#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Thailand and Asia News >  >  > Speakers Corner >  >  President Joe Biden

## panama hat

Yup, I've gone there . . . Ohio, Texas and Florida.  I'm calling it.  I don't believe in bad luck.  The orange abortion will end up in jail and Pence will be photographed in an airport men's room with his pants down being blown by Lindsey Graham. 


The poisoned chalice will be handed to Messrs Biden and Mses Harris.

What a tough job awaits them to clean up virtually every single area of government, society and the economy . . . every department.  Every 'presidential decree' . . . 

It'll be tough and an increase in taxes is required. 


Prove me wrong, Trump and Pence . . . but please don't.

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## Chittychangchang

You declared first,respeckt. 

Can you post up Jackie Wilson's "Your love lifted me higher" video.?

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## panama hat

> You declared first,respeckt.


 :rofl:  :rofl: 









> Can you post up Jackie Wilson's "Your love lifted me higher" video.?


No.  I iz too gangsta for that

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## Headworx

I'm not seeing it and neither are the numbers that I can't help but see because they're updated every 3 minutes on every fucking channel I watch morning news on, not one of which is an American channel. If they'd have put someone, _anyone_, that you could look at think "this guy's switched on and looks the part" against Trump they'd win easily but that's the exact opposite of what's happened. Said it before, if I were American there's no way I could vote for either of them thinking I was helping the right man to lead the country into office for the next 4 years.

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## panama hat

> if I were American there's no way I could vote for either of them thinking I was helping the right man to lead the country into office for the next 4 years.


On the outside it would be a vote against the obvious wrong man and party, which is Trump and the Republicans. 


Is Biden ideal? Perhaps not, but he is the person to get elected in these polarising times.  Let him walk the walk afterwards because the walkhas been destroyed by the orange afterbirth. 


I'm looking forward to three of my next threads:
Trump in Court
Trump daughter/son in Court
Trump sentenced to .... years in jail
Trump daughter/son sentenced to .... years in jail

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## Loy Toy

> if I were American there's no way I could vote for either of them thinking I was helping the right man to lead the country into office for the next 4 years.


My sentiments exactly.

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## panama hat

. . . ok, maybe not Florida . . . but Trump NEEDS it, Biden doesn't.

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## tomcat

> if I were American there's no way I could vote


...fortunately...you're not...

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## Latindancer

> The poisoned chalice will be handed to Messrs Biden and Mses Harris.


But in this case it's a comedy...so this clip is apt :

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## AntRobertson

You've tempted the Mockers Gods... You never tempt the Mockers Gods!

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## Saint Willy

> I'm looking forward to three of my next threads:
> Trump in Court
> Trump daughter/son in Court
> Trump sentenced to .... years in jail
> Trump daughter/son sentenced to .... years in jail


Amen.

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## panama hat

> But in this case it's a comedy...


You're not wrong . . . sadly it's not funny, but has been deadly serious for too many.  The orange afterbirth needs to go.






> You've tempted the Mockers Gods... You never tempt the Mockers Gods!


I am above the mocking rules

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## MarilynMonroe

Wishful thinking perhaps, PH. Never say never, but I hope you are right. If he wins, I think there will be serious civil unrest.

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## Headworx

> On the outside it would be a vote against the obvious wrong man and party, which is Trump and the Republicans.


People will be voting for one or the other not because they think they're any good, but because they think one is less shit than the other. That's the truth of it. 




> ...fortunately...you're not...


Very fortunately, it would be about the last country on Earth I'd swap my citizenship for. Watch what unfolds in the next few days there and say BOOYAH to yourself with pride  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## AntRobertson

> I am above the mocking rules


Forgive him oh mighty, powerful and all-seeing, Mockers Gods.

He knows not what he says.

 :Sad:

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## panama hat

You're probably right, MM . . . as ridiculous as it may be . . . these idiots will go apeshit

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## jabir

Biden 85
Trump 55

Looking good for the Dems though I agree with the headcase, that they should have put up a valid candidate, not Biden as proxy for Harris.

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## panama hat

> Forgive him oh mighty, powerful and all-seeing, Mockers Gods.
> 
> He knows not what he says.


Tis I . . .

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## Iceman123

Early in the counting, but Trump is doing better than I expected. The bookmakers are paying 1.80 on Biden and 1.95 on Trump not too far from even odds on both.

It’s worrying!

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## Chittychangchang

That'll teach you to gamble :Smile:

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## Headworx

^^Thought you'd have learned something from the odds and results of the last election and used your stake money on a horse instead. Without Afghani peacekeepers and a delegation from India to oversee the process, anything can happen.

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## MarilynMonroe

> You're probably right, MM . . . as ridiculous as it may be . . . these idiots will go apeshit


As you may know, I live on a border town. I work with some Americans, and I've heard that many stores have stopped selling guns and ammo a week before this election for fear of serious riots and unrest.

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## Iceman123

^^+^^^
oh ye of little faith, sleepy joe will pull through, now Biden is 1.62

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## sabang

Fla, especially Dade County (the most populous) is the fly in the ointment. It seems to have swung quite firmly Trumps way, compared to the last election. Biden didn't want that. Oh puhleez, not another national election decided by a stacked Supreme Court. Otherwise, it's riden with Biden.

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## Chittychangchang

It's all going Pete Tong..



 :Smile:

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## Iceman123

Biden on 73 Trump on 48, I am calling it for Biden.

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## Iceman123

Biden has lots of other options other than Florida.

I have just put another $500 on Biden at 1.80

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## Iceman123

I think it maybe safe to say that Kanye West will not win.

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## Backspin

> Biden has lots of other options other than Florida.
> 
> I have just put another $500 on Biden at 1.80



Trump is projected to win now on Betfair

https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status...12874377191425

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## raycarey

you've really tempted fate here, PH.

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## Headworx

> Trump is projected to win now on Betfair


Trump 1.51
Biden 2.92
Shut the gate. 

Can't believe the volume on Betfair, it's pushing close to half a billion dollars!  :rofl:

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## Iceman123

> you've really tempted fate here, PH.


I’ll never trust a TD poll again. Here was me thinking they were foolproof.
 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Troy

If Trump wins then PH should be hung, drawn and quartered for starting this thread.

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## YourDaddy

> If Trump wins then PH should be hung, drawn and quartered for starting this thread.


I put 1000 satang on frump

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## YourDaddy

Another day another courtroom drama for American TV viewers.

The rest of the world doesn't give a shit. 

Most likely the leftover forum members too.

Cue Wolf Blitzer and dramatic music inside situation room.

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## AntRobertson

> If Trump wins then PH should be hung, drawn and quartered for starting this thread.


I volunteer to do the quartering part

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## panama hat

> you've really tempted fate here, PH.





> If Trump wins then PH should be hung, drawn and quartered for starting this thread.





> I volunteer to do the quartering part


 :rofl:  Have faith in me . . . you shall be handsomely rewarded



I have 'pre-emptorily' advised NZ Border security to close

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## Klondyke

> President Joe Biden


One cannot wonder that some are truly impressed by his lifetime achievement within 6 hours (checked by his Rolex) and $1B in hand? (and not at all shy to humbly   demonstrate it on live camera...)
(pity of the two guys, how they feel today?)

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## Iceman123

Can we kill this thread? Trump has got it!

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## panama hat

> Can we kill this thread? Trump has got it!


Nope, I refuse to believe it so early on . . . though it is depressing how well he is doing

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## Headworx

Panama Hat can you please start a thread titled NSW too good for QLD?  :Smile:

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## YourDaddy

> Nope, I refuse to believe it so early on . . . though it is depressing how well he is doing


4 more years!!!!

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## Troy

Trump is winning in Ohio, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania...

PH...?

 :Ban Him:

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## panama hat

> Panama Hat can you please start a thread titled NSW too good for QLD?


I'm a Sydney boy . . . so . . . Yea, I will .  :Sad: 








> 4 more years!!!!


Nooooooooooooo . . . 



It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings


It would be so brilliant if Biden wins with fewer votes but a higher electoral college amount.   Trump will literally blow his head

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## panama hat

> PH...?


I meant Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Washington . . . Illinois, Virginia, NY . . . 


 :Ban Him:  . . . surely you don't mean it . . . 


Have faith!

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## Shutree

I see the USD bumped up a bit against major curriencies early today and now it is retreating slowly. Which suggests perhaps that no one is very certain which way this thing is headed.

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## Troy

Bad etiquette from PH causes Trump to win in Ohio.

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## AntRobertson

Minnesota for Biden

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## Stumpy

> if I were American there's no way I could vote for either of them thinking I was helping the right man to lead the country into office for the next 4 years.


Let me just say as an American, I am thoroughly disgusted with the options us voters have had for President candidates. Trump...Clinton....now Trump and Biden.  Again our system is so fuked up. People do not vote for the best candidate, they pick the lesser of 2 worthless candidates and vote against the other not because they are the best candidate but that's all we have to choose from.. FFS I would love to see a guy  around 50 with some business smarts and political savvy. Sadly they are out there but they do not have money to join the game because we all know MONEY buys votes. 

Think about it, the people have had to chose between a reality show, call girl marrying, lying sack of shit schmuck or a depends wearing, old coffin dodger who may not make it 4 years. Both never ever said what their political plans really are. All they did was talk shit at each other like a couple of grade school kids.

That said, I hope Biden wins because I doubt I could stomach another 4 years of that fuck head Trump and his pathetic display of leadership. All those white trash, publisher clearing house playing, backwood cousin having children with cousins folk can go back to their lives of Meth and Jerry Springer... :smiley laughing:  

BTW, I just can't wait for Melanie Trumps college tours and book writings.  How a call girl made it to the white house.

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## panama hat

> Bad etiquette from PH causes Trump to win in Ohio.


 :Sad:  





> Minnesota for Biden


 :Smile:

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## YourDaddy



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## panama hat

I'll never forgive Biden if I started this thread for nothing

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## Saint Willy

> I'll never forgive Biden if I started this thread for nothing



How do you think the world will forgive you?

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## Iceman123

Does anyone wish to join me in a class action against “The Hat”?  I Lost money on the basis of his pronouncement

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## raycarey

more vote numbers currently being released, PH.....you might get a reprieve.

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## Saint Willy

> Does anyone wish to join me in a class action against “The Hat”?  I Lost money on the basis of his pronouncement


Indeed. 

I'll need a therapist for the next four years.

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## Troy

> Does anyone wish to join me in a class action against “The Hat”?  I Lost money on the basis of his pronouncement


Indeed...the US has gone insane due to this thread.

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## Saint Willy

I think we should all red PH now, and try to turn around the mockers.

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## panama hat

> How do you think the world will forgive you?





> Does anyone wish to join me in a class action against “The Hat”? I Lost money on the basis of his pronouncement





> I'll need a therapist for the next four years.





> Indeed...the US has gone insane due to this thread.





> I think we should all red PH now, and try to turn around the mockers.


Settle down ladies . . . and listen to the people, 'in the know'




> more vote numbers currently being released, PH.....you xxxxx _will_ get a reprieve.


(just ever so slightly 'massaged')

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## Backspin

> I think we should all red PH now, and try to turn around the mockers.


Yes. Everyone red him.

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## Troy

^ Not until the fat lady sings...

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## panama hat

> Yes. Everyone red him.





> ^ Not until the fat lady sings...


Too late.  Skidmark gave me a red pressie.  I think he is taking it all too seriously.


Anyway . . . It looks good for Biden . . .  :Smile:   Have faith

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## Troy

^ I'll grant better for Biden. Good would have been a result in the bag today and no fussing over recounts.

I've run out of alcohol, or the wife's hidden it until the result is known.

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## Saint Willy

> I've run out of alcohol, or the wife's hidden it until the result is known.


*snigger*

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## PlanK

> If Trump wins then PH should be hung, drawn and quartered for starting this thread.






> Does anyone wish to join me in a class action against The Hat? I Lost money on the basis of his pronouncement





> Yes. Everyone red him.



How did you amass such a large number of fair-weather friends, PH?  Especially the monkey.  How quickly they turn on you.  Not me though, I've always believed in you.

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## Saint Willy

> Especially the monkey. How quickly they turn on you.


Friends red friends who almost upset the democratic process by tempting the mocker gods.

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## panama hat

> How did you amass such a large number of fair-weather friends, PH?


I don't know . . . Iceman is ok, he may love me to bits but he is a transactional human.   "I'm going to sue you . . . fancy a beer, your shout"




> Especially the monkey. How quickly they turn on you.


He's had a yellow streak since his cat ripped his scrotum off in a sailing 'incident'.  Self-defence I say . . . KW had forgotten the masking tape




> Not me though, I've always believed in you.


True, and that's greatly appreciated . . . Besties, eh!  






> Friends red friends who almost upset the democratic process by tempting the mocker gods.


I just made it more interesting than a blowout:

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## baldrick

> business smarts


majority of this should be called cronyism

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## AntRobertson

Well cautious optimism now but I'm still not prepared to forgive hatter tempting the Mighty Mockers Gods like that.

Gonna grudge this shit for years!  :Very Happy:

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## panama hat

As my motherf.... Father in law says at every turn ... "Have you suffered enough"?

Life without a bit of excitement is ... well ... Like being Karen. Really not worth it  ☺️

Excitement you wanted? 

You're welcome ��

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## Iceman123

As a result of new information coming to light, I have decided to drop the class action against “The Hat”

Would any other members like to join me in donating to a cash award for “The Hat”?

On the basis of his sound pronouncement on the US election which I am sure we have all profited from.

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## Saint Willy

> Your welcome ��


waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, 

you spelled You're wrong! 

Your an idot! This proves you dont have an education. 

Im Smarter then you.

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## panama hat

A sound mind with a sound body and the  Iceman is the finely tuned top performance athlete of TD ... with PlanB following closely ... and monkey-man relegated to the dark room with Chico and Skidmark.  GingaAnt gets locked in a room with Karen and Tax in a gimp outfit next door. 

I shall pass my Cayman account number to you in due time.

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## panama hat

> waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, 
> 
> you spelled You're wrong! 
> 
> Your an idot! This proves you dont have an education. 
> 
> Im Smarter then you.


Karen? Is that you?

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## Saint Willy

Stop talking me!

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## panama hat

> Stop talking me!


 ::doglol::

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## Troy

Looks like a reprieve for PH...

...no longer in red row, but not yet forgiven.

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## AntRobertson

> Looks like a reprieve for PH...


No!  :Mad: 

If he jinxed it burn him!

If he got it right he's a witch, burn him!

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## panama hat

> If he jinxed it burn him!
> 
> If he got it right he's a witch, burn him!

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## AntRobertson

Burn the bitch! Oops, witch!  :Very Happy:

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## Troy

^ Good day for a burning...bonfire night...penny for the hat?

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## panama hat

Senate 48:48
House 204(D)-190(R)

Looks like and speaking of which:
)


> Burn the bitch! Oops, witch!





is about to 



 . . . 


You're welcome.

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## panama hat

> ^ Good day for a burning...bonfire night...penny for the hat?


Our Guy Fawkes big neighbourhood bonfire is going to be rained out.  :Sad:

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## harrybarracuda

> 4 more years!!!!


It's rather looking like two more months, which is much more acceptable

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## panama hat

^ Maybe he means four more years of jail on top of what he's going to get?

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## OhOh

> OhOh posting


Congratulations for raising your flag.

1. The citizens have voted/are voting.

2. The regime appointed assembly of the Electoral college, are being assembled/advised/schooled.

3. The appointed judges are awaiting for their hour of conscious acts to arrive.

One highlight is the lack of violence, so far.

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## panama hat

> Congratulations for raising your flag.


English and context, thanks

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## OhOh

Your flag of acceptance.

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## PAG



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## panama hat

> English and context, thanks





> Your flag of acceptance.


Yea . . . nah.  English and context.

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## harrybarracuda

It's time to throw out the trash.

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## S Landreth

The American people will determine who will serve as the next President of the United States. Votes are still being counted in several states around the country. The crises facing the country are severe  from a pandemic to an economic recession, climate change to racial injustice  and the transition team will continue preparing at full speed so that the Biden-Harris Administration can hit the ground running on Day One.: Biden-Harris Transition Team Official Website

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## Cujo

> 


Awesome, though I doubt they'll need them.
Or maybe they will. This afternoon I was feeling a nice comfortable sense of relief. It's slowing giving way to palpable despair.

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## Klondyke

Why it cannot be decided whether it's fraud or not?  At the Russian election it was known within an hour (the fraud). And our local expert on Vlad (please no names here) knew it already the day before people went to vote...

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## bsnub

> Why it cannot be decided whether it's fraud or not? At the Russian election it was known within an hour (the fraud).


 :smiley laughing:

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## Klondyke

*JOE GETS MOST VOTES IN AMERICAN HISTORY 
*DRUDGE REPORT 2021?

(Who would be surprised that the population fell for him?  Never ever has been more ingenious and prosperous POTUS candidate as Joe)

His results are humiliating even the old guy Lukashenko...

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## OhOh

> 1. The citizens have voted/are voting.
> 
> 2. The regime appointed assembly of the Electoral college, are being assembled/advised/schooled.
> 
> 3. The appointed judges are awaiting for their hour of conscious acts to arrive.
> 
> One highlight is the lack of violence, so far.


My apologies, I forgot the recounts. Also the undocumented immigrants.

1A. Recounts.

1B.11,960,000 voters left to watch and not participate. Quite a number votes to be had.

*How many undocumented immigrants are in the United States and who are they?*

_"The numbers of undocumented vary according to the methodology used, and there’s also a lag in the estimates because it takes time for accurate data to become available. The last estimate released by the Office of Immigration Statistics at DHS came in December 2018: As of January 1, 2015, there were 11.96 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S"_

How many undocumented immigrants are in the United States and who are they?

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## Backspin

Trump got more votes in this election from black , Asians and Hispanics of both sexes. He lost votes with white men. So you know who to blame for making it this close.

It's just an indictment on the wokeness. The left needs to revert back to a labor left , like Bernard Sanders, if it wants a chance. Cuz the wokeness platform is a loser.

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## Troy

> wokeness


What a horrible abortion of a word...please desist in using it!

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## Backspin

> What a horrible abortion of a word...please desist in using it!



It is the correct term so deal with it.

I used the correct term (intersectionality) and some gummers on here had a hissy fit over that word too. 

Google definition:



in·ter·sec·tion·al·i·ty

/ˌin(t)ərsekSHəˈnalədē/

_noun_
noun: *intersectionality*; plural noun: *intersectionalities*


the  interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class,  and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as  creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or  disadvantage.




Woke Wikipedia 

*Woke*


Woke  is a political term originating in the United States referring to a  perceived awareness of issues concerning social justice and racial  justice. It derives from the African-American Vernacular English  expression "stay woke", whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing  awareness of these issues. Wikipedia

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## peaches

Now for me, it’s back to reading books, instead of headlines.

Congratulations Joe Biden.

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## panama hat

> Now for me, its back to reading books, instead of headlines.


Books are better





> Congratulations Joe Biden.


Oh dear . . . you'll have Skidmark redding you next for jinxing the election  :Smile:

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## harrybarracuda

*Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate accord on ‘Day 1’ if he wins*Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate accord on &#39;Day 1&#39; if he wins - MarketWatch

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## bsnub

> Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate accord on ‘Day 1’ if he wins


Thank the gods.

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## Rusty Rebar

They'll have Biden in a facility before Easter This thread should say President Kamala

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## bsnub

Troll alert!!

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## sabang

^^ So what, if that proves to be the case (and which you are only speculating, or maybe just wishing to happen)?

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## panama hat

Aside from what rebar-man said, I asked the mods to change the thread title to President Joe Biden/Kamala Harris.  I doubt he'll carry it on for four years, though I hope he does

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## fishlocker

I voted for Trump just to piss you off!

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## Barty

> I doubt he'll carry it on for four years, though I hope he does


Sounds like betting time. What's going to take him out? Sudden death, mentally incapacitated, resign or he sees it through?

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## Saint Willy

Here we go

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## misskit

Biden is three years older than Trump. Why the wingnuts think Biden won’t last but Trump would is beyond me. Biden is in so much better shape than the overweight Trump. Biden can actually string coherent sentences together and hold a train of thought. The orange turd cannot.

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## PlanK

> They'll have Biden in a facility before Easter This thread should say President Kamala


There's been a black president, an orange president, about time there was a female president.






> I voted for Trump just to piss you off!


Thanks, can you do that every time you want to piss us off instead of posting an entire page of youtube videos.

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## peaches

> Biden is three years older than Trump. Why the wingnuts think Biden won’t last but Trump would is beyond me. Biden is in so much better shape than the overweight Trump. Biden can actually string coherent sentences together and hold a train of thought. The orange turd cannot.


I agree, Trump reminds me of a cockroach.

............. Come on Joe, put your foot down on the pest.

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## fishlocker



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## panama hat

It's looking more and more like my Nostradamus-wicked skillzzz are working

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## PlanK

Do you also do lotto numbers?

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## sabang

> I voted for Trump just to piss you off!


So you lose. Can't win 'em all pal. I guess the pissed off person must be yourself.  ::chitown::

----------


## Loy Toy

He can look in the mirror and utter these words.

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## Loy Toy

Hilarious!  :smiley laughing:

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## sabang

:smiley laughing:  Brilliant  :smiley laughing:

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## elche

^^ A wonderful depiction of toddler donnie in all his grandeur.

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## Saint Willy

brilliant. 

This one is more appropriate.

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## panama hat

Normalcy will return . . . joining the world yet again





> *Biden vows to rejoin Paris climate deal if elected president*_US withdrew from the deal on Wednesday, becoming the first country to leave the international climate-change pact._
> 
> Scientists say the world must cut emissions sharply this decade in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects of global warming [Johannes Eisele/AFP]5 Nov 2020
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...ord-if-elected

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## panama hat

::doglol::  I'd pay a dollar for pay per view:




> *Biden campaign says White House trespassers can be escorted out*
> 
> _Joe Bidens campaign says Donald Trump can be escorted out of White House if he refuses to admit defeat in US election._
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...

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## Cujo

I keep saying, the electoral college has yet to vote. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

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## raycarey

> I keep saying, the electoral college


and you still don't know what it is or how it works.

but go ahead and prove me wrong......explain it.

 ::chitown::

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## harrybarracuda

> and you still don't know what it is or how it works.
> 
> but go ahead and prove me wrong......explain it.



Do you not see the fundamental flaw in the Electoral college or are you just being deliberately obtuse?

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## harrybarracuda

Head of Secret Service, POTUS detail. January 20th 2021, 12:00.

Looks at his watch.

It clicks over to 12:01.

He says "Who the fuck are you, you fat orange c u n t?".

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## raycarey

> Do you not see the fundamental flaw in the Electoral college or are you just being deliberately obtuse?


i've never posted about it being flawless.  in fact, i've posted repeatedly to the contrary.

maybe you've missed cujo's posts over the last few weeks, but despite it being explained to him several times, he still can't get his tiny brain around it.

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## raycarey

this will probably make cujo's tiny brain explode:

National Popular Vote Interstate Compact - Wikipedia


btw, it's probably unconstitutional , but it is an intriguing remedy.

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## misskit

*Home vandalized after California man hangs effigy of Biden*

The Northern California home of a supporter of President Donald Trump was vandalized Friday after an effigy of Joe Biden accompanied by the word "cheater" was hung from its second-story roof with a rope, authorities said.


NBC Bay Area video shows an SUV in the driveway of the Brentwood, California, residence with a smashed windshield after vandals struck about midnight. The home's garage was painted with graffiti that described Trump with an epithet.


The vandalism, including tossed eggs, was reported after protests decrying the effigy broke out Thursday night and police blocked the adjacent street in response, the station said. No arrests were reported.

On Thursday, Brentwood police said the home's owner agreed to take down the mannequin. The home also displayed Trump's name in lights.


The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office determined no criminal act had taken place when the Biden mannequin was displayed, spokesman Scott Alonso said.


Brentwood police said the results of its inquiry into the matter would nonetheless be forwarded to the U.S. Secret Service. The Secret Service, which is charged with protecting presidents and nominees, does not comment on potential investigations, spokeswoman Julia McMurray said.

Home vandalized after California man hangs effigy of Biden

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## Cujo

> Do you not see the fundamental flaw in the Electoral college or are you just being deliberately obtuse?


He's just an idiot.

----------


## lom

> Do you not see the fundamental flaw in the Electoral college or are you just being deliberately obtuse?


WTF are you on about?

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## HuangLao

Looks as this all might be a rough transition - getting everyone on board for the betterment of the commons [sort to speak]. 
The last four years has developed a significant hostile and fanciful environment among a healthy percentage of the population as well as the political circles.

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## Buckaroo Banzai

> *Home vandalized after California man hangs effigy of Biden*
> 
> The Northern California home of a supporter of President Donald Trump was vandalized Friday after an effigy of Joe Biden accompanied by the word "cheater" was hung from its second-story roof with a rope, authorities said.
> 
> 
> NBC Bay Area video shows an SUV in the driveway of the Brentwood, California, residence with a smashed windshield after vandals struck about midnight. The home's garage was painted with graffiti that described Trump with an epithet.
> 
> 
> The vandalism, including tossed eggs, was reported after protests decrying the effigy broke out Thursday night and police blocked the adjacent street in response, the station said. No arrests were reported.
> ...


They are running around in pickup  trucks with huge flags (next time I see one I will take a picture) , I saw one the had a huge Trambo flag holding a machine gun. 
I took the Biden Harris bumper sticker off from my car because I don't want to comeback from shopping and find it all key scratched. There is a reason why trump won the no college education crowd, most trumpagees are morons.

----------


## Cujo

Just as a matter of interest, when does the electoral college vote?

----------


## Norton

14 Dec

----------


## Cujo

TKS..

----------


## misskit

^ December 14

The Electoral College: A 2020 Presidential Election Timeline

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11641

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden has won. Here’s what comes next.




 
For Biden and Harris, the victory marks the end of the campaign — but the beginning of an even more daunting challenge. Biden, who enters the White House as both the chief executive with the most experience in public service in US history and the oldest man to assume the presidency, will take on his duties amid a historic crisis, a pandemic that has already claimed more American lives than World War I, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War combined and has produced the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression.

A fvckin’ mess trump has left: Election results: Joe Biden wins presidential race, defeating Donald Trump - Vox

----------


## harrybarracuda

> WTF are you on about?


Shut up I'm talking to the grown ups.

----------


## harrybarracuda

********** CNN are calling Biden as the 46th President. **********

----------


## misskit

:bananaman:  Finally!

----------


## misskit

We’ve been waiting four years for this.

----------


## Backspin

> 14 Dec



Trump says hes not going to concede till the electoral college votes are cast

----------


## AntRobertson

OK so we can forgive the hatter for tempting the Mockers Gods now but he also picked the result so he's a witch... BURN HIM!  :Mad:

----------


## Neverna

Edit. Wrong thread.

----------


## sabang

When the ticker tape parades are over, the Democrats face a sober reality- and it is not just a bitterly divided country. Or a pox ridden one.
Other than the Presidency, they lost the election. They have lost ground in the lower house, and the Repubs have cemented control of the Senate.
So US politics will, most likely, still be stuck in a morass, with little that is substantive able to be accomplished. Sorry to rain on the parade, but....

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

Young people celebrating in the streets! I have seen many presidential wins, I have never seen anything like this.
This is going on in every major city.

----------


## sabang

Good. Does that mean those BLM numpties & hangers on are finally gonna go home- maybe even get a job?

----------


## panama hat

> Good. Does that mean those BLM numpties & hangers on are finally gonna go home- maybe even get a job?


This may surprise you, I have several friends who are BLM supporters and they all have jobs . . . some quite good jobs and a few excellent, high-ranking jobs.
You're either continuing on from the 'censorship' thread in being obtuse or you really have los tit.






> The Contra Costa District Attorney's Office determined no criminal act had taken place when the Biden mannequin was displayed, spokesman Scott Alonso said.


Lynching isn't a thing in the US, so how could it be even in bad taste . . .  :Sad: 






> OK so we can forgive the hatter for tempting the Mockers Gods now but he also picked the result so he's a witch... BURN HIM!



I Accept

----------


## Backspin

This took so long  and went down to the wire because of this jinx. Burn the fuckr. :Flame me:  :Flame me:  :Flame me:  :Flame me:  :Firedevil:

----------


## sabang

^ Fair enuff, I don't dispute that actually. I'm talking about the rioters, arsonists, thieves etc. Maybe those serial malcontents might now go home, stop destroying, burning & stealing what is not theirs, and maybe even do something productive?

Just because you (rightly) say there are decent people involved does not provide a blanket coverage for the scumbags. Amnesty neither.


And one more thing- they also happen to have been one of the most influential, yet unwitting allies of another scumbag. His name is donald trump. They only won him votes- and most of them (the scumbags) cannot even be bothered voting anyway.

----------


## panama hat

> And one more thing- they also happen to have been one of the most influential, yet unwitting allies of another scumbag. His name is donald trump. They only won him votes


Yup, their actions probably did




> and most of them (the scumbags) cannot even be bothered voting anyway.


I don't know about that, but I agree that they probably energised many Trump voters

----------


## bsnub

> I'm talking about the rioters, arsonists, thieves etc.


Those are not the supporters of the movement for the most part and many of them are far right infiltraters.

Can you lot give it a rest at least for one day? You sound like a brainwashed fucking aged Fox News commentator.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

trump finally got the large crowd he did not get at his inauguration :smiley laughing:

----------


## bsnub

> trump finally got the large crowd he did not get at his inauguration


They ain't seen nothing yet. What for the big farewell party.  :Smile:

----------


## sabang

My point is valid snub, and you know it. Why should I shut up about it? I have seen it so often- a valid movement with valid grievances and valid points hijacked by the scumbags. And thus only ending up strengthening the hand of those they oppose. Quite a lot of trump votes were assured on the "law and order" thing. By the actions of those who, in the main, do not even take the time to vote themselves.

But hey, party on dude. I'm happy about the election outcome too.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> They ain't seen nothing yet. What for the big farewell party.


I think the farewell party , or actually  the don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out  party, has started already LOL

----------


## bsnub

President elect Joe Biden will speak in 11 minutes.

*Edit* two more hours. Opps

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to announce COVID-19 task force Monday

As of 8 am, the United States had suffered 236,099 deaths from COVID-19: Biden announcing COVID task force on Monday - Axios

Where the fvck is/was trump?



 
Trump returns to White House after golfing to chants of "Loser!": Trump returns to White House after golfing to chants of "Loser!"

----------


## YourDaddy

Congratulations to president Biden in the election of the third most powerful nation to make benefit the glorious nation of Amurica.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai



----------


## Saint Willy

> Congratulations to president Biden in the election of the third most powerful nation to make benefit the glorious nation of Amurica.



nicely done, did you write that or borrow it?

----------


## Hugh Cow

Biden should have romped it in with Covid etc etc but he didnt. 70 million votes went to Trump which would suggest a lot of what should be dem heartland voted for Trump. There were probably many who voted for Joe purely because at least he wasn't Trump. The Dems need to look at why they didnt romp home. It would appear many of the American working class do not see the Dems as representing them.
 I wonder if it is similar to Australia where some view the left side of politics as the "chardonnay sipping socialists" full of lawyers and University educated socialists who work in the upper echelons of the trade union offices. Certainly Australia is over represented in politics with law degree graduates, even in the labor party.
I see an even more divided America. Can Joe bridge the gap? Time will tell. Getting a hand on Covid will be his first challenge. He will need to make very unpopular decisions to do so and does he have the ticker for it? So far all he has had to prove to get elected is he is not Trump. He will tread a careful path knowing there he is not that popular. How much of an asset will Harris be is another question, other than not a white male? I will be interested in the first 100 day report. I would expect him to at least be more presidential and more diplomatic and measured in his comments which at least may garner a little more respect from world leaders. I will be most interested to see how he handles Vlad and Xi.

----------


## aging one

HC, Biden won, the first small step in attempting to rebuild the USA. Thats all we need to know for now. Hate and divisiveness will be vanquished.  Its a freaking start. What a great feeling after 4 years of utter crap.

----------


## S Landreth

Think she would be nice to work with. 

'We did it, Joe!': Kamala Harris calls president-elect Biden to celebrate election victory

----------


## bsnub

Biden about give his victory speech.  :Smile:

----------


## aging one

So wonderful to see that. Just compare to Pence and all of Trumps dinosaurs.

----------


## raycarey

> the Democrats face a sober reality- and it is not just a bitterly divided country. Or a pox ridden one.
> Other than the Presidency, they lost the election. They have lost ground in the lower house, and the Repubs have cemented control of the Senate.
> So US politics will, most likely, still be stuck in a morass, with little that is substantive able to be accomplished.


just fuck off, sabang.

fuck off.

----------


## raycarey

now then....

this is a great day for america and americans.... including muslim americans, black americans, hispanic americas, etc...

of course there is work to be done.....and a lot of it will be difficult work (particularly repair our image and relationships abroad)...but i'm confident things are about to change for the better.

 ::usaflag1::

----------


## YourDaddy

> nicely done, did you write that or borrow it?


Put it an a Google and see. You are a copy paste Master of this forum.

----------


## sabang

> just fuck off, sabang.
> 
> fuck off.


Why does that hurt you so much ray? We know why, of course. It's the Truth- the outcome of the elections, besides the Presidency, was a considerable disappointment for the dems. It has been admitted, by the sort of people that don't throw childish tantrums at the unpleasant truth. The real challenge is, what to do about it going forward.

Anyway, enjoy your celebs. You know what I think of trump too. I wish the dems had done better in the 'other' elections too as it happens. But that changes nothing, if one has the temerity to deal with Reality. 


_With presidency in reach, Democrats grapple with disappointment
_

PoliticsNov 4, 2020 5:04 PM ESTWASHINGTON — Democrats went into Election Day hoping to reclaim the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress in a victory that would demonstrate an unmistakable repudiation of President Donald Trump and a Republican Party remade in his image.

It didn’t work out that way.

More than 12 hours after polls closed, Biden held a narrow lead in some key states with hundreds of thousands of votes yet to be counted, and he has a comfortable advantage in the national popular vote. But as of midday Wednesday, there was no clear Democratic wave.

Republicans held key Senate seats that Democrats hoped to flip, and the GOP may ultimately shrink the Democrats’ House majority. And even if Trump were to ultimately lose, the closeness of the presidential contest raised the prospect that a Biden presidency would have difficulty enacting progressive priorities or quickly move past the divisive politics of the Trump era.

Democrats will move forward “limping and bleeding with a huge warning about the voters they are repelling from the party,” Meghan McCain, a Republican who was critical of Trump, predicted on Twitter.

With presidency in reach, Democrats grapple with disappointment | PBS NewsHour

----------


## aging one

There are hundreds of millions of people in the USA and around the world celebrating that hate and divisiveness are on the way out.  Thats all I have to say.

----------


## panama hat

> There are hundreds of millions of people in the USA and around the world celebrating that hate and divisiveness are on the way out. Thats all I have to say.


Absolutely.  Even my 14-year old daughter and her friends were all over snapchat 'celebrating'.  A more hated leader than Trump is hard to find

----------


## aging one

Van Jones of CNN moved to tears as I was...

So happy to hear this..




> Absolutely. Even my 14-year old daughter and her friends were all over snapchat 'celebrating'. A more hated leader than Trump is hard to find



https://edition.cnn.com/videos/polit...xnight-vpx.cnn

----------


## sabang

yeh, nasty bastard

----------


## Hugh Cow

> HC, Biden won, the first small step in attempting to rebuild the USA. Thats all we need to know for now. Hate and divisiveness will be vanquished.  Its a freaking start. What a great feeling after 4 years of utter crap.


Hopefully you are right AO and some of the wounds that have divided the nation will heal with the end of the Trump era. How Joe will bridge such a polarised gap is beyond me but hopefully he will. The world for good or bad needs a united democratic America. The only viable alternative to a rising authoritarian China. 
Australia is already feeling their "displeasure" over a wish to get to the bottom of this pandemic. China has announced to the world "This can happen to you if you disagree with us". Anyone who thinks the world can do without a strong united America is dreaming. The E.U. is not capable of taking up the power vacuum which would be left by a weakened USA. The E.U. Is like the U.S.A. with 27 presidents. No wonder they take years to get things done. At least not until there is a German Chancellor of the unites states of europe.

----------


## raycarey

> Other than the Presidency, they lost the election. They have lost ground in the lower house, and the Repubs have cemented control of the Senate.


let's just unpack this for a moment...

1.  "other than the presidency".    :smiley laughing:  

2.  dems still control the house.  pelosi holds the gavel.  end of.

3.  there are two runoffs in GA that if dems are successful will give them control of senate....while it won't be easy, to claim the republicans have it cemented is factually inaccurate.


but yeah, good post.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## sabang

Well lets see when the results are official- my sources were Huffpo & PBS. Hardly trumptard. Hope you are right actually, because I would love to see the US be able to enact some meaningful reform at federal level.

----------


## Backspin

> let's just unpack this for a moment...
> 
> 1.  "other than the presidency".    
> 
> 2.  dems still control the house.  pelosi holds the gavel.  end of.
> 
> 3.  there are two runoffs in GA that if dems are successful will give them control of senate....while it won't be easy, to claim the republicans have it cemented is factually inaccurate.
> 
> 
> but yeah, good post.


The Dems were expecting a blue wave yet losts seats in both. 

Moderate House Democrats lashed out at their liberal colleagues Thursday, using a marathon caucus-wide conference call to bash progressives for advancing an agenda that, the centrists said, cost the party a number of seats in Tuesday’s elections. 

 do disagree, Abigail, that it was a failure,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) interjected. “We won the House.”

Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) delivered a similar condemnation, lamenting that the far left’s approach to several issues — including moving funds away from the police

----------


## panama hat

> The Dems were expecting a blue wave yet losts seats in both.


Lying sack of shit again . . .

----------


## sabang

I think he may be right actually, but lets wait for official results. As a foreigner, I'm mainly very glad that trump has been ousted.

----------


## Cujo

He hasn't conceded yet.
It aint over till the fat lady sings and there are court cases and the electoral college to go yet.

----------


## aging one

> The Dems were expecting a blue wave yet losts seats in both.





> Moderate House Democrats lashed out at their liberal colleagues Thursday, using a marathon caucus-wide conference call to bash progressives for advancing an agenda that, the centrists said, cost the party a number of seats in Tuesday’s elections.
> 
> do disagree, Abigail, that it was a failure,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) interjected. “We won the House.”
> 
> Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) delivered a similar condemnation, lamenting that the far left’s approach to several issues — including moving funds away from the police




Aint gonna go that way. Over the next 8 years this young lady is coming to the forefront.



Now run off and google on this. Much more up your line.

Trudeau's Radical Economic Schemes Increasingly Line Up With His Past Praise For Communists - Spencer Fernando

----------


## S Landreth

1st transition tweet: https://twitter.com/Transition46/sta...45351889907718 

Biden-Harris Presidential Transition - The work ahead in the next 73 days will be the foundation for an administration that puts the health, safety, and character of our communities first.

Learn how the Biden-Harris transition will move forward at President-Elect Joe Biden: Official Transition Website

----------


## Backspin

Biden will be 82 years old at the end of his first term

----------


## panama hat

> Biden will be 82 years old at the end of his first term


And he'll still have more life in him than you ever had . . . any more intelligent comments from you?

----------


## elche

> Biden will be 82 years old at the end of his first term


Surrounded by a large team of young, bright, competent and experienced professionals, academics and intellectuals who are all part of the decision making process, not grifting family members, criminals and sycophants.   How far did you get in school again?

----------


## RPETER65

> Those are not the supporters of the movement for the most part and many of them are far right infiltraters.
> 
> Can you lot give it a rest at least for one day? You sound like a brainwashed fucking aged Fox News commentator.



I have asked before but again do you have links to proof of this

----------


## RPETER65

> Absolutely.  Even my 14-year old daughter and her friends were all over snapchat 'celebrating'.  A more hated leader than Trump is hard to find



But but Bsnub and Buckaroo want the hare to continue.

----------


## panama hat

> But but Bsnub and Buckaroo want the hare to continue.


Yea well, you and your ilk have been supporting and hate for over four years from your criminal pedestal and now turn into the whiny bitches you've always been so you can fuck right off and join Fishlocker and his band of idiots thinking their guns will deliver them the result they want.

----------


## sabang

With all due respect gentlemen, you won. That includes me. Have you ever heard of the term 'noblesse oblige' ? Given that Joe Biden has given quite a gracious acceptance speech, emphasizing healing and conciliation, I don't think you are assisting anyone's cause with all of this ad hominem stuff. Show some Grace in Victory.  :Smile:

----------


## Backspin

> Yea well, you and your ilk have been supporting and hate for over four years from your criminal pedestal and now turn into the whiny bitches you've always been so you can fuck right off and join Fishlocker and his band of idiots thinking their guns will deliver them the result they want.


Fuck off with your faux accusations of hate. Because ppl don't go along with the woke platform, they are supporters of hate ?

----------


## panama hat

> faux accusations


You really are dense . . . and a Trump lover and a supporter of war criminals . . . of course we can also remember your insistence that raping women doesn't exist and your track record of selling drugs over the dar web . . . yea - nah.  I'll take advice from others, certainly not from you





> Have you ever heard of the term 'noblesse oblige' ?


I doubt anyone here belongs to the nobility, though,  :Smile:  , therefore - fuck 'em if they come out with crap.  That was the way before and will be after the transition.

The right wing nutjobs always seem to be far more aggressive and over-lording and now need to grow a spine . . . no-one should have given the Nazis a touchy-feely speech and no-one did.  These wannabe-fascists can screw themselves - play along with normal rules and fine . . . want to parade around with your guns in the mall and frighten people - eat shit and die.

Aside from that - have a nice day.  :Smile:

----------


## AntRobertson

> With all due respect gentlemen, you won. That includes me. Have you ever heard of the term 'noblesse oblige' ? Given that Joe Biden has given quite a gracious acceptance speech, emphasizing healing and conciliation, I don't think you are assisting anyone's cause with all of this ad hominem stuff. Show some Grace in Victory.


Yeah.

----------


## elche

So much love, so much winning!!!







Hey, I'm the least racist guy in the room.

----------


## S Landreth

For the dog lovers,

President-Elect Joe Biden's German Shepherd Major to Be First Rescue Dog in the White House

Now introducing the First Dog-elects, Major and Champ Biden!



 
For the first time in four years, dogs are heading back to the White House thanks to president-elect Joe Biden, who won the election over Donald Trump on Saturday.

Biden's German shepherd, Major, will also make history as the first rescue dog to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, according to NBC News.

The Biden family adopted Major from the Delaware Humane Association in November 2018, 10 years after the couple welcomed their first German shepherd, Champ.

We are so happy to welcome Major to the Biden family, and we are grateful to the Delaware Humane Association for their work in finding forever homes for Major and countless other animals, the Bidens said in a statement at the time.

Major, who was fostered by the Bidens before being adopted, was "from the litter of German shepherd pups that were surrendered and not doing well at all, according to the Delaware Humane Association.

Once we posted about them for your help, Joe Biden caught wind of them and reached out immediately. The rest is history," the group wrote on Facebook.: Joe Biden'&#39;'s Major to Be First Rescue Dog in White House | PEOPLE.com

----------


## Cujo

Joe is a decent human being.
As opposed to the previous shit sack.




> Joe Biden’s ongoing recovery from the trauma of the deaths of his first wife and youngest child have dramatically shaped his career, from the ways in which he speaks to crowds about grief and mourning to his views on healthcare.
> 
> 
> Though not unique to his brand of politicking, the former vice president and 2020 Democratic nominee for president has famously framed his current ideas through the lens of his past.
> 
> 
> While out shopping just days before Christmas in 1972, his 30-year-old wife Neilia and 13-month-old daughter Naomi were killed in a car accident after a tractor-trailer carrying corn broadsided the family’s Chevrolet station wagon. Campaign literature featuring the young senator-elect from Delaware littered the streets.
> 
> 
> ...


Neilia Hunter: How Joe Biden’s family tragedy shaped his Washington career

----------


## bsnub

Joe Biden is exactly what the country needed.

----------


## misskit

*Putin won’t congratulate Biden until ‘legal procedures’ are settled*

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not congratulate Joe Biden until the U.S. election results are finalized, the Kremlin’s top spokesman said Monday.


“Anticipating your possible question about Putin congratulating the U.S. president-elect, I want to say the following: we consider it correct to wait for the official summing up of the results of the elections,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Interfax, the Russian news agency.


Russia has sought to amplify President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud, with the head of Russia’s Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, emphasizing that she has prohibited all voting by mail because of the risks of cheating.

MORE Putin won’t congratulate Biden until ‘legal procedures’ are settled – POLITICO

----------


## bsnub

Putin is clearly butt hurt like most trumpanzees.  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

A while ago while watching the news and I overheard Biden thanking some supporters,.. see you at the inauguration. I thought Biden might hold a small private (invitation only) indoor event because of Covid.

Sent a note to my daughter asking if she wanted to attend. She was thrilled.

I will try to post some pictures.

My room.....



 
most hotels which are close (walking distance) to the National Mall are already booked.

----------


## bsnub

> My room.....


You never disappoint. Stay safe.

I am sure that the boontard is losing his shit rn.  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden will be 82 years old at the end of his first term





> Joe Biden is exactly what the country needed.


.....

----------


## elche

> Quote Originally Posted by Backspin View Post
> Biden will be 82 years old at the end of his first term
> Quote Originally Posted by bsnub View Post
> Joe Biden is exactly what the country needed.


Intellectually, 80 years older than you.  Btw, did you hear his acceptance speech?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

Market crushing on the prospect of a Biden presidency. LOL

----------


## harrybarracuda

> A while ago while watching the news and I overheard Biden thanking some supporters,…….. “see you at the inauguration”. I thought Biden might hold a small private (invitation only) indoor event because of Covid.


And he should. To hold a mass gathering of that scale in the middle of a pandemic would be a fucking joke.

----------


## harrybarracuda

President-elect Joe Biden has already selected the heads of his coronavirus task force, including the surgeon general who was fired soon after President Trump took office.

Vivek Murthy***, who was the nation’s top doctor when Biden was vice president under President Barack Obama, will be named as one of the co-chairs along with former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.

CNN, citing sources, reported Saturday that they would be joined by Yale University’s Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith.
The rest of the task force — which Biden referred to in his victory speech on Saturday — will be formally confirmed Monday.

“The work starts right away,” Bedingfield said.

“People want the country to move forward,” she continued, adding that the election result proved that “people are hungry for change.”

“He’s going to begin transition work in earnest this week. He’ll be making calls, he’ll be making announcements to the American people, on how he’s going to make good on these campaign promises,” she said.

Murthy — who was born in the UK to Indian immigrants — had been named for a four-year term as surgeon general in 2014 by Obama, before Trump forced Murthy to resign in April 2016.

Kessler was appointed as FDA commissioner by President George H.W. Bush and served in the position through President Bill Clinton’s first term in the White House.

The pair have both already been “advising [Biden] and our campaign since this virus emerged back in March,” Bedingfield said while confirming their new appointments.

Biden names fired surgeon general as a head of COVID-19 task force


*** Baldy sacked him because he thinks gun violence is a threat to public health (which is pretty fucking obvious).

Expect the trumpanzees to start squealing that "Thair gowna take away ar guuurrrrrrrrns!".

----------


## helge

> Intellectually, 80 years older than you.


 :Smile: 

Taking your Biden entusiasme a tad too far ?

----------


## Hugh Cow

The difference seems to be that people that worked for or know him well say he is a compassionate and empathetic person. He has known tragedy in his life which has probably shaped him. No one would ever accuse Trump of those qualities especially those who have worked for him in the whitehouse. 
Why would you sack the defense secretary with 70 days of your presidency to go. That is about 5 in 4 years from memory. Must be some sort of record. That alone says a lot about Trumps Presidency.
 Whatever the future the only sure thing is Joe cannot possibly be a worse President. He has already flagged rejoining the Paris agreement a big plus for the start of his Presidency.

----------


## elche

What a stark difference between Biden and the menace as Biden prepares to take office.  Who is on Biden's covid-19 board? All scientists and top notch ones too.  Trump's board?  Pence, who doesn't believe in science (unless it suits him), cosmetic surgery and make-up girl Iflunka and her flunky husband slumlord Jared.  The disaster is coming to an end.

----------


## AntRobertson

> What a stark difference between Biden and the menace as Biden prepares to take office.


Biden's already in gear meanwhile Trump's golfing and being a professional greviancer on Twitter.

He basically isn't even governing at this point. I saw somewhere earlier there have been no security briefings since Oct.

----------


## Klondyke

> I saw somewhere earlier there have been no security


As in contrast of:

*Will Hunter Biden accept a Secret Service detail again? Joe's troubled son dropped protection when his dad was VP - after his financial ties to Burisma were revealed* (Picture)

 Hunter Biden was on Sunday weighing up whether to accept protection from the Secret Service after his father became president-elect of the United States.

Hunter, 50, lives in Los Angeles with his South African-born wife Melissa, 34, and their seven-month-old son.

In the case of the president’s immediate family, the agency is required by law to provide round-the-clock security unless it is told not to. 

Few have declined Secret Service protection, although for an adult with an independent life it can be a challenge. 

Hunter was provided with a Secret Service detail when his father entered the White House from 2009, but stopped the protection in July 2014, shortly after Time magazine published an article highlighting his financial ties to Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas conglomerate.

A report by the Senate Homeland Security Committee released in September indicates the younger Biden took 411 domestic and international flights upon which the federal government provided security between June 2009 and July 2014. 

Secret Service flight logs show that Hunter Biden traveled to at least 29 foreign countries, including one trip to Russia and five visits to China, respectively. 

All of Donald Trump's children have accepted Secret Service protection - although Donald Trump Jr, 42, briefly rejected it.

In September 2017 Trump Jr, an avid camper and hunter, was reported to have said he no longer wanted their protection as he was seeking more privacy than he could expect with a contingent of agents accompanying him everywhere.

Less than a month later, he took it again for unspecified reasons, and with the Secret Service refusing to confirm any details. 

When his father was in the White House, Hunter Biden received protection for some of the time - including when he tested positive for cocaine. 

Agents are not supposed to stop their charges from wrongdoing, but inevitably buying drugs with agents on hand is challenging. 

Will Hunter Biden accept a Secret Service detail again? Joe's troubled son dropped protection when his dad was VP - after his financial ties to Burisma were revealed (Picture) - Hide Out Now

----------


## harrybarracuda

> He basically isn't even governing at this point.


What's new?

----------


## YourDaddy

How do mostly atheist teakdoor members feel about that?

----------


## helge

Is he religious ?

Or is it facade ?

Anyway:

Religious people shouldn't be allowed to hold office or vote


Now chew on that one  :Smile:

----------


## Edmond

Probably better than having a satanist.

----------


## helge

> Probably better than having a satanist.


Like the Skull and Bones fellas ?

Been there a couple of times

----------


## baldrick

what is the MILF ?

----------


## helge

> what is the MILF ?


*What is your favorite Bible verse?*“We walk by faith and not by sight,” from the Second Letter to the Corinthians. It’s a reminder that God will see us through to the other side of whatever challenge we’re facing so long as we do the work and hold onto our faith. Like many people of faith, I have private conversations with God where I usually ask for the strength and protection to make good decisions and do the right thing.

----------


## armstrong

> Biden's already in gear meanwhile Trump's golfing and being a professional greviancer on Twitter.
> 
> He basically isn't even governing at this point. I saw somewhere earlier there have been no security briefings since Oct.


To be fair when I decided to leave my last job I basically did nothing for the last few weeks.

----------


## Loy Toy

^ Did you receive a wage bonus?

----------


## armstrong

> ^ Did you receive a wage bonus?


I stole a lot of stationary if that counts.

----------


## PAG



----------


## S Landreth

Biden will end up with 306 electoral votes and well over 5,000,000 million popular votes


 
Talking Points Memo – Talking Points Memo – News, Commentary, Analysis

Why has this thread been moved to members?

----------


## S Landreth

How Joe Biden plans to use executive powers to fight climate change

Campaign press secretary Jamal Brown told us that Biden has come up with at least 10 executive actions to pursue off the bat:

Requiring aggressive methane pollution limits for new oil and gas operations.Using the federal government procurement system  which spends $500 billion every year  to drive toward 100 percent clean energy and zero-emissions vehicles.Ensuring that all US government installations, buildings, and facilities are more efficient and climate-ready, harnessing the purchasing power and supply chains to drive innovation.Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation  the fastest growing source of US climate pollution  by preserving and implementing the existing Clean Air Act, and developing rigorous new fuel economy standards aimed at ensuring 100 percent of new light- and medium-duty vehicles will be electrified and annual improvements are made for heavy-duty vehicles.Doubling down on the liquid fuels of the future, which make agriculture a key part of the solution to climate change. Advanced biofuels, made with materials like switchgrass and algae, can create jobs and new solutions to reduce emissions in planes, oceangoing vessels, and more.Saving consumers money and reducing emissions through new, aggressive appliance and building efficiency standards.Committing that every federal infrastructure investment should reduce climate pollution, and require any federal permitting decision to consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.Requiring public companies to disclose climate risks and the greenhouse gas emissions in their operations and supply chains.Protecting biodiversity, slowing extinction rates and helping leverage natural climate solutions by conserving 30 percent of Americas lands and waters by 2030.Protecting Americas natural treasures by permanently protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other areas impacted by President Trumps attacks on federal lands and waters, establishing national parks and monuments that reflect Americas natural heritage, banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters, modifying royalties to account for climate costs, and establishing targeted programs to enhance reforestation and develop renewables on federal lands and waters, with the goal of doubling offshore wind by 2030.

These actions are only a slice of how Biden plans to address climate change, and there may be more. There are also more contentious executive actions Biden could potentially take, like revoking authorization for the Keystone XL pipeline or denying oil and liquefied natural gas export licenses.: Joe Biden and climate change: 10 executive actions President-elect Biden is planning - Vox

----------


## Cujo

> I'll pick you up a personality while I'm there.


 :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How Joe Biden plans to use executive powers to fight climate change


With the oil price in the shitter and the demand curve likely to flatten going forward, you have to wonder whether or not the cost of drilling will make it a pointless exercise sooner rather than later.

----------


## bsnub

> you have to wonder whether or not the cost of drilling will make it a pointless exercise sooner rather than later.


We can only hope.

----------


## raycarey

How Fox News personalities previously talked about election results
~ 2 minutes

----------


## harrybarracuda

They're fucked off because they know Biden is going to tax them.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden has named a White House Chief of Staff and immigration news.

Biden announces Ron Klain will be White House chief of staff

Joe Biden has named longtime aide Ron Klain as his White House chief of staff, the transition team announced late Wednesday. Klain is the first White House official the president-elect has announced since winning last weeks election.

A veteran Democratic operative, Klain first worked for Biden in the late 1980s when Biden was a senator from Delaware and later served as Vice President Bidens chief of staff.

Klain had long been considered a frontrunner for the position given his history with Biden and experience dealing with both a public health crisis and an economic recession. But there were still murmurings of dissent given Klains decision to help Hillary Clintons campaign in 2016 while Biden was still contemplating running. That angered people among a team of longtime Biden aides who prize loyalty.

After the 2016 election, however, Biden adviser Steve Ricchetti arranged a lunch between Klain and Biden to clear the air. Since then, Klain has been back in Bidens orbit and has helped on general political strategy since before Bidens campaign launch in the Spring of 2019. In August, Klain took leave from his political consulting firm to be an unpaid senior adviser to Bidens campaign.: Biden announces Ron Klain will be White House chief of staff - POLITICO

Biden Will Move Quickly To Dismantle Some Of Trumps Signature Immigration Initiatives

The Biden administration plans to restore protection for people brought to the U.S. illegally as minors and stop using Pentagon funds to build a border wall. Biden unveiled a detailed, highly ambitious plan on immigration, but it will take time to undo many actions taken by Trump.

BIG, EARLY MOVES

Biden has said he will move quickly to undo some of Trumps signature immigration initiatives. The border wall? The roughly 400 miles (644 kilometers) built so far wont come down but the new administration wont keep building it or taking money from the Pentagon to fund it over the objections of Congress.

The incoming administration plans to reinstate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which currently shields from deportation about 650,000 people who came to the country when they were young. He plans to overturn the travel ban on people visiting the United States from 13 countries, many of them Muslim-majority.: Biden Will Move Quickly To Dismantle Trump’s Immigration Initiatives

----------


## S Landreth

Here are the world leaders who congratulated Joe Biden

Justin Trudeau
Boris Johnson
Emmanuel Macron
Angela Merkel
Micheál Martin
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Scott Morrison
Moon Jae-in
Yoshihide Suga
Pope Francis

Here are the world leaders who congratulated Joe Biden - CNNPolitics - Pope Francis Becomes Latest World Leader To Congratulate Joe Biden

----------


## panama hat

> Here are the world leaders who congratulated Joe Biden
> 
> Justin Trudeau
> Boris Johnson
> Emmanuel Macron
> Angela Merkel
> Micheál Martin
> Recep Tayyip Erdogan
> King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
> ...


And here are those who did not:

Putin
Xi
Kim

Quite telling, really

----------


## S Landreth

> A while ago while watching the news and I overheard Biden thanking some supporters,.. see you at the inauguration. I thought Biden might hold a small private (invitation only) indoor event because of Covid.
> 
> Sent a note to my daughter asking if she wanted to attend. She was thrilled.
> 
> I will try to post some pictures.


Update.

Just received a call from my congressmans office about my request for tickets (up close). She told me they dont have any tickets yet and are not sure IF it is going to be held because of Covid.

----------


## Cujo

> Update.
> 
> Just received a call from my congressman’s office about my request for tickets (up close). She told me they don’t have any tickets yet and are not sure IF it is going to be held because of Covid.


And because he hasn't officially won yet.
It ain't over till the electoral college sings.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Update.
> 
> Just received a call from my congressman’s office about my request for tickets (up close). She told me they don’t have any tickets yet and are not sure IF it is going to be held because of Covid.


As I said earlier. Even a baldy orange loser size crowd would spread the bug, especially if trumpanzees turn up.

----------


## helge

> Here are the world leaders who congratulated Joe Biden
> 
> Justin Trudeau
> Boris Johnson
> Emmanuel Macron
> Angela Merkel
> Micheál Martin
> Recep Tayyip Erdogan
> King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
> ...





> And here are those who did not:
> 
> Putin
> Xi
> Kim
> 
> Quite telling, really


Xi is onboard. Happy ?


Are you onboard yet ?  :Smile:

----------


## Jools

Trump can do a lot of damage before he leaves office. I'm hoping he ends his days in prison, along with several members of his corrupt family.

----------


## raycarey

> She told me they don’t have any tickets yet and are not sure IF it is going to be held because of Covid.


i was thinking this when you initially posted about going, but didn't want to rain on the.....errr..inaugural parade. 
 hope it happens though...for him and you.






> It ain't over till the electoral college sings.


do you think you'll be able to explain the electoral college by that time?
i don't.

----------


## raycarey

> Trump can do a lot of damage before he leaves office.


most reports indicate that trump seems focused on continued grifting ATM...but i'm sure his attention will soon turn to high profile pardons and other spectacles.

whatever he does with regard to policy, biden will be able to reverse a lot of it on day one...and some departments/agencies will slow walk his directives/executive orders...but there can be no doubt that people like stephen miller are plotting and scheming 24hrs/day.

----------


## misskit

Interesting read. Opinion piece in the Moscow Times.



*No Longer 'Ours': With a Biden White House, the Kremlin Is Facing a Tough New Reality*


The problem for Moscow is not so much the deterioration of relations under Biden: it is the readiness of the new administration to minimize these relations.



No Longer 'Ours': With a Biden White House, the Kremlin Is Facing a Tough New Reality - The Moscow Times

----------


## HuangLao

> most reports indicate that trump seems focused on continued grifting ATM...but i'm sure his attention will soon turn to high profile pardons and other spectacles.
> 
> whatever he does with regard to policy, biden will be able to reverse a lot of it on day one...and some departments/agencies will slow walk his directives/executive orders...but there can be no doubt that people like stephen miller are plotting and scheming 24hrs/day.



Been already established that old Joe will reverse the WHO disassociation as well as jumping back on board of the Paris Climate Accords....among other numerous items that were harshly disbanded by The Orange Sociopathic one. 

It's a start in the right direction. 
I believe Team Biden's priority might be the COVID mess [which is currently spiraling out of hand] and engaging a new relief package, as unemployment numbers are historic. 


Yet, expected - some things won't change at all. 
Same as it ever was.
One Third of Biden's Pentagon Transition Team Hails From Organizations Financed by the Weapons Industry - In These Times

----------


## S Landreth

^Another one  :Smile:  ,

----------


## Cujo

> Interesting read. Opinion piece in the Moscow Times.
> 
> 
> 
> *No Longer 'Ours': With a Biden White House, the Kremlin Is Facing a Tough New Reality*
> 
> 
> The problem for Moscow is not so much the deterioration of relations under Biden: it is the readiness of the new administration to minimize these relations.
> 
> ...


Quote from that article




> Personal chemistry is important, especially for Putin, who prefers an “operationally tactile style” of presidential diplomacy. In the case of Trump this allowed him, since the U.S. president was not “well-read” on key issues on the agenda and overly susceptible to flattery, to unobtrusively influence the position of the American administration.

----------


## Cujo

> do you think you'll be able to explain the electoral college by that time?
> i don't.


I'm beginning to think I understand it better than you. It's not as if there's been any shortage of explanations/turorials online lately.

----------


## raycarey

> I'm beginning to think


that's a step in the right direction, sport.

----------


## bsnub

> that's a step in the right direction, sport.


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## S Landreth

> i was thinking this when you initially posted about going, but didn't want to rain on the.....errr..inaugural parade. 
>  hope it happens though...for him and you.


When I first posted about the visit I knew it might be a long shot (Biden did say,.see you at the inauguration). But it will be a historic (once in a lifetime) event (first female VP) and something we both would like to be a part of.

I do hope like many others the swearing-in will take place. If it doesnt, so be it. Safety Frist. Ill just cancel my reservations (with some penalty).: President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration: Date, tickets and everything we know so far - CNET - When Is Joe Biden'&#39;'s Inauguration Day?  - The New York Times

 

Just made dinner reservations (Penn Quarter area) this morning at one of the restaurants well be visiting during our two night stay. Cant make reservations at the other restaurant (along the DC Wharf) because it is too far out. Maybe next month.

----------


## bsnub

> Just made dinner reservations


Well you are a brave man. I have gone out once since March and I live in Seattle and I would not even consider flying right now.

----------


## Cujo

> Well you are a brave man. I have gone out once since March and I live in Seattle and I would not even consider flying right now.


Chickenshit.
Wear a mask, socially distance as much as possible and don't touch anything you absolutely don't have to.
But yeah, making reservations for a superspreader event is not too smart.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Trump can do a lot of damage before he leaves office. I'm hoping he ends his days in prison, along with several members of his corrupt family.


Well no, not really, he can't. He doesn't have the house and even if he did sign an EO it can go in the bin on January 20th. And I daresay if he tried to do anything controversial, most agencies would merely pay lip service and drag it out, or it would get buried in the courts.

----------


## S Landreth

Most of us Americans will be sleeping that much easier this evening





2020 U.S. Presidential Election results and polls





> Well you are a brave man. I have gone out once since March and I live in Seattle and I would not even consider flying right now.


We all have our own level of comfort.

I do push it a bit at times but will always wear a mask when in public spaces and do my best to keep my distance from people. Difficult to do at times when meeting with some friends/family. But most everyone will follow safe practices.

About flying. I am going be uncomfortable while on board even if its going to be a short flight.

However as I understand there has been at least one study (  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  ) that shows flying and covid isnt a problem: Access Denied

----------


## panama hat

Nice pick . . . 




> *Hawkish candidate for Biden's defense secretary could bode well for Taiwan*
> 
> *President-elect Joe Biden's top Pentagon pick advocates capability to sink Chinese navy in 72 hours*
> 
> 
> TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President-elect Joe Biden's reported top choice for secretary of defense appears to be in favor of building a stout defense against China in the South China Sea, boding well for U.S. military policy toward Taiwan.
> Former senior defense official Michele Flournoy is reportedly at the top of Biden's list of candidates for defense secretary. In a sign of her apparent hawkish stance towards China, Flournoy recently wrote an op-ed in which she stressed the need to strengthen the U.S. ability to deter threats from China.
> Flourney, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy for President Bill Clinton and under secretary of defense for policy for President Barack Obama, published a piece in the June edition of Foreign Affairs titled "How to Prevent a War in Asia: The Erosion of American Deterrence Raises the Risk of Chinese Miscalculation." In the article, Flourney wrote that China's “strongly held beliefs about the United States as a declining power” could embolden it into taking higher-risk actions, such as attacking or blockading Taiwan.
> Flourney assessed that China is starting to believe it can achieve a quick strike that would disable all U.S. defenses in the region, paving the way for an invasion of Taiwan. "China’s theory of victory increasingly relies on ‘system destruction warfare’ — crippling an adversary at the outset of conflict, by deploying sophisticated electronic warfare, counterspace, and cyber-capabilities," wrote Flourney.
> ...


Hawkish candidate for Biden's defense secretary could bode well for Taiwan | Taiwan News | 2020/11/10

----------


## S Landreth

With China belatedly congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their election victory on Friday, the list of countries still declining to acknowledge Biden's victory is getting very short.

State of play: Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro, Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Russia's Vladimir Putin are among the very few world leaders who say they're waiting for President Trump's legal challenges to play out. North Korea's Kim Jong-un is in a slightly larger group  those who've declined to comment on the results either way.

How it happened: Congratulatory messages began to flow in almost immediately after U.S. networks called the election for Biden last Saturday.: Nearly the whole world considers Biden president-elect - Axios

----------


## sabang

> those who've declined to comment on the results either way.


Fair enough actually. To much of the world it's just same old same old, until demonstrated different. Which they do not necessarily expect.

----------


## Saint Willy

I'm surprised Duterte is not in that group.




> State of play: Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro, Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Russia's Vladimir Putin are among the very few world leaders who say they're waiting for President Trump's legal challenges to play out. North Korea's Kim Jong-un is in a slightly larger group — those who've declined to comment on the results either way.

----------


## Klondyke

> North Korea's Kim Jong-un is in a slightly larger group — those who've declined to comment on the results either way.


How dare he? 
BTW, any record whether Joe (or his boss) congratulated him to his "election"?  (But that's not the same, he is not exceptional, is he?)

----------


## Saint Willy

FOK, you twat.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Fair enough actually. To much of the world it's just same old same old, until demonstrated different. Which they do not necessarily expect.


Is that the same as "the brasilians, mexicans, chinkies and russians are pissed off"?

----------


## panama hat

> "election"


Who are you quoting about Kim's 'election'?

Yea . . . FOK

----------


## sabang

^^ Reckon we can add a fair few more to that list- Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Palestine, Iraq, etc. For many of them, it's a wait and see thing. One thing about this election was that it really wasn't fought on specifics- rather on personality politics and left wing vs right wing bullshit, basically.

----------


## S Landreth

> Reckon we can add a fair few more to that list- Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Palestine, Iraq, etc.


Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Sunday acknowledged Joe Biden's victory in the U.S. presidential elections, tweeting that his government recognized "the people of the United States has chosen a new direction".

"We believe in the possibility of constructive bilateral relations respecting one another's differences," his tweet read, reflecting widespread hopes on the Communist-run island for an improvement in U.S.-Cuban relations under President-elect Biden, without naming him.

Incumbent U.S. President Donald Trump unraveled much of his predecessor Barack Obama's 2014-2016 detente with Cuba, reverting instead to a decades-old policy of seeking to choke its economy in order to force democratic change.

The Trump administration tightened restrictions on U.S. travel and remittances to Cuba and sanctioned shipments of Venezuelan oil to the island.

The administration also made it harder for Cubans to visit their family in Florida by reducing its Havana embassy to skeletal staffing and shutting down the consular section in the wake of mysterious illnesses among its diplomats.

This has meant Cubans have instead had to travel abroad to get a U.S. visa.

During the campaign, Biden assured he would promptly reverse policies on Cuba enacted by Trump that "have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights."

And a top Biden foreign policy adviser told Reuters on condition of anonymity last week that the Democrat would "reverse the decisions that are separating families, limitations on family travel and remittances" if he won the White House.

But the adviser added that while the incoming president wants to "empower" the Cuban people, "we can't turn back the clock to January 2017.": Cuba'&#39;'s president acknowledges Biden'&#39;'s U.S. election win

----------


## sabang

Seems the sensible thing to do- come out with the requisite diplomatic niceties, and hope for the best! But it is far from clear, at least not to me, what change if any the incoming Biden admin will make to US foreign policy.

----------


## raycarey

> But it is far from clear, at least not to me, what change if any the incoming Biden admin will make to US foreign policy.


yeah.  
absolutely.
100%.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## S Landreth

So nice to know Dr. Jill Biden will be gracing the white house grounds and not a european hooker.

First professor: Jill Biden to make history as a first lady with a day job

Jill Biden would scramble into cocktail dresses in a bathroom at Northern Virginia Community College before rushing to White House receptions when her husband was vice president. She graded papers at night in a tiny nook on Air Force Two. Her Secret Service agents dressed like college students and carried backpacks to blend in when she was on campus.

Now Dr. B, as her students call her, plans to continue teaching English and writing at the college when she moves into the White House in January. She will be the first presidents wife to continue her professional career as first lady, after becoming the first second lady to do so. She will also be part of a small group of union members to hold the title, including Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan.

For Biden, 69, roles as a top White House figure and an educator will be intertwined, just as they were during her time as second lady, as she recalled in her memoir. A member of the National Education Association, she is a natural emissary to the teachers unions that aggressively supported President-elect Joe Bidens bid for president after four years of battling the Trump administration and prior tension with the Obama administration over academic standards, charter schools and testing.

She plans to keep pushing two years of tuition-free community college, just as she did during and after the Obama administration, along with her work on initiatives to support military families and fight cancer. New plans include addressing food insecurity issues created by the pandemic, as well as tackling unequal access to technology and broadband for students, according to the campaign.

It would be a real modernizing of the first ladyship ... to have the presidents spouse live the kind of life that the majority of women live, which is working outside the home professionally, said Ohio University professor Katherine Jellison, who studies first ladies.

Jill Biden has assured union members that teachers will have a seat at the table in a Biden administration, and she said her husband will want to appoint an Education secretary who is an educator with public school experience and who will fight for the right to organize and collectively bargain.: First professor: Jill Biden to make history as a first lady with a day job - POLITICO

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^^ Reckon we can add a fair few more to that list- Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Palestine, Iraq


I'll keep this simple:

Go and find those on the map in post 257.

(If you can, obviously).


 ::chitown::

----------


## HuangLao

> Seems the sensible thing to do- come out with the requisite diplomatic niceties, and hope for the best! But it is far from clear, at least not to me, what change if any the incoming Biden admin will make to US foreign policy.


I suspect that old Joe will continue on with the traditional manner of American foreign policy/empire building, as his predecessors have practiced for decades. 
You'll be reminded that President-elect Biden comes from that old-school moderate-conservative tradition - regardless of the romantic and fabricated labels that have been placed. 

That being said - he'll be a better fit than what has transpired and encased itself of the last four years. 

It might behoove him and his team to concentrate on the domestic side, as it's no secret that the U.S. is in a great chaotic mess - across the board - and requires a firm and broad domestic policies to right the ship......

----------


## sabang

Well, at least your posts says something Hung Lo! Yeh, I personally don't see any major changes either. Hopefully less bluffing & bluster than windbag trump, anyway.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Seems the sensible thing to do- come out with the requisite diplomatic niceties, and hope for the best! But it is far from clear, at least not to me, what change if any the incoming Biden admin will make to US foreign policy.


Well he won't be kissing dictators arses that's for sure.

