Subject: Daily News Clips 4/1/13
From: "Sam Losow" <[email-masked]>
To: "undisclosed-recipients:"
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 11:02:00 -0400

*National News:*

Obamacare enrollment period ends with massive
surge<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/healthcaregov-website-down-obamacare-deadline-105197.html?hp=f1>

The first open enrollment season of Obamacare ended at midnight Monday, a
day that saw millions of Americans click onto Obamacare sign-up portals,
dial into call centers and stand in long lines at assistance sites
nationwide. The huge surge made it increasingly likely that enrollment
would hit 7 million, the finish line that seemed out of reach during much
of the often rocky six-month period.

Shortly after 10 p.m., the Associated Press cited two sources that said
sign-ups were "on track" to hit 7 million. Administration officials
wouldn't confirm the number but said that signs were pointing in that
direction.

The HealthCare.Gov website took down enrollment forms just after midnight
and displayed a new message that will transition people into a "special
enrollment" period.

"Don't worry," it said. "We'll still help you get the coverage you need for
this year."

..........................................................................................

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/01/the-8-senate-seats-most-likely-to-flip-to-the-gop/>
The 8 Senate seats most likely to flip to the
GOP<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/01/the-8-senate-seats-most-likely-to-flip-to-the-gop/>

Yesterday we updated our Senate
forecast<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/03/31/why-republicans-can-be-even-more-optimistic-about-taking-the-senate/>
and
reported that the chances of a Republican takeover had improved from our
initial forecast.  Assessments of the 36 individual elections and our
model's estimates of the probabilities of the parties winning and losing
each one of them underlie the prediction.  We can examine the 36 elections
to map out the most likely path to a Republican takeover and first did so
on Feb. 6<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/02/06/how-republicans-can-win-the-senate-in-2014/>.
With this update, although we see a very similar road to Republican
control, there are  some interesting amendments and elaborations.

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/01/the-8-senate-seats-most-likely-to-flip-to-the-gop/>

..........................................................................................

*Ebola outbreak spreads to Liberia*
At least 78 people have reportedly been killed due to an outbreak of the
Ebola virus that started in the West African country of Guinea. It took
health officials six weeks to identify the outbreak, and the delay allowed
it to spread to Liberia, where two cases have been confirmed. The World
Health Organization has been called in to help contain the disease, which
has no cure and quickly kills those who have been infected. [*TIME
*<http://time.com/43579/ebola-spreads-from-guinea-to-liberia/>
]

..........................................................................................

*General Motors issues another recall*
General Motors<http://theweek.com/article/index/258052/4-smart-insights-into-gms-recall-disaster>
is
recalling 1.3 million vehicles because of a faulty power-steering
mechanism. The news came on the heels of a separate recall of 2.2 million
cars due to an ignition switch problem that has been blamed for 13 deaths.
Later today, CEO Marry Barra is scheduled to testify before Congress about
how the company handled the ignition switch issue.
[*CNN*<http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/31/autos/gm-power-steering-recall/index.html?hpt=hp_t2>
]

..........................................................................................

*Senate investigation reveals harsh tactics didn't lead to bin Laden*
Enhanced interrogation tactics did not lead to the death of Osama bin
Laden, according to a classified, 6,200-page report prepared by the Senate
Intelligence Committee. The findings note that most of the useful
information on the whereabouts of bin Laden was gathered through standard
techniques -- either before or after detainees were subjected to
waterboarding and other extreme measures. The CIA
disputes<http://theweek.com/article/index/258686/yes-the-cia-is-probably-lying-about-torture>
the
report's conclusions. [*USA
Today*<http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/31/senate-report-cia-torture/7140143/>
]

..........................................................................................

*Ukraine prepares for Crimean refugees*
Now that Russia has annexed
Crimea<http://theweek.com/article/index/258275/which-american-state-is-most-like-crimea>,
thousands of refugees have begun fleeing to mainland Ukraine. Arseniy
Yatseniuk, Ukraine's prime minister, has said his country will offer
assistance to the refugees and is preparing to provide shelter to those who
are displaced. Most of those leaving Crimea are ethnic Tatars, but
officials expect Ukrainian soldiers stationed on the peninsula and their
families to decamp from the Russian occupation. [*Fox
News*<http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/31/ukraine-braces-for-crimean-refugees-after-russia-annexes-peninsula/?intcmp=latestnews>
]

..........................................................................................

