The opioid epidemic impacts all of us in increasingly significant ways. Today, we’re discussing the impact of President Trump’s decision to declare this a public health emergency.  It's Thanksgiving, and we're so grateful to everyone who makes Pantsuit Politics possible. We couldn't do the podcast without the support of our patrons, our advertising agency, and our sponsors. Thanks to today's sponsors: BeFrugal.com and ModCloth. If you're interested in advertising on Pantsuit Politics, please reach out to Midroll. We're also so excited to launch our new podcast, The Nuanced Life, this week. Thank you for helping us out by listening, rating, subscribing, and reviewing it on the Apple Podcast Player! If you'd like Pantsuit Politics to speak at your university, business, or organization, please let Beth know.  We begin with an update on Republican efforts to cut some people's and companies' taxes. Some of the provisions in the Senate bill are truly mind-boggling.  Next, we discuss the recent military coup in Zimbabwe. We talk about Robert Mugabe's rise to power, the World Health Organization's decision to revoke his appointment as a global health ambassador, the events leading up to the coup--including a military official's trip to China, and his response to being placed under house arrest. The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee seems uneasy about how power might transition in this nation.  To compliment the other side, Sarah compliments Senator Lisa Murkowski for her insistence on a healthcare stabilization plan in relation to the tax cut bill. Beth appreciates Brian Baird, who is joining forces with a former state GOP chair in Washington state to back independent centrist candidates for office.  Our focus topic today is the opioid epidemic. On October 26, President Trump declared a public health emergency around this crisis. We discuss the difference between a public health emergency and a national disaster and what a path forward might involve in trying to combat this epidemic.  Recommended resources:  http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a12775932/sackler-family-oxycontin/ http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/medical-marijuana-could-help-end-opioid-addiction-epidemic-w473798 https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/11/9700446/ibogaine-treatment-opiate-addiction-psychedelic-drug https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/31/opioid-epidemic-dea-official-congress-big-pharma http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/donald-trump-opioid-epidemic/index.html https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/16/trump-us-opioid-crisis-national-emergency https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/26/exclusive-trump-declare-public-health-emergency-opioid-crisis-partial-measure-figh/796797001/ http://wbaa.org/post/opioid-crisis-public-health-emergency-vs-national-emergency#stream/0 http://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/ https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/26/trump-declares-the-opioid-epidemic-a-public-health-emergency-.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/11/05/opioid-addiction-crisis-trump-needs-put-his-money-where-his-mouth-is-connor-goddard-column/824794001/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/11/why-cant-addicts-just-quit/545552/ Finally, as always, we discuss what's on our minds outside of politics. Sarah is getting ready for Christmas, and we discuss the famous Marney Thanksgiving letter.