----------


## raycarey

> I personally don't see any major changes either.


yeah, except for reestablishing ties the WHO, attempting to regain the trust of NATO allies, returning to the negotiating table with iran and cuba, opposing illegal settlements in the west bank, re-entering the paris climate agreement, ending support for the saudi war in yemen, not looking the other way when autocrats and dictators trample on basic human rights, etc......btw, ask putin, al-sisi, MBS, duterte, bolsonaro and netanyahu if they also don't see any major changes.   :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## sabang

I think the Saud family rather enjoy their analingus.

^Great stuff, hope it turns out that way. Lets just say that Obama came in with a great blaze of glory on the FP front, but m'ehh. Hope springs eternal.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Found all those countries on the map yet sabang?

How did it turn out?

 :rofl:

----------


## sabang

Poor Bitter 'arry. There there, hope it gets better.


The financial markets are quite positive about the new broom. That's a good thing.-


Biden Faces a Global Economy That'&#39;'s Tired of U.S. Antics

----------


## Grumpy John

Well well well, as I expected this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden.  I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden.  And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country.  It's a real shame....a real shame you cannot recognise evil when you see it.   :Saevil:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Reckon we can add a fair few more to that list- Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Palestine, Iraq



So Syria then.

 :rofl:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Poor Bitter 'arry. There there, hope it gets better.
> 
> 
> The financial markets are quite positive about the new broom. That's a good thing.-
> 
> 
> Biden Faces a Global Economy That'&#39;'s Tired of U.S. Antics


I have a small portfolio I play around with,  Last spring when the market crashed I lost 18% and pulled out of the market for a month or so, then I went back in and regained 12% back but still 6% behind from where I was. 
It was two steps forward, one step back, Nerve wrecking!
looking at the Covid situation around the world and in the US ,and all the news I hear about shutting down,  I lost my nerve last week , pulled it out  and park it in a interest only account . 
CRAP!!! the ETF I was in went up 1.4% yesterday, 
I need to stop looking , it only makes me sick , but it is like driving by an accident,  cant help but look.  LOL
I think I'll stay out for a month or so and see what happens with the spread of covid,  the vaccine, and the transition to the new administration

----------


## panama hat

> what change if any the incoming Biden admin will make to US foreign policy.


Among others:




> reestablishing ties the WHO, attempting to regain the trust of NATO allies, returning to the negotiating table with iran and cuba, opposing illegal settlements in the west bank, re-entering the paris climate agreement, ending support for the saudi war in yemen, not looking the other way when autocrats and dictators trample on basic human rights, etc....



I do hope he stays the general course with China, though, as the previous and current situations aren't sustainable . . . I'm talking more economically than politically or militarily.

----------


## Saint Willy

> yeah, except for reestablishing ties the WHO, attempting to regain the trust of NATO allies, returning to the negotiating table with iran and cuba, opposing illegal settlements in the west bank, re-entering the paris climate agreement, ending support for the saudi war in yemen, not looking the other way when autocrats and dictators trample on basic human rights, etc......btw, ask putin, al-sisi, MBS, duterte, bolsonaro and netanyahu if they also don't see any major changes.

----------


## sabang

> I need to stop looking


The best advice. Buy n Hold.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The best advice. Buy n Hold.


I know, I know,  i am also going against my own advice , but this is the closest I have gotten to where I was , and I am hopping to miss a bit of the downturn, and then ride the next wave  up, apparently though I got out a day too soon,  LOL
I dont understand why the market is still rising, all the fundamentals are wrong , other than the fact that there is no other place for the money to go to,

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Well well well, as I expected this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden.  I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden.  And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country.  It's a real shame....a real shame you cannot recognise evil when you see it.


Funny how we and and extra 5 million people think the same about you and your choice.

----------


## S Landreth

^5.704 mill and still counting

----------


## helge

> still counting


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Stumpy

> Well well well, as I expected this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden.  I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden.  And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country.  It's a real shame....a real shame you cannot recognise evil when you see it.


While it's obvious you are trolling, I will bite for a bit.  Trump did exactly the opposite of his political schpeel of MAGA.  He sent the US in a spiral and divided the nation.  He never showed any professional leadership. He was a tyrant and behaved like a spoiled snot nosed kid. Add to that the first lady was an embarrassment and the rest of his family.  It will take years to repair the damage he has done both in the US and our global image.  

Btw, I am not on the Biden train thinking he is the answer for all, but I am very thankful Trump will be escorted out Jan 20 and he can go back to his reality show life in his tacky Trump Tower.

----------


## panama hat

> Trump will be escorted out Jan 20

----------


## elche

> this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden.


Really?  Any support for Biden has to do with the relief of knowing the menace will be gone shortly.  Btw, hero worshiping and kool-aid drinking is a practice of trumpanzees and trumptards, not progressives.




> I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden.


That's exactly what we were thinking about your and your hero trump for four years.  Btw, bigots, criminals and liars are supported by bigots, criminals and liars.





> And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country


Like over 200,000 covid deaths in 6 months, an economy is shambles, record debt, and a country never so divided?





> It's a real shame


It's your shame.

----------


## panama hat

> Like over 200,000 covid deaths in 6 months, an economy is shambles, record debt, and a country never so divided?


Sooo much good . . . sooo much winning.


At least he built a wall and Mexico paid for it.  He placed massive tariffs on primary gods and China went elsewhere and Trump subsidised farmers to a record level and then told another little wit lie that China is paying for the subsidies . . . 

Sooo much winning

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Well well well, as I expected this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden.  I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden.  And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country.  It's a real shame....a real shame you cannot recognise evil when you see it.


It's a shame you're such a gibbering arsehole, but seeing as your hero will be out on his arse soon enough, you can wipe away your tears.

----------


## aging one

> Originally Posted by Grumpy John 
> Well well well, as I expected this thread is almost a unanimous lovefest for Joe Hiden. I don't think I'll ever understand how you see greatness in a turd of a man like Hiden. And to dismiss President Trump like you do when he has done so much good for the country. It's a real shame....a real shame you cannot recognise evil when you see it.


Yeah he killed 230,000 million people. Now through his incompetence 150,00+ per day are being infected with Covid. Our European partners are well down on us as well.  

But Grumpy what happened to your predictions of a Trump landslide? You were saying his massive rallies were proof he would win as nobody came to Bidens. Well Biden didnt hold any and now thousand of Trumptards are infected with Covid from the rallies.  Just fuck off dude.

----------


## panama hat

> 230,000 million people.


That's a lot of people  :Smile: 

But yes . . . almost a quarter of a million people dead partially because the orange afterbirth only has eyes for his golf course, the stock market and his wealth.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden is bringing back the daily briefing. Here's who is likely to be at the podium.

President-elect Joe Bidens return to normalcy will include restoring the daily press briefing  and at least two women are under consideration to lead the new post-Trump show, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Kate Bedingfield is seen as having the inside track to become either White House communications director or press secretary. Symone Sanders could be offered the role of incoming press secretary, or slot into another position before winding up at the podium down the line, Biden aides and other people in and around the transition said.

Both have expressed interest in the senior White House posts. Their appointments would represent a return to the ways of previous administrations in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room  before familiar sparring and spinning devolved into gaslighting and outright falsehoods that damaged the Trump administrations relationship with the press and many Americans.: Biden is bringing back the daily briefing. Here&#39;s who is likely to be at the podium. - POLITICO

----------


## S Landreth

Trump concedes. He (Biden) won.


 
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...56491056279552


 ::doglol::

----------


## bsnub

The sad thing is the dimwits will cling to his words like gospel. Repeater666 will be along soon and perhaps the boontard under his new nicks on here.

----------


## elche

> The sad thing is the dimwits will cling to his words like gospel.


Most Trump supporters know he is lying but go along with the script with the hope of getting their way.  This should tell us what they are really like: liars filled with hate/racism/bigotry, lawless and potentially violent, and undemocratic.  In fact, many would kill democrats if they could get away with it.  This is why they deserve nothing but scorn and derision.

----------


## cisco999

> Pence will be photographed in an airport men's room with his pants down being blown by Lindsey Graham.





Are you sure it won't be just the reverse?        :Wank:

----------


## hallelujah

FO (back to the troll factory) K. You brainwashed Commie dolt.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Are you sure it won't be just the reverse?


Given that Lindsay Graham's nickname among Washington rent boys is apparently "Lady G", I think not. That suggests he is a bender, not a stabber.

----------


## S Landreth

> Trump concedes. He (Biden) won.
> 
> 
>  
> https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...56491056279552


Hes backtracking now.


 
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...79630477922304

Someone must have told him he was going to kill the cash cow.: Donations under $8K to Trump ‘election defense’ instead go to president, RNC | Reuters

Leadership PACs such as Save America are often set up by prominent political figures to spend money on other candidates, while also paying for personal expenses, such as travel and hotel stays.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Trump concedes. He (Biden) won.
> 
> 
>  
> https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...56491056279552


He is walking back that declaration now.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> .


Only In the eyes of the "fake news media" and the 78,664,837 of people that voted for Biden. And soon the eyes of the election commissions of every state.  Soon I will go to the Real white house at Mara Largo and do the same thing I always did in Washington, Play golf , twitt, and shout at the TV.

Ohh , and I will update my twitter account  picture to a more recent one

----------


## sabang

What an embarassment for the USA.

----------


## Loy Toy

I cannot speak for others but I am completely bored with Trump and his theatrics, his lies, bullshit and just the look of him.

The election results basically confirms that almost half of the electorate are republican and always will be, almost half of the electorate are democrats and always will be and the small percentages of those electorates that are fence sitters decide the end result.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I cannot speak for others but I am completely bored with Trump and his theatrics, his lies, bullshit and just the look of him.
> 
> The election results basically confirms that almost half of the electorate are republican and always will be, almost half of the electorate are democrats and always will be and the small percentages of those electorates that are fence sitters decide the end result.


I am with you on this, four years of trump is more than enough , like watching the same old bad comedy movie, over and over again. 

Of the registered voters ,33% identify as Democrats, 29% identify as Republicans and 34%) identify as independents. And the demographics are trending toward the Democrats. Which is why the Republicans increasingly rely on gerrymandering , the electoral college and the uneducated voter.

----------


## Norton

> What an embarassment for the USA.


Getting more so by the tweet but has been since Bonespurs was elected.

----------


## Latindancer

> I cannot speak for others but I am completely bored with Trump and his theatrics, his lies, bullshit and just the look of him.

----------


## S Landreth

Michèle Flournoy could become the first woman to run the Pentagon.

 

On June 20, 2016, then-Vice President Joe Biden delivered keynote remarks at an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security, the think tank founded and, at that point, led by Michèle Flournoy.

Flournoy introduced Biden, praising him as a national security thinker and noting the ties between his staff at the White House and CNAS. Biden, in turn, acknowledged the little-kept secret of the defense world: that Flournoy was in line to become the first woman to serve as defense secretary under President Hillary Clinton.

Well, madam secretary, Biden said with a laugh as the crowd applauded. Im writing a recommendation for her, you know.

The Clinton administration never materialized, following the election of President Donald Trump. But four years later, president-elect Biden is widely expected to fulfill his promise and tap Flournoy to lead the U.S. military.

Some observers have suggested that if Susan Rice, the former national security adviser to President Barack Obama and a close confidant of Biden, seeks the Pentagons top job, she would be heavily considered, but there are few signs she wants that position. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, an Iraq War combat veteran, is another name that has been mentioned as a possibility, and other names will inevitably pop up in the coming weeks.

But for months, Flournoy has appeared to be the closest thing to a shoo-in as possible.

Michèle Flournoy would be a solid choice as defense secretary, said Kori Schake, a former national security official in the Bush administration, now with the American Enterprise Institute. Shes a fine leader, knows the building and the issues, has an agenda thats both congenial for the defense establishment and also likely to improve it.

Much much more: Michele Flournoy could become the first woman to run the Pentagon. Here’s what would change.

----------


## Cujo

> 


Jesus thos leunig 'cartoons' are fucking stupid.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Jesus thos leunig 'cartoons' are fucking stupid.


They are painfully unfunny aren't they.

----------


## misskit

Well I thought it funny.

----------


## Saint Willy

> They are painfully unfunny aren't they.



depressive,

I shouldnt wonder if Leunig suffers from SADs.

----------


## panama hat

> I shouldnt wonder if Leunig suffers from SADs.


Does Leunig live in Brisbane, Tahiti or some other tropical/sub-tropical bad weather hellhole?

----------


## Hugh Cow

Have just listened to Bidens' press conference. What a difference in style. Like a breath of fresh air to here careful, intelligent and measured responses to questions. 
Oh, and not one complaint about fake news. Hopefully he can repair the damage to the office caused by Trump in regard to the rest of the world, not just the USA.

----------


## baldrick

> the 78,664,837 of people that voted for Biden


any estimates on the number of voters who were disenfranchised by shenanigans ?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> any estimates on the number of voters who were disenfranchised by shenanigans ?


I am sure there must have been some, How many I don't know . It seems to be part of the republican playbook.

----------


## Cujo

The only single verified case of actual intentional voter fraud found so far was a guy who filled out his dead mothers ballot. 
He was a republican.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The only single verified case of actual intentional voter fraud found so far was a guy who filled out his dead mothers ballot. 
> He was a republican.


"disenfranchised  shenanigans" is not only blatant voter fraud such as the one you mentioned, but an attempt to prevent people from voting, by limiting voting locations and making it difficult to vote, or trying to prevent the Post Office from delivering mail in ballots . 
All part of the Republican playbook. 
 Then they have the nerve to complain that the election was stolen from them, and the idiots with the big trump flags believe it.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Does Leunig live in Brisbane, Tahiti or some other tropical/sub-tropical bad weather hellhole?


Worse... Melbourne.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> any estimates on the number of voters who were disenfranchised by shenanigans ?


Probably 7 figures - Republican gerrymandering and voter suppression is a nationwide effort starting at county level.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon to get a top White House job

 
Jen O'Malley Dillon will join President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration as a deputy chief of staff, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.

The expected move, first reported by NBC News, is the latest in a long line of expected senior White House hires as Biden moves to fill out his administration.

O'Malley Dillon was Biden's campaign manager, joining his team in March after he consolidated support among most of his primary rivals. She helped transform a shoestring primary organization, which struggled to raise money, into a general election juggernaut that ultimately made Donald Trump a one-term president. She was the first woman to lead a winning Democratic presidential race.

O'Malley Dillon will be joining Ron Klain, who was announced as Biden's incoming chief of staff last week, and Rep. Cedric Richmond, who sources tell CNN is expected to leave Congress and join the Biden White House in a senior role.: Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon to get a top White House job - CNNPolitics

On 7 November, Jen OMalley Dillon became the first woman to ever manage a winning Democratic presidential campaign. But shes done far more than help to prevent another four years of a Trump administration in the US. Shes a political force to be reckoned with  and one the whole world is now watching.: Meet Jen O’Malley Dillon, The First Woman To Manage A Winning Democratic Presidential Campaign | British Vogue

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

"*Braking News*  "
"Joe Biden names 9 top White House appointees, including Rep. Cedric Richmond and campaign manager O'Malley Dillon "

And None of them was his barber  :smiley laughing:

----------


## happynz

> "Braking News "


Oh stop!  :Wink:

----------


## harrybarracuda

*President-elect Joe Biden Announces Members of White House Senior Staff*
Today, President-elect Joe Biden announced members of his White House senior staff. These diverse, experienced, and talented individuals demonstrate President-elect Biden’s commitment to building an administration that looks like America, has deep expertise governing, and will be ready to help the president-elect deliver results for working families on day one. 
“I am proud to announce additional members of my senior team who will help us build back better than before. America faces great challenges, and they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to tackling these challenges and emerging on the other side a stronger, more united nation,” said President-elect Joe Biden.
“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris have an ambitious and urgent agenda for action. The team we have already started to assemble will enable us to meet the challenges facing our country on day one,” said incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain. 
Biographies of the appointees are listed below in alphabetical order: 
Anthony Bernal, Senior Advisor to Dr. Jill Biden
Anthony Bernal was Deputy Campaign Manager and Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Bernal has served as a trusted advisor and assistant to the Biden family for more than a decade. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Chief of Staff in the Office of Dr. Biden. He served for all eight years of the Obama-Biden administration in multiple leadership roles, including as Director of Scheduling and Trip Director for Dr. Biden, and as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to Dr. Biden. He was also Director of Scheduling for Dr. Biden during the 2008 Obama-Biden campaign and served on the Obama-Biden Transition Team as Director of Scheduling and Advance for Dr. Biden.  Bernal began his career in public service at the White House under both President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore on their scheduling and advance teams. Following the 2000 election, Bernal held a number of positions outside of government, including international relations work at the Coca-Cola Company and AARP, and as Director of Financial Administration of the Democratic National Convention Committee and Chief of Staff at the ALS Therapy Development Foundation, a non-profit biotechnology company. A native of Arizona, he is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso and attended Carleton College.
Mike Donilon, Senior Advisor to the President
Mike Donilon served as Chief Strategist for the Biden-Harris Campaign, where he was responsible for overseeing message discipline and development, television advertising, speechwriting, and polling and research. Previously, Donilon served as Counselor to then-Vice President Biden in the White House. Donilon has been a nationally recognized strategist, media consultant and pollster for nearly four decades, having been part of six US presidential campaigns and more than 25 winning US Senate, gubernatorial, US House and mayoral campaigns. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris campaign, Donilon was Managing Director of the Biden Institute and assistant professor at the University of Delaware. A native of Rhode Island, Donilon is a graduate of Georgetown University and Georgetown University Law Center.
Jen O’Malley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff
Jen O’Malley Dillon served as the Campaign Manager for the Biden-Harris campaign. She was the first female campaign manager for a successful Democratic presidential campaign. A veteran of seven presidential campaigns, O’Malley Dillon has worked in leadership and organizing positions on campaigns at every level – from state senate and mayoral races to congressional, gubernatorial, and senate campaigns. Prior to joining the Biden campaign in March 2020, she was the Campaign Manager for Beto O’Rourke’s presidential campaign and was a founding partner at Precision Strategies, a communications, digital, and data-targeting firm. Previously, she served as Deputy Campaign manager for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee, and battleground states director for Obama’s 2008 campaign. In her 2012 role, she oversaw the largest field, education, political outreach, and data analytics organization in the history of presidential campaigns. A native of Massachusetts, O’Malley Dillon is a graduate of Tufts University and a mom of three young children.
Dana Remus, White House Counsel
Dana Remus served as General Counsel of the Biden-Harris Campaign. Prior to that, she was General Counsel of the Obama Foundation and President and Mrs. Obama’s personal office. During the Obama-Biden administration, Remus was the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel for Ethics.  Previously, she was a Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she specialized in legal and judicial ethics and the regulation of the legal profession. Remus clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and was an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. A native of New Hampshire, Remus is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale Law School.
Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon, Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden
Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon is a partner at the law firm of Winston & Strawn.  During the Obama-Biden administration, Reynoso served as U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere in the U.S. Department of State, where she developed comprehensive security and rule of law strategies for Central America and the Carribean. Reynoso serves on the boards of several nonprofit and advocacy organizations, and was on the faculty of Columbia Law School and Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. She serves as trustee for New York-Presbyterian Hospital and for Columbia University, and is on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law and the Truman National Security Project. Reynoso was born in the Dominican Republic, migrated to the United States at the age of seven, and grew up in the Bronx, New York City.  She clerked for Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the Southern District of New York, and is a graduate of Harvard University, the University of Cambridge, and Columbia Law School. 
Steve Ricchetti, Counselor to the President
Steve Ricchetti served as Chairman of the Biden-Harris campaign.  Throughout his decades of public service, Ricchetti has held senior roles on Capitol Hill and at the White House, including as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Vice President Biden, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs for President Clinton during the impeachment hearings, and Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 1992, when women won a record number of seats. Before joining the Obama-Biden administration in 2009, Ricchetti was the founder and president of an independent government relations and political consulting firm. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris campaign, Ricchetti was Managing Director of the Penn Biden Center.  A native of Ohio, Ricchetti is a graduate of Miami University and George Mason University School of Law. 
Cedric Richmond, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement
Congressman Cedric Richmond was National Co-Chairman of the Biden-Harris Campaign and is currently a Co-Chair of the Biden-Harris Transition Team. Since 2011, Richmond has represented Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, Richmond served on the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Committee on Homeland Security, the House Committee on the Judiciary, the House Democratic Assistant to the Majority Whip, a member of the New Democratic Coalition, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and, most recently, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Richmond was a leader in helping to enact landmark criminal justice reform and ensuring that the people of Louisiana’s 2nd District were prepared for emergencies and natural disasters through his oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the House Committee on Homeland Security. Born and raised in New Orleans, Richmond is a graduate of Morehouse College and Tulane University School of Law, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Julie Rodriguez, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Julie Chavez Rodriguez served as a Deputy Campaign Manager on the Biden-Harris Campaign. Before that, she was National Political Director and traveling Chief of Staff for then-Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Prior to launching Senator Harris’ campaign, she served as California State Director in her senate office. During the Obama-Biden administration, Chavez Rodriguez served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Deputy Director of Public Engagement in the Office of Public Engagement. Before joining the White House, Chavez Rodriguez served as the Director of Youth Employment at the Department of the Interior and as Deputy Press Secretary to former Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. Earlier in her career, she served as the Director of Programs at the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation. A native of California, she is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.
Annie Tomasini, Director of Oval Office Operations
Annie Tomasini serves as President Elect Biden’s Traveling Chief of Staff, where she ensures the execution of day to day affairs and provides strategic counsel to the President Elect. Tomasini has served the Biden family for over a decade in several positions, including as Deputy Press Secretary for Vice President Biden and Press Secretary for Senator Biden when he was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Previously, Tomasini was Senior Director of State, Local, and Community Relations and Strategic Outreach at Harvard Public Affairs and Communications, where she oversaw the relationships with Harvard University’s external stakeholders, host communities, and state and local government. She began her career at Rasky Partners Inc, one of the largest public relations firms in New England. Tomasini also serves on the non-profit Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester. A native of Massachusetts, Tomasini is a graduate of Boston University.

https://buildbackbetter.com/press-re...-senior-staff/

----------


## S Landreth

More good news.

Biden win revives immigration talk

President-elect Joe Bidens victory is reviving the hunt for one of Washingtons biggest white whales: immigration reform.

Talk of a potential agreement under Biden comes as Congress has tried and failed in recent years to clinch a deal related to the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

GOP senators pointed to immigration as one area of potential compromise under a government likely to be divided next year.

I think that would be a good thing to do, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said about the potential to do immigration next year.

The challenge is youve got to get the votes, but that to me is one of my biggest disappointments in my time in the Senate, our inability to get that done, Cornyn said, adding that he would try to be part of that effort if the topic comes back up.   

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during a recent call with reporters said there was room for deals between Republicans and Biden on several issues, and there may be some things we can do on immigration. You know, you got the Dreamers hanging out there.

I will be willing to work with the Biden administration, if he wins  and Im not conceding that he will  in ways to make the country stronger, Graham said, adding that Biden would have to decide if he wants to cut deals with Republicans.: Biden win revives immigration talk | TheHill

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> More good news.
> 
> Biden win revives immigration talk
> 
> President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is reviving the hunt for one of Washington’s biggest white whales: immigration reform.
> 
> Talk of a potential agreement under Biden comes as Congress has tried and failed in recent years to clinch a deal related to the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
> 
> GOP senators pointed to immigration as one area of potential compromise under a government likely to be divided next year.
> ...


Lindsey Graham is the biggest boot licker politician I have ever seen, He would kiss up to whoever is in power. The man's word is worth nothing.

----------


## panama hat

> Lindsey Graham is the biggest boot licker politician I have ever seen, He would kiss up to whoever is in power. The man's word is worth nothing.


Yet look how many times he and people like Cruz and McConnell and Rubio have been re-elected.  


One of my best friends voted for Trump in 2016 (he's originally from Colorado then moved to California where we both worked fo a division of Lucent) and has been living in Arizona since then and regrets voting for Trump.  In 2020 he voted for Biden but is keeping the ticket Red where he can.  
Voting according to one's beliefs still works without going overboard

----------


## S Landreth

It is a nice gesture..

The top Republicans who have acknowledged Biden as president-elect

Some elected Republicans are breaking ranks with President Trump to acknowledge that President-elect Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

*Why it matters:* The relative sparsity of acknowledgements highlights Trump's lasting power in the GOP, as his campaign moves to file multiple lawsuits alleging voter fraud in key swing states  despite the fact that there have been no credible allegations of any widespread fraud anywhere in the U.S.

Senators:


*Sen. Susan Collins* (Maine): "I would offer my congratulations to President-elect Biden on his apparent victory. ... I urge people to be patient. The process has not failed our country in more than 200 years, and it is not going to fail our country this year."*Sen. John Cornyn* (Texas), when asked by reporters if Biden would be the next president: "I haven't seen anything that would change the outcome."*Sen. Lisa Murkowski* (Alaska): "I congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and will be ready to work with their administration when it takes office."*Sen. Mitt Romney* (Utah): "Ann and I extend our congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. We know both of them as people of good will and admirable character. We pray that God may bless them in the days and years ahead."*Sen. Marco Rubio* (Fla.), when asked by reporters about a new national intelligence director in the incoming Biden administration: "That'll be the president-elect's decision."*Sen. Ben Sasse* (Neb.): "Today in our house we pray for both President Trump and President-Elect Biden, that both would be wise in the execution of their respective duties during this important time in our nation."

Governors:


*Gov. Charlie Baker* (Mass.): "I congratulate President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on their victory. This has been a long and divisive campaign, but now it is critical for us all to focus on the very real and immediate challenges facing this nation."*Gov.-elect Spencer Cox* (Utah): "Abby and I wish a heart-felt congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris on the election call today. Thank you for your commitment to unite us all."*Gov. Mike DeWine* (Ohio): "Joe Biden is the president-elect."*Gov. Larry Hogan* (Md.): "Congratulations to President-elect Biden. Everyone should want our president to succeed because we need our country to succeed."*Gov. Asa Hutchinson* (Ark.): "I expect Joe Biden to be the next president of the United States. It was good, actually, to see President Trump tweet out 'he won.' I think thats the start of an acknowledgment."*Gov. Phil Scott* (Vt.): "I want to congratulate President-elect Biden ... we must do all we can to heal our nation."*Gov. Chris Sununu* (N.H.): "Joe Biden is the president-elect."

Representatives:


*Rep. Don Bacon* (Neb.): "I believe the handwriting is on the wall that Joe Biden has been elected as the next President."*Rep. Will Hurd* (Texas): "More unites us than divides us; we can find common ground. I hope the president-elect can embody this."*Rep. Adam Kinzinger* (Ill.): "Sofia and I extend our congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Our nation deserves two competing parties who can work together when possible, and compete honorably when not."*Rep. Paul Mitchell* (Mich.): "Congratulations to President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris. This election was hard-fought by both candidates and ultimately the voters chose them for the job."*Rep. Tom Reed* (N.Y.): "We must continue to transparently count and certify all of the American people's votes to its complete conclusion. ... However, out of respect and in deference to the moment, I extend my congratulations to President-elect Biden."*Rep. Denver Riggleman* (Va.): "Christine and I extend congratulations and well wishes to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris."*Rep. Francis Rooney* (Fla.): "Congratulations to [President-elect] Biden on a successful campaign. All Americans need to come together to support [President-elect] Biden. Our nation will only be successful if the new admin is."*Rep. John Shimkus* (Ill.): "Even though I supported his opponent, I wish President-elect Joe Biden well."*Rep. Fred Upton* (Mich.): "I am raising my hand and committing to working with President-elect Biden and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in Congress."*Rep. Don Young* (Alaska) wished Biden well, adding: "I call on President-elect Biden to listen carefully to those who did not vote for him."

*Of note:* Non-elected Republicans that have acknowledged Biden as the next president include former President George W. Bush, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and the late Arizona Sen. John McCain's wife, Cindy McCain.

_This post will continue to be updated with additional comments.:_ The top Republicans who have acknowledged Biden as president-elect - Axios 


* Favorites emerge as Latino leaders press Biden to appoint 5 Hispanics to Cabinet

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra - The Los Angeles native is reportedly in consideration to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ), which would make him the second Hispanic in history to lead the department, after former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in the George W. Bush administration.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham - Lujan Grisham is the front-runner to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a job she previously held at the state level in New Mexico under former Gov. Bill Richardson (D).

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez - He's an alternative to Becerra for the DOJ post, for which outgoing Alabama Sen. Doug Jones (D) is reportedly under consideration.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti - Garcetti, a top Biden ally, would be a shoo-in for Transportation secretary. But Garcetti said in October it's more likely than not that he'll finish his term as mayor, which ends in 2022.

Alejandro Mayorkas - He's a front-runner for DHS who has reportedly also expressed interest in that post, and someone who could thread the needle between undoing Trump's immigration changes and keeping an eye out for morale among the agency's more than 200,000 workers.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) - Cortez Masto has reportedly expressed interest in a Cabinet post, particularly DOJ, but Biden is unlikely to pluck any more senators than absolutely necessary, although a Nevada Senate vacancy would be filled by Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak.

Rep. Ruben Gallego - Hes reportedly expressed interest in becoming either ambassador to the United Nations or secretary of the Navy  a step below secretary of Defense.

Mónica Lozano - The CEO of La Opinión, one of the most influential Spanish-language newspapers in the country, Lozano is reportedly under consideration for the Small Business Administration or an ambassadorship, potentially to Mexico.: Favorites emerge as Latino leaders press Biden to appoint 5 Hispanics to Cabinet | TheHill

----------


## S Landreth

Georgia recount (hand-count audit completed 11/19/20) - Biden/Harris team win Georgia again.: State audit reaffirms Biden wins Georgia, finds ‘not a thimble full of difference’ in vote count



Just for fun.

Marc E. Elias - Georgia Federal Court REJECTS Republican effort to block certification of election results. There are no remaining lawsuits currently pending in Georgia.

Trump and his allies are now 2-31 in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...57156400599041 - Trump allies draw Georgia into election conspiracy claims

“_Georgia Federal Court REJECTS Republican effort” - A Trump appointed judge._"

2 - 31  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> 2 - 31


I know about the one in Pennsylvania... what was the other one?

----------


## raycarey

biden knows he needs to walk a very fine line here.....but the time is coming quickly where he's going to have to take a stand.

i completely understand the concern that a targeted, direct action will cause trump to dig in his heels....but it's worth questioning how much further they can be dug in.

----------


## S Landreth

> I know about the one in Pennsylvania... what was the other one?


Follow him: https://twitter.com/marceelias


https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...95343642767360https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...61818847326209

I thought there was also another case they won which allowed the poll watchers to get within 6 feet of the employees counting the ballots and not 10 feet.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Follow him: https://twitter.com/marceelias
> 
> 
> https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...95343642767360https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...61818847326209
> 
> I thought there was also another case they won which allowed the poll watchers to get within 6 feet of the employees counting the ballots and not 10 feet.



That was about the election though, not the result.

Some kind soul is keeping a wiki page of them all.

Lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election - Wikipedia

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Follow him: https://twitter.com/marceelias
> 
> 
> https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...95343642767360https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...61818847326209
> 
> I thought there was also another case they won which allowed the poll watchers to get within 6 feet of the employees counting the ballots and not 10 feet.



Also, he says:




> Here is the only case Trump and his allies have won in the post election. They shorted the time period to cure a small number of rejected mail-in ballots from 9 days to 6 days. At most, it affected a few dozen ballots. _They are 1-29 overall._


AFAIK it's now 1-32.


 :Smile: 



Added: Looks there was another case about late deadlines that resulted in another batch of a few uncounted ballots being tossed.

He's updated his score to 2-33.


 :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> "Petitioner alleges that these ballots were cast in violation of the Election Code because they do not contain a date penned by the elector on the outer envelope."


Do you get the impression the judge gave them this one just to shut them the fuck up?

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

^^I think at the end of the day (yesterday) there were a couple more that team trump lost

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Yet look how many times he and people like Cruz and McConnell and Rubio have been re-elected.


The electoral system in the US is broken at a fundamental level,it is designed to favor the incumbent ,he he Republican or democtat. which is significant that trump lost. The incumbent has access to the political structure in his district that is willing to accommodate out of fear of recrimination upon his re election,the incumbent has more access to money, his district is re drawn to favor his re election etc. It is a wonder that challenges are ever elected. The business  of Comgress, Republican of democrat, is not the business of the people,it is the business of re election.My

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Lindsey Graham is the biggest boot licker politician I have ever seen, He would kiss up to whoever is in power. The man's word is worth nothing.


He knows that one tweet from baldy orange loser about his rent boy shenanigans and he's finished.

----------


## helge

> Just for fun.


Yes, you are a laughable

Exseptionable even

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yes, you are a laughable
> 
> Exseptionable even

----------


## S Landreth

Biden will receive @POTUS Twitter account on Jan. 20 even if Trump doesn't concede, company says

President-elect Joe Biden will receive the @POTUS Twitter handle as soon as he is inaugurated to the White House in January regardless of whether President Trump concedes before then, Twitter announced Friday.

A Twitter spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the tech giant is “actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th, 2021,” which also includes @whitehouse, @VP, @FLOTUS, and a number of other official accounts. The process is being done in consultation with the National Archives and Records Administration.

Twitter also confirmed that staffers will meet with representatives from the Biden-Harris transition team in the coming months to review how the new administration plans to use its government-related accounts.

The @POTUS account has more than 32 million followers and will provide Biden with another way to communicate with the public while in office. The current tweets posted during the Trump administration will be archived, and the account will be reset to zero tweets.: Biden will receive @POTUS Twitter account on Jan. 20 even if Trump doesn't concede, company says | TheHill


 
Biden’s Popular-Vote Advantage Passes 6 Million: Biden’s Popular-Vote Advantage Passes 6 Million: Election Update - Bloomberg

up by 6,036,838 votes and still counting

Someone is playing games again. I posted a landslide gif and it has been changed three times already.: https://i.imgur.com/M44Jcke.gif?noredirect

----------


## Saint Willy

> The current tweets posted during the Trump administration will be archived, and the account will be reset to zero tweets.:


Thank goodness for that, imagine trying to do it manually?

----------


## panama hat

You just know the whiner in chief will file lawsuits to keep his handle

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You just know the whiner in chief will file lawsuits to keep his handle


He can keep his handle.

He just can't keep @POTUS.

----------


## Hugh Cow

Trump could've at least left office with dignity. Now all he will be remembered for is his refusal to accept he has lost and his spoilt little boy antics.

----------


## panama hat

> He can keep his handle.
> 
> He just can't keep @POTUS.


Have I shown that I don't use Twitter?  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Have I shown that I don't use Twitter?


I use twatter all the time. It's a great way of getting up to the minute news.

And baiting the baldy orange loser directly.

----------


## Saint Willy

> And baiting the baldy orange loser directly.


Has he ever replied to you?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Has he ever replied to you?


Nah, the fucking wuss.

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden announces John Kerry as the new Climate Czar



 President-elect Joe Biden on Monday unveiled his nominations for top national security positions in his administration, tapping former secretary of state John Kerry as his climate czar and former deputy national security adviser Avril Haines as director of national intelligence.

Full list:

Secretary of State: Tony Blinken
National Security Adviser: Jake Sullivan
Director of National Intelligence: Avril Haines
Department of Homeland Security Secretary: Alejandro Mayorkas
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Special presidential envoy on climate: John Kerry

https://twitter.com/JohnKerry - Biden transition names first Cabinet nominees - Axios

Edit - President-elect Joe Biden has chosen former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen as Treasury secretary, a historic decision that could make her the first woman to lead the department, according to people familiar with the matter.: Biden chooses former Fed Chair Janet Yellen to be Treasury secretary

____________

Just for fun, 2 edits......


Marc E. Elias - Pennsylvania Supreme Court AFFIRMS our 5 victories in Philadelphia and REVERSES our one loss in Allegheny County.

Trump and his allies are now 1-35 in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...64425323503619

Biden wins Michigan again.

Its officially: President Donald Trump has lost Michigan and theres nothing he can do to stop it.: Trump officially loses Michigan as Republican announces certifying his election loss – Raw Story

----------


## S Landreth

Transition will begin: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/...13908971261953





Manu Raju - GSA’s Emily Murphy signs off and says the transition can begin: https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1331011299707408385

----------


## Saint Willy

Interesting.

*General Services Administration recognises Joe Biden as 'apparent' winner of US election, clearing way for presidential transition to begin*
The US federal agency responsible for officially signing off on the presidential transition process has recognised Joe Biden as the "apparent winner" of the US election.
The recognition from the General Services Administration clears the way for the start of a transition, despite US President's Donald Trump's refusal to accept the results of the election.

General Services Administration recognises Joe Biden as '&#39;'apparent'&#39;' winner of US election, clearing way for presidential transition to begin - ABC News

----------


## panama hat

May I remind everyone:

 :Deal: 




> I'm looking forward to three of my next threads:
> Trump in Court
> Trump daughter/son in Court
> Trump sentenced to .... years in jail
> Trump daughter/son sentenced to .... years in jail



I hate quoting myself   :Deal:  but:

First words, first post:




> President Joe Biden



Peace out

----------


## S Landreth

> May I remind everyone:





> Yup, I've gone there . . . Ohio, Texas and Florida. I'm calling it.


 :Smile: ......

----------


## panama hat

Yes, well . . . I mean . . . if we look at the *BIG* picture . . . the rest . . . pfft. 



An unrecognised genius, I am!

----------


## S Landreth

^




 :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

Same same . . . but different.   :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Be patient..

----------


## harrybarracuda

So baldy orange loser twattered that the bint at the GSA was "threatened, harrassed and abused".

But she ignored him and wrote the letter anyway.

Good for her.

----------


## Takeovers

> So baldy orange loser twattered that the bint at the GSA was "threatened, harrassed and abused".
> 
> But she ignored him and wrote the letter anyway.
> 
> Good for her.



She made that claim in her letter to President elect Biden.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/conte...-7e87fc2430dd/




> To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination. I did, however,receive threats online, by phone, and by mail directed at my safety, my family, my staff, andeven my pets in an effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> She made that claim in her letter to President elect Biden.
> 
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/conte...-7e87fc2430dd/



I didn't think my joke even needed a smiley, let alone an explanation.....

----------


## sabang

OK, great party- made all the more memorable because trump turned up as Bozo the Clown. But the party is over- now back to business:-


*Biden will have the presidency. But Republicans still have the power*



President Trump’s efforts to overturn the outcome of the 3 November election, which appear to be over, provided his opponents with a source of sadistic amusement. Trump’s self-humiliation in the eyes of the liberal world is complete. To his followers, of course, the fight goes on. And his Republican colleagues have reason to be cheerful. We should not allow the schadenfreude to distract us from this basic fact. Yes, Biden defeated Trump. But in that same election the Democrats failed to gain the majority of seats that the new president needs to actually put an end to the era of Republican dominance. Things might still go right in Georgia, but that would leave the Senate hanging by a thread.

Four times, at moments of historic crisis, the US electorate has handed the White House to a Democrat – 1916, 1932, 2008 and 2020. But this year is the first time it has done so without also handing the Democrats a clear majority in Congress. The basic difference between Biden and his predecessors is that he lacks a solid political basis from which to wield power.

Full Article- Biden will have the presidency. But Republicans still have the power | US politics | The Guardian


I think we can safely assume, the incoming government can expect nothing else but Republican intransigence. Just like with Obama- who at least had a majority in Congress, but lacked one in the Senate. 
The GOP playbook is quite clear- do everything they can to stymie the Democrat policy agenda, so they can call it a "Lame Duck Presidency". Sigh. Not like Biden has a balanced, or friendly Supreme Court either.

----------


## pickel

> Just like with Obama- who at least had a majority in Congress, but lacked one in the Senate.


Obama had Democrat majorities in both congress and the senate his first 2 years as president.

----------


## panama hat

If it's hung I believe the VP has the deciding vote





> Just like with Obama- who at least had a majority in Congress, but lacked one in the Senate.


He had both houses but was ineffectual as severalDems didn't support him and he tried too hard to get buy-in from the Repubs on issues

----------


## HuangLao

Hardline ticky-tacky partisan politics shouldn't play a role in intelligent discourse. 
Unfortunately, it does. 

Imagine a body political made up of those who didn't subscribe to an invented political identity.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Hardline ticky-tacky partisan politics shouldn't play a role in intelligent discourse. 
> Unfortunately, it does. 
> 
> Imagine a body political made up of those who didn't subscribe to an invented political identity.


An interesting article in the Atlantic:




> ... few figures in modern history have done more than Gingrich to lay the groundwork for Trump’s rise. During his two decades in Congress, he pioneered a style of partisan combat—replete with name-calling, conspiracy theories, and strategic obstructionism—that poisoned America’s political culture and plunged Washington into permanent dysfunction. Gingrich’s career can perhaps be best understood as a grand exercise in devolution—an effort to strip American politics of the civilizing traits it had developed over time and return it to its most primal essence.


How Newt Gingrich Destroyed American Politics - The Atlantic

----------


## bsnub

It is not all bad in fact it is better than many of you lot are making it out to be. The orange moron is done for and Biden will still be able to use his sweeping executive powers to roll back a lot of the idiotic things he did including rejoining the Paris Accord for starters. Because Trump used executive orders to enact many of his policies they will be wiped away with the stroke of a pen. Not to mention that it looks like the moron trumpanzees may torpedo the Georgia run-offs in January.

Even if the Democrats lose those races they face a favorable path to retake the Senate in 2022. So it could be a lot worse than it is.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It is not all bad in fact it is better than many of you lot are making it out to be. The orange moron is done for and Biden will still be able to use his sweeping executive powers to roll back a lot of the idiotic things he did including rejoining the Paris Accord for starters. Because Trump used executive orders to enact many of his policies they will be wiped away with the stroke of a pen. Not to mention that it looks like the moron trumpanzees may torpedo the Georgia run-offs in January.
> 
> Even if the Democrats lose those races they face a favorable path to retake the Senate in 2022. So it could be a lot worse than it is.


As Bill Maher said, the fundamental problem is still the senatorial imbalance:

E.g. Four seats for the redneck trumpanzee Dakotas (pop. 1.6m) vs Two seats for California (pop. 35.9m).

The founding fathers were fucking idiots.

----------


## bsnub

> As Bill Maher said, the fundamental problem is still the senatorial imbalance:
> 
> E.g. Four seats for the redneck trumpanzee Dakotas (pop. 1.6m) vs Two seats for California (pop. 35.9m).
> 
> The founding fathers were fucking idiots.


They had no idea of population and demographics. Today they would be on our side. The were not idiots.

----------


## panama hat

> The were not idiots.


If not idiots, certainly slave-owning white supremacist males who didn't think past the tip of their noses and whose vague documents simply lend themselves to decades of wrangling - to wit the gun ownership debacle.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> They had no idea of population and demographics. Today they would be on our side. The were not idiots.


Exactly.

They were idiots.

They should have built in a mechanism to adjust.

----------


## Grumpy John

Sadly they didn't have any fore knowledge of the future type of liberal/socialist/communist shitbags that would be working to destroy the USA back in their time any more than they knew about the internet and social media sites which would attract the dregs of society with a similar mind set.

----------


## bsnub

> liberal/socialist/communist shitbags that would be working to destroy the USA


But whiny hypocritical right wing fucktards like you who vote outside their own best interests and are the ones who actually are the recipients of the largest amount of social welfare as all of your poorly run red states are broke and need federal assistance. Not to mention that you fucking hypocrites are totally ok with Socialism for corporations and the rich. You only take issue with it when it is poor people and minorities who benefit.

This clip explains the GOP and its policies in a nutshell...

----------


## Cujo

> Sadly they didn't have any fore knowledge of the future type of liberal/socialist/communist shitbags that would be working to destroy the USA back in their time any more than they knew about the internet and social media sites which would attract the dregs of society with a similar mind set.


Poor old Grumpy John seems a tad grumpier of late, I wonder why?

Never mind Grumpy, Just keep in mind.

HE'S *YOUR* PRESIDENT!


Get used to it snowflake.  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing: 

 :kma:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Sadly they didn't have any fore knowledge of the future type of liberal/socialist/communist shitbags that would be working to destroy the USA back in their time any more than they knew about the internet and social media sites which would attract the dregs of society with a similar mind set.


Sadly they didn't factor in that the miniscule populations of these red states would forever be poorly educated, toothless racists.

----------


## HuangLao

Old Joe's nominees for Secretary of State/Secretary of Defence - traditional hawks and war mongers. 
....and he's just beginning the selection round up. 

Take note.

----------


## Cujo

> Poor old Grumpy John seems a tad grumpier of late, I wonder why?
> 
> Never mind Grumpy, Just keep in mind.
> 
> HE'S *YOUR* PRESIDENT!
> Attachment 60513
> 
> Get used to it snowflake.


Whatever happened to Grumpy John.

----------


## S Landreth

US Secretary Of State - Antony Blinken (1:40)



Trump and his allies are 1-38 in court.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...53114471436289

 ::doglol::

----------


## panama hat

> Old Joe's nominees for Secretary of State/Secretary of Defence - traditional hawks and war mongers.


I don't think Blinken is a hawk, to be fair, Jeff

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I don't think Blinken is a hawk, to be fair, Jeff


He wouldn't even have checked. He just trots this bollocks out without thinking.

----------


## Topper

Didn't trump use his personal pre presidency bodyguard to deliver the note firing Comey to the FBI?

----------


## HuangLao

> He wouldn't even have checked. He just trots this bollocks out without thinking.


Well...it's quite obvious you, and others, haven't bothered to check their backgrounds and undersides. 

Talking about speaking about things you know nothing of....and making up shit outta thin air.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Well...it's quite obvious you, and others, haven't bothered to check their backgrounds and undersides. 
> 
> Talking about speaking about things you know nothing of....and making up shit outta thin air.


Blah Blah Blah Fuck off Jeff.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden wins Pennsylvania again.  :Smile: 

Marc E. Elias - Third Circuit REJECTS Trump appeal. "Free, fair elections are the lifeblood of our democracy. Charges of unfairness are serious...Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here.": https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...87662045515778 - Trump campaign loses appeal over Pennsylvania race | TheHill

Marc E. Elias - There have been 51 post election lawsuits.

Trump and his allies are 1-38 so far. 50 losses is possible.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...96759755186190


 ::doglol::

----------


## Klondyke

Life of the POTUS in bubble.


Interesting to listen to a former POTUS about his life in bubble of the WH (his own words). And quoting words of Bill Clinton: The most luxurious prison in the world... 

He remarks that the walk from Oval Office to private rooms takes just 1 minute. In his life before he never had had so many free time to spend with his family every night like in those 8 years. And not seeing any friends, everything is well organized.

Hence, one can imagine how all the decisions can be made, what's the best for the country and for the world, when living in a bubble, acting and proclaiming only what's set up for him. That's why such previously recognized good person - with hope given in him by a great portion of population (and Nobel Peace Prize Committee either) - will end up with such "achievements"...   

(What a huge effort of the trustful population for many years and for the money spent - for this or another person to be elected) 

Barack Obama zu Gast bei "Markus Lanz" - engl. Version - ZDFmediathek

----------


## panama hat

> Interesting to listen to a former POTUS about his life in bubble of the WH (his own words)


As opposed to the streets, fuckwit.  

One thing Obama was not doing?:

----------


## Grumpy John

555!  Do tell the bs...in bsnub is 'bull shit' which you spew in copious quantities.   But hats of to you at least your consistent!

----------


## S Landreth

Biden wins Wisconsin again with a few more votes..

Marc E. Elias - Wisconsin's presidential recount is completed. Joe Biden gained 87 votes and again won the state.

Trump becomes the first presidential candidate in history to lose recounts in two different states.

Trump and his allies remain 1-39 in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...88877343608832

Cost the loser Trump 3 million dollars  :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

> Trump and his allies remain 1-39 in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...88877343608832


Just . . .

----------


## Latindancer

I know little about Biden, but this rather shocked me :



"Earlier this week, I finished  reading Donald Rumsfeld's wonderful biography of Gerald Ford, titled  "When the Center Held." It was written in 2018. The book clearly  articulates that President Ford was a thoroughly good man, a special  American, and a greatly underrated President. 
HOWEVER, there was a story in the book that was startling.

In 1975, President Ford was left to manage the difficult ending of the  Vietnam War. As North Vietnam seized on the opportunity to test American  resolve following President Nixon's resignation, President Ford went to  Congress to ask for a relief package to push back on the North  Vietnamese to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate.

However, there was one US Senator who opposed any such support. The  result was the embarrassing and hurried evacuation from the roof of the  American embassy in Saigon. This senator reviled in the embarrassment  and did everything he could to leverage it politically against Ford.  Despite the efforts of this U.S. Senator--President Ford managed to  rescue 1,500 South Vietnamese allies before the country's fall. Had  President Ford not acted quickly, these people would have been targeted  and slaughtered for their support for America.

Saving them was a moral obligation. When they arrived in America,  President Ford asked Congress for a package to assist these refugees to  integrate into American society. But that troublesome US Senator showed  up again and torpedoed any support for these shell shocked refugees.  Instead, President Ford had to recruit Christian organizations to offer  assistance voluntarily. As he did so, the aforementioned Senator  belittled those efforts.

What kind of person would oppose President Ford's tireless work to do the right and humanitarian thing?

Who would want to play politics with the well-being of innocent people who stood by America in the tragic Vietnam War?

That US Senator? JOE BIDEN.

----------


## Cujo

Yawn.

----------


## Saint Willy

^^ consider the source. Are you really that naive?

----------


## panama hat

> I know little about Biden


Source?

It's interesting, documentation seems to side with Biden on this



Were Biden and Democrats against Vietnamese refugees during the 1970s? – Viet Fact Check / Việt Kiểm Tin – Fighting misinformation by and for VietAms, a project by PIVOT – Để chống lại cac tin sai lệch từ va nhắm vao người Mỹ gốc Việt, một dự an của PIVOT


No, Joe Biden and the Democrats didn’t try to stop Vietnamese refugees from coming in 1975. | by Nick Nguyen | Medium

Why are Vietnamese Americans so divided over Trump? | United States News | Al Jazeera

----------


## Cujo

> ^^ consider the source. Are you really that naive?


I notice he didn't provide a link to the source.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I know little about Biden, but this rather shocked me :
> 
> 
> 
> "Earlier this week, I finished  reading Donald Rumsfeld's wonderful biography of Gerald Ford, titled  "When the Center Held." It was written in 2018. The book clearly  articulates that President Ford was a thoroughly good man, a special  American, and a greatly underrated President. 
> HOWEVER, there was a story in the book that was startling.
> 
> In 1975, President Ford was left to manage the difficult ending of the  Vietnam War. As North Vietnam seized on the opportunity to test American  resolve following President Nixon's resignation, President Ford went to  Congress to ask for a relief package to push back on the North  Vietnamese to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate.
> 
> ...


Congrats on being another dutiful unthinking and uncritical repeater of echo-chamber bullshit.

----------


## lom

> I know little about Biden, but this rather shocked me :


When you read a piece like this one, don't you get an urge to find out if there is any truth to it before you spread it further to another fora on the internet?

----------


## AntRobertson

> When you read a piece like this one, don't you get an urge to find out if there is any truth to it before you spread it further to another fora on the internet?


Exactly. For someone who is so critical of mistakes others make you'd think that it would behoove him to spend a minute or two fact-checking such utter bollocks.

----------


## Latindancer

> When you read a piece like this one, don't you get an urge to find out if there is any truth to it before you spread it further to another fora on the internet?


No.....I was using turkeys like YOU for this  :smiley laughing:

----------


## AntRobertson

Jaysus, the _*cringe*_ is real.

----------


## elche

> No.....I was using turkeys like YOU for this


Infantile.

----------


## Cujo

Meanwhile back on topic, Bidens fractured his foot and will be walking with a boot for a few weeks.
Trump's totally going to take the piss.
Joe Biden fractures foot after slipping while playing with dog | US politics | The Guardian

----------


## Klondyke

> I notice he didn't provide a link to the source.


Rumsfeld, Donald (2018). When the Center Held: Gerald Ford and the Rescue of the American Presidency. ISBN 978-1501172939.

But should we believe anything to such man who (and many others) had lied so much about Saddam? 




> Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfelds biography of Gerald Ford, titled When the Center Held was published in 2018. The book clearly articulates that President Ford was a thoroughly good man, a special American, and a greatly underrated president. However, there was a story in the book that was startling.
> 
> In 1975, President Ford was left to manage the difficult ending of the Vietnam War. As North Vietnam seized on the opportunity to test American resolve following President Nixons resignation, President Ford went to Congress to ask for a relief package to push back on the North Vietnamese to allow American personnel and our allies to evacuate. However, there was one US senator who opposed any such support. The result was the embarrassing and hurried evacuation from the roof of the American embassy and others (CIA station house in picture) in Saigon. This senator reveled in the embarrassment and did everything he could to leverage it politically against Ford.
> 
> Despite the efforts of this US senator, President Ford managed to rescue 1,500 South Vietnamese allies prior to the countrys fall. Had President Ford not acted quickly, these people would have been targeted and slaughtered for their support for America. Saving them was a moral obligation.
> 
> When they arrived in America, President Ford asked Congress for a package to assist these refugees to integrate into American society. But that troublesome US senator showed up again and torpedoed any support for these shell-shocked refugees. Instead, President Ford had to recruit Christian organizations to offer assistance on a voluntary basis. As he did so, the aforementioned senator belittled those efforts.
> 
> What kind of person would oppose President Fords tireless work to do the right and humanitarian thing? Who would want to play politics with the well-being of innocent people who stood by America in the tragic Vietnam War?
> ...

----------


## AntRobertson

> Meanwhile back on topic, Bidens fractured his foot and will be walking with a boot for a few weeks.
> Trump's totally going to take the piss.


He already has-- tweeted a sarcastic 'Get Well!' earlier.

And of course the supporters of the man who can't recall what foot his bone spurs are supposed to be in, didn't disclose any thing about an emergency trip to Walter Reed, and was hospitalized over a pandemic he ignored are using Biden hurting his foot playing with his dog as an example of him being mentally and physically unfit for office.

----------


## RPETER65

Media Gushes Over Biden's 'Return to Normalcy' of the Swamp

----------


## bsnub

^ 

Another trash propaganda site owned by the heritage foundation. You brainwashed old fool. 

The swamp that was created over the last 4 years was the biggest and most corrupt in American history. Pull your head out of your ass.

----------


## AntRobertson

^^Speaking of mentally unfit...


 :Very Happy:

----------


## aging one

You do gotta admit that Peters is a true blue, Kool Aid drinking Trump fanatic.  Enjoy the nomalcy of the next 8 years Peters.

----------


## Klondyke

> ...what foot his bone spurs are supposed to be in...


With my poor English I do not know what's a meaning of it. Can somebody enlighten me?

Or does it have something to do with a military service for the country? Is it something what is in the job description pre-described as an eligible condition for the function?

I remember the heated debate 20 years ago that some did not believe about GWB's military service, something what the poor old Dan Rather insinuated  - AWOL? (how dared he?)

How about VP's? Are they also required to have some military experience, something like Joe surely has had? Or was he excused? Surely for some serious health problem...

----------


## AntRobertson

> Can somebody enlighten me?


Yes, you are feigning ignorance and being disingenuous again.

Happy to help. No need to thank me.

----------


## S Landreth

Should be 1  40 by the end of the day.  :Smile: 

Marc E. Elias - Trump and his allies are 1-39 in post-election litigation.

Here is the status of presidential election certification in the 6 key states:

Georgia--certified, ongoing recount
Michigan--certified
Nevada--certified
Pennsylvania--certified
Arizona--certifying tomorrow
Wisconsin--recount over, certifying tomorrow: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...90334411628544

*Just for fun.* What desperation looks like.

Asha Rangappa - At what point does this get investigated as wire fraud? Basically this is no different than a Nigerian prince scam: https://mobile.twitter.com/AshaRanga...39317397409792

Joy WE VOTED!! WEAR A MASK!! Reid - The Trump campaign sent these four fundraising texts to their supporters yesterday. The grift is sounding more and more frantic.: https://mobile.twitter.com/JoyAnnRei...29868234301440

----------


## panama hat

Jaysus . . . is that real?

----------


## Klondyke

> How about VP's? Are they also required to have some military experience, something like Joe surely has had? Or was he excused? Surely for some serious health problem...





> Yes, you are feigning ignorance and being disingenuous again.
> 
> Happy to help. No need to thank me.


Pity that you cannot (would not) help properly. I read somewhere that Joe was excused (isn't it another term for that?) five times because of his asthma. Obviously from the hard work in a/c offices. 
But now it's no longer to be found, hence, it means it's not true, as other untrue facts are always deleted...

----------


## Cujo

> I read somewhere that......


You READ SOMEWHERE? WTF does that mean?
I READ SOMEWHERE that you suck donkey dick.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Pity that you cannot (would not) help properly. I read somewhere that Joe was excused (isn't it another term for that?) five times because of his asthma. Obviously from the hard work in a/c offices. 
> But now it's no longer to be found, hence, it means it's not true, as other untrue facts are always deleted...


Why you do his to yourself,? why don't you fact check what you post , and inoculate yourself from possible counter arguments,  
it's communications 101. As simple Google " was bidden excused from millinery service due to asthma" would have provided you with The answer and a link to support your answer.
"_Biden received five student draft deferments, first as an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and later as a law student at Syracuse University._ "
Fact check: Biden received multiple draft deferments from Vietnam

He received a Deferment as an undergraduate and then while attending law school. and not from some made up, "Bone spurs " excuse that trump used,  to get out from serving,  

Further more Biden's sons served and he honored those who served. Where trump's sons did not , and I am sure if there  was a draft would have also suffered fir the family curse of "bone spurs" . Then , you would think the asshole  would have kept quiet on the subject, but no , true to his asshole form he went after the millinery service of  John McCain a true American hero.  A man of such stellar character that when a supporter of his made untrue disparaging attacks towards Obama  during the election, instead of leading the crowd in a chorus of "lock him up" , McCain defended Obama. 

Why you would defend and vote for an asshole like trump is beyond me. If you want to see how real man act watch or  read some of the below. 


McCain defending his opponent Obama during the presidential election.


\
Biden given the Eulogy at McCain's funeral, the one trump was not invited to .

Text of the Eulogy  , Spoiler alert, nothing in it about "garbing pussy" "or punching anyone in the face" 

“My name is Joe Biden. I’m a Democrat. And I loved John McCain. I have had the dubious honor over the years of giving some eulogies for fine women and men that I’ve admired. But, Lindsey, this one’s hard.

The three men who spoke before me I think captured John, different aspects of John in a way that only someone close to him could understand. But the way I look at it, the way I thought about it, was that I always thought of John as a brother. We had a hell of a lot of family fights. We go back a long way. I was a young United States Senator. I got elected when I was 29. I had the dubious distinction of being put on the formulations committee, which the next youngest person was 14 years older than me. And I spent a lot of time traveling the world because I was assigned responsibility, my colleagues in the Senate knew I was chairman of the European Affairs subcommittee, so I spent a lot of time at NATO and then the Soviet Union.

Along came a guy a couple of years later, a guy I knew of, admired from afar, your husband, who had been a prisoner of war, who had endured enormous, enormous pain and suffering. And demonstrated the code, the McCain code. People don't think much about it today, but imagine having already known the pain you were likely to endure, and being offered the opportunity to go home, but saying no. As his son can tell you in the Navy, last one in, last one out.

So I knew of John. and John became the Navy liaison officer in the United States Senate. There's an office, then it used to be on the basement floor, of members of the military who are assigned to senators when they travel abroad to meet with heads of state or other foreign dignitaries. And John had been recently released from the HanoI Hilton, a genuine hero, and he became the Navy liaison. For some reason we hit it off in the beginning. We were both full of dreams and ambitions and an overwhelming desire to make the time we had there worthwhile. To try to do the right thing. To think about how we could make things better for the country we loved so much.

John and I ended up traveling every time I went anywhere. I took John with me or John took me with him. we were in China, Japan, Russia, Germany, France, England, Turkey, all over the world. Tens of thousands of miles. And we would sit on that plane and late into the night, when everyone else was asleep, and just talk. Getting to know one another. We'd talk about family, we'd talk about politics, we'd talk about international relations. we'd talk about promise, the promise of America. Because we were both cockeyed optimists and believe there's not a single thing, beyond the capacity of this country. I mean, for real, not a single thing.

And, when you get to know another woman or man, you begin to know their hopes and their fears, you get to know their family even before you meet them, you get to know how they feel about important things. We talked about everything except captivity and the loss of my family which had just occurred, my wife and daughter, the only two things we didn't talk about.

But, I found that it wasn't too long into John's duties that Jill and I got married. Jill is here with me today. Five years, I had been a single dad and no man deserves one great love, let alone two. And I met Jill. It changed my life. She fell in love with him and he with her. He'd always call her, as Lindsey would travel with her, Jilly. Matter of fact, when they got bored being with me on these trips, I remember in Greece, he said, ‘Why don't I take Jill for dinner?’ Later, I would learn they are at a cafe at the port and he has her dancing on top of a cement table drinking uzo. Not a joke. Jilly. Right, Jilly?

But we got to know each other well and he loved my son Beau and my son Hunt. As a young man, he came up to my house and he came up to Wilmington and out of this grew a great friendship that transcended whatever political differences we had or later developed because, above all, above all, we understood the same thing. All politics is personal. It's all about trust. I trusted John with my life and I would and I think he would trust me with his. And as our life progressed, we learned more, there are times when life can be so cruel, pain so blinding it's hard to see anything else.

The disease that took John's life took our mutual friend’s, Teddy [Kennedy]’s life, the exact same disease nine years ago, a couple days ago, and three years ago, took my beautiful son Beau's life. It's brutal. It's relentless. It's unforgiving. And it takes so much from those we love and from the families who love them that in order to survive, we have to remember how they lived, not how they died. I carry with me an image of Beau, sitting out in a little lake we live on, starting a motor on an old boat and smiling away. Not the last days. I’m sure Vickie Kennedy has her own image, looking, seeing Teddy looking so alive in a sailboat, out in the Cape. For the family, for the family, you will all find your own images, whether it's remembering his smile, his laugh or that touch in the shoulder or running his hand down your cheek. Or, just feeling like someone is looking, turn and see him just smiling at you, from a distance, just looking at you. Or when you saw the pure joy the moment he was about to take the stage on the Senate floor and start a fight.

God, he loved it. so, to Cindy, the kids, Doug, Andy, Cindy, Meghan, Jack, Jimmy, Bridget, and I know she's not here, but to Mrs. McCain, we know how difficult it is to bury a child, Mrs. McCain. My heart goes out to you. And I know right now, the pain you all are feeling is so sharp and so hollowing. And John's absence is all consuming, for all of you right now. It's like being sucked into a black hole inside your chest. And it's frightening. But, I know something else, unfortunately, from experience. There's nothing anyone can say or do to ease the pain right now. But I pray, I pray you take some comfort knowing that because you shared John with all of us, your whole life, the world now shares with you in the ache of John's death.

Look around this magnificent church. Look what you saw coming from the state capitol yesterday. it's hard to stand there but part of it, part of it was at least it was for me with Beau, standing in the state capitol, you knew. It was genuine. It was deep. He touched so many lives. I’ve gotten calls not just because people knew we were friends, not just from people around the country, but leaders around the world calling. Meghan, I'm getting all these sympathy letters. I mean, hundreds of them, and tweets.

Character is destiny. John had character. While others will miss his leadership, passion, even his stubbornness, you are going to miss that hand on your shoulder. Family, you are going to miss the man, faithful man as he was, who you knew would literally give his life for you. And for that there's no balm but time. Time and your memories of a life lived well and lived fully.

But I make you a promise. I promise you, the time will come that what's going to happen is six months will go by and everybody is going to think, well, it's passed. But you are going to ride by that field or smell that fragrance or see that flashing image. You are going to feel like you did the day you got the news. But you know you are going to make it. The image of your dad, your husband, your friend. It crosses your mind and a smile comes to your lips before a tear to your eye. That's who you know. I promise you, I give you my word, I promise you, this I know. The day will come. That day will come.

You know, I’m sure if my former colleagues who worked with John, I'm sure there's people who said to you not only now, but the last ten years, ‘Explain this guy to me.’ Right? Explain this guy to me. Because, as they looked at him, in one sense they admired him, in one sense, the way things changed so much in America, they look add him as if John came from another age, lived by a different code, an ancient, antiquated courage, integrity, duty, were alive. That was obvious how John lived his life. The truth is, John's code was ageless, is ageless. When you talked earlier, Grant, you talked about values. It wasn't about politics with John. He could disagree on substance, but the underlying values that animated everything John did, everything he was, come to a different conclusion. He'd part company with you, if you lacked the basic values of decency, respect, knowing this project is bigger than yourself.

John's story is an American story. It's not hyperbole. it's the American story. grounded in respect and decency. basic fairness. the intolerance through the abuse of power. Many of you travel the world, look how the rest of the world looks at us. They look at us a little naive, so fair, so decent. We are the naive Americans. that's who we are. That's who John was. He could not stand the abuse of power. wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever ways. He loved basic values, fairness, honesty, dignity, respect, giving hate no safe harbor, leaving no one behind and understanding Americans were part of something much bigger than ourselves.

With John, it was a value set that was neither selfish nor self-serving. John understood that America was first and foremost, an idea. Audacious and risky, organized around not tribe but ideals. Think of how he approached every issue. The ideals that Americans rallied around for 200 years, the ideals of the world has prepared you. Sounds corny. We hold these truths self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed by their creator with certain rights. To John, those words had meaning, as they have for every great patriot who's ever served this country. We both loved the Senate. The proudest years of my life were being a United States Senator. I was honored to be Vice President, but a United States Senator. We both lamented, watching it change. During the long debates in the '80s and '90s, I would go sit next to John, next to his seat or he would come on the Democratic side and sit next to me. I'm not joking. We'd sit there and talk to each other. I came out to see John, we were reminiscing around it. It was '96, about to go to the caucus. We both went into our caucus and coincidentally, we were approached by our caucus leaders with the same thing. Foe, it doesn't look good, you sitting next to John all the time. I swear to God. same thing was said to John in your caucus.

That's when things began to change for the worse in America in the Senate. That's when it changed. What happened was, at those times, it was always appropriate to challenge another Senator's judgment, but never appropriate to challenge their motive. When you challenge their motive, it's impossible to get to go. If I say you are going this because you are being paid off or you are doing it because you are not a good Christian or this, that, or the other thing, it's impossible to reach consensus. Think about in your personal lives. All we do today is attack the oppositions of both parties, their motives, not the substance of their argument. This is the mid-'90s. it began to go downhill from there. The last day John was on the Senate floor, what was he fighting to do? He was fighting to restore what you call regular order, just start to treat one another again, like we used to.

The Senate was never perfect, John, you know that. we were there a long time together. I watched Teddy Kennedy and James O. Eastland fight like hell on civil rights and then go have lunch together, down in the Senate dining room. John wanted to see, “regular order” writ large. Get to know one another. You know, John and I were both amused and I think Lindsey was at one of these events where John and I received two prestigious awards where the last year I was vice president and one immediately after, for our dignity and respect we showed to one another, we received an award for civility in public life. Allegheny College puts out this award every year for bipartisanship. John and I looked at each and said, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ No, not a joke. I said to Senator Flake, that's how it's supposed to be. We get an award? I’m serious. Think about this. Getting an award for your civility. Getting an award for bipartisanship. Classic John, Allegheny College, hundreds of people, got the award and the Senate was in session. He spoke first and, as he walked off the stage and I walked on, he said, Joe, don't take it personally, but I don't want to hear what the hell you have to say, and left.

One of John's major campaign people is now with the senate with the governor of Ohio, was on [TV] this morning and I happened to watch it. He said that Biden and McCain had a strange relationship, they always seemed to have each other's back. Whenever I was in trouble, John was the first guy there. I hope I was there for him. We never hesitate to give each other advice. He would call me in the middle of the campaign, he’d say, ‘What the hell did you say that for? you just screwed up, Joe.’ I'd occasionally call him.

Look, I've been thinking this week about why John's death hit the country so hard. yes, he was a long-serving senator with a remarkable record. Yes, he was a two-time presidential candidate who captured the support and imagination of the American people and, yes, John was a war hero, demonstrated extraordinary courage. I think of John and my son when I think of Ingersoll’s words when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate and honor scorns to compromise with death, that is heroism. Everybody knows that about John. But I don't think it fully explains why the country has been so taken by John's passing. I think it's something more intangible.

I think it's because they knew John believed so deeply and so passionately in the soul of America. He made it easier for them to have confidence and faith in America. His faith in the core values of this nation made them somehow feel it more genuinely themselves. his conviction that we, as a country, would never walk away from the sacrifice generations of Americans have made to defend liberty and freedom and dignity around the world. It made average Americans proud of themselves and their country. His belief, and it was deep, that Americans can do anything, withstand anything, achieve anything. It was unflagging and ultimately reassuring. This man believed that so strongly. His capacity that we truly are the world's last best hope, the beacon to the world. There are principles and ideals more than ourselves worth sacrificing for and if necessary, dying for. Americans saw how he lived his life that way. and they knew the truth of what he was saying. I just think he gave Americans confidence.

John was a hero, his character, courage, honor, integrity. I think it is understated when they say optimism. That's what made John special. Made John a giant among all of us. In my view, John didn't believe that America's future and faith rested on heroes. we used to talk about, he understood what I hope we all remember, heroes didn't build this country. Ordinary people being given half a chance are capable of doing extraordinary things, extraordinary things. John knew ordinary Americans understood each of us has a duty to defend, integrity, dignity and birthright of every child. He carried it. Good communities are built by thousands of acts of decency that Americans, as I speak today, show each other every single day deep in the DNA of this nation's soul lies a flame that was lit over 200 years ago. Each of us carries with us and each one of us has the capacity, the responsibility and we can screw up the courage to ensure it does not extinguish. There's a thousand little things that make us different.

Bottom line was, I think John believed in us. I think he believed in the American people. not just all the preambles, he believed until the American people, all 325 million of us. Even though John is no longer with us, he left us clear instructions. ‘Believe always in the promise and greatness of America because nothing is inevitable here.’ Close to the last thing John said took the whole nation, as he knew he was about to depart. That's what he wanted America to understand. not to build his legacy. he wanted America reminded, to understand. I think John's legacy is going to continue to inspire and challenge generations of leaders as they step forward and John McCain’s America is not over. it is hyperbole, it's not over. It's not close.

Cindy, John owed so much of what he was to you. you were his ballast. when I was with you both, I could see how he looked at you. Jill is the one, when we were in Hawaii, we first met you there and he kept staring at you. Jill said, go up and talk to her. Doug, Andy, Sydney, Meghan, Jack, Jimmy, Bridget, you may not have had your father as long as you would like, but you got from him everything you need to pursue your own dreams. To follow the course of your own spirit. You are a living legacy, not hyperbole. You are a living legacy and proof of John McCain’s success.

Now John is going to take his rightful place in a long line of extraordinary leaders in this nation's history. Who in their time and in their way stood for freedom and stood for liberty and have made the American story the most improbable and most hopeful and most enduring story on earth. I know John said he hoped he played a small part in that story. John, you did much more than that, my friend. To paraphrase Shakespeare, we shall not see his like again."

----------


## bsnub



----------


## Klondyke

> Why you would defend and vote for an asshole like trump is beyond me.


I am sorry to disappoint you letting you know that I do not defend one asshole on the cost of another asshole. And to show his tears?  Please give me a break...

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I am sorry to disappoint you letting you know that I do not defend one asshole on the cost of another asshole. And to show his tears?  Please give me a break...


John McCain did not want Biden to give the  Eulogy on his funeral because Biden (a democrat) is an "asshole" or have trump not invited ( a republican and the president) because he was not an asshole.  
These and many other examples should be clues to you who is the asshole.

----------


## Saint Willy

> You READ SOMEWHERE? WTF does that mean?
> I READ SOMEWHERE that you suck donkey dick.


