Democrats punish a right-winger, and Biden backs away from Yemen: This is your morning tip sheet. [View in browser](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P4Q1AWh0dHBzOi8vbWVzc2FnaW5nLWN1c3RvbS1uZXdzbGV0dGVycy5ueXRpbWVzLmNvbS90ZW1wbGF0ZS9vYWt2Mj9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcHJvZHVjdENvZGU9Q04mcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXJpPW55dCUzQSUyRiUyRm5ld3NsZXR0ZXIlMkYxNTU4OGFkYy1kNmNiLTVmNzgtODY1Yi1lODAzYTEyMGRkZmUmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~)|[nytimes.com](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0S9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~)[Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-ad-marquee)
~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMjExJmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ [On Politics](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vc2VjdGlvbi9wb2xpdGljcz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) February 5, 2021 [Author Headshot](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvZ2lvdmFubmktcnVzc29uZWxsbz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) By [Giovanni Russonello](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvZ2lvdmFubmktcnVzc29uZWxsbz9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) A note on todayâs newsletter: This is the last time youâll be seeing us in your inbox this early in the day â at least for a while. Starting Monday, weâre moving On Politics to weekday evenings and shaking up the newsletterâs format a bit. Check back on Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern, and donât hesitate to write us at onpolitics@nytimes.com with any feedback you might have! Where things stand - The House voted last night to strip Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments, [a move without precedent in the modern Congress](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9tYXJqb3JpZS10YXlsb3ItZ3JlZW5lLWNvbW1pdHRlZS1hc3NpZ25tZW50cy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) that leaves the right-wing congresswoman without much tangible influence in the chamber.
- The House voted 230 to 199, over the opposition of all but 11 Republican members, to remove Greene from the Education and Budget Committees in response to her history of support for bigoted conspiracy theories and encouragement of political violence.
- While party caucuses have from time to time stripped their own members of their committee assignments as a disciplinary measure, yesterdayâs vote was the first time in modern U.S. politics that the majority party had used a chamber-wide vote to depose a member from the minority.
- In an impassioned address on the House floor before the vote, Greene called her previous comments âwords of the pastâ that âdo not represent meâ and said she should be given an opportunity to learn from her mistakes. âI was allowed to believe things that werenât true, and I would ask questions about them and talk about them, and that is absolutely what I regret,â she said.
- But Democrats were unimpressed, and some pointed out in speeches of their own that Greene had not apologized at any point in her eight-minute address. The Democratic caucus voted unanimously to remove Greene from her posts, arguing in particular that she did not belong on the Education Committee given her history of claiming that the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., was a hoax.
- President Biden declared yesterday that he would end the United Statesâ involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, [which he called a âhumanitarian and strategic catastrophe,â](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0ToaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9iaWRlbi15ZW1lbi1zYXVkaS1hcmFiaWEuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) bowing to a longtime demand of human rights advocates.
- In a speech at the State Department, he heralded the start of a new era in American leadership abroad. He committed the United States to a central role in world affairs going forward and pledged to work closely with allies on issues like fighting the coronavirus pandemic and mitigating climate changeâs effects.
- He committed to standing up strongly to Russia and China, saying that he would use âa manner very different from my predecessorâ in particular when dealing with Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader.
- Biden announced that he was putting a hold on former President Donald Trumpâs planned troop redeployments from Germany, a move that had signaled a retreat from the United Statesâ commitment to its traditional alliances.
- âAmerica is back,â he said. âDiplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy.â [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-0) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RsaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MzMzNTEmbGk9Q04mbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPUNOXzIwMjEwMjA1VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~
~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NDUyODUwJmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTgzOTIwJmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ - Absent stronger federal regulation of social media, could the path to reining in disinformation run through the civil courts? If a $2.7 billion lawsuit is any deterrent, then maybe so.
- The election technology company [Smartmatic filed suit yesterday against Fox News](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC9idXNpbmVzcy9tZWRpYS9zbWFydG1hdGljLWZveC1uZXdzLWxhd3N1aXQuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~), some of the networkâs hosts, and two of Trumpâs lawyers, Sidney Powell and Rudolph Giuliani, for leading what the filing called a âdisinformation campaignâ against the company.
- The Smartmatic lawsuit follows defamation suits that Dominion Voting Systems brought last month against Giuliani and Powell. Both of those suits seek more than $1 billion in damages and stem from baseless arguments that Trump and his allies pushed, suggesting that the company had been involved in a plot to rig its voting machines during the 2020 election.
- Biden isnât the only Democrat pushing for aggressive action on a range of issues. Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, is putting pressure on the president to embrace a plan that would [cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9zY2h1bWVyLWRlbW9jcmF0cy1zdHVkZW50LWxvYW4tZm9yZ2l2ZW5lc3MuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) for all borrowers.
- Flanked by liberal members of Congress including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ayanna Pressley, Schumer spoke in support of a nonbinding resolution that calls upon Biden to use his executive powers to cancel about 80 percent of the student loan debt that has been run up by some 36 million borrowers.
- The resolution faces a steep climb in the Senate, where it would need significant Republican support to clear a 60-vote threshold. It would also have no legal effect if passed, but it would represent a major assertion of the progressive priorities of Democratic leaders in Congress.
- The resolution calls for cancellation for all borrowers, whereas a previous Democratic proposal limited the program to people earning under $125,000 per year.
- Biden has endorsed a smaller but similar plan that would cancel only up to $10,000 in debt. âWe are not going to let up until we accomplish it, until $50,000 of debt is forgiven for every student in the country,â Schumer said yesterday.
- Trumpâs legal team yesterday shot down a request [for him to testify under oath](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy90cnVtcC1pbXBlYWNobWVudC1jYXBpdG9sLXJpb3QuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) during his impeachment trial in the Senate, which begins oral arguments next week.
