U.S. and South Korea Stage a ‘Show of Resolve’ After North Fires ICBM Said to be Capable of Reaching Alaska
Korean tensions. The U.S. Army and the South Korean military responded to North Korea’s July 4 test missile test by hosting joint military exercises, firing missiles off the eastern coast of South Korea in what Pacific Command called an “ironclad” show of resolve. North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile Tuesday that potentially was capable of reaching Alaska. The test comes just before Trump is expected to meet with Asian leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, has launched more missiles in a year than his father did in 17.
Obamacare working. An annual report on the Affordable Care Act found it’s working just fine, despite all the rhetoric from extremist Republicans that it’s failing and in a “death spiral.” The report from the Department of Health and Human Services found the marketplace was stabilizing through 2016 and actually did better than expected. Insurers are also beginning to move into counties that looked like they wouldn’t have any insurance through the Affordable Care Act next year in states such as Missouri.
No public politicking. Republican senators were a no-show on the Fourth in many of their hometowns. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Iowa’s two Republican senators, and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) all stayed away from public politicking on the Fourth. Senators are expected to work on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act when they return to Washington.
More resistance. The number of states that are balking at giving voter information to Trump’s commission on bogus claims of vote fraud is now 44. Only three states – Missouri, Colorado and Tennessee—have praised the efforts of Kris Kobach who is co-chairing the commission. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann was one of the holdouts. “My reply would be: They can go jump in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi is a great state to launch from,” Hosemann said. The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is accusing Kobach of using his work for Trump to promote his candidacy for Kansas governor and violating a federal ethics law.
Featured photo: Grab from a North Korean video showing missiles launching, via CNN.