My must be true

----------


## panama hat

> I am sorry to disappoint you


Oh, don't worry about that . . . you never disappoint in posting shit.  Unsubstantiated Moscow Agit-Prop shit, but shit - basic but then you people are just that - basic.  Never quite mentally made it past the Soviet era

----------


## Saint Willy

Nope.

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - All six key states have now certified their election results with Joe Biden as the winner:

✔Arizona
✔Georgia (ongoing recount)
✔Michigan
✔Nevada
✔Pennsylvania
✔Wisconsin

Trump and his allies remain 1-39 in court.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...51137652428801

----------


## panama hat

> All six key states have now certified their election results with Joe Biden as the winner:
> 
> ✔Arizona
> ✔Georgia (ongoing recount)
> ✔Michigan
> ✔Nevada
> ✔Pennsylvania
> ✔Wisconsin


Clearly fraud committed by China, Hugo Chaves (from the grave), Cuba and the FBI - almost as egregious as *OBAMAGATE*.  (Don't ask.  You know what it is.  Everyone does)

----------


## AntRobertson

> Pity that you cannot (would not) help properly. I read somewhere that Joe was excused (isn't it another term for that?) five times because of his asthma. Obviously from the hard work in a/c offices.
> But now it's no longer to be found, hence, it means it's not true, as other untrue facts are always deleted...


I can help if you were actually interested in facts not just whataboutisms and propaganda.

Can't help with your disingenuity though.

----------


## S Landreth

> Clearly fraud committed by China, Hugo Chaves (from the grave), Cuba and the FBI.........


DOJ also  :Smile: 

Its official, every rail wheel is off the tracks: Trump: DOJ '&#39;'missing in action'&#39;' on alleged election fraud | Fox News

----------


## S Landreth

January 20, 2021  Inauguration of JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. & KAMALA HARRIS 
 
Biden - Harris Inauguration

https://twitter.com/BidenInaugural

 
My daughter enjoys DC and will be arriving 4 days early (long MLK weekend) and Ill be there just the day before the super-spreader event.

Edit  Just for fun: Kamala Harris Laughs Off Prospect Of Trump 2024 Presidential Run

2:00  Please  :Smile: 




Trump,.won't attend the inauguration


 
Snowflake: https://twitter.com/KenDilanianNBC/s...96865880940544

----------


## Cujo

Plague rats.

----------


## elche

> Media Gushes Over Biden's 'Return to Normalcy' of the Swamp


Speaking of gushing, what happened to your chant of "4 more years"?

----------


## RPETER65

> Speaking of gushing, what happened to your chant of "4 more years"?



Maybe you could show where I ever posted supporting four more years for Trump I have however posted more than once I am ok with Biden as President if the GOP maintain control of the senate. But do keep hating.

----------


## bsnub

> But do keep hating.


The only hate is coming from your side you dimwitted old fool.

----------


## panama hat

> But do keep hating.


Yea, incredibly ironic coming from you - not surprising, just ironic

----------


## RPETER65

> Yea, incredibly ironic coming from you - not surprising, just ironic


And why would that be?

----------


## panama hat

> And why would that be?


You mean aside from the obvious?

----------


## RPETER65

Why Joe Biden Can’t Unify America | The National Interest

----------


## RPETER65

The opposite has been proved time and again by the violent and destructive riots from your side of the isle.

In response to post #430

----------


## aging one

> Why Joe Biden Can’t Unify America | The National Interest





> The opposite has been proved time and again by the violent and destructive riots from your side of the isle.
> 
> In response to post #430


Here have a nice ice filled tumbler of Kool Aid...

----------


## bsnub

> The opposite has been proved time and again by the violent and destructive riots from your side of the isle.


You really are a fucking moron. So you must think it is ok for police to murder unarmed black men. BTW pop into this thread  if you want to see real violence and murder...

Right-wing domestic terrorists

You brainwashed moron.

----------


## RPETER65

> You mean aside from the obvious?



No I mean exactly what are you saying.

----------


## RPETER65

> You really are a fucking moron. So you must think it is ok for police to murder unarmed black men. BTW pop into this thread  if you want to see real violence and murder...
> 
> Right-wing domestic terrorists
> 
> You brainwashed moron.



No I donÂt think it is okay for police to shoot unarmed black men anymore than it is ok for police to shoot unarmed white men. I also donÂt think think it is okay to fester up the hate that drives mobs to looting and burning in cities. What if anything has these actions done to rectify the problems that they are supposedly trying to address?

----------


## RPETER65

> Here have a nice ice filled tumbler of Kool Aid...


Are you really as ignorant as you portray your self on this forum?

----------


## AntRobertson

> No I mean exactly what are you saying.


He's saying that you are a hateful and ignorant old fool who hides your bigotry behind your cloak of fake ass 'Christianity'.

*Probably*

----------


## panama hat

> Are you really as ignorant as you portray your self on this forum?


You're asking yourself this question?  Must be

----------


## aging one

> Are you really as ignorant as you portray your self on this forum?


Fuck me dude, I am not the Trump supporter you are.  Damn.. :smiley laughing:

----------


## RPETER65

> He's saying that you are a hateful and ignorant old fool who hides your bigotry behind your cloak of fake ass 'Christianity'.
> 
> *Probably*



Where do you see any hate coming from me.

----------


## RPETER65

> Fuck me dude, I am not the Trump supporter you are.  Damn..



Just another example of your ignorance.

----------


## aging one

You be chugging that Kool Aid Peters.

You should be so so ashamed.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I also donÂ’t think think it is okay to fester up the hate that drives mobs to looting and burning in cities.


It's OK though, they've voted that problem out now.

----------


## pickel

> It's OK though, they've voted that problem out now.


Don't be so sure of yourself, the police were killing unarmed Black men before Trump was President. Even when Biden was Vice President and a Black man was President.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Where do you see any hate coming from me.


It veritably seeps from your posts.

You're like the poster boy for right wing Evangelical Fox News watchers--religious extremists / bigots who want to impose your views on others.

----------


## panama hat

> You're like the poster boy for right wing Evangelical Fox News watchers--religious extremists / bigots who want to impose your views on others.


That's a self-descriptive post from repeater . . . I remember it and other people have mentioned it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Don't be so sure of yourself, the police were killing unarmed Black men before Trump was President. Even when Biden was Vice President and a Black man was President.


But there weren't 70 million retarded trumpanzees cheering them on.

----------


## S Landreth

This might be pushing it........

With Biden, a Cat Will Be Living in the White House for the First Time in a Decade

We already knew President-elect Joe Biden would be taking dogs back to the White House. But thats not all. Now comes word that Biden will be taking a cat with him as well. Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, confirmed to CBS Sunday Morning that they will be getting a cat when they move into the White House. The future first lady had already hinted that she was thinking of taking a cat with her to the White House. Well, Id love to get a cat, she said in an interview earlier this year. I love having animals around the house.

It would mark the first time a president has a cat in the White House since George W. Bush had India, who was nicknamed Willie. But his two Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley, got most of the attention. India died shortly before Bush left the White House in January 2009. Bill Clintons Socks was by far the most popular White House feline in recent memory. Socks even got fan mail, which led to complaints from a Republican lawmaker, who questioned the use of government resources to answer the mail. He later laughed it off as a mistake and blamed a staff aide for coming up with the idea. Barack Obama had two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny while President Donald Trump is believed to be the first president since James Polk in 1849 to not have a pet in office. Only three other presidents didnt have some sort of pet at the White House.

The Bidens had already said that Champ and Major, their two german shepherds, will be moving into the White House. He even used it as a campaign slogan: Lets put dogs back in the White House. And there was a campaign called Dog Lovers for Joe with its own website and a tagline that got some traction: Choose your humans wisely. Major will be the first rescue dog to live in the White House.: With Biden, a cat will be living in the White House for the first time in a decade.

----------


## HuangLao

> But there weren't 70 million retarded trumpanzees cheering them on.


And yet, has existed forever with or without the supportive millions. 
Almost always unreported and attention to ignored, largely. 

All of a sudden it's fashion to rise up against activities that have going on forever - domestically and foreign.

Historically commonplace derived from the white American power hold. 


The standard, historically, among very white cultures and their collective world view.

Clearly, you're not capable to grasp that you [and others like you] are part of the greater problem and causes.

----------


## Klondyke

> the police were killing unarmed Black men before Trump was President. Even when Biden was Vice President and a Black man was President.


But that was many years ago.  Now, we do not speak about something like that, do we? (didn't he take a knee?)

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced the advisers who he hopes can guide the United States back to solid economic footing: Yellen, Tanden, Rouse: Biden Formally Unveils Economic Team : Biden Transition Updates : NPR

Neera Tanden. She is wonderful.



 
As I understand she enjoys twitter.  :Smile:  https://twitter.com/neeratanden

----------


## elche

^ Top notch people.  But anything, even a monkey, would be better than the trump crime family and their associates.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> And yet, has existed forever with or without the supportive millions. 
> Almost always unreported and attention to ignored, largely. 
> 
> All of a sudden it's fashion to rise up against activities that have going on forever - domestically and foreign.
> 
> Historically commonplace derived from the white American power hold. 
> 
> 
> The standard, historically, among very white cultures and their collective world view.
> ...


Fuck off Jeff. I'm not in America you fucking moron. 

For decades these relics of slavery have slowly lost interest and support. The republicans are the ones who, since Obama took office and they took control of the purse strings, have been fueling division by blaming the economic damage wreaked by their sponsors on "immigrants".

The bald orange loser took it up several notches, to the point where white supremacist groups can march in major cities and the supposed President of the United States effectively cheers them on.

You're so busy trying to find big words to make yourself sound clever (and failing dismally, you waffling wanker) that you can't even see the fucking obvious.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced the advisers who he hopes can guide the United States back to solid economic footing: Yellen, Tanden, Rouse: Biden Formally Unveils Economic Team : Biden Transition Updates : NPR
> 
> Neera Tanden. She is wonderful.


She's also probably not going to get nominated because she hurt the republican snowflakes' feelings.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> She's also probably not going to get nominated because she hurt the republican snowflakes' feelings.


IMO , Neera Tanden is the juicy bone Biden threw out for the republican's dogs to chew on while he get's all his other nominations though.

----------


## helge

> The only hate is coming from your side you dimwitted old fool.





> It veritably seeps from your posts.


 :smiley laughing: 

Well fuck me dead, fellas

----------


## AntRobertson

No thanks.

It's me not you...I can do better.

----------


## RPETER65

> But there weren't 70 million retarded trumpanzees cheering them on.


Links to 70 million people cheering police on to shoot unarmed black men please? No I didnÂt think so as it has never happened except in your demented mind.

----------


## panama hat

> 70 million people cheering police on to shoot unarmed black men please?





> demented mind.


Speaking of demented, wtf is wrong with you.

Have you found proof of Hunter's laptop yet?

BENGHAZI?

Election fraud in the millions?

etc etc ad infinitum.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Links to 70 million people cheering police on to shoot unarmed black men please? No I didnÂ’t think so as it has never happened except in your demented mind.


Do you want their names and addresses you feeble-minded old goat?

----------


## RPETER65

> Do you want their names and addresses you feeble-minded old goat?



No I want you to show proof of 70 million people cheering for the police to shoot black people but I will never see that proof will I because as usual you spew this idiotic BS and then just slip away with an insult or two. Come on Harry either back up your BS or retract it.

----------


## panama hat

> back up your BS or retract it.


 :rofl:  No, stop.  Please stop . . .  :rofl: 


You've been spewing absolute bullshit for over four years now . . . go on back up or retract:

Obamagate
BENGHAZI
The election was rigged 
and so on and so o and so on . . . feel free to add to the list

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - Nevada Court issues order in DISMISSED election case. "Petitioner has cited no law that grants this Court the broad power to invalidate an entire countys election."

Trump and his allies are 1-40 In post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...59585230770183


 
23 Facts About Kamala Harris That Everyone Should Know

She was the first person of color to be elected district attorney of San Francisco.

Her mother was a doctor whose work advanced breast cancer research.

Harris is the first HBCU grad to be elected vice president.

She was born in Oakland on Oct. 20, 1964, making her the first person born after the 1950s to be elected vice president.

She is only the second Black woman to be an American senator.

Harris, when she was California attorney generalelect, refused to defend California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriages in the state.

She also officiated the wedding of the couple who filed to overturn Prop 8.

Harris stated that during the rollout of President Donald Trump's 2017 travel ban, colloquially referred to as the "Muslim ban," she was so frustrated by the lack of information that she called thensecretary of homeland security John Kelly at his home.

She served on the board of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

As senator, Harris sponsored a bill that would have made lynching a hate crime.

She is both the first Black person and the first woman to become attorney general of California.

In high school, Harris's friend told her she was being molested by her stepfather. Harris told her mother, and her friend proceeded to come live with them.

She is the first Asian American person to be elected vice president.

She was president of her law school's chapter of the Black Law Students Association.

In 2013, Harris was one of Time's 100 Most Influential People. Nancy Pelosi wrote the article.

Harris's husband, Doug Emhoff, will be the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president.

Harris was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

She is the first Black person to be elected vice president.

With Alaska's Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Harris introduced a bill that would prohibit companies from including sexual harassment in nondisclosure contracts with their employees.

She was the first South Asian American senator in US history.

When Harris was California attorney general, she created an LGBTQ hate crimes unit.

She is the first woman to be elected vice president of the United States.

And, as of January 2021, Harris will be the highest-ranking woman in US political history.: Kamala Harris Facts That Everyone Should Know

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No I want you to show proof of 70 million people cheering for the police to shoot black people but I will never see that proof will I because as usual you spew this idiotic BS and then just slip away with an insult or two. Come on Harry either back up your BS or retract it.


You want proof go and look at the the voting records for the 2020 Presidential election you senile fucking moron.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden wins Georgia for the third time


 
Election Night Reporting


 ::doglol:: 



Marc E. Elias: Pennsylvania Supreme Court DENIES Congressmen Kelly's application to stay his prior losing effort to block certification of election results (including his own).

Trump and his allies are *1-41* in post-election litigation.: https://mobile.twitter.com/marceelia...65482079383565


Marc E. Elias: Wisconsin Supreme Court DENIES Republican petition to bring an original action in the state Supreme Court challenging the certification of the 2020 election results.

Trump and his allies are now *1-42* in post election litigation.: https://mobile.twitter.com/marceelia...33220684574721


Joe Biden asks Anthony Fauci, the federal coronavirus expert, to become his chief medical adviser: COVID: Joe Biden names Anthony Fauci chief medical adviser on pandemic


Zients, Murthy tapped to head up Bidens Covid-19 response

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped two close allies to oversee his administrations response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to two people familiar with the decision.

Transition co-chair and former Obama administration official Jeff Zients is set to serve as the White Houses Covid-19 coordinator and Vivek Murthy, the former U.S. surgeon general under Obama, will return to that role, but with a broader portfolio that will include acting as the top medical expert and public face of the effort.

Marcella Nunez-Smith, a co-chair of Bidens Covid-19 advisory board, will also take a key role in the administrations response, focused on health disparities.

Bidens team plans to roll out these and other health care personnel announcements as soon as this weekend.

Adults: Zients, Murthy tapped to head up Bidens Covid-19 response - POLITICO

Edit  just for fun

Popular vote

Biden  81,029,173 votes
Loser  74,122,605 votes

Difference  6,906,568

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias: Minnesota Supreme Court DISMISSES Republican lawsuit seeking to delay the certification of the election.

Trump and his allies are *1-43*  in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...72437507747847


Marc E. Elias: Nevada court DISMISSES with prejudice Trump Election Contest!

Trump and his allies are now *1-44*  in post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...87849133912065


Marc Elias : Wisconsin Supreme Court DENIES application by conservative group to invalidate results of the election.

Trump and his allies have now *lost 45 post election cases and won 1*. : https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...99006292959232


Marc E. Elias: Arizona Court DENIES Election Contest.

Court: "Plaintiff has not proven that the Biden/Harris ticket did not receive the highest number of votes."

Trump and his allies have now *lost 46 post-election lawsuits.*: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...08491237482496


The top candidates Biden is considering for key energy and climate roles

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has urged President-elect Joe Biden to nominate Mary Nichols, chair of California's air pollution regulator, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Bloomberg reports.

*Why it matters:* The reported push by Schumer could boost Nichol's chances of leading an agency that will play a pivotal role in Biden's vow to enact aggressive new climate policies  especially because the plan is likely to rest heavily on executive actions.

*Where it stands:* The EPA gig is just one of several important outstanding selections. The New York Times has a nice rundown of names in contention for other energy- and climate-related jobs.

_Here's just a few..._


*Mustafa Santiago Ali*, a former EPA official, is in contention to head the White House Council on Environmental Quality. He's currently an exec with the National Wildlife Federation.*Ali A. Zaidi*, a top New York State energy official who also served in the Obama administration,* "*is widely considered the front-runner for the role of domestic climate change coordinator," the NYT reports.The NYT and E&E News both report that former Michigan Gov. *Jennifer Granholm* is a possibility for the White House climate coordinator role, while E&E also lists Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee as an option.*Michael Connor*, an alum of the Obama and Clinton administrations, is among the options for Interior Secretary, per the NYT. He's a citizen of the Taos Pueblo, and the piece notes there's strong interest in nominating a Native American to lead Interior for the first time.*Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.)*, one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress, also "remains a contender" for Interior, the NYT reports.

More adults: The top candidates Biden is considering for key energy and climate roles - Axios

Edit #1: 1 - 44 

Edit #2: 1 - 45

Edit #3: 1 - 46

----------


## Klondyke

A good idea (???)

Biden on what he would do if he disagrees with Kamala:

"I'll develop some disease and say I have to resign."

https://twitter.com/kayleighmcenany/...widget%3DTweet

----------


## bsnub

It is over now...

California certified its presidential election Friday and appointed  55 electors pledged to vote for President-elect Biden, officially  handing him the Electoral College majority needed to win the White  House.

        Secretary of State Alex Padilla's formal approval of Mr. Biden's win  in the state brought his tally of pledged electors to 279, according to a  tally from The Associated Press. That's just over the 270 threshold for  victory. 

These steps in the election  are often ignored formalities. But the hidden mechanics of electing a  U.S. president have drawn new scrutiny this year as President Trump  continues to deny Mr. Biden's victory and pursues increasingly specious  legal strategies aimed at overturning the results before they are  finalized.

 Although it's been apparent for weeks that Mr. Biden won the  presidential election, his accrual of more than 270 electors is a key  step toward the White House, said Edward B. Foley, a law professor at  Ohio State University. 

"It is a legal milestone and the first  milestone that has that status," Foley said. "Everything prior to that  was premised on what we call projections."

The electors named  Friday will meet December 14, along with counterparts in each state, to  formally vote for the next president. Most states have laws binding  their electors to the winner of the popular vote in their state,  measures that were upheld by a Supreme Court decision this year. There  have been no suggestions that any of Mr. Biden's pledged electors would  contemplate not voting for him. 

Results of the Electoral College vote are due to be received, and  typically approved, by Congress on January 6. Although lawmakers can  object to accepting the electors' votes, it would be almost impossible  for Mr. Biden to be blocked at that point. 

The  Democratic-controlled House and Republican-controlled Senate would both  vote separately to resolve any disputes. One already has arisen from  Pennsylvania, where 75 Republican lawmakers signed a statement on Friday  urging Congress to block the state's electoral votes from being cast  for Mr. Biden. But the state's Republican U.S. senator, Pat Toomey, said  soon after that he would not be objecting to Pennsylvania's slate of  electors, underscoring the difficulty in trying to change the election  results through Congress.

"As a practical matter, we know that Joe Biden is going to be inaugurated on January 20," Foley said.

That  was clear in the days after the election, when the count of mail  ballots gradually showed that Mr. Biden had won victories in enough  states to win the Electoral College. It became even more apparent in  late November, when every swing state won by Mr. Biden certified him as  the winner of its elections and appointed his electors to the Electoral  College. Mr. Trump has fruitlessly tried to stop those states from  certifying Mr. Biden as the winner and appointing electors for the  former vice president. 

        He made no such effort in deeply Democratic California, the most  populous state in the nation. Three more states won by Mr. Biden —  Colorado, Hawaii and New Jersey — have not yet certified their results.  When they do, Mr. Biden will have 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's  232. 

Mr. Trump and his allies have brought at least 50 legal  cases trying to overturn the results in the swing states Mr. Biden won —  mainly Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. More  than 30 have been rejected or dropped, according to an AP tally.

Mr. Trump and his allies have also raised the far-fetched notion that  Republican state legislatures in those states could appoint a rival set  of electors pledged to Mr. Trump.

But state Republican leaders  have rejected that approach, and it would likely be futile in any case.  According to federal law, both chambers of Congress would need to vote  to accept a competing slate of electors. If they don't, the electors  appointed by the states' governors — all pledged to Mr. Biden in these  cases — must be used. 

The last remaining move to block the election would be the quixotic effort to vote down the electors in Congress. 

This  tactic has been tried — a handful of congressional Democrats in 2000,  2004 and 2016 objected to officially making both George W. Bush and Mr.  Trump president. But the numbers were not enough to block the two men  from taking office.

Biden officially secures Electoral College majority after California certifies votes - CBS News

----------


## panama hat

> Biden on what he would do if he disagrees with Kamala:
> 
> "I'll develop some disease and say I have to resign."
> 
> https://twitter.com/kayleighmcenany/...widget%3DTweet


You are such a sad sack of shit . . . and dumb as well seeing as you believe it

----------


## S Landreth

7,059,780

The number above is how many more votes Biden received over the loser.

 
US election results 2020: Joe Biden defeats Donald Trump to win presidency | US news | The Guardian - Biden vote lead over Trump widens to 7 million – Raw Story

Kamala Harris announces new staff picks, marking first time women will hold top 3 spots in VPs office

On Thursday, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris added three women to her roster of top aides, marking the first time in history that the top three positions in the U.S. vice presidents office will be held by women.

Harris, who is the first woman, Black American and South Asian American to be elected VP, announced on Twitter that she was appointing Tina Flournoy as her chief of staff, Rohini Kosoglu as her domestic policy advisor and Nancy McEldowney as her national security advisor. Harris appointment of three women to top aide positions follows the announcement that Harris and President-elect Joe Biden will also have an all-female communications team, which ties in with Bidens commitment to building an administration that looks like America.: Kamala Harris appoints all women to top 3 spots in VP office - https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/sta...01828218785793

Biden administration on track to be most LGBTQ-inclusive in U.S. history

President-elect Joe Biden has repeatedly vowed to make LGBTQ rights a priority in his administration. But he wont be working alone: The former vice president has already tapped LGBTQ appointees for several key roles and gay rights advocates are hopeful that more will be named, including the first out Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate. Theres also a push, should an opening become available, for him to nominate the first openly LGBTQ justice to the Supreme Court.

The Biden-Harris transition team has promoted the president-elect's commitment to building an administration that looks like America.

On Sunday, Karine Jean-Pierre, an out lesbian and chief of staff for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, was announced as deputy press secretary, and Pili Tobar, an immigration rights advocate and former aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was named deputy White House communications director. Tobar, a lesbian, also worked as a communications director for the Biden campaign.

In November, Carlos Elizondo, who is gay and was Bidens social secretary when Biden was vice president, was named White House social secretary.: https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-...story-n1250010

----------


## bsnub

> 7,059,780


In any other nation on earth that would be a landslide.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> In any other nation on earth that would be a landslide.


It is a landslide. But if you read the comments on various threads the trumpanzees don't just think the margin is wrong - they are convinced baldy orange loser won. The worst case of mass cognitive bias you have ever seen.

----------


## S Landreth

> 7,059,780
> 
> The number above is how many more votes Biden received over the loser.
> 
>  
> US election results 2020: Joe Biden defeats Donald Trump to win presidency | US news | The Guardian - Biden vote lead over Trump widens to 7 million  Raw Story







> In any other nation on earth that would be a landslide.


So others (non US citizens) understand

The size of Joe Bidens victory matters. And it is huge.

Biden not only received a majority of the popular vote, but also cleared 51%  the largest vote percentage obtained against an incumbent president since 1932 and a bigger percentage of the popular vote than any Republican president since George H.W. Bush in 1988, when Bush was essentially running for a third Ronald Reagan term. In the process, Biden amassed the largest total number of ballots in U.S. history. He pummeled Trump by more than 7 million votes (and exceeded Barack Obamas 2008 vote total by more than 11 million). That margin is bigger than Massachusetts entire population; in fact, only 14 states have a population of more than 7 million. Bidens popular vote margin by percentage (4.4%) far surpasses Obamas 2012 victory over Mitt Romney.

Why is it important to emphasize the magnitude of Bidens victory? Because, far from narrow, it represents the overwhelming verdict of the voters. If there is such a thing as a mandate, Biden has one. He has been explicit about the things he intends to do: preserve and expand Obamacare, pass child-care and sick-leave legislation, pursue police reform, push through a massive infrastructure bill and tackle climate change.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...rs-it-is-huge/ - The size of Biden's victory matters | Opinions | lebanondemocrat.com

----------


## bsnub

> So others (non US citizens) understand………


That is what is sad.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That is what is sad.


What is sad is how many US citizens don't get it.




> He has been explicit about the things he intends to do: preserve and expand Obamacare, pass child-care and sick-leave legislation, pursue police reform, push through a massive infrastructure bill and tackle climate change.


In reality, little of which he can do unless the Dems can win both Georgia seats.

----------


## bsnub

> What is sad is how many US citizens don't get it.


That was my point.

----------


## helge

> 7,059,780





> In any other nation on earth that would be a landslide.


 :smiley laughing: 

How many percent is that then ?

Biden won, hardly a landslide

----------


## panama hat

^ Yea, wot 'e sed.

There aren't many coujtries with a population of 80 million, leat alone 350 million, so percentages would speak louder.  That would include potential voters/turnout . . . and take into account population growth/numbers.

Still - Biden kicked Trump's butt

----------


## aging one

Trump lost by 3,000,000 votes in 2016, so add 7,000,000 more and that's a major loss for a winner.  Slink off into the sunset you shithead.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Biden won, hardly a landslide


It is using Trump's own metrics in his 2016 win.

Regardless: Biden won popular vote by 7+ million; Trump lost the popular vote by 3 million in 2016; both won the Electoral College by the same 306 - 232 margin.

The Electoral College is utterly fucked.

----------


## S Landreth

On todays docket,.

Marc E. Elias - With only two days until the presidential safe harbor deadline, I expect a number of lawsuits to be decided Monday and Tuesday.

Watch this space for updates as they happen.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...75147849097218

Wheres Rudy and the constitutional attorney Jenna Ellis?

Someone is paying these two real money  :Smile: : Expose Disputes Jenna Ellis's 'Constitutional Law' Credentials | Law & Crime


Biden transition team to begin getting Pentagon intelligence briefings Monday

Members of President-elect Joe Bidens transition team will receive briefings from Pentagon intelligence agencies on Monday, defense officials told CNN.

 They are meeting with DoD intelligence agencies Monday and Tuesday of this week, a senior defense official told the network.

Bidens transition process had been stalled for a little over two weeks after he was projected to be the winner of the presidential election. On Nov. 23, the General Service Administration ascertained Biden as the winner, allowing his transition team access to federal funds and allowing team members to begin coordinating with federal agencies.: Biden transition team to begin getting Pentagon intelligence briefings Monday: report | TheHill

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden transition team to begin getting Pentagon intelligence briefings Monday


Here they say something different:

*Pentagon blocked Biden's intelligence transition team from meeting with agencies*
CNN Updated December 5, 2020
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/04/p...nce/index.html

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - In a defeat for the Kraken conspiracy, Michigan federal court releases a scathing opinion DENYING motion to decertify election.

Trump and his allies are 1-47 in court.  :Smile:  : https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...46679112114177


Marc E. Elias - Georgia court DISMISSES election contest.

Trump and his allies are 1-48 in post-election litigation.  :Smile:  : https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...49844176236546



Biden announces health team

President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced the key members of his health team, tapping California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be Health and Human Services secretary and Harvard infectious disease expert Rochelle Walensky to be director of the CDC.

*Why it matters:* The team will immediately be in charge of addressing what will likely still be an out-of-control pandemic, including the government's efforts to distribute coronavirus vaccines.

*Other appointments:*


*Anthony Fauci*, the current director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, will remain in his post and also serve as Biden's chief medical adviser.*Vivek Murthy* has been nominated for surgeon general, the same role he served during the Obama administration between 2014 and 2017.*Marcella Nunez-Smith* will serve as the COVID-19 Equity Task Force chair  a new role in the White House. Smith is a professor at the Yale School of Medicine and the founding director of Yales Equity Research and Innovation Center.*Jeff Zients* will be coordinator of the COVID-19 response and counselor to the president. He previously provided leadership of the 2013 HealthCare.gov tech surge and oversight of the Cash for Clunkers fuel-efficiency program.*Natalie Quillian* will serve as deputy coordinator of the COVID-19 response. She previously coordinated the Obama administrations interagency response to the opioid epidemic.

*What they're saying:* This trusted and accomplished team of leaders will bring the highest level of integrity, scientific rigor, and crisis-management experience to one of the toughest challenges America has ever faced  getting the pandemic under control so that the American people can get back to work, back to their lives, and back to their loved ones," Biden said in a statement.

*Worth noting:* If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino to lead the department. He's also been at the forefront of health care legal battles, most prominently over the future of the Affordable Care Act.


Becerra has led the effort by a group of 20 states and the District of Columbia in defending the ACA against a GOP lawsuit aiming to strike down the law. The case was argued in front of the Supreme Court last month.

*Between the lines:* The virus has disproportionately affected people of color, and Becerra's selection follows increasing pressure on Biden from the Latino community and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to diversity his cabinet, per NYT.


On the other hand, Becerra has little experience managing a large bureaucracy or in public health, per Politico.

*The big picture:* If a global pandemic and the future of the ACA weren't enough, the HHS secretary could end up in charge of executing most of Biden's health agenda, particularly if the Senate remains in Republican hands.


Becerra's legal background could prove useful in enacting a lawsuit-proof regulatory agenda.

Biden announces health team - Axios

Top Biden administration appointments - To date

 
Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'''t been filled - Axios

Edit - Just for fun. But its still early..

Biden's post-election stock bump tops Trump's

 
By the numbers:

Dow Jones: +9.96% in 2020 vs. 7.77% in 2016
Nasdaq: +11.68% in 2020 vs. 4.83% in 2016.
S&P 500: +9.79% in 2016 vs. 5.61% in 2016.

President Trump said during this year's first debate that "If [Biden] is elected, the stock market will crash."

Not only was he wrong, but the market has responded more strongly than it did after Trump's election.: https://www.axios.com/biden-trump-st...36e73f378.html

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - *US Supreme Cour*t, without any noted dissent, REJECTS Republican effort to block Pennsylvania election results.

Trump and his allies remain 1-50 in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...29227072217091

edit - 51 now

Marc E. Elias - Michigan Federal Court DENIES Republican motion to maintain and preserve election data and machines for inspection.

Trump and his allies are now *1-51* in post-election litigation.  :Smile:  : https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...46671346077700

50 soon

That was quick.  :Smile:  Edit..

Marc E. Elias - Georgia Court DISMISSES Republican election contest seeking to decertify the results of the presidential election.

Trump and his allies are now *1-50* in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...19827267858435

Marc E. Elias - Right-wing plaintiffs in Arizona election contest DISMISS their lawsuit.

Trump and his allies are *1-49* in post-election lawsuits.  :Smile:  It is almost certain they will hit 50 losses tomorrow (12/8/20).: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...42921054232576 

Marc E. Elias - Pennsylvania Supreme Court DENIES Trump appeal of his loss in Bucks County.

Trump and his allies remain *1-49* in post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...55880053436416

Joe Biden - In the many hours we've spent together in the Situation Room and with our troopsI've witnessed General Austin's character.

He shares my belief that we are strongest when we lead not only by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.: https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1336413742792323077

Why I Chose Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense

We need a leader who is tested, and matched to the challenges we face in this moment.

Today, I ask Lloyd Austin to once more take on a mission for the United States of Americathis time as the secretary-designate of the Department of Defense. I know he will do an outstanding job.: Joe Biden: Why I Chose Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense - The Atlantic

To date: Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'''t been filled - Axios

----------


## S Landreth

John Kerry: Paris Agreement 'Absolutely' Needs To Be Stronger (1:37)




NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt

WATCH: In an exclusive interview with John Kerry speaks out about the Paris Agreement after he was named special presidential envoy for climate by President-elect Biden.

"It has to be stronger," Kerry says: Facebook - https://twitter.com/NBCNightlyNews/s...39892806770688


Marc E. Elias - Michigan Supreme Court DENIES right wing effort to segregate ballots and delay the Michigans certification of the Presidential election.

Trump and his allies are now *1-52* in post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...51110334377986



Marc E. Elias - Pennsylvania court DENIES Republican effort to decertify the 2020 general election results in Pennsylvania.

Trump and his allies are now *1-53* in post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...52718178902017



Marc E. Elias - Arizona Federal Court DISMISSES Kraken conspiracy lawsuit.

"Allegations that find favor in the public sphere of gossip and innuendo cannot be a substitute for earnest pleadings"

Trump and his allies are now *1-54* in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...23023089946629



Marc E. Elias - Wisconsin federal court DISMISSES last Kraken case. "Federal judges do not appoint the president in this county."

It began with 4 Kraken. It has ended with none

Trump and his allies are *1-55* in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...87195056046081

----------


## panama hat

All this winning . . .

----------


## harrybarracuda



----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - Wisconsin Court REJECTS Trump appeal of that state's recount.

Trump and his allies are now *1-56.*: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...40006626021378



Marc E. Elias - Supreme Court DENIES Texas effort to invalidate GA, MI, PA, WI election results.

7 justices deny for lack of standing.
2 Would grant motion for petition but deny relief.

No justice sides with TX/Trump.

Trump/allies are *1-57* in court.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...44289740599298




Biden selects Susan Rice to lead domestic policy council, McDonough for Veterans Affairs

President-elect Joe Biden has selected Susan Rice, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council, and is nominating Denis McDonough as secretary of Veterans Affairs, the transition announced on Thursday.

The roles they will take on are where the rubber meets the road  where competent and crisis-tested governance can make a meaningful difference in peoples lives, enhancing the dignity, equity, security, and prosperity of the day-to-day lives of Americans, Biden said in the statement.: Biden selects Susan Rice to lead Domestic Policy Council, McDonough for Veterans Affairs | TheHill - https://twitter.com/Transition46/sta...62896837275653 

Meanwhile,the loser trump and his inaction.

18,845,639 Americans out of work: Calculated Risk: Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims increased sharply to 853,000 

New CDC coronavirus forecast: 362,000 dead Americans by Jan. 2: New CDC coronavirus forecast: 362,000 dead by Jan. 2 | TheHill - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...rus-in-the-u-s 

 
Biden Will Disinfect the White House After Trump Moves Out

Prior to Joe Bidens move into the White House, the presidential residence will receive a much-needed deep cleaning treatment, a spokesperson for the General Services Administration has revealed to Politico. There have been over 40 COVID-19-positive people in President Donald Trumps circle, raising questions about the dangers that will be lurking when Bidens team moves in. As recently as Wednesday, Trump appeared bare-faced during a Hanukkah party with hundreds of guests at the White House.: https://www.thedailybeast.com/joe-bi...rump-moves-out 

#UnfollowThePres - Trump has lost 205,209 followers since I started this account on 11/24.: https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnfollowThePres

----------


## panama hat

Trump will be fuming that Biden got a real Time Mag Person of the Year instead of his own photoshopped one

----------


## S Landreth

Marc E. Elias - Wisconsin Federal Court DISMISSES Trump lawsuit WITH PREJUDICE.

"This Court has allowed plaintiff the chance to make his case and he has lost on the merits."

Trump and his allies are now *1-58* in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...36012853211136


Joe Biden - Five years ago today, the world gathered to adopt the Paris Agreement on climate change.

And in 39 days, the United States is going to rejoin it.

Were going to rally the world to push our progress further and faster and tackle the climate crisis head-on.: https://mobile.twitter.com/JoeBiden/...10697481191426


Dave Wasserman - All 50 states and D.C. have now certified their 2020 election results:

Biden 81,282,376 (51.3%)
Trump 74,222,576 (46.9%)

That's a 2.4 point margin swing against Trump vs. 2016 and a 15.9% increase in votes cast.: https://twitter.com/Redistrict/statu...84498418724869

In other words, Biden won the popular vote by 7 million  59 thousand  800 votes.


Edit - Cabinet Tracker: Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'&#39;'t been filled - Axios

----------


## Chico

Jeez, 5 years of the same sh*t :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

It is incredible the amount of misinformation in the US and around the world.  A couple of hours ago I was talking with my sister in Italy. and the conversation turned to trump and Biden, and she said " _this new guy is just as bad a trump, did you hear about his son? and he already got him a position in the new government,_"  I said , where did you hear that? she said that's what the news here say.  I tried to no avail to explain to her that Biden has not formed any government yet, and that it is just nominations subject to confirmation by congress, that he had not nominated, or offered his son for any position in the government, That Biden was not part of the investigation, and that his son had not been found guilty of anything. 
She said "_I don't know , that's what they are reporting here_".

----------


## lom

^ so between you and her it was you who got the brains..

----------


## panama hat

> Jeez, 5 years of the same sh*t





> Join Date
> Oct 2016


Yup - five years of shit - well done

----------


## aging one

> Jeez, 5 years of the same sh*t


YasoChic is a bit like Trump just keeps on winning. Put all his chips in on the orange [at][at][at][at] and he lost. Also put all his chips on Thailand being open now. Loser all the way around is the truth in reality.  The story of a travelling short order cooks life.

----------


## Klondyke

> It is incredible the amount of misinformation in the US and around the world.  A couple of hours ago I was talking with my sister in Italy. and the conversation turned to trump and Biden, and she said " _this new guy is just as bad a trump, did you hear about his son?
> _ 
> She said "_I don't know , that's what they are reporting here_".





> ^ so between you and her it was you who got the brains..


She's got the point:  "_that's what they are reporting here_".

She obviously does not read Wapo, NYT, etc., - and does not listen to CNN, etc., - where they know what is (not) to say...

----------


## panama hat

> She obviously does not read Wapo, NYT, etc., - and does not listen to CNN, etc., - where they know what is (not) to say...


Except that YOU don't know what she is reading and are simply flinging your shit again - here they're reporting that Putin eats little Russian Children's brains and they become good little Russians like you after. 

You obviously only read



> Wapo, NYT, etc., - and listen to CNN, etc.

----------


## elche

> She's got the point: "that's what they are reporting here".


And you didn't.




> She obviously does not read Wapo, NYT, etc., - and does not listen to CNN, etc., - where they know what is (not) to say...


Carry on living in your bubble where you'll feel safe, b/c we understand that Trumpanzees can't handle reality.

----------


## HuangLao

Who does understand reality, of any nature? 

....and an absolute for such?

----------


## Chico

> YasoChic is a bit like Trump just keeps on winning. Put all his chips in on the orange [at][at][at][at] and he lost. Also put all his chips on Thailand being open now. Loser all the way around is the truth in reality.  The story of a travelling short order cooks life.


Thailand is open knuckle head. ::chitown:: 

Do you really think I give a funk abut the USA, I'm China all the way. :smiley laughing:

----------


## panama hat

> Do you really think I give a funk abut the USA,


True, your hundreds upon hundreds of posts in US-related threads bear testament to that







> I'm China all the way.


Yea . . . ok

----------


## aging one

> Thailand is open knuckle head.


I will deal with this one first. :Smile: 




> Just wait until December/January and all systems go, no quarantine required perhaps a covid test before arriving and possibly when you arrive.
> 
> They have much to much to lose,December,January, February. high season and Chinese new year.





> I'm so looking forward to December..........



Lying through your teeth. Your MO.

----------


## Klondyke

> we understand that Trumpanzees can't handle reality.


'''''

----------


## S Landreth

Recapping last week with a Sunday edit (1 - 59)

 
Marc E. Elias - Supreme Court DENIES Texas effort to invalidate GA, MI, PA, WI election results.

7 justices deny for lack of standing.
2 Would grant motion for petition but deny relief.

No justice sides with TX/Trump.

Trump/allies are *1-57* in court.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...44289740599298


Joe Biden - Five years ago today, the world gathered to adopt the Paris Agreement on climate change.

And in 39 days, the United States is going to rejoin it.

We’re going to rally the world to push our progress further and faster and tackle the climate crisis head-on.: https://mobile.twitter.com/JoeBiden/...10697481191426


Dave Wasserman - All 50 states and D.C. have now certified their 2020 election results:

Biden 81,282,376 (51.3%)
Trump 74,222,576 (46.9%)

That's a 2.4 point margin swing against Trump vs. 2016 and a 15.9% increase in votes cast.: https://twitter.com/Redistrict/statu...84498418724869

In other words, Biden won the popular vote by 7 million – 59 thousand – 800 votes.


Because of the loser trump’s inactions……..

18,845,639 Americans are out of work: Calculated Risk: Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims increased sharply to 853,000

New CDC coronavirus forecast: 362,000 dead Americans by Jan. 2 : New CDC coronavirus forecast: 362,000 dead by Jan. 2 | TheHill - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...rus-in-the-u-s


 

Jan. 20th can’t come soon enough…………38 days and counting.


Edit: Marc E. Elias - Georgia Supreme Court DISMISSES Trump's cert petition in his contest of the election results.

Trump and his allies are now *1-59* in post-election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...70103960117250

----------


## bsnub

> 38 days and counting.


Thank the gods.

----------


## Chico

> I will deal with this one first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lying through your teeth. Your MO.



haha I'm In Thailand now 55555555

----------


## Chico

See Landmad has been Masturbating all over the thread. :smiley laughing: 

Hope old Joe don't tax the fek out of him

----------


## panama hat

> haha I'm In Thailand now 55555555


Of course you are . . . gave up the 1/4 million/week job?

----------


## elche

> '''''



Hilarious to see you think that "Steal the Election" is reality.  It's another conspiracy theory for trumpanzees like yourself who can't face reality.  Too funny.  You lost, crybaby.  Get over it.  Let me help you with your soreness by borrowing the famous words of trumpanzees in 2016: "F*ck your feelings, snowflake".

----------


## Klondyke

> You lost,


Sorry to disappoint you. It's you who has lost. And with you the population living in the lawless state...

----------


## panama hat

> Sorry to disappoint you.


No need to apologise, we're used to it from every one of your posts.

----------


## S Landreth

Trump knows Ill beat him like a drum: Biden - Trump knows Ill beat him like a drum: Biden | Reuters Video





Presidential electors will be voting Monday. Here's what that means

Electors will cast their votes Monday in the Electoral College and declare the winner of the 2020 presidential election. The ballots will then be sent to Washington to be counted by Congress on January 6.

What exactly is happening on Monday?  

Federal law dictates the electors meet on the Monday in December that follow the second Wednesday, which in 2020 falls on December 14.

There are 538 electors. The number from each state is based on population and is equal to the number of members of Congress the state has, in the House and Senate, meaning the minimum any state can have is three. The state with the most electors is California, which has 55. Washington D.C. has three electors even though it's not a state.

All but two states, Maine and Nebraska, give all their Electoral College votes to the candidate who got the most votes in the state.  Maine awards two of its four electoral votes to the statewide winner but also allocates an electoral vote to the popular vote winner in each of its two congressional districts. Nebraska gives two of its five electoral votes to the statewide winner, with the remaining three going to the popular vote winner in each of its three congressional districts.

Three hundred and six electors will vote for Mr. Biden and 232 will vote for Mr. Trump.

The electors will cast ballots, individually and on paper, for president and vice president. The electors count the votes and then sign six certificates, known as the Certificates of the Vote. The certificates are paired with the Certificates of Ascertainment provided by states' governors and are signed, sealed and certified.

The six copies are then sent via registered mail to the president of the Senate (aka Vice President Mike Pence); two are sent to the secretary of state of the state in which the electors met; two are sent to the archivist and one is sent to judge of the U.S. district court of the district in which the electors met.

The votes will take place at different times, starting at 10 a.m. ET and concluding with Hawaii at 7 p.m. ET. 

The electors are not necessarily bound by law to vote according to the state's results, and there were 10 "faithless electors" in 2016. But most states have laws that nullify the votes of "faithless electors," and the Supreme Court ruled in July that states can punish them. FairVote found that since the founding of the Electoral College, there have been 167 faithless electors.

What are the next major dates?

December 23: All copies of the electors' votes must be delivered to the recipients.

January 6: Congress will count the votes of the electors. Procedure calls for Pence to open each state's "certificate of ascertainment"  documents prepared by the state after it has completed its vote count and ascertained the official results. He will then present the certificate to four "tellers" who announce result tallies. Once a candidate reaches 270 electoral college votes, Pence will declare the winner.

January 20: Mr. Biden will be inaugurated.: The Electoral College will be voting Monday. Here's what that means - CBS News



Track Electoral College votes, state by state: Track Electoral College votes state by state - CNNPolitics





 Hawaii will make it 306


Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton cast their New York Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Albany on Monday.: Clintons cast Electoral College votes for Biden and Harris | TheHill - https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/s...48429753081868

Biden/Harris take Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

 ::doglol:: 



President-elect Joe Biden will give a speech Monday after the Electoral College vote certification, his transition team announced.: Biden expected to speak after Electoral College certification | wkyc.com

----------


## elche

> Sorry to disappoint you. It's you who has lost. And with you the population living in the lawless state...


Protesting is a constitutional right in the US.  The lawless you're referring to were the trumpanzees who have been charged over the weekend.   :smiley laughing:

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by Klondyke  
> Sorry to disappoint you. It's you who has lost. And with you the population living in the lawless state...
> 
> Protesting is a constitutional right in the US. The lawless you're referring to were the trumpanzees who have been charged over the weekend.


The lawless 50% of the population? (OK, 49.9%)

----------


## elche

> The lawless 50% of the population? (OK, 49.9%)


33 trumpanzees were arrested over the weekend at the "Stop the Steal" crybaby protest in Washington, DC.  How far did you get in school again?

----------


## helge

> How far did you get in school again?


Why don't you just post your CV and we can bow down in amazement, oh superior schooled one.

----------


## Chico

> 33 trumpanzees were arrested over the weekend


phew that's amazing, how many arrests in the whole of USA over the weekend?

----------


## hallelujah

> Why don't you just post your CV and we can bow down in amazement, oh superior schooled one.


I think elche could definitely work on extending his range of put downs.

----------


## S Landreth

Construction crews work on the platforms where President-elect Joe Biden will take the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington.

----------


## Chico

Landmad, wow that's fascinating I do hope you will be keeping us  informed on how the construction is going, be great to see pics as well.

----------


## panama hat

> keeping us informed on have the construction


Always a pleasure to see you butchering the language, chico.

----------


## Chico

you are so welcome.

----------


## harrybarracuda

His purpose having been served, Moscow Mitch has thrown baldy orange loser under the bus.




> *McConnell congratulates Biden on his victory as more Republicans abandon Trump's fight*


McConnell congratulates Biden on his victory as more Republicans abandon Trump'&#39;'s fight

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden To Nominate Pete Buttigieg As Transportation Secretary

The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor would be the first openly gay Cabinet secretary confirmed by the Senate.

President-elect Joe Biden has chosen Pete Buttigieg, his former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, to lead the U.S. Transportation Department, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Buttigieg, 38, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who has never held federal office, would be the first LGBTQ person nominated to Biden’s administration and, if confirmed, the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary to be approved by the U.S. Senate.

A spokesman for Biden’s transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A representative for Buttigieg also did not respond to a request for comment.

Buttigieg had been rumored to land in several different spots in Biden’s administration. As Transportation secretary, he would put to use his background in urban affairs by overseeing a sprawling federal agency that oversees U.S. highways, air travel and transit systems.

Buttigieg was surprisingly competitive during the Democratic Party primary, winning the first-in-the-nation caucuses in Iowa, showing formidable fundraising might and enjoying massive popularity on social media.

Once Biden took control of the race after winning the South Carolina primary in February, Buttigieg quickly dropped out and endorsed him, helping Biden consolidate the support of the moderate, establishment wing of the party.

He became a valued Biden supporter on television in the election’s final weeks.: Joe Biden To Nominate Pete Buttigieg As Transportation Secretary | HuffPost


Biden just finished a campaign event in George for two democrats


 


afterwards I think Biden is stopping by the construction site to check for union cards




> Construction crews work on the platforms where President-elect Joe Biden will take the oath of office at the Capitol in Washington.

----------


## Cujo

I read yesterday that Putin called to congratulate Biden.
I wonder how Trump feels about that. 
Like a jilted schoolgirl I imagine.

Russia's Putin congratulates Biden on winning U.S. election

----------


## pickel

> Joe Biden To Nominate Pete Buttigieg As Transportation Secretary


Well there's him and Harris taken care of as far as payoffs go for dropping out of the race prematurely, before Biden was in a hole too deep to climb out of. Meanwhile the progressives will be left out, and their voters will be ignored , as Biden will move to placate Republicans instead of the voters that got him there. Maybe the Dems will finally learn in 2024. Doubt it though.

----------


## panama hat

^ You seem to think that policy is dictated by cabinet and president alone - and you know that's wrong.  Congress is where the movement starts and there are many progressives there

----------


## pickel

> You seem to think that policy is dictated by cabinet and president alone


Umm...have you paid attention to America for the last 4 years?

----------


## panama hat

> Umm...have you paid attention to America for the last 4 years?


An aberration . . . it has to be

----------


## pickel

> An aberration . . . it has to be


One would hope, but when Joe's policies to please his corporate donors need to be passed, it will be easier for him to "reach across the aisle" and gain Republican votes than it would to get progressive ones. He's abandoned the left before he's even been sworn in.

----------


## panama hat

You're not wrong there. The US isn't a place to push a socially progressive agenda, despite this being the most necessary change.

----------


## S Landreth

An update on Bidens cabinet.


In Historic Move, Biden To Pick Native American Rep. Haaland As Interior Secretary
 




In a historic first, President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate Rep. Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior, a source familiar with the decision told NPR's Franco Ordoñez.

If confirmed by the Senate, Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, would be the country's first Native American Cabinet secretary. Fittingly, she'd do so as head of the agency responsible for not only managing the nation's public lands but also honoring its treaties with the Indigenous people from whom those lands were taken.

"She understands at a very real level  at a generational level, in her case going back 30 generations  what it is to care for American lands," says Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities.: Biden To Pick Deb Haaland As 1st Native American Cabinet Secretary : NPR


 
Biden introduces Buttigieg as transportation chief in 'historic' U.S. cabinet - Japan Today

Biden Introduces Pete Buttigieg As Nominee For Transportation Secretary




 
What the loser is leaving the new administration with because of its inaction.

 
Coronavirus Update: Maps And Charts For U.S. Cases And Deaths : Shots - Health News : NPR


Nearly 8 million Americans fell into poverty since June

Nearly 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty since June due to a combination of rising coronavirus cases and dwindling federal support, according to a study released Wednesday by economists at the University of Chicago and the University of Notre Dame.

The national poverty rate rose by 2.4 percentage points from 9.3 percent in June to 11.7 percent in November, putting 7.8 million people below the poverty line, according to the paper from Notre Dames James X. Sullivan, Chicagos  Bruce D. Meyer, and Jeehoon Han of Zhejiang University.: Nearly 8 million Americans fell into poverty since June: study | TheHill


U.S. retail sales decline further as Covid, lack of additional fiscal stimulus weigh

U.S. retail sales fell more than expected in November, likely weighed down by raging new Covid-19 infections and decreasing household income, adding to growing signs of a slowdown in the economys recovery from the pandemic recession.

Retail sales dropped 1.1% last month, with receipts declining almost across the board. Data for October was revised down to show sales slipping 0.1% instead of rising 0.3% as previously reported, adding a sting to the report. Octobers dip was the first since April, when stringent measures to control the first wave of coronavirus cases crippled the economy.

The plunge in sales last month was led by motor vehicles, with receipts at auto dealerships tumbling 1.7% after being unchanged in October. Receipts at clothing stores plummeted 6.8%. Consumers also cut back on eating and drinking out. Sales at restaurants and bars dropped 4.0%.

Sales at electronics and appliance stores fell 3.5% and receipts at furniture stores declined 1.1%. There were also decreases in sales at sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument and book stores. But receipts at food and beverage stores rose as did those at building material stores.

Online and mail-order retail sales rose a modest 0.2%.

Recovery slowing

The United States is struggling with a fresh outbreak of Covid-19 infections, with the death toll from the respiratory illness rising above 300,000 on Monday, according to a Reuters tally of official data. Many state and local governments have imposed new restrictions on businesses, while some consumers are avoiding shopping malls, restaurants and bars.: U.S. retail sales November 2020


Weekly jobless claims unexpectedly rise, hit highest level since early September

The number of first-time unemployment-benefits filers totaled 885,000 in the week ending Dec. 12, the most since the week of Sept. 5. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected initial claims to fall to 808,000.

Initial claims for the previous week were revised higher by 9,000 to 862,000.

In all, 20.6 million Americans were receiving some kind of unemployment benefits through Nov. 28, the report said.: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/17/week...ss-claims.html

19,553,964 unemployed americans (Im missing 1 million some place or my link might be more up to date): https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2...claims_17.html

 
34 days and counting


Just for fun.....

Construction continues on Joe Bidens inaugural platform

----------


## panama hat

> In Historic Move, Biden To Pick Native American Rep. Haaland As Interior Secretary


What a brilliant choice . . . utterly brilliant.  

Unfortunately his government have to deal with the poisoned chalice they've received from the orange fuckwit.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Black *and* an environmentalist.

The GOP fucktards will probably do everything they can to block this nomination.




> President-elect Joe Biden is poised to nominate Michael Regan of North Carolina to run the Environmental Protection Agency, two people familiar with the matter tell CNN.
> 
> Regan, who runs the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, is set to be introduced on Saturday with other members of Biden's climate team.
> 
> If confirmed by the US Senate, Regan would be the second African American to lead the EPA. Lisa Jackson was the first to head the agency, during the Obama administration.


https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/17/p...epa/index.html

----------


## Cujo

I hope Biden has the balls to follow Trump's lead and appoint 'acting' cabinet heads and use executive orders whenever necessary.

----------


## aging one

Over a month old now Cujo.

*Biden plans immediate flurry of executive orders to reverse Trump policies*https://www.business-humanrights.org/my/%E1%80%9E%E1%80%90%E1%80%84/biden-plans-immediate-flurry-of-executive-orders-to-reverse-trump-policies/

----------


## bsnub



----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

^^^^^
What a pleasure to soon have an adult in the White house , that speaks in complete coherent sentences and has empathy for others.

----------


## Klondyke

> ^^^^^
> What a pleasure to soon have an adult in the White house , that speaks in complete coherent sentences and has empathy for others.


Do not mind the dubious connections and businesses, do not mind the past and future wars. 

Important for the population is that he speaks "coherent" sentences (OK, sometimes not so much coherent, but nobody's perfect). 
And that he's proud on his son who is the 



> ‘smartest man I know’



*DAD'S DEFENSE 
Joe Biden brands Hunter tax probe ‘foul play’ and praises son as ‘smartest man I know’ on The Late Show*
18 Dec 2020

Joe Biden brands Hunter tax probe '&#39;'foul play'&#39;' and praises son as '&#39;'smartest man I know'&#39;' on The Late Show

----------


## panama hat

> Do not mind the dubious connections and businesses, do not mind the past and future wars.


Prove any of that as being illegal or even realistic, fuckwit.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Do not mind the dubious connections and businesses, do not mind the past and future wars.
> 
> Important for the population is that he speaks "coherent" sentences (OK, sometimes not so much coherent, but nobody's perfect).
> And that he's proud on his son who is the


Yes that is one of many prerequisites, that indicated Sequitur mental acuity ,

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Announce Key Climate and Energy Team Nominees and Appointees (20:46)



 
Deb Haaland, Secretary of Interior nominee
Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy nominee
Michael Regan, EPA Administrator nominee
Brenda Mallory, chair of White House Council on Environmental Quality nominee
Gina McCarthy, National Climate Adviser appointee
Ali Zaidi, Deputy National Climate Adviser appointee

Key lines from unveiling of Biden's climate team - CNNPolitics


Just for fun.

Twitter is publicly declaring Joe Biden the winner of the US election  on Trumps own tweets

 
 :Smile:  : Twitter is publicly declaring Joe Biden the winner of the US election  on Trumps own tweets - The Verge

----------


## S Landreth

Roughly 720 hours and counting

*U.S. President-elect Joe Biden gets dose of COVID-19 vaccine*



 

Kamala Harris - There are only 15 days left to get out the vote for the Georgia runoffs. Thats why Im in Columbus, GA for a drive-in rally with @ReverendWarnock and Jon @Ossoff.

Lets flip the Senate blue.: https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/sta...76599479750656


 
Biden Cabinet tracker: Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'&#39;'t been filled - Axios

 

Meanwhile the wartime president has lost the war: Trump labels himself  ‘a wartime president’ combating coronavirus - POLITICO

To date, 325,654 reported US Covid related deaths

US deaths by date reported.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Meanwhile the wartime president has lost the war: Trump labels himself ‘a wartime president’ combating coronavirus - POLITICO


words fail me.

----------


## elche

> words fail me.


After four years of the trump crime family in power, the dystopian world that they and their stooges live in is incomprehensible. Over the next 30 days, things will only get worse, not better.

----------


## S Landreth

> words fail me.


it is shocking

----------


## S Landreth

Anyone else see Kamalas odds increasing for the 47th president? Or trumps 3rd run diminishing?

 
 
Pardons Granted by President Donald Trump

Only the best

Subscribing to false United States individual income tax returns for 2010-2014 tax years (five counts); failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts for calendar years 2011-2014; bank fraud/Lender B/$3.4 million loan; bank fraud/Lender C/$1 million loan, Conspiracy against the United States; conspiracy to obstruct justice (witness tampering), Obstruction of proceeding; false statements (five counts); witness tampering, Fraud and false statements (16 counts); retaliating against witness, victim; statements or entries generally, Willfully attempting to evade personal income tax (three counts), Wire fraud, Mail fraud (three counts), Conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; causing false records; causing false campaign contribution reports; false statements scheme, Conspiracy to commit tax evasion, Voluntary manslaughter, aiding and abetting and causing an act to be done (six counts); attempt to commit voluntary manslaughter, aiding and abetting and causing an act to be done (11 counts); using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting and causing an act to be done, Health care fraud,on and fvckin on

Biden Cabinet tracker: Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'''t been filled - Axios


 
Remarks by President-elect Joe Biden (Dec. 22nd) start 0:25




Joe Biden - No matter how youre celebrating this year, Champ and Major wish you a Merry Christmas.: https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1342138967865479169

----------


## S Landreth

A bit long but there might be help coming from both sides


In pursuing historic climate change agenda, Biden may find surprising ally

President-elect Joe Biden has made no secret that tackling climate change will be one of his top priorities. But to enact his platform to reduce global warming he may find an unexpected ally: Republicans.

Biden campaigned on the most ambitious climate agenda in history: one that included plans for pioneering green energy and infrastructure projects and proposals to address environmental racism. Large chunks of his "Build Back Better" economic agenda are explicitly tied to climate-related policies.

Biden has said he will re-enter the U.S. in the Paris climate accord on his first day in office and will prioritize undoing dozens of environmental regulatory rollbacks put into place by President Donald Trump  all via execution action.

But what comes after that will be the hard part: trying to implement his climate agenda through legislation.

And that's where he may find a partnership with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

While some in the GOP remain in steadfast denial that human-caused climate change even exists, dozens of Republican lawmakers have acknowledged that the time has come to address the crisis and have put forward policies that have gained some degree of bipartisan traction.

None, however, have approached the level of reform Biden has proposed. As a result, his administration will have to deftly maneuver balancing the major progressive climate actions he's promised with his desire to reach bipartisan solutions and promote political unity  something he's also promised.

Interviews with lawmakers from both parties and climate advocacy organizations on both ends of the political spectrum suggest the appetite in both parties for climate change policy is robust, making the topic a likely, even if unexpected, area for bipartisan cooperation under the new president.

Opportunities for compromise

Biden has promised to rejoin the Paris climate agreement, to sign executive orders that limit oil and gas drilling on public lands and in public waters, increase gas mileage standards for vehicles and block the construction of specific fossil-fuel pipelines. He can do all of that through executive action.

Biden has also promised to pursue a 100 percent clean electricity standard by 2035 (a proposal that could mean the shuttering or total renovation of all coal-fired and gas-fired power plants in the U.S.) and has called for getting the U.S. to net-zero emissions by 2050, at the latest. He's also proposed a $2 trillion investment in renewable energy projects, with 40 percent of the funds benefiting communities of color that have been harmed by pollutants. He might not find a ton of Republican support on those ideas.

Biden has made it clear, especially through his personnel choices, that he sees the topic as one that merits an all-of-government approach that uses Cabinet agencies like the Transportation and Interior departments to help build new green infrastructure and incentivize developing green energy sources, as well as taking the State Department with corralling other international powers to similarly focus on climate policy and carbon emissions.

And it's in these areas  especially as it pertains to the investment in and development of green energy sources, green technologies and green infrastructure  where he could end up finding common ground.

Groups on both sides are ready for it.

"Yes, there will be obstruction from some Republicans, but I really do believe there will still be so many chances for bipartisanship on combating climate change," said Michael Brune, the Sierra Club's executive director.

Brune pointed to clean energy standards, accelerating the development of new energy technologies, growing American jobs in the green sector and saving consumers money on their energy bills as solid areas for consensus.

Conservative environmental groups have struck the same tone, even praising some of Bidens more ambitious proposals.

Robinson, of the conservative American Conservation Coalition, said "incentives are really lining up both politically and economically," making significant investment in green technologies and infrastructure more possible than ever before.

Much more: In pursuing historic climate change agenda, Biden may find surprising ally

----------


## harrybarracuda

> proposals to address environmental racism


I'm not familiar with this term but it sounds fucking stupid.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I'm not familiar with this term but it sounds fucking stupid.


  " _proposals to address environmental racism_" being quoted out of context ,it's  impossible to tell.

----------


## TheMadBaron

> I'm not familiar with this term but it sounds fucking stupid.


Environmental racism - Wikipedia

(I didn't read much of it, but the term seems to be a way to take legitimate environmental and geopolitical concerns and make them sound like a load of woolly pinko arsewipe.)

----------


## harrybarracuda

> " _proposals to address environmental racism_" being quoted out of context ,it's  impossible to tell.


The context is climate change, if that helps.

----------


## raycarey

> Anyone else see Kamalas odds increasing for the 47th president?



if they can get covid  in the US under control by the end of 2021 and have the economy back on its feet by 2023, then she's got a very good chance.






> Or trumps 3rd run diminishing?


he won't run again.

he's going to play it up for the next 3.5 years, but he's not going to run because he's afraid to lose.

it could be argued that entering the race in 2016 and drawing to an inside straight is the worst thing that could have happened to him.

----------


## bsnub

> he won't run again.


If he even makes it that far. Hate consumes old boomer souls.  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Roughly 432 hours and counting


 

Joe Biden to have new Secret Service team amid concern about Trump loyalty

Joe Biden is expected to receive Secret Service protection with a new team that is more familiar to him and replacing some agents amid concerns that they may be politically allied with Donald Trump.

In a changing of the guard as well as the man to be guarded at the White House, Bidens security detail will undergo some staffing changes, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

Several senior Secret Service agents are poised to return to the president-elects protection team and Biden knows these agents well because they guarded him and his family during his time as vice-president, according to the article, echoed in a report by CNN, citing a law enforcement source.

Re-assignments and promotions are common during transition periods between presidential administrations and are meant to increase comfort and trust between a president-elect and his security team, who shadow the commander-in-chief closely, including during private moments and sensitive discussions.

Although staffing changes are typical, several incidents reportedly contributed to the heightened concerns from Bidens allies that some agents and officers might be loyal to Trump.

Some members of the presidents detail reportedly urged their colleagues not to wear masks during trips, for example  despite the federal governments official guidance on Covid-19  as Trump himself disparaged mask-wearing and held out for months before being seen wearing one in public.

In what was described as an unprecedented move, the Secret Service had permitted former detail leader Anthony Ornato to temporarily leave his role and serve as White House deputy chief of staff.

Ornato was among the coordinators of the June photo op for which Trump marched through Washington DCs Lafayette Square to stand with a Bible  after peaceful protesters were forced from the area by troops on federal order, sparking uproar in political circles as well as among the public.

Ornato also assisted in the planning of many Trump campaign rallies even as Covid-19 tore through the US and gatherings were being discouraged or banned outright. In addition to members of the public, many Secret Service members contracted coronavirus or were exposed.

The Secret Service declined to discuss the reports. Biden has had a security detail since March, when he was campaigning for the Democratic nomination.

While former vice-presidents are given a security detail for six months after leaving office, he formally requested Secret Service protection after protesters rushed on to the stage at a campaign rally, CNN said.: Joe Biden to have new Secret Service team amid concern about Trump loyalty | US news | The Guardian 




> if they can get covid  in the US under control by the end of 2021 and have the economy back on its feet by 2023, then she's got a very good chance.


This might help with one of the two.......

Biden will invoke Defense Production Act to boost Covid vaccine production, advisor says

President-elect Joe Biden plans to invoke the Defense Production Act after he takes office next month to boost production of coronavirus vaccines, a member of his Covid-19 advisory team said Monday.

You will see him invoking the Defense Production Act, Dr. Celine Gounder, a member of Bidens Covid-19 advisory board, said during an interview on CNBCs Squawk Box. The idea there is to make sure the personal protective equipment, the test capacity and the raw materials for the vaccines are produced in adequate supply.

The wartime production law, which allows the president to compel companies to prioritize manufacturing for national security, could help the U.S. secure components and specialized products that manufacturers need to produce the Covid vaccines. Bidens team has been weighing whether to invoke the law for vaccine production, NBC News reported last week.: Biden to invoke Defense Production Act to spur Covid vaccine production 

Biden blasts Trump administration for slow pace of Covid vaccinations: Biden blasts Trump administration for slow pace of Covid vaccinations

Kamala Harris receives first dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine: Kamala Harris receives first dose of Moderna'''s COVID-19 vaccine - Axios


 
*just for fun*

Marc E. Elias - Trump and his allies have now lost their 60th post-election lawsuit. They are 1-60.

Texas federal judge DISMISSES lawsuit challenging 2020 presidential election results over lack of standing.: https://twitter.com/DemocracyDocket/...78440996151302

----------


## harrybarracuda

> agents are poised to return to the president-elects protection team and Biden knows these agents well because they guarded him and his family during his time as vice-president, according to the article, echoed in a report by CNN, citing a law enforcement source.


Makes sense. They wouldn't have any qualms about dragging baldy orange loser's fat arse and throwing it out onto Pennslyvania avenue along with his trashy bric a brac.

----------


## Cujo

> Makes sense. They wouldn't have any qualms about dragging baldy orange loser's fat arse and throwing it out onto Pennslyvania avenue along with his trashy hooker


FTFY.

----------


## HuangLao

He's not even in office as of yet and already appears to be: same as it ever was [especially the hard lined traditional foreign policy] 
Nothing different in comparison with his numerous predecessors - expanding the nasty empire.

Oh well.....

What Old Joe, and his team, could really do to win favour would be to concentrate on the mess that is everything COVID and the goddamn REAL economy - the people's economy. 
Those two items, alone, will take quite the effort to repair.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> He's not even in office as of yet and already appears to be: same as it ever was [especially the hard lined traditional foreign policy] 
> Nothing different in comparison with his numerous predecessors - expanding the nasty empire.
> 
> Oh well.....
> 
> What Old Joe, and his team, could really do to win favour would be to concentrate on the mess that is everything COVID and the goddamn REAL economy - the people's economy. 
> Those two items, alone, will take quite the effort to repair.


When you go to the dance you can only dance to the music they are playing. The best you can do is try to look cool, maybe bust a couple of new moves, and try not to step on your partner.

----------


## S Landreth

Kamala was in Georgia yesterday.

Kamala Harris says Trump call with Georgia Secretary of State a "BOLD ABUSE OF POWER"




 
Shes wonderful.

Harris: Trump Georgia phone call shows a 'voice of desperation' | TheHill

----------


## S Landreth

Just for fun.

You can still buy a hat..

----------


## S Landreth

President-elect Biden Fires Up Voters In Atlanta (starts at 43:30)





Biden committee to join National Day of Service

President-elect Joe Bidens inaugural committee will be joining the National Day of Service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and is encouraging Americans to do the same.

The committee said Monday in a statement that it will partner with service leaders, community members, and local, state, and national organizations across the country to organize events that unite Americans around service in their communities.

It says events will focus on COVID-19 relief and challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, including poverty, hunger and racial injustice. The event is Jan. 18, two days before Bidens inauguration.

Groups are being strongly encouraged to hold virtual events because of the pandemic, which has transformed this years inaugural festivities.: GDPR Support




 
Marc E. Elias - Trump and his allies have now lost an astounding SIXTY-ONE post-election lawsuits.

Overall, they are 1-61.

D.C. federal court DISMISSES Trump lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election results.

"Their failure to make any effort to serve or formally notify any Defendant... renders it difficult to believe that the suit is meant seriously.": https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...74890068611073

----------


## S Landreth

Roughly 360 hours and counting


 

Biden inauguration will include 'presidential escort' to White House, virtual parade

President-elect Joe Bidens pared-down inauguration is slated to include a presidential escort to the White House and a virtual parade as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), a nonprofit tasked with planning the inauguration, announced Sunday that Bidens swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20 will be followed by a "Pass in Review" at the Capitol and then the presidential escort and virtual parade.

There are many grand traditions to the inaugural and we plan to honor them by highlighting more of our nations people than ever before while keeping everyone safe, PIC CEO Tony Allen said in a statement.

Biden, incoming first lady Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and incoming second gentleman Doug Emhoff will participate in the Pass in Review  a military tradition that represents the transition of power between administrations  on the East Front of the Capitol.

During the Pass in Review, Biden reviews the readiness of the military troops, the committee said, noting that all branches will be represented while following COVID-19 safety regulations.

The president-elect will then be escorted from 15th Street to the White House in an event that will also feature every branch of the military, including the U.S. Army Band, a Joint Service Honor Guard and the Commander-in-Chiefs Guard Fife and Drum Corps from the 3rd U.S. Infantry The Old Guard.

The virtual parade for Inauguration Day will feature performances from across the country and will be televised. The committee said it plans to announce the participants in the parade in the coming weeks.

The parade will celebrate Americas heroes, highlight Americans from all walks of life in different states and regions, and reflect on the diversity, heritage, and resilience of the country as we begin a new American era, the PIC wrote in a release.: Biden inauguration will include 'presidential escort' to White House, virtual parade | TheHill


Marc E. Elias - It looks like Trump will hit 62 losses before Wednesday.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...70578731339777 - https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/sta...65302841774082


Because of trumps inaction..

 
The Hartford Courant - We are currently unavailable in your region

get the fvck out: https://twitter.com/IslandGirlPRV/st...12707553521669

----------


## bsnub

It won't come soon enough.

----------


## fishlocker

Historical,  China Blows wife has a full time job. Burisma must not have panned out enough then.

----------


## fishlocker

> It won't come soon enough.


What, that 600$ check? I'm shocked at what transpired at those senators houses.

----------


## fishlocker

The reasoning behind his virtual parade is that no real Americans would show up for the clown. 
  What, 47 years of nothingness and apparently some fools like that in a politician. 
 As for the pandemic It was bought and paid for by Blows Chin buds. 
 I'm gonna buy some MAGA hats and pass them out to the  homeless folks that Blow put out of businesses while suckling the Chins utter.

----------


## fishlocker

Ass clown you done torching Portland yet?

----------


## fishlocker

Thanks for the red, it goes well with my MAGA cap.

----------


## AntRobertson

> The reasoning behind his virtual parade is that no real Americans would show up for the clown. 
>   What, 47 years of nothingness and apparently some fools like that in a politician. 
>  As for the pandemic I was bought and paid for by Blows Chin buds. 
>  I'm gonna buy some MAGA hats and pass them out to the  homeless folks that Blow put out of businesses while suckling the Chins utter.


