1. Pricey
Health secretary Tom Price’s travel itinerary last week included five charter jet flights that cost taxpayers an estimated $60,000, Politico reported – and apparently it wasn’t an unusual week. In the past officials have taken the train or flown commercial.
Summary
The news followed on reports that Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin had attempted to requisition a government jet to fly him on his European honeymoon. Both Price and Mnuchin are budget hawks, of course.
'Duplications, redundancies or waste'
Tough choices had to be made to identify and reduce spending within the department. Our goal is to … [try] to decrease the areas where there are either duplications, redundancies or waste … and get a larger return for the investment of the American taxpayer.
– Tom Price, proposing 18% cuts in funding of health and human services
2. Senate to vote on healthcare
The Senate announced it would vote next week on a new bill to remake Barack Obama’s healthcare law. The vote was shaping up to be extremely close. Third time’s a charm?
Obama aggravated
When I see people trying to undo that hard-won progress, for the 50th or 60th time with bills that would raise costs or reduce coverage, or roll back protections for older Americans or people with pre-existing conditions, the cancer survivor, the expecting mom or the child with autism or asthma for whom coverage would once again be unattainable, it is aggravating.
– Barack Obama
Twitter offensive (redux)
I hope Republican Senators will vote for Graham-Cassidy and fulfill their promise to Repeal & Replace ObamaCare. Money direct to States!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2017
3. May swipes at Trump
Theresa May has issued a veiled warning to Donald Trump, arguing that his plan to withdraw from the Paris climate change treaty ranks alongside North Korea’s nuclear missile tests as a threat to global prosperity and security.
4. Clinton criticizes Trump UN speech
I thought it was very dark, dangerous, not the kind of message that the leader of the greatest nation in the world should be delivering.
– Hillary Clinton, to Stephen Colbert
5. They have?
Pres. Trump on potential for Israeli-Palestinian peace deal: "Who knows? Stranger things have happened. But I think we have a good chance." pic.twitter.com/XPe9k20QVj
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 20, 2017
...and another thing:
Cuddling my little nephew Luke... the best part of an otherwise incredible day! pic.twitter.com/8Ci5SD1VJ8
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 19, 2017
...and another thing:
Several of you have asked to see a screenshot of the exchange with @SheriffClarke's new official email account. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/OfftY9y1jq
— Daniel Bice (@DanielBice) September 20, 2017
...and another thing:
Canadian PM #JustinTrudeau sports #chewbacca socks at a panel discussion at the #BloombergGBF in New York. #StarWars pic.twitter.com/zKzkBlIvXy
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) September 20, 2017
...and another thing:
Believe me, this is going to be a podcast, the likes of which the world has never seen. Yuge. Listen to episode 1: https://t.co/g1tlDhwDI9 pic.twitter.com/fcYUbbR2WB
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) September 20, 2017
