- Advocates, lawmakers demand end to anti-Asian hate crimes after Atlanta killings (Politico) – “This is the aftermath of a whole year of Donald Trump’s using the terms ‘China Virus’ and ‘Wuhan Virus’ and creating hatred.”
- House Renews Violence Against Women Act, But Senate Hurdles Remain (NPR) – The most contentious issue in the House-passed bill is a provision that expands the criminal threshold to bar an individual from buying a gun to include misdemeanor convictions of domestic abuse or stalking.
- 12 Republicans opposed Congressional Gold Medals for police who protected them on Jan. 6 (Washington Post) – They objected to the term “insurrectionists.” One called it a “politically charged publicity stunt.”
- Opinion: Biden just fired a warning shot at Mitch McConnell and Republicans (Washington Post) – President Biden has now declared in his most explicit terms yet that Democrats may soon face a stark choice: reform the filibuster or accept that their agenda is a dead letter.
- Democrats seize on Biden’s embrace of changing the filibuster (Washington Post) – Even with his endorsement Tuesday night, rallying all Democrats behind such a move could take time, warned Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).
- The Trump-Tucker cold war has begun (Washington Post) – Trump’s the guy who has a legacy to defend, and he’s the guy who now has a political record that will need to be reframed over time to maintain the same support from his base. The problem is that there is a Trump-like figure out there causing friction – Tucker Carlson.
- US-China tensions run high ahead of critical meeting (The Hill) – The new administration plans to put pressure on China over actions it views as violations of international rules and norms, despite Beijing’s criticisms that Washington is interfering in its domestic affairs.
- How 535,000 Covid Deaths Spurred Political Awakenings Across America (New York Times) – Through Zoom trainings and virtual lobbying days, people who have lost loved ones or their own health to the coronavirus are trying to influence federal policy.
- The Young Political Spaces of the Internet (New Yorker) – How a new generation has embraced extreme views online.