Freedumb.

----------


## bsnub

> The reasoning behind his virtual parade is that no real Americans would show up for the clown.





> What, 47 years of nothingness and apparently some fools like that in a politician.





> I'm gonna buy some MAGA hats and pass them out to the homeless folks that Blow put out of businesses while suckling the Chins utter.





> Ass clown you done torching Portland yet?


These comments are what happens when you are stupid and suffer from Dunning-Kruger. This imbecile has swallowed every talking point that Fox News shoveled down his throat. Nothing but utter falsehoods. Another dumb Walmart shopper.




> Thanks for the red, it goes well with my MAGA cap.


You earned it snowflake and your cap is made in China you stupid fucktard.

----------


## fishlocker

PS, love the comments from you and crappyinnz. What on earth makes you think that "I lost?" Well, ok  a couple hundred thousand when market dipped due to the new normal. Not to worry as I bought into Pillsbury in Pepperidge Farms. The bread lines just got longer.

----------


## bsnub

> What on earth makes you think that "I lost?"


Your orange god is out fucktard.




> Well, ok a couple hundred thousand when market dipped due to the new normal.


Small fry.




> Not to worry as I bought into Pillsbury in Pepperidge Farms.


You really are a trumpanee and a short-sighted investor being that you are from up norf.




> The bread lines just got longer.


For dumb trailer trash trumpanzees it sure did.

----------


## S Landreth

An update.


Marc E. Elias - Trump and his allies have now lost 62 cases in the post-election period.

They are now 1-62.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...18330799235072 - https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...30914143232001






> Roughly 360 hours and counting
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Biden inauguration will include 'presidential escort' to White House, virtual parade
> 
> President-elect Joe Bidens pared-down inauguration is slated to include a presidential escort to the White House and a virtual parade as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
> 
> ...





> The reasoning behind his virtual parade is that no real Americans would show up for the clown.






 ::doglol::

----------


## S Landreth

Roughly 312 hours and counting



Congress affirms Biden's Electoral College victory

Congress has just affirmed President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump.

The counting of Vermont's three electoral votes put Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris over the 270-threshold needed to win the presidency.

The Senate and House rejected objections to throw out Georgia and Pennsylvania's electoral votes for Biden. Republicans also objected to Arizona, Nevada and Michigan's electoral votes, but the motions failed before they reached debate.

 
The certification comes after Pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol earlier Wednesday.

The joint session of Congress, which is normally a ceremonial step, was halted for several hours when rioters breached the Capitol.

Proceedings resumed at about 8 p.m. ET with Vice President Mike Pence, bringing the Senate session back into order.: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-ne...021/index.html


Georgia election results: Why two wins are huge for Biden

For two years, the Republican-controlled Senate bottled up virtually every piece of legislation coming out of the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. With a Georgia victory, that blockage has been removed.

That's good news for Biden's rather extensive legislative agenda - on issues like healthcare, the environment, government reform and the economy - which should be able to survive the House and at least get an up-or-down vote in the Senate.: Georgia election results: Why two wins are huge for Biden - BBC News


Joe Biden - I called Reverend Warnock and Jon Ossoff this morning to congratulate them on their hard-fought campaigns. Georgia voters delivered a resounding message yesterday: they want action on the crises we face and they want it right now. Together, we'll get it done.: https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1346891030055022592


Merrick Garland Is To Be Joe Biden's Nominee For Attorney General

Federal appeals court Judge Merrick Garland will be nominated to serve as attorney general in the administration of President-elect Joe Biden, NPR has learned from two sources familiar with the process.

Garland, 68, is the widely respected former chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He has deep roots inside the Justice Department, where he launched his career decades ago.

The sources also told NPR that former prosecutor and national security official Lisa Monaco will be tapped to serve as deputy attorney general, and former civil rights leader Vanita Gupta will be nominated as associate attorney general.

Kristen Clarke, who has led the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, is Biden's choice to run the Civil Rights Division.: Merrick Garland Is To Be Joe Biden's Nominee For Attorney General : NPR

Edit.


*Just for fun.* The thai girlfriend (white background) after learning the news






Marc E. Elias - Attorney for Trump campaign in PA lawsuit files motion to withdraw: "the client has used the lawyer's services to perpetrate a crime. and the client insists upon taking action that the lawyer considers repugnant": https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...41494634233856

----------


## Cujo

Hey Fish. He's your president.

----------


## S Landreth

Major Biden's virtual 'Indoguration Party' will support his former shelter

Major Biden, President-elect Joe Biden's German shepherd, warmed every beating heart when he became the first presidential pooch to be adopted from a shelter. Sob!

That means inauguration day is as big a deal for Major as it is for his owners, Joe and Jill: Along with older brother Champ, Major will be ascending to the highest canine office in the land, First Dog.

To celebrate, the shelter from which the Bidens adopted Major, the Delaware Humane Association, will be holding their own livestreamed inauguration event on January 17: Major Biden's Indoguration Party.

 
_People_ first reported the event, which the DHA describes as such:

"From shelter pup at Delaware Humane Association to First Dog at the White House, Major Biden is barking proof that every dog can live the American dream. To celebrate this historic Indoguration and raise funds to help more shelter animals like Major find their furever homes, DHA & Pumpkin Pet Insurance have teamed up to throw the worlds largest virtual party for dogs!"

With Biden's election finally certified by congress, hopefully similar politicking won't plague Major anymore. However, a Redditor did recently ask "the real question": "Was Major selected by the Electoral Collar? Or the Pupular Vote?"

Turns out, both! Happy Indoguration day, Major! The event takes place from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, and you can RSVP here. Don't forget to donate!: Major Biden gets 'Indoguration' party to support animal shelter - Shelter Where Joe Biden Adopted Dog Major Hosting '''Indoguration''' | PEOPLE.com


Trump Administration Officials Who Have Resigned Following the Capitol Riot He Incited

Elaine Chao
Mick Mulvaney
Stephanie Grisham
Matt Pottinger
Sarah Matthews
Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta
Ryan Tully
Tyler Goodspeed
John Costello
Betsy (Cvnt) DeVos
A bit late: https://people.com/politics/trump-ad...-riot-capitol/


Trumps inaction. 4,085 deaths in just one day



*Just for fun.*

 
Marc E. Elias - Republicans voluntarily dismissed another Georgia election contest.

Trump and his allies have lost their 63rd post election lawsuit. 1-63 overall.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...69248147066881

----------


## S Landreth

192 hours and counting

 
Biden announces veteran diplomat William Burns as nominee for CIA director

President-elect Joe Biden early Monday announced former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as his nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Burns is a former career diplomat with more than three decades of experience in the Foreign Service. He retired in 2014 and currently serves as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has served in various national security roles across both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Burns was U.S. ambassador to Russia between 2005 and 2008 and was U.S. ambassador to Jordan from 1998 to 2001.: Biden announces veteran diplomat William Burns as nominee for CIA director | TheHill

 
Biden Cabinet tracker: Which positions have and haven'&#39;'t been filled - Axios

Biden's inauguration day: What will look different, who will attend, and what will go virtual

CNN reported that Biden will arrive at the nation's capital the same way he did for decades as a senator: The Amtrak train.

Bidens affinity for Amtrak is well-known because of his daily commute for 36 years between Wilmington and Washington, D.C., while serving as a senator from Delaware. The railroad estimated he had traveled 2.1 million miles on its rails.

He will still be sworn in on the steps of the Capitol Building. Despite fears that pro-Trump rioters would return to Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day, Biden insisted he would proceed with his swearing-in ceremony as planned.

I am not afraid to take the oath outside," he said Monday.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will then lay a wreath after they take the oath of office and conduct a Pass in Review inspection of the troops at the Capitol. They will be joined by their partners, Dr. Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff.

The Bidens will receive a presidential escort from 15th Street to the White House after his swearing-in on the West Front of the Capitol. The escort will include representatives of every branch of the military, including the U.S. Army Band, a Joint Service Honor Guard, and the Commander-in-Chiefs Guard and Fife and Drum Corps from the 3rd U.S. Infantry The Old Guard.

What is different this year?

Biden's inauguration, and the traditional events surrounding it, will be a scaled-down event because of the health risks posed by the coronavirus pandemic.: Joe Biden inauguration: What we know about January 20 - https://twitter.com/BidenInaugural - Biden - Harris Inauguration

Harris team says it was blindsided by VP-elects Vogue cover

 
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has landed on the cover of the February issue of Vogue magazine, but her team says theres a problem: the shot of the countrys soon-to-be No. 2 leader isnt what both sides had agreed upon, her team says.

 
Instead of the powder blue power suit Harris wore for her cover shoot, the first African American woman elected vice president is instead seen in more casual attire and wearing Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers, which she sometimes wore on the campaign trail.: https://apnews.com/article/kamala-ha...0a7ee03759aa10 - https://www.vogue.com/article/kamala...-february-2021

 
Marc E. Elias - Republicans dismiss another of their failed 2020 lawsuits.

Trump and his allies are 1-64 in post election litigation.: https://twitter.com/marceelias/statu...07003708284929

*Just for fun.*

Lawmaker to unveil bill ensuring nothing  'no airport, no highway, no school'  is named after Trump

Rep. Linda Sánchez says she's poised to introduce legislation that would ban virtually everything  "even a bench"  :Smile:   from bearing President Trump's name.

I don't believe that a seditious occupant of the White House should have  ever have anything named after him," the California Democrat said of Trump in an interview with People published Monday, referring to Trump's efforts to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election and his words of encouragement to a crowd of supporters before they laid siege to the Capitol on Wednesday.

I don't think that he deserves any of the benefits that are conferred on prior presidents, Sánchez said.: https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-kno...ort-no-highway

----------


## harrybarracuda

I don't know, the "baldy orange loser sewage works", or "baldy orange loser public toilets" would be fitting.

----------


## elche



----------


## Backspin

LOL Seppoville. You are a failed state.

*Georgia Rep Pledges To File Articles of Impeachment Against Joe Biden*



https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status...-against-biden

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> LOL Seppoville. You are a failed state.
> 
> *Georgia Rep Pledges To File Articles of Impeachment Against Joe Biden*
> 
> 
> 
> https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status...-against-biden


 :smiley laughing: 
I think Biden should save himself the trouble and resign now  :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Concrete jersey barriers block many of the cross streets along K Street NW, police officers are screening people coming into downtown, and Metro has closed some of its busiest transfer stations within the security perimeter this weekend.

More fencing is going up in a farther perimeter around the Capitol and White House. The National Mall and other National Park Service areas nearby are closed.

Mayor Muriel Bowser is urging people not to come to the Downtown Central Business District area, which roughly stretches from east of the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and north to Massachusetts Avenue. She also told would-be visitors to stay out of Washington.

Many parking garages near the Capitol and White House were shuttered Friday. Vehicles left inside wont be accessible until after the inauguration, officials said. Trucks delivering to businesses in the area will be sent to an off-site inspection point first.

These are just some of the unprecedented security measures taking place ahead of President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration Wednesday. Its set to take place just two weeks after a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump. The FBI is tracking threats of violence at the U.S. Capitol and at state capitals around the country in the coming days.

The Secret Services closure plan, which was released Friday and has a sweeping set of closures, is subject to additions or alterations as the National Special Security Event evolves. Closures are set for Saturday, Jan. 15 until Thursday, Jan. 21. The Secret Security has set up a Red Zone and a Green Zone.

Red Zone: Vehicle traffic restricted to authorized vehicles only with proper vehicle placard. These areas have increased and hardened security.

Green Zone: Vehicle traffic restricted to residents or businesses within the restricted area and National Guard personnel will be assisting with verifying traffic entering into the Green Zone.

Purple Lines: Virginia to D.C. bridges closing Tuesday at 6 a.m. through Thursday at 6 a.m.

Red X: Represent closed WMATA stations and closed streetcar service.

Yellow X: WMATAs Pentagon station closes Wednesday only.

Red areas: Areas closed by the National Park Service

Blue areas: Designated protest zones set up for permitted protestors only. Only 100 people per area are allowed.

Yellow areas: Residents report some soft closure of streets in the Capitol Hill area, but they arent formally listed.

tight: DC's Inauguration-Related Road And Transit Closures, Mapped - INAUGURATION EXPLAINER: Biden's event will be very different

 
in case some forgot.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden announces new science team, elevates office to Cabinet

President-elect Joe Biden announced new members of his science team on Saturday as well as his plan to elevate the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to a Cabinet-level position for the first time, a move meant to highlight his commitment to science.

"Were going to lead with science and truth," Biden said at a speech introducing his new appointees in Delaware on Saturday. "We believe in both."

Biden nominated Eric Lander to the position. Lander, who will require Senate confirmation, is a mathematician and geneticist who helped map the human genome and founded the Broad Institute, a biomedical research center known for their work on the gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9.

Lander is also a biology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School and previously served on President Barack Obamas council of science advisers.

The decision to elevate Lander to Cabinet-level is a sharp break from President Donald Trump who spent much of his term downplaying and second-guessing health and science experts. The position Lander will fill sat vacant for nearly two years under Trump.

Biden also announced Saturday that Dr. Alondra Nelson will serve as deputy director for science and society of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Maria Zuber and Frances Arnold will serve as co-chairs of the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.: Biden announces new science team, elevates office to Cabinet

Biden plans dozens of executive orders for early days of presidency

Joe Biden is planning to sign dozens of executive orders in his first days in office, as he aims to roll back some of President Donald Trumps signature policies on immigration and climate change while taking early action to address the coronavirus crisis.

After being sworn in on Wednesday, Biden will rescind the travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries, rejoin the Paris climate accords, extend limits on student loan payments and evictions instituted during the pandemic and issue a mask mandate on federal properties and for interstate travel. Incoming White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain outlined the flurry of activity for Bidens first 10 days in office in a memo to senior staff on Saturday.

These actions will change the course of COVID-19, combat climate change, promote racial equity and support other underserved communities, and rebuild our economy in ways that strengthen the backbone of this country: the working men and women who built our nation, Klain wrote in the memo. While the policy objectives in these executive actions are bold, I want to be clear: the legal theory behind them is well-founded and represents a restoration of an appropriate, constitutional role for the President."

On Bidens second day in office, he will sign executive actions focused on addressing the Covid-19 pandemic, including ways to help schools and business reopen safely, expand testing, protect workers and establish clearer public health standards. The next day, Biden will direct his Cabinet to work on delivering economic relief to families most affected by the crisis.

In subsequent days, Biden will expand Buy America provisions, take action to advance equity and support communities of color, begin to reform the criminal justice, expand access to healthcare and work toward reuniting families separated at the border. Klain did not specify what these actions would entail, but the memo follows Bidens introduction this week of his legislative agenda, which includes a $1.9 trillion relief bill.

Klain conceded much of Bidens agenda would need the support of Congress, a prospect that improved after Democrats took control of the Senate earlier this month. But any action in Congress is likely to be delayed as the Senate is slated to begin Trumps second impeachment trial shortly after Biden takes office.: Biden plans dozens of executive orders for early days of presidency - POLITICO

 Trump Claims Coronavirus Will “Miraculously” Go Away by April | Vanity Fair

----------


## bsnub

Did Boon Mee finally kick the bucket? I can not imagine him not posting his utter trash.

If he did croak then I can only say that I have been bleating on about the dying GOP. They are fucked and dying like flies.

----------


## lom

> Did Boon Mee finally kick the bucket? I can not imagine him not posting his utter trash.


No, he is still posting on ThaiVisa

----------


## Norton

> No, he is still posting on ThaiVisa


I kinda liked Booners. He certainly had a knack for stirring up folks. 
Surprised he hasn't been banned for life over there.  :Smile:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

During the primaries, Biden was not my choice.I was a Yang guy.   I have to admit, I was very wrong. 
Biden is the perfect choice at this juncture. Once he puts the country together we will have time for ideology, For now we need a steady  hand  that can work with all involved, and knows the field. 
I have to say, so far I am very impressed with Biden.

----------


## deeks

I can't wait to see the inauguration crowd photo comparisons :smiley laughing:

----------


## helge

> I can't wait to see the inauguration crowd photo comparisons


Ha, that'll be a long awaited boost for Trump's ego

Victory !!

----------


## deeks

And funny too

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> And funny too


Simple minds are easily amused.

----------


## bsnub

> Simple minds are easily amused.


Indeed, they are. I think that you will find a national celebration in the streets all across the country on Wednesday.

----------


## panama hat

> No, he is still posting on ThaiVisa


I'm thinking it's either him or Texpat as deeks






> Once he puts the country together we will have time for ideology


I agree.  Get the country steadied first, the last four years have been a disaster in terms of stability

----------


## bsnub

> I'm thinking it's either him or Texpat as deeks


It is one or the other for sure.

----------


## elche

> And funny too


Over 400,000 dead and you think it's funny?  Death to you.

----------


## sabang

I gotta give it to Joe- he cuts quite a magnificent figure, for a wheezer of his age. Better than trump, but he's just a wrong'un (Hey- You elected him). Keep him pumped with BeeGee's (Stayin' Alive) drugs, and I reckon he'll be fine. No, not donald.

But I rather like Kamala, and should chance or misfortune thrust her into greatness, I reckon she would be more than adequate. She's got more balls than that Obamawimp.

----------


## deeks

New CNN Poll Says Only 19 Percent of Republicans Believe Biden Legitimately Won the Election - ENM NEWS

----------


## aging one

> ENM NEWS


You really are a lame SOB...  Your source :smiley laughing: 

The Eastern New Mexico News is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Clovis in Curry County, New Mexico. It was formed in 2016 by the merger of the Clovis News Journal and the Portales News-Tribune. Owner Clovis Media had acquired both papers from Freedom Communications in 2012.

----------


## deeks

> Indeed, they are. I think that you will find a national celebration in the streets all across the country on Wednesday.


This'll be good, LOL.

----------


## deeks

> But I rather like Kamala, and should chance or misfortune thrust her into greatness


She's been known to thrust about a bit.(in the past off-course)nothing derogatory, just well you know.

----------


## deeks

Who want's to bet it will be President Kamaltoe within 1 year and 3 months? :smiley laughing:

----------


## deeks

Montel the woppa Williams. Kamala Harris Dated Talk Show Host Montel Williams in 2001

She just couldn't take it any more

----------


## lom

^ and you just couldn't get any stupider and then you did

----------


## panama hat

> New CNN Poll Says Only 19 Percent of Republicans Believe Biden Legitimately Won the Election - ENM NEWS





> Montel the woppa Williams. Kamala Harris Dated Talk Show Host Montel Williams in 2001
> 
> She just couldn't take it any more


Why do you feel the need to throw your fake shit all over the forum?  You even have your own bullshit thread.

----------


## pickel

> Why do you feel the need to throw your fake shit all over the forum?


The CNN poll he posted isn't fake. Only 19% of Republicans think Biden won legitimately.

----------


## panama hat

My apologies, I was referring to the Montel thing

----------


## bsnub

> My apologies, I was referring to the Montel thing


I hate to break it to you but that is true too.  :Smile:

----------


## pickel

> My apologies, I was referring to the Montel thing


That's true as well.

But yes it is tabloid news, that simple minded people like deeks flock to.

----------


## deeks

> That's true as well.
> 
> But yes it is tabloid news, that simple minded people like deeks flock to.


Guy's we are on TeakDOOR, Man, Start getting used to it, You guys have flung the shit pretty well over the 6 months, and if ya don't like me saying Kamaltoe Harris, well guess what. :smiley laughing:

----------


## panama hat

> I hate to break it to you but that is true too.


Aaaaaaaargh . . . just goes to show that if 98 times bullshit is thrown around one takes it for granted that the other two are as well

----------


## harrybarracuda

How long till the baldy orange loser is fucked off?

----------


## Wasp

> I have to say, so far I am very impressed with Biden.


Well I can only say that its unbelevable that the country that is supposed to be leading the World gives you a choice between Clinton and Trump in 2016 and then Biden and Trump in 2020 .

If these are the top layer of the US political system then we can dismiss that country as it sinks .

Remember - at one time it was inconceivable that the British Empire could be surpassed . But the Empire died ... largely by its own stupidity . Spain and Portugal were huge Powers and now they are not .
Rome ........ well we know .  Venice was all-powerful .  The Mughals . the Ottomans . The Greeks .... who are now a pretty country with a bankrupt State .

America --- again largely by its own actions --- is sinking . Trump is Loved AND Hated . The Clintons are totally corrupt . The Bidens are totally corrupt .

Not   looking    good .

----------


## harrybarracuda

Fucking hell, deeksy boy is so off the pace. I mean a lot of people are talking about this, a lot.

----------


## bsnub

> I mean a lot of people are talking about this, a lot.


Jeezus the stupid never stops.

----------


## lom

> Jeezus the stupid never stops.


Where?  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

There are a handful of good songs

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris shared an official inauguration playlist with 46 songs to celebrate the 46th president: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris shared 46-song Inauguration Day playlist - Insider






> Did Boon Mee finally kick the bucket?


shortly after the win the blood sucking american tax cheat was banned from posting at TV for about a 1 ½ months. TV let it start posting again but banned it again after one post. Now it seems its able to post once a week.

----------


## PAG



----------


## bsnub

> shortly after the win the blood sucking american tax cheat was banned from posting at TV for about a 1 ½ months.


That's right I forgot that the loser was afraid to go back to the states because he committed tax fraud. The Boontard is a real shitbag.  :Smile: 




> TV let it start posting again but banned it again after one post. Now it seems it’s able to post once a week.


So he is basically doghoused over there then. I am tempted to start an account just to troll him. I used to get under his skin real good.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That's right I forgot that the loser was afraid to go back to the states because he committed tax fraud.


Tax fraud or just didn't pay it and hasn't got the money?

He is a regular patron of the Bt99 Noodle buffets?

----------


## panama hat

> The Clintons are totally corrupt





> The Bidens are totally corrupt


Not this garbage again . . . please do provide facts to the above.  Corruption.  Next you'll be posting pictures of Biden sniffing white powder etc. . . 

Let it go. 






> Well I can only say that its unbelevable that the country that is supposed to be leading the World gives you a choice between Clinton and Trump in 2016 and then Biden and Trump in 2020 .


This part is true.  I felt that Clinton was a big mistake and she seemed to feel entitled to the position . . . whereas the US needed Biden to hopefully bring some semblance of normality to the place.  Socially and economically the US needs a less centric/right-leaning leader.





> shortly after the win the blood sucking american tax cheat was banned from posting at TV for about a 1 ½ months. TV let it start posting again but banned it again after one post. Now it seems it’s able to post once a week.


I don't think I've ever heard you being so negative about someone . . . but the cretin deserves it.

Maybe deeks is BM . . .

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to yank Keystone XL permit on first day of presidency

President-elect Joe Biden will rescind the cross-border permit for TC Energy's Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office, three sources confirm to POLITICO.

The move is billed as one of Bidens Day One climate change actions, according to a presentation circulating among Washington trade groups and lobbyists, a portion of which was seen by POLITICO. The decision was not included in incoming chief of staff Ron Klains Saturday memo outlining Bidens planned executive actions during the first days of his presidency.: Biden to yank Keystone XL permit on first day of presidency - POLITICO - Biden pushing to cancel Keystone XL pipeline as soon as he takes office: reports | TheHill




> I don't think I've ever heard you being so negative about someone . . . but the cretin deserves it.


I had a little time the past couple of years to learn a little more about it. Not only as a US citizen but as human,..it is, filthy trash.

----------


## Backspin

*Biden inaugural guest is Venezuelan coup leader charged with inciting violent assault on gov’t building*

After condemning the pro-Trump invasion of the Capitol, the incoming Biden administration invited Carlos Vecchio – a coup leader charged in the 2014 torching of the Venezuelan Attorney General’s office – to its inaugural ceremony.


Biden inaugural guest is Venezuelan coup leader charged with inciting violent assault on gov't building | The Grayzone

----------


## Cujo

> *Biden inaugural guest is Venezuelan coup leader charged with inciting violent assault on govt building*
> 
> After condemning the pro-Trump invasion of the Capitol, the incoming Biden administration invited Carlos Vecchio  a coup leader charged in the 2014 torching of the Venezuelan Attorney Generals office  to its inaugural ceremony.
> 
> 
> Biden inaugural guest is Venezuelan coup leader charged with inciting violent assault on gov't building | The Grayzone


That'll be to thank them for the dominion machines.

----------


## panama hat

> Biden inaugural guest is Venezuelan coup leader charged with inciting violent assault on gov’t building


This guy



The one on the right, not the murderer of 400.000 Americans on the left.


Yes, the lawyer-dude was a supporter in self-imposed exile in the US.   Chargé d'Affairs of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington DC.


He is an ambassador to Washington DC . . . these people are usually invited to things like this.  

You know who else is invited?

The *RUSSIAN* ambassador . . . oh, and the Brit, German, French, Polish, Aussie, Japanese etc... 


Go for it Skidmark - you're on a roll . . . and YOUR ambassador is also invited . . . he represents YOU, so if that isn't scraping the bottom of the barrel.








> That'll be to thank them for the dominion machines.


And to send them back to Venezuela before anyone can inspect them

----------


## lom

> He is an ambassador to Washington DC . . . these people are usually invited to things like this.


yes it is not like they can exclude an ambassador they don't like after having accepted him as an ambassador.. 
Under which US  president was he accepted as ambassador?  :Smile: 

Did your mama drop you on your head at birth or did you learn to be this stupid, Backspin?

----------


## elche

> That'll be to thank them for the dominion machines.


That will go right over Backspin's head.

----------


## panama hat

> Did your mama drop you on your head at birth or did you learn to be this stupid, Backspin?


Dropped on head
Reversed over head in family-pick-up truck
Smacked over head daily with frying pan
Ran into walls, head first
Used head as human punching bag at local gym

After a while some of these things might affect a person's brain

Speaking of which:


> That will go right over Backspin's head.


No doubt

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That'll be to thank them for the dominion machines.


Will Chavez' decaying cadaver be in attendance since he gets all the credit?

----------


## Backspin

> This guy
> 
> 
> 
> The one on the right, not the murderer of 400.000 Americans on the left.
> 
> 
> Yes, the lawyer-dude was a supporter in self-imposed exile in the US.   Chargé d'Affairs of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington DC.
> 
> ...


 :smiley laughing: 

Among those dignitaries is Carlos Vecchio, a former Exxon lawyer who currently serves as US-recognized “Interim President” Juan Guaidó’s envoy in Washington. When the Trump Administration initiated a coup against Venezuela’s government in January of 2019, Vecchio became Guaidó’s ambassador, and has risen to prominence as the de facto leader of a US-based exile lobby dedicated to toppling Venezuela’s UN-recognized government.

The Biden team’s decision to invite Vecchio was a disappointing sign to those hoping the new administration would break from Trump’s failed and destructive policy of recognizing Guaidó as Venezuela’s leader. In the two years since Washington appointed the previously unknown opposition figure to lead its attempt at regime change, Guaidó has failed to rally public support in Venezuela or gain control of any government ministry. The country’s military remains loyal to President Nicolás Maduro and the United Nations still recognizes the Maduro government’s authority.

----------


## RPETER65

Recent U.S. Capitol Post-Riot Actions Show Pelosi’s Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

----------


## AntRobertson

> Recent U.S. Capitol Post-Riot Actions Show Pelosi’s Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds


Moron Trumpists gonna moron and keep drawing false equivalences.

----------


## bsnub

> Recent U.S. Capitol Post-Riot Actions Show Pelosi’s Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds


You are a fucking moron and a coward posting up this utter trash. The website is total trash and the author has zero web presence. More right wing trash for lemmings.

----------


## sabang

Pretty stoopid invite, if you ask me.  I mean, lets fly a big Sign to the rest of the world at your Presidential Inauguration-

 :withstupid: 

Gives us in the rest of the world plenty of cause to say- "same old same old". Sigh.

----------


## bsnub

> Pretty stoopid invite, if you ask me. I mean, lets fly a big Sign to the rest of the world at your Presidential Inauguration-


What are you on about? Are you drunk?

----------


## sabang

D'oooohhh. Inviting that venezuelan goon? It's like advertising your stupidity.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Recent U.S. Capitol Post-Riot Actions Show Pelosi’s Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds


Because you're a bit fucking stupid and all, let me explain. This was in response to baldy orange loser deploying unidentified out of state federal gangs to go around arresting people with impunity.




> _I am writing to request a full list of the agencies involved and clarifications of the roles and responsibilities of the troops and federal law enforcement resources operating in the city.”_


She doesn't need to do that this week. The ones in DC this week are there to stop the mindless criminal trumpanzee and QAnon thugs with whom you share ideals from trashing the Inauguration of the democratically elected President.

You feeble-minded, witless, old cockwomble.

----------


## RPETER65

> You are a fucking moron and a coward posting up this utter trash. The website is total trash and the author has zero web presence. More right wing trash for lemmings.



One thing I am not is a coward I will stand face to face with you anytime.

You call it right wing trash but if you were to seriously analyze you would find it tells what Nancy Pelosi truly is she has shown time after time how much a hypocrite she is.

----------


## RPETER65

Different situation same story you and your buddies Bsnub and ant are just to dim to see reality.

----------


## S Landreth

> you are just to dim to see reality.





> The sun has entered a lockdown period, which could cause freezing weather, famine


 ::doglol::

----------


## AntRobertson

> One thing I am not is a coward I will stand face to face with you anytime.


 :smiley laughing: 

You can't even stand behind your own so-called principles on the forum.

Coward and a fraud.




> just to dim


*Too

----------


## bsnub

> D'oooohhh. Inviting that venezuelan goon? It's like advertising your stupidity.


Umm, ok. As usual, you take the side of another despot. I guess since trump is a wannabe despot who just tried to steal an election you would support him, but he is on the other side of your political spectrum. Many of us know that you are ok with the whole stealing elections thing as you have proven before as long as the despot fits your political idology. 




> You call it right wing trash but if you were to seriously analyze you would find it tells what Nancy Pelosi truly is she has shown time after time how much a hypocrite she is.


She is not a hypocrite at all. She is right to call attention to the double standards employed by your departing orange god who gassed and arrested peaceful protesters, so he could have a publicity moment holding a bible. If you were a real Christian you would have been appalled by those actions. That is a far cry from the terrorists that stormed the Capitol for the first time since the War of 1812. 

There is no parallel you idiot. Stop trying to find scapegoats for the actions of treasonous traitors on your side. You have been avoiding these threads since you lost the elections and have not made one statement speaking out against that insurrectionists that attempted to overthrow hundreds of years of democratic institutions on the 6th of this month. 

Disgusting.

----------


## RPETER65

> You are a fucking moron and a coward posting up this utter trash. The website is total trash and the author has zero web presence. More right wing trash for lemmings.



LETTER: Nancy Pelosi and the hypocritical Democrats | Las Vegas Review-Journal

----------


## RPETER65

Nancy Pelosi accused of hypocrisy after her tweet claiming 2016 election was ‘HIJACKED’ resurfaces

----------


## RPETER65

Nancy Pelosi’s ‘hypocrisy’ is typical of the Democrats | Sky News Australia

----------


## bsnub

Good god I feel sorry for you. You live in a right wing propagandist echo chamber. Not one of those links support your initial assertion sadly you are too stupid to realize this. 

The real sad take away from your posts is that you are just deflecting away from the true crime that was committed by right wing traitors and scum who assaulted the Capitol. You are the true hypocrite and a fake Christian as well. There is a special place in hell waiting for you. 




Republican Jesus is not the real man. He will send scum like you straight to hell to face the cenobites. Your awaking is coming. Hell awaits all you fake Christians.

----------


## Klondyke

Not only denying of Holocaust is punishable...

*Why calls to expel or censure Republicans for objecting to the electoral college are wrong*

Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (Tex.) and Josh Hawley (Mo.) face intense calls to be censured or expelled from Congress for their leading roles in the effort to object to the certification of the electoral college vote last week.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ege-are-wrong/

----------


## harrybarracuda

Quoting fucking Murdoch again, he really is the dumb trumpanzee isn't he?

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden plans quick executive action on immigration, but warns of potential delay on legislation

Shortly after taking office this week, President-elect Joe Biden plans to begin gradually making it easier to seek asylum along the U.S.-Mexico border, impose a deportation moratorium and extend protections for so-called "Dreamers" using his executive authority, people briefed on the plans told CBS News.

He also plans to propose a broad immigration bill that, if passed by Congress, could legalize millions of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission.

But in an early sign that the incoming president could struggle to fulfill some of his bolder campaign promises, Mr. Biden is asking immigration reform advocates for patience, cautioning that his administration and Congress may not be able to pass a large-scale immigration revamp in the first 100 days of his presidency, according to three participants in a meeting the Biden team held with Latino leaders last week.

Mr. Biden and his team cited the ongoing pandemic, the economic downturn and the upcoming Senate impeachment trial as reasons for a likely delay. Participants in the meeting, all veterans of past fights for changes in immigration policy, said the warning is understandable, and they praised the ambitious legislative proposal. 

Domingo Garcia, who attended the meeting on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said Biden's proposal plan would be "transformative for millions of new Americans." Hector Sanchez, executive director of Mi Familia Vota, said the plan is "the most progressive I've seen" from any president. 

But Ramiro Cavazos, the president of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said he and other participants stressed to Mr. Biden's team that they still expect action on immigration, despite the other challenges.

"We made it very clear, all of us collectively, that because it's a new administration and the Senate and the House will be under the control of the same party, that they need to tackle immigration," Cavazos told CBS News. "We missed that opportunity under President Obama and clearly, over the last four years, Latinos have been under attack."

Mr. Biden's team said the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program — which Mr. Trump unsuccessfully tried to end — would be extended for four years, safeguarding the work permits and protections from deportation of more than 640,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.: Biden plans quick executive action on immigration, but warns of potential delay on legislation - CBS News 

*Tonight………*

Biden's inauguration to feature nationwide tribute to honor COVID-19 victims

President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration is set to be a celebratory event, featuring big names like Lady Gaga, John Legend and Bruce Springsteen, among others. But ahead of the big day, the new administration is first hosting a ceremony to remember and honor Americans around the country — those who have been killed by COVID-19.

According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET, will feature the first-ever lighting around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. to memorialize American lives lost.

The committee is asking cities and towns nationwide to participate in the event by illuminating buildings and ringing church bells at the same time, "in a national moment of unity and remembrance."

"The inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris represents the beginning of a new national journey," PIC Communications Director Pili Tobar said in a statement about the event. "However, in the midst of a pandemic — when so many Americans are grieving the loss of family, friends, and neighbors — it is important that we honor those who have died, reflect on what has been one of the more challenging periods in the nation's history, and renew our commitment to coming together to end the pandemic and rebuild our nation.": Biden's inauguration to feature nationwide tribute to honor COVID-19 victims - CBS News - https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/sta...57788384014337 

The committee first announced the lighting ceremony in late December, in which the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool will be lit. Biden, incoming first lady Jill Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, will be in Washington, D.C. participating in the ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial.

Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the first Black U.S. Cardinal, will deliver the invocation. Gospel music icon Yolanda Adams and Lori Marie Key will also perform.: Empire State Building lights on eve of Biden inauguration to honor COVID-19 victims | TheHill

 Trump calls coronavirus Democrats''' '''new hoax'''


 
*Just for fun.*

Cancelled – fvck that razor wire

----------


## Backspin

> You can't even stand behind your own so-called principles on the forum.
> 
> Coward and a fraud.
> 
> 
> 
> *Too


*too

....

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden plans quick executive action on immigration, but warns of potential delay on legislation
> 
> Shortly after taking office this week, President-elect Joe Biden plans to begin gradually making it easier to seek asylum along the U.S.-Mexico border, impose a deportation moratorium and extend protections for so-called "Dreamers" using his executive authority, people briefed on the plans told CBS News.
> 
> He also plans to propose a broad immigration bill that, if passed by Congress, could legalize millions of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal permission.
> 
> But in an early sign that the incoming president could struggle to fulfill some of his bolder campaign promises, Mr. Biden is asking immigration reform advocates for patience, cautioning that his administration and Congress may not be able to pass a large-scale immigration revamp in the first 100 days of his presidency, according to three participants in a meeting the Biden team held with Latino leaders last week.


Might one suggest they dig out the comprehensive immigration reform bill that had broad bipartisan support and was only blocked from being passed and signed into law by John Boehner's pathological fear of the teabaggers party and refusal to put it to a vote?

And how is one man able to block legislation anyway? Even the fucking President can't if there are enough votes.

----------


## S Landreth

^Hopefully theyll get this one passed within two years.

Senate - The vote was 68-32. Fourteen Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with all Democrats in favor.

The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) reemphasized on Thursday. Were going to do our own bill, through regular order, and itll be legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people.: Immigration reform bill 2013: Senate passes legislation 68-32 - POLITICO - S.744 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress - U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th  Congress - 1st  Session

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Not only denying of Holocaust is punishable...


Indeed a lot of things are punishable. Thank you for pointing it out.

----------


## Backspin

> ^Hopefully they’ll get this one passed within two years.
> 
> Senate - The vote was 68-32. Fourteen Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with all Democrats in favor.
> 
> “The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes,” Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) reemphasized on Thursday. “We’re going to do our own bill, through regular order, and it’ll be legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people.”: Immigration reform bill 2013: Senate passes legislation 68-32 - POLITICO - S.744 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act | Congress.gov | Library of Congress - U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th  Congress - 1st  Session


How does something like liberalizing immigration work in favor of you ? 

Corporate Democrats and mainstream Republicans are soft on immigration so that they can postpone reforming the Boomer ponzi economy for longer.

Move more desperate people in who are willing to work for less. This also creates a brain and labor drain in the economies that these people are leaving. So it helps nobody but the rich plutocratic class. So it can't even be supported on humanist grounds.

Bernie Sanders knows this. But this is why the primary was stolen from him

----------


## bsnub

> Corporate Democrats and mainstream Republicans are soft on immigration


So what are fascist far right repubtards in favor of? You dunce there are no "mainstream" repubtards they all left the party.

----------


## S Landreth

Less than 24 hours and counting

 
WATCH LIVE: Biden, Harris speak at memorial ceremony in honor of COVID-19 victims

On the eve of President-elect Joe Bidens official swearing-in, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host a memorial for victims of the coronavirus at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.

The lighting memorial ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET today. Watch the event in the player above.

Billed as the first-ever lighting around the Reflecting Pool, the event will memorialize the lives lost to COVID-19. Four hundred lights will be used to light the large, rectangular reflecting pool on the National Mall. As of Tuesday, nearly 400,000 people in the U.S. have died, according to the Johns Hopkins Universitys COVID tracker. Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are expected to deliver remarks at the event.

The committee is also encouraging communities across the country to participate in the commemoration by lighting up buildings and ringing church bells at 5:30 p.m. EST Tuesday, in a national moment of unity and remembrance.: WATCH LIVE: Biden, Harris speak at memorial ceremony in honor of COVID-19 victims | PBS NewsHour


 




> How does something like liberalizing immigration work in favor of you ? 
> 
> So it helps nobody but the rich plutocratic class. So it can't even be supported on humanist grounds.
> 
> Bernie Sanders knows this. But this is why the primary was stolen from him


Vote Summary
Question: On Passage of the Bill (S. 744 As Amended )
Measure Number: S. 744 (Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act )
Measure Title: A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.

Sanders (I-VT), Yea

 ::doglol::  U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th  Congress - 1st  Session

----------


## bsnub

This is live rn. The new president is speaking. What a difference. Thank the gods the last four years is finally over.

----------


## Klondyke

> The new president is speaking. What a difference. Thank the gods the last four years is finally over.


What a surprise that it works (for some).  

Nothing new under the sun. Important is the show, Hollywood, Reagan... 

What's all under the surface? And behind the razor blade walls of the ivory tower? Who cares... The folk is happy (at least the half of them) and the caravan goes on...

----------


## panama hat

> Nothing new under the sun. Important is the show, Hollywood, Reagan...


You're several decades too late, tovarish . . . vodka has destroyed your mental faculties.  Luckily Stalin still rules in your home, eh.

----------


## RPETER65

> Moron Trumpists gonna moron and keep drawing false equivalences.


There is no false equivalence in my post Trump sent federal agents in to protect a federal court house in Portland Oregon that Portland officials refused to protect the Democrats bring National Guard in to protect Pelosis house the congressional building. The only false equivalency is your hate for Trump and love for Pelosi.

----------


## RPETER65

Where the article came from has zero to do with the fact that the article is spot on get rid of your hatred and you will see the facts.

----------


## hallelujah

> You're several decades too late, tovarish . . . vodka has destroyed your mental faculties.  Luckily Stalin still rules in your home, eh.


Raising a glass to the good old Commie days of informing on his neighbours and best friends. 

Things were just so much better in the old days, weren't they?  :smiley laughing:

----------


## Klondyke

> Raising a glass to the good old Commie days of informing on his neighbours and best friends.


Do you mean the Patriot Act? 
Patriot Act - Wikipedia



> expanded abilities of law enforcement to surveil, including by tapping domestic and international phones;

----------


## bsnub

> There is no false equivalence in my post Trump sent federal agents in to protect a federal court house in Portland Oregon that Portland officials refused to protect the Democrats bring National Guard in to protect Pelosi’s house the congressional building. The only false equivalency is your hate for Trump and love for Pelosi.


So the Congressional building the seat of government is equivalent in your mind to a provincial courthouse?




> Where the article came from has zero to do with the fact that the article is spot on get rid of your hatred and you will see the facts.


What? Your run-on sentence is gibberish. You need to try harder you illiterate lemming.

----------


## AntRobertson

> There is no false equivalence in my post Trump sent federal agents in to protect a federal court house in Portland Oregon that Portland officials refused to protect the Democrats bring National Guard in to protect Pelosi’s house the congressional building. The only false equivalency is your hate for Trump and love for Pelosi.


Coward and fraud says what now?

Protests for civil rights ≠ an attempted coup to overturn an election because a bunch of white nationalists have been indoctrinated by a diet of lies and misinformation from the thankfully-soon-to-be-ex president and his GOP enablers, apologists and sycophants.

----------


## RPETER65

> So the Congressional building the seat of government is equivalent in your mind to a provincial courthouse?
> 
> 
> 
> What? Your run-on sentence is gibberish. You need to try harder you illiterate lemming.



Are they not properties of the U.S. government. You seem to be confusing properties with protests. Yes protecting the seat of government of the U.S. is more important than protecting a U. S.federal courthouse but given the government has the ability to protect both seems that would be prudent.

Oh but wait I get it now one was left wing mob and one was a right wing mob you would not advocate protecting the property but protecting the left wing mob.

----------


## panama hat

One to destroy, the other to build . . . but nice try in your neo-Nazi bubbleworld

----------


## AntRobertson

> Both civil disobedience .


An attempt to overturn an election using violence because a bunch of white nationalists have been indoctrinated by a diet of lies and misinformation from the thankfully-soon-to-be-ex president and his GOP enablers, apologists and sycophants ≠ 'civil disobedience it = and attempted coup.

----------


## Cujo

The sour CLlNTS couldn't even send a plane for him.

----------


## S Landreth

7 hours and counting


 
Sworn in at about 12:00 EST

Schedule: What we know about the schedule of events for Biden's inauguration

----------


## S Landreth

Inauguration Day Livestream






Follow live special coverage of the 59th presidential inauguration from NPR. Events include swearing-in ceremonies for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, President Bidens inaugural address and a virtual celebration of the new president and vice president.

----------


## RPETER65

> One to destroy, the other to build . . . but nice try in your neo-Nazi bubbleworld


How does destroying government property equate to building?

As for your comment on the red you sent me. Yes Biden is my president unlike the liberals who spent four years trying to claim Trump not being their president I have no problem with Biden being my President. The problem I do see is Suzan Rice being the shadow president.

----------


## S Landreth

Kamala Harris - Who Came Before

----------


## harrybarracuda

I'm pretty sure Biden's motorcade just went through a red light.

This is where repeater starts bleating about double standards and asking why he isn't being impeached.

----------


## harrybarracuda

That's two. Repeater is screaming "Lock him up! Lock him up!" at his old RCA vacuum tube televisual appliance.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The problem I do see is Suzan Rice being the shadow president.


Who knew there was a Parler equivalent for doddery old fools?

----------


## elche

RPETERS65 has a problem with Susan Rice, but he is ok with these characters:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> RPETERS has a problem with Susan Rice, but he is ok with these characters:



I think it's probably called OAParler and it told him they were all competent.

----------


## S Landreth

Amanda Gorman - The Hill We Climb

----------


## bsnub

The Ceremony is still in progress currently laying a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.

----------


## beachbound

Biden’s First-100-Days Agenda Targets Executive Orders, Fresh Covid Aid - WSJ


Interesting article on Biden’s hundred day agenda. I’m relieved to see that he has no plans of dismantling Space Force. I just feel safer knowing they are up there, patrolling the universe, and making the world safe from alien invasions.

----------


## bsnub

The first press conference is underway now. What a breath of fresh air. A press secretary who actually answers questions and is civil. Oh, and no lies.  :Smile:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The first press conference is underway now. What a breath of fresh air. A press secretary who actually answers questions and is civil. Oh, and no lies.


As you said, what a pleasure, to watch an articulate professional  press secretary that actually answered questions truthfully.

----------


## bsnub

> what a pleasure, to watch an articulate professional press secretary that actually answered questions truthfully.


Indeed. Hopefully we can have some normalcy with regards to the WH this year.

----------


## panama hat

Nice words . . . 





> EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN, IN A TWEET:
> The United States is back. And Europe stands ready. To reconnect with an old and trusted partner, to breathe new life into our cherished alliance. I look forward to working together with @JoeBiden.





> GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, IN A VIDEO STATEMENT:
> 
> Today is a good day for democracy. In the United States of America, it has faced tremendous challenges  and endured. Despite the attempts to tear at Americas institutional fabric, election workers and governors, the judiciary and Congress, have proven strong. I am greatly relieved that, today, Joe Biden is being sworn in as president and will be moving into the White House. I know many people in Germany share this feeling.





> NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG, IN A STATEMENT:
> I look forward to working closely with President Biden and welcoming him to the NATO Summit in Brussels later this year. Our focus will be NATO2030, the initiative to make our strong Alliance even stronger and fit for the future.



Welcome back to the world . . .  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> _EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN, IN A TWEET:_
> 
> _GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, IN A VIDEO STATEMENT:__
> _
> _NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION SECRETARY GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG, IN A STATEMENT:_
> 
> Nice words . . .


What a surprise, the nice words in front of the thick army around...




> So, where were all the big mouth 'patriots', with their weapons and camo gear?
> 
> Just like I said, when a real military/police is present they piss their pants


What a surprise, in front of the thick army around...

----------


## aging one

> Welcome back to the world . . .


Read that and weep Klondyke. The despot is gone gone gone gone gone, into obscurity, yes obscurity. After jail and paying his debts though. Normality can resume.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Damage undone.

Fake "states of emergency" revoked.

Keystone XL blocked.

Rejoined the Paris Accord.

etc. etc.

----------


## baldrick



----------


## bsnub

> Damage undone.
> 
> Fake "states of emergency" revoked.
> 
> Keystone XL blocked.
> 
> Rejoined the Paris Accord.
> 
> etc. etc.


So happy.  Q is defunked. Joe is going to restore balance.

----------


## Klondyke

> Joe is going to restore balance.


First, he cleaned up the streets (or cleared up?) Where are all the jubilating people?

----------


## cyrille

OK so that's one thing fucked with the world sorted.  :Very Happy: 

Good to know planes can now fly over the Mar y Lago again, after being previously blocked for security reasons. Anything that might keep donny awake...

So, better make the most of it until Ivanka 2024, eh?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> First, he cleaned up the streets (or cleared up?) Where are all the jubilating people?


They were here a few days ago, now they are busy trying to sell stolen stuff to Russia.

----------


## Saint Willy

> So, better make the most of it until Ivanka 2024, eh?


I think that's as likely as a Sarah Palin comeback.

----------


## Backspin

*Biden Executive Order Lets Transgender Athletes Compete Against Biological Females, Chill In Locker Room*Biden EO Lets Transgender Athletes Compete Against Biological Females, Chill In Locker Room | ZeroHedge

----------


## Little Chuchok

> *Biden Executive Order Lets Transgender Athletes Compete Against Biological Females, Chill In Locker Room*


Crazy stuff. By all means let them compete in sports that do not require strength and/or speed. If I was a female athlete, I would be reaching for the testosterone to even things up a bit...

----------


## Saint Willy

from Twitter...




> I don't understand you, Joe Biden. 
> 
> You've been president for 6 hours, and not a single angry, misspelled tweet. You're not golfing, you haven't insulted anyone, and you don't even have COVID.
> 
> Do you even president, bro?

----------


## panama hat

> "Every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love.  Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, thelocker room, or school sports*,*" reads the Executive Order.





> One of the orders, titled "Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation," has been advertised as providing workplace protections for gay and transgender individuals.


Disgusting, isn't it

----------


## David48atTD

The Oval Office was hastily rearranged to Joe Biden's tastes after former president Donald Trump departed.(AP: Alex Brandon)

All presidents switch up the decor in the Oval Office  at the start of their terms to reflect their personality and taste, and  to offer symbolic messages to the public.


*When  Donald Trump entered the presidential office for the first time in 2017,  his changes went further than most, including a button for the  near-instant provision of Diet Coke.


*

Reset of the refurb is HERE

---

That coke button ...



Oh Donald ... what a class act  :smiley laughing:

----------


## HuangLao

Well....
Appears that Old Joe is off to a good start with a seemingly positive direction/intentions in place. Hit the ground running, as the adage presents itself. 
Already correcting/revising a number of domestic and foreign policy items that his numb and disconnected predecessor found not befitting his personal fancy. 

.....and executive privilege/legislation package to [theoretically] right the ship of the broad COVID/economic mess - which is their top priority, presently - in words and actions. 
Can only be beneficial if his team receives non-partisan support from the always schizophrenic and self-interested mindset of Congress. 

At least on the surface, it's ok. 
We'll see where all this goes, as the U.S. is looming to be quite well in debt with all this spending of wealth that doesn't exist. 

Good luck, Old Joe.

----------


## Cujo

> The Oval Office was hastily rearranged to Joe Biden's tastes after former president Donald Trump departed.(AP: Alex Brandon)
> 
> All presidents switch up the decor in the Oval Office  at the start of their terms to reflect their personality and taste, and  to offer symbolic messages to the public.
> 
> 
> *When  Donald Trump entered the presidential office for the first time in 2017,  his changes went further than most, including a button for the  near-instant provision of Diet Coke.
> 
> 
> *
> ...


You'd think he'd just get a minifridge in the office.

----------


## sabang

I wonder if he had a hotline to McDonalds too?

----------


## bsnub

> You'd think he'd just get a minifridge in the office.


So you really think some silver spoon asshole who grew up with privilege is going to be bothered with using a minifridge? If you look at the article that Dave linked you can clearly see in one pic that there is a glass with ice full of diet coke. Those are tasks for butlers and servants.

----------


## aging one

> Those are tasks for butlers and servants.


Who were never asked to do silly shit like this and so many other things. I bet most are  more than happy on his departure. These are government jobs that most have held more than one presidency. A few might go back to Bush I would think, maybe even Clinton.

----------


## bsnub

> I bet most are more than happy on his departure.


Of that there is no doubt. 




> These are government jobs that most have held more than one presidency. A few might go back to Bush I would think, maybe even Clinton.


I think the orange moron drove many of the tenured decent career folks out. Word has it that Biden is rehiring them.

----------


## David48atTD

> The article does state that Trump inherited that coke button from Obama .
> The button was already in the White House when Trump began his tenure .
> It was Obamas button 
> 
> The call button had been spotted before during Barack Obama's administration, but never on the Oval Office desk.


Distorting the facts ...

The call button had been spotted before during Barack Obama's administration, but never on the Oval Office desk.

----------


## aging one

> The article does state that Trump inherited that coke button from Obama .
> The button was already in the White House when Trump began his tenure .
> It was Obamas button


That is the joke of it all. It was the button to activate a call to Moscow in the event of nuclear strike. But was stripped of Trump by all concerned including the military and joints chiefs of staff.   To Trumps delight a Diet Coke  delivery button was on his desk inauguration day. He was happy.

----------


## Cujo

> That is the joke of it all. It was the button to activate a call to Moscow in the event of nuclear strike. But was stripped of Trump by all concerned including the military and joints chiefs of staff.   To Trumps delight a Diet Coke  delivery button was on his desk inauguration day. He was happy.


PLEASE tell me that's true.  :rofl:

----------


## misskit

*Jobless claims remained at historic highs last week, as Biden inherits the worst job market of any modern president*

Another 900,000 people filed new unemployment claims last week, President Donald Trump's last in office, a snapshot of the significant labor market challenges facing President Joe Biden.


An additional 423,000 people in 47 states filed new claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the program created to help gig and self-employed workers.


Altogether, nearly 16 million people were claiming benefits as of Jan. 2, the last week available for that measurement. That number is expected to increase in the coming weeks as people who were dropped from the unemployment rolls after their benefits expired file new claims to take advantage of the extension passed by Congress at the last minute in December.


The number of new unemployment claims filed each week has remained above the pre-pandemic record of 695,000 since coronavirus cases starting rising in March. Jobless claims have also risen in recent weeks.


Economists have cautioned about reading too deeply into the weekly fluctuations of the statistic, noting that issues with data processing and duplicate claims have at times inflated the numbers.


Still, the benchmark paints a dire portrait. Weekly jobless claims are now near what they were at the beginning of September. It's the 44th straight week that initial claims remain higher than the worst week of the Great Recession.




Biden inherits one of the worst job markets of any modern president, with the country's unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and nearly 10 million fewer people with jobs than at the beginning of last year, as the pandemic has wreaked havoc on industries like tourism, hospitality and food service.


Biden is calling for a $1.9 trillion stimulus measure that would extend unemployment payments and benefits beyond March, give out $1,400 checks and provide hundreds of millions of dollars to small businesses as well as state and local governments that are struggling.


https://www.chron.com/business/artic...a-15887144.php

----------


## Cujo

> That isnt true, it was never a button to activate a call to Moscow .
> It was always a button to call  for refreshments for himself and his guests .


No, you are wrong. (prove otherwise)

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

When we post pictures of trump, can we please pictulate his face, and refer to him as individual one 
Just looking at him turns my stomach.

----------


## S Landreth

| TIME

The loser has left the building and theres a mess to clean up. Shouldnt be difficult to improve on the numbers below.

Under Donald Trump's Watch, the National Debt Increased by $7.8 Trillion

When Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017, the national debt stood at about $19.9 trillion. As he leaves office this month, the national debt has grown to about $27.7 trillion. That's an increase of 39.2 percent.: Under Donald Trump's Watch, the National Debt Increased by $7.8 Trillion 

 
How Trumps Stock Market Performance Stacks Up to Other Presidents | Barron's 




U.S. trade deficits continue to grow despite Trump'''s efforts - Axios - Why Trump lost his battle against the trade deficit - POLITICO 

 
About 14 million workers unemployed: https://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2...claims_21.html 

  
Over 400,000 dead americans because of inaction: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-...rus-in-the-u-s

----------


## harrybarracuda

Joe has invoked the Defence Production Act to make sure there is enough medical equipment manufactured to treat and vaccinate against the virus.

Something that fucking orange wanker should have done almost a year ago.

----------


## Klondyke

And then some falsely claimed that the soldiers turned their backs on Biden's motorcade in protest that they were vetted, showing the video... 

*

No, US soldiers did not turn their backs on Biden's motorcade in protest

*No, US soldiers did not turn their backs on Biden's motorcade in protest

----------


## Takeovers

President Biden has a moon rock on display in the Oval Office.

https://twitter.com/TheRealBuzz/stat...25216292728832

----------


## Klondyke

^disguised kebab?

----------


## Klondyke

> No, US soldiers did not turn their backs on Biden's motorcade in protest



No, they did not feel ...



> Gov. Abbott calls Texas National Guard home from D.C. after members are sent to a parking garage to rest
> The National Guard says the garages had heat and restrooms, but some guard members feel ‘incredibly betrayed.’[
> Gov. Abbott calls Texas National Guard home from D.C. after members are sent to a parking garage to rest

----------


## aging one

> No, they did not feel ...
> Gov. Abbott calls Texas National Guard home from D.C. after members are sent to a parking garage to rest
> The National Guard says the garages had heat and restrooms, but some guard members feel ‘incredibly betrayed.’[
> Gov. Abbott calls Texas National Guard home from D.C. after members are sent to a parking garage to rest


A mistake was made and immediately corrected. But of course you dont report that part. You really are a red herring pot stirring fukwit.

----------


## Klondyke

> A mistake was made and immediately corrected.


Wondering what headlines such "mistake" would make at a former POTUS? (not only here)

----------


## aging one

> Wondering what headlines such "mistake" would make at a former POTUS? (not only here)


Wonder what headlines such "mistake" would make at a former KGB operative? ( not only here).

----------


## panama hat

> Wondering ...


You do a lot of that . . . being vodka-pickled most of your life (after 12 anyway) has that effect

----------


## David48atTD

Some may get this ...

----------


## bsnub

> Some may get this ...

----------


## aging one

this one is better... :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by Klondyke  
> Wondering ...





> You do a lot of that . . . being vodka-pickled most of your life (after 12 anyway) has that effect


Wondering, whether you have learned - as ein Weltmann - there are also other drinks in the world? But it won't be so _witty_, would it?  
(BTW, without a wondering, isn't the life a bit simple and poor for you? - just curious...)

----------


## Klondyke

> Some may get this ...

----------


## S Landreth

Here are the executive actions Biden will take this week

*Monday*: 'Buy American' day

Biden is expected to sign an executive order that directs agencies to strengthen requirements so that they acquire goods and services from American businesses and workers.

*Tuesday*: 'Equity' day

Tuesday will see Biden sign a broad range of executive orders related to racial equity.

*Wednesday*: 'Climate' day

Biden will announce Wednesday plans for a U.S.-hosted leadership summit to take place on Earth Day as one of multiple actions aimed at addressing the climate crisis.

A memo outlining looming orders also signals Biden will sign an executive order that initiates a series of regulatory actions to "combat climate change domestically and elevates climate change as a national security priority," though it does not offer additional specifics.

The omnibus order will also reestablish the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, as well as a memorandum urging agencies to make decisions based on available science and evidence.

Biden on his first day in office recommitted the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement and signed an executive order revoking a key permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and halting oil and gas leasing at a wildlife refuge in Alaska.

*Thursday*: 'Health Care' day

Biden on Thursday will take the highly anticipated action among pro-choice advocates of rescinding the so-called Mexico City policy, which bans the use of U.S. funding for foreign organizations that provide or promote abortions.

*Friday*: 'Immigration' day

Biden will build on some of the immigration-related actions he took on his first day in office with a few additional executive orders to be signed on Friday.

The president, according to the memo obtained by The Hill, is likely to sign an order related to regional migration and border processing that will rescind Trump administration policies around the asylum system and direct the creation of strategies to address root causes of migration from Central America.

Biden will also sign an order establishing a task force to reunify migrant families separated during the Trump administration. Biden himself faced criticism during the Democratic primaries for the Obama administration's deportation policies, but the Trump administration implemented an official zero tolerance policy that led to the separation of thousands of migrant families.

The president will also sign an order directing an immediate review of the public charge rule "and other actions to remove barriers and restore trust in the legal immigration system, including improving the naturalization process."

A fourth order, establishing principles to guide the implementation of the Refugee Admission Program, is tentatively on the schedule for Friday but could be scrapped or changed, according to the memo.: Here are the executive actions Biden will take this week | TheHill

Biden - "But after Tuesday's results in Georgia  Bernie and I agreed  in fact, Bernie said we can't put control of the Senate at risk with a special election in Vermont," Biden explained.: Biden Says He Considered Bernie Sanders for Labor Secretary | America 2020 | US News

Sanders: Senate may use budget reconciliation to pass Biden agenda

Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Sanders welcomed the prospect of Republican support for the president's plan for an economic recovery package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but warned that the GOP had set a precedent with its use of the tactic, which allows senators to approve certain tax and spending bills with a simple majority and sidestep the 60-vote threshold needed for most legislation, while President Trump was in office.

"Now, as you know, reconciliation, which is a Senate rule, was used by the Republicans under Trump to pass massive tax breaks for the rich and corporations. It was used as an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And what we're saying is 'You used for that. That's fine. We are going to use reconciliation. ... You did it. We're going to do it to protect ordinary people, not the rich and the powerful,'" said the senator.: Sanders: Senate may use budget reconciliation to pass Biden agenda | TheHill

----------


## panama hat

> Wondering


Drunk again or still?




> 'You used for that. That's fine. We are going to use reconciliation. ... You did it. We're going to do it


And that is exactly what needs to be done - the Republicans have set so many precedents for bad behaviour, sidestepping norms, flagrant abuse of power . . . they don't have a leg to stand on for the foreseeable future.

First lines of duty - make anyone who doesn't get the required number of votes 'acting' their position and then increase the number of people on the Supreme Court

----------


## sabang

Sure, stick out the conciliatory hand. But we know what to expect- it has already been signalled. Republican obstructionism. You have an agenda Dems, and you have the Electoral mandate. So drive it through. Let those 'perpetually offended' Right wing assholes (yes, it is not a monopoly of the Left) be offended. Boo fecking Hoo.

Joe (far from sleepy) is sounding pretty good so far. Fingers crossed.

----------


## AntRobertson

> You have an agenda Dems, and you have the Electoral mandate. So drive it through.


I feel the Dems are too lacking in the ruthless edge required for that, always looking to be seen to be doing the right thing.

It's Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football.

----------


## sabang

^ And you are right. Sometimes, you gotta fight fire with fire. Don't bring a Peace sign to the OK Corral.

----------


## Klondyke

> Joe (far from sleepy) is sounding pretty good so far.


As per an anonymous source he is planning an annual Q/A event, that should last over 5 hours, not the meager 4:45 h as did by (please no names here)...

----------


## Takeovers

> And that is exactly what needs to be done - the Republicans have set so many precedents for bad behaviour, sidestepping norms, flagrant abuse of power . . . they don't have a leg to stand on for the foreseeable future.


Long time ago I did not follow US politics as much as I do now. But back then my impression was that working together across party lines was quite common and I admired that. The ruthless opposition at any cost was blatant already when Obama was president. It is not new since Trump though he carried it to extremes.

----------


## harrybarracuda

So Biden has blocked travel from South Africa.

One hopes he doesn't do a baldy orange loser and forget people can fly to another city first...

----------


## Cujo

what ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> what ?


Remember baldy orange loser's "Chyna!" ban that didn't stop them flying through Europe?

Biden to ban travel from South Africa, reinstate restrictions on Brazil and U.K. - POLITICO

----------


## Cujo

what's

----------


## harrybarracuda

> what's


Get it out man.

----------


## S Landreth

The Bidens' dogs, Major and Champ, arrive at the White House

Dogs have returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

Champ and Major, the German shepherds of President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, arrived at the White House on Sunday, a few days after their owners.: The Bidens' dogs, Major and Champ, arrive at the White House - CBS News

In other news.


Kerry on climate talks: 'I regret that my country has been absent'



U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told the United Nations on Monday that he regrets Americas absence from the fight against climate change during the previous administration.

Three years ago scientists gave us a stark warning. They said we have 12 years within which to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Now we have nine years left and I regret that my country has been absent for three of those years, Kerry said at the United Nations Climate Adaptation Summit.

Kerrys speech was one of his first official acts since President Biden named him a special envoy on climate and follows the president signing an executive order to recommit the U.S. to the Paris climate accord.

We're proud to be back. We come back, I want you to know, with humility for the absence of the last four years, and we'll do everything in our power to make up for it, Kerry said.: Kerry on climate talks: 'I regret that my country has been absent' | TheHill

----------


## Backspin

*Biden To Halt Oil, Gas Leasing On Federal Land*

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> *Biden To Halt Oil, Gas Leasing On Federal Land*


Not halt . place a moratorium so that the issue can be studied, allowed where it makes sense ,  and denied where it does not.

----------


## Klondyke

*Putin tells Biden in first phone talks that normalization of Russian-US relations would benefit everyone
26 Jan, 2021*



Putin tells Biden in first phone talks that normalization of Russian-US relations would benefit everyone — RT Russia & Former Soviet Union


What a wonderful world...

The whole 4 years the world had been afraid of the Russiagate, a cause for impeachment 1.0, big money spent on investigation, mind the Russians supporting and financing Taliban...

And not more than 2 weeks ago the direct line from Kremlin advised for insurrection in D.C. (as found out from certain Nancy and Hillary)...

But now, within a week, everything will be again back... (where to?)

(many thanks in advance for the comical moving pictures Jack-in-box sent into my reputation box by my fan club...)

----------


## panama hat

> Putin tells Biden

----------


## Klondyke

> I've never really understood why the USA and Russia remain at odds
> The cold war finished 30 years ago


Why at odds? 
Perhaps that the one side does not follow the "advice" of the other side as it was 30 years ago, when the direct line from B. to B. was daily engaged...

As our Kenner above, pH=0,  knows about the "lies", luckily, the dangerous Mr. Putin did not issue such "advice for insurgency into D.C.", similarly as the Uncle Yeltsin ordered to bomb the Congress (parliament) in Moscow - and for such statesmanship he was utmost praised... 



ANN: Declassified Clinton-Yeltsin Telcons by National Security Archive | H-Diplo | H-Net

----------


## panama hat

> As our Kenner above, pH=0, knows about the "lies"


Yup, it's as obvious as the smell of alcohol on your breath, tovarish

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden on Jan. 27 signed three executive actions to combat climate change and said the U.S. had waited too long to deal with the climate crisis.: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video...9b1_video.html

President Joe Biden has taken action to stop issuing new leases for natural gas and oil development on federal lands and waters as part of his broader push to tackle climate change and transition to a clean energy economy.

The president on Wednesday signed an executive order that directs the Department of Interior (DOI) to suspend new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and offshore waters to the extent possible.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

In my view, weve already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis, we cant wait any longer, Biden said Wednesday before signing the order.

The order also kicks off a review of existing leasing and permitting practices related to fossil fuel development to identify steps that can be taken to increase renewable energy production. Oil and gas drilling on tribal land will not be stopped by the order.

The move was applauded by conservationists who say offshore oil and gas drilling poses a significant threat to wildlife, while pollution from burning such fossil fuel leads to worsening global warming and ocean acidification.

More drilling means more climate pollution that we simply cannot afford, Diane Hoskins, campaign director at conservation group Oceana, said in a statement.

President Bidens actions are a win for the health of our ocean, our economy and our climate. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to permanently move away from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling toward clean, renewable energy sources like offshore wind, Hoskins said.

In an analysis released this week, Oceana said ending new leases could curb more than 19 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save $720 billion in damages to people, property and the environment. Drilling on federal lands is responsible for about a quarter of the nations total greenhouse gas emissions.

But as drilling on federal land and water generated nearly $6 billion in revenue last year, Bidens order is sure to face legal challenges from the oil and gas industry and Western states that depend on the industry.

Top oil and natural gas trade association American Petroleum Institute (API) warned that the suspension of new leases would cost American jobs and make the U.S. more dependent on foreign energy.

Todays executive action to halt leasing is a step backwards both for our nations economic recovery and environmental progress, threatening to cost thousands of jobs and much-needed revenue while increasing emissions by slowing the transition to cleaner fuels, Mike Sommers, API president and CEO, said in a statement.

Limiting domestic energy production is nothing more than an import more oil policy that runs counter to our shared goal of emissions reductions and will make it harder for local communities to recover from the pandemic, Sommers said.

But the White House maintains its climate plans will net millions of jobs in construction, manufacturing, engineering and skilled-trades with investments in renewable energy.: Biden says 'we've waited too long to deal with climate crisis' in sharp turn from Trump – live | US news | The Guardian - Access Denied - Federal Register
       :: 
      Executive Orders - Biden pauses new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters | TheHill

Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy

----------


## David48atTD

How will the US Economy do under a Biden lead government?

Will the push to more than double the national minimum wage from its current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour extensively affect the countries economic outlook?


credit

----------


## panama hat

> Will the push to more than double the national minimum wage from its current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour extensively affect the countries economic outlook?


No.  More money in pockets, more money to spend, more money goes around . . . oh, and people can scrape themselves off the poverty floor just that tiny bit . . . an old neo-con talking point . . . while CEOs are getting 400 times the average worker's salary and corporations are paying less and less tax and in many cases none at all while downsizing to raise the stock price, but let's focus on some poor person getting $15/hour

----------


## David48atTD

*PH*, I'm not convinced (by your optimism) and more risk adverse and moving my Super/401k/pension out of International Shares and back into either Cash or Fixed Interest.

The Dow Jones/SnP 500 is looking frothy.

----------


## sabang

> Will the push to more than double the national minimum wage from its current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour extensively affect the countries economic outlook?


The Federal minimum wage should be increased considerably- there is no doubt about that, unless your social model relies upon a permanent underclass.
!00%- onya Joe, but it's a bit optimistic. I'd suggest it's an opening gambit, telling those Republicans (who's social model does need a permanent underclass) that we mean business. Guessing, but I think it will be toned down some in the name of 'compromise'.

----------


## aging one

> Sadly you are silenced. No different from the rest of the world.


No you and your ilk are silenced. Finally. 

The best part is your big mouth leader has finally been silenced as well. 

Permanent suspension of @realDonaldTrump

Wonderful these days isnt it?

----------


## Klondyke

*Biden presses Putin on election interference and Navalny arrest in first call

*Biden presses Putin on election interference and Navalny arrest in first call | Joe Biden | The Guardian


Fox News' reporter: "Mr. President, what did you talk to Vladimir Putin about?" 

Biden, smirking: "You. He sends his best."

https://twitter.com/disclosetv/statu...-with-putin%2F


What a difference in WH...

----------


## panama hat

> Biden presses Putin on election interference and Navalny arrest in first call

----------


## harrybarracuda

Looks like Biden plans on unfucking baldy orange loser's disastrous attacks on the JCPOA deal. Good.




> The Biden administration has appointed a former Obama White House Mideast adviser Robert Malley to be the State Departments new Special Envoy for Iran policy.
> 
> Mr. Malley, who has spent recent years heading the International Crisis Group think tank, is widely credited as one of the architects of the 2015 nuclear deal that the Obama administration reached with Iran and other world powers. He will now have a central role in the Biden administration.
> 
> Speculation has swirled since Mr. Bidens November election win that the new administration has plans to try and quickly re-enter the nuclear deal that former President Trump withdrew the U.S. from in 2018. The nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) had seen Tehran limit its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from international sanctions.


https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...ct-iran-envoy/

----------


## panama hat

> Looks like Biden plans on unfucking baldy orange loser's disastrous attacks on the JCPOA deal. Good.


What a waste of time spending so much effort on undoing the idiotic and harmful actions of Trump

----------


## Klondyke

His (fountain) pen gets hot, so many to sign - cleaning up the mess left over ...

*All of President Biden’s key executive orders — in one chart*
Published: Jan. 29, 2021 at 3:49 p.m. ET

New president also deploys memorandums, proclamations, other executive actions

As people and markets around the world adjust to having Joe Biden as U.S. president, a key factor is what the veteran Democratic politician aims to accomplish without having to work with Congress.

Biden is making use of executive orders that affect health care XLV, -0.84%,  the energy sector XLE, -3.32%, prison stocks and other areas.

Below is a table showing orders that he signed on Jan. 20, his first day in office, as well as other executive actions that have followed or are expected.

Read:Oil and gas interests say drilling pause only hurts already struggling Americans

And see:Where are Biden’s clean-energy jobs and how much do they pay?

