Nov 29, 2017

Sen. Ron Johnson will vote yes on procedural tax vote today

Sen. Ron Johnson Photo: Susan Walsh / AP

Republican Senators coming out of lunch on Wednesday told Axios that Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) was very positive about the tax bill now that the small business deduction has been increased from 17.4% to 20% and will vote yes this afternoon to starting debate on the bill. This is a big improvement from yesterday.

Why it matters: Johnson was one of the first to say he would vote "no" on the tax plan when it was first proposed, but Republicans seem to have managed to appease his concerns.

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Mike Allen, author of AM

38 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump's next moves in Supreme Court fight

Photo: Peter Zay/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

President Trump's choices to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg are down to two women, both federal appeals court judges.

The frontrunners are Amy Coney Barrett of Chicago, the early favorite, and Barbara Lagoa, who is viewed as easier to confirm. The Senate confirmed Lagoa 80-15 last year, so many Democrats have already voted for her.

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Scott Rosenberg

2 hours ago - Technology

The TikTok deal's for-show provisions and flimsy foundations

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The new deal to rescue TikTok from a threatened U.S. ban — full of provisions aimed at creating the temporary appearance of a presidential win — looks like a sort of Potemkin village agreement.

How it works: Potemkin villages were fake-storefront towns stood up to impress a visiting czar and dignitaries. When the visitors left, the stage set got struck.

Similarly, many elements of this plan look hastily erected and easily abandoned once the spotlight moves on.

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Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends

2 hours ago - Technology

Over 3 million U.S. voters have already registered on social media

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

An estimated 2.5 million+ Americans have registered to vote on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, Facebook announced Monday. More than 733,000 Americans have registered to vote so far via Snapchat.

Why it matters: The broad reach of social media platforms makes them uniquely effective at engaging voters — especially younger voters who may not know how to register to vote or be civically engaged.