5 Things To Know For Your New Day-Thursday December 7th

via CNN:

White House officials: Jerusalem decision could hurt peace process:

President Donald Trump’s decision Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could temporarily derail the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, two senior White House officials acknowledged after Trump’s speech.

The question now for those officials: For how long?

“We’re prepared for derailment — temporary, I hope. Pretty sure it will be temporary,” said a senior White House official, who acknowledged that the President’s peace team has not spoken with furious Palestinian officials since the Trump’s announcement.

That “derailment” was a cost the White House was prepared to accept to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise. And two senior White House officials said they felt making the announcement now — before Israelis and Palestinians have reached the negotiating table — would help mitigate the damage to the peace process.

GOP will tackle Medicare, Medicaid, welfare in 2018, Ryan says:

The House GOP caucus plans to work on entitlement reform next year as a way to “tackle the debt and the deficit,” according to House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Speaking to Ross Kaminsky on his talk radio show, the Wisconsin Republican said Wednesday that the House would be working to reform health care entitlements in 2018, calling them “the big drivers of our debt,” during a discussion about the Republican tax bill.

“Tax reform grows the economy,” Ryan said. “So we basically planned in this term three big budget bills: two entitlement reform bills, one economic growth tax reform bill. The first one passed the House, failed the Senate, this one, both tax bills have passed the House and the Senate, we’re on track with that, and then next year we’re going to have to get back at entitlement reform.”

Ryan specifically mentioned Medicare as being the “biggest entitlement that’s got to have reform.”

Here’s why Taylor Swift is on Time magazine’s Person of the Year cover:

Taylor Swift appears on Time magazine’s Person of the Year cover honoring people who have come forward to report sexual misconduct.

The article also includes actor Ashley Judd, who was at the center of the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations, as well as Rose McGowan, Alyssa Milano and activist Tarana Burke — pioneers in the #MeToo movement that sparked a global discussion about sexual harassment and assault

But some users on social media questioned why Swift was on the cover.

Two months before the Weinstein allegations, the singer testified that a Denver radio DJ named David Mueller reached under her skirt and groped her before a concert in June 2013.

Parents of accused Tampa killer refuse to cooperate with investigators:

The parents of the man accused of killing four people in a Tampa, Florida, neighborhood could face contempt charges after they appear before a judge Thursday to explain why they’re not cooperating with investigators, according to their attorney.

“I cannot fathom a worse scenario than a parent having to testify against their child in such a serious matter,” attorney Ralph Fernandez told CNN on Wednesday.

“It goes against everything we stand for as a people in this country — dividing the home.”

Lindsey Vonn: I won’t be representing US President at Winter Olympics:

A number of US athletes have spoken out against Donald Trump during his presidency — and skier Lindsey Vonn has become the latest to have her say.

Targeting Olympic gold at February’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Vonn is in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where she spoke passionately about what it means to compete for the US ski team.

“Well I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president,” Vonn told CNN’s Alpine Edge.

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