Key Biden executive actions
SUBJECT	TYPE OF ACTION	DATE
Re-engage with World Health Organization	End withdrawal process	Jan. 20
Create position of COVID-19 response coordinator	Executive order	Jan. 20
Rejoin Paris climate agreement	Sign an "instrument"	Jan. 20
Revoke permit for Keystone XL pipeline, pause energy leasing in ANWR	Executive order	Jan. 20
Ask agencies to extend eviction/foreclosure moratoriums	Request	Jan. 20
Ask Education Dept. to extend student-loan pause	Request	Jan. 20
Launch an initiative to advance racial equity, end "1776 Commission"	Executive order	Jan. 20
Revoke order that aims to exclude undocumented immigrants from census	Executive order	Jan. 20
Preserve/fortify DACA, which helps "Dreamers"	Memorandum	Jan. 20
Require masks/distancing on all federal property and by federal workers	Executive order	Jan. 20
Reverse travel ban targeting primarily Muslim countries	Executive order	Jan. 20
Stop construction of border wall	Proclamation	Jan. 20
Combat discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity	Executive order	Jan. 20
Require ethics pledge for executive-branch personnel	Executive order	Jan. 20
Modernize and improve regulatory review	Memorandum	Jan. 20
End "harsh and extreme immigration enforcement"	Executive order	Jan. 20
Extend protection from deportation for Liberians in U.S.	Memorandum	Jan. 20
Revoke certain executive orders concerning federal regulation	Executive order	Jan. 20
Freeze any new or pending regulations	Memorandum	Jan. 20
Fill supply shortfalls in fight vs. COVID-19 with Defense Production Act, other measures	Executive order	Jan. 21
Increase FEMA reimbursement to states for National Guard, PPE	Memorandum	Jan. 21
Establish “COVID-19 Pandemic Testing Board,” expand testing	Executive order	Jan. 21
Bolster access to COVID-19 treatments and clinical care	Executive order	Jan. 21
Improve collection/analysis of COVID-related data	Executive order	Jan. 21
Mount vaccination campaign amid goals such as 100 million shots in 100 days	Directives	Jan. 21
Provide guidance on safely reopening schools	Executive order	Jan. 21
OSHA guidance for keeping workers safe from COVID-19	Executive order	Jan. 21
Require face masks at airports, other modes of transportation	Executive order	Jan. 21
Establish a “COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force”	Executive order	Jan. 21
Support international response to COVID-19, “restore U.S. global leadership”	Directive	Jan. 21
Ask agencies to boost food aid, improve delivery of stimulus checks	Executive order	Jan. 22
Restore collective bargaining power for federal workers	Executive order	Jan. 22
Repeal ban on transgender people serving openly in U.S. military	Executive order	Jan. 25
Tighten ‘Buy American’ rules in government procurement	Executive order	Jan. 25
Reinstate coronavirus travel restrictions on Brazil, most of Europe	Proclamation	Jan. 25
End the Justice Department’s use of private prisons	Executive order	Jan. 26
Directs HUD to address discriminatory housing practices	Memorandum	Jan. 26
Combat racism against Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders	Memorandum	Jan. 26
Directs agencies to engage in consultations with tribal governments	Memorandum	Jan. 26
Pause new oil and gas leasing on U.S. lands/waters, elevate climate change as national-security, foreign-policy priority	Executive order	Jan. 27
Re-establish President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology	Executive order	Jan. 27
Directs agencies to make decisions on best available science, evidence	Memorandum	Jan. 27
Reopen Obamacare marketplaces, lower recent barriers to joining Medicaid	Executive order	Jan. 28
Lift certain restrictions on abortion funding	Memorandum	Jan. 28
End “Remain in Mexico” program aimed at Central American asylum seekers	TBD	Feb. 2
Start roll back of “public charge rule,” which imposes a wealth test on would-be immigrants	TBD	Feb. 2
Create task force to reunite migrant families separated at the border	TBD Feb. 2

----------


## Klondyke

*FLASHBACK: BIDEN SAID ‘YOU CAN’T LEGISLATE BY EXECUTIVE ORDERS UNLESS YOU’RE A DICTATOR’

*This video from the 15th October 2020 speaks for itself.

During a town hall broadcast by ABC News just over a fortnight before the election, Joe Biden was discussing his tax proposals when he declared that in order to see them implemented he would need votes and approval from Congress.

“I have this strange notion. We are a democracy,” Biden sardonically declared, pointing out that “Some of my Republican friends, and some of my Democratic friends occasionally say ‘well if you can’t get the votes, by executive order you’re going to do something'”.

“You can’t do it by executive order, unless you’re a dictator,” Biden declared, adding “We’re a democracy, we need consensus.”

FLASHBACK: Biden Said ‘You Can’t Legislate By Executive Orders Unless You’re A Dictator’

----------


## elche

^ Ignorance on steroids.  Signing a list of exec. orders is standard procedure in the first term of newly elected presidents particularly in the first quarter.  Trump signed 220 of them.  Where is your outrage, stooge?

----------


## bsnub

> Stop construction of border wall Proclamation Jan. 20


Gotta love this one. Done on Day 1.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^ Ignorance on steroids.  Signing a list of exec. orders is standard procedure in the first term of newly elected presidents particularly in the first quarter.  Trump signed 220 of them.  Where is your outrage, stooge?


Oh don't worry, it's Klondick, he hasn't got a fucking clue what he's on about.

----------


## baldrick

> on undoing the idiotic and harmful actions of Trump


except drumpf would be unable to point out Iran on a world map

the point being that there are a lot of people who inhabit or did inhabit the upper echelons of american decision making who wanted this to happen

----------


## panama hat

> Oh don't worry, it's Klondick, he hasn't got a fucking clue what he's on about.


Hr can write . . . badly . . . but doesn't actually know what he's saying in his Russian/English translator

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by elche  
> ^ Ignorance on steroids. Signing a list of exec. orders is standard procedure in the first term of newly elected presidents particularly in the first quarter. Trump signed 220 of them. Where is your outrage, stooge?
> 
> Oh don't worry, it's Klondick, he hasn't got a fucking clue what he's on about.



(But there are some others who've got a fucking clue, aren't they?)
(But we don't trust the MSM, do we?)

*
Ease Up on the Executive Actions, Joe

*President Biden is right to not let his agenda be held hostage, but legislating through Congress is a better path.

By The Editorial Board*

Jan. 27, 2021

*President Biden is moving aggressively to turn the page on the Trump era.

A week into his presidency, Mr. Biden has issued a raft of executive orders and other actions. Already, he has committed to rejoining the Paris climate change agreement, ended the Muslim travel ban, canceled the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, rescinded funding for and halted construction on the wall at the southern border, reaffirmed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, mandated mask-wearing on federal grounds, moved to end the federal government’s reliance on private prisons, reversed the ban on transgender military service and called for agency assessments aimed at advancing racial equity — just to name a few. The coming days will bring more such action.

These moves are being met with cheers by Democrats and others eager to see the legacy of Donald Trump’s presidency dismantled posthaste. Republicans, meanwhile, are grumbling about presidential overreach and accusing Mr. Biden of betraying his pledge to seek unity.

In other words, things are going the same way they often do in Washington. “There’s a sort of tribalism when it comes to the use of executive orders,” observes John Hudak, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. “When your party’s in the White House, it’s the greatest thing on earth. When your party’s out, it’s undemocratic. It’s basically Satan’s pen.”

But this is no way to make law. A polarized, narrowly divided Congress may offer Mr. Biden little choice but to employ executive actions or see his entire agenda held hostage. These directives, however, are a flawed substitute for legislation. They are intended to provide guidance to the government and need to work within the discretion granted the executive by existing law or the Constitution. They do not create new law — though executive orders carry the force of law — and they are not meant to serve as an end run around the will of Congress. By design, such actions are more limited in what they can achieve than legislation, and presidents who overreach invite intervention by the courts.

But legal limitations are not the only — or even perhaps the biggest — point of concern. Executive actions are far more ephemeral and easily discarded than legislation, which can set up a whipsaw effect, as each president scrambles to undo the work of his predecessor. Just as Mr. Trump set about reversing as many of President Barack Obama’s directives as possible, Mr. Biden is now working to reverse many of Mr. Trump’s reversals. With executive orders, there is always another presidential election just a few years off, threatening to upend everything.

This creates instability and uncertainty that can carry significant economic as well as human costs. Just consider how the Dreamers, immigrants illegally brought to the United States as minors, have had their lives disrupted in recent years. Mr. Obama established DACA to protect them from deportation. Upon taking office, Mr. Trump moved to end the program, setting off years of legal challenges and throwing these people’s lives into a nightmarish limbo. Mr. Biden now has moved to reaffirm the protections. The fragility of the Dreamers’ status has been laid bare. Presidents have wide latitude, both constitutionally and statutorily, to set immigration policy. But Dreamers deserve better than to be subject to the whims of whoever holds the White House. It is long past time for Congress to establish a clearer, more permanent path for them.

Executive actions can signal priorities — for instance, Mr. Biden’s push to promote racial equity or tackle climate change. Mr. Trump was good at the theatrical part of this, if not so much at providing actual guidance. His directives tended to be vague and sloppy — “bumper stickers rather than pamphlets,” as Mr. Hudak put it.

Undoing some of Mr. Trump’s excesses is necessary, but Mr. Biden’s legacy will depend on his ability to hammer out agreements with Congress. On the campaign trail, he often touted his skill at finding compromise, and his decades as a legislator, as reasons to elect him over Mr. Trump. The country faces significant challenges to recovering from the pandemic, from a global recession, from years of safety nets and institutions and trust being eroded. Now it is time for the new president to show the American people what permanent change for a better nation can look like.

Opinion | Ease Up on the Executive Actions, Joe - The New York Times

----------


## Klondyke

> Hr can write . . . badly .


Hrrrrrr, where are you, please learn to write...

----------


## panama hat

> But there are some others who've got a fucking clue, aren't they?


'there' . . . and yes.  You're not one of them

----------


## Klondyke

*White House’s Kate Bedingfield slams NY Times editorial on Biden’s executive orders*
By Yaron Steinbuch January 28, 2021 

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield on Thursday slammed the New York Times over its editorial calling for President Biden to “ease up” on executive actions.

“As the NYT ed board criticizes President Biden this am for taking swift executive action to reverse the most egregious actions of the Trump Admin, I can’t help but recall that during the primary they encouraged voters to consider what a president could accomplish through exec Action,” Bedingfield said in a tweet.

“So my question is which actions that the President took to reverse Donald Trump’s executive orders would they have liked to see him not pursue?” the comms chief continued.

“Of course we are also pursuing our agenda through legislation. It’s why we are working so hard to get the American Rescue Plan passed, for starters!” she added.

In its editorial, the Gray Lady noted that the president has issued a slew of executive orders, including committing to rejoin the Paris climate agreement, ending the travel ban from countries with heightened terror concerns, canceling the permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, halting construction of the border wall with Mexico and mandating mask-wearing on federal property.

“These moves are being met with cheers by Democrats and others eager to see the legacy of Donald Trump’s presidency dismantled posthaste,” the Times piece says.

“Republicans, meanwhile, are grumbling about presidential overreach and accusing Mr. Biden of betraying his pledge to seek unity.”

The Times continued: “But this is no way to make law. A polarized, narrowly divided Congress may offer Mr. Biden little choice but to employ executive actions or see his entire agenda held hostage.

“These directives, however, are a flawed substitute for legislation. They are intended to provide guidance to the government and need to work within the discretion granted the executive by existing law or the Constitution,” it continued.

“They do not create new law — though executive orders carry the force of law — and they are not meant to serve as an end run around the will of Congress.”

It added: “Undoing some of Mr. Trump’s excesses is necessary, but Mr. Biden’s legacy will depend on his ability to hammer out agreements with Congress.” 

Bedingfield slams NY Times' editorial on Biden's executive orders

----------


## harrybarracuda

> except drumpf would be unable to point out Iran on a world map
> 
> the point being that there are a lot of people who inhabit or did inhabit the upper echelons of american decision making who wanted this to happen


Maybe, but the reason baldy orange cunto did it was that Fox News had been slagging off Obama for it since he did it, claiming he had paid the Iranians $100Bn when in fact it was actually their money.

Baldy would have heard about this because he watches Fox News, and he knew it would go down well with the trumpanzees.

So he didn't actually need to know where Iran was, or even what the details of the deal were, just that the trumpanzees would see it as "pwning the libtards".

----------


## Backspin

Bidens red head with the big knockers is ok to look at

----------


## lom

^ Not only that, she is also ok to listen to, the White House has got a real press secretary after four years of amateur ones. 
This lady is professional!

----------


## sabang

Does she ever change her T shirt?

----------


## Takeovers

> Does she ever change her T shirt?



Not while live on air.

----------


## Backspin

> Does she ever change her T shirt?


That shirt exposes her assets best. So that's why I posed 2 with that shirt . Some other outfits make her look average

----------


## panama hat

> So that's why I posed 2 with that shirt


That's you?  Another Skidmark lie . . . is there no end to your making shit up?

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Bars Trump From Receiving Intelligence Briefings, Citing Erratic Behavior

Mr. Biden said there was no need for former President Donald J. Trump to get the briefings, traditionally given to ex-presidents as a courtesy and to keep them informed if their advice is needed.

WASHINGTON  President Biden said on Friday that he would bar his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, from receiving intelligence briefings traditionally given to former presidents, saying that Mr. Trump could not be trusted because of his erratic behavior even before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

The move was the first time that a former president had been cut out of the briefings, which are provided partly as a courtesy and partly for the moments when a sitting president reaches out for advice. Currently, the briefings are offered on a regular basis to Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Mr. Biden, speaking to Norah ODonnell of CBS News, said Mr. Trumps behavior worried him unrelated to the insurrection that gave rise to the second impeachment of Mr. Trump.

I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings, Mr. Biden said.

What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? Mr. Biden added. What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?

The White House said this week that it had been reviewing whether the former president, whose impeachment trial in the Senate begins on Tuesday, should receive the briefings. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Representative Adam B. Schiff, said last month, just before Mr. Bidens inauguration, that Mr. Trumps access to any classified information should be cut off.

There is no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing, not now and not in the future, said Mr. Schiff, Democrat of California, who was the House manager for Mr. Trumps first impeachment trial, a year ago.

Indeed, there were, I think, any number of intelligence partners around the world who probably started withholding information from us because they didnt trust the president would safeguard that information, and protect their sources and methods, Mr. Schiff said. And that makes us less safe. Weve seen this president politicize intelligence, and thats another risk to the country.

The question of how Mr. Trump handles intelligence came up several times during his presidency. Shortly after he fired the F.B.I. director James B. Comey in 2017, Mr. Trump told the Russian foreign minister and the Russian ambassador about a highly classified piece of intelligence about the Islamic State that came from Israel. The Israelis were outraged.

Later in his presidency, Mr. Trump took a photograph with his phone of a classified satellite image showing an explosion at a missile launchpad in Iran. Some of the markings were blacked out first, but the revelation gave adversaries information  which they may have had, anyway  about the abilities of American surveillance satellites.

There were other examples, and Mr. Trumps aides later said that because he declined to read intelligence reports  preferring an oral briefing  he did not see the (S) and (U) markings that indicated secret and unclassified.

But there was a deeper worry about how Mr. Trump could use intelligence now that he has retreated to Mar-a-Lago, his club in Florida. The former president has talked openly about the possibility of running for the White House again, perhaps under the banner of a third party. The fear was that he would use, or twist, intelligence to fit his political agenda, something he was often accused of in office.

Among those arguing to cut off Mr. Trumps access was Susan M. Gordon, a career C.I.A. officer who served as deputy director of national intelligence until 2019, when she left after being passed over for director.

In an opinion article in The Washington Post in January, Ms. Gordon, one of the most respected intelligence officers of her generation, wrote that the danger of providing intelligence to a president whose business deals might make him beholden to foreign investors and lenders was just too great. Ms. Gordon frequently briefed Mr. Trump.

His post-White House security profile, as the professionals like to call it, is daunting, she wrote the week after the attack on the Capitol. Any former president is by definition a target and presents some risks. But a former President Trump, even before the events of last week, might be unusually vulnerable to bad actors with ill intent.: Biden Bars Trump From Receiving Intelligence Briefings, Citing ‘Erratic Behavior’ - The New York Times

*What a fvckin relief..*


Its so funny - I hear from friends on both sides of the aisle how cleansing it is to wake up in the morning without feeling that the day will be inflamed by a crazy tweet, said former Rep. Steve Israel, who served as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the Obama era. Even people who disagree with President Biden say that at least were back to normal.: Biden doubles down on normal at White House | TheHill

*Just for fun.*

 
Biden Begins Term With 57% Job Approval

----------


## panama hat

> if their advice is needed.


Seeing as his advice will never be needed . . . good decision





> Just for fun.


 . . . because he's not an abrasive man-child.

----------


## Klondyke

> Seeing as his advice will never be needed . . . good decision


He could give only such stupid advice as to get out from Afgh., Iraq, Syria, you name it... (so, where else they would go? The MacDonalds and similar are lockdown and ...)

----------


## panama hat

> He could give only such stupid advice


Which is still far more intelligent than yours . . . FOK

----------


## lom

> He could give only such stupid advice as to get out from Afgh., Iraq, Syria


to pull out is easier said then done when you already are in. 
Trump has nothing to teach there, his withdrawals were far from successes..

----------


## peaches

> He could give only such stupid advice as to get out from Afgh., Iraq, Syria, you name it... (so, where else they would go? The MacDonalds and similar are lockdown and ...)


Translation.......The snake oil salesman,the messiah to the brain dead, was a great president,
and Klondyke is sad that the imposter didn’t get another 4 years.

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by Klondyke  
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				He could give only such stupid advice as to get out from Afgh., Iraq, Syria, you name it... (so, where else they would go? The MacDonalds and similar are lockdown and ...)
> 			
> 		
> ...


Actually, I am utmost impressed, that the current POTUS kicked out from the Oral Office the picture of Andrew Jackson and instead placed there MLK jr., his idol over his 50 years fighting for the human rights (of the most oppressed)...

----------


## bsnub

When President Joe Biden flew aboard Air Force One for the first time this month, he did not spend much time soaking in the moment.The  flight, after all, was only 25 minutes long. He was headed home to  Delaware for the weekend, in part to have his foot X-rayed at his  orthopedist. And unlike his most recent predecessors, Biden was already  familiar with the unique combination of executive swank and military  rigor aboard the presidential jet, having flown more than a million  miles aboard Air Force Two.

So, like a weary passenger on a commuter shuttle, he spent most of the flight reading the newspaper.

"It's  a great honor," he told reporters who asked about his debut ride aboard  Air Force One, "but I didn't think about it, to tell you the truth."

As  Biden settles into a job he has been seeking on-and-off for three  decades, the daily routine of being president -- with a phalanx of  Secret Service agents, regular updates on the nation's top secrets and  an ever-present press corps -- has come more naturally for him than for  his more recent predecessors.

He  has established a regular schedule, including coffee in the mornings  with the first lady, meetings and phone calls from the Oval Office  starting just after 9 a.m. and a return to his residence by 7 p.m. As he  walks home along the Colonnade, he's often seen carrying a stack of  binders or manila folders under one arm. He still brings a brown leather  briefcase into the office.

*Finding his own path*

Unlike  his most recent predecessors -- night owls who spent the dark hours  reading briefing materials (President Barack Obama) or watching  television (President Donald Trump) -- Biden is more of an early-to-bed  type. He has continued a tradition of reading letters from Americans, a  handful of which are tucked into the briefing materials he brings home  in the evenings. Recently they have focused on the pandemic; Biden has  also spoken by video conference with business owners and laid-off  workers weathering the economic crisis.

Biden  spent ample time at the White House as vice president, navigating West  Wing hallways and administration politics for eight years as Obama's No.  2. He has spent more time working in Washington than any president in  decades. His adjustment period inside the executive mansion has been  minimal. 

"It  feels like I am going home," he said as he entered the White House on  Inauguration Day. Though he had never lived in the building previously,  it was a return of sorts for a man who has wanted to reside at 1600  Pennsylvania Avenue for years.

He  has found his old stomping grounds familiar, dropping into his onetime  office in the West Wing one day last week to show his new vice president  the place on the window where his wife wrote him a Valentine's Day  greeting in 2009.

He's  made surprise visits to other offices in the building as well, asking  staffers what they are working on or consulting them on specific  questions related to his Covid-19 relief plan.
He  wasted little time showing off his new digs to his old colleagues in  the Senate, inviting nearly a quarter of all senators to the Oval Office  over his first three weeks on the job for talks on his Covid-19 relief  plan and a new infrastructure package.

And  he hasn't been put off by the pack of reporters who track his every  move. He's shown more willingness to answer shouted questions than Obama  was, weighing in on his predecessor's impeachment trial even as the  White House insisted he was focused on other things.

The  President's Daily Brief, a highly classified update on the country's  top intelligence, is back to a daily occurrence after happening only  sporadically under Trump. Joined in the Oval Office by Vice President  Kamala Harris -- who has used an iPad to receive the briefing, like  Obama -- Biden is run through the update by a range of intelligence  professionals.

He  has expressed a preference for a fire built in the Oval Office  fireplace, and sometimes adds a log himself to keep it going. His dogs,  two German Shepherds called Major and Champ, sometimes join him.

*Structure and routine*

His  days are more structured than Trump's, whose aides began blocking out  large chunks of "executive time" to accommodate his television viewing  and telephone calls. Biden's meetings are more routine, though they  often run longer than planned. The door to the Oval Office is not  considered open to just anyone, as it sometimes was under Trump.

Meetings  among staffers, which begin before 8 a.m. ET every weekday, are a  combination of in-person and video conference while the West Wing  remains sparsely staffed due to Covid-19 precautions. In the waning days  of the Trump administration, which did not make much use of  video-conferencing during the pandemic, cameras were installed on  desktops for the incoming team.

When  Biden cannot meet an official or Cabinet secretary in-person, a large  screen is wheeled into the Oval Office for the individual to  participate, as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg did this week  for a session on infrastructure. Buttigieg was in isolation after one of  his security agents tested positive for coronavirus. His face loomed on  the screen in front of the Resolute Desk.
The  screen has also been used to display charts and data tracking the  coronavirus pandemic during briefings with federal health officials.

On  weekends, Biden has kept to his routine of attending public mass, in  Washington at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown and at his  home parish in Delaware -- occasions that aides say allow him to blend  back into normal life, at least for an hour. After one outing, he  stopped by a bagel shop; officials expect he and the first lady will be  more frequent patrons of Washington's restaurants once the pandemic is  over.

More  so than any recent first couple, Joe and Jill Biden have demonstrated a  publicly affectionate relationship, one that extends to private moments  spent together in the White House residence. For the first time in  decades, there are no children residing in the building, leaving the  55,000 square-foot mansion to the two of them. Jill Biden recently saw  the President off with a kiss before his first flight aboard Marine One.

The  President traveled to Camp David for the first time since taking office  on Presidents Day weekend -- but even the mountainside retreat was  familiar after many trips there as vice president.
Biden  said before leaving he planned to "just hang out with the family and do  what we always do," which included playing Mario Kart at the arcade  inside one of the lodges with his granddaughters, who bought him a hat  emblazoned with the presidential seal and embroidered with their name  for him: Pop. 

Still, even for someone well acquainted with presidential life, there are some upgrades that come with the top job.

"It's  the same plane we had as vice president, only it's much nicer in terms  of what the inside is," Biden said after his first Air Force One ride,  which was aboard a smaller jet than the main presidential aircraft  because of the shorter runway in Delaware.

He  will have his first chance to ride the iconic Air Force One, a military  version of a Boeing 747, on Tuesday when he travels to Milwaukee for a  CNN town hall -- his first public event out in the country since taking  office. 

Even Biden will likely set aside his newspapers to relish that moment. 

Inside the new President's routine: Oval Office fires and early bedtimes - CNNPolitics

----------


## Klondyke

> On weekends, Biden has kept to his routine of attending public mass, in Washington at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown and at his home parish in Delaware -- occasions that aides say allow him to blend back into normal life, at least for an hour. After one outing, he stopped by a bagel shop; officials expect he and the first lady will be more frequent patrons of Washington's restaurants once the pandemic is over.


Forgotten to mention the video games (Mario Kart) with his granddaughter - perhaps lost in translation?

----------


## ootai

> Forgotten to mention the video games (Mario Kart) with his granddaughter - perhaps lost in translation?



Klondyke
It is not lost in translation it is lost in your misunderstanding.
I know English is not your first language so unlike others on here who berate you for some of your stuff ups I won't.
Instead I will just point out the error of your ways.

In the statement you quoted from bsnub they were talking about what he (Biden) does on the weekend in DC but the playing Mario Kart was what he does when he is at camp David.

Hope that clears that up for you.

----------


## lom

> Forgotten to mention the video games (Mario Kart) with his granddaughter - perhaps lost in translation?


Really?




> Biden said before leaving he planned to "just hang out with the family and do what we always do," which included playing *Mario Kart*

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Bidens red head with the big knockers is ok to look at


I have actually met her father James  Psaki at an AHEPA (a Greek American Organization) in NYC. The Psaki family used to live in Connecticut,. I hear they retired in Colorado now.   He is from the same area my father was in the Peloponnese. Near Sparta.  My brother has retired and lives there now. I hope to be there late April. .

----------


## Klondyke

> I know English is not your first language


Thanks that you did remember that, just in case, some did not know. It always adds (or deducts) the weight of one's argument...

----------


## elche

> I know English is not your first language so unlike others on here who berate you for some of your stuff ups I won't.
> Instead I will just point out the error of your ways.


English may not be Klondyke's first language, but if he wants to try to sound informed and sophisticated, which it appears to me that he does at times, he is opening himself up to criticism on all fronts. Btw, if you think Klondyke's English is poor, his Russian is worse.

----------


## Klondyke

^Green owned...

----------


## Klondyke

> Bidens red head with the big knockers is ok to look at






> ^ Not only that, she is also ok to listen to, the White House has got a real press secretary after four years of amateur ones. 
> This lady is professional!


It's seems it was a good choice. That's why some do not really hear what she is saying (and questions dodging) but just looking...

----------


## panama hat

> It's seems it was a good choice. That's why some do not really hear what she is saying (and questions dodging) but just looking...


Yes, that's what the two posts you have quoted are saying.  Drunk again/still?

----------


## Norton

Just watched Biden townhall on CNN. What a refreshing change over the previous me, me kunt.

----------


## bsnub

Agreed. Nice to have a real leader back at the helm.

----------


## Cujo

> Just watched Biden townhall on CNN. What a refreshing change over the previous me, me kunt.


And you can actually listen to him without getting an overpowering urge to bitchslap him for talking shit.

----------


## Klondyke

> And you can actually listen to him without getting an overpowering urge to bitchslap him for talking shit.


Especially, when speaking about vaccination...BTW, when did he (or "they") come into office? 




> The biggest thing thoughits one thing that the vaccine, which we didnt have when we came into office, but a vaccinator. How do you get the vaccine into someones arm? he said.

----------


## David48atTD

I will not make that happen: Biden says he will not support $50K in student debt forgiveness'



Biden most recently shot down the idea of up to $50,000 of student debt forgiveness during a Feb 16 CNN town hall.


The  American dream is to succeed, but how can we fulfill that dream when  debt is many peoples only option for a degree? asked one woman in the  audience. 
We need student loan forgiveness beyond the potential $10,000  your administration has proposed. 
We need at least a $50,000 minimum. 
 What will you do to make that happen?

I will not make that happen, Biden quickly responded. 
 
Biden says he will not support $50K in student debt forgiveness

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden says he will not support $50K in student debt forgiveness


Shame, it would be a big boost to the economy and he could get the top 0.1% wealthiest to pay for it. They wouldn't even fucking notice.

----------


## RPETER65



----------


## panama hat

> 


Repeater's best post yet







> Shame, it would be a big boost to the economy and he could get the top 0.1% wealthiest to pay for it. They wouldn't even fucking notice.





> 




Imagine the outcry at Fox . . .

----------


## bsnub

> Repeater's best post yet


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Repeater's best post yet


He's made more sense in that one post than his entire back catalogue.

 :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Today..




Secretary-General welcomes US return to Paris Agreement on Climate Change

President Biden signed an executive order at the White House just hours after being sworn in, to reverse the previous administrations withdrawal from the 2015 accord, which seeks to limit global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I warmly welcome President Bidens steps to re-enter the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and join the growing coalition of governments, cities, states, businesses and people taking ambitious action to confront the climate crisis, the UN chief said in a statement.

The US was among 194 countries that signed the Agreement in December 2015 under then President, Barack Obama.  

Two years later, the Trump administration announced the country would withdraw from the treaty: a decision which became effective last November.

US deposits instrument of acceptance

A new instrument of acceptance of the Paris Agreement by the US, expressing its consent to be bound by the Agreement, was deposited with the Secretary-General, later in the day.

According to the UN chiefs spokesperson, the Paris Agreement will enter into force for the United States on 19 February 2021, in accordance with its article 21 (3).

Long road to carbon neutrality

The Paris Agreement requires governments to commit to increasingly ambitious climate action through plans known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

The Secretary-General recalled that countries producing half of all global carbon pollution committed to carbon neutrality, or net-zero emissions, following a summit held last month. 

Todays commitment by President Biden brings that figure to two-thirds. But there is a very long way to go, he said.

The climate crisis continues to worsen, and time is running out to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build more climate-resilient societies that help to protect the most vulnerable.: Secretary-General welcomes US return to Paris Agreement on Climate Change | | UN News

----------


## misskit

*Biden's message to G7, Munich events: Allies should work together on China challenge
*

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will seek on Friday to rally global democracies and European allies to work together to address a range of concerns about China, but is not looking for a “new Cold War,” a senior administration official said.The Democratic president, sworn in less than a month ago, will use a “virtual visit” to Europe to try to re-establish the United States as a multilateral team player after four years of divisive “America First” policies pursued by Donald Trump.


Biden will arrive bearing gifts - a $4 billion pledge of support for global coronavirus vaccination efforts, the re-entry of the United States into the Paris climate accord and the prospect of a nearly $2 trillion spending measure that could bolster both the U.S. and global economies.


Biden will meet at 9 a.m. (1400 GMT) with G7 leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan by videoconference, but plans to join them for an in-person summit hosted by the UK this summer, the official told reporters.


Later on Friday morning, he will address an online session of the Munich Security Conference, which often draws top global leaders and where several years ago as a private citizen he reassured participants rattled by the Trump presidency: “We will be back.”


Biden will underscore that democracies, not autocracies, offer the best path forward for the world, after the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters made clear that democracy was fragile.


“He will make a strong, confident case that democracy is the best model for meeting the challenges of our time,” the official said. “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We need to fight for it.”


RUSSIA, CHINA CHALLENGES


Biden will drive home his view that major market economies and democracies must work together to tackle challenges posed by great-power competitors like Russia and China, as well as transnational challenges ranging from nuclear proliferation to climate change and cybersecurity, the official said.


The U.S. president will speak specifically about “malign” and concerted action he believes Russia has taken to destabilize and undermine democracy in the United States and Europe and elsewhere, and will call on allies to stand firm with Washington, the official said.


The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any such action.


With regard to China, the world’s second-largest economy, Biden will urge democracies to work together to push back against practices and policies of the Chinese government that he will describe as “economically abusive and ... counter to our values.”


The Biden White House is reviewing China policy across an array of fronts, including its military buildup and trade policies, its actions in Hong Kong, treatment of minority Uighurs in Xinjiang and its handling of the coronavirus outbreak.


“He will make clear in the speech that he’s not looking for confrontation, he’s not looking for a new Cold War, but he’s expecting stiff competition and he welcomes it,” the official said.


On the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program, Biden will say the United States looks forward to re-engaging in diplomacy amid efforts to revive the Iran nuclear deal that Trump abandoned, the official said.


On the economic front, Biden will urge other G7 leaders to continue to invest heavily in their economies to foster and accelerate economic growth, the official said.


“The fear is not that we do too much, it’s that we do too little,” the official said. “This is an era for action and investment and not for austerity and that will be an important part of the message.”

Biden'&#39;'s message to G7, Munich events: Allies should work together on China challenge | Reuters

----------


## OhOh

> a $4 billion pledge of support


Bribery and corrupt practice?




> re-entry of the United States into the Paris climate accord


Soon to be annulled by presidential edict when the shit hits the fan?




> the prospect of a nearly $2 trillion


Delivered when?

Meanwhile:*

CNBC Exclusive: CNBC Transcript: United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Speaks with CNBC’s “Closing Bell” Today*

Feb 18 20214:55 PM EST

_"Is that an economy that screams $2 trillion needed in stimulus?

JANET  YELLEN: Well, I think it does. We have an unemployment rate that if  properly measured in some sense, is really close to 10%. 

In addition to  over 9 million people unemployed, we have 4 million who’ve dropped out  of the labor force, another 2 million who have seen reduced hours. So,  we’re digging out of a deep hole."

CNBC Exclusive: CNBC Transcript: United States Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Speaks with CNBC’s “Closing Bell” Today

_Sven Henrich @NorthmanTrader
_
"So for years as Fed Chair the unemployment numbers she referenced were not properly measured?"_
_
"For year folks that were questioning the veracity of official unemployment stats were dismissed as conspiracy theorists or just cranky bears. Now both Fed Chair Powell and Treasury Secretary Yellen admitting to UE stats being highly inaccurate strikes me as a rather big deal."
__
"But be clear: they both are admitting it now because it suits their agenda of more printing and bigger stimulus. It’s all rather disingenuous, cynical and method."

_https://twitter.com/LiveSquawk/statu...11374518284290


*Yellen says tax hike would pay for part of Biden infrastructure plan*

February 19, 20215:20 AM Updated 13 hours ago

_"U.S.  Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday said that tax hikes would be  needed to pay for at least part of a big infrastructure, climate and  education investment package that President Joe Biden plans to introduce  later this year.__Yellen,  in an interview with CNBC, said details were still being worked out on  the infrastructure and clean energy package, which would come on top of a  $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan that is now working its way  through Congress.
_
_She  said it would include clean energy investments to fight climate change  and investments in education and training to build the skill levels of  American workers and boost U.S. competitiveness.
_
_“Certainly  part of the package, the parts that are permanent, will be paid for in  order to not raise long-term deficits, but we’re still working on the  details of the package.”
_
_The  infrastructure, climate and education plan will probably be proposed  later this year and would involve spending over a number of years, “and  probably tax increases to pay for at least part of it would probably  phase in slowly over time.”_
_
Biden’s  $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package aims to ensure that growth is  strong enough to get back to full employment faster than recent baseline  estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, which projected earlier  this month that based on current laws, it would take until 2024 to  reach pre-pandemic employment levels.
_
_With the  Biden stimulus plan and good progress on vaccines to defeat the  pandemic, “I think we could be back to full employment next year,” she  said._
_
Yellen  downplayed the potential risk of inflation from trillions of dollars in  new stimulus and infrastructure spending, saying that inflation has  been low for a decade and the Federal Reserve has tools to deal with it._
_
“The  greater risk is of scarring and people having this pandemic take a  permanent lifelong toll on their lives and livelihoods,” if no further  aid is provided, she said."

Yellen says tax hike would pay for part of Biden infrastructure plan | Reuters
_

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Bribery and corrupt practice?


No , you changed the quote to support your own narrative. The actual quote is : 
"_ a $4 billion pledge of support for global coronavirus vaccination efforts,_  "

It is to the US's benefit that Covid 19 is eradicated all around the world. What good would it do in it was eradicated in the US, only to come back a three months later when the vaccine losses it's potency  from another country?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No , you changed the quote to support your own narrative.


This is one of HooHoo's favourite tricks, but he's too fucking dumb to realise it's quite easy to spot.

----------


## David48atTD

Not Biden ... but this place will do

----------


## Klondyke

However, I do not know how the owners of forums (not only of this one) will be happy with this presidency:  no longer the huge number of clicks and posts at the POTUS thread... 
Can they survive the next 4 years? (Or will it not take so long?)

----------


## RPETER65

So much winning for Biden

Texas disaster reminds Americans that Biden's green energy initiative is a mindless PR stunt - Washington Times

----------


## bsnub

Oh god. So you actually are here with some bullshit propaganda attempting to claim it was renewable energy that caused the disaster in Texas. You really are dense. 

Renewables account for less than 5% of total output in Texas, so there is no way they had anything to do with the blackout. Everyone who is not a brainwashed moron knows that the natural gas plants went offline due to the cold. That is what cause the outage. 

It has been pointed out that the Washington Times is a propaganda rag owned by the fucking moonies.

----------


## Slick

It’s true that the weather driven failure of TX’s renewable sector didn’t cause or have anything to do with TX’s grid problems. 

It’s also true that Biden’s green initiatives would have made the problems worse, not better, and that renewables are not a viable solution.

----------


## happynz

> It’s also true that Biden’s green initiatives would have made the problems worse, not better, and that renewables are not a viable solution.


That's opinion, not truth.

----------


## baldrick

> and that renewables are not a viable solution.


that would be why renewable power is so cheap - they are selling off deprecated electrons

----------


## David48atTD

Fact check: Renewable energy is not to blame for the Texas energy crisis

*Natural  gas, the state's dominant energy source, has provided drastically less  energy than expected, according to experts and industry data.*


Feb. 18, 2021, 8:42 AM AEST
By Kevin Collier

Almost  immediately after winter storms and extreme cold temperatures first  swept through Texas last Thursday and left millions of residents without  power, prominent conservative politicians and media personalities began  to blame renewable energy.

And while frozen wind turbines have contributed to the state's energy crisis,  that type of energy has only slightly underperformed against published  expectations for winter output. 

Natural gas, the state's dominant energy  source, has provided drastically less energy than expected, according  to experts and industry data.

"Wind  was operating almost as well as expected," said Sam Newell, head of the  electricity group at the Brattle Group, an energy consulting company  that has advised Texas on its power grid.

"It's an order of magnitude smaller" than problems with natural gas, coal and nuclear energy, he said.

Efforts to pin the ongoing crisis on renewable energy gained steam in recent days. Fox News host Tucker Carlson devoted an entire segment  to the claim Monday night, which didn't mention gas failures but did  blame Texas' expansion into wind energy for deaths in the state.

Fact check: Renewable energy is not to blame for the Texas energy crisis

----------


## Slick

> That's opinion, not truth.


If were talking about solar, wind, and batteries in freezing temps, that’s an undeniable fact. The tech isn’t there and will never be. 

Talking about fission or fusion, then yeah it’s totally viable, but this isn’t usually included in green programs.

----------


## David48atTD

> Talking about fission or fusion, then yeah its totally viable, but this isnt usually included in green programs.


Fusion is an AWESOME concept.

So is this ...



About - Snowy Hydro

----------


## AntRobertson

> So much winning for Biden
> 
> Texas disaster reminds Americans that Biden's green energy initiative is a mindless PR stunt - Washington Times


I don't think taking Trump's failed slogan and applying it to Biden just over a month into his term is the sick burn that you imagine it to be.

----------


## AntRobertson

> If were talking about solar, wind, and batteries in freezing temps, that’s an undeniable fact. The tech isn’t there and will never be.




Wind farm, Ross Island Antarctica.




> If were talking about solar, wind, and batteries in freezing temps, that’s an undeniable fact. The tech isn’t there and will never be.
> 
> Talking about fission or fusion, then yeah it’s totally viable, but this isn’t usually included in green programs.


And now Slick will move the goalposts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > over here.

Why can't Trumptards distinguish between fact and opinion. 

 :Dunno:

----------


## Slick

> Fusion is an AWESOME concept.


Fusion is a fantastic concept, and has huge space travel implications as well as global energy. Theres also different types of fission reactors being developed and the Thorium/molten salt reactor is already being trialed in China, While everyone else sleeps on wind and solar. Molten salt reactor - Wikipedia

Have you seen this? Most western nations are a part of it, and China, again, is in on it:

Machine




> So is this ...


Perfect example of renewables that take it all into account. Geography, weather, man-made structures, and longevity.

----------


## Slick

> Wind farm, Ross Island Antarctica.


Thats a supplemental power station. They also use diesel and gas, and its cost effective because of the expense of getting fuel and associated lubricants to....Antartica, and the fact that diesel doesn't keep for long periods, and they go long periods in complete isolation. There are reasons that it makes sense there, and its not about "going green". Its money, logistics, and geography.

----------


## AntRobertson

> And now Slick will move the goalposts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > over here.





> Thats a supplemental power station. They also use diesel and gas, and its cost effective because of the expense of getting fuel and associated lubricants to....Antartica, and the fact that diesel doesn't keep for long periods, and they go long periods in complete isolation. There are reasons that it makes sense there, and its not about "going green". Its money, logistics, and geography.


LULZ.

The failure in Texas was due to decades of GOP controlled deregulation, cost-cutting and climate denial. That's it. They privatize the price-gouging profits they are making now and call to socialize the losses with federal money and they get away with it because of lemmings like you being propagandized into blaming things like the Green New Deal which isn't even a factor--it's like blaming a movie that hasn't even been released for ruining your day.

And note how Biden immediately assisted a state that didn't even vote for him. 

Trump instructed Pence to not even call Dem Governors because he's a petty fuckhead. Ted Cruz voted against Sandy relief for NY, NY’s congresswoman AOC has raised over $4 million and counting for organizations in Texas and Beto O'Rourke who isn't even an elected official mobilized aid efforts while Cruz was shamed into coming home early from holiday.

The two parties are not the same.

----------


## bsnub

> That's opinion, not truth.


Ya he does a lot of that. Carries around his own "facts".




> If were talking about solar, wind, and batteries in  freezing temps, that’s an undeniable fact. The tech isn’t there and  will never be.


Maybe you can explain to me why the wind turbines in the Dakotas don't seem to freeze in the winter.

----------


## David48atTD

*What happened to Texas' power grid?*


 Texass power grid was inundated with a record demand Sunday night as  temperatures dropped and consumers turned to their thermostats for  relief. 

Snow and freezing temperatures are not totally uncommon in many  parts of Texas and certainly not in the western half of the state. But  single-digit temperatures in other parts of the state are.

Combine that  with at least half a foot of snow in the capital as well as other parts  of Texas, and this weeks winter storm was truly unusual. 

 Meanwhile, power suppliers to the states grid were knocked offline  as the weather wreaked havoc on their operating systems. Freezing  temperatures battered gas lines and coal suppliers, which were the bulk  of the suppliers who went offline. 

Wind turbines collected ice and had  to be shut down. 


With fewer power sources feeding the grid, supply could not keep up  with the surge in demand, so the operator of the states electric grid,  the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, instructed  electricity distributors across its network to begin rotating power  outages to its customers, except in places feeding power to critical  facilities, such as hospitals, fire stations and water treatment  plants. 

 Those rolling outages were supposed to last about 10 to 45 minutes  each. But by Tuesday afternoon, millions were still without power in  heat in Texas with no end in sight to the blackouts.

 Everything happened at once, but there was no single point failure,  said Michael Webber, the deputy director of the University of Texas at  Austins Energy Institute. 

The simplest explanation is that supply and  demand got out of balance. The demand is quite high because of heating,  and the supply is constrained by failures in the system and because of  the weather.


Weather-related power outages happen in other places, and that isnt unusual. 

 What's different in Texas is how widespread this is and also that  it's happening in the energy capital of the world, Webber said.
 Texas is the third largest gas producer in the world after Russia and the United States.

 For a state so abundant in energy, to have energy shortages seems  more striking than for a state that depends on others to run out of  energy, Webber said.

Texas is an Energy Producer. Why Are Millions Without Power?

----------


## bsnub

> Wind turbines collected ice and had to be shut down.


Because Texas chose not to winterize them like they do almost everyplace else.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Because Texas chose not to winterize them like they do almost everyplace else.


GOP: government is bad

GOP: [does a bad job governing]

GOP: see

----------


## Klondyke

> And note how Biden immediately assisted a state that didn't even vote for him.


Isn't he the POTUS? of the whole US? How generous from him...

----------


## cyrille

*_sigh_*

Obviously a contrast with the previous incumbent is being implied.

Maybe Coles notes should be supplied to you with every post.  :Sad:

----------


## S Landreth

This nation will smile again: Biden balances grief, hope at White House ceremony mourning 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19


With sunset remarks and a national moment of silence, President Joe Biden on Monday confronted head-on the countrys once-unimaginable loss  half a million Americans in the COVID-19 pandemic  as he tried to strike a balance between mourning and hope.

Addressing the grim, heartbreaking milestone directly and publicly, Biden stepped to a lectern in the White House Cross Hall, unhooked his face mask and delivered an emotion-filled eulogy for more than 500,000 Americans he said he felt he knew.

We often hear people described as ordinary Americans. Theres no such thing, he said Monday evening. Theres nothing ordinary about them. The people we lost were extraordinary.

Just like that, he added, so many of them took their last breath alone.

IQ45 inaction: ‘This nation will smile again’: Biden balances grief, hope at White House ceremony mourning 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19 | KTLA

Covid 19 US deaths and who died


 
IQ45 inaction: 500,000 US Covid-19 deaths, explained in 8 charts and maps

----------


## David48atTD

> *_sigh_*
> 
> Obviously a contrast with the previous incumbent is being implied.
> 
> Maybe Coles notes should be supplied to you with every post.


_Coles Notes_ ... 


> are student guides to literature, published in Canada. 
> The _Coles_ bookstore first published _Coles Notes_ in 1948. 
> The first title published was on the French novella Colomba by Prosper Mérimée.

----------


## jabir

> ‘This nation will smile again’: Biden balances grief, hope at White House ceremony mourning 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19
> 
> 
> With sunset remarks and a national moment of silence, President Joe Biden on Monday confronted head-on the country’s once-unimaginable loss — half a million Americans in the COVID-19 pandemic — as he tried to strike a balance between mourning and hope.
> 
> Addressing the “grim, heartbreaking milestone” directly and publicly, Biden stepped to a lectern in the White House Cross Hall, unhooked his face mask and delivered an emotion-filled eulogy for more than 500,000 Americans he said he felt he knew.
> 
> “We often hear people described as ordinary Americans. There’s no such thing,” he said Monday evening. “There’s nothing ordinary about them. The people we lost were extraordinary.”
> 
> ...


500k American deaths is WWII, Vietnam and Korea combined, no mean feat when we're not even at war with China.

----------


## baldrick

> 500k American deaths


will give corporate bonuses to the insurance company executives - a lot of their expensive clients will have carked it

----------


## S Landreth

> This nation will smile again: Biden balances grief, hope at White House ceremony mourning 500,000 lives lost to COVID-19
> 
> 
> With sunset remarks and a national moment of silence, President Joe Biden on Monday confronted head-on the countrys once-unimaginable loss  half a million Americans in the COVID-19 pandemic  as he tried to strike a balance between mourning and hope.
> 
> Addressing the grim, heartbreaking milestone directly and publicly, Biden stepped to a lectern in the White House Cross Hall, unhooked his face mask and delivered an emotion-filled eulogy for more than 500,000 Americans he said he felt he knew.
> 
> We often hear people described as ordinary Americans. Theres no such thing, he said Monday evening. Theres nothing ordinary about them. The people we lost were extraordinary.
> 
> ...





> 500k American deaths is WWII, Vietnam and Korea combined, no mean feat when we're not even at war with China.


Just awful

----------


## bsnub

That graphic says it all. In the early months the virus was contained to the cities. As it expanded into the red states white deaths exploded. It is no surprise that it also correlates with the levels of infection.

----------


## panama hat

And on a more serious note, NewsMax is certainly trying its level best to woo Fox viewers with their hard-hitting reporting and anti-Biden stories:




So, Bush's dog Milie had several groomers taking care of her . . . imagine if Biden hired people to take care of his dogs . . .


This, to a lesser extent, but why . . . and HOW can people like the Texas Republicans simply flat out lie about something factual?

----------


## Cujo

Jimmy Killel has a good take on it.
Minute 4.00 if you don't want to sit through the rest.

----------


## Klondyke

> That graphic says it all. In the early months the virus was contained to the cities. As it expanded into the red states white deaths exploded. It is no surprise that it also correlates with the levels of infection.


It seems that playing the carts with the granddaughter has helped. Or is it by the huge wall around WH?

----------


## panama hat

English, Loodyke .  .  . try it

----------


## Klondyke

Brain, pH, try it once or twice... But you can stay without as well, no difference...

----------


## panama hat

> pH


Drunk again or still, tovarish?

----------


## Norton

Joe is doing just fine. Doubt he will get all his first choice cabinet picks approved but new Presidents seldom do.

----------


## panama hat

> Doubt he will get all his first choice cabinet picks approved but new Presidents seldom do.


Then he should appoint all those he doesn't get as 'Acting' etc...  And yes, he is doing just fine

----------


## Norton

> Then he should appoint all those he doesn't get as 'Acting' etc


SOP.  :Wink:

----------


## Cujo

> Then he should appoint all those he doesn't get as 'Acting' etc...  And yes, he is doing just fine


Completely agree.
Not like the other side could protest...
But you just KNOW they will.
Just like Ted Gross grilling Merrick Garland, trying to get him to commit to the DOJ not being partisan if he becomes AG.
Like it wasn't under Trump with his tame Bill Barr FFS  :rofl:

----------


## RPETER65

'Urgent' rush to exploit needs to dump billions on Democrats' agenda

----------


## aging one

Repeater strikes again...

_n 1976, Rupert Murdoch, the owner of News Corp, acquired The New York Post and in 1988, Murdoch sold the paper to Real estate developer Peter S. Kalikow. When Kalikow lost the paper to bankruptcy in 1993, Rupert Murdoch once again purchased the paper and continues to own it today. Since Murdoch took over the paper, The Post has been known for its over-the-top sensational headlines._

----------


## RPETER65

> Repeater strikes again...
> 
> _n 1976, Rupert Murdoch, the owner of News Corp, acquired The New York Post and in 1988, Murdoch sold the paper to Real estate developer Peter S. Kalikow. When Kalikow lost the paper to bankruptcy in 1993, Rupert Murdoch once again purchased the paper and continues to own it today. Since Murdoch took over the paper, The Post has been known for its over-the-top sensational headlines._



Nice history of the New York Post. Maybe you could for once actually respond to the content of the post.

----------


## S Landreth

With Congressional Stimulus Fight Looming, 76% of Voters Back $1.9 Trillion Plan, Including 60% of Republicans

----------


## panama hat

> Maybe you could for once actually respond to the content of the post.


You mean respond to a link you posted . . . nothing else.  A link. From a far right idiot-magnet - hence your love of it




> 'Urgent' rush to exploit needs to dump billions on Democrats' agenda

----------


## S Landreth

^Just post in kind thatll refute its argument

Mine with one picture  :Smile: 





> With Congressional Stimulus Fight Looming, 76% of Voters Back $1.9 Trillion Plan, Including 60% of Republicans

----------


## aging one

> Nice history of the New York Post. Maybe you could for once actually respond to the content of the post.


I did. Its owned by Rupert Murdock that is enough for me. For most sane people in fact.

----------


## Klondyke

But in certain cases we do not believe state-owned media, do we? So who to believe? 

Anyway, wasn't it also "Murdock" in NYP who wrote about Hunter's notebook? What actually was the Russians behind that...

Now again the Daily Mail writes something about it (I do not dare to place here the link) - the Russians do not leave us alone...

----------


## panama hat

> But in certain cases we do not believe state-owned media, do we? So who to believe?


Who to believe?

Not Putin, not Xi nor Kim for a start

----------


## RPETER65

> You mean respond to a link you posted . . . nothing else.  A link. From a far right idiot-magnet - hence your love of it



More preferably respond to the talking points in the article but yes that is exactly what I mean. Do you really think I would post something from a far left sight. :smiley laughing:

----------


## RPETER65

> ^Just post in kind that’ll refute its argument
> 
> Mine with one picture



Of course they do anything with free money.

----------


## RPETER65

> I did. Its owned by Rupert Murdock that is enough for me. For most sane people in fact.



I suspect the real reason is you can’t logically refute the garbage pork that Pelosi has put into legislation that should be designed to help people struggling because of a pandemic.

----------


## S Landreth

> Just post in kind that’ll refute its argument


Effortless…..

Biden's aid bill wildly popular with Americans -- except  Republicans in Congress | Reuters

 :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Who to believe?
> 
> Not Putin, not Xi nor Kim for a start


Not to forget Trump, still active. How comfortable to have some for believing (and not thinking)...

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I suspect the real reason is you can’t logically refute the garbage pork that Pelosi has put into legislation that should be designed to help people struggling because of a pandemic.


I didn't hear you say a peep about baldy orange cunto handing billions of dollars in tax cuts to his mates and slapping it on the national debt.

Like all Republicans, you are a hypocritical cretin.

----------


## RPETER65

> I didn't hear you say a peep about baldy orange cunto handing billions of dollars in tax cuts to his mates and slapping it on the national debt.
> 
> Like all Republicans, you are a hypocritical cretin.


As are you for not speaking out on the $1.9 stimulus Bill giving pork money to the wrong people after your harsh criticism of Trumps tax cuts.

----------


## panama hat

You really are devoid of any attachment to realism

----------


## Klondyke

Any link to his actions (and speeches) in Texas?

----------


## cyrille

Surely RT has some illumination? 

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Klondyke

Why not a media of your own country? Not state-controlled. Aren’t they sincere to their readership?

----------


## RPETER65

> You really are devoid of any attachment to realism



According to who?

If its your brand of realism no thank you.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> As are you for not speaking out on the $1.9 stimulus Bill giving pork money to the wrong people after your harsh criticism of Trump’s tax cuts.


Trying to use whataboutism is a pathetic little stunt. Every bill has something in it to assuage representatives' needs to keep their constituents happy, or to satisfy their own particular wonts.

Such is the absurdity of your political system.

The point is, like all good republicans, you don't say a fucking word when it's you doing it, but squeal like little schoolgirls when it's the other side.

Like I said, you are a hypocritical cretin.

----------


## Klondyke

And now the Congessmen are questioning whether it is OK to leave the decision of the nuclear war to one person only. Wondering why they come to this question just now? Is it more difficult then play the Mario Carts?

----------


## Little Chuchok

> The point is, like all good republicans, you don't say a fucking word when it's you doing it, but squeal like little schoolgirls when it's the other side.


Tell me what side doesn't do this. They all do. When people pick "their" side in these arguments, it always brings a smile to my face...

----------


## RPETER65

> Trying to use whataboutism is a pathetic little stunt. Every bill has something in it to assuage representatives' needs to keep their constituents happy, or to satisfy their own particular wonts.
> 
> Such is the absurdity of your political system.
> 
> The point is, like all good republicans, you don't say a fucking word when it's you doing it, but squeal like little schoolgirls when it's the other side.
> 
> Like I said, you are a hypocritical cretin.



No whataboutism here Pelosi has been holding up the help seriously needed by millions who have been without work because of a pandemic and your sorry ass is defending her and Biden. 

By the way how does it feel supporting a President whose own party doesnt trust him with the nuclear suitcase. :smiley laughing:

----------


## S Landreth

House passes Biden's $1.9T coronavirus aid package - POLITICO

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No whataboutism here Pelosi has been holding up the help seriously needed by millions who have been without work because of a pandemic and your sorry ass is defending her and Biden.


The republicans have been holding up the help because they didn't make enough money out of it.

A month in and the Democrats are sending money where it is needed. I bet that rankles with you, all those black people getting aid from the taxpayer.




> By the way how does it feel supporting a President whose own party doesn’t trust him with the nuclear suitcase.


As usual you're being retarded. Biden and the Democrats want to make sure that the next mentally unstable republican president can't launch a nuclear strike which, after the last arsehole morons like you elected, is extremely sensible.

----------


## bsnub

> Yeah, the 15 an hour thing didn't pass.


It passed the house.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^ Yeah, the 15 an hour thing didn't pass.


Well to be precise it never got to the passing or failing stage as it violated the rule they are using.

Although they are trying to find ways to "encourage it" *cough*

Democrats vow to penalize big corporations that don'&#39;'t pay $15 minimum wage

----------


## Cujo

> By the way how does it feel supporting a President whose own party doesnt trust him with the nuclear suitcase.


What's this all about?

And Pelosi hasn't been holding it up, where do you get this shit? You make these statements without posting supporting material.
Please cut and paste the relevant supporting texts/quotes and associated links.

----------


## S Landreth

> where do you get this shit?


 Parler Free Speech Social Network

----------


## bsnub

> It passed the house.





> Well to be precise it never got to the passing or failing stage as it violated the rule they are using.


Wrong




> What's this all about?


Read more it will make you smarter.

----------


## jabir

> Parler Free Speech Social Network


I thought Parler was knobbled; seems quite a lot of that going around nowadays.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

Companies cant afford to pay $15 an hour to their workers.

----------


## Cujo

> It passed the house.





> The progressive Democrat Ilhan Omar has called for the firing of the government official who effectively blocked the party’s plans to raise the minimum wage.
> 
> 
> Democratic plans to include a gradual raise to $15 in Joe Biden’s $1.9tn coronavirus stimulus bill were effectively ended on Thursday when the Senate parliamentarian ruled it should not be part of the package.
> 
> 
> The decision by Elizabeth MacDonough, who has held the non-partisan position since 2012, dashed hopes of including the raise in the bill – the first increase in over a decade.
> 
> 
> ...


Ilhan Omar leads calls to fire Senate official who scuppered $15 wage rise | Democrats | The Guardian

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Wrong
> 
> Read more it will make you smarter.


Derp.

You should follow your own advice snubby.

 :Smile: 




> Sanders rebuked a key decision of the Senate parliamentarian, who determined Thursday evening that a proposed $15 minimum wage hike could not pass under the rules of budget reconciliation.

----------


## RPETER65

> You fucking moron what planet do you live on? Pelosi has been trying to pass the stimulus bill for months. The GOP has been blocking it and refusing checks to working Americans while giving big business massive kickbacks. Pelosi and the Democratic Party in the house just passed a stimulus that will give Americans under a certain income a check for $1400 as well as an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour. That is more than the GOP has ever done for working people and the middle class. 
> 
> You are a pathetic brainwashed imbecile.
> 
> 
> 
> What complete and utter nonsense. After four years of the dumbest and worst president in American history the country could not be in more capable hands.



I’m sure you are correct after all the Dems just rejected a bid by the Republicans to transfer funds slated to a Bay Area railroad to mental healthcare for children.

----------


## bsnub

> I’m sure you are correct after all the Dems just rejected a bid by the Republicans to transfer funds slated to a Bay Area railroad to mental healthcare for children.


Do you have a credible link for that? It seems funny that after all the years the GOP has tried to strip giving people including children with preexisting conditions healthcare that you are dumb enough to actually believe that. The GOP couldn't care less about kids or anyone else's healthcare. Once again you are a massive hypocrite.

----------


## Klondyke

> Companies cant afford to pay $15 an hour to their workers.


Proud to live in a country where everybody is paid what he deserves (and praise the system)

----------


## RPETER65

> Companies cant afford to pay $15 an hour to their workers.



Theres little doubt the large corporations can afford to $15.00 its the small businesses struggling to survive that will be decimated.

----------


## RPETER65

> Do you have a credible link for that? It seems funny that after all the years the GOP has tried to strip giving people including children with preexisting conditions healthcare that you are dumb enough to actually believe that. The GOP couldn't care less about kids or anyone else's healthcare. Once again you are a massive hypocrite.


Democrats Reject GOP Stimulus Amendment To Move $100M+ From Silicon Valley Subway To Children’s Mental Health | The Daily Wire

----------


## harrybarracuda

HAHAHAHA Here's Repeater trying to convince us the Republicans give a fuck about health care!

 :rofl:

----------


## bsnub

More propaganda. Where is the standalone bill for Children's mental health? Republicans  won't draft it. It's almost like this was a purely political tactic and  Republicans don't really want money going to children's mental health. The motion was to reset the whole process over 0.007% of the total cost.  This was not a serious motion, just political grandstanding. Which, of  course, is all the Republicans have anymore.

BTW that is not a credible source. If the GOP are serious about children mental health they can draft a standalone bill. As I said above. They will not do it. Full of shit.

----------


## RPETER65

> More propaganda. Where is the standalone bill for Children's mental health? Republicans  won't draft it. It's almost like this was a purely political tactic and  Republicans don't really want money going to children's mental health. The motion was to reset the whole process over 0.007% of the total cost.  This was not a serious motion, just political grandstanding. Which, of  course, is all the Republicans have anymore.
> 
> BTW that is not a credible source. If the GOP are serious about children mental health they can draft a standalone bill. As I said above. They will not do it. Full of shit.


Everything that doesn’t come from your liberal thought chamber is propaganda . Probably better stated everything that refutes your posts to you is propaganda. The fact is a proposal to transfer money in the Covid relief bill from Pelosi’s Bart system to children’s mental health,by the Republicans,was shot down by the Democrats. 

Why shouldn’t the Republicans vote against the stand alone bill the money in the Covid relief bill for Bart has nothing to do with Covid relief and could be well used for children’s mental health and there would be no need for a stand alone bill. Let Pelosi bring up her own stand alone bill to fund her Bart system.

----------


## RPETER65

> HAHAHAHA Here's Repeater trying to convince us the Republicans give a fuck about health care!



I would never try convincing you of anything you are mostly to thick to even comprehend.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I would never try convincing you of anything you are mostly to thick to even comprehend.


You are incapable of convincing anyone of anything that describes the Republicans as being humane.

Primarily because you are too stupid to even come up with a convincing argument.

----------


## bsnub

This article proves that you just got sucked into the bullshit zone of right wing propaganda...

“Nancy Pelosi’s subway.” That’s what Congressional Republicans have  christened the project extending BART service through downtown San Jose,  which is set to receive an estimated $141 million from the COVID  stimulus package the House is expected to pass Friday.

 The South Bay BART extension isn’t even in Pelosi’s district.

 But Republicans have made the connection as they argue Democrats are  loading the $1.9 trillion relief package with pork: House Minority  Leader Kevin McCarthy referred to the project as “Nancy Pelosi’s subway”  at a press conference he called to criticize it Friday, and Senate  Republicans called it “Nancy Pelosi’s Silicon Valley subway” in a tweet Wednesday.

Call it the political equivalent of a 49ers TV broadcast that shows  the Golden Gate Bridge, when the game is being played in Santa Clara.  Zoe Lofgren and Ro Khanna, who represent the South Bay turf where the  four new stations will go, aren’t nearly as big of villains to  Republicans as the House Speaker.

 The jabs harken back to another stimulus debate, when conservative media falsely claimed that $30 million  in a 2009 relief package during the Great Recession was earmarked for  protecting “Pelosi’s mouse,” referring to the endangered Salt Marsh  Harvest Mouse in San Francisco Bay.

 In a more geographically accurate criticism of the BART funding, a  spokesman for Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee told Fox  Business, which first reported on the allocation, that the funding was an earmark helping “Big Tech.”

 Republicans have also highlighted local concerns about the rising cost  and slipping schedule of the $6.9 billion BART extension, which will  run from the newly opened Berryessa Station on the north side of San  Jose through downtown and back up to Santa Clara. The extension is the  largest infrastructure project in Santa Clara County’s history — the  $141 million allocation in the stimulus would represent just 2% of its  total cost — and is expected to open by 2030.

 But the BART extension is far from the only project on the list. The  package includes money for infrastructure improvements all over the  country and gives a total of $30.5 billion to struggling public transportation agencies nationwide.

 Elsewhere in the Bay Area, estimates show the package would provide  $47 million to the project electrifying Caltrain service, Metropolitan  Transportation Commission spokesman Randy Rentschler said. Other  programs to increase BART’s capacity through the Transbay Tube and build  Muni’s central subway — ones that actually are in Pelosi’s district —  would get $77 million and $23 million, respectively.

 Those projects weren’t hand-picked by Pelosi or anyone else,  Rentschler said. Instead, they’re getting the money because they had  previously been approved for federal funding, in many cases under the  Trump administration.

 Anyone up in arms over the $141 million for the San Jose BART  extension should note that the project is slated to receive more than 10  times that much — over $1.7 billion — in federal funding, via a grant  from the U.S. Department of Transportation that has been in the works  for years. The department’s Federal Transit Administration has already  given the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which is building  the extension, $225 million toward that allocation.

 VTA spokeswoman Bernice Alaniz said the $141 million included in the  COVID bill is separate from the Department of Transportation grant, and  is “intended to help with the local share for the project,” which may be  affected by the uncertain pandemic economy. Three-quarters of the  project’s cost is coming from local sources, such as sales taxes and  bridge toll hikes that were approved by voters.

 “It’s not as though this project or these projects fell out of thin  air,” Rentschler said. The goal, he said, is “to put money into these  projects so the projects don’t slow down.”

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/...elosis-subway/

----------


## RPETER65

> This article proves that you just got sucked into the bullshit zone of right wing propaganda...
> 
> Nancy Pelosis subway. Thats what Congressional Republicans have  christened the project extending BART service through downtown San Jose,  which is set to receive an estimated $141 million from the COVID  stimulus package the House is expected to pass Friday.
> 
>  The South Bay BART extension isnt even in Pelosis district.
> 
>  But Republicans have made the connection as they argue Democrats are  loading the $1.9 trillion relief package with pork: House Minority  Leader Kevin McCarthy referred to the project as Nancy Pelosis subway  at a press conference he called to criticize it Friday, and Senate  Republicans called it Nancy Pelosis Silicon Valley subway in a tweet Wednesday.
> 
> Call it the political equivalent of a 49ers TV broadcast that shows  the Golden Gate Bridge, when the game is being played in Santa Clara.  Zoe Lofgren and Ro Khanna, who represent the South Bay turf where the  four new stations will go, arent nearly as big of villains to  Republicans as the House Speaker.
> ...



So what do these projects have to do with COVID relief?

----------


## bsnub

> So what do these projects have to do with COVID relief?


It is a stimulus bill as I said before. It is providing COVID-19 relief and stimulating the economy at the same time. As was mentioned in the article public transportation agencies across the nation are struggling right now because people are not commuting but working from home.  Revenue is down across the board due to COVID and many have been laid off, so they need help that is COVID relief plain and simple.

It is really pretty simple to understand if you are not buried in the right wing fever swamps.

----------


## aging one

> It is really pretty simple to understand if you are not buried in the right wing fever swamps.


He is buried in the right wing fever swamp, drinking Kool Aid and crying. As it seems he will be for the next 8 years.   50,000,000 does of vaccine delivered even with no plan to begin with.

----------


## Cujo

Apparently, despite a lot of big talk, Republicans AREN'T interested in rebuilding infrastructure after all.

----------


## RPETER65

> It is a stimulus bill as I said before. It is providing COVID-19 relief and stimulating the economy at the same time. As was mentioned in the article public transportation agencies across the nation are struggling right now because people are not commuting but working from home.  Revenue is down across the board due to COVID and many have been laid off, so they need help that is COVID relief plain and simple.
> 
> It is really pretty simple to understand if you are not buried in the right wing fever swamps.


Yes the US does need stimulus in the jobs market so what does your hero Joe do eliminate thousands of jobs with the stroke of his pen go figure eh

----------


## S Landreth

> so what does your hero Joe do eliminate thousands of jobs with the stroke of his pen go figure eh


Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Key to gaining bipartisan support for action on climate change?

----------


## panama hat

> you are mostly to thick


Oh, the irony. 


Has repeater accepted that Trump lost and Biden is HIS president yet?

----------


## RPETER65

> You really are an epic level moron.



Did Joe put thousands out of work by stopping key stone or didnt he?

----------


## RPETER65

> Oh, the irony. 
> 
> 
> Has repeater accepted that Trump lost and Biden is HIS president yet?


I had no problem accepting the fact that Biden won the election. 

Do you have a problem accepting the fact that not all conservative Republicans are of the conspiracy group.

----------


## RPETER65

> More Breitbart bullshit. You are an imbecile who swallows the bullshit without question. The stupid orange wanker YOU voted for destroyed the economy and jobs with his ineptitude.



Did Biden put thousands out of work by stopping the key stone project or not,simple question yes or no?

----------


## RPETER65

> Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Key to gaining bipartisan support for action on climate change?




Adding those jobs will be great but are these jobs displaced key stone workers can readily walk into and start drawing a paycheck?

----------


## RPETER65

> He eliminated a load of TEMPORARY jobs you fucking moron. Once the pipeline was completed it would be run by a handful of people.
> 
> They lose a few months work and they will be supported by the STIMULUS bill that your greedy Republicans kept blocking.
> 
> And plans to develop renewable energy will create jobs as well.
> 
> Is this the best your tiny senile brain can come up with?


You might want to ask the displaced workers how they feel about that.

So you think a one time stimulus check and a bit of unemployment will make up for their paychecks?

----------


## S Landreth

> Adding those jobs will be great but are these jobs displaced key stone workers can readily walk into and start drawing a paycheck?


They were given a 2 ½ month notice

----------


## bsnub

Keystone jobs were only going to be 4-8 months long and the negatives in the long run far out weigh the positives. 




> Here are 5 reasons why building the Keystone pipeline is bad for the economy — and workers.
> 
> *1. Building the Keystone pipeline and opening up the Tar Sands will negatively impact national and local economies:* Burning the recoverable tar sands oil will increase the earth’s temperature by a minimum of 2 degree Celsius, which NYU Law School’s Environmental Law Center estimates  could permanently cut the US GDP by 2.5%. At the same time state and  local economies are already buckling under the real-time economic  effects of our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. In the past two  years, the vast majority of U.S. counties  ““ 67 percent ““ were affected by at least one of the eleven $1 billion  dollar extreme weather events. Superstorm Sandy alone caused an  estimated $80 billion in damage. The drought that affected 80% of US  farmland last summer destroyed a quarter of the US corn crop and did at  least $20 billion damage to the economy.
> 
> *2. The same fossil fuel interests pushing the Keystone pipeline have been cutting, not creating, jobs:*  Despite generating $546 billion in profits between 2005 and 2010,  ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP reduced their U.S. workforce by  11,200 employees over that period. In 2010 alone, the top five oil  companies slashed their global workforce by 4,400 employees “” the same  year executives paid themselves nearly $220 million. But at least those  working in the industry as a whole get paid high wages, right? Turns out  that 40 percent of U.S oil-industry jobs consist of minimum-wage work  at gas stations. Instead of bankrolling an industry that is laying off  workers and threatening our economic future, isn’t it time to take the  billions in subsidies going to oil companies and invest instead in a  sector that both creates jobs and protects the planet?
> 
> *3. Unemployment will rise:* According to Mark Zandi,  the Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics: “Superstorm Sandy wreaked  havoc on the job market in November, slicing an estimated 86,000 jobs  from payrolls.” In the wake of Hurricane Irene, the number of workers  filing unemployment claims in Vermont went from 731 before Irene to 1,331 two weeks afterwards.  Hurricane Katrina wiped out 129,000 jobs in the New Orleans region “”  nearly 20 percent. For the U.S. economy as a whole, 2011 cost US taxpayers $52 billion.
> 
> *4. Poor and working people will be disproportionately affected:*  KXL and projects like it result in disproportionately negative impact  on already struggling working families. According to a recent report by  the Center for American Progress called “Heavy Weather: How Climate Destruction Harms Middle- and Lower-Income Americans,  lower-and middle income households are disproportionately affected by  the most expensive extreme weather events. Sixteen states were afflicted  by five or more extreme weather events in 2011-12. Households in  disaster-declared counties in these states earn $48,137, or seven  percent below the U.S. median income.
> ...


https://www.labor4sustainability.org...r-the-economy/

----------


## panama hat

> Do you have a problem accepting the fact that not all conservative Republicans are of the conspiracy group.


Oh yes, I have a few friends who aren't conspiracy nuts . . . unlike you

----------


## RPETER65

> Keystone jobs were only going to be 4-8 months long and the negatives in the long run far out weigh the positives. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 5 Reasons Why the Keystone Pipeline is Bad for the Economy - Labor Network for Sustainability



The negatives such as transporting oil by truck and railway?

----------


## RPETER65

> Oh yes, I have a few friends who aren't conspiracy nuts . . . unlike you



I don’t suppose you could show any conspiracies that I have posted on speakers corner no of course you can’t because there are none.

----------


## RPETER65

> They were given a 2 ½ month notice



You think receiving 2 months notice makes it ok to loose your job for no good reason. Other than politics there was absolutely no reason to shut down the pipeline.