- Representative Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat and the leader of the House managers who will prosecute the impeachment case, had asked Trump to answer questions under oath about his actions around the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.
- In his letter to Trump, Raskin wrote that the former presidentâs legal team had disputed a number of âfactual allegationsâ in a court filing this week, and he invited Trump to clear up the problems in live testimony.
- Raskin wrote that if Trump refused to testify, his refusal might be used as evidence to support âa strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021.â
- In declining the request, Trumpâs lawyers sought to paint it as a âpublic relations stunt.â In their reply to Raskin, they wrote: âYour letter only confirms what is known to everyone: You cannot prove your allegations against the 45th president of the United States, who is now a private citizen.â Photo of the day Anna Moneymaker for The New York Times Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene before the House vote yesterday. Virginia, shifting left fast, moves to abolish the death penalty. With a big vote expected today in Virginiaâs House of Delegates, lawmakers are poised to make the state the first in the South to abolish the death penalty. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-1) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMjA4JmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~
~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MTYyMjA5JmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NTY0NzIzJmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ It would be a turning point in the region, after Georgiaâs recent blue turn put Republicans on notice in the Deep South. But in Virginia, the bill is only the latest in a cascade of liberal policies that have moved through the stateâs General Assembly since Democrats [won full control](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAxOS8xMS8wNS91cy9wb2xpdGljcy92aXJnaW5pYS1lbGVjdGlvbnMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) in 2019. Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat who has embraced the stateâs liberal turn, supported a ban on the death penalty during his campaign in 2017, when Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic governor at the time, drew criticism from the left for moving forward with the execution of a mentally ill man. âItâs important that we shut down the machinery of death here in Virginia,â Northam told our reporter [Trip Gabriel](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vYnkvdHJpcC1nYWJyaWVsP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) in an interview [for Tripâs article on the new bill](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy92aXJnaW5pYS1kZWF0aC1wZW5hbHR5LW5vcnRoYW0uaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~). Since Congress reinstituted the death penalty in 1976, Virginia has executed 113 people, more than any state except Texas. Federal executions had been on hiatus in recent years, until Trump restarted them in 2020, giving the issue a fresh urgency. [Continue reading the main story](#a11y-skip-2) ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzIzMjk3JmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~
~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzIzMjk4JmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NzIzMzAwJmxpPUNOJm09YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDcmcD1DTl8yMDIxMDIwNVcDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~ Coming after Virginia passed progressive laws on gun control, abortion access and the removal of Confederate monuments, the impending death penalty ban further cements the stateâs transition into Democratic stronghold status. Before Barack Obama carried the state in 2008, Virginia had voted Republican for president since 1964. But last year Biden beat Trump by 10 percentage points, and Democrats maintained their grip on seven of the stateâs 11 House districts. NEW YORK TIMES AUDIO An appalled Republican considers the future of the party What do G.O.P. politicians stand for in 2021? The Republican academic and writer Yuval Levin isnât convinced they even know. On todayâs episode of â[The Ezra Klein Show](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vY29sdW1uL2V6cmEta2xlaW4tcG9kY2FzdD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~),â he told Ezra that âthe Republican Party has come to be defined far too much by its opposition to the left.â [You can listen here](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNS9vcGluaW9uL2V6cmEta2xlaW4tcG9kY2FzdC15dXZhbC1sZXZpbi5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~). RECOMMENDED READING [[Article Image] Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9iaWRlbi1hcHByb3ZhbC1yYXRpbmctcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [Bidenâs Policies Are Popular. What Does That Mean for Republicans? Polls show that on issues like a stimulus bill, climate change and immigration, most Americans support the presidentâs plans. Torn by infighting, the G.O.P. is still figuring out its lines of attack. By Giovanni Russonello](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy9iaWRlbi1hcHByb3ZhbC1yYXRpbmctcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD01NiZlbWM9ZWRpdF9jbl8yMDIxMDIwNSZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yNjc5NSZubD1vbi1wb2xpdGljcy13aXRoLWxpc2EtbGVyZXImcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTUxMDU3JnRlPTEmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgpgGn0zHWD_S55LUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) [[Article Image] Rafael Henrique/Light Rocket, via Getty Images](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC90ZWNobm9sb2d5L3dhbGxzdHJlZXRiZXRzLWdhbWVzdG9wLWhvbGx5d29vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Quest for Hollywood Fame Splits Redditors at Heart of Market Frenzy The moderators of the Reddit message board WallStreetBets battled over movie deals after their sudden fame with the GameStop mania. By Nathaniel Popper, Taylor Lorenz and Matt Phillips](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0T5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8wMi8wNC90ZWNobm9sb2d5L3dhbGxzdHJlZXRiZXRzLWdhbWVzdG9wLWhvbGx5d29vZC5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTU2JmVtYz1lZGl0X2NuXzIwMjEwMjA1Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTI2Nzk1Jm5sPW9uLXBvbGl0aWNzLXdpdGgtbGlzYS1sZXJlciZyZWdpX2lkPTc3Njc0OTUyJnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9NTEwNTcmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmAafTMdYP9LnktSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) Were you forwarded this newsletter? [Sign up here](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRh_7h9P0TRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vbmV3c2xldHRlcnMvcG9saXRpY3M_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9NTYmZW1jPWVkaXRfY25fMjAyMTAyMDUmaW5zdGFuY2VfaWQ9MjY3OTUmbmw9b24tcG9saXRpY3Mtd2l0aC1saXNhLWxlcmVyJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD01MTA1NyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9YWE0OTFlZjdmMWQ5NjRlNDk3OWZiNzg0ZTc0ZTAxZDdXA255dEIKYBp9Mx1g_0ueS1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA) to get it delivered to your inbox. Is there anything you think weâre missing? 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