Tipsheet: Impeachment fervor fuels Dem tensions

View in your browser     The Memo: Impeachment fervor fuels Dem tensions By Niall Stanage   Tensions between liberal grassroots activists and Democratic leaders over how hard to push for the impeachment of President Trump are intensifying. Senior Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.) have all suggested that the time is not yet ripe to mount an impeachment effort.  But activists on the left outraged at Trump’s conduct have found an outlet, of a kind, in the campaign run by California billionaire Tom Steyer.  Read the full story here     Listen to the HillCast AM View: Congress averts government shutdown, and today's latest news By Alexis Simendinger   In today's AM View podcast, we discuss what government funding debates await in the new year and preview a conversation with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md) on the future of ObamaCare.  Listen to The Hill's podcast here     Senate ends first year under Trump by voting to prevent shutdown By Jordain Carney The Senate approved a stopgap spending bill on Thursday night, ensuring there will be no shutdown days before Christmas and essentially completing a frenetic year on Capitol Hill — and the first under President Trump. Read the full story here     8.8 million sign up for ObamaCare, nearly matching last year By Nathaniel Weixel Democrats declared victory Thursday after the Trump administration announced that nearly 9 million people signed up for health insurance through the federal ObamaCare exchanges. Last year, 9.2 million people signed up for coverage during an open enrollment period that was twice as long. Read the full story here       McConnell: Senate likely moving on from ObamaCare repeal By Peter Sullivan Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that the Senate will likely be moving on from ObamaCare repeal next year, while President Trump said this week that the GOP tax bill "essentially" repeals ObamaCare. Read the full story here     UN votes to condemn Trump's Jerusalem decision By Max Greenwood The United Nations on Thursday delivered a stinging rebuke of President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, casting an overwhelming vote condemning the move and calling on the U.S. to withdraw the decision. Read the full story here     Trump deputy chief of staff to leave White House in early 2018 By Brandon Carter President Trump's deputy chief of staff Rick Dearborn is set to leave the White House early next year to pursue work in the private sector. Read the full story here     Senate has spent over $1.45M settling harassment, discrimination cases in last 20 years By Jordain Carney The Senate spent more than $1.45 million settling workplace harassment and discrimination cases over the past 20 years, according to data released by the Senate Rules Committee on Thursday. Read the full story here     ICE reportedly approves plan to separate families at border By Josh Delk Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have reportedly signed off on a plan to separate families who are caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Read the full story here     Ex-CIA director: Trump shows 'qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats' By Josh Delk Former CIA Director John Brennan slammed President Trump in a tweet Thursday, saying the president shows "qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats." Read the full story here     The tax bill should've been called The Inequality Exacerbation Act By Heather Boushey OPINION | Economic inequality is damaging our country. The gap between the wealthiest and the rest of us is growing, not shrinking. Yet Congress and a president elected by many who have been left behind economically have passed a tax bill that further widens that gap. Read the full story here     Bad Santas and holiday chaos mean the season of Christmas torts is here By Jonathan Turley OPINION | The holidays are made for sugar plums and slip-and-falls. With crowds, long distance travel, dry Christmas trees and hectic shopping added into the mix, the conditions are ripe for accidents. Read the full story here     Bloomberg: Alphabet's Schmidt hands reins to Google founders, new leaders By Alistair Barr and Sarah Frier After 17 years in senior management, Eric Schmidt is relinquishing his executive chairman role. He was recruited from Novell Inc. when Google had just 200 employees; now it’s a dominant global force in search, online advertising and video. The founders -- in their 20s when Schmidt came aboard -- know how to build it from here. And they have help from newer leaders like Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, Chief Financial Offer Ruth Porat and cloud head Diane Greene. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Mitch McConnell is unlikely to push for Social Security and Medicare changes in 2018 By Siobhan Hughes and Natalie Andrews   Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday he was unlikely to tackle changes to Social Security or Medicare next year, potentially extinguishing the hopes of House Speaker Paul Ryan to wring savings from the entitlement programs. Read the full story here     Reuters: Bitcoin plunges below $13,000, heads for worst week since 2013 By Jemima Kelly and Shinichi Saoshiro    LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Bitcoin plunged below $13,000 (£10,970) on Friday after losing around a third of its value in just five days, with the digital currency on track for its worst week since 2013 after a blistering ascent to a peak close to $20,000 on Sunday. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Tax bill is great for accountants — unless they have holiday plans By Tiffany Hsu and Julie Creswell Jonathan Traub was supposed to spend his family vacation in Breckenridge, Colo., skiing and roasting marshmallows. Instead, Mr. Traub, the head of Deloitte’s tax-policy practice in Washington, has been holed up in the resort town, producing tax-analysis documents and recording podcasts for clients, trying to explain sweeping tax changes in real time. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: To curb illegal border crossings, Trump administration weighs new measures targeting families By Nick Miroff The Trump administration is considering measures to halt a surge of Central American families and unaccompanied minors coming across the Mexican border, including a proposal to separate parents from their children, according to officials with knowledge of the plans. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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