Le Pen beats Macron in France as nationalists gain in EU vote

Source: Reuters

Marine Le Pen’s far-right party edged just ahead of the centrist alliance of President Emmanuel Macron in exit polls as French voters led what pollsters expected to be a nationalist surge in an EU parliament election on Sunday.

The defeat for the president was narrow amid a sharply increased turnout that was matched across the continent in what Brussels is portraying as a positive sign, in spite of gains for anti-EU groups.

But it was a bitter blow for those who hope the French leader can inspire Europeans to embrace the Union as an answer rather than as part of the problem in the face of social change that has bewildered and frustrated some voters.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-election/le-pen-beats-macron-in-france-as-nationalists-gain-in-eu-vote-idUSKCN1SV0QQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Trump's VA Firing Spree Falters in Court

Source: ProPublica

Rather than defend a law that the president loves, the VA will reinstate a hospital director whom it twice tried to fire.

President Donald Trump often touts a law he signed to speed up firings at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He and other Republicans see the law as a model for weakening civil service protections across the federal government.

The administration’s case for the new law centered on Brian Hawkins. Hawkins was the director of the VA hospital in Washington when an internal investigation discovered safety risks for patients. The VA tried to fire Hawkins but got held up on appeal. Then-Secretary David Shulkin said Hawkins showed why “we need new accountability legislation and we need that now.” Once Congress passed the legislation, the VA used it to go after Hawkins a second time.

Now, almost two years later, the VA’s case against Hawkins has fallen apart. On Tuesday, the government said it would give Hawkins his job back rather than defend the statute in court.

Read more: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-va-firing-spree-falters-in-court

Powerful piece from ProPublica: "I Now Have the Perspective of Both Sides": 18 Voting Officials Take

What are the chances that dump/mcturtle will cause another government shutdown

if the impeachment gets too close or an investigation/reporting brings out some critical facts?

I wouldn't put it past the peeResident to pull any stunt whatsoever in order to try to save his hide. Especially if it means wrecking the US.

The most recent one left some "essential" functions in place. I suppose a more draconian one could effectively stop investigations.

Wall Street plunges on heightening U.S.-China trade worries

Source: Reuters

Wall Street’s main indexes tumbled more than 1 percent on Tuesday, as renewed worries over trade negotiations with China stoked global growth worries and kept investors away from risky assets.



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks/wall-street-plunges-on-heightening-u-s-china-trade-worries-idUSKCN1SD16T

Any chance we can get the forum shown in the Trending/Greatest sections?

This is going to be a long slog and I'd like to be able to filter what shows in the Trending/Greatest sections by their forums.

We're now getting click-bait from various candidate-oriented posters which don't self-label via the title.

I want to read candidate-focused posts but I really want to be able to see posts that talk about our (Democrat) opponents without it being "primary" focused.