Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is asking regulators for a 23 percent price hike next year because it doesn't expect crucial payments from the federal government to continue.

thephan wrote:4th Circuit uphold the Ban on the Travel Ban.

But Chief Judge Roger L. Gregory wrote that the government's “asserted national security interest ... appears to be a post hoc, secondary justification for an executive action rooted in religious animus and intended to bar Muslims from this country.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the court's ruling blocks Trump's “efforts to strengthen this country's national security.”

Trump is not required to admit people from “countries that sponsor or shelter terrorism until he determines that they can be properly vetted” and don't pose a security threat, Sessions said.

The three dissenting judges, all appointed by Republican presidents, said the majority was wrong to look beyond the text of the order. Calling the executive order a “modest action,” Judge Paul V. Niemeyer wrote that Supreme Court precedent required the court to consider the order “on its face.” Looked at that way, the executive order “is entirely without constitutional fault,” he wrote.

Stephen Pattison, an immigration lawyer in Maryland who spent nearly three decades as a State Department consular officer, said he thinks Trump policies are having a “chilling effect” on travel to the United States from Muslim nations.

“Some people may have canceled trips," Pattison said. "Some people may have traveled last year but not this year. But I think it would be naive to assume that’s what’s going on in Washington isn’t having an effect on consular adjudications.”

@JenniferJJacobs
Trump denied he supported National Front's Le Pen in France's election. "You were my guy'' he told Macron today, French officials say.
1:58 PM - 25 May 2017

pacino wrote:tourism to the US has seen a decline

CalvinBall wrote:

Warszawa wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:Gianforte doing well enough he probably will win.

Montana is big time trump country so #$!&@ them

They have a Dem Governor and senator.

Quist wasn't really close enough to have a shot. Outspent by 5 million.

Gianforte raised 100k in the last 24 hours. Most of which came after the body slam. The party of Christian family values.

Westminster voting intention:

CON: 43% (-1)
LAB: 38% (+3)
LDEM: 10% (+1)
UKIP: 4% (+1)

(via @YouGov / 24 - 25 May)

JUburton wrote:it was always a pipe dream and he lost by 7% outspent 10:1. ossoff/handel will be the real test. that one will be a tough pill to swallow for dems if he loses.

jerseyhoya wrote:

JUburton wrote:it was always a pipe dream and he lost by 7% outspent 10:1. ossoff/handel will be the real test. that one will be a tough pill to swallow for dems if he loses.

He wasn't outspent too badly. There was an imbalance in Gianforte's favor from outside groups, but Quist's campaign raised over $5 mil.

John McCain wrote:Here’s the reality: We’ve got 11 weeks between now and the end of September. We’ve got repeal of Obamacare, we’re talking about tax reform, we’re talking about a defense bill, we’re talking about … there’s about three other things -- a looming debt limit. How do you pack all that in? And so far, I’ve seen no strategy for doing so. I’m seeing no plan for doing so.

CalvinBall wrote:

jerseyhoya wrote:

JUburton wrote:it was always a pipe dream and he lost by 7% outspent 10:1. ossoff/handel will be the real test. that one will be a tough pill to swallow for dems if he loses.

He wasn't outspent too badly. There was an imbalance in Gianforte's favor from outside groups, but Quist's campaign raised over $5 mil.

a thing that said quist only spenk 600k and the bodyslammer spent 5.5 mil

traderdave wrote:I don't disagree but the best candidate in the world would have difficulty courting people whose mindset is:

> 'I wasn't going to vote until Gianforte show'em who's boss, so he gets my vote if I need it'
> 'Your lucky no one popped you scum'
> 'This is the best election day ever!'

When MSNBC asked if Gianforte would still be welcomed by Republicans in Congress, Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania replied, after a pause: “Yes, of course.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan called for an apology, but did not ask Gianforte to resign the race. “I'm going to let the people of Montana decide who they want as their representative,” he said at a press conference Thursday morning.

Several politicians suggested that Gianforte may have even been justified in attacking a reporter. “It’s not appropriate behavior. Unless the reporter deserved it,” Republican California Rep. Duncan Hunter told the AP.

“The left has precipitated this tense confrontational approach throughout the country in recent months,” Republican Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona said to MSNBC Thursday morning.