World News: OnPolitics Today: Axis of Evil, Part 2

OnPolitics Today: Axis of Evil, Part 2

President Trump updated President George W. Bush's Axis of Evil during his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. Bush's original triad consisted of North Korea, Iran and Iraq, but it's bad form to keep allies on your enemies list . The brand-new list, per Trump's speech, has a theme going: vague military threats. The details in Tuesday's edition of OnPolitics Today ...

Always three there are; no more, no less

Is the sequel ever as good as the original? Maybe if you bring back some recurring characters. Let's find out ...

North Korea: "... if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."

Lately, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been really into firing ballistic missiles at things: the ocean, the ocean again, the ocean except this time over Japan, etc. The U.S. needs nonmilitary solutions to pressure Kim's now-nuclear regime, but so far key trading partners China and Russia aren't on board.

Iran: "... other than the vast military power of the United States, ... Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most."

Also back on the list is the country whose leaders have chanted "Death to America" and vowed to destroy Israel -- and the ones we signed a nuclear agreement with in 2015. The Trump administration can and may back out of the agreement, but all the other signatories (China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK) have given no indication they want to scrap the deal.

Venezuela: "The situation is completely unacceptable, and we cannot stand by and watch."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has bypassed the elected parliament and packed the highest court with allies while suffering through the worst economic slump in the nation's history. Latin American countries are in agreement with the U.S. that we should do something. Beyond that, details are fuzzy.

Governors: Don't send us your health care $

The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill, the summer's last effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, has promised to give block grants to states to design their own health care systems. On Tuesday, a bipartisan list of 10 governors sent a message to Senate leadership: Thanks, but we'll pass.

"As you continue to consider changes to the American health care system," the letter read in part, "we ask you not to consider the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson amendment and renew support for bipartisan efforts to make health care more available and affordable for all Americans."

Notable on the list is Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, because Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been considered one of a handful of swing votes on every Obamacare repeal effort this summer. Also notable is Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. In the not-so-distant past, Nevada Sen. Dean Heller (you might remember him from Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson amendment fame) once was thought to have his vote tied to Sandoval's approval. If that holds true, he's going to have to vote for his own bill.

Elsewhere in politics

•	Three congressmen arrested outside of Trump Tower during DREAM Act demonstration
•	Something for everyone to gloat about! Just like Trump said, the FBI definitely was tapping Team Trump phone lines. But also: The FBI is investigating a key member of Team Trump
•	Donald Trump Jr. just needs some alone time every now and then, all right?
•	House, Senate can't agree on creation of the Space Corps. (Is that really what we're going with? Not Space Force, or Space Navy, or ...)

We're betting the over

Political prediction market PredictIt suggests that Democrats are increasingly likely to take back the House in 2018. Let's check in and see how their efforts are going ...

Oh.

Hm.

BRB, we're gonna go place bets on the GOP.

MOST SHARED USA TODAY STORIES