Conservative Christians Watch GOP Tax Bill With Hopeful Eyes

Coming up on today’s show:

• The GOP’s tax overhaul could lead to the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, which would allow churches and non-profits to donate to and endorse political campaigns. Laurie Goodstein, national religion correspondent for The New York Times, examines the proposed repeal. Ray Madoff, a law professor at Boston College, discusses how provisions in both the House and Senate tax bills could hinder donations to charities and non-profits.

• We all know that the Fourth Amendment protects every American from unreasonable search and seizure. But that was written long before our modern digital age. So what does it say about search and seizure of, say, your cell phone data? The Supreme Court will take up that question today. Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, explains the case and what’s at stake.

• Today Alex Azar, President Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, appears for his Senate confirmation hearing. Juliet Eilperin, senior national affairs correspondent with The Washington Post, joins The Takeaway to discuss what Azar’s confirmation could mean for the American healthcare. 

• In April 2016, dozens of Virginia voters were reassigned to the wrong district, an error that went unnoticed until this month, when a state house race was decided by just 82 votes. Michael Pope, reporter at Virginia Public Radio, joins The Takeaway to break down the electoral confusion in Virginia. 

• The Takeaway continues its week-long look at the future of the Democratic Party with someone who has been involved in the party’s decision-making process for decades: Howard Dean, former chairman of  the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009, a six-term governor of Vermont, and a former presidential candidate.

• When it comes to the opioid crisis, the state of Ohio has the highest overdose death rates in the country, something that has devastated families. Scott Britton, assistant director of Public Children Services Association of Ohio, and Cassandra Holtzmann, Crawford County JFS Child Services Directo, join The Takeaway for a look at how the opioid crisis is affecting children and the foster care system in Ohio.

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich