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California Supreme Court says child support counts toward welfare income limit

In a setback for families on welfare, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday that their application for benefits must include income that one parent is required to pay to support a child who lives outside the home.

Lawyers for a San Mateo County household argued to the court that it was unfair to consider the child-support funds as income “reasonably anticipated to be received” by the family — the law’s definition of income — because it was automatically deducted from the husband’s paychecks and unemployment benefits to support three children living elsewhere.

But the court unanimously upheld regulations of the state Department of Social Services, in effect since 1997, that count such payments as income to determine eligibility for the benefits program known as CalWORKS.

Previously, the department had discounted income earmarked for out-of-home child support in calculating welfare eligibility. That changed after Congress passed, and President Bill Clinton signed, a 1996 law that required states receiving federal funds to include work requirements in their welfare programs, along with limits on the duration of payments.



https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/California-Supreme-Court-says-child-support-14080581.php

The Raindrop cake is back and it's purple

VA-SEN: Ex-Rep. Scott Taylor will challenge Va. Sen. Mark Warner

Former Rep. Scott Taylor announced Monday he will challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Warner for his seat in 2020.

Taylor released a campaign launch video on YouTube on Monday highlighting his upbringing in a single-parent home, his rough pre-adolescent years, his career as a Navy SEAL and his experience as a lawmaker in Virginia and the U.S. House.

“We have a leadership crisis in Virginia,” Taylor said Monday on Fox News morning show “Fox and Friends,” echoing a talking point in his campaign announcement video. “We need a fresh start in the Senate.”

Taylor, a one-term Republican from Virginia’s 2nd District, lost to Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in the 2018 midterms, amid an investigation by a special prosecutor assigned to investigate claims of election fraud by aides on his campaign team.

The commonwealth’s special prosecutor, Don Caldwell, indicted one of those Taylor staffers in May, and he said at the time that his investigation remains ongoing “due primarily to the lack of cooperation of key individuals.”



https://www.rollcall.com/news/campaigns/ex-rep-scott-taylor-running-to-unseat-virginia-sen-mark-warner-amid-ongoing-controversy

MI-03: Amash's Departure From the GOP Moves Seat From Solid Republican to Toss Up

Amash's situation is unique because he's virtually guaranteed to have both a Democratic and Republican opponent in 2020. The question is how big of a market there will be for a pro-life, pro-impeachment outcast in the western Michigan electorate next year.

Michigan's 3rd CD — once represented by Gerald Ford — has long been Republican seat, but in recent years it's grown more professional and competitive. In 2016, Trump took just 52 percent there, a hair under Mitt Romney's 53 percent. In 2018, Amash defeated under-funded Democratic educator Cathy Albro 54 percent to 43 percent, cobbling together a coalition of GOP base voters and a few anti-Trump independents.

Even without Amash in the mix, the GOP field is very crowded more than a year away from next August's primary. Lower, who is attempting a leap from the state House to Congress at the age of 30 (ironically, like Amash in 2010), served as an Ionia County Commissioner and was the first in against the incumbent. But he was quickly joined by state Rep. Lynn Afendoulis and Afghan/Iraq war veteran Peter Meijer.

Meijer possesses the best-known last name in the GOP race. He's the 31-year-old grandson of grocery chain magnate Frederik Meijer and an heir to a family fortune worth billions. In 2018, he helped found With Honor Action, a PAC that spent $14 million seeking to elect "principled next-generation veterans" of all parties. But the PAC's contributions to Democrats could come under attack from his primary opponents.

Democrats had trouble recruiting here in 2018 against an anti-Trump Republican. But now they're excited about the possibility Amash and a GOP nominee will divide their opposition, creating a path for victory in a seat trending their way. It's early, but Democrats have two credible contenders: Grand Rapids immigration attorney Hillary Scholten and former Obama White House personal aide Nick Colvin.


https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/michigan-house/amashs-departure-gop-moves-mi-03-solid-republican-toss

Swalwell rumored to be dropping out tomorrow.

Flu cases in South Australia set to hit 20,000 as SA Health reveals there have been 82 deaths

The death toll from South Australia's horror flu season has risen to 82 and the total number of reported cases is set to hit 20,000 compared to 1,500 at the same time last year.

"We've had approximately 20,000 cases now of influenza — this is obviously a much bigger flu season this year than last year," she said.

She said SA Health received notifications from Births, Deaths and Marriages about South Australians who had died and that information had to be matched up against hospital data about people who had contracted the disease.

Dr Spurrier said the additional 37 deaths did not occur within the past week — but over months.

She said most deaths had occurred in people over the age of 65.

"It's very unfortunate to see this number of people that have died, however the influenza virus this year is not considered to be any more deadly than the viruses in the past," she said.



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-08/flu-death-toll-rises-to-82-in-south-australia/11288242

KS-SEN: Kobach supporters expected to gather Monday amid speculation over Kansas Senate run

Kris Kobach is telling supporters to gather in Leavenworth Monday afternoon, fueling speculation that he could be preparing a run for the U.S. Senate, according to Kansas GOP sources with direct knowledge of the planned event.

The former Kansas secretary of state has hinted at his interest in retiring Republican Sen. Pat Roberts’ seat for months, but he could face opposition from national Republican groups if he enters the race.

Kobach lost the 2018 race for Kansas governor by 5 percentage points despite President Donald Trump’s full-throated support in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1.

Kobach spoke at the Leavenworth County Republican Party’s annual picnic on Saturday. It was one of his first appearances at a major political event in Kansas since his defeat.

https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article232385337.html#storylink=cpy

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Disney's Live Action Mulan - Official Teaser