----------


## bsnub

> You think receiving 2 months notice makes it ok to loose your job for no good reason.


A job that was only going to last for 4-8 months is a pretty shit job to me.




> Other than politics there was absolutely no reason to shut down the pipeline.


Clearly you have reading comprehension problems as the article I posted clearly points out the negatives. 

You are getting utterly destroyed tonight. You started off with the "Pelosi subway" bullshit and when that was exposed as utter bullshit you changed the topic to keystone and once again are getting crushed.

 :rofl:

----------


## RPETER65

> A job that was only going to last for 4-8 months is a pretty shit job to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Clearly you have reading comprehension problems as the article I posted clearly points out the negatives. 
> 
> You are getting utterly destroyed tonight. You started off with the "Pelosi subway" bullshit and when that was exposed as utter bullshit you changed the topic to keystone and once again are getting crushed.



Only in your wildest dreams and imaginations

----------


## bsnub

> Only in your wildest dreams and imaginations


You are beyond stupid. You suffer from Dunning-Kruger effect like most trumpanzees.

----------


## RPETER65

> A job that was only going to last for 4-8 months is a pretty shit job to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Clearly you have reading comprehension problems as the article I posted clearly points out the negatives. 
> 
> You are getting utterly destroyed tonight. You started off with the "Pelosi subway" bullshit and when that was exposed as utter bullshit you changed the topic to keystone and once again are getting crushed.


I assume you have no connection to construction work. That 4 to 8 months would go a long way until your hero Joe’s infrastructure jobs would mature and keep them off the dole. But you liberals like keeping people on government dependence aye.

----------


## bsnub

> I assume you have no connection to construction work. That 4 to 8 months would go a long way until your hero Joe’s infrastructure jobs would mature and keep them off the dole.


You are clueless once again. A short term gain for a long term loss. Sadly you are to stupid to see that. 




> keeping people on government dependence aye.


Better than idiots like you who would rather have people out on the streets and in bread lines during a pandemic. 

Scumbag.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You might want to ask the displaced workers how they feel about that.
> 
> So you think a one time stimulus check and a bit of unemployment will make up for their paychecks?


No, I think getting straight to work on infrastructure and renewables projects would employ them quite well.

You remember when the bald orange turd promised $500 billion infrastructure spending? Yeah, more republican bullshit.

They won't do anything unless they make money out of it.

Biden will actually do something.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You think receiving 2 months notice makes it ok to loose your job for no good reason. Other than politics there was absolutely no reason to shut down the pipeline.


There was no need to build this pipeline other than to satisfy the demands of big oil to make more money and top up more republican campaign funds.

Well fuck them.

----------


## S Landreth

> You think receiving 2 months notice makes it ok to loose your job for no good reason. Other than politics there was absolutely no reason to shut down the pipeline.





> loose your job for no good reason.


Did you miss the post-it note on the forehead of every reputable climate scientist last month?




> Met Office - 2020 ends earths warmest 10 years on record
> 
> The HadCRUT5 global temperature series, produced by the Met Office, University of East Anglia and UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science, shows that the average for 2020 as a whole was 1.28±0.08°C above pre-industrial levels, taken as the average over the period 1850-1900. This makes 2020 nominally the second warmest year in the datasets record.
> 
> Data from a number of climate monitoring centres including the Met Office, NASA and NOAA are compiled by scientists at the Met Office for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to create its central annual global mean temperature estimate. The collection of datasets that make up the WMO figure all show that the previous 10 years were the warmest on record. In addition, they also all place 2020 in the top three years on record.
> 
> The ranking of second warmest in the HadCRUT5 datasets record is despite a transition into La Niña conditions in late 2020, which typically suppress global temperatures. Temperatures in the warmest year, 2016, were elevated by El Niño conditions which can increase global temperatures by around +0.2°C.
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## RPETER65

> You are clueless once again. A short term gain for a long term loss. Sadly you are to stupid to see that. 
> 
> 
> 
> Better than idiots like you who would rather have people out on the streets and in bread lines during a pandemic. 
> 
> Scumbag.


So working for a decent wage is not better than depending on the government?

----------


## RPETER65

> You are clueless once again. A short term gain for a long term loss. Sadly you are to stupid to see that. 
> 
> 
> 
> Better than idiots like you who would rather have people out on the streets and in bread lines during a pandemic. 
> 
> Scumbag.


And exactly what is the long term loss?

----------


## aging one

> So working for a decent wage is not better than depending on the government?


Desperate much?

----------


## RPETER65

> There was no need to build this pipeline other than to satisfy the demands of big oil to make more money and top up more republican campaign funds.
> 
> Well fuck them.


Oh getting trucks transporting oil off the roads and trains transporting oil off the tracks is no good reason all spreading your dreaded carbon emissions

----------


## RPETER65

> Did you miss the post-it note on the forehead of every reputable climate scientist last month?



Stopping the pipeline will add nothing to stopping global warming trucks and trans spewing carbon will transport the oil.

----------


## RPETER65

> Desperate much?



No actually I am desperate for nothing.

----------


## aging one

> No actually I ham desperate for nothing.


Is that a typo, surely you meant spam.

----------


## RPETER65

> Is that a typo, surely you meant spam.



Why yes it is a typo Han should be am as was indicated by an edit

----------


## Klondyke

> Very simple. When renewables replace fossils, there is no need to transport oil at all,You are an idiot.


Then a windwheel will be in every village, no need for the wooden OverHead posts, no need for the gas lines not buried in unfrostable depth,  Biden spot on.

----------


## RPETER65

> More propaganda. Where is the standalone bill for Children's mental health? Republicans  won't draft it. It's almost like this was a purely political tactic and  Republicans don't really want money going to children's mental health. The motion was to reset the whole process over 0.007% of the total cost.  This was not a serious motion, just political grandstanding. Which, of  course, is all the Republicans have anymore.
> 
> BTW that is not a credible source. If the GOP are serious about children mental health they can draft a standalone bill. As I said above. They will not do it. Full of shit.



GOP senator from Arizona proposes stripping the pork and giving qualifying individuals $10,000 stimulus checks.

Third Stimulus Check: GOP Senator Proposes $10,000 Direct Payments Be Included In Relief Bill

----------


## lom

> GOP senator from Arizona proposes stripping the pork and giving qualifying individuals $10,000 stimulus checks.


How generous of him to do that now when the Democrats are in majority and not do it earlier...

----------


## Norton

> GOP senator from Arizona proposes stripping the pork and giving qualifying individuals $10,000 stimulus checks.


Strange this Senator has a guy with the exact same name in the House.

----------


## bsnub

> GOP senator from Arizona


Arizona has no GOP Senators. 

 :smiley laughing: 

The moron got clowned again posting bullshit propaganda.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So that’s it refinery in Calif. changing to vegetable oil and fat to produce diesel and the oil industry is done.


Try reading past the first paragraph you gibbering simpleton.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Arizona has no GOP Senators. 
> 
> 
> 
> The moron got clowned again posting bullshit propaganda.


I think he gets his news from the Pony Express.

----------


## panama hat

> Arizona has no GOP Senators. 
> 
> 
> 
> The moron got clowned again posting bullshit propaganda.


Good lord . . . he is so deep in his bubble . . .

----------


## RPETER65

> Arizona has no GOP Senators. 
> 
> 
> 
> The moron got clowned again posting bullshit propaganda.



GOP Senator Paul Gosar made the proposal and he is from Arizona

Paul Anthony Gosar is an American former dentist who serves as the U.S. Representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district since 2013. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district until redistricting. Wikipedia

Ok Representative Gosar .

Sorry

----------


## bsnub

> GOP Senator Paul Gosar made the proposal and he is from Arizona


 :smiley laughing: 

Arizona's two Senators are Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly. Both Democrats.

But your propaganda just hast to be right eh?

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## nidhogg

> GOP Senator Paul Gosar made the proposal and he is from Arizona
> 
> Paul Anthony Gosar is an American former dentist who serves as the U.S. Representative for Arizona's 4th congressional district since 2013. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district until redistricting. Wikipedia
> 
> Ok Representative Gosar .
> 
> Sorry


Now, I am not an American, but I thought that Senators were appointed to the Senate, while Gosar sits in the House of Representatives (i.e. very not a Senator) and as such is Representative Gosar, not Senator Gosar?

please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

----------


## bsnub

> Senators were appointed to the Senate


Each state has two Senators, and they are elected by the voters every six years. They then serve in the Senate which is separate from the House. The House and the Senate are the two parts of the legislative branch of American government. Otherwise, known as the Congress.




> as such is Representative Gosar, not Senator Gosar?


He most definitely not a Senator and  the fact is that repeater666 is a buffoon for even thinking so. He believes all the bullshit propaganda he reads without questioning any of it.

----------


## S Landreth

> Very simple. When renewables replace fossils, there is no need to transport oil at all, you feeble minded imbecile.
> 
> And since oil demand is in the shitter, there is certainly no need for the expensive-to-extract, low quality shit in Canada.
> 
> Biden is spot on.


And from now on these types of projects will never ever see the light of day

Friday's notice, posted on the Office of Management and Budget website, fulfills a promise Biden made on Inauguration Day when he signed an executive order on climate change that called for a recalculation of the social cost of carbon, which the Trump administration had sharply reduced.

Economists and environmentalists had pushed the Biden administration to fundamentally change the climate modeling that's used to calculate social costs in ways that would increase the figure and thereby make federal approval of fossil fuel projects harder to justify.

Biden hikes cost of carbon, easing path for new climate rules - POLITICO

Much older news - Yet now that the pipeline application has been denied, the additional cost of transporting oil by rail costs would come into play. In the plausible scenario of $60-$80 oil, this added transportation cost differential would mean that less oil sands resources would be developed.

If the US had price on carbon, would Keystone XL have made sense?

----------


## bsnub

> less oil sands resources would be developed.


Which is exactly what we want. Simply put there will be no rail or truck transport of that shit tar sands oil across the northern border.

----------


## OhOh

Will the current inhabitant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 be able to reverse the trend?



Is the American Dream Still Alive? — Strategic Culture

----------


## RPETER65

> Which is exactly what we want. Simply put there will be no rail or truck transport of that shit tar sands oil across the northern border.



What is your estimate on the time line?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> What is your estimate on the time line?


What does it matter?

The sooner the better.

----------


## bsnub

> What is your estimate on the time line?


Just how many times are you planning to make a fool of yourself in this thread?  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Will the current inhabitant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20500 be able to reverse the trend?


Who would doubt? Isn't the current inhabitant a known "leftist"? So, the leftists are always against the huge profits of the richest, they aim for distributing the wealth among the population, don't they? (e.g. minimum hourly wage - to say the least)

----------


## S Landreth

> What is your estimate on the time line?


Last year  :Smile: 

Covid-19 is closing Canada’s carbon-intensive oil sands for business

----------


## bsnub

> Last year


 :rofl:

----------


## RPETER65

> Just how many times are you planning to make a fool of yourself in this thread?



In other words you wont answer.

----------


## bsnub

> In other words you won’t answer.


The question was answered already by other posters you nitwit.

----------


## RPETER65

> The question was answered already by other posters you nitwit.



My question was not answered by other poster I asked for YOUR timeline.

----------


## RPETER65

Blackout: White House curbs press, public access as Biden struggles with public demands of job | Just The News

----------


## S Landreth

COVID-19 relief package includes major expansion of Obamacare

----------


## RPETER65

What a Biden Presidency Means for the Auto Industry … and You

----------


## tomcat

^...Just the News... :rofl: ...

"Overall, we rate Just the News Borderline Questionable and Right Biased based on story selection that mostly favors a conservative perspective. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to several failed fact checks over a short period of time."

John Solomon serves as the Editor-in-Chief. Solomon was formerly a journalist with The Hill, leaving the paper in October 2019. Solomon’s reporting has been described as conspiratorial and pro-Trump.



https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/just-the-news/
*

*

----------


## panama hat

> John Solomon serves as the Editor-in-Chief. Solomon was formerly a journalist with The Hill, leaving the paper in October 2019. Solomon’s reporting has been described as conspiratorial and pro-Trump.


Right-wing nutjobs will grab anything they can to give them hope . . .

----------


## Cujo

> Blackout: White House curbs press, public access as Biden struggles with public demands of job | Just The News


"blackout"  :rofl:  Piss weak.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden Does It Again, Nukes 1,500 Jobs That Would Have Paid $150 Million Per Year

----------


## bsnub

^

A copper mine that would strip Native Americans of land they consider sacred. From your own article...




> The Resolution Copper Project involves a land swap involving more than  2,000 acres of land that several Native American tribes consider sacred.





> “This is the right move by the Department of Agriculture,” said San  Carlos Apache Tribe Chairman Terry Rambler in a statement, according to  The Republic. ‘
>  “The Resolution project will desecrate Chich’il Bildagoteel, also  known as Oak Flat, which is the heart of our religious and cultural  beliefs.”


Typical trumpanzee scumbaggery. Fuck that mine.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Neera Tanden has withdrawn her nomination because the GOP snowflakes have hurt feelings.

----------


## RPETER65

Also from the article facts about the mines deep mining and the limited environmental impact seems there could be a resolution that would provide nearly 1500 jobs and satisfy the Indians. Oh no of course not keep more people on the dole keep them under the governments thumb.

----------


## aging one

> facts



No right wing opinions.

----------


## bsnub

> seems there could be a resolution that would provide nearly 1500 jobs and satisfy the Indians.


Fuck that mine.

The Biden administration  has put the brakes on a controversial land exchange that would have  given a sacred Native American site to a multinational mining company by  11 March.

 Parts of the handover had been rushed to completion in the waning  days of the Trump administration, in an effort to give Resolution Copper  control over Arizona’s Oak Flat region before or soon after Trump left  office. Oak Flat sits atop one of the largest untapped copper deposits  in the world, estimated to be worth more than $1bn.

 Now the government “has concluded that additional time is necessary  to understand concerns raised by the Tribes and the public and the  project’s impacts to these important resources”, according to a  statement by the US Forest Service, which is currently in charge of Oak  Flat.

 The agency also noted it was following a recent memorandum from Joe  Biden encouraging tribal consultation on federal decisions and  “strengthening nation to nation relationships”. The Forest Service  estimated it would take “several months” to complete the consultations  before the land transfer could possibly move forward.

 Called Chi’chil Bildagoteel in Apache, Oak Flat is listed on the  National Register of Historic Places for its spiritual and cultural  significance to at least a dozen south-west Native American tribes. It  contains hundreds of indigenous archaeological sites dating back 1,500  years.

 “This is the right move,” said Terry Rambler, chairman of the San  Carlos Apache Tribe. The government “failed to follow the law in the  preparation of a sham environmental impact statement that was used to  justify trading away our sacred land to wealthy foreign mining  companies”.

 The San Carlos Apache Tribe currently has a lawsuit pending in US  district court in Phoenix that seeks to stop the land transfer, which  would have given the 2,422-acre Oak Flat parcel to Resolution Copper in  exchange for land elsewhere in the state.

 While tribes and environmental groups celebrated the Forest Service  announcement, they noted the threat of losing Oak Flat remains. “Oak  Flat is still on death row,” said Michael Nixon, an attorney for the  indigenous activist group Apache Stronghold. “The Forest Service is just  changing the execution date.”

Apache Stronghold filed a lawsuit in US district court in January  arguing that the potential destruction of Oak Flat infringes on Native  Americans’ ability to practice their religion. The Forest Service’s  announcement on Monday, that it was withdrawing an environmental  approval that was published in January, came just six hours before the  agency was required to respond to an appeal filed by Apache Stronghold  seeking an emergency injunction on the land exchange.

 A representative for Resolution Copper said that the company “is  evaluating the Forest Service’s decision” and is “committed to ongoing  consultation with Native American Tribes and local communities”.

 The land transfer to Resolution Copper – a partnership of the  Anglo-Australian mining firms Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton – was  authorized unbeknownst to tribes in 2014.
 In its statement, the Forest Service said that because of legal  mandates dictating the land exchange, “long-term protection of the site  will likely require an act of Congress”.
 Such a measure is ready to go, according to the Arizona  representative Raúl Grijalva, who said he plans to reintroduce his Save  Oak Flat Act “in the coming days”. The bill calls for the repeal of the  land exchange legislation and was previously co-sponsored in the Senate  by Bernie Sanders.

 “This fight has never been about just one site,” said Grijalva, who  chairs the House natural resources committee. “It’s about ending the  cycle of ignoring tribal input whenever it suits polluters.”
 Now that the clock has been paused and the ball passed to Congress,  Grijalva is hopeful a final resolution is in sight with a  Democratic-controlled House and Senate. “The Biden administration is  doing the right thing with this reset,” he said. “I intend to make sure  this needless controversy is settled on the side of justice once and for  all.”

 Last month, the independent Advisory Council on Historic Preservation  announced it would not give its approval to the Forest Service’s  mining-damage mitigation plan. It noted the Forest Service had  determined the mine would not only destroy Oak Flat but also  “potentially affect more than 500 sites eligible for listing on the  National Register of Historic Places”.

Biden administration pauses transfer of holy Native American land to mining firm | Native Americans | The Guardian

----------


## RPETER65

Also from the article facts about the mines deep mining and the limited environmental impact seems there could be a resolution that would provide nearly 1500 jobs and satisfy the Indians. Oh no of course not keep more people on the dole keep them under the governments thumb.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden's climate moves will cost thousands of jobs

----------


## bsnub

> Oh no of course not keep more people on the dole keep them under the governments thumb.


Do you have a link to prove that the people who would be getting these jobs would be on the dole otherwise? If not then shut the fuck up.

----------


## RPETER65

Also from the article facts about the mines deep mining and the limited environmental impact seems there could be a resolution that would provide nearly 1500 jobs and satisfy the Indians. Oh no of course not keep more people on the dole keep them under the governments thumb.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden won White House with 'put your dumb uncle in the basement' strategy: book

----------


## Cujo

> Neera Tanden has withdrawn her nomination because the GOP snowflakes have hurt feelings.


She's an unqualified kunt.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> She's an unqualified kunt.


You're right, but didn't it just wind up the republitards?

 :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden won White House with 'put your dumb uncle in the basement' strategy: book



Actually I think he won it by simply not being a lying, retarded, racist, orange wanker.

Sounds like a great read:




> The tome says that in May, Trump watched Biden give a CNN interview and afterward asked top aide Kellyanne Conway, “What do you think?’’
> 
> 
> Conway replied, “I think if we lose to him, we are pathetic,’’ the book says.


Conway admits they are pathetic. Finally!

----------


## bsnub

> Also from the article facts


They are not facts you buffoon. They are the opinion of one man. 




> about the mines deep mining and the limited environmental impact seems there could be a resolution that would provide nearly 1500 jobs and satisfy the Indians.


Except that the study is bogus because it was done by the Trump administration and the Indians could NOT be satisfied, and they have made that clear in the article I posted. So once again you talking out of your ass.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

America has lost the plot , and is dissenting into madness. 
If someone said any of these things a few years ago we would have called them crazy and laughed at them, , now they are reported as every  day news.
So:
"_US Capitol Police beef up security for March 4 amid concerns over QAnon conspiracy theory_ "

 "_The United States Capitol Police said it has beefed up security on Capitol Hill this week due to "concerning information and intelligence" related to March 4, the date that far-right conspiracy theorists believe former President Donald Trump will return to power._ "

"_The threats appear to stem from QAnon, the umbrella term for a set of disproven and discredited internet conspiracy theories that allege the world is run by a secret cabal of Satan-worshipping cannibalistic pedophiles. Followers of the fringe movement believe that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was stolen from Trump_ " 

And as if the above was not enough , here comes the good part:

"_QAnon followers also believed that Trump would not actually leave office on Inauguration Day but rather would declare martial law, announce mass arrests of Democrats and stop Joe Biden from becoming president. When that didn't happen, the date was moved from Jan. 20 to March 4, the original inauguration day for all U.S. presidents prior to 1933._ "

----------


## harrybarracuda

How can  70 million people become so retarded.

I'm starting to believe chemtrails are real.  *









* joking.

----------


## AntRobertson

> GOP senator from Arizona proposes stripping the pork and giving qualifying individuals $10,000 stimulus checks.
> 
> Third Stimulus Check: GOP Senator Proposes $10,000 Direct Payments Be Included In Relief Bill


Gosar is not a senator but he is a racist, a liar and a awful human being whose own siblings urged people not to vote for.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden admin locks ICE Twitter account used to alert public to fugitive illegal immigrants | American Military News

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden admin locks ICE Twitter account used to alert public to fugitive illegal immigrants | American Military News


I bet you were fucking glued to that, weren't you?

----------


## RPETER65

> I bet you were fucking glued to that, weren't you?



Just sharing the accomplishments of your hero.

----------


## RPETER65

White House cuts virtual event feed after Biden says he'&#39;'s '&#39;'happy to take questions'&#39;' from House Democrats | Fox News

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Just sharing the accomplishments of your hero.


It's a brilliant accomplishment. Now baldy orange loser's Nazi stormtroopers will have to find something else to do.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> White House cuts virtual event feed after Biden says he'&#39;'s '&#39;'happy to take questions'&#39;' from House Democrats | Fox News


It's hilarious that Fox are complaining:




> *The 46th president has yet to hold a formal press conference seven weeks after taking office*


Never said a word when baldy orange cunto went 300 fucking days without a presser.

Forget the fact Biden is actually busy doing the job of President, not playing fucking Golf.

More Republican hypocrisy.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Just sharing the accomplishments of your hero.


Repeater denigrates a man who goes to church every Sunday, voted for one who fucked a porn star just after his third wife has given birth.

'Christian values' aye.

----------


## Klondyke

> Never said a word when baldy orange cunto went 300 fucking days without a presser.
> 
> Forget the fact Biden is actually busy doing the job of President, not playing fucking Golf.
> 
> More Republican hypocrisy.


"300 fucking days" without a presser? That's 10 months... (a "recognized" source?) 

So, who was the one fighting CNN?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Repeater denigrates a man who goes to church every Sunday, voted for one who fucked a porn star just after his third wife has given birth.
> 
> 'Christian values' aye.


So a creep who fucks porn stars behind his wife's back, stiffs small businesses to make himself a few more dollars and lies about pretty well everything is repeater's "hero".

Got it.

----------


## bsnub

> So a creep who fucks porn stars behind his wife's back, stiffs small businesses to make himself a few more dollars and lies about pretty well everything is repeater's "hero".


 The pathetic hypocrites butt hurt shows with each of his pathetic posts.  :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

> Repeater denigrates a man who goes to church every Sunday, voted for one who fucked a porn star just after his third wife has given birth.
> 
> 'Christian values' aye.



Oh you mean the good Catholic who supports abortion.

----------


## RPETER65

> The pathetic hypocrites butt hurt shows with each of his pathetic posts.



all of which are true

----------


## bsnub

> all of which are true


Oh, bullshit. Most of your posts are complete trash from the "alternate facts zone". You have been getting humiliated for the last several pages, but you suffer from Dunning Kruger and to stupid to see it but for the rest of us it is painfully clear.

----------


## Cujo

> Oh you mean the good Catholic who supports abortion.


What gives you the idea he supports abortion?

----------


## bsnub

> What gives you the idea he supports abortion?


Biden supports the right of a woman to have control over her own body. Scummy old white men like repeater666 want to have control over a womans body. It is really quite disgusting.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden administration 'evaluating and discussing' position on Trump tax returns | TheHill

The Biden administration could choose to take a different approach to House Democrats’ request and provide them with Trump’s tax returns.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Oh you mean the good Catholic who supports abortion.


Do you support abortion repeater?

----------


## OhOh

*Blinken blinks on human rights.*

March 4, 2021 by M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

_"On March 3, the US State Department has put on its website a hilarious statement titled The United States Opposes the ICC Investigation into the Palestinian Investigation. 
_
_In  a nutshell, the statement exposes that the Joe Biden Administration has  blinked for a second time on the human rights situation in West Asia by  refusing to even acknowledge that the ICC investigation into the  “Palestinian situation” is about human rights first and foremost._ 
_
The  State Department’s argument essentially narrows down to a bureaucratic  point questioning the ICC’s jurisdiction to investigate the human rights  violations issues that involve the state of Israel and, secondly, that  “Palestinians do not qualify as a sovereign state and therefore, are not  qualified to obtain membership as a state in, participate as a state  in, or delegate jurisdiction to the ICC.”_ 
_
Human  rights issue ought to be felt in the blood and felt along the heart.  They are not the stuff of cold reasoning from legal angle or of  political expediency. The State Department statement on the hapless  Palestinian brings to mind what Pablo Picasso once said, “Learn the  rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”_ 
_
Such  sophistry to quibble over the tragic plight of the Palestinians will  reduce the American diplomats to con artists on the global stage. The  fact of the matter is that The State of Palestine is recognised by 138  UN members, and since 2012 it has a status of a non-member observer  state in the United Nations. Palestine is a member of the Arab League,  the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the G77, the International  Olympic Committee, and other international bodies._
_
The US is  punishing the messenger — ICC’s prosecutor — for showing the audacity to  rake up the Palestinian issue when she is due to retire in June!_ 
_
The  State Department claims that it “remains deeply committed to ensuring  justice and accountability for international atrocity crimes” but ICC  happens to be “a Court of limited jurisdiction. Moreover, the United  States believes a peaceful, secure and more prosperous future for the  people of the Middle East depends on building bridges and creating new  avenues for dialogue and exchange, not unilateral judicial actions that  exacerbate tensions and undercut efforts to advance a negotiated  two-state solution. We will continue to uphold our strong commitment to  Israel and its security, including by opposing actions that seek to  target Israel unfairly.”_ 
_
It  is a laughable contention riddled with contradictions and paradoxes.  What does it all amount to? Succinctly put, the state department says,  “Show me the Face and I will show you the Rule.”  But what is it that unnerves the Biden Administration when it comes to the ICC investigation on Israel? From an Israeli perspective, read the report by Axios titled International Criminal Court opens Israel-Palestine war crimes probe._
_
Fundamentally,  it is the very same cynical mindset that made the Biden Administration  duck for cover when in all propriety it should have sanctioned the Saudi  Crown Prince for ordering the murder — and indeed executing it with  such ghoulish relish — of Jamal Khashoggi who, incidentally, also  happened to be a resident of the US apart from being a “strategic asset”  of the US security establishment._
_
The Biden Administration  is lost for words to explain its cowardice. On top of it, it changed  its mind sheepishly and decided on second thoughts to delete three Saudi  names that were originally listed in the CIA report on Khashoggi’s  murder rebased by the White House last Friday. Apparently, that is  because those 3 top henchmen in the Saudi security apparatus also happen  to be interlocutors with whom the US security agencies continue to do  business. How could the US possibly sanction its own Saudi  collaborators, isn’t it?_ 
_
Both  in the case of Israel and the Saudi Crown prince, if the US is in such  an acute predicament caught between a rock and the hard place, it is  solely because Washington has been complicit in the human rights  violations by Israel and Saudi Arabia all along. The US has so much  blood on its hands that all the perfumes of Arabia cannot wipe them  clean._ 
_
Surely, Israel  wouldn’t have got away with murder all this while with such impunity  without the certainty that it could hide behind the US if an hour of  reckoning ever came its way. 

As for Saudi Arabia, it committed horrific  crimes from a human rights perspective only because it has been the US’  preferred geopolitical tool for the past several decades._ 
_
Pray, why did the CIA confer on the former Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad[ bin Nayef the George Tenet medal in 2015? Mike Pompeo as CIA chief travelled to Riyadh to personally confer the medal  on Prince Nayef! 

Simply put, top US officials in successive  administrations swam the same river of blood that Prince Nayef took in  the unspeakable “war on terror.”_ 
_
Today,  the Biden Administration dare not annoy the 35-year old Saudi Crown  Prince Mohammed bin Salman who is highly likely to succeed his father  when the crunch time comes as the next monarch and may go on to rule the  kingdom for decades — although the noted expert on Saudi Arabia and  ex-CIA hand Bruce Riedel at Brookings Institution may know better when he maintains that MBS is in actuality less secure than the administration thinks._ 
_
On March 3, in his “first major speech as Secretary” titled A Foreign Policy for the American People,  delivered from the Ben Franklin Room, a venue full of history in the  State Department, Blinken shied away from claiming to be a crusader for  human rights. The cold shower of realism after the Khashoggi fiasco  probably explains it._ 
_
Blinken  had previously claimed that human rights topic will figure as the  centre of the US foreign policy. But in a chastened mood, he listed  yesterday the “eight top foreign policy priorities of the Biden  administration” as follows: 

Covid-19 pandemic and global health  security; 

economic recovery; 

“shoring up” democracy from  authoritarianism and nationalism; “

a humane and effective immigration  system”; 

“revitalising” the ties with allies and partners; 

climate  crisis and green energy revolution; .

America’s “leadership in  technology”; 

and, relationship with China._ 
_
Blinken  decided that a human rights crusade won’t fly when it stands exposed as  doublespeak and hypocrisy. Despite such robust canvassing by the White  House, the ASEAN has refused to back the Anglo-American regime change agenda in Myanmar._ 
_
Even the US’ closest ASEAN partner Singapore has counselled  “national reconciliation and stability” and a “negotiated compromise to  the current situation” in Myanmar, and, above all, stressed the need to  “engage, rather than isolate” that country.__"_

https://www.indianpunchline.com/blin...-human-rights/

----------


## RPETER65

> Biden supports the right of a woman to have control over her own body. Scummy old white men like repeater666 want to have control over a womans body. It is really quite disgusting.



What I want is to stop killing babies.Other than that each to their own.

----------


## RPETER65

> Do you support abortion repeater?



No I don’t support killing babies.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No I don’t support killing babies.



So if a newly pregnant woman needs an urgent abortion to survive, you would rather she died.

Is this what "pro life" means?

----------


## bsnub

> What I want is to stop killing babies.Other than that each to their own.


Unreal hypocrisy are you willing to adopt all those illegitimate children? Of course you aren't because you would just let them rot on the street.




> "pro life"


What a joke that slogan is.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Oh you mean the good Catholic who supports abortion.


How many abortions do you think Trump has paid for.

'Love the fetus hate the child' -- Republican 'Christians'.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Biden admin locks ICE Twitter account used to alert public to fugitive illegal immigrants | American Military News


Oh crap, and I didn't have a chance to report you yet.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How many abortions do you think Trump has paid for.
> 
> 'Love the fetus hate the child' -- Republican 'Christians'.


How many abortions have GOP abortion opponents paid for would be a better question.
It's like the Republicans that attack homosexuals then it turns out they've been trying to suck men off in airport toilets, or molest schooboys, etc.

----------


## S Landreth

US Senate vote to begin debate on President Joe Biden’s 1.9 trillion dollar Covid - 19 relief plan

No – 50
Yes – 50

Harris (#47) – Yes

Yes – 51

Debate begins.:

----------


## Slick

> So if a newly pregnant woman needs an urgent abortion to survive, you would rather she died.
> 
> Is this what "pro life" means?


Even the most staunch pro-lifer doesn’t want to stop medically necessary abortions, and most conservatives I know (including myself) don’t have a problem with abortion within reason. 

Wholesale abortion at almost any stage of development, paid for by the taxpayer, with baby parts harvested for stem cells? 

That’s what horror movies are made of. And it’s what dopey fuckin idiots keep pushing for.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Even the most staunch pro-lifer doesn’t want to stop medically necessary abortions


Don't be so fucking silly, these are people who think Jesus rode around on dinosaurs.

----------


## russellsimpson

> How many abortions have GOP abortion opponents paid for would be a better question.
> It's like the Republicans that attack homosexuals then it turns out they've been trying to suck men off in airport toilets, or molest schooboys, etc.


These kinds of comments are unhelpful and do little to elevate the conversation.    :Nono:

----------


## russellsimpson

I didn't like the fact that Biden has let OBS completely off the hook however I do understand where he's coming from.. I can't see OBS succeeding to the crown of Saudi, he remains an accomplish to murder and that will go with him everywhere. And yes it does matter.

I don't think we've seen much of Biden's foreign policy agenda as yet. Time will tell.   :Beerchug:

----------


## AntRobertson

> Even the most staunch pro-lifer doesnt want to stop medically necessary abortions


Not true--there are plenty of fundies who would love to see 'Gods will'--and also not so much when it comes to rape and incest:

Lawmakers Vote to Effectively Ban Abortion in Alabama - The New York Times




> Wholesale abortion at almost any stage of development, paid for by the taxpayer, with baby parts harvested for stem cells?
> 
> Thats what horror movies are made of. And its what dopey fuckin idiots keep pushing for.


Fetuses not babies.

That's what melodramatic propaganda is made of. And doepy fuckin idiots keep buying it.

----------


## beachbound

> supports abortion.


No one “supports” abortion, or is “pro” abortion, you dolt. 
It’s supporting a woman’s right to choose.


*Pregnant women are just “little girls” who don’t understand their own bodies. : Greg Brannon, a pro-life North Carolina OB-GYN and former GOP candidate for the US Senate*

----------


## beachbound

> Biden supports the right of a woman to have control over her own body. Scummy old white men like repeater666 want to have control over a womans body. It is really quite disgusting.


Well said

----------


## Cujo

> These kinds of comments are unhelpful and do little to elevate the conversation.


Yes, don't point out the double standards and hypocrisy please.
It's not helping our argument at all.

----------


## Cujo

> I didn't like the fact that Biden has let OBS completely off the hook


It was TRUMP that let him off the hook. WTF is wrong with you


> however I do understand where he's coming from.. I can't see OBS succeeding to the crown of Saudi, he remains an accomplish to murder and that will go with him everywhere. And yes it does matter.
> 
> I don't think we've seen much of Biden's foreign policy agenda as yet. Time will tell.


You realize this happened during Trumps tenure right?
Some questions for you. Did Trump condemn him? Did Trump sanction him?
What was Trumps  response?
Why are you criticizing Biden when you didn't criticize Trump?
I realize this is pointing out the blatant hypocrisy and consequently you won't reply but you might like to think about it.

----------


## panama hat

> What I want is to stop killing babies.


So stop killing babies, you sick fuck

----------


## panama hat

> You realize this happened during Trumps tenure right?
> Some questions for you. Did Trump condemn him? Did Trump sanction him?
> What was Trumps response?
> Why are you criticizing Biden when you didn't criticize Trump?
> I realize this is pointing out the blatant hypocrisy and consequently you won't reply but you might like to think about it.


Russell is trying his best to sound impartial . . . 











Trump?  Trump never met the guy . . . which guy? 


Hilarious if it wasn't pathetic

----------


## RPETER65

> Not true--there are plenty of fundies who would love to see 'Gods will'--and also not so much when it comes to rape and incest:
> 
> Lawmakers Vote to Effectively Ban Abortion in Alabama - The New York Times
> 
> 
> 
> Fetuses not babies.
> 
> That's what melodramatic propaganda is made of. And doepy fuckin idiots keep buying it.


Fetuses are babies

----------


## RPETER65

> No one “supports” abortion, or is “pro” abortion, you dolt. 
> It’s supporting a woman’s right to choose.
> 
> 
> *Pregnant women are just “little girls” who don’t understand their own bodies. : Greg Brannon, a pro-life North Carolina OB-GYN and former GOP candidate for the US Senate*



If supporting a women’s right to choose includes the right to abortion then they are supporting abortion why is that so hard for you to understand.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Fetuses are babies


No it isn't that's why it's called the "fetus" not a "baby".

Science trumps your book of dogma.

----------


## RPETER65

> Don't be so fucking silly, these are people who think Jesus rode around on dinosaurs.



Why would you make such a stupid post on something you know nothing about.

----------


## RPETER65

> No it isn't that's why it's called the "fetus" not a "baby".
> 
> Science trumps your book of dogma.



Are you really saying a baby that would survive outside the womb is a fetus.

----------


## RPETER65

[QUOTE=AntRobertson;4228760]No it isn't that's why it's called the "fetus" not a "baby".

Science trumps your book of dogma.[/

The science is conclusive: That fetus is a baby

----------


## AntRobertson

> Are you really saying a baby that would survive outside the womb is a fetus.


I'm not saying anything even remotely close to that. In fact there is no reasonable way that what I said could be interpreted as such.

So that's all you.

----------


## aging one

Repeater when you first joined up you had fun and participated in threads outside of politics. What the hell happened to you? Is it all Trump? Is it all Kool Aid? What changed you into a full blown right wing Trump Tard?

----------


## AntRobertson

> Originally Posted by AntRobertson
> 
> 
> No it isn't that's why it's called the "fetus" not a "baby".
> 
> Science trumps your book of dogma.[/
> 
> The science is conclusive: That fetus is a baby


If you are getting your science from an opinion piece written by an Evangelical then you are doing your sciencing and quoting wrong.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Russell is trying his best to sound impartial . . .


How am I doing with that Panama?

I really am impartial, I don't have any dog in the race. I would put to you that Trump's foreign policy in the ME wasn't a complete failure. The ME likes strong men and Trump was that. We mustn't through the baby out with the bath water. This latest American report establishes that MBS is an accomplice to murder  and in this respect I support Biden's current stance than that of Trump and Pompeo.

Trump was not graceful in defeat, most would agree on that. This doesn't mean that the Democrats can't be a little graceful in victory. There are some very strongly Democrat leaning folks on the forum, I would guess the majority. Let these folks be graceful in victory. Enough of the poisonous vitriol already, it's unhelpful as I've mentioned.

It's not all one big pissing contest is it?

 :Beerchug:

----------


## AntRobertson

> The ME likes strong men and Trump was that


No he wasn't.

Trump is a man born into wealth and privilege--repeatedly bailed out when he failed and allowed to fail upwards--who yet still managed to constantly whine how everything and everyone was being unfair to him.

Other world leaders openly mocked and ridiculed him and it was known he was easily manipulated by appealing to his massive ego.

Trump is the opposite of a strong man.




> This latest American report establishes that MBS is an accomplice to murder and in this respect I support Biden's current stance than that of Trump and Pompeo.


The report isn't new or the facts unknown -- only the Biden administration releasing and acting on it is.

It was compiled when Trump was in office and he chose to bury it and stay silent.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Trump was not graceful in defeat, most would agree on that. This doesn't mean that the Democrats can't be a little graceful in victory.


What. The. Actual. Fuck.

Trump spread lies about his defeat that led to a deadly attempted insurrection and continues to do so.

Get the fuck outta here with 'both-siding' that shit.

----------


## RPETER65

> If you are getting your science from an opinion piece written by an Evangelical then you are doing your sciencing and quoting wrong.



Did you not read the statements from the scientists?

----------


## AntRobertson

> Did you not read the statements from the scientists?





> *If you are getting your science from an opinion piece written by an Evangelical then you are doing your sciencing and quoting wrong*.


You are still doing it wrong.

Kudos on managing the quote this time however.

----------


## aging one

> What. The. Actual. Fuck.
> 
> Trump spread lies about his defeat that led to a deadly attempted insurrection and continues to do so.
> 
> Get the fuck outta here with 'both-siding' that shit.


Ant meet the Canadian hermit known as Russell. Its that simple. So many "pearls" of wisdom.. :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

> I'm not saying anything even remotely close to that. In fact there is no reasonable way that what I said could be interpreted as such.
> 
> So that's all you.



So in your estimation when does a fetus become a baby

----------


## RPETER65

> You are still doing it wrong.
> 
> Kudos on managing the quote this time however.



I am sure according to you there is no possibility of doing it right.

----------


## panama hat

> The ME likes strong men and Trump was that.


As Ant already mentioned, he wasn't and isn't.  

The only head of state to be openly mocked, ridiculed and laughed at by all the members at the United Nations Assembly. 

He was not only universally disliked but universally mocked.  Not a strong man.  You're looking for a 'strong man' you may look at Putin and Xi, even Kim . . . then you have Boris Johnson and Trump at the other ed of the spectrum. 

Arabs are very, very kind and hospitable when they need/want something - hey cajoled the idiot, praised the fool and got what they wanted. 




> Trump was not graceful in defeat, most would agree on that. This doesn't mean that the Democrats can't be a little graceful in victory.


You're saying that 'the Democrats' are as bad as the Republicans in this regard?  I find they have been extraordinarily restrained given the last four years of antipathy, histrionics and outright vulgarity towards them . . . and still are when you look at the bullshit thrown at them about the election still . . . and dealing with Cruz et al. 

Nah, they have to be more aggressive

----------


## RPETER65

Why do Biden's handlers have him back in the basement?

----------


## panama hat

www.whydoesrpeateronlytalkandpostshit.com

----------


## RPETER65

Will the real President of the United States please stand up? - Washington Times

----------


## AntRobertson

> So in your estimation when does a fetus become a baby


Somewhere after 24 weeks.




> I am sure according to you there is no possibility of doing it right.


There is: it's called reading comprehension and critical thought.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Trump spread lies about his defeat that led to a deadly attempted insurrection and continues to do so.


Exactly what I said, "Trump was not graceful in defeat". So, what's the problemo? 

Is it perhaps not time to move on, smell the flowers and breathe some fresh air. Time to look forward and not back.

There is a wonderful opportunity here to be graceful in defeat. That's what the nation is longing for. Let's put some class into politics.

Biden understands these things. Some folks on the forum obviously don't.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Exactly what I said, "Trump was not graceful in defeat". So, what's the problemo?


The problem is that 'not being graceful in defeat' and 'spread lies that led to insurrection / undermined the democratic process / continues to attempt to delegitimize a democratically elected Govt' don't live in the same neighborhood.

It's like saying punching someone in the face is exactly as antisocial as decapitating them and then skull-fucking the corpse...




> TIs it perhaps not time to move on, smell the flowers and breathe some fresh air. Time to look forward and not back.
> 
> There is a wonderful opportunity here to be graceful in defeat. That's what the nation is longing for. Let's put some class into politics.
> 
> Biden understands these things. Some folks on the forum obviously don't.


...and that's like lecturing the corpse that it should just lie there and take it.

----------


## russellsimpson

> You're saying that 'the Democrats' are as bad as the Republicans in this regard?


I'm not saying that at all, and if my wording is suggesting otherwise I'll have to be more careful. I'm remembering the Christopher Earle quote, "Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat". I think perhaps the time has not come for that just yet. Trump's behaviour vis-a-vis the riots are entirely unforgiveable and I'm not suggesting for a moment there weren't. My hope is that he fades away, and quickly.






> ..and that's like lecturing the corpse that it should just lie there and take it.


I try not to lecture anybody but in particular not corpses.

Speaking of corpses I do believe that more blood letting is required in the short term. I shall continue to lay low for a bit.

Take care.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Ant meet the Canadian hermit known as Russell. Its that simple. So many "pearls" of wisdom.


What the fucks up with you AO.

You sure as hell can be a humourless asshole at times. Read my comments before commenting.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet AO, dumbass fucking hippie from San Francisco.

----------


## aging one

> I'm remembering the Christopher Earle quote, "Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat". I think perhaps the time has not come for that just yet.


What would you have Biden and the Dem's do to be more gracious?  Look at what they have to be gracious to.  Think about that and let me know Russell, as I have seen Biden be gracious though this whole mess. All created by a guy who led an insurrection against his own country because he could not accept defeat.

----------


## Klondyke

> US Senate vote to begin debate on President Joe Bidens 1.9 trillion dollar Covid - 19 relief plan
> 
> No  50
> Yes  50
> 
> Harris (#47)  Yes
> 
> Yes  51


Not familiar with the procedure, is the landslide "YES" just for the debate? (Don't they trust their POTUS? he showed just how he is good with figures...)

Or are the $1.9T already distributed?  I saw some funny figures on "unrecognized" links (who can believe?):

- $1.5 million to build Chuck Schumer a bridge.
- $112 million to build Nancy Pelosi a subway.
- $200 million for museums and libraries

----------


## aging one

> Not familiar with the procedure, is the landslide "YES" just for the debate? (Don't they trust their POTUS? he showed just how he is good with figures...)
> 
> Or are the $1.9T already distributed? I saw some funny figures on "unrecognized" links (who can believe?):


You are the only person on planet earth that can understand that gibberish.






> - $112 million to build Nancy Pelosi a subway.


Please stop going to right wing propaganda sites for your references. If you did you would know this simple fact.

Funding For Bart's South Bay Extension Pulled From Covid-19 Relief Bill




A provision in the coronavirus stimulus bill currently being considered by Congress that would have allocated nearly $150 million toward BART's South Bay extension has been removed after the Senate parliamentarian ruled it is not eligible for inclusion.

----------


## russellsimpson

> What would you have Biden and the Dem's do to be more gracious? Look at what they have to be gracious to


I have said throughout that I've thought Biden has been more than graceful in victory. JUST READ THE FUCKING POSTS, before commenting.

----------


## russellsimpson

> All created by a guy who led an insurrection against his own country because he could not accept defeat.


I do and have agreed with that. No argument.

So what the fuck is your problem?

----------


## aging one

This is Russell.   How do you deal with shit like this? Covid relief for a nation devastated by it.

GOP Sen. Johnson delays Covid relief bill by forcing all 628 pages to be read out loud

*GOP Sen. Johnson delays Covid relief bill by forcing all 628 pages to be read out loud*The effort could last over 10 hours before lawmakers begin debating the provisions in the legislation.

----------


## russellsimpson

I have absolutely no idea whatsoever what you're talking about AO.

Maybe put the bong down for a minute?

----------


## aging one

> Maybe put the bong down for a minute?


Hey Russell, back to the old days eh.  Look wake up. You lived here for how many years and know absolutely nothing about Thailand. Now you live in Canada alone and know nothing about anything either.  Don't give me this bong shit as a comeback. Just deal with what is being presented to you.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Look wake up. You lived here for how many years and know absolutely nothing about Thailand


What is your problem you thick shit? You've lived there thirty years plus and you still know shit. Any political discussion has always been way over your head and I'm talking many years back. 








> Don't give me this bong shit as a comeback.


 And have you not recently and on another thread used that on me? So put a fucking rag in it you hypocritical asshole.




> Just deal with what is being presented to you.


I am doing just that you humourless asshole.  :Flush:

----------


## russellsimpson

Fuck you AO. Your nothing but a backup clown at the moment.

----------


## Slick

Well, AO being a douchebag aside - crude is rising like a mofo and futures are looking good. 

Biden has it within his power to mitigate this at the pump - yet he won’t, and has been doing his best to make it rise further. 

Priorities.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Well, *AO being a douchebag* aside


Nice transition.

----------


## Cujo

> How am I doing with that Panama?
> 
> I really am impartial, I don't have any dog in the race. I would put to you that Trump's foreign policy in the ME wasn't a complete failure. The ME likes strong men and Trump was that. We mustn't through the baby out with the bath water. This latest American report establishes that MBS is an accomplice to murder  and in this respect I support Biden's current stance than that of Trump and Pompeo.
> 
> Trump was not graceful in defeat, most would agree on that. This doesn't mean that the Democrats can't be a little graceful in victory. There are some very strongly Democrat leaning folks on the forum, I would guess the majority. Let these folks be graceful in victory. Enough of the poisonous vitriol already, it's unhelpful as I've mentioned.
> 
> It's not all one big pissing contest is it?


Oh do piss off. When Trump won, it was all "fuck your feelings snowflakes"
Now that the shoe's on the other foot it all "why do you have to be so mean"
Typical trumptard hypocritical stance.
You guys really are defined by hypocrisy.

----------


## Cujo

> This is Russell.   How do you deal with shit like this? Covid relief for a nation devastated by it.
> 
> GOP Sen. Johnson delays Covid relief bill by forcing all 628 pages to be read out loud
> 
> *GOP Sen. Johnson delays Covid relief bill by forcing all 628 pages to be read out loud*The effort could last over 10 hours before lawmakers begin debating the provisions in the legislation.


Yeah seriously, WTF.
they really are assholes .

----------


## Cujo

> Not familiar with the procedure, is the landslide "YES" just for the debate? (Don't they trust their POTUS? he showed just how he is good with figures...)
> 
> Or are the $1.9T already distributed?  I saw some funny figures on "unrecognized" links (who can believe?):
> 
> - $1.5 million to build Chuck Schumer a bridge.
> - $112 million to build Nancy Pelosi a subway.
> - $200 million for museums and libraries


Do you have a problem with bridges,  subways, libraries and museums ?
It's all stuff Trump said he was going to do but never did.

----------


## Slick

> Do you have a problem with bridges,  subways, libraries and museums ?
> It's all stuff Trump said he was going to do but never did.


It’s a bit hard to justify all this under a covid “stimulus” package.

----------


## cyrille

> Your nothing but a backup clown at the moment.


Don't worry russ ...'your' still #1.  :Very Happy:

----------


## Cujo

> It’s a bit hard to justify all this under a covid “stimulus” package.


Does spending on infrastructure need to be so 'justified'?
(I know what you mean though).

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It’s a bit hard to justify all this under a covid “stimulus” package.


Are you under the impression that the bill is intended to stimulate the disease?

----------


## lom

> Does spending on infrastructure need to be so 'justified'?


No, the good state will bring forward planned infrastructure work at times when unemployment is high.

----------


## Slick

> Does spending on infrastructure need to be so 'justified'?
> (I know what you mean though).


Problem is the Dems are using reconciliation, which allows them to pass this particular kind of bill with just a simple majority, and cramming almost 2 trillion dollars worth of shit into it with very little having to do with covid. Big dem players getting billions for their state while flipping off anyone who disagrees and fucking the taxpayer. 

But the USA is fubar so whatever. If people are too stupid to see they’re getting played, they deserve the outcome.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Problem is the Dems are using reconciliation, which allows them to pass this particular kind of bill with just a simple majority, and cramming almost 2 trillion dollars worth of shit into it with very little having to do with covid. Big dem players getting billions for their state while flipping off anyone who disagrees and fucking the taxpayer.


So you musta been hella upset when the GQP did exactly the same to pass massive tax-cuts for the wealthy and bloated the fuck outta the deficit then.

----------


## Slick

Translation: Republicans did a thing I do t like, so Democrats get to do a thing in retaliation, even if it’s wrong.

----------


## AntRobertson

Your translator is broken.  :Dunno:

----------


## Slick

Republicans mandating people keep more of their own money is wrong, but Democrats mandating that they take taxpayer funds for partisan, self serving reasons, all good. 

~ Everyone in this thread. 

Rinse and repeat, over and over, for every subject.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Republicans mandating people keep more of their own money is wrong, but Democrats mandating that they take taxpayer funds for partisan, self serving reasons, all good.


You need to get your translator fixed.

Republicans are all for tax-breaks for the wealthy, socializing corporate losses and privatizing the gains, feeding their bases' grievances and resentments to camouflage this, and massive amounts of hypocrisy.

Fuck the economy, blame the Dems, Dems come in and fix it... Rinse & repeat.

----------


## bsnub

> feeding their bases' grievances and resentments to camouflage this


Seems like it is working in Slicks case.  :Smile:

----------


## AntRobertson

If the GQP should be credited for anything it is their absolutely spectacular success in convincing turkeys that voting for Xmas is an idea in their best interests (and if they don't then other poor turkeys are gonna come and steal their Xmas, rape and pillage their turkey wimmin-folk and steal all those jobs they don't want to do).

----------


## Slick

> Seems like it is working in Slicks case.


So you’re gonna sit around and cover for such wasteful spending of your own money?

----------


## panama hat

Your hypocrisy is astounding - hilarious, but astounding . . . like repeater on speed

----------


## AntRobertson

> hypocrisy


*"First on NPR: Trump’s CEO at parent agency of Voice of America paid a law firm millions in taxpayer dollars to investigate his own executives."*

A law firm took a no-bid federal contract and “devoted five partners, six associates,” more lawyers, “seven paralegals, three case assistants, 14 other timekeepers, and 11 ‘outsourced attorneys’” in a failed effort to find dirt on people the CEO disliked.


Trump VOA Appointee Paid Law Firm Millions To Investigate His Own Staff : NPR

Hypocrisy and culture wars over stupid shit is kinda their bag.

----------


## bsnub

> So you’re gonna sit around and cover for such wasteful spending of your own money?


Infrastructure spending is not wasteful spending it is an investment in the nations future. I already debunked the right wing propaganda/talking point about Pelosi's subway in this thread am I going to have to do it again? BART aka Bay Area Rapid Transit carried over 400k people a day across seven counties pre-covid. It is a major light rail network investing in it is not "wasteful spending". 

It was also pointed out by me previously that the expansion project (which is already underway and will be funded one way or another) is not even in Pelosi's congressional district. 

It was just an example of how right wing simpletons swallow talking points without question. Someone tweets out "Pelosi's subway" and the lemmings lap it up. Utterly laughable.

----------


## AntRobertson

> the lemmings lap it up.


Forget the exact stat, something like 77% of the population for the Bill / spending (incl. a %50+ majority of Republicans) yet the usual suspects have got the snowflakes crying over Mr. Potato Head being de-gendered (he wasn't) and Dr. Suess being canceled (also wasn't) and being perfectly happy with a system that spends billions on weapons, not enough on schools, and people go bankrupt over healthcare.

These people are fucking morons.

----------


## sabang

Some good points made antie, but also fair to ask- how much, in contrast, are the Democrats a salve? They're just not as radically right wing as the publicans, that's all. And they are equally as hawkish on the foreign policy front, at least in recent history.

----------


## AntRobertson

> how much, in contrast, are the Democrats a salve?


It remains to be seen, but I suspect not much given everything else that is going on (Covid, hyper-partisanship etc.).

The notion that the GOP fuck the economy, the Dems fix it, and then the next GOP guy takes credit is a meme but it also has basis in fact:

PolitiFact | Here&#39;s how the deficit performed under Republican and Democratic presidents, from Reagan to Trump

I'm not really au fait on economics but I suspect worldwide things will be worse before they are better.

----------


## Cujo

> Problem is the Dems are using reconciliation, which allows them to pass this particular kind of bill with just a simple majority, and cramming almost 2 trillion dollars worth of shit into it with very little having to do with covid. Big dem players getting billions for their state while flipping off anyone who disagrees and fucking the taxpayer. 
> 
> But the USA is fubar so whatever. If people are too stupid to see they’re getting played, they deserve the outcome.


Well they've been getting played big time for the last 4 years.

----------


## Cujo

> Republicans mandating people keep more of their own money is wrong, but Democrats mandating that they take taxpayer funds for partisan, self serving reasons, all good. 
> 
> ~ Everyone in this thread. 
> 
> Rinse and repeat, over and over, for every subject.


How is building bridges, subways, libraries and museums partisan and self serving?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Translation: Republicans did a thing I do t like, so Democrats get to do a thing in retaliation, even if it’s wrong.


You must be using Google  translate .

----------


## bsnub

> You must be using Google translate .


No he just spews talking points from the trumpanzee alternate facts bubble. I am sure he was very disappointed that his orange god did not reassume his throne yesterday.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Translation: Republicans did a thing I do t like, so Democrats get to do a thing in retaliation, even if its wrong.



If you are comparing the intended outcome of baldy orange losers "tax cuts" with this bill, you are a moron.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Republicans mandating they keep more of peoples money is wrong


FTFY.

----------


## Slick

> How is building bridges, subways, libraries and museums partisan and self serving?


Because its not a bipartisan infrastructure bill with all states having their needs met, its a partisan covid bill with the majority party forcing in unrelated pork for their state and their own re-election. 

This really isnt hard, unless you dig a foxhole and jump in with whatever chosen party you favor and defend it, come hell or high water and no matter how illogical. 

The defense of this covid bill literally amounts to Trump lowered taxes and is a bald orange [at][at][at][at] so suck it, Republicans

----------


## AntRobertson

> This really isnt hard, unless you dig a foxhole and jump in with whatever chosen party you favor and defend it, come hell or high water and no matter how illogical.


You say that like you actually think nobody sees you doing it with the GQP.

Weird.




> The defense of this covid bill literally amounts to Trump lowered taxes and is a bald orange [at][at][at][at] so suck it, Republicans




No, it really doesn't.

Starting to think you're inputting shit into your translator as well as getting it out.

----------


## bsnub

> Because it’s not a bipartisan infrastructure bill with all states having their needs met


You shitbirds are the largest recipients of Federal welfare in a big way. We in the rich blue states are tired of carrying you losers.

----------


## beachbound

> If supporting a womens right to choose includes the right to abortion then they are supporting abortion why is that so hard for you to understand.


Tell us more, Mr. Wade.

----------


## S Landreth

Economy adds 379K jobs in first report of Biden presidency


The unemployment rate fell to 6.2 percent from 6.3 percent last month: https://twitter.com/WHCOS/status/1367845935636709385

----------


## RPETER65

> You shitbirds are the largest recipients of Federal welfare in a big way. We in the rich blue states are tired of carrying you losers.




I hope your not counting the blue state of Calif. in on that.

No, California's Finances Are Not Back In Black

----------


## S Landreth

70 percent back Biden's handling of coronavirus: poll | TheHill

60 percent overall approved of Biden's performance as president so far

Approval of Trump’s Coronavirus Response Hits All-Time Low: Poll | Elections | US News

----------


## Klondyke

> The unemployment rate fell to 6.2 percent from 6.3 percent last month:


What achievement...

----------


## bsnub

> I hope your not counting the blue state of Calif. in on that.


Of course I am you sad fuckwit the link you posted was a trash opinion piece that is two years old. California is a massive driver of industry and has twice the national GDP of any other state.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> You shitbirds are the largest recipients of Federal welfare in a big way. We in the rich blue states are tired of carrying you losers.



https://wallethub.com/edu/states-mos...overnment/2700

----------


## S Landreth

Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan after all-night votes

The vote was 50 to 49 on a party-line vote. The legislation is now expected to go back to the House for a final vote before Biden signs it into law.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan after all-night votes
> 
> The vote was 50 to 49 on a party-line vote. The legislation is now expected to go back to the House for a final vote before Biden signs it into law.


This will keep businesses afloat for a little while longer while we are working our way out of this covid economic mess. 
Lets face it, most Americans will pump that $1400  right back into the economy. where given the  multiplier affect will keep it bouncing around for a while.

----------


## Slick

> The vote was 50 to 49 on a party-line vote.


And that was their one shot at any sort of “unity” that Biden campaigned on. 

Everything else will be cockblocked. Guess it’s good that this is all they’ll manage to pass. Harmless on the grand scale. Useless, pork filled waste, but harmless, and they needed a thing to point to when making their BIG claims of saving everything. 

At least they shot their load with this instead of immigration or guns or vote “reform”.

Gridlocked administration for a while moving forward.

----------


## beachbound

> This will keep businesses afloat for a little while longer while we are working our way out of this covid economic mess. 
> Lets face it, most Americans will pump that $1400  right back into the economy. where given the  multiplier affect will keep it bouncing around for a while.


Put a smile on my face, thats for sure. My wife and I have a Thai restaurant, with about 60 seats. Havent been open for dining for almost a year, surviving on carry out. The PPP grants were a godsend.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden takes victory lap after Senate passes coronavirus relief package | TheHill




.........

----------


## Slick

> Put a smile on my face, that’s for sure. My wife and I have a Thai restaurant, with about 60 seats. Haven’t been open for dining for almost a year, surviving on carry out. The PPP grants were a godsend.


The PPP grants that the Democrats for months repeatedly blocked funding for?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> And that was their one shot at any sort of “unity” that Biden campaigned on. 
> 
> Everything else will be cockblocked. Guess it’s good that this is all they’ll manage to pass. Harmless on the grand scale. Useless, pork filled waste, but harmless, and they needed a thing to point to when making their BIG claims of saving everything. 
> 
> At least they shot their load with this instead of immigration or guns or vote “reform”.
> 
> Gridlocked administration for a while moving forward.


The Republicans are the do-nothing party unless it lines their or their sponsors package.

Thankfully someone cares enough about the people to give them some help.

----------


## Slick

> The Republicans are the do-nothing party unless it lines their or their sponsors package.
> 
> Thankfully someone cares enough about the people to give them some help.


One thing is true, their messaging was better than the republicans. Pelosi spent the better part of 2020 blocking and obstructing almost everything while blaming the right, and it was effective. Sort of. 

Too bad most of that almost 2 trillion dollars isn’t even going to “people”. 

But if this is what “people” wanted, then so be it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> One thing is true, their messaging was better than the republicans. Pelosi spent the better part of 2020 blocking and obstructing almost everything while blaming the right, and it was effective. Sort of. 
> 
> Too bad most of that almost 2 trillion dollars isn’t even going to “people”. 
> 
> But if this is what “people” wanted, then so be it.


It must be difficult to maintain this level of sneering when someone actually does something useful.

Like

Pandemic stimulus checks
Unemployment benefits
State funding
FEMA funding
Health Care
Child Care
Testing and Tracing
Employee Retention Tax Credits
Rural Health Care providers
Education
etc. etc.

Honestly slick, they read the whole bill out on TV, did you not watch it or something?

----------


## harrybarracuda

Surely letting the fat orange fucker deduct his KFC buckets counts as "reaching out"?




> Tax-deductible meals
> 
> 
> Lawmakers also included a provision sought by Trump, making the cost of meals a deductible business expense.

----------


## Slick

Problem is they held up doing “useful” things for most of 2020 because they had an election to try and win. 

I’ve got no skin in the game anymore, but it’s been obvious for a long time that it was never about helping anyone, it was about politics. And it worked. 

It really is as simple as that.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Problem is they held up doing “useful” things for most of 2020 because they had an election to try and win. 
> 
> I’ve got no skin in the game anymore, but it’s been obvious for a long time that it was never about helping anyone, it was about politics. And it worked. 
> 
> It really is as simple as that.


Bullshit. There was a bipartisan $908Bn relief bill ready at the beginning of December and Moscow Mitch blocked it.

----------


## panama hat

> Bullshit. There was a bipartisan $908Bn relief bill ready at the beginning of December and Moscow Mitch blocked it.


What's that called . . . ah, Slick's selective memory

----------


## beachbound

> The PPP grants that the Democrats for months repeatedly blocked funding for?




PPP: Why Senate Democrats are blocking a small-business funding bill - Vox

 Democrats are blocking an attempt to give small businesses a $250 billion boost. But why?At first glance, its a surprising move, since Democrats support providing more funding to small businesses and workers experiencing severe economic trouble caused by the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. But the answer is simple: Democrats want to use the leverage they have in Congress so that Republicans dont just approve more money for small businesses while leaving out other programs that also desperately need more funding.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> PPP: Why Senate Democrats are blocking a small-business funding bill - Vox
> 
>  “Democrats are blocking an attempt to give small businesses a $250 billion boost. But why?At first glance, it’s a surprising move, since Democrats support providing more funding to small businesses and workers experiencing severe economic trouble caused by the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. But the answer is simple: Democrats want to use the leverage they have in Congress so that Republicans don’t just approve more money for small businesses while leaving out other programs that also desperately need more funding.”


Not to mention that the Republicans have a nasty habit of making these payments discretionary, i.e. they decide who gets them.

Which is what they did in the tax "relief" bill.

Thieving bunch of bastards.

----------


## Slick

> Bullshit. There was a bipartisan $908Bn relief bill ready at the beginning of December and Moscow Mitch blocked it.


2020 was a long year and this bill was at the end. There was damn near a whole year of Pelosi bullshit leading up to this, and the only reason she allowed it to get that far was the election and optics. Everyone knew she was being an obstructionist and she was starting catch media heat for it. 

But yes, Mitch the Bitch fumbled the fuck out of it and it was a large part of why the GOP lost Georgia.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> 2020 was a long year and this bill was at the end. There was damn near a whole year of Pelosi bullshit leading up to this, and the only reason she allowed it to get that far was the election and optics. Everyone knew she was being an obstructionist and she was starting catch media heat for it. 
> 
> But yes, Mitch the Bitch fumbled the fuck out of it and it was a large part of why the GOP lost Georgia.


Keep trying to blame the Democrats for Moscow Mitch and GOP greed.

I'm sure there are trumpanzees on here that will swallow it.

----------


## bsnub

> Mitch the Bitch fumbled the fuck out of it and it was a large part of why the GOP lost Georgia.


This is why you lost Georgia...

----------


## harrybarracuda

No, this is why they lost Georgia.

----------


## S Landreth

> most Americans will pump that $1400  right back into the economy.


As I understand it’ll be a while before they’ll be sent those checks. President Biden will hold them up for a while (but tell americans they’ll be sent out on time). He wants his name on all the checks.

Trumps signature to be on stimulus checks, delaying mailing process

https://www.budget.senate.gov/imo/me...t%20SENATE.pdf

----------


## Slick

> This is why you lost Georgia...


That useless beast had nothing to do with it. Mitch fumbling and allowing the crypt keeper (Pelosi) to win the media battle and going against even what trump was calling for ($2000 checks) was a large part of it. 

The other part was expanding “absentee” ballots due to “covid” 

All that in totality allowed them to narrowly squeak in a win. 

(Never mind that beast spent years claiming she actually won, when she clearly lost)

----------


## bsnub

> Mitch fumbling and allowing the crypt keeper (Pelosi) to win the media battle and going against even what trump was calling for ($2000 checks) was a large part of it.


That is one pile of gibberish there. I do not speak trailer trash so will do my best to decipher what you posted. The first thing I will say is that you and the rest of the trumpanzee lemmings have got new talking points. Since Moscow Mitch rightfully spoke up about your orange gods act of stoking an insurrection you are all up in arms and Mitch is the new trumpanzee target. Pretty clear that you are lockstep brainwashed into fox/newsmax cult of alternate reality. 




> The other part was expanding absentee ballots due to covid


My state has had "absentee" ballots only since 2011 with basically "zero" fraud and "covid" had nothing to do with that. That said it is left to the individual states to run their own elections. So any fuck up there is on your boy Kemp.




> That useless beast





> Never mind that beast spent years claiming she actually won, when she clearly lost


She seems to clearly trigger you and your racist underside, but I hate to break it to you that Governor Kemp has been doing everything he could to suppress the minority vote for "years". Case in point...




> After  more than 668,000 voter registrations were canceled in Georgia in 2017,  election officials are removing far fewer people from voting rolls this  election year.
> 
> 
> Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who oversees elections, is no longer purging names from the state's list of 6.8 million eligible voters as he runs for governor against Democrat Stacey Abrams.
> But Kemp's record of trimming inactive  registered voters  more than 1.4 million since he took office in 2010   is drawing criticism from his opponents who say he's limiting  opportunities to vote, especially among low-income and minority  Georgians who are more likely to have their registrations canceled.


Georgia Election 2018: Voter registration purges soared then fell

I am sure you will come up with some bullshit excuse as to why something like this is ok, but I am going to tell you right now that it will not be good enough. This fuck your boy Kemp had a fucking plan to trim the voter roles full stop knowing that he was going to run for governor. So the shitbird stacked the deck. Voter suppression is what you clowns do because you know you can not win a free and fair open election. 

Have a gander at this thread...

https://teakdoor.com/speakers-corner...ng%2C+Virginia (Voter suppression in the US)

----------


## Klondyke

> This will keep businesses afloat for a little while longer while we are working our way out of this covid economic mess. 
> Lets face it, most Americans will pump that $1400 right back into the economy. where given the multiplier affect will keep it bouncing around for a while.


Not being familiar with the current living cost in USA, however, wondering how much will be left over from the $1,400 for pumping "back into economy"? After they pay their debts, mortgage, tax, school fee, and and? 

That's some 40,000 Baht, ask your friends in cheap Thailand how much of it will be pumped into economy within 1 - 2 months?

----------


## elche

> ... how much will be left over from the $1,400 for pumping "back into economy"? After they pay their debts, mortgage, tax, school fee, and and?


The trump/Republican plan?  Nothing. Let them starve.  In the words of Iflunka, "move on" to those who were suffering.

----------


## hallelujah

^ ^ Fucking hell, you're boring.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That useless beast had nothing to do with it.


Actually "that useless beast" was credited with creating an unprecedented turnout among African American voters despite the GOP's best efforts to try and stop them voting.

Not only did she play a large part in winning the state for Biden, but she played an even more important role in winning the Senate for the Dems.

That must really piss you off.

 :bananaman:

----------


## beachbound

> That useless beast had nothing to do with it.


Educate yourself, you tool. 

Stacey Abrams''' 10-Year Project to Flip Georgia Is Near Fruition - The New York Times
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN27P19

Stacey Abrams credited with boosting Democrats in Georgia | US Elections 2020 News | Al Jazeera

How Stacey Abrams and her band of believers turned Georgia blue - POLITICO




^
or in other words, what Harry said. 
 :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

When these trumpanzees get out of their bubbles they get a good beat down with reality.

----------


## harrybarracuda

“It is now time to open Texas, 100%,” a maskless Gov. Greg Abbott announced at a Mexican restaurant in Lubbock, where the only person wearing a mask seemed to be the news photographer who was shooting the event. “COVID still exists, but it is clear … that state mandates are no longer needed.”

There were so many ways that President Biden could have criticized Abbott — along with Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, who also lifted all COVID-19 restrictions in his state.

Biden, who had met with Abbott in Houston several days earlier to discuss federal assistance after the deadly winter storms that crippled Texas (and also to visit a mass vaccination site), could have said that Abbott and Reeves were anti-scientific, or politically opportunistic, or just plain dumb for ignoring the advice of public health officials.

Instead, Biden chose a more colorful description: “The last thing — the last thing — we need is the Neanderthal thinking that in the meantime, 'everything is fine, take off your mask, forget it,'” said the president.

The remark drew instant fire from the two governors as well as from conservative politicians, pundits and media.

“No insults from the President will stop us from leaning towards freedom,” Reeves tweeted. Later, at a news conference, he added, “I would just say given how long ago President Biden was elected to Congress, he certainly should know how Neanderthals think.”

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, who once pleaded guilty to assaulting a reporter, accused Biden of degrading himself by "name calling."

Oh, come now. It’s not as if Biden (unlike his predecessor) used a racial slur like “Pocahontas.” Or called anyone “Horseface.” Or “Slimeball.” Or “total loser.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) attempted a feeble joke: “President Biden’s use of an old stereotype is hurtful to modern Europeans, Asians & Americans who inherit about 2% of their genes from Neanderthal ancestors,” tweeted the 2024 presidential hopeful. “He should apologize for his insensitive comments and seek training on unconscious bias.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) tried in vain to turn the insult into a compliment. Thursday, on Fox Business, she defended our anthropological forebears: “Neanderthals are hunter-gatherers, they’re protectors of their family, they’re resilient, they’re resourceful, they tend to their own.”

Well, they were, Sen. Blackburn.

Until they went extinct some 40,000 years ago.

And why did Neanderthals die out? No one knows for sure. Scientists have a few theories, including that they were not able to adapt to climate change. Remind you of any Republicans you know?

But I digress.

You have to feel sorry for the conservative noise machine these days.

Biden is riding high. His approval rating is 60% (a figure Trump never came close to), and an even higher percentage of Americans approve of his handling of the pandemic.

Republicans are twisting themselves into pretzels as they try to position themselves as the party of the working class while rejecting Biden’s $1.9-trillion COVID-19 relief package (which passed the House on Feb. 27 and the Senate on Saturday with not a single Republican vote), and refusing to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour while demanding that Biden preserve “good paying jobs” in the moribund fossil fuel industry.

Add to that the congressional investigation into the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection, which increasingly looks like a coordinated effort among white supremacist groups and other Trump allies. On Thursday, the FBI announced it had arrested Federico Klein, an alleged Capitol attacker who at the time worked in the Trump State Department and had a top-secret security clearance.

This stunning news should shake all peace-loving Americans to the core.

But what gets the right all chuffed instead? “Cancel culture,” of course, a contrivance they use to describe progressive cultural advances — like, say, the decision by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, which oversees the commerce of all things Seuss, to pull half a dozen of the beloved author’s kids’ books because they contain offensive, racist caricatures. Or the decision by toy company Hasbro to make its Potato Head brand more inclusive by allowing kids to make up any kind of Potato Head family they want. Oh, the horror.

Now that a rational and measured president sits in the Oval Office — and none of the catastrophes Republicans warned of during the campaign have come to pass — Biden's political opponents are straining for material with which to trash him.

And so, Biden’s invocation of an extinct hominid had to do.

Even the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, Germany, weighed in to support Biden.