*French president shakes up government*
French President Francois Hollande formed a new government on Monday after
municipal elections across the country dealt severe losses to his Socialist
Party and were widely viewed as a rebuke to his leadership. In the biggest
change, Hollande accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Jean-Marc
Ayrault and replaced him with Interior Minister Manuel Valls, a popular
immigration hawk. Center-left newspaper *Le** Monde* called the elections --
in which the far-right party National Front made significant inroads in
municipal governments -- a "historic rout." [*The New York
Times*<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/world/europe/france-overhauls-its-government-after-voters-rebuke-socialists.html?ref=francoishollande&_r=0>
]

..........................................................................................

*U.S. mulls releasing Israeli spy*
In an effort to keep delicate peace
talks<http://theweek.com/article/index/241697/obamas-israel-visit-is-there-hope-for-the-moribund-peace-process>
from
imploding, the Obama administration may grant an early release to convicted
Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. The idea was floated as U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry made an emergency visit to the Middle East to resuscitate
negotiations that have stalled in recent weeks between Israeli and
Palestinian leaders. Pollard was a civilian U.S. Navy employee who pleaded
guilty to providing classified information to Israeli agents. He was
sentenced to life in prison and has served almost 29 years. [*The
Washington Post*<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/kerry-detours-to-middle-east-to-try-to-rescue-peace-talks/2014/03/31/b119a5e8-b8c7-11e3-96ae-f2c36d2b1245_story.html?hpid=z1>
]

..........................................................................................
World Bank to Expand Lending to Developing
Countries<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/business/international/world-bank-to-expand-lending-to-developing-countries.html?ref=business>The
bank announced that it would double its capacity to lend to countries like
China, India and Brazil, increasing lending to as much as $28 billion a
year.

..........................................................................................
Congress targets overpriced medical procedures with
bills<http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/congress-moves-to-cut-physician-pay-for-medical-procedures-deemed-overvalued/2014/03/31/a4cb2f5e-b8ff-11e3-899e-bb708e3539dd_story.html>

The Senate approved a bill Monday that calls for finding reductions of
hundreds of millions of dollars in what the government spends for physician
fees on overpriced medical
procedures<http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-a-secretive-panel-uses-data-that-distorts-doctors-pay/2013/07/20/ee134e3a-eda8-11e2-9008-61e94a7ea20d_story.html>
.

The measure follows years of criticism of the way that Medicare, and in
turn the entire U.S. health market, decides how much to pay a physician for
performing a procedure.

"This is absolutely a move in the right direction," said Robert Berenson, a
fellow at the Urban Institute and a longtime critic of the way the prices
are set. The targeted cuts "keep the pressure on the process," he said.

The House approved the measure last week.
*2016 Presidential News:*

How Jeb Bush Could Divide the
GOP<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/04/01/how_jeb_bush_could_divide_the_gop.html>John
Dickerson<http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/03/jeb_bush_2016_presidential_run_why_it_would_be_hard_on_the_gop.html>:
"The argument for a Bush run is that he has a governor's executive skills,
can forge a relationship with crucial Hispanic voters (particularly in a
key swing state), and has a fundraising base founded, in part, on a
reservoir of goodwill toward the Bush family. Republicans are sick of being
out of the White House and want a winner. Perhaps, but Bush is also the
perfect candidate if your goal is driving simultaneous wedges into as many
fault lines in the Republican Party as possible."

..........................................................................................
GOP 2016 Hopefuls Take Their
Lanes<http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/04/01/gop_2016_hopefuls_take_their_lanes.html>Gerald
Seib<http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304157204579473212499113986>:
"Presidential campaigns are long and complicated, and getting more so, but
they all start in the same way: Hopefuls jockey for position in a handful
of lanes that open up for specific types of candidates their party seems
willing to consider."

"That is precisely what is happening now as Republicans begin serious
contemplation of the 2016 presidential race. The party is changing and
soul-searching after two straight presidential defeats, and its coming
nominating contest may well be the most crowded and wide-open in a
generation."

*Opinion:*

Climate Signals, Growing
Louder<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/opinion/climate-signals-growing-louder.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>

Recent reports issuing grim warnings about the consequences of a warming
planet should cause deniers of climate change to cease their attacks.

--
Sam Losow
*Finance Assistant*
Beau Biden, DE Attorney General
Office: (302) 295-8340
Cell: (202) 821-3399
[email-masked]