlement spending “the easiest of all things” and suggested higher economic growth would make it easier to reduce spending on the programs.

“Well, we’re going — we’re going to look,” Trump said. “We also have assets that we’ve never had. I mean we’ve never had growth like this.”

Asked for clarification following the interview, White House spokesman Judd Deere noted there had been “no benefit cuts” under Trump, and said the president has kept “his commitment to the most vulnerable Americans, especially those who depend on Medicare and Social Security.”

The budget deficit is expected to reach $1 trillion this year, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office.

What do you all think about the coronavirus? I mean ebola was in the news for a little while and then poof it was just gone and on to the next story. I was wondering considering this is relatively new and not much is known, what is the possibility of a full blown outbreak? https://www.google.com/amp/s/globalnews.ca/news/6436442/coronavirus-human-to-human/amp/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiMLWSfUwAo

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a leading ally of President Trump, said Wednesday that 45 Republicans are ready to dismiss the charges against the president and he would keep pushing to rally a majority of GOP senators to end the impeachment trial.

“There are 45, with about five to eight wanting to hear a little more,” Paul said in an interview with The Washington Post. “I still would like to dismiss it, but there aren’t the votes to do it just yet.”

With support from other Trump allies, Paul said he would continue to pressure his colleagues in the coming days to move on from the trial and listening to the House’s Democratic managers, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.).

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“I will push it at some point,” Paul said. “The more Adam Schiff speaks, the more we become unified.”

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sen-paul-45-republicans-ready-to-dismiss-impeachment-charges-against-trump/2020/01/22/8d024a34-3d37-11ea-8872-5df698785a4e_story.html

Roberts admonishes House managers after outburst
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/479298-roberts-admonishes-house-managers-trump-lawyers-after-heated-exchange
Chief Justice John Roberts warned the House impeachment managers early Wednesday morning to keep their tone civil after their arguments in the Senate impeachment trial became heated and personal after a clash over procedure.

“It is appropriate at this point for me to admonish the House managers that they are addressing the world’s greatest deliberative body,” Roberts warned.

“One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse,” he said.

The chief justice noted that in a 1905 Senate impeachment trial a senator objected when one of the managers used the word “pettifogging” and the presiding officer at the trial agreed “the word ought not to have been used.”

“I don’t think we need to aspire to that high standard, but I do think those addressing the Senate should remember where they are,” he said.

Roberts delivered his admonishment after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and White House Counsel Pat Cipollone exchanged harsh remarks about the other side’s conduct and motives.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/recording-appears-capture-trump-private-dinner-ukraine-ambassador/story?id=68506437

Spot the hypocrites and the hipocracy

https://apple.news/A9IHuVIJsQKSaXpnmeq-QUA

https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/world-51240922