“Dear @JoeBiden,” the museum tweeted Thursday. “We approve of your criticism concerning the decision to end state-wide mask mandates. Still, we strongly recommend you visit our museum once it is possible. #neanderthals were smarter than you think!”

Like so many Republicans, Neanderthals might have been smart, but they weren't smart enough to avoid catastrophe.

https://news.yahoo.com/abcarian-joe-...110012177.html

----------


## russellsimpson

> Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) attempted a feeble joke: “President Biden’s use of an old stereotype is hurtful to modern Europeans, Asians & Americans who inherit about 2% of their genes from Neanderthal ancestors,” tweeted the 2024 presidential hopeful. “He should apologize for his insensitive comments and seek training on unconscious bias.”


It's not much I know but all the comments taken collectively do inject some much needed levity into the situation.

Politicians tend to take themselves far to seriously, so these comebacks though quite feeble do contain an element of humour and we all need humour. Right?

Clowns all, both parties, the lot.

----------


## panama hat

> Not being familiar with


Then why inject your 'wisdom'?







> Clowns all, both parties, the lot.


I disagree - there are many politicians who are doing the right thing, unfortunately the biggest arseholes/clowns reflect the population that elects them.

----------


## Klondyke

> As I understand it’ll be a while before they’ll be sent those checks. President Biden will hold them up for a while (but tell americans they’ll be sent out on time). He wants his name on all the checks.





> Originally Posted by *Klondyke*  (President Joe Biden)
> _Not being familiar with_





> Then why inject your 'wisdom'?


_I tried to find the figures, nothing here about that, not sure whether it is true since a "unrecognized" link:_





> American population: 330,483,530
> 
> Stimulus bill: $2,000,000,000,000 ($2 Trillion)
> 
> Dividing the cost by every in America is $6,051.74
> 
> The government could have given every person over $6,000, but instead will give $1,400 to each adult under a certain income.
> 
> Wanna know where the missing 96% of your tax dollars went?
> ...

----------


## Cujo

It's a stimulus bill, not a virus bill.

----------


## panama hat

> It's a stimulus bill, not a virus bill.


He won't understand

----------


## RPETER65

> That is one pile of gibberish there. I do not speak trailer trash so will do my best to decipher what you posted. The first thing I will say is that you and the rest of the trumpanzee lemmings have got new talking points. Since Moscow Mitch rightfully spoke up about your orange gods act of stoking an insurrection you are all up in arms and Mitch is the new trumpanzee target. Pretty clear that you are lockstep brainwashed into fox/newsmax cult of alternate reality. 
> 
> 
> 
> My state has had "absentee" ballots only since 2011 with basically "zero" fraud and "covid" had nothing to do with that. That said it is left to the individual states to run their own elections. So any fuck up there is on your boy Kemp.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds like you do just fine at speaking trailer trash.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Sounds like you do just fine at speaking to trailer trash.


FTFY.

----------


## S Landreth

President Joe Biden’s Envoy for Climate

John Kerry's warning to Big Oil: Embrace change or be on the wrong side of this battle

"You don't want to be sitting there with a lot of stranded assets. You're gonna wind up on the wrong side of this battle," Kerry said

Climate change: Kerry urges top polluters to cut emissions now

"China, the US, Russia, India, the EU, Korea, Japan and others all have to be part of this effort," he said. "Twenty countries. Eighty one percent of the emissions."

----------


## panama hat

^ Perhaps taxing big oil comprehensively will help

----------


## David48atTD

> Blackout: White House curbs press, public access as Biden struggles with public demands of job | Just The News


*sigh* 



> *John Solomon*, the controversial conservative journalist whose newspaper columns in _The Hill_ helped spread conspiracy theories cited in the anonymous whistleblower complaint that led to President *Donald Trumps* impeachment, is launching a new media venture, Just the News.

----------


## S Landreth

> Perhaps taxing big oil comprehensively will help


An increased Federal user fee on all oil products (and oil based products) would be nice. Pay for infrastructure and maintenance, R&D and help some who are not as fortunate (discounted rates on some oil related items. Examples would be heating oil/public transportation).

That user fee might be easier for most to swallow. If you don’t want to pay the fee,……don’t use it.

*Extra……….
* 
Biden Endorses Female Generals Whose Promotions Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump’s Reaction

President Joe Biden has nominated two female generals to elite, four-star commands, the Defense Department announced, months after their Pentagon bosses had agreed on their promotions but held them back out of fears that Trump would reject the officers because they were women.

----------


## panama hat

> An increased Federal user fee on all oil products (and oil based products) would be nice. Pay for infrastructure and maintenance, R&D and help some who are not as fortunate (discounted rates on some oil related items. Examples would be heating oil/public transportation).
> 
> That user fee might be easier for most to swallow. If you don’t want to pay the fee,……don’t use it.


Absolutely . . . and getting oil companies to pay the same tax rates as others

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Absolutely . . . and getting oil companies to pay the same tax rates as others


They could start by knocking every fucking subsidy on the head.

----------


## panama hat

So many places to start . . .

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to give prime-time address on anniversary of pandemic lockdown

"He will discuss the many sacrifices the American people have made over the last year, and the grave loss communities and families across the country have suffered," press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing with reporters.

*Should be edited to say......* "He will discuss the many sacrifices the American people have made over the last year, and the grave loss communities and families across the country have suffered because of Trump’s inaction," press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing with reporters.

Biden reinstates bird protections gutted under Trump

The move strengthens federal regulators’ authority to enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a 1918 law that allows the government to prosecute polluters whose actions are responsible for the deaths of about 1,100 protected bird species.

Yada, yada, yada

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act was used as part of the enforcement action that led to BP’s settlement for the 2009 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana. Environmentalists say it’s a key deterrent for companies that may otherwise be less diligent about environmental protections.

----------


## Klondyke

^ And nobody has mentioned that he nominated 2 female generals - at the occasion of International Women Day. (nothing like this had his predecessor done):

----------


## S Landreth

> And nobody has mentioned that he nominated 2 female generals - at the occasion of International Women Day. (nothing like this had his predecessor done)


same page.......




> *Extra.
> * 
> Biden Endorses Female Generals Whose Promotions Were Delayed Over Fears of Trumps Reaction
> 
> President Joe Biden has nominated two female generals to elite, four-star commands, the Defense Department announced, months after their Pentagon bosses had agreed on their promotions but held them back out of fears that Trump would reject the officers because they were women.

----------


## bsnub

Two exceptional officers who will lead and do a fine job. Congrats to them both.

----------


## panama hat

> And nobody has mentioned that he nominated 2 female generals





> same page.......
> 
> 
> 
> Biden Endorses Female Generals Whose Promotions Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump’s Reaction


Do pay attention in your never-ending anti-US quest, Klondyke

----------


## S Landreth

House passes $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, sends to Biden


House Democrats passed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday, sending one of the biggest stimulus plans in U.S. history to President Joe Bidens desk.

Biden's 50-day mark to coincide with relief bill win


Beyond policy matters, Bidens first 50 days have been marked by a return to normalcy and order at the White House. There are no rogue tweets in the middle of the night from the presidents account and far fewer administration leaks to the media. The press secretary holds regular weekday briefings and Biden rarely strays from the script when he appears in public, often doing so in controlled environments.

Up next.


Watched a little of President Bidens Secretary of Transportation on the news the other day. Of course Secretary Pete was talking about infrastructure and an Infrastructure Bill.

Pete Buttigieg on Climate Change, Electric Vehicles, and the New DOT


maybe it'll be the U.S. Citizenship Act

*President Biden Sends Immigration Bill to Congress*

*Little extra.*

President Joe Biden's nominee for attorney general was confirmed Wednesday by the U.S. Senate. Garland confirmed as attorney general - ABC News

----------


## panama hat

> Watched a little of President Biden’s Secretary of Transportation on the news the other day. Of course Secretary Pete was talking about infrastructure and an Infrastructure Bill.


Though it's not 1/10th as interesting as the Trump era, it is good to see that the US is getting back to 'normal'.

----------


## AntRobertson

Dems passed stimulus and child tax credit, stock market at an all-time high... Republicans whining on Fox News about Mr. Potato Head & Dr. Suess.

----------


## S Landreth

^There was also this tidbit,………

A $60 billion surprise in the Covid relief bill: Tax hikes

Democrats are getting an early start on their tax-increase agenda.

They’ve tucked a trio of little-noticed tax hikes on the wealthy and big corporations into their coronavirus relief package that together are worth $60 billion.

----------


## Klondyke

> same page.......





> Do pay attention in your never-ending anti-US quest, Klondyke


Did the "same page" also mention that the good man could not immediately recall the name of his new Defence Secretary? 

(I did not dare to place here the audio of the speech... but it's easy to find - before it will be disappeared)

----------


## panama hat

> (I did not dare


Of course, we understand . . .  please rest assured that this isn't Russia nor China and you won't end up in a concentration camp if you do

----------


## AntRobertson

> Did the "same page" also mention that the good man could not immediately recall the name of his new Defence Secretary?


*Gasp!* Oh noes!

I'm sure Tim Apple, Ken Canterbury, Steve McCarthy and others will be shocked!

 ::chitown::

----------


## harrybarracuda

> *Gasp!* Oh noes!
> 
> I'm sure Tim Apple, Ken Canterbury, Steve McCarthy and others will be shocked!


He won't get that. You'll probably need to explain it to him.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^There was also this tidbit,………
> 
> A $60 billion surprise in the Covid relief bill: Tax hikes
> 
> Democrats are getting an early start on their tax-increase agenda.
> 
> They’ve tucked a trio of little-noticed tax hikes on the wealthy and big corporations into their coronavirus relief package that together are worth $60 billion.


Now you know why the GOP opposed it.

----------


## AntRobertson

> He won't get that. You'll probably need to explain it to him.


He still won't get it (and will pretend he doesn't even if he did).

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by harrybarracuda  
> He won't get that. You'll probably need to explain it to him.





> He still won't get it (and will pretend he doesn't even if he did).


Please be so kind and explain it to him (using a language that can be found in Webster...)

----------


## AntRobertson

*No*

 Adverb
\ ˈnō 

used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility

_shall we go out to dinner or no_

----------


## harrybarracuda

Surely

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill

President Joe Biden signed a COVID-19 relief package worth nearly $1.9 trillion into law on Thursday. The legislation includes $1,400 direct payments, a $300 weekly federal unemployment benefit until September, additional money for parents, funding for a national vaccination program, and billions of dollars for state and local governments and reopening schools.

This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country and giving people in this nation  working people, middle class folks, the people who build the country  a fighting chance, Biden said before signing the bill. 


 
*Extra.*

GOP Senators want to hold hearings on Mr. Potato Heads sexual orientation.

----------


## AntRobertson

Wait, what, where is the overly-large signature? The posturing and preening?

The impromptu and incomprehensible ranting and rambling 'press conference'? The associated airing of grievances?

No, this isn't normal, it won't do at all.

 :Sad:

----------


## Cujo

Not to mention he won't even put his signature on the cheques.

----------


## AntRobertson

Whaaaaat?!

What sort of second-rate, tinpot, president doesn't make it all about himself??

 :Dunno:

----------


## Klondyke

> Not to mention he won't even put his signature on the cheques.


Important not to forget the name to be signed on...

----------


## aging one

Adios asshole, and your illegible ugly ass sharpie signature..

----------


## aging one

double post.

----------


## panama hat

> Not to mention he won't even put his signature on the cheques.





> Important not to forget the name to be signed on...


Do you actually know whose signature is on a federal cheque . . . before your orange idol went all Klongdick on the world?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> GOP Senators want to hold hearings on Mr. Potato Head’s sexual orientation.


It makes you wonder if they actually have potatoes for heads themselves. It might explain their indignance.

----------


## AntRobertson

Today Biden unequivocally and forcefully condemned racist and hateful attacks against Asian Americans.

Not even a hint of both-siding it or mentioning fine people.

Who the fuck does this guy think he is, president of the US or something?!

----------


## panama hat

> Today Biden unequivocally and forcefully condemned racist and hateful attacks against Asian Americans.


Good God, we'll now get another pathetic pic from Klongdick.

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Bidens First Primetime Speech Viewership Tops Donald Trump

More numbers from Nielsen have pushed viewership for POTUS first primetime address to the Nation up to 32 million. Thats accounting for eyeballs on the 14 networks of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, CNBC, CNN, CNNe, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Newsmax, Newsnation & NEWSY.

Joe Biden may not be a favorite of Fox News viewers, but fans of the Rupert Murdoch-owned cabler newser sure tuned in bigly to the Presidents first primetime address last night.

Commemorating the nearly 530,000 Americans dead and the widespread economic devastation that has dominated the last year and condemning assaults on Asian-Americans, Bidens just-over-20-minute speech from the White Houses East Room came mere hours after he signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act into law. Poised as the opening salvo in a coast-to-coast political pitch to further sell the already-popular initiative to the public, Bidens 8 PM ET remarks were covered live on all four broadcast networks and Univision as well as all of the cabler newsers and online.

Or put this way  and this will sting a certain resident of Mar-a-Lago  thats better than Donald Trumps first primetime presidential address did on August 21, 2017. That speech on the ongoing war in Afghanistan drew under 18 million on the Big 4 with NBC logging 6.2 million viewers as the most-watched net of the address. Trumps numbers went up to about 28 million when the likes of Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC were factored in later.

----------


## Klondyke

^What a surprising surge of the figures... After the low attendance at his rallies. Perhaps because of the generous money distributed? What they got from the one before him?  

(Pity that we do not see here more about him as we had seen here every day about the one before him...)

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ^What a surprising surge of the figures... After the low attendance at his rallies. Perhaps because of the generous money distributed? What they got from the one before him?  
> 
> (Pity that we do not see here more about him as we had seen here every day about the one before him...)


Biden is not about the agulation and personal gratification of trump, Biden at this point is in essence a Technocrat, he at his own admission is a transitional figure, he is here to put together a professional team as he has,   fix this thing  and go away. 
I might not agree with all his politics but he is the right man for the time. We had enough entertainment , it is time to get to work.

----------


## russellsimpson

> admission is a transitional figure, he is here to put together a professional team as he has, fix this thing and go away.
> I might not agree with all his politics but he is the right man for the time. We had enough entertainment , it is time to get to work.


I agree with these sentiments.

So BB do you think Biden may decide to do a single term and then (theoretically) hand the reigns over to Harris ?

I was one of the 32 million who watched live. The content was good.

I do though wonder still about Biden's physical and (to some extent) mental condition. His back is clearly worn out and I do feel a fall may be in his near term future. By the time the average person gets to seventy- nine the body is compromised. I think his handlers are going to have to learn how to "handle" him better. There is no need for him to walk (and certainly not jog) that long runway to the podium. When an old person gets tired it is inevitable that concentration will begin to be compromised, that's simply how the aging process works. So let him take it easy as far as appearances are concerned. He has a very competent team around him so no need whatever to micromanage everything like his predecessor was guilty of.

----------


## Slick

Biden will not have a second term. He’s a dementia corpse and everyone knows it. He’s coddled. Hidden. Takes zero questions and never deviates from the teleprompter. Doesn’t make any policy and follows the party line. He’s a literal prop.

Personally, I hope they run Harris. Best chance for republicans to check leftwing idiocy is if they run that insufferable ho. 

Assuming Biden lives long enough to finish his term.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I agree with these sentiments.
> 
> So BB do you think Biden may decide to do a single term and then (theoretically) hand the reigns over to Harris ?
> 
> I was one of the 32 million who watched live. The content was good.
> 
> I do though wonder still about Biden's physical and (to some extent) mental condition. His back is clearly worn out and I do feel a fall may be in his near term future. By the time the average person gets to seventy- nine the body is compromised. I think his handlers are going to have to learn how to "handle" him better. There is no need for him to walk (and certainly not jog) that long runway to the podium. When an old person gets tired it is inevitable that concentration will begin to be compromised, that's simply how the aging process works. So let him take it easy as far as appearances are concerned. He has a very competent team around him so no need whatever to micromanage everything like his predecessor was guilty of.


I certainly don't think a second term is in the cards for him, you got to appreciate the sacrifice he is doing for us, being president is hard work,all those who enter the office, you can see it in their faces by the time they leave.  I am sure at his age , he want's to be home with his family and grandchildren, I know I would.  IMO he chose Harris as his VP with that in mind, she has the gravitas to step into the office, she is smart, young, well educated, and a centrist.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Biden will not have a second term. He’s a dementia corpse and everyone knows it. He’s coddled. Hidden. Takes zero questions and never deviates from the teleprompter. Doesn’t make any policy and follows the party line. He’s a literal prop.
> 
> Personally, I hope they run Harris. Best chance for republicans to check leftwing idiocy is if they run that insufferable ho. 
> 
> Assuming Biden lives long enough to finish his term.


I hope you don't think a pretentious avatar does not give any more weight to the drible you post.  If  BIden who in two months  brought the country out of the hole your boy  buried us in is " a dementia corps" WT F is the Idiot  that for four long years wrecked the country?  The Idiot who fixed ACA, the moron who fixed our trade deficit with China, the Asshole  who magically cured Covid.

----------


## beachbound

> (Pity that we do not see here more about him as we had seen here every day about the one before him...)


Does anyone have a Klondork-to-English dictionary I can borrow?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Does anyone have a Klondork-to-English dictionary I can borrow?


Just assume every post translates to "derpy derp derp derpity derp" and you'll be fine.

----------


## Slick

> I hope you don't think a pretentious avatar does not give any more weight to the drible you post.  If  BIden who in two months  brought the country out of the hole your boy  buried us in is " a dementia corps" WT F is the Idiot  that for four long years wrecked the country?  The Idiot who fixed ACA, the moron who fixed our trade deficit with China, the Asshole  who magically cured Covid.


The fact that you think any of what you posted is even remotely true is a lesson in how politics makes some people literally retarded.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The fact that you think any of what you posted is even remotely true is a lesson in how politics makes some people literally retarded.


The fact that you don't see what the arsehole did is even funnier.

Tax cuts for the wealthy paid for on the national debt, tariffs on the chinkies paid for by US consumers, promised a health care plan for four years and never even produced a draft, and repeatedly told everyone that Covid would go away on its own and people should drink bleach.

You'd have to be a prize fucking imbecile to support that.

----------


## beachbound

> When an old person gets tired it is inevitable that concentration will begin to be compromised, that's simply how the aging process works.


Tell us more, Mr. Science.
Biden exercises regularly, by biking and weights. Fauci, 2 years older than Biden, runs/power-walks 4 miles a day.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Tell us more, Mr. Science.
> Biden exercises regularly, by biking and weights. Fauci, 2 years older than Biden, runs/power-walks 4 miles a day.


As the saying goes, "If I'd known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself".

----------


## Slick

What “the arsehole” did is in the past. 

Hero-worshiping a corpse for “fixing” shit in “two months” is next level smooth-brain idiocy. This upsets people but it’s true.

----------


## beachbound

> next level smooth-brain idiocy.



Not nearly as idiotic as blindly following a President that suggested the ingestion of disinfectant to cure COVID.

----------


## Slick

> Not nearly as idiotic as blindly following a President that suggested the ingestion of disinfectant to cure COVID.


Hey, you guys are the ones hero-worshiping a corpse & believing he’s fixed the country in two months, which is just absurd. 

If your positions had any merit, you wouldn’t need to be a big ole fibber and invoke the guy you hate to justify them.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Hey, you guys are the ones hero-worshiping a corpse & believing he’s fixed the country in two months, which is just absurd. 
> 
> If your positions had any merit, you wouldn’t need to be a big ole fibber and invoke the guy you hate to justify them.


Not as absurd as your man crush on a fucking orange imbecile I can assure you.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> What the arsehole did is in the past. 
> 
> Hero-worshiping a corpse for fixing shit in two months is next level smooth-brain idiocy. This upsets people but its true.


Nah, it's doesn't and it's not. It's just the silly shit Fox News, OANN and Newsmax churn out for chumps like you when they're not bleating about the plastic genitalia on a potato.

----------


## panama hat

> Nah, it's doesn't and it's not. It's just the silly shit Fox News, OANN and Newsmax churn out for chumps like you when they're not bleating about the plastic genitalia on a potato.


It's real life for halfwits like Slick

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Is Betting His Whole Climate Agenda on Infrastructure

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) — one of the strongest advocates for climate action among Democrats in Congress — called the upcoming infrastructure bill “our primary opportunity to move green priorities. Green infrastructure and low-carbon technologies have enormous potential to create jobs.”

Biden team hopes to make 2021 infrastructure year with major package to boost US roads, bridges

Biden and his team have begun discussions on the possible outlines of an infrastructure package with members of Congress, particularly mindful that Texas’ recent struggles with power outages and water shortages after a brutal winter storm present an opportunity for agreement on sustained spending on infrastructure.

“Now is the time to be aggressive,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former South Bend, Indiana, mayor who knows potholes.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The fact that you think any of what you posted is even remotely true is a lesson in how politics makes some people literally retarded.


Did your boy  or did he not tell as last spring that "Covid will magically go away"  ?
Was or was it not the trade deficit with China bigger when your buy left office than when he started? which he  promise to reduce ? 
Did he  repeal and replace with something better ACA as he promised? 

Biden is spending his few remaining years , working his ass off to fix the mess your boy got this country , to get you a vaccine (70 million so far) to save the US economy from the hole your buy's inept response to covid put the US in , to put some money in your pocket until the economy opens up,     and the only appreciation your  kind can show is to call him "dementia corpse ". because he does not come on TV and talk trash to you , which is the only language that you apparently understand. 
Or is it  you who is a " dementia corpse" . at least from the neck up?

----------


## beachbound

> Biden is spending his few remaining years , working his ass off to fix the mess your boy got this country in


He’s just doing what Democrats have had to do for the past 40 years, or so. With regards to the federal deficit, Reagan took the deficit from $70 billion to $175 billion. Bush 41 took it to $300 billion. Clinton got it to zero. Bush 43 took it from zero to $1.2 trillion. Obama halved it to $600 billion. Trump took it back up to 3.1 trillion.

----------


## Cujo

> The fact that you don't see what the arsehole did is even funnier.
> 
> Tax cuts for the wealthy paid for on the national debt, tariffs on the chinkies paid for by US consumers, promised a health care plan for four years and never even produced a draft, and repeatedly told everyone that Covid would go away on its own and people should drink bleach.
> 
> You'd have to be a prize fucking imbecile to support that.


You forgot a big beautiful wall paid for by the Mexicans.

----------


## bsnub

> If your positions had any merit, you wouldnt need to be a big ole fibber and invoke the guy you hate to justify them.


 :smiley laughing: 

You fucktards are still going on about Hillary.




> Nah, it's doesn't and it's not. It's just  the silly shit Fox News, OANN and Newsmax churn out for chumps like you  when they're not bleating about the plastic genitalia on a potato.


Well said and spot on. Just regurgitation of talking points and not one shred of independent thinking there. 




> It's real life for halfwits like Slick


Sadly they are still all marching lockstep even if the orange moron is finished.

----------


## AntRobertson

> What “the arsehole” did is *in the past*.
> 
> Hero-worshiping a corpse for “fixing” shit in “*two months*” is next level smooth-brain idiocy. This upsets people but it’s true.


So, no cognitive dissonance there then.




> The fact that you think any of what you posted is even remotely true is a lesson in how politics makes some people literally retarded.


You are literally misusing the word 'literally'.

----------


## Klondyke

> I was one of the 32 million who watched live. 
> I do though wonder still about Biden's physical and (to some extent) mental condition


Was it why did you watch live? (similarly as the 32 mil.)

----------


## beachbound

> Was it why did you watch live? (similarly as the 32 mil.)


Still waiting on that dictionary......anybody?

----------


## russellsimpson

Every single Canadian channel covered the speech live. Pretty much every American channel carried it live. 

It was an historic speech. I'm much a political creature so it was compulsory watching for me.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden is spending his few remaining years , working his ass off to fix the mess your boy got this country , to get you a vaccine (70 million so far)


* 105 million +

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> What “the arsehole” did is in the past. 
> 
> Hero-worshiping a corpse for “fixing” shit in “two months” is next level smooth-brain idiocy. This upsets people but it’s true.


It's not "hero-worship" Slick it is giving credit where credit is due. The man is 79 years old. he is working his ass of for you and me, Even if you disagree with the politics, You got to agree that he has in place a top of the line professional team, and is doing a great job. 
something that tramp said he was going to do , remember when he said " I hire only the best people" .but did not.
Biden is Articulate, honest, and respected around the world. 
So what if he stumbles once in a while , what 80 year old does not? He recovers and gets the job done.
Give Credit where Credit is due!! to call him a "_a dementia corpse_ " is not only disrespectful , it is ungrateful. and the only thing it accomplishes it to reflect badly on you, not on him.

----------


## Klondyke

> I'm much a political creature so it was compulsory watching for me.


Actually, who wasn't so fortunate as you (as e.g. we here in Thailand) can watch it on YouTube. And in addition, he can read the comments underneath (so far)...

----------


## Slick

> ungrateful


This one word perfectly centers how polar opposite we are when discussing politics, politicians, and government.

You’ve put career liars and slimeballs (politicians, all of them) on such a pedestal that you feel the need to be “grateful” for barely doing anything tangible.  

You’ll sit around watching your preferred party shit your money out across the globe and give you literal crumbs for your trouble and STILL feel grateful.

I’ll bet you, before Biden dies or finishes his term, you will be paying more in taxes and get nothing for it. That money will go everywhere but you. And you will have voted for it. And you’ll say thank you.

----------


## beachbound

> discussing politics,


You don’t “discuss”, anything. You regurgitate pro-Republican, and anti-Democrat drivel that you hear on OANN, Breitbart, and Fox, and try to pass it off as your own original thought.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> This one word perfectly centers how polar opposite we are when discussing politics, politicians, and government.
> 
> You’ve put career liars and slimeballs (politicians, all of them) on such a pedestal that you feel the need to be “grateful” for barely doing anything tangible.  
> 
> You’ll sit around watching your preferred party shit your money out across the globe and give you literal crumbs for your trouble and STILL feel grateful.
> 
> I’ll bet you, before Biden dies or finishes his term, you will be paying more in taxes and get nothing for it. That money will go everywhere but you. And you will have voted for it. And you’ll say thank you.


You supported the worst president in history. You are simply not in a position to criticise any other.

Every time you try, you just make yourself look like a bitter little wanker.

Wipe away the tears snowflake, wipe away the tears.

----------


## Slick

> You don’t “discuss”, anything. You regurgitate pro-Republican, and anti-Democrat drivel that you hear on OANN, Breitbart, and Fox, and try to pass it off as your own original thought.


Actually, you emotional little girl, you don’t know a fucking thing about me. My positions are basic, longstanding conservative positions and perfectly reasonable. 

But if you must know, I’ll vote for who ever, regardless of how bizarre their tweets or hair or fake tan as long as I agree with the politics and/or it’s better than the other choice. I’m honest about it too.

I hate about 98% of Democrats. They are about party and power, the actual citizens and taxpayers are dead last. That’s the truth. They’ll give you table scraps, you fools gobble it up, then get hysterical when people point out that you’re getting fed trash paid for with YOUR money. 

It would be funny if it wasn’t so fucked up.

----------


## beachbound

^

Thank you for proving my point, you tool.

----------


## Slick

Deleted.

----------


## Slick

> You supported the worst president in history. You are simply not in a position to criticise any other.
> 
> Every time you try, you just make yourself look like a bitter little wanker.
> 
> Wipe away the tears snowflake, wipe away the tears.


Me being a taxpayer who goes to great lengths to maintain voter registration and be able to cast a ballot while overseas means I can comment and and opine whenever the fuck I want, Harry. 

No tears and Im not even mad. Its just gotta run its course. Midterms will tell more of how the country feels and if they run Harris in the next election then the country will be red again. 

Biden shot his load on the covid bill, nothing else will pass. 

I just think its funny that orange man got yall so twisted that youll kiss the ring of a dude who needs aides to tell him to put his pants on in the morning, and by you guys own admission isnt mentally fit to lead without his unelected team telling him what to do. 

But apparently its (D)ifferent when its your guy doing it.

----------


## S Landreth

> * 105 million +


107 million doses have been administered

The U.S. is currently administering over 2.3 million shots a day.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden planning first major tax hike in almost 30 years

The planned increases reportedly include: raising the corporate tax from 21 percent to 28 percent; increasing the income tax rate on people making more than $400,000; expanding the estate tax; paring back tax preferences on pass-through businesses such as limited-liability companies; and setting up a higher capital gains tax rate for individuals making at least $1 million.

As Bloomberg notes, an independent analysis of the Biden campaign's tax plan conducted by the Tax Policy Center found that it would raise around $2.1 trillion over 10 years.

Tax hikes included as part of infrastructure and job packages will likely include repealing part of former President Trump's 2017 tax law that largely benefitted corporations and wealthy individuals, the news outlet notes, citing sources close to the matter.

----------


## Slick

^ Why not just let people keep their money, stop spending in foreign aid and special interests, and put the savings back into the country. 

Its a democrat position I’ll never understand. Raise taxes and.... Spend it on everything other than the people.

----------


## beachbound

> Its a democrat position I’ll never understand. .


yeah, it’s the Republican Presidents over the past 40+ years that have drastically inflated the deficit, and the Democrats have to come in and fix it. 
Care to comment?

----------


## panama hat

> Spend it on everything other than the people.


Are you a seppo version of chico?

----------


## Slick

> yeah, it’s the Republican Presidents over the past 40+ years that have drastically inflated the deficit, and the Democrats have to come in and fix it. 
> Care to comment?


All that money going around in the worlds biggest economy and there’s people so damn poor it puts India to shame. Crumbling infrastructure. No healthcare. Shit internet if at all. There’s people who still to this day don’t have running water. Decades and decades of shit policy and wasteful spending. 

But this won’t stop stupid people (you) from absolving your party of blame and finger-pointing at the other. 

Never mind the economy being so fucked up (allegedly) that you guys felt compelled to pass a 2 trillion dollar stimulus package only to turn right around 5 mins later and threaten to raise taxes to a level unseen in 30 years. 

 :Dunno:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ^ Why not just let people keep their money, stop spending in foreign aid and special interests, and put the savings back into the country. 
> 
> Its a democrat position Ill never understand. Raise taxes and.... Spend it on everything other than the people.


Yes indeed . It was the Democrats that" liberated" Iraq a and spend trillions of dollars , but can cant find enough money for universal health care for their citizens .

----------


## Slick

> Are you a seppo version of chico?


You were breastfed until you were 7, weren’t you.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^ Why not just let people keep their money, stop spending in foreign aid and special interests, and put the savings back into the country. 
> 
> Its a democrat position I’ll never understand. Raise taxes and.... Spend it on everything other than the people.



You only understand greed, don't you?

----------


## panama hat

> You were breastfed until you were 7, weren’t you.


Yup . . . a retarded seppo version of chico

----------


## beachbound

> But this won’t stop stupid people (you) from absolving your party of blame and finger-pointing at the other.


Hey Mr. Pot...Is that you? 

Noticed you ignored the federal deficit question, and the fact that Republicans fuck it up, every time they hold the office. Your Orange Idol took it to 3.1 trillion, FFS. 

Please, lecture us some more on fiscal responsibility.

----------


## Cujo

> All that money going around in the worlds biggest economy and there’s people so damn poor it puts India to shame. Crumbling infrastructure. No healthcare. Shit internet if at all. There’s people who still to this day don’t have running water. Decades and decades of shit policy and wasteful spending. 
> 
> But this won’t stop stupid people (you) from absolving your party of blame and finger-pointing at the other. 
> 
> Never mind the economy being so fucked up (allegedly) that you guys felt compelled to pass a 2 trillion dollar stimulus package only to turn right around 5 mins later and threaten to raise taxes to a level unseen in 30 years.


Those proposed tax hikes are to apply to wealthy people and corporations,  not working people. 
And what did Trump do or attempt to do about infrastructure in his 4 years?
And healthcare ? Trump tried to dismantle affordable care act without anything to replace it with. 
I could go on but you get the picture.  People in glass houses and all that.

----------


## bsnub

> But this wont stop stupid people (me) from electing an orange moron


FTFY...

----------


## AntRobertson

> Its a democrat position I’ll never understand.


Maybe get your info from somewhere other than Fox et. al. then.




> Raise taxes and.... Spend it on everything other than the people.



Decades of economic data that you could easily access show that's not true.

In fact the general rule is that the economy fares better under Dems than Republicans.

----------


## AntRobertson

Kinda mind-boggling really. 

How effective is the GOP propaganda machine that people like Slick are perfectly fine with the deficit being bloated by giving tax cuts to those in the highest income brackets (who were already proportionately under-taxed) and then loses his goddamn mind when direct aid is being given to people struggling in a pandemic the GOP exacerbated.

That's some strong fucking Kool-Aid!

----------


## AntRobertson

Apropos of that...

What the fuck is it with Republicans now trying to take credit for the relief bill they unanimously voted against.

----------


## Backspin

> You were breastfed until you were 7, weren’t you.


Lol green owed

----------


## aging one

> Lol green owed


How are you going to do that with no repo Skiddy?  You are shooting blanks. :smiley laughing:

----------


## Backspin

> Those proposed tax hikes are to apply to wealthy people and corporations,  not working people. 
> And what did Trump do or attempt to do about infrastructure in his 4 years?
> And healthcare ? Trump tried to dismantle affordable care act without anything to replace it with. 
> I could go on but you get the picture.  People in glass houses and all that.


Why don't lefties labor types lobby for lower working class taxes ? Then you'd be doing something useful.

Abolish income taxes for anyone making less than $200,000 a year.

----------


## tinystone

#Trump Accelerationism#So Biden spent $1.9 trillion

----------


## Klondyke

> raising the corporate tax from 21 percent to 28 percent;


That would be a very big shock for Mr. Bezos and his friends... Will they survive it?

----------


## Cujo

> Why don't lefties labor types lobby for lower working class taxes ? Then you'd be doing something useful.
> 
> Abolish income taxes for anyone making less than $200,000 a year.


Is there a minimum taxable income level in Canada?

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden Is Betting His Whole Climate Agenda on Infrastructure
> 
> Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)  one of the strongest advocates for climate action among Democrats in Congress  called the upcoming infrastructure bill our primary opportunity to move green priorities. Green infrastructure and low-carbon technologies have enormous potential to create jobs.
> 
> Biden team hopes to make 2021 infrastructure year with major package to boost US roads, bridges


Spot-on: (nothing new for our harry)

----------


## pickel

> Is there a minimum taxable income level in Canada?


13,229$

----------


## harrybarracuda

Biden promised 100m vaccinations in his first hundred days. He's blown past 109m on day 55.

And that is starting with no vaccination plan at all, because orange fucknuts had no clue what he was doing.

----------


## AntRobertson

Trumps Vaccine Plan:

-Get secretly vaccinated himself in Jan for something he first said was a Dem hoax and then repeatedly lied and spread misinformation about.

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden to launch sale of COVID-19 stimulus package in Pennsylvania visit

Biden has his first big win and he’s coming to Pennsylvania to make sure people know about it

Joe Biden is less than two months into his presidency and has just scored his first major legislative achievement. But in many ways, he’s been here before.

Like in 2009, when he became vice president, Biden has inherited a national calamity. Like in 2009, his first job is to steady the country and guide it to safety. And like in 2009, the new administration’s first big bill is a rescue package meant to provide a bridge to brighter days.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Joe Biden to launch sale of COVID-19 stimulus package in Pennsylvania visit
> 
> Biden has his first big win and he’s coming to Pennsylvania to make sure people know about it
> 
> Joe Biden is less than two months into his presidency and has just scored his first major legislative achievement. But in many ways, he’s been here before.
> 
> Like in 2009, when he became vice president, Biden has inherited a national calamity. Like in 2009, his first job is to steady the country and guide it to safety. And like in 2009, the new administration’s first big bill is a rescue package meant to provide a bridge to brighter days.



It's a silly cycle: Republicans fuck up, Democrats have to clean it up.

People need to realise they should stop voting for the fuck ups.

----------


## bsnub

> People need to realise they should stop voting for the fuck ups.


Kinda hard when most on the right are consumed by propaganda and dogma. Just look at the garbage talking points idiots like slick and repeater666 post. They are just useful idiots voting outside of their own best interests but too stupid to see it. 

They get their marching orders direct from the one Koch brother, Rupert Murdoch, The Mercer family etc. The talking points come straight from those right wing oligarchs and are designed to further line the fat cats pockets and further divide the nation based on fear and dogma, so the greedy bastards can continue to rob the country unabated.

God, Guns, and the Merican flag. Fuck the ni**ers and beaners too. That sums them up in a nutshell.

----------


## Slick

> God, Guns, and the Merican flag. Fuck the ni**ers and beaners too. That sums them up in a nutshell.


Comical watching you guys fabricate these detached right wing caricatures in your head and acting like it applies to everyone. 

I’m a lot of things but religious & racist I am not.

----------


## misskit

> Comical watching you guys fabricate these detached right wing caricatures


 Hahaha

----------


## bsnub

> I’m a lot of things but religious & racist I am not.


You are not religious but racist oh yes you are. Case in point is the way that you refer to black women like Kamala and Stacey Adams. I can only imagine the backslapping and racist shit talking you scumbags say when amongst like minds in the trailer park or pawn shop selling what little cash assets you have.

5.0 bitches.

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Slick

> You are not religious but racist oh yes you are. Case in point is the way that you refer to black women like Kamala and Stacey Adams.


Those 2 suck and it has nothing at all to with their skin color. 

I hate when people use their color as a shield to deflect from their shit character. It just makes an already shit character even shittier.

----------


## bsnub

> I hate when people use their color as a shield to deflect from their shit character.


Perhaps you can provide some data to back your argument since you seem to be throwing around a bunch of horseshit. Right wing talking points are just alternative facts. 

I will tell you one thing if Stacey Abrams runs in 2022 she will be the next governor of Georgia.

----------


## Slick

> I will tell you one thing if Stacey Abrams runs in 2022 she will be the next governor of Georgia.


Only way that happens is if the state expands vote by mail even further than they did for the runoff election, which they won’t and are already working on tightening up on. And Joe Derpin shot his load on the stimulus package instead of vote reform, so, no, she won’t.

Hell, only reason Osoff the Douche won was due to absentee ballot expansion & covid. 

But we’ll see in the midterms & what not. 

One thing is perfectly clear, Dems are on shaky ground.

----------


## beachbound

> only reason Osoff the Douche won was due to absentee ballot expansion & covid. 
> 
> But we’ll see in the midterms & what not.


Yeah, how dare those damn Democrats,... trying to make it easier for people to vote! Sheesh!

----------


## bsnub

> Only way that happens is if the state expands vote by mail even further than they did for the runoff election


Clearly you like most on the right are fearful of open and free elections. 




> Joe Derpin shot his load on the stimulus package instead of vote reform, so, no, she won’t.


Oh I see your keyholders have provided a new slander for the current POTUS who has already go more things done up to date than your shitbird orange god did in 4 years.




> Hell, only reason Osoff the Douche won was due to absentee ballot expansion & covid.


Once again. Fair play you shitbirds lose. 




> But we’ll see in the midterms & what not.


You got crushed the last time.




> One thing is perfectly clear, Dems are on shaky ground.


Reality denial and koolaid sipping is strong with this dipshit.

----------


## Slick

> Yeah, how dare those damn Democrats,... trying to make it easier for people to vote! Sheesh!


Why does it bother you guys to show up in person, show an id, and keep the rolls clean. 

Covid is over, Biden solved it in 2 months, so no reason not to maintain your registration, show up, show your ID, and cast your ballot. 

Doesn’t get much easier than that. 

 :Dunno:

----------


## beachbound

> Why does it bother you guys...


“You guys”?
You mean the American people? 74% of Americans approve of absentee/mail in ballots, including 64% of Republicans.



What are you afraid of Slimeball?

----------


## Backspin

Beachbound is some muttpack side project

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Why does it bother you guys to show up in person, show an id, and keep the rolls clean.


It doesn't. Which is why the GOP remove polling stations in black areas, you thick twat.

----------


## Slick

> “You guys”?


Yeah, you guys. 

Don’t worry tho, your dodge/deflection is answer enough.

----------


## Slick

> It doesn't. Which is why the GOP remove polling stations in black areas, you thick twat.


Yeah I’d like to see an example of this happening in the context that you say/imply it is. 

Good to know you’ve got no issue doing away with mass vote by mail tho. If only one major political party would take the same step, it might lower the tension in the USA a few degrees.

----------


## beachbound

> Yeah, you guys. 
> 
> Don’t worry tho, your dodge/deflection is answer enough.


Not deflecting anything, douche bag. I gave you verifiable statistics from recent polls. If you want
 to ignore it, that’s your problem.
democrats want to make voting easier, for everyone. 
Republicans want to make it more difficult. 
It’s a simple as that.

Speaking of dodging, I’m still waiting for your response about Republican presidents, and their knack of ballooning the federal deficit.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Comical watching you guys fabricate these detached right wing caricatures in your head and acting like it applies to everyone. 
> 
> I’m a lot of things but religious & racist I am not.


What is comical is that you guys are led by a failed Manhattan Real Estate conman / reality TV star , who came down on a golden escalator, who filed several bankruptcies, had screwed hundreds of hard working, tradesmen,  and the country he says he loves out of his fair share of taxes.
The one who is enjoying the sunshine in Florida while those who marched to the capital to help him will spend what little remains of their miserable lives in jail. 
What a bunch of maroons  :smiley laughing:  I am sure trump is laughing just as hard.

----------


## Slick

> Speaking of dodging, Im still waiting for your response about Republican presidents, and their knack of ballooning the federal deficit.


Seems to me you guys refuse to note context, causation, and politics. 

Clinton kicked the terrorism can down the road for political reasons, an attack happened under bush because of it, this sparked a massive war that the population of the USA overwhelmingly supported and granted bush astronomical approval ratings. 

This then inflated the deficit as wars do. Revisionists go back in time and act like they werent right fuckin there in full support. 

Etc etc. 

Trump lowered taxes, used his one filibuster-proof bill to do so, and was blocked by the opposing party non-stop for 4 years trying to lower the pork-barrel spending and wars. 

Deficit rises and opposing party, by refusal to lower spending, plays just as much of a hand in the deficit rising as Trump. 

This is the absolute state of American politics and it really is that simple.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yeah I’d like to see an example of this happening in the context that you say/imply it is. 
> 
> Good to know you’ve got no issue doing away with mass vote by mail tho. If only one major political party would take the same step, it might lower the tension in the USA a few degrees.


Do you think being disingenuous makes you look clever?

----------


## Backspin

> Not deflecting anything, douche bag. I gave you verifiable statistics from recent polls. If you want
>  to ignore it, that’s your problem.
> democrats want to make voting easier, for everyone. 
> Republicans want to make it more difficult. 
> It’s a simple as that.
> 
> Speaking of dodging, I’m still waiting for your response about Republican presidents, and their knack of ballooning the federal deficit.


Ant Robertson multinic ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Trump lowered taxes


For the rich, yes we know.




> This is the absolute state of American politics and it really is that simple.


No, it's the state of Republican politics because they are self-serving greedy bastards who con morons like you.

----------


## Slick

> For the rich, yes we know. No, it's the state of Republican politics because they are self-serving greedy bastards who con morons like you.


Everyone got a tax break, boyo. Myself included. Everyone knows this. 

You say I’m being conned. I’m not and I know exactly what I’m doing. 

But since you and the other toadies are the experts in all things Slick, you can surely give an example or 2 of how, exactly, I’ve been conned. From where I’m sitting, mean and bizarre tweets were worth it for what I got in return and it’s a boatload better than the alternative.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Seems to me you guys refuse to note context, causation, and politics. 
> 
> Clinton kicked the terrorism can down the road for political reasons, an attack happened under bush because of it, this sparked a massive war that the population of the USA overwhelmingly supported and granted bush astronomical approval ratings. 
> 
> This then inflated the deficit as wars do. Revisionists go back in time and act like they weren’t right fuckin there in full support. 
> 
> Etc etc. 
> 
> Trump lowered taxes, used his one filibuster-proof bill to do so, and was blocked by the opposing party non-stop for 4 years trying to lower the pork-barrel spending and wars. 
> ...


Yes , !5 of the 19 0/11 terrorists  were Saudis and non of them Oraqi , and we attacked who? and for what reasons?
 Welcome to the *U*nited* S*tates of *A*mnesia

----------


## Backspin

It just fucking amazes me how so many ppl on this thread think that the corporate Democrats have their interests at heart.

----------


## Backspin

> Yes , !5 of the 19 0/11 terrorists  were Saudis and non of them Oraqi , and we attacked who? and for what reasons?
>  Welcome to the *U*nited* S*tates of *A*mnesia


Did you support and do you support Obama's wars in Libya and Syria ? And surge in Afghanistan ?

----------


## S Landreth

Biden pledges 100 million total shots, 100 million relief checks in next 10 days

President Biden said in a speech from the White House Monday that his administration will reach two "giant goals" in the next 10 days: 100 million coronavirus vaccine doses and 100 million relief checks distributed to the public.

What they're saying: "Over the next 10 days we'll reach two goals, giant goals. The first is 100 million shots in people's arms will have been completed within the next 10 days. And 100 million checks in people's pockets in the next 10 days. Shots in arms and money in pockets," said Biden.

"And the plan does a lot more. It extends unemployment insurance for the 11 million Americans unemployed and any who will be unemployed in the near term."

"It will help hundreds of thousands of small businesses keep doors open, which makes a gigantic difference in neighborhoods and communities."

"It expands health care coverage and lowers health care costs for so many people. And it will cut child poverty in half in this country."

----------


## panama hat

> Why does it bother you guys to show up in person, show an id, and keep the rolls clean.


I remember you howl in anguish when your orange afterbirth and his porn wife voted by mail . . .

----------


## Slick

> I remember you howl in anguish when your orange afterbirth and his porn wife voted by mail . . .


And here’s where the idiots conflate an absentee ballot being used because you can’t be physically present (out of state/overseas/in hospital) and everything else being in place (registration/ID/home address/voter rolls/signature verification) with widespread vote-by-mail and sending ballots to everyone on the voter rolls, wether they ask for one or not. 

I voted by mail, but if I was able to vote in person, it should be mandatory. 

But basic election security doesn’t seem to matter in American politics for some wild reason.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> And here’s where the idiots conflate an absentee ballot being used because you can’t be physically present (out of state/overseas/in hospital) and everything else being in place (registration/ID/home address/voter rolls/signature verification) with widespread vote-by-mail and sending ballots to everyone on the voter rolls, wether they ask for one or not. 
> 
> I voted by mail, but if I was able to vote in person, it should be mandatory.
> 
> But basic election security doesn’t seem to matter in American politics for some wild reason.


trump can do an absentee ballot, but others who do to the pandemic or other reasons can not?

----------


## beachbound

> But basic election security doesn’t seem to matter in American politics for some wild reason.


Zero evidence of voter fraud when voting by mail, at any scale that would impact an election. You might get some respect if you just came out and admitted why you, like most Republicans want stricter voting laws. Anything to keep “the Blacks” from voting.

----------


## panama hat

> I remember you howl in anguish when your orange afterbirth and his porn wife voted by mail . . .





> I voted by mail, but if I was able to vote in person, it should be mandatory.





> trump can do an absentee ballot, but others who do to the pandemic or other reasons can not?


Nah, Slick's just full of shit

----------


## Saint Willy

> Nah, Slick's just full of shit


Absolutely clear.

----------


## bsnub

> Good to know youve got no issue doing away with mass vote by mail tho.


The state of Washington is 100% vote by mail and has next to zero fraud. The vote by mail system is less at risk to fraud than in person voting. The truth is the GOP does not want free and fair elections the fact is the more people that vote the more likely they are to lose.




> Clinton kicked the terrorism can down the road for political reasons, an attack happened under bush because of it, this sparked a massive war that the population of the USA overwhelmingly supported and granted bush astronomical approval ratings.
> 
> This then inflated the deficit as wars do.




Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. The Bush era tax cuts are to blame for ballooning the deficit and debt. In fact most of the debt added during the Obama presidency was due to the Bush era tax cuts, but your side was quick to push the utter falsehood that it was "Obama's debt" when in fact he had nothing to do with it.

It is a sad testimony to your level of indoctrination that you actually believe what you posted even though it is a total and complete falsehood. You and most of the other trumpanzee lemmings consume a massive and nonstop diet of propaganda and lies. This is just another prime example of the level of indoctrination that exists on the right.

----------


## Cujo

> The state of Washington is 100% vote by mail and has next to zero fraud. The vote by mail system is less at risk to fraud than in person voting. The truth is the GOP does not want free and fair elections the fact is the more people that vote the more likely they are to lose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. The Bush era tax cuts are to blame for ballooning the deficit and debt. In fact most of the debt added during the Obama presidency was due to the Bush era tax cuts, but your side was quick to push the utter falsehood that it was "Obama's debt" when in fact he had nothing to do with it.
> 
> It is a sad testimony to your level of indoctrination that you actually believe what you posted even though it is a total and complete falsehood. You and most of the other trumpanzee lemmings consume a massive and nonstop diet of propaganda and lies. This is just another prime example of the level of indoctrination that exists on the right.


Will you stop clouding the issue with 'facts' and 'figures' and other such propaganda as 'research' and charts and graphs reflecting 'reality'.
You'll confuse poor ol' slick there.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Zero evidence of voter fraud when voting by mail, at any scale that would impact an election. You might get some respect if you just came out and admitted why you, like most Republicans want stricter voting laws. Anything to keep “the Blacks” from voting.


This.

GOP: _We lied about election fraud / integrity and now morons believe those lies despite there being no evidence so we have to take steps which amount to disenfranchising people who won't vote for us because we have no actual policies beyind crying over stupid culture wars shit like Dr. Suess that we also just make up.

_

----------


## AntRobertson

> Originally Posted by Slick
> 
> 
> Comical watching you guys fabricate these detached right wing caricatures
> 
> 
>  Hahaha


 :smiley laughing: 




> I hate when people use their color as a shield to deflect from their shit character





> racist I am not


Does anyone on here not think that you're the type that uses the N-word--in private or under your breath to avoid repercussions, of course.

You are definitely racist (and of shit character).

----------


## Cujo

> It just fucking amazes me how so many ppl on this thread think that the corporate Democrats have their interests at heart.


'The corporate democrats'.
That makes me laugh.
Trump appointed corporate people to nearly all cabinet positions. 
Who's the USPS chief who owns A private corporation in direct competition to the USPS?
Ever heard of Betsy deVos? Just to name 2.

----------


## Klondyke

> 'The corporate democrats'.
> That makes me laugh.


*Top US companies increase donations to Democratic groups*
Executives shift contributions on expectations of Biden victory in November

    While the dollar amounts companies give to these groups are typically only a few hundred thousand dollars, the funds can help win friends in powerful places. Last year, dozens of state attorneys-general started investigating Google, Facebook, Amazon and others for possible anti-competitive practices.

In 2018, all 50 state attorneys-general reached a $575m settlement with Wells Fargo over its sales practices. Before she became a US senator and then Joe Bidens running mate, Kamala Harris was Californias attorney-general. Most state attorneys-general are elected by voters, while US attorneys are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Already in 2020, the Democratic Attorneys General Association has raked in $19.4m from companies and their trade associations, compared with $9.8m during the previous presidential election cycle in 2016.

Companies often shift their contributions to individuals who are ahead in the polls, said Brendan Quinn, a manager at the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in US politics.

If the winds are shifting in one partys favour that is who they are going to support, Mr Quinn said. If a politician is running behind in the polls, companies might give less considering that would be a waste of money if she or he loses.

Companies are increasingly expecting Mr Biden to win the White House. Three quarters of business leaders surveyed by the Yale School of Management on September 23 said they would be voting for Mr Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, over Donald Trump and 62 per cent of these business leaders believed Mr Biden would win.

Subscribe to read | Financial Times

----------


## Cujo

Meaningless.

----------


## panama hat

The usual Klongdick unrelated tripe . . .

----------


## nidhogg

> But basic election security doesn’t seem to matter in American politics for some wild reason.


Yeah - you are right.  In light of the massive voter fraud uncovered in the last election, things should be made dramatically more tight and difficult.


Oh.  Wait.  Hang on a minute........

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yeah - you are right.  In light of the massive voter fraud uncovered in the last election, things should be made dramatically more tight and difficult.
> 
> 
> Oh.  Wait.  Hang on a minute........


baldy orange loser nominee for infrastructure protection: "This election is the most secure in history".

baldy orange loser: "Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaah! You're fired".

----------


## harrybarracuda

Isn't it nice to have a president that isn't a weedy Putin suck up?




> *Russia Recalls Envoy as Biden Says 'Killer' Putin Will 'Pay the Price' for Election Meddling*
> 
> Russia called its US ambassador back to Moscow for consultations on Wednesday after Joe Biden described Vladimir Putin as a killer who would pay a price for election meddling, prompting the first major diplomatic crisis for the new American president.
> 
> In an interview with ABC News, Biden was asked about a US intelligence report that the Russian leader tried to harm his candidacy in the November 2020 election and promote that of Donald Trump. He will pay a price, the 78-year-old Biden said.
> 
> Asked if he thought Putin, who has been accused of ordering the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and other rivals, is a killer, Biden said: I do.


Russia Recalls Envoy as Biden Says '''Killer''' Putin Will '''Pay the Price''' for Election Meddling

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, denounced Biden for agreeing with the description of Putin as a “killer.”
> 
> 
> “Biden insulted the citizens of our country,” Volodin said. “Attacks on (Putin) are attacks on our country.”


 :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:

----------


## bsnub

> Seems to me you guys refuse to note context, causation, and politics.
> 
> Clinton kicked the terrorism can down the road for political reasons, an  attack happened under bush because of it, this sparked a massive war  that the population of the USA overwhelmingly supported and granted bush  astronomical approval ratings.
> 
> This then inflated the deficit as wars do. Revisionists go back in time  and act like they weren’t right fuckin there in full support.





> Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. The Bush era tax cuts are to blame for ballooning the deficit and debt. In fact most of the debt added during the Obama presidency was due to the Bush era tax cuts, but your side was quick to push the utter falsehood that it was "Obama's debt" when in fact he had nothing to do with it.
> 
> It is a sad testimony to your level of indoctrination that you actually believe what you posted even though it is a total and complete falsehood. You and most of the other trumpanzee lemmings consume a massive and nonstop diet of propaganda and lies. This is just another prime example of the level of indoctrination that exists on the right.


 ::chitown::

----------


## Klondyke

School of logical argumentation... 




> 'The corporate democrats'.
> That makes me laugh.





> Top US companies increase donations to Democratic groups





> Meaningless.





> The usual Klongdick unrelated tripe . . .

----------


## bsnub

> School of logical argumentation...


Indeed, there is a logical argument. The increase in donations to Democratic groups is due to the fact that words have consequences. When the capital was invaded by insurrectionists who wanted to further the Q/Putin agenda to topple American democracy they are criminally liable for their actions. Many are held in federal jails still today and rightly so.

It is a shame that an idiot like slick was too broke to travel back to the insurrection, because he was most likely stuck on an oil field in some shithole Arab nation that he despises.

He should be locked in a federal jail. He once forgot about the repo he sent me three years ago before he flounced. He told me that he would "kill" me and my family in a "shit hit the fan" scenario if his family needed food. 

The dude is a subhuman creeper.

BTW if the Apocalypse happens you are all welcome to my house for a BBQ. 

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Did you support and do you support Obama's wars in Libya and Syria ? And surge in Afghanistan ?


Not at all, I was also against Hitters invention of Czechoslovakia , and don't get me started on Genghis Khan
By the way , nice changing the subject. The subject was that Terrorisms that Clinton caused by kicking the can down the road, sparked the war. 
You said : "_Clinton kicked the terrorism can down the road for political reasons, an attack happened under bush because of it, this sparked a massive war that the population of the USA overwhelmingly supported_  " 
If terrorism  sparked the war, and 15 out of the 19 terrorists' were  Saudi, and non of them Iraqi , why did we attack Iraq then, and not the Saudis???

----------


## Klondyke

> ...to further the Q/Putin agenda to topple American democracy


Wondering why all the judicial institutions in country had refused in November to investigate the many accusations of the election fraud or any foreign intervention? 

If they investigated they could have discovered the foreign meddling, couldn't they?  But they did not want to look into it...
And knowing only now? 

Actually, who does it know? Just few weeks ago was a declaration of NSA (?) that there was no foreign influence detected, recognized, no evidence or whatsoever. Similarly, as it was 4 years ago. However, now this accusation was quite strong... It will surely go in history (Guiness book?) 

Obviously, in the terms of "America is back, Diplomacy is back"...

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Wondering why all the judicial institutions in country had refused in November to investigate the many accusations of the election fraud or any foreign intervention? 
> 
> If they investigated they could have discovered the foreign meddling, couldn't they?  But they did not want to look into it...
> And knowing only now?
> 
> 
> Actually, who does it know? Just few weeks ago was a declaration of NSA (?) that there was no foreign influence detected, recognized, no evidence or whatsoever. Similarly, as it was 4 years ago. However, now this accusation was quite strong... It will surely go in history (Guiness book?) 
> 
> Obviously, in the terms of "America is back, Diplomacy is back"...


They did not determine that there was no foreign influence,  they determined that there was no *technica*l influence , like compromised voting machines, voter registration, vote tabulation. etc .
The operative word here is "technical"
Below is the uncalcified report. see page 4, paragraph Key judgment 1.

Page 4 . Key judgment 2:
"_ President Putin authorized and  a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations designed to denigrate President Biden's candidacy_"  


https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/docum...ss-16MAR21.pdf

----------


## Backspin

> 


Its seemingly a foreign concept to you Seppos but there is actually some honor and respect given to the head of state in some countries.

----------


## OhOh

> Russia Recalls Envoy as Biden Says 'Killer' Putin Will 'Pay the Price' for Election Meddling


  The President  held a meeting, via videoconference, with public representatives  of the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance  Sevastopol.

March 18, 2021 15:20 The Kremlin, Moscow

Meeting with public representatives of Crimea and Sevastopol • President of Russia

The LORD's reply to one  question":

_"International Music Festival volunteer coordinator and representative of Crimea Federal University Polina Bolbochan: 

Mr President, I have a somewhat personal question for you. Yesterday, President Biden got quite tough in his interview, including with regard to you. What would you say to him?__

Vladimir Putin:  With regard to my US colleague’s remark, we have, indeed, as he said, met in person. What would I tell  him? I would say “stay healthy.” I wish him good health. I am saying  this without irony or tongue in cheek. This is my first point.
_
_Secondly, taking a broader approach to this matter, I would like to say that difficult, dramatic, and bloody events abound in the history of every nation and every state. But when we evaluate other people, or even other states and nations, we are always facing a mirror, we always see ourselves in the reflection, because we project our inner selves onto the other person.
_
_You  know, I remember when we were children and played in the yard, we had arguments occasionally and we  used to say: whatever you call me is what you are called yourself. This  is no coincidence or just a kids’ saying or joke. It has a very deep psychological  undercurrent. We always see ourselves in another person and think that he or she is  just like us, and evaluate the other person’s actions based on our own outlook  on life.
_
_With  regard to the US establishment, the ruling class – not the American people who are mostly honest, decent  and sincere people who want to live in peace and friendship with us,  something we are aware of and appreciate, and we will rely on them in the future – their  mindset was formed in rather challenging circumstances which we are all aware  of. 

After all, the colonisation of the American continent by the Europeans went hand-in-hand with the extermination of the local people, the genocide,  as they say today, outright genocide of the Indian tribes followed by a very  tough, long and difficult period of slavery, a very cruel period. All of that  has been part of life in America throughout the history of the United States  to this day. Otherwise, where would the Black Lives Matter movement come from?  To this day, African Americans face injustice and even extermination.
_
_The ruling  class of the United States tends to address domestic and foreign policy issues based  on these assumptions. After all, the United States is the only country to have used nuclear  weapons, mind you, against a non-nuclear state – Japan, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki  at the end of WW II. 

There was absolutely no military need for the bombing. It was  nothing but the extermination of civilians. I am bringing this up, because  I know that the United States and its leaders are determined to maintain certain  relations with us, but on matters that are of interest to the United States  and on its terms. Even though they believe we are just like them, we are different.  We have a different genetic, cultural and moral code. But we know how to uphold  our interests. We will work with the United States, but in the areas that we  are interested in and on terms that we believe are beneficial to us. They  will have to reckon with it despite their attempts to stop our development,  despite the sanctions and insults. They will have to reckon with this.
_
_We, with our national interests in mind, will promote our relations with all countries, including the United States. This is generally all I want to say about this."_

----------


## Backspin

> They did not determine that there was no foreign influence,  they determined that there was no *technica*l influence , like compromised voting machines, voter registration, vote tabulation. etc .
> The operative word here is "technical"
> Below is the uncalcified report. see page 4, paragraph Key judgment 1.
> 
> Page 4 . Key judgment 2:
> "_ President Putin authorized and  a range of Russian government organizations conducted, influence operations designed to denigrate President Biden's candidacy_"  
> 
> 
> https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/docum...ss-16MAR21.pdf



Nothing but weasel words. Literally nothing of substance. RT and Sputnik television have not been banned from the US so you cannot call them "influence operations".

----------


## panama hat

> Its seemingly a foreign concept to you Seppos


. . . you're unaware that Harry isn't a 'seppo', are you?  No, no surprise.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> . . . you're unaware that Harry isn't a 'seppo', are you?  No, no surprise.


What a gormless fucking twat.

 :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The President  held a meeting, via videoconference, with public representatives  of the Republic of Crimea and the city of federal significance  Sevastopol.
> 
> March 18, 2021 15:20 The Kremlin, Moscow
> 
> Meeting with public representatives of Crimea and Sevastopol • President of Russia
> 
> The LORD's reply to one  question":
> 
> _"__blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _blah blah blah_ _"_


Hoohoo has failed to notice that amidst all the Putin waffle, there is absolutely no statement along the lines of "it's not true".

----------


## panama hat

> Hoohoo has failed to notice that amidst all the Putin waffle, there is absolutely no statement along the lines of "it's not true".


Is it a Russian/Chinese thing to obfuscate ad infinitum and hope everyone else is dim or as subjugated like their own population?

----------


## Backspin

> . . . you're unaware that Harry isn't a 'seppo', are you?  No, no surprise.



He is an American empire man which is all the same

----------


## Backspin

This is pretty cringe. Joe Biden falls 3 times on his way up the stairs. Shades of Leonid Brezhnev.

I'm  not even into this kind of bullshit. But hey. American politics. Just shit on your opponent every time you can.

<span class="aCOpRe"><span>

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> This is pretty cringe. Joe Biden falls 3 times on his way up the stairs. Shades of Leonid Brezhnev.


He was not elected for his ability not to trip.  I am sure he has plenty of people who can do that.

----------


## Slick

> This is pretty cringe. Joe Biden falls 3 times on his way up the stairs. Shades of Leonid Brezhnev.


Too bad the “media” refuses to blast politicians with the same gusto across the political spectrum. 

Fuckin dishonest, manipulative cancer on society spent years framing shit in the worst possible way but make an active decision to hide Biden’s obvious mental decline and fragility.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> He was not elected for his ability not to trip.  I am sure he has plenty of people who can do that.


WTF he's 78, even I don't try and jog up steps like that these days. Slow down Joe!

 :rofl:

----------


## strigils

> but make an active decision to hide Biden’s obvious mental decline and fragility.


He's 78 FFS and as Hazza said it was probably unwise to go for the land speed record up the stairs. I'd have thought the "Richest Nation" would have installed an escalator, anyway whatever his condition he's safer in charge and makes better decisions in his sleep than the previous incumbent.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Too bad the “media” refuses to blast politicians with the same gusto across the political spectrum. 
> 
> Fuckin dishonest, manipulative cancer on society spent years framing shit in the worst possible way but make an active decision to hide Biden’s obvious mental decline and fragility.


I'd like to see you try and sprint up a set of stairs at 78.

Although your mental decline appears to have already begun.

----------


## russellsimpson

> This is pretty cringe. Joe Biden falls 3 times on his way up the stairs.


I saw this coming. His handlers have to insist. If this continues I predict a more serious fall. 






> There was absolutely no military need for the bombing


Have you ever seen the predicted number of American casualties if they had invaded the home islands ?

----------


## russellsimpson

One could argue that it was the American embargo on Japan that might have precipitated WW2 but once the gloves are off............all's fair in love and war.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> One could argue that it was the American embargo on Japan that might have precipitated WW2 but once the gloves are off............all's fair in love and war.


Of course one could if one was fucking stupid enough to ignore all of Japan's bellicose actions that led to it.

----------


## Backspin

> Of course one could if one was fucking stupid enough to ignore all of Japan's bellicose actions that led to it.


You mental case. Nobody said the japs weren't cvnts. But it all came down to one sanction. The US knew that the one embargo would mean war. And they stuck to it.

----------


## russellsimpson

That's pretty much all there is to it Backspin.

A person could acquire a couple of Ph.D's arguing this back and forth.

I've already done my time, so I won't indulge.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That's pretty much all there is to it Backspin.
> 
> A person could acquire a couple of Ph.D's arguing this back and forth.
> 
> I've already done my time, so I won't indulge.


You've already made one inane statement so yes, best just to stop there, especially if you have skidmark waffling on your behalf.

----------


## beachbound

> Biden’s obvious mental decline and fragility.


It's a shame Biden is not as agile as the Cheeto-In-Chief.





....or as eloquent. Trump has the best words, because he has a great A-brain.




I think my favorite Trump words were, person, woman, man, camera, tv. Can you believe he actually remembered all those words?!
Perfect example of his great A-brain.

----------


## Cujo

> One could argue that it was the American embargo on Japan that might have precipitated WW2 but once the gloves are off............all's fair in love and war.


Yoy're kidding right?
WW2 was well under way at that time.

----------


## panama hat

> Yoy're kidding right?
> WW2 was well under way at that time.


I presume what he means is that the US embargo and other actions gave Japan the gentle shove to go full steam into WW2 . . . and he's not wrong.  Japan's 'beef' with Asia turned to include the US.

----------


## Backspin

> Yoy're kidding right?
> WW2 was well under way at that time.



It wasn't truly a world war until the US jumped it

----------


## AntRobertson

> Too bad the media refuses to blast politicians with the same gusto across the political spectrum. 
> 
> Fuckin dishonest, manipulative cancer on society spent years framing shit in the worst possible way but make an active decision to hide Bidens obvious mental decline and fragility.


Yo-semite Thighland Hamberders Motang Herd mentality Nars Super-duper hydrosonic Covfefe Im under levered!

Your constant whining about the media being biased is pretty funny in the context of you taking your cues and talking points from Fox Propaganda Channel and a man with a proven and documented history of lies and fraud.

----------


## panama hat

Aaaaaaand back to Biden . . . 





> I'd like to see you try and sprint up a set of stairs at 78.


Point is that he shouldn't.  No-one can expect a man close to 80 to sprint . . . it ends up looking like a decrepit shuffle.  Running up stairs?

He should be a dignified 78, especially after he orange afterbirth - enough showmanship.  He's done a lot of good work since he started, THAT'S what's important.

Ridiculous, running around

----------


## Saint Willy

> Ridiculous, running around


Agreed, he is obviously sensitive to the old man image, and trying to poject that he is young, fit and able. 

As you say, he just does not need to. He'll end up hurting himself badly.

----------


## russellsimpson

_




 Originally Posted by panama hat


 Originally Posted by harrybarracuda 
I'd like to see you try and sprint up a set of stairs at 78.


_


> Point is that he shouldn't. No-one can expect a man close to 80 to sprint . . . it ends up looking like a decrepit shuffle. Running up stairs?
> 
> He should be a dignified 78, especially after he orange afterbirth - enough showmanship. He's done a lot of good work since he started, THAT'S what's important.
> 
> Ridiculous, running around


I couldn't agree more. Sharp and to the point.

----------


## armstrong

He wasn't anywhere near "running" up the stairs.

----------


## Cujo

The third one was the most embarrassing. Take it easy joe.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I presume what he means is that the US embargo and other actions gave Japan the gentle shove to go full steam into WW2 . . . and he's not wrong.  Japan's 'beef' with Asia turned to include the US.


And that's bollocks as well because the nips had signed the tripartite act and got "permission" from the Vichy to invade Indochina: They had already joined WWII.

The suggestion that the US embargo "precipitated WWII" is imbecilic.

----------


## OhOh

> Have you ever seen the predicted number of American casualties if they had invaded the home islands ?


Predicted by whom? Peer reviewed by whom?

Military deaths during a politically concocted war unacceptable? 

Incinerating civilians is no act of war, it's genocide.




> all's fair in love and war.


History has and continues to illustrate how for ameristanis illegal wars are just one "rule" they enjoy submitting too, time after time after ....

Most recent illegal act of terror:




> Biden orders airstrikes *in Syria*, retaliating against *Iran-backed* militias


Bombing a border crossing *in Iraq*, killing *Iraq citizens*, all because *Iraq Muslim citizens* who are trying to rid Iraq of illegal foreign military are increasingly restless.

An article, from 2018 so add a few more millions, illustrating how ameristan was founded in brutal acts against the indigenous peoples and has never stopped. At home or on foreign soil.

*U.S. Regime Has Killed 20-30 Million People Since World War II*

U.S. Regime Has Killed 20-30 Million People Since World War II - Global ResearchGlobal Research - Centre for Research on Globalization

Their alleged interest in the "human rights" don't seem to matter when they are "just obeying illegal orders".

----------


## bsnub

> Centre for Research on Globalization


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## panama hat

> The suggestion that the US embargo "precipitated WWII" is imbecilic.


Except that's not what I said . . . try reading my post before blustering about it.





> Aaaaaaand back to Biden . . .

----------


## OhOh

*Project for the New American Century*

Project for the New American Century - Wikipedia

Zoom ................  Doesn't time fly. 

Or am I too impatient. 




Have the first 24 years of the ameristani century developed so well? 




> Quote Originally Posted by OhOh View Post
> Centre for Research on Globalization


Are you suggesting their articles have less worthy factual content than:

Project for the New American Century - Wikipedia

----------


## bsnub

> Are you suggesting their articles have less worthy factual content than


It is one man that runs that site, and he is a total whack job. So it is no surprise that you have latched onto his shit like a filthy barnacle.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Except that's not what I said . . . try reading my post before blustering about it.


Read post #1293 and get off your high horse.

 :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Bombing a border crossing *in Iraq*, killing *Iraq citizens*, all because *Iraq Muslim citizens* who are trying to rid Iraq of illegal foreign military are increasingly restless.


Stop lying.

They bombed Iranian militia because they were bombed by Iranian militia. If any Iraqi Shi'a are members of that militia, tough fucking shit.

But I'd expect you to post such nonsense when you read silly whackjob websites like that.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Are you suggesting their articles have less worthy factual content than:
> 
> Project for the New American Century - Wikipedia


WTF does your whackjob bollocks website have to do with Wikipedia exactly?

----------


## OhOh

> It is one man that runs that site


As some believe the ameristani official government  websites have been for years. :Smile: 

Are you suggesting his article is over egging the size and numbers, of the ameristani genocides?.




> .... website have to do with Wikipedia exactly


They both, allegedly, post facts on the internet via their websites.




> They bombed *Iranian militia* because they were bombed by *Iranian militia*


So a Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, NBC, MK and yourself continue to suggest.

I note the omission of bombing "in eastern Syria".

By what marks do *Iranian militia*  exhibit their nationality?

When were these people, the missile firers and the bombed Iraqi citizens identified, found, apprehended, charged, tried in an Iraqi court, found guilty and sentenced?

I hope their human rights were properly protected according to the internationally adopted UN "rules"

Or is one to believe these reporters, Dan De Luce, Mosheh Gains, Charlene Gubash and Kristen Welker, employed by an ameristani "news" source, who were "informed" by Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, of the "facts" and duly submitted their report to be published.

Without question, it appears by their NBC published report, linked to by MK.

Because it's somebodies "rules",

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## harrybarracuda

> They both, allegedly, post facts on the internet via their websites.


"Facts"? On your whackjob website?

 :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:   :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> As some believe the ameristani official government  websites have been for years.
> 
> Are you suggesting his article is over egging the size and numbers, of the ameristani genocides?.
> 
> 
> They both, allegedly, post facts on the internet via their websites.
> 
> 
> So a Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, NBC, MK and yourself continue to suggest.
> ...


Fucking hell you do waffle.

Do you expect the US to explain to idiots like you what intel they gather and use to determine where these terrorists are?

Given that there have been no attacks since, it is safe to assume that the people involved got the message.

What a shame you are not privy to it and are left asking dumb fucking questions.

----------


## Backspin

> It is one man that runs that site, and he is a total whack job. So it is no surprise that you have latched onto his shit like a filthy barnacle.


Project for a new Americunt century is on wiki.

----------


## OhOh

^ Don't confuse him/her.




> Project for a new Americunt century is on wiki.


Which of course is fact-checked against a set of "RULES". :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

Will you two dipshits piss off and take your stupid shit someplace else.

----------


## Backspin



----------


## panama hat

Take Klongdick and make it a threesome of 'dense'.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Take Klongdick and make it a threesome of 'dense'.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden To Pick Michael Regan To Lead The EPA

Michael Regan, confirmed by the US Senate last week as the federal agencys new head, said: Climate facts are back on the EPAs website where they should be. Considering the urgency of this crisis, its critical that Americans have access to information and resources so that we can all play a role in protecting our environment, our health and vulnerable communities.

The EPAs climate change page relaunched on Thursday, featuring a prominent graphic stating that the agency is restoring the role of science in addressing the emergency. Trustworthy, science-based information is at the foundation of strong, achievable solutions, Regan said.

'Climate facts are back': EPA brings science back to website after Trump purge

*Just for fun.*

Cheap Fun Department: Job Growth Under Trump and Biden

  
As can be seen, after four years in the White House, Donald Trump had a net loss of 2,943,000 jobs. After one month, Joe Biden has a net gain of 379,000. Looks pretty damn MAGA to me.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Has a lot of work to do undoing the mess left behind by the scum baldy orange loser picked.

----------


## bsnub

> Has a lot of work to do undoing the mess left behind by the scum baldy orange loser picked.


The first thing that has to happen is killing the filibuster. That Pyle of garbage needs to go asap. If the shitbird clown robots like slick get four free seats in the Senate via the Dakotas we need DC and PR.

----------


## Slick

Go for it. Shit-can the filibuster, change the voting laws, import all those illegals, raise taxes, and take PR & DC. 

At least you admit it’s about power and don’t pussyfoot around lying about your reasons.

----------


## AntRobertson

Always good to get the latest Fox News talking points...

 ::chitown::

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The first thing that has to happen is killing the filibuster. That Pyle of garbage needs to go asap. If the shitbird clown robots like slick get four free seats in the Senate via the Dakotas we need DC and PR.


Have you not yet learned that this shit can come back and bite you in the arse?

----------


## Slick

> Have you not yet learned that this shit can come back and bite you in the arse?


Won’t matter if they give millions of illegals a pathway to the voting booth & make PR & DC full states with the representation that carries. It’ll make the USA a one party state. That’s what the extremists of the party want, anyway. And they have a pretty big voice about it too.

----------


## panama hat

> At least you admit it’s about power and don’t pussyfoot around lying about your reasons.


The irony is amazing - bought your last mr potato head yet?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Won’t matter if they give millions of illegals a pathway to the voting booth & make PR & DC full states with the representation that carries. It’ll make the USA a one party state. That’s what the extremists of the party want, anyway. And they have a pretty big voice about it too.


Let's face it, you and your racist chump mates don't even give "legals" a pathway to the voting booth if you can help it, so you have absolutely no right to whinge.

----------


## Slick

I’ve got more “right” than you do, Harry.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> This is pretty cringe. Joe Biden falls 3 times on his way up the stairs. Shades of Leonid Brezhnev.
> 
> I'm  not even into this kind of bullshit. But hey. American politics. Just shit on your opponent every time you can.
> 
> <span class="aCOpRe"><span>


....and he's got 4 more years to go. Will he make it?

----------


## HermantheGerman

> He should be a dignified 78...


...and should have never ran for President, I Guess he has no "Loved Ones"  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## russellsimpson

> ...and should have never ran for President, I Guess he has no "Loved Ones


Disagree. His mind is still okay and he has plenty of other skills that more than compensate for his lack of physical strength. He wasn't elected for his physical prowess.

One of his strong skills is the ability to surround himself with a very competent team.  He's doing alright in my books.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> Disagree. His mind is still okay and he has plenty of other skills that more than compensate for his lack of physical strength. He wasn't elected for his physical prowess.
> 
> One of his strong skills is the ability to surround himself with a very competent team.  He's doing alright in my books.


Listening to him is not easy, especially when he babbles for a longer time. What made him dodge up those stairs? Insecurity?
Trump also picked a good team at the beginning.

I of course wish him the best of luck but see him best in a rocking chair drinking lemonade.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Won’t matter if they give millions of illegals a pathway to the voting booth & make PR & DC full states with the representation that carries


Is this parody?

Are you actively trying to lampoon uneducated right-wingers snapping at every bit of racist bait dangled in front of them?

----------


## bsnub

> Are you actively trying to lampoon uneducated right-wingers snapping at every bit of racist bait dangled in front of them?


At this point he has just become a caricature of the most pathetic spoon-fed right wing/fox news talking points/propaganda. Not a single bit of independent thought going on inside his head.

I could practically type his posts for him, it is so easy to see what is coming.

----------


## elche

Where would all those gun-toting racists like Slick be, without immigrants to blame for all their failings in life?

----------


## AntRobertson

> At this point he has just become a caricature of the most pathetic spoon-fed right wing/fox news talking points/propaganda. Not a single bit of independent thought going on inside his head.
> 
> I could practically type his posts for him, it is so easy to see what is coming.


I wonder how much he donated to 'Stop The Steal'.

 ::doglol::

----------


## Klondyke

> He wasn't elected for his physical prowess.


More for his mental one...

BTW, how he mentioned his first meeting with the "killer" years ago and how he let him know:  Yesterday I read somewhere an account of that event by his then stenographer (McCormick?), quite interesting...

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I’ve got more “right” than you do, Harry.


Really, I must have missed the law forbidding me expressing an opinion. Would you care to point me to it?

----------


## panama hat

> Really, I must have missed the law forbidding me expressing an opinion. Would you care to point me to it?


Slick's new 'Murka . . .

----------


## Saint Willy

> Trump also picked a good team at the beginning.


 :Shrug: 

You on drugs, bruh?

----------


## Klondyke

> Trump also picked a good team at the beginning.


And not to forget the Obama's team... 
(However, what's the abc NEWS reporting about them? But perhaps it's a fake news...)

----------


## happynz

> Trump also picked a good team at the beginning.


Uh-huh...Jeff Sessions (mealy mouthed Alabamian racist), somnambulant Ben Carson, crooked Wilbur Ross, corrupt Ryan Zinke, arrogant Goldman Sachs fish face Mnuchin, the useless Mattias, dumbfuck Texan Rick Perry...

Yeah-nah...great team.

----------


## panama hat

What's your problem with these icons of wonder????




> Rick Perry


Intellectual powerhouse (add in the 'power' quip)




> Ben Carson


Energetic personality




> Wilbur Ross


Youthful exuberance




> Ryan Zinke


Too many positives to mention




> Mnuchin


Adonis-like humanitarian

----------


## OhOh

> somnambulant


An excellent choice.

*LA SONNAMBULA - Juan Diego Florez (Vienna 2001) Complete Opera*




Last watched here some years ago:

La Sala del Teatro Verdi





Set up for a music performance.

During opera performances the larger white stage area is taken off and the orchestra sits in the pit underneath.

----------


## tinystone

Accelerate socialist
What does the $1.9 trillion stimulus package mean to us？

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Accelerate socialist
> What does the $1.9 trillion stimulus package mean to us？


I'm afraid you'll have to try that again, only this time speaking grown-up.

Take your time.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden eyes $3 trillion package for infrastructure, schools, families

WASHINGTON — Fresh off passage of the COVID-19 relief bill, President Joe Biden is assembling the next big White House priority, a sweeping $3 trillion package of investments on infrastructure and domestic needs.

Biden huddled privately late Monday with Senate Democrats as Congress has already begun laying the groundwork with legislation for developing roads, hospitals and green energy systems as part of Biden’s “Build Back Better” campaign promise. Much like the $1.9 trillion virus rescue plan signed into law earlier this month, the new package would also include family-friendly policies, this time focusing on education and paid family leave.

The White House plans are still preliminary, with a combined $3 trillion in spending proposed to boost the economy and improve quality of life, according to a person familiar with the options who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.

While the goal is a bipartisan package, Democrats in Congress have signaled a willingness to go it alone if they are blocked by Republicans.

“We need to get it done,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., ahead of the virtual meeting with Biden at the senators’ annual retreat Monday evening.

Biden’s outreach to Senate Democrats comes as the White House is under fire for its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrant crossings are skyrocketing, with images of cramped holding facilities posing a humanitarian and political dilemma for the administration and its allies in Congress. The focus on infrastructure shifts attention back toward priorities that are potentially more popular with Americans and potentially bipartisan.

An infrastructure package would include roughly $1 trillion for roads, bridges, rail lines, electrical vehicle charging stations and the cellular network, among other items. The goal would be to facilitate the shift to cleaner energy while improving economic competitiveness.

A second component would include investments in workers with free community college, universal pre-kindergarten and paid family leave.

No part of the proposal has been finalized and the eventual details of any spending could change.

The overall price tag first reported Monday by The New York Times has been circulating on Capitol Hill for weeks, since the start of the Biden presidency. With the House and Senate under Democratic control, the proposals are expected to draw support from all corners of Congress.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked Democratic committee chairmen earlier this month to start working with their Republican counterparts to begin “to craft a big, bold and transformational infrastructure package.”

Pelosi said the goal is to build swiftly on the coronavirus rescue plan by developing an economic relief plan to help “people in every zip code by creating good-paying jobs for the future.”

The administration is positioning its priorities at a politically and fiscally sensitive time, after funding its $1.9 trillion relief package entirely with debt. The Federal Reserve estimates that spending could push growth this year to 6.5%, and additional spending would only add pressure to an economy already expected to run hot.

Biden’s campaign proposed higher corporate taxes and increases on people making more than $400,000 annually, effectively undoing much of the 2017 tax cuts by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

A White House official said the president has been very clear about his agenda, even though the details are only just starting to surface. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.

On Monday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee debated a $300 billion-plus measure to invest in drinking water, broadband and other priorities. On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is set to appear before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Next week, the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to release a white paper revisiting the overseas tax code as a way to pay for some of the spending.

Biden is expected to roll out his budget in the weeks ahead as Congress presses forward on the infrastructure package, which lawmakers have said could be ready by summer.

Breaking down Biden’s opening gambit on infrastructure - POLITICO

Climate. The Biden administration wants to spend enormous sums of money promoting a green economy that will help reach “a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035” and “a net-zero economy by 2050.” The climate agenda pits two crucial Democratic constituencies against each other: labor and environmentalists.

----------


## Slick

> Democrats in Congress have signaled a willingness to go it alone if they are blocked by Republicans.


How do they plan to do that I wonder.

----------


## happynz

> How do they plan to do that I wonder.


They have a majority in the house of representatives, they're in the White House and if they can get a few wayward Democrats in line, the Republicans can go pound sand.

----------


## Slick

Look up the term “filibuster” and get back to me.

----------


## baldrick

> universal pre-kindergarten


this paid childcare will save the lower wage earners a lot of money and make it much more viable to work after having children - and if the govt creates their own centres , or even if they use their bargaining power it will humble the corps who have been feeding on the poor




> Look up the term “filibuster” and get back to me.


look up the term 'fcuk off" and do it

----------


## happynz

You skipped over the part "if they can get a few wayward Democrats in line".

----------


## Slick

> You skipped over the part "if they can get a few wayward Democrats in line".


You currently have 51 Democrats in the senate. That’s a simple majority. You need 60+ senate Democrats to overcome the filibuster, which you don’t have. 

This is how Dems blocked everything trump wanted to do, and how the Repubs are gonna block everything Biden wants to do.

----------


## bsnub

> You skipped over the part "if they can get a few wayward Democrats in line".


Just two and they will knuckle under soon enough. It is long pastime for over-represented shithole states like ND/SD and Mississippi to have a counterbalance. DC and PR are exactly that.




> You need 60+ senate Democrats to overcome the filibuster, which you dont have.


Not for long.

----------


## Slick

> Just two and they will knuckle under soon enough. It is long pastime for over-represented shithole states like ND/SD and Mississippi to have a counterbalance. DC and PR are exactly that.


Perfect example of a literal extremist posting right before your very eyes. Shitbag here hates his own countrymen with such fury that he wants to make them irrelevant by adding statehood to territories, direct reason being a one party country that answers to no one other than their own. 

This position should be comically fringe, but there’s big democrat names promoting such freaky shit.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You currently have 51 Democrats in the senate. That’s a simple majority. You need 60+ senate Democrats to overcome the filibuster, which you don’t have. 
> 
> This is how Dems blocked everything trump wanted to do, and how the Repubs are gonna block everything Biden wants to do.


Budget reconciliations must really piss you off, not least because you don't appear to understand them.

----------


## Slick

> Budget reconciliations must really piss you off, not least because you don't appear to understand them.


Understand them just fine. I got a nice tax break (that I’m continually told I didn’t actually get because it was “for the wealthy”) because of them.

----------


## Slick

> Not for long.


Not even the big bad boogeyman Donald Trump went this route, but apparently to shitbag here, it’s all good. 

Dangerous times we live in where people like you would literally sign the whole nation into a one-party dictatorship just because of your own hatred.

----------


## bsnub

> Shitbag here hates his own countrymen with such fury that he wants to make them irrelevant by adding statehood to territories


You pathetic dumbfuck the Dakotas are not legitimately two states, and they do not deserve 4 senate seats. It is time to #stopthesteal rebalance the Senate.





> just because of your own hatred.


Fox News talking through you let the evil flow lemming.

----------


## Slick

> You pathetic dumbfuck the Dakotas are not legitimately two states


What wackjob extremist site/forum/account did you hear this nonsense talking point from....

----------


## bsnub

> What wackjob extremist site/forum/account did you hear this nonsense talking point from....


My own thoughts you sad sack son of a bitch. If you get the Dakotas we get DC and PR to cancel those fake votes out.

Time to stop the fraud.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Perfect example of a literal extremist posting right before your very eyes. Shitbag here hates his own countrymen with such fury that he wants to make them irrelevant by adding statehood to territories, direct reason being a one party country that answers to no one other than their own.
> 
> This position should be comically fringe, but there’s big democrat names promoting such freaky shit.


LULZ... Where in the cousin fucking tarnation does giving people the right to vote get twisted into being the radical fringe idea.

Only in GQP Land where other than whining about culture war BS they have nothing else policy-wise to offer beyond 'let's give the wealthy more money and blame all the problems on poor brown people'.

Guns? Hell yeah a right!

Voting? Nah, needs to be restricted!

Small Govt.? Hell yeah!

Woman's Vaginas? Let's have govt. control over them!

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Understand them just fine. I got a nice tax break (that I’m continually told I didn’t actually get because it was “for the wealthy”) because of them.


Well no you don't or you wouldn't have said: "_You need 60+ senate Democrats to overcome the filibuster, which you don’t have." 

_ :bananaman:

----------


## Slick

> If you get the Dakotas


Is there something new going on with the dakotas, or are you reaching back to the 1800’s and spinning a bizarre tale.

----------


## panama hat

> This is how Dems blocked everything trump wanted to do


 :rofl:   slightly retarded doesn't describe you well enough

----------


## Saint Willy

> This is how Dems blocked everything trump wanted to do,


Say what? Are you telling us now that he wasnt the greatest president ever, and didnt achieve everything because deomocrats...?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Say what? Are you telling us now that he wasnt the greatest president ever, and didnt achieve everything because deomocrats...?


Worst.president.ever.

----------


## baldrick

are you arguing with a trumptard ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> are you arguing with a trumptard ?



* trumpanzee

----------


## bsnub

> Is there something new going on with the dakotas,  or are you reaching back to the 1800’s and spinning a bizarre tale.


It is nothing new. The Dakotas are part of the armpit of America comprising 1.7 million people, and they get four senate seats and that is fucked and gamed. 

Now that that is out of the way by your comments you are once again proving yourself to be a poorly educated fuckwit just like when you falsely tried to claim that the constitution protected people from saying toxic shit. Remember that one dummy? 

So let me school you one more time. The Dakotas or more correctly called the Dakota territory and the GOP had a plan to stack the deck even back then...




> he number of states in the union has been fixed at 50 for so long, few  Americans realize that throughout most of our history, the addition of  new states from time to time was a normal part of political life. New  states were supposed to join the union when they reached a certain  population, but in the late 19th century, population mattered a great  deal less than partisanship. While McConnell is right to suspect that  admitting Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia now would shift the  balance in Congress toward the Democrats, the Republican Party has  historically taken far more effective advantage of the addition of new  states.





> In 1889 and 1890, Congress added North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana,  Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming—the largest admission of states since the  original 13. This addition of 12 new senators and 18 new electors to  the Electoral College was a deliberate strategy of late-19th-century  Republicans to stay in power after their swing toward Big Business cost  them a popular majority. The strategy paid dividends deep into the  future; indeed, the admission of so many rural states back then helps to  explain GOP control of the Senate today, 130 years later.


When Adding New States Helped the Republicans - The Atlantic

So once again it is pretty sad that you know nothing about the history of your own nation nor the sacred document that it's founding fathers drafted. You and the rest of the rights bluster about what the Democratic Party is doing now by pushing for DC statehood is massively disingenuous and hypocritical. 




> * trumpanzee


Never has there been a more clear example.  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

^Its posting more down the alley now

Biden's New Deal: Re-engineering America, quickly

Biden prepared to chuck filibuster in bid to reshape America, quickly

President Biden recently held an undisclosed East Room session with historians that included discussion of how big is too big  and how fast is too fast  to jam through once-in-a-lifetime historic changes to America.

Why it matters ... The historians views were very much in sync with his own: It is time to go even bigger and faster than anyone expected. If that means chucking the filibuster and bipartisanship, so be it.

Snip

But we're told Biden wont hesitate. Just as he passed the $1.9 trillion COVID rescue package with zero Republican votes and zero regrets, his team sees little chance he's going to be able to rewire the government in his image if he plays by the rules of bringing in at least 10 Republicans.

In other news

Biden's dogs return to White House

Biden sees himself as a two-term president

----------


## Slick

​Democrats gonna democrat. *



Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant*




> the Biden Administration glossed over these concerns and called on the justices to uphold the First Circuits ruling. Noting that the ultimate touchstone of the Fourth Amendment is reasonableness, the Justice Department argued that warrants should not be presumptively required when a government officials action is objectively grounded in a non-investigatory public interest, such as health or safety.


Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant

----------


## Slick

> If that means chucking the filibuster and bipartisanship, so be it.


Yep, so be it. Go right ahead.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ​Democrats gonna democrat. *
> Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant*


So at what point do you take the firearm from a mentally disturbed individual? After he's opened fire and you've popped a couple through his head?

The key word here is "reasonableness" you moron. Take the guns first, argue the law later. 

If it isn't justified, they can get them back and sue the fuck out of the cops. It is 'merica after all.

----------


## Slick

> So at what point do you take the firearm from a mentally disturbed individual? After he's opened fire and you've popped a couple through his head?
> 
> The key word here is "reasonableness" you moron. Take the guns first, argue the law later.


Why didn’t you just read the article, Harry. That’s not what they are arguing at all. 

And fucking LOL at “reasonableness”

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ​Democrats gonna democrat. *
> 
> 
> 
> Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant*
> 
> 
> 
> Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court To Let Cops Enter Homes And Seize Guns Without A Warrant


Nonsense and disingenuous conservatives headline designed to   enrage those weak minded enough to not read past the headline. The case being tested in the supreme court is based on the police community caretaking provision, that has been around since  50 years ago through both republican and Democrat administration. In fact I am willing to bet that the incident in question occurred  during the trump administration. The only thing the trump administration is defending the status quo.

----------


## Slick

Man, y’all gonna just sit around and let Biden do whatever and no matter what, defend it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Why didn’t you just read the article, Harry. That’s not what they are arguing at all. 
> 
> And fucking LOL at “reasonableness”


You posted an article whining about the police wanting to take guns from people who present a threat to themselves or others without first applying for a warrant.

Now you claim "that's not what they are arguing".

That's exactly what they are arguing you gormless fuck.




> "in its first amicus brief before the High Court, the Biden Administration glossed over these concerns and called on the justices to uphold the First Circuit’s ruling. Noting that “the ultimate touchstone of the Fourth Amendment is ‘reasonableness,’” the Justice Department argued that warrants should not be “presumptively required when a government official’s action is objectively grounded in a non-investigatory public interest, such as health or safety.”“The ultimate question in this case is therefore not whether the respondent officers’ actions fit within some narrow warrant exception,” their brief stated, “but instead whether those actions were reasonable,” actions the Justice Department felt were “justified” in Caniglia’s case."


You really don't understand any of this shit, do you?

----------


## Slick

Joe Biden could mandate you guys to bend over and fist yourselves, and I’m convinced you’d all do it. All while calling all the people not doing it “morons” and “gormless fucks”   

 But hey, it’s y’all’s assholes and lives.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Man, y’all gonna just sit around and let Biden do whatever and no matter what, defend it.


by not arguing against anything I said above, I have to assume you are in total agreement.
Funny how you had no problem with the Police caretaker provision  and the confiscation of the weapon when it occurred under the trump administration.
Oh I forgot he was WAGAing the crap out of you guys back then.

----------


## beachbound

> Trump could mandate you guys to ingest disinfectant , and I’m convinced you’d all do it. 
> .


FTFY, you ReTrumplican.

----------


## panama hat

I doubt Biden is doing anything to get re-elected, so he's on a ride to get shit done.  Bipartisan?  Who cares. Republicans don't.  

The US is crumbling in may ways and needs big spending to stay relevant - everyone will benefit and right-wing nutjobs will still complain

----------


## AntRobertson

> Nonsense and disingenuous conservatives headline designed to enrage those weak minded enough to not read past the headline.





> Man, y’all gonna just sit around and let Biden do whatever and no matter what, defend it.


Well _Q._ to that _E.D._ then.

 :rofl: 




> Joe Biden could mandate you guys to bend over and fist yourselves, and I’m convinced you’d all do it. All while calling all the people not doing it “morons” and “gormless fucks”


Again, you take your cues from right-wing propaganda and a man with an exhaustively documented history of lies and fraud.

All 'cos they tell you brown poor people are your enemy.

----------


## Cujo

> Man, y’all gonna just sit around and let Biden do whatever and no matter what, defend it.


You know a trumpanzee's triggered when the 'y'all's start coming out.

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden isn't mandating anything


 ::doglol::

----------


## HermantheGerman

> Uh-huh...Jeff Sessions (mealy mouthed Alabamian racist), somnambulant Ben Carson, crooked Wilbur Ross, corrupt Ryan Zinke, arrogant Goldman Sachs fish face Mnuchin, the useless Mattias, dumbfuck Texan Rick Perry...
> 
> Yeah-nah...great team.


Let's be fair! *The biggest Crooks of this world run America!* Trump just picked the best crooks there are.

Biden is no different. He is telling Germany to not buy Russian gas just like the Trump cabinet did.
Same crooks pushing Germans to buy U.S. liquid gas. 





> Republican Senator Ted Cruz from Texas had delayed the configuration process for Biden's nominee CIA chief William Burns in the Senate. He will not withdraw his objection until Biden’s government has heard its stance on Nord Stream.
> 
> In short, Blinken had reiterated the continuation of the sanctions, Cruz withdrew his objection. The Senate unanimously sees Burns as CIA director - a temporary result of the split in the United States.


This is just a small example. Do you did more?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## HermantheGerman

Trumps was just a Klotz!
The Chinese have read Trumps book of "Art of a Deal" and are now being criticized for acting american.
Putin is slick but got a bad translation of Trump's book.

American politics is same same. The only idiots who don't understand it are American themselves  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Trump just picked the best crooks there are.
> 
> Biden is no different. He is telling Germany to not buy Russian gas just like the Trump cabinet did.
> Same crooks pushing Germans to buy U.S. liquid gas.


Do you truly believe that the one or the other is deciding such matter?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You know a trumpanzee's triggered when the 'y'all's start coming out.



You know it's Booners which explains the complete lack of understanding of how US government works.

----------


## russellsimpson

> It is time to go even bigger and faster than anyone expected. If that means chucking the filibuster and bipartisanship, so be it.


Off the top Landreth let me be clear that none of this is directed at you.

I have been progressively aggravated by the the indiscriminate overuse of the term "filibuster" of late. What is going on in the US senate really has nothing to do with the term filibuster. In fact no specific term is required to describe the usual back and forth that has always been around in the Senate. "Filibuster" is a c term that normally is applied more to a specific event, not the normal back and forth of politics. 

Why this particular term has suddenly appeared like the flavour of the month is quite beyond me, all I notice is that this is suddenly all over the place, frequently being used where it is incorrect. I'm guessing one of the Democrat _think tank back room boys_ had a sudden brain surge and suddenly thought that branding Republicans as "filibusterers" would somehow be politically advantageous.

Words matter. Let's think before we talk.  ::spin::

----------


## russellsimpson

I don't see anybody reading the phone book at this point in time. :Wink:

----------


## beachbound

Dana Carveys Joe Biden impression.

----------


## Backspin

> Accelerate socialist
> What does the $1.9 trillion stimulus package mean to us？


Who's this ? Welcome.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Dana Carvey’s Joe Biden impression.


That's pretty woeful.

----------


## Slick

Well that Biden presser is... Pathetic on all fronts. Pre-scripted questions. Softball questions. Screening. Fumble after fumble. Zero pushback. 

Fuuuuuuk me bring on the asteroid already. America is a joke.

----------


## beachbound

> Well that Biden presser is... Pathetic on all fronts. Pre-scripted questions. Softball questions. Screening. Fumble after fumble. Zero pushback. 
> 
> Fuuuuuuk me bring on the asteroid already. America is a joke.


I sure hope for your sake, you’re not so anxious to make a fool of yourself in public, as you are on this forum.
 Were you as critical of Trump when he was butchering his press conferences? 
When he was lying to the American people about the severity of Covid?
When he was telling the world that Covid would “magically disappear? 
When he was calling Covid a hoax? 
When he was suggesting people ingest disinfectant to cure Covid?
When he was kissing Putin‘s ass? 
When he was glorifying white supremacists? 
When he was attacking reporters for simply asking questions? 

Fuck me, isn’t that enough?

----------


## Slick

Maybe if these “reporters” asked questions with even half of the venom and bullshit they threw at the last guy I’d give a shit, but at this point the “media” is just an extension of the democrat party. They know it’s fucked up, they were fine with scripted softball questions and actively giving the man easy treatment on purpose. 

It’s all so retarded. Just bring on the apocalypse already.

----------


## David48atTD

President Joe Biden expects to run for reelection in 2024, signaling for the first time that he will seek a second term in the White House.
“My  plan is to run for reelection. That’s my expectation,” Biden told  reporters on Thursday during his first news conference as president. 
He  later reaffirmed that it’s his “expectation” he will try to serve a  second term as president. 

Biden will be 81-years-old at that time. 

It  was the first time Biden has publicly addressed questions on whether he  will make another run for the White House. 

He took office in January as  the oldest president at the time of his first inauguration.


Biden press conference: Live updates and stream

----------


## David48atTD



----------


## beachbound

> Maybe if these “reporters” asked questions with even half of the venom and bullshit they threw at the last guy I’d give a shit.


Perhaps if Biden would transform himself into a contentious, bumbling, lying sack of shit like the last guy, the reporters might be a little tougher on him.

----------


## panama hat

> You know a trumpanzee's triggered when the 'y'all's start coming out.


 :rofl:  They'ze all so gosh durn folksy when gittin on to apple pie politics





> America is a joke.


Well done, you and your ilk with the leadership of the orange buffoon have succeeded

----------


## HermantheGerman

*-Biden calls Putin a killer and says will pay a price.
**-US President Joe Biden defended his administration's decision to not  impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,  despite acknowledging that the royal was responsible for the murder of  US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

**-Biden: China's Xi Jinping doesn't have 'a democratic ... bone in his body'*


Biden is a stupid idiot who should shut the fuck up. The senile bastard won't make his 4 year term. Just another laughing joke.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> Dana Carveys Joe Biden impression.


This is just the beginning. I think Biden will be a great target for American comedians. He's got great potentials. Can't walk or talk, ugly as shit, and dazed & confused.

----------


## elche

> Biden is a stupid idiot who should shut the fuck up.


What do you know, if it isn't another crybaby trumpanzee who hasn't gotten over his loss and throws a hissy fit?



Cheer up laddie, you've got 8 more years of Biden.

----------


## Cujo

> Maybe if these “reporters” asked questions with even half of the venom and bullshit they threw at the last guy........


The last guy was full of shit and every day bought some crazy new controversy from calling the leader of NK little rocket man to having Russian Intelligence chiefs alone with him in the oval office.  What do you expect. 
These days it's back to business as usual.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Well that Biden presser is... Pathetic on all fronts. Pre-scripted questions. Softball questions. Screening. Fumble after fumble. Zero pushback.
> 
> Fuuuuuuk me bring on the asteroid already. America is a joke.


Yeah I can't believe he didn't rant nonsensically and start abusing people who asked him questions he didn't like.




> Maybe if these “reporters” asked questions with even half of the venom and bullshit they threw at the last guy I’d give a shit


Maybe if you stopped lowering the bar and feeding into the whole victim narrative.

Trumptards: 'He's so tough!'

Also Trumptards: 'Stop asking him difficult questions!'

----------


## AntRobertson

And meanwhile while Trumpist snowflakes are still crying... 

The Georgia GQP just signed another voter suppression law into force.

The GQP want to make it easier to register a gun than register to vote.

----------


## beachbound

> The Georgia GQP just signed another voter suppression law into force.



Digging their own grave.

----------


## beachbound

Changes to Georgia elections



Absentee ballots will be verified based on driver’s license numbers or other documentation instead of voter signatures.

Ballot drop boxes will only be allowed inside early voting locations and available strictly during business hours.

 Weekend voting will be expanded for general elections, with two mandatory Saturdays offered statewide. Counties could also choose to offer early voting on two optional Sundays.


Early voting for runoffs will be reduced to a minimum of one week because runoffs will occur four weeks after general elections.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot will be set 11 days before election day.
 

*Members of the public will be prohibited from distributing food or water to voters waiting in line.*




The State Election Board could remove county election boards and replace them with an interim elections manager.

 A hotline to report illegal election activities will be set up in the attorney         general’s office.
 
Counties will be required to certify election results within six days, instead of the 10 days currently allowed. 

Election workers will also be required to count ballots without stopping until they’re finished.

----------


## AntRobertson

GQP: _*Spread Lies About Stolen Election*_

Also GQP: _'People believed our lies so now we need to make it harder to vote* so people will have faith in the system'_











*For minorities

----------


## elche

> Absentee ballots will be verified based on driver’s license numbers or other documentation instead of voter signatures.


Jim Crow II: no driver's license, no right to vote.




> The State Election Board could remove county election boards and replace them with an interim elections manager.



Puts power over the elections into the hands of the state legislature, which in this case just happens to be controlled by the Republicans.





> Early voting for runoffs will be reduced to a minimum of one week because runoffs will occur four weeks after general elections.



Shortens runoffs in the state after two high-profile Republican losses.

----------


## beachbound

*Members of the public will be prohibited from distributing food or water to voters waiting in line.* 

Is this not the very definition of voter suppression? 
An old woman standing in line for hours, waiting to vote, and her son can’t bring her food or water,  while she waits. 

To quote my British friends, “Fuckin’ el!”

----------


## panama hat

> An old woman


Republican template-voter?

----------


## AntRobertson

"If you want to understand how white Supremacy works,135 white people just rigged an election in broad daylight and they arrested a Black woman for knocking on the door to watch"

----------


## AntRobertson

> GQP: _*Spread Lies About Stolen Election*
> 
> Also GQP: 'People believed our lies so now we need to make it harder to vote* so people will have faith in the system'
> _


GQP: _'We want freedom and less Govt intrusion*!'_ 

Also GQP: _*Make It Illegal To Give Another Human Being Water*









_*For guns... Voting, vaginas and civil rights we're all good with.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> What do you know, if it isn't another crybaby trumpanzee who hasn't gotten over his loss and throws a hissy fit?
> 
> Cheer up laddie, you've got 8 more years of Biden.


Hate to disappoint you but I'm glad Trump is gone. I just insist that Sleepy Joe receives the same shitstorm that Trump did  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): . Attacking Putin and Jinping  shows that Sleepy Joe has no clue or plan on how to deal with these two world power leaders. What was he thinking? What was he hoping for? He is falling into the same Trump rhetoric! Big mouth no clue!
Ohh and one last thing, Biden the Clown is benefiting big time from Trump's "Warp Speed Plan". 





> Cheer up laddie, you've got 8 more years of Biden


Have you ever looked into Biden's face? His squinting little piggy eyes show that he won't last 4 years.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Hate to disappoint you but I'm glad Trump is gone. I just insist that Sleepy Joe receives the same shitstorm that Trump did . Attacking Putin and Jinping  shows that Sleepy Joe has no clue or plan on how to deal with these two world power leaders. What was he thinking? What was he hoping for? He is falling into the same Trump rhetoric! Big mouth no clue!
> Ohh and one last thing, Biden the Clown is benefiting big time from Trump's "Warp Speed Plan". 
> Have you ever looked into Biden's face? His squinting little piggy eyes show that he won't last 4 years.


You managed to cram an extraordinary amount of idiot into one post there.

Congratulations.

----------


## bsnub

> You managed to cram an extraordinary amount of idiot into one post there.


It is not all his fault he went to Hauptschule.   :Smile:

----------


## Stumpy

At the end of the day, Politics has become nothing but boring on every level. They are all full of shit. Lets face it, the President is nothing but a mouth piece. He rambles on and on, promises change and in theend, does very little. Quite frankly, its a thankless job and why anyone would want to be President escapes me other than you get a nice pension after. 

Comparison
Trump was a complete out of control, white supremist racist that lied every time he opened his mouth. His behavior instigated all those toothless gun tote'n rednecks from the Midwest to bring out their guns and assault people all for what?. Nothing but a herd of sheeple.  He spewed bad information and the top media agencies became siloed and it was a "Us against Them". Trump did what he did because if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. Trump is a failure on every level. He was before he became President and is after. 

Biden on the other hand is "Typical Business as usual". Lots of herein, therefore, such as, etc.  Lots of lip service, promises, little action, little follow through. Unfortunately for Biden, he is expected to try and fix all the toxic waste left behind by Trump and his band of cowards. This is a huge distraction and for people who love to follow news the switch has toggled from CNN bashing Trump, to Fox bashing Biden. Honestly, the media is a big part of the toxic angst along with all those other social platforms. Its all gotten out of hand and no one can real it in because everyone has become a bunch of pussy PC people. 

Banter away. In my opinion, the constitution needs to be revised to align itself with the current times. But that is not going to happen. So as they say, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".

----------


## harrybarracuda

> In my opinion, the constitution needs to be revised to align itself with the current times. But that is not going to happen. So as they say, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".


That's why doing away with the fillibuster would probably make things worse.

You'd be spending the first year of every majority administration reversing the policies of the previous opposite one.

----------


## bsnub

> You'd be spending the first year of every majority administration reversing the policies of the previous opposite one.


Except that demographics are changing in America. The GOP base is aged and dying off it is shrinking while the Democratic base is growing. It is not unlikely that we have seen the last GOP president. 8 years of Biden what is in store next and then most likely it will be Kamala after that. So doing away with the filibuster is key, and it is even more important now that the GOP is trying to push through over 260 different state bills to further suppress the vote. That Jim Crow bullshit must be stopped. It is a massive attack on our democracy.

----------


## strigils

^ do you think a one party system is healthy for democracy? Granted the GOP at present are a mess pandering to the gormless, but you need oposition to ensure accountability. Power corupts and all that, although TBF America is way past that.

----------


## bsnub

> do you think a one party systme is healthy for democracy?


No I don't, but the other side has pushed the pendulum too far to the right. Its agenda is completely toxic and destructive to the health of the nation. That party needs to fix itself before it can influence the direction of the nation again. 

Look I would love it if we had a parliamentary system here, but we don't, and we never will, so this is it.

----------


## strigils

^ I hope for Americas sake they sort out a way to resolve the polarity in politics. 

In  the UK its ridden with soundbites and shorttemism. i'd like to see PR  but i fear it would just result in a stalemate or slow decision making.  We need to clear out or consign the Lords to history, as they have now  just become ever more bloated as each party seeks to load their own  peers to gain advantage - the whole thing is now farcical or would be if  we didn't have to pay for their wages and lobbying.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> At the end of the day, Politics has become nothing but boring on every level. They are all full of shit. Lets face it, the President is nothing but a mouth piece. He rambles on and on, promises change and in theend, does very little. Quite frankly, its a thankless job and why anyone would want to be President escapes me other than you get a nice pension after. 
> 
> Comparison
> Trump was a complete out of control, white supremist racist that lied every time he opened his mouth. His behavior instigated all those toothless gun tote'n rednecks from the Midwest to bring out their guns and assault people all for what?. Nothing but a herd of sheeple.  He spewed bad information and the top media agencies became siloed and it was a "Us against Them". Trump did what he did because if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. Trump is a failure on every level. He was before he became President and is after. 
> 
> Biden on the other hand is "Typical Business as usual". Lots of herein, therefore, such as, etc.  Lots of lip service, promises, little action, little follow through. Unfortunately for Biden, he is expected to try and fix all the toxic waste left behind by Trump and his band of cowards. This is a huge distraction and for people who love to follow news the switch has toggled from CNN bashing Trump, to Fox bashing Biden. Honestly, the media is a big part of the toxic angst along with all those other social platforms. Its all gotten out of hand and no one can real it in because everyone has become a bunch of pussy PC people. 
> 
> Banter away. In my opinion, the constitution needs to be revised to align itself with the current times. But that is not going to happen. So as they say, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results".



All good! But if America can only come up with a Hillary-Trump-Biden then please don't blame us or the media. 
Maybe they can do like a some sort of exchange student thing. Putin goes to the U.S., Biden to China, and Ping to Russia. What have we got to loose?  :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> I hope for Americas sake they sort out a way to resolve the polarity in politics.


An aging base and demographics are rapidly sorting that out as we speak. 




> We need to clear out or consign the Lords to history, as they have now just become ever more bloated as each party seeks to load their own peers to gain advantage - the whole thing is now farcical or would be if we didn't have to pay for their wages and lobbying.


That is a topic for another thread.  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> Sleepy Joe has no clue or plan on how to deal with these two world power leaders. What was he thinking? What was he hoping for?


Please do not spoil the feeling of many people who were so exciting to hear him speak, completely different diction the the one before him. And how he hand-n-hand with his doctor wife makes a beautiful picture, just look few pages back... (That's what the POTUS is for...)

----------


## Klondyke

> He spewed bad information


Especially when he wanted to end all the never ending wars, that's not what the POTUS is for... 




> Unfortunately for Biden, he is expected to try and fix all the toxic waste left behind by Trump and his band of cowards.


So, no war ending, the American people do not mind wasting the zillions of their money (minding that some earn the trillions because of those wars), exciting when they awaiting the $1,400, how generous from the new government... (BTW, didn't the old govt give them $2,000?)

----------


## Klondyke

> Comparison
> Trump was a complete out of control, white supremist racist that lied every time he opened his mouth.


Comparison?
Frankly, when everything was under control as it has been now, then we would know about no his lie... 

Comparison? 
I see only in comparison with many my comments this week, nothing critical, however, they are no longer shown... (perhaps lies?)

----------


## Stumpy

> So, no war ending, the American people do not mind wasting the zillions of their money (minding that some earn the trillions because of those wars)


Klondyke. Let's be realistic here.  While we would all love and want a Hug and Kisses world, wars sadly generate income and the bottomline money is the root of all evil.  Seriously. Countries would fold with out military spending.  Do I like wars...no.  Do I like that the US constantly spews that we are the greatest....no.  IMHO we spend more time helping other countries with military support versus infusing money back into our country to manage the poor immigration control and all the loop holes people find to sneak in and exploit it.  Our core values are completely backwards.

But....... money is everything.

----------


## bsnub

> Klondyke. Let's be realistic here.


Are you actually trying to have a conversation with that retard?

----------


## beachbound

> Comparison?
> Frankly, when everything was under control as it has been now, then we would know about no his lie... 
> 
> Comparison? 
> I see only in comparison with many my comments this week, nothing critical, however, they are no longer shown... (perhaps lies?)


Still waiting on that translation dictionary! 
Anybody?

----------


## cyrille

^^Yeah, bsnub and numpty getting along is one thing, but let's be realistic as you say, JPPR.  :Very Happy:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Still waiting on that translation dictionary! 
> Anybody?



There are a series of Hoohoo and klondyke-to-English videos.

----------


## bsnub

I wonder where slickturd is after a black member of government was arrested by two small dicked white men for knocking on the governors' door.

Scum.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Still waiting on that translation dictionary! 
> Anybody?


Below is a video of Klondyke's  appearance at the Tonight Show, It should explain his above post

----------


## Stumpy

> Are you actually trying to have a conversation with that retard?


 :rofl:

----------


## Stumpy

@ Buckaroo Bonzai.  Foster Brooke's was a hilarious drunk comedian.  I can see Klondyke sitting in his DIY Outhouse Sauna rambling on.

 :Smile:

----------


## elche

> do you think a one party system is healthy for democracy?


Of course not, but it's the Republicans, not the Democrats, who are opposed to and undermining democracy.  Who was it that tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election and are passing Jim Crow laws in Georgia today?  In fact, the GOP is looking more like a criminal organization than a political party every day, peddling falsehoods and conspiracy theories on the gullible and credulous to rule over them.  They're completely mendacious and malevolent because in a political arena - owned by the corporate class btw - there are no rules.  The Republicans would have their supporters slit their own throats in order to get elected, and once elected they would slit the throats of their opposition.

----------


## Klondyke

> Klondyke. Let's be realistic here.  While we would all love and want a Hug and Kisses world, wars sadly generate income and the bottomline money is the root of all evil.  Seriously. Countries would fold with out military spending.  Do I like wars...no.  Do I like that the US constantly spews that we are the greatest....no.  IMHO we spend more time helping other countries with military support versus infusing money back into our country to manage the poor immigration control and all the loop holes people find to sneak in and exploit it.  Our core values are completely backwards.
> 
> But....... money is everything.





> Originally Posted by *bsnub* (President Joe Biden)_Are you actually trying to have a conversation with that retard?
> 
> _





> I can see Klondyke sitting in his DIY Outhouse Sauna rambling on.





> wars sadly generate income


I am sorry if I stepped on somebody's toe, there are obviously many here who's livelihood is depending on the wars...(beside the big companies incidentally owned by the big guys who are drumming for the wars - please no names here) 

(Yesterday I got here a picture showing the numbers of the soldiers serving abroad.  Unfortunately it's no longer here, perhaps since it was 5 years old source...) 

Wondering whether your views are also shared by the 40 millions on food stamps (SNAP), not included the horrible figures of the tent cities...

----------


## russellsimpson

Gentlemen, the president may have a problem on the southern border.

God speed.

----------


## panama hat

> Gentlemen, the president may have a problem on the southern border.


As do you with yours.   :Smile:

----------


## russellsimpson

:rofl:  touche.

(I'm told the lines are growing in la belle provence.)

----------


## AntRobertson

> Gentlemen, the president may have a problem on the southern border.


It's the same exact problem the former guy had and the guy before him and...

Except for the former guy who fixed it with a wall he definitely built and that was definitely paid for by Mexico... Oh!

----------


## Klondyke

There are some differences:
When during the former guy rule some kids were found drown in the river (with her father?), it was a huge outrage...

Whilst there are similar cases now, however, not so critically trumpeted...

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> There are some differences:
> When during the former guy rule some kids were found drown in the river (with her father?), it was a huge outrage...
> 
> Whilst there are similar cases now, however, not so critically trumpeted...


You mean Biden did something to force kids to cross at the river and one died and nobody was outraged? I for one would be outraged, can you please explain what Biden did to cause such a thing or provide a link.

----------


## Klondyke

*Are these your ‘animals’, Mr Trump? Photo of drowned father and daughter at US border illustrates ultimate human cost of president’s attitude towards families desperately seeking a better life

*Are these your ‘animals’, Mr Trump? Photo of drowned father and daughter at US border illustrates ultimate human cost of president’s attitude towards families desperately seeking a better life | The Independent | The Independent

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> *Are these your ‘animals’, Mr Trump? Photo of drowned father and daughter at US border illustrates ultimate human cost of president’s attitude towards families desperately seeking a better life
> 
> *Are these your ‘animals’, Mr Trump? Photo of drowned father and daughter at US border illustrates ultimate human cost of president’s attitude towards families desperately seeking a better life | The Independent | The Independent


Yes I understand how trump's policies forced kids in the rivers and consequently caused  tragedies. But how are Biden's policies doing the same ? and not reported?

----------


## strigils

Does anyone else find it funny that the OAP keeps trotting out his Oooiirsh roots, so American. Lets hope he gets on a plane and backs up his talk, get the sides round the table and get a working Govt going.

----------


## cyrille

Every US president in my lifetime has done the same as far as I remember - even O'Bama.

So ... no.

----------


## Klondyke

> Yes I understand how trump's policies forced kids in the rivers and consequently caused  tragedies. But how are Biden's policies doing the same ? and not reported?


Perhaps not forced the kids in rivers but forced into the cages.  I haven't been there, however others have. And perhaps the bad news also about some deaths are not true (since MSM did not tell it).  The reporting is not the same as it had been the last 4 years, is it?

----------


## strigils

^^ so the usual American bluster and tinkering in a powder keg situation...because...they can.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Perhaps not forced the kids in rivers but forced into the cages.  I haven't been there, however others have. And perhaps the bad news also about some deaths are not true (since MSM did not tell it).  The reporting is not the same as it had been the last 4 years, is it?


The reporting is not the same because the way the situation is being handled is not the same. 
You can't have it both ways, you cant on one hand say that Biden is opening the borders and allowing migrants  in, and on the other hand say that Biden is acting the same way as trump and should be reported as such.

----------


## cyrille

You are assuming that klondick places some sort of value on logical argument.

----------


## Klondyke

> The reporting is not the same because the way the situation is being handled is not the same. 
> You can't have it both ways, you cant on one hand say that Biden is opening the borders and allowing migrants  in, and on the other hand say that Biden is acting the same way as trump and should be reported as such.





> You are assuming that klondick places some sort of value on logical argument.


Yes, of course, a logical argument is available: If there is a different "freedom of speech", then it is a different reporting...
Does any of you know a more logical argument? 

BTW, wondering why was organized yesterday the congressional hearing with the Big Ones who control the propaganda for the trusting population?  

However, as usually, what's the outcome? Just a theater comedy for the population: How the congressmen can grill the Big Guys?  Who is in charge of who?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Yes, of course, a logical argument is available: If there is a different "freedom of speech", then it is a different reporting...
> Does any of you know a more logical argument?


I would if I knew what your argument was? What do you mean by "_If there is a different "freedom of speech", then it is a different reporting_ "

----------


## Klondyke

> I would if I knew what your argument was? What do you mean by "If there is a different "freedom of speech", then it is a different reporting "


If you do not know, try again to think about it, just using a "Farmer's Understanding (Brain)", as the Germans call it "Bauernverstand"...
(The Greeks, they surely have something similar, don't they?)

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> If you do not know, try again to think about it, just using a "Farmer's Understanding (Brain)", as the Germans call it "Bauernverstand"...
> (The Greeks, they surely have something similar, don't they?)


I try using my brain , but you of all people should know how hard it is.

PS: the good thing about drain  bramage  is you never know you have it. LOL

----------


## Klondyke

> PS: the good thing about drain bramage is you never know you have it. LOL


I do not know about "drain bramage", but problems with a brain happen anytime and anywhere, one reads about that every day (mainly not on MSM)...

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I do not know about "drain bramage", but problems with a brain happen anytime and anywhere, one reads about that every day (mainly not on MSM)...


Your replies become more and more cryptic. Are you in training to be a Pythian Oracle ?  LOL ,or is my puny Greek brain unable to comprehend the awesomeness  of your replies? ,

----------


## Klondyke

> Your replies become more and more cryptic. Are you in training to be a Pythian Oracle ?  LOL ,or is my puny Greek brain unable to comprehend the awesomeness  of your replies? ,


I do not know what is a "puny Greek brain".

Actually, quite a long time I had spent my days in Greece, then I had quite appreciated the cooperation with Greek colleagues, also socializing with them...

But your original problem was that you did not understand the "different reporting" I mentioned. Few days ago an esteemed judge wrote something about that, his language is surely better to understand than mine:




*Federal Judge Laurence Silberman slams media, accusing it of left-wing bias*
March 19, 2021

A federal appeals judge accused the media of being a “trumpet” for the Democratic Party in a scathing dissenting opinion handed down Friday.

Washington, DC, Senior Circuit Judge Laurence Silberman, 85, called on his fellow judges to overturn a Supreme Court landmark decision protecting the press, complaining that conservatives are oppressed by liberal outlets, academia and tech companies that combine to create “a frighteningly orthodox media culture.”

The judge was countering his colleagues’ decision to toss a libel suit filed by two former Liberian officials against human rights group Global Witness.

The ex-officials had sued over a report by a human rights group called Global Witness that they said implied they had accepted bribes from an oil company. 

Silberman complained in his lone, dissenting opinion about the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan decision requiring libel plaintiffs prove “actual malice,” and called on the Supreme Court to revisit the landmark ruling.

The Reagan appointee said increasing the power of the media is “so dangerous,” “because we are very close to one-party control of these institutions.”

“Two of the three most influential papers (at least historically), The New York Times and The Washington Post, are virtually Democratic Party broadsheets,” Silberman claimed.

He also griped that the news section of The Wall Street Journal and most television outlets also skew to the left.

Silberman said a “one-party control of the press” poses a threat to a “viable democracy.”

He cited Fox News, The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal opinion and editorial pages as one of the “few notable exceptions to Democratic Party ideological control.”

Federal Judge Laurence Silberman slams media, accusing it of left-wing bias

----------


## Saint Willy

> You are assuming that klondick places some sort of value on logical argument.


He'd have to be capable of logical argument prior to being able to place a value on it.

----------


## lom

> Senior Circuit Judge Laurence Silberman, *85*


is a senile ultraconservative loon

----------


## Klondyke

> is a senile ultraconservative loon


The senility (and dementia) arrives in different age at different people...

----------


## panama hat

> Actually, quite a long time I had spent my days in Greece


Of course you did . . . whatever you're trying to say




> The senility (and dementia) arrives in different age at different people...


Yours came early, clearly

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I do not know what is a "puny Greek brain".
> 
> Actually, quite a long time I had spent my days in Greece, then I had quite appreciated the cooperation with Greek colleagues, also socializing with them...
> 
> But your original problem was that you did not understand the "different reporting" I mentioned. Few days ago an esteemed judge wrote something about that, his language is surely better to understand than mine:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


pu·ny
/ˈpyo͞onē/

small and weak


Just because  a conservative  Judge had a problem with progressive reporting, it does not make it so, and it is hardly  news.   
No doubt media in the US is biased towed the base they serve. But that's true for all all media, much more so for right wing media.
So if Federal Judge Laurence Silberman is concerned with fairness  in reporting , where is his criticism of the right wing media?  
 One can't compare  the bias of the right wing media to the lest wing media, they are miles apart. 
So how does that apply to the subject at hand? which is President Biden and your allegation that Biden is reported differently,  the insinuation being that he is just as bad as trump was.
These are two different issues. The progressive's media can be biased toward progressive's issues and since Biden is progressive , toward him. And Biden can be not as bad a trump. 

When progressive media reported the death of children in the river as a fault of trump. it was because trump's policies forced them on the river so he was a contributory factor, if  children died in the river now (and I don't believe any did) it is not because of Biden's policies,  and to report so would be false.

----------


## bsnub

> is a senile ultraconservative loon


Agreed. The old fool has been consumed by right wing propaganda.

Thankfully he will likely expire and a Biden appointment will replace him.

----------


## Klondyke

> Thankfully he will likely expire and a Biden appointment will replace him.


Do you mean to replace all who do not agree with him?

As a matter of fact, that's what he writes: 

_“one-party control of the press” poses a threat to a “viable democracy.”_

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Administration Boosts Wind And Solar Ambitions Ahead Of Infrastructure Push

The U.S. currently has 42 megawatts of offshore wind online. The Biden administration just set a goal of deploying 30,000 megawatts by 2030.

The Biden administration on Monday also established a new priority wind area in New York Bight, the waters between Long Island and the New Jersey coast, and advanced permitting for the proposed 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project off the coast of southern New Jersey. And it announced up to $3 billion in loan opportunities for the offshore wind industry, $230 million in available funds to update port infrastructure to support offshore wind development, as well new investments in wind research and development projects.

I didn’t see anything about nuclear or hydrogen in the article. 
Go figure  ::doglol::

----------


## thailazer

Biden needs to start holding rallies and get a worship squad going like Trump had with Graham and Cruz.    Or... Maybe not.....

----------


## russellsimpson

^Yes, probably maybe not.

Cheers

----------


## panama hat

> Do you mean to replace all who do not agree with him?


No.  Are you too stupid to read?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> is a senile ultraconservative loon


And one of the people who helped keep the hostages in Iran to aid Reagan's election and one of the people who cleared Oliver North of Iran Contra charges.

He's a fucking right wing shill and no mistake.

----------


## OhOh

> Russia Recalls Envoy as Biden Says 'Killer' Putin Will 'Pay the Price' for Election Meddling


THE LORD replies to the leader of the unexceptional state.

It's a 5+ minute video, possibly somewhat beyond your attention span.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Awww is he still pouting?

----------


## Saint Willy

> Awww is he still posting shite?


FTFY.

----------


## S Landreth

White House hopes to see infrastructure bill passed by summer

President Biden hopes to see Congress pass his infrastructure and climate proposal by this summer, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday, setting a slightly longer timeline than his recently enacted coronavirus relief package.

Psaki told reporters at an afternoon briefing that the extra time will allow for more White House negotiations with congressional Republicans and Democrats, particularly since the legislation does not carry the same level of urgency as the American Rescue Plan that was signed into law last month.

Still, she said Biden would like to see “progress” by the end of May.

*In other news……..*

Fox News - 'SpongeBob SquarePants' episode pulled by Nickelodeon over coronavirus 'sensitivities'

----------


## Klondyke

> Originally Posted by lom  
> is a senile ultraconservative loon





> And one of the people who helped keep the hostages in Iran to aid Reagan's election and one of the people who cleared Oliver North of Iran Contra charges.
> 
> He's a fucking right wing shill and no mistake.


So, any comment to his statement? Or is it connected what he did 30 years ago? 

BTW, what he did that time for the state was surely utmost appreciated by (almost) all, everybody applauded to the wonderful president and his war games...

----------


## OhOh

> *hopes to see* Congress pass





> White House *negotiations with* congressional Republicans and Democrats





> would *like to see* “progress”


More ameristani promises.

The actual delivery and costs .... ?

Let us await what and when xxxx is delivered and compare.

----------


## OhOh

> You mean Biden did something to force kids to cross at the river and one died and nobody was outraged?


One presumes fucking up, instigating wars, terrorising south american countries for centuries counts.

Although the current exceptional country's leader has not been in power for all of that time.

----------


## Klondyke

Just different reporting and evaluating the events. Some call it double standard...

----------


## OhOh

Poked your weeping wound again.

*动*

----------


## bsnub

Oh, great so now these two nitwits are going to pollute this thread with their utter nonsense.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> More ameristani promises.
> 
> The actual delivery and costs .... ?
> 
> Let us await what and when xxxx is delivered and compare.


You know less about American government than Booners.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Well you know if hoohoo starts posting drivel, klondyke comes yapping along soon enough.

----------


## panama hat

> Oh, great so now these two nitwits are going to pollute this thread with their utter nonsense.


Jaysus . . .

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to announce all US adults will be eligible for coronavirus vaccine by April 19

President Biden plans to announce Tuesday that he is moving up his target for all American adults to become eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine by almost two weeks to April 19, according to a White House official.

Biden is also expected to announce that the United States has administered 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, the official confirmed, putting the president on track to meet or exceed his goal of administering 200 million doses in his first 100 days in office.



Trump calls coronavirus Democrats new hoax

Edit.

Over a third of Republicans don't want the COVID vaccine

----------


## baldrick

> Over a third of Republicans don't want the COVID vaccine


this is a problem across the world - sure you have 10-15 % full on anti vax nutters , but there is still 20-25% who are vaccine uncertain because of mis information , scare stories in the news ( blood clots ) and general miscommunication for cultures and languages

for the overall 70%+ vaccination required to achieve herd immunity and damp down on the mutations it will be difficult

----------


## S Landreth

^Maybe has to do (a little) with the christians also………

New Michigan law requires those receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine be told it was developed using stem cells

----------


## panama hat

When even Muslims are persuaded by their Imams that the vaccine is ok to take . . . here we have Christians and right wing morons

----------


## S Landreth

Treasury details Biden's plan to raise $2 trillion through corporate tax hikes

*Details:* The tax plan unveiled Wednesday would...


Raise the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%.Enforce a 15% minimum tax on book income of large companies that report high profits, but have little taxable income.Replace fossil fuel subsidies with incentives for clean energy production.Boost enforcement against corporate tax avoidance.

*Between the lines:* 65% of voters said they strongly or somewhat support Biden raising corporate taxes to pay for his infrastructure plan, including 42% of Republicans, according to a Morning Consult poll released Wednesday.

----------


## Hugh Cow

> When even Muslims are persuaded by their Imams that the vaccine is ok to take . . . here we have Christians and right wing morons


I dont think Christians require persuading by their priests pastors elders or whatever. For many it is more of a personal moral dilemma and a matter of conscience. Certainly nothing to do with right left or any other wing. 
 It is another "which is the greater evil" questions that many people are faced with at times in their lives. Not to take a vaccine developed from something one has a conscientious objection to, or a moral obligation to help protect society with the potential to prevent many more deaths. 
I will reluctantly get the vaccine so derived if I cannot get an alternative. In the end, sometimes we must leave our comfort zone and choose between our beliefs and the greater good.

----------


## panama hat

> I will reluctantly get the vaccine so derived if I cannot get an alternative. In the end, sometimes we must leave our comfort zone and choose between our beliefs and the greater good.


There are no alternatives, that's the point, and the mater of religious objections are what is addressed - Muslims and Jews accept it despite having initial objections to potential pork-gelatin contents.  Christians shouldn't have an issue with it either. 

The Christian idea of 'greater evil', as in sin is equated to 'greater harm' if not taken.  The moral dilemma has been addressed and the churches here have come out in full support of vaccinations . . . sadly many Maori and Pacific Islanders are yet to be convinced.  Education. 

I do understand that an ethical boundary provides for contemplation.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> There are no alternatives, that's the point, and the mater of religious objections are what is addressed - Muslims and Jews accept it despite having initial objections to potential pork-gelatin contents.  Christians shouldn't have an issue with it either. 
> 
> The Christian idea of 'greater evil', as in sin is equated to 'greater harm' if not taken.  The moral dilemma has been addressed and the churches here have come out in full support of vaccinations . . . sadly many Maori and Pacific Islanders are yet to be convinced.  Education. 
> 
> I do understand that an ethical boundary provides for contemplation.


Does this "stems cells from the 50's or whatever" nonsense apply to MRNA vaccines?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Treasury details Biden's plan to raise $2 trillion through corporate tax hikes
> 
> *Details:* The tax plan unveiled Wednesday would...
> 
> 
> Raise the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%.Enforce a 15% minimum tax on book income of large companies that report high profits, but have little taxable income.Replace fossil fuel subsidies with incentives for clean energy production.Boost enforcement against corporate tax avoidance.
> 
> *Between the lines:* 65% of voters said they strongly or somewhat support Biden raising corporate taxes to pay for his infrastructure plan, including 42% of Republicans, according to a Morning Consult poll released Wednesday.


The last one is going to need some legislation as companies will be looking at all sorts of ways of moving revenues and profits around the world to avoid paying tax, as well as using a variety of complex mechanisms to hide profits.

----------


## panama hat

> Does this "stems cells from the 50's or whatever" nonsense apply to MRNA vaccines?


No, but other vaccine-producing techniques did, hence the initial reluctance.  All a matter of spreading the right information . . . same with foetal cells.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No, but other vaccine-producing techniques did, hence the initial reluctance.  All a matter of spreading the right information . . . same with foetal cells.


So they could just take mRNA and stop the fucking whinging.

Which means it's really just an excuse for being crazy trumpanzee god bothering imbeciles.

----------


## panama hat

^ That about sums it up . . . there's people of faith and then there's


> crazy trumpanzee god bothering imbeciles.

----------


## Hugh Cow

Biden is looking at a system where the global company minimum tax rate is set at  21% and companies are taxed where they make their sales/profits rather than where their head office is located. Although it is primarily for raising more revenue in the states it may help other countries if they can be convinced of its merits, but it will take cooperation from many countries to work.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

----------


## Cujo

> Biden is looking at a system where the global company minimum tax rate is set at  21% and companies are taxed where they make their sales/profits rather than where their head office is located. Although it is primarily for raising more revenue in the states it may help other countries if they can be convinced of its merits, but it will take cooperation from many countries to work.
> 
> Bloomberg - Are you a robot?


I don't hold out much hope.

----------


## S Landreth

Lummi Nation carvers to gift totem pole to Biden after national tour of lands

Lummi Nation carvers and supporters are bringing a totem pole across the country before gifting it to President Biden’s administration this summer.

The House of Tears Carvers at the Lummi Nation will carve and transport the 24-foot totem pole from Washington state to Washington, D.C., stopping along the way at “twenty of the country’s Native-led struggles where sacred lands, waters, and wildlife are imperiled by dams, climate change, and extractive industries,” according to the website for the “Red Road to DC,” the name of the journey.

The trip will begin at the Lummi Nation outside of Bellingham, Wash., on May 25 and make stops at the Nez Perce traditional lands, Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, the Black Hills in South Dakota, the crossing of the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Missouri River and more.

The totem pole, made out of a 400-year-old red cedar, will be featured at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian this fall, The Seattle Times reported.

Red Road to DC

in other news……..

Fox News - Dolly Parton's ice cream selling on eBay for $1,000 per pint

----------


## bsnub

President Joe Biden boasts a 63% approval rating among young Americans aged 18 to 29, according to a new poll  released by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, which  represents the highest figure for any president in the survey's 21-year  history.

The Institute's data revealed that among Biden's  predecessors, then-President Donald Trump's highest approval rating  among young voters peaked at 33% in 2019, with then-President Barack  Obama reaching 57% approval in 2016 and then-President George W. Bush  with a 61% approval rating in 2003.

The Harvard Youth Poll showed that 59% of Americans aged 18 to 29 approve of Biden's overall job performance. 

Biden  received positive marks on a range of issues, including his handling of  the coronavirus pandemic (65% approval) and the economy (53% approval),  along with climate change (58% approval), national security (52%  approval), education (58% approval), and race relations (57% approval).

                                                      The president's surge in favorability is a  stark contrast to the Harvard poll from last spring, when only 34% of  young American adults viewed him favorably.

The poll also reflected the renewed optimism that younger Americans  now have compared to 2017, during Trump's first full year office. That  fall, only 31% of young Americans were hopeful about the country's  future — 56% of young Americans are now hopeful, a huge turnaround.

The change even more dramatic for young Black and Hispanic Americans.

                                                      In 2017, only 18% of young Black Americans  said they were hopeful about the country. That figure has skyrocketed to  72% in the new survey.

Among young Hispanic Americans, 29% expressed hope for the future in 2017, a number which climbed to 69% in the latest poll.

Young Black Americans gave  Biden a 77% job approval rating in the poll, followed by young Hispanic  Americans with 70% approval and young white Americans with a 48%  approval rating.
Similar to older adults, variations in Biden's approval rating due to geographic differences were evident in the poll.

                                                      While 69% of young Americans living in  urban areas and 60% in the suburbs gave a thumbs up to Biden's job  performance, the numbers declined to 51% approval among young Americans  in small towns and 42% approval for young Americans in rural areas.

The Harvard Youth poll was conducted between March 9 and March 22 with 2,513 Americans aged 18 to 29.

The margin of error for the overall sample was 2.6 percentage points.

Biden Has Record Approval Rating Among Young Americans, Poll Says

----------


## S Landreth

^He is surprising a lot of people.




 
Biden to visit UK, Belgium for G-7 and NATO meetings in first overseas trip as president

President Joe Biden will make his first overseas trip as president in June as he heads to the United Kingdom and Belgium for crucial meetings with allied nations, the White House said Friday.

This news comes amid Biden’s virtual climate summit with global leaders as he pushes for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. On Thursday Biden vowed to reduce U.S. emissions by at least 50% by 2030.

The Biden administration has said it would seek to reset links with various allies in the wake of President Donald Trump’s often-tumultuous relationships with other nations. Trump criticized fellow NATO nations, saying they weren’t paying their fair share on defense spending.

Biden will begin his travel speaking at the G-7 Summit in Cornwall, U.K., where he’ll also hold bilateral meetings with leaders such as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. That summit will occur June 11-13.

----------


## helge

> This news comes amid Biden’s virtual climate summit with global leaders as he pushes for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. On Thursday Biden vowed to reduce U.S. emissions by at least 50% by 2030.


From the 2005 emissions, when it peaked.  :Smile: 

Haven't they already reduced it by 26 % ?

Fraudster

----------


## thailazer

Surprised to see his low 100 day approval ratings........


Biden'&#39;'s 100 days: Low-end approval, yet strong marks on pandemic response: POLL - ABC News

----------


## russellsimpson

> which represents the highest figure for any president in the survey's 21-year history.


21 year history. Wow! Very impressive. So Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden. Wow again. 






> President George W. Bush with a 61% approval rating in 2003.


So only 2 points less than Biden. What a fucking dummy.(note to self: tell this contributor to consider staying off all threads requiring some understanding of basic numbers and percentages as it makes him look like an idiot)






> The president's surge in favorability is a stark contrast to the Harvard poll from last spring, when only 34% of young American adults viewed him favorably.


"Surge' or statistical aberration? The truth probably lies somewhere between the 34 percent and the 63 percent.

We really haven't been given a fair chance to examine Bidens shortcomings yet but I suspect the higher number now is affected by the "novelty" factor.









> In 2017, only 18% of young Black Americans said they were hopeful about the country. That figure has skyrocketed to 72% in the new survey.


 :rofl: 
Anybody who believes that is invited to Vancouver where a world famous bridge has just come onto the market.






> The margin of error for the overall sample was 2.6 percentage points.


If you believe that snubs, you're a confirmed idiot.

Oh wait, you're a confirmed idiot in any case.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Trump criticized fellow NATO nations, saying they weren’t paying their fair share on defense spending.


Nor were they. Trump did the dirty work of bringing the laggards into line. What about credit where credit is due?

----------


## beachbound

> Nor were they. Trump did the dirty work of bringing the laggards into line. What about credit where credit is due?


First of all, it’s simply not that straight forward. The US is mainly spending it’s defense dollars for its own security interests. The US also has treaty obligations around the world, and most NATO members do not. 
Secondly, and more importantly, Trumps bully approach in dealing with allies gets us nowhere. 

It’s obvious Trump never read anything from Dale Carnegie.

----------


## strigils

> The US is mainly spending it’s defense dollars for its own security interests.


Erm private security companies and defence contractors will be heartened to hear its not their lobbying.  :Smile:

----------


## elche

According to Gallup,  which started tracking presidential performance in 1938, Trump's  average approval rating of 41 percent throughout his four-year term is  lower than any other commander-in-chief in modern history.

----------


## elche

> "Surge' or statistical aberration?


What makes you think that the results of the poll were an aberration?  Do you not understand that polls have confidence levels?




> Trump did the dirty work of bringing the laggards into line.


More Trump "facts", a never ending stream of lies.




> If you believe that snubs, you're a confirmed idiot.
> 
> Oh wait, you're a confirmed idiot in any case.


If that is the best you've got, I think we know who the idiot is.

----------


## russellsimpson

I in no manner was a Trump supporter nor could I ever be but did he not get many NATO countries to pony up larger contribution ?

A yes or no answer will suffice. 




> What makes you think that the results of the poll were an aberration


It wasn't my first choice of terms, you're right.

The exact statistical term isn't immediately coming to mind.

The poll has taken place too early, far too early in my view. Give it a year and maybe get back with a poll then.

Biden has only been president for three months, hardly time to fuck anything up. Especially when you're throwing trillions of dollars at people. 

I don't doubt the poll is a good one with standard guidlines, but still to early.

I hope you can comprehend that because it's always going to be well over the head of your friend snubs. Some things are just obvious for all to see.

Thanks for your input

----------


## beachbound

> did he not get many NATO countries to pony up larger contribution ?
> 
> A yes or no answer will suffice.


NATO Countries have been increasing spending every year since 2014, long before Cheeto in chief was in office.

----------


## russellsimpson

It will take years to undo the damage Trump has done both domestically and on the world scene.

No denying that. 

Tens of thousands of lives could have been saved. For that alone I am sure he has a place reserved in hell.

----------


## tomcat

> I am sure he has a place reserved in hell.


...if only...

----------


## bsnub

> If that is the best you've got, I think we know who the idiot is.


He is a pathetic spiteful little windbag who has decided to start following me around the forum like a little doggie attached to my pantleg.

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden boasts record approval rating among young Americans, poll says


Who was that who said "“I only believe in statistics that I doctored myself”?




> What neither the Post nor ABC mentioned, was that the poll oversampled Democrats by nine points. Some 33% of respondents identified as Democrats, 24% as Republicans, and 35% as independents. The remainder were either unsure or identified with minor parties. Previous research has found that political independents generally favor Democrats by four points, so with all of this taken into account, Biden’s true approval rating could be several points lower.
> Biden scores majority approval after 100 days, but the numbers don’t add up — RT USA News

----------


## Klondyke

> It will take years to undo the damage Trump has done both domestically and on the world scene.
> 
> No denying that. 
> 
> Tens of thousands of lives could have been saved. For that alone I am sure he has a place reserved in hell.


Can you elaborate roughly?

----------


## Cujo

> Can you elaborate roughly?


Really? You think it's needs expounding on ? 
It's pretty obvious really.

----------


## Klondyke

> It's pretty obvious really.


If it's pretty obvious why not to list it out? 
What we had learned here on these pages in the last 4 years was just about lies. Suddenly - and miraculously - there is not one lie coming up. How possible in this wonderful world?  Obviously, a different reporting...

Similarly, I have read here so many times about a 'bonespur". With my poor English I cannot figure out what was meant by that. 
Anybody could help?

----------


## russellsimpson

> With my poor English I cannot figure out what was meant by that.
> Anybody could help?


I'll give it a shot Klondyke.

I think the item ("bone spurs") first surfaced during the run to choose a Republican candidate for president. 

Donald Trump was in the race and, there being a dozen or more candidates, things heated quickly to become a shitfest.

Some of Trumps opponents dug out the fact that Trump was exempted from military service at the time of the Vietnam war do to bone growths in his heel.

Some suspected that the medical reports were phony and just a way of getting Trump out of military service.

My English was far from perfect but I hope the above might help you out.

Cheerio

You can always google Trump bone spurs.

I am in no position myself to judge whether the accusations were true or false, the bullshit was flowing deep at the time