Historic Tax Reform on the Horizon

U.S. declares North Korea a terror sponsor; new sanctions expected The Associated Press reports President Trump has announced the United States is re-designating North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, allowing Washington to impose additional sanctions on the Kim regime. President Trump said the designation was long overdue, adding the President "promised a new wave of sanctions as part of a 'maximum pressure campaign' over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons that could soon pose a direct threat to the U.S. mainland." North Korea joins Iran, Sudan, and Syria on the terror list, which will compound the North's growing international isolation, the AP writes, adding "there was strong bipartisan support for the move in Congress, which had passed legislation in August requiring the State Department to make a determination on" North Korea's reinsertion on the list. Click here to read more ------------ The Wall Street Journal's Chelsey Dulaney reports "U.S. growth forecasts are moving higher" as projections for U.S. economic growth from two Federal Reserve banks have "risen in recent weeks." The Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates that GDP will rise 3.8% in the fourth quarter, while the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta predicts 3.4% growth — potentially the best quarter in "more than three years." ------------ Stephen Moore, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, writes in The Washington Times that "the GOP is finally showing some brains and some backbone on taxes" with recent efforts to pass a bill that not only promotes economic growth but also drains the swamp. ------------ On the Affordable Care Act, Deroy Murdock of the National Review writes that repealing the individual health care mandate would "unleash $318 billion for fresh tax cuts" and give freedom to Americans who cannot afford health care or don't want Obamacare. The ultimate goal? "Make Obamacare voluntary." ------------ The Washington Examiner writes that President Trump is "right to keep some military forces in Syria" even with the collapse of the Islamic State caliphate: America's military presence will help restrain Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's aggression in an effort to prevent ISIS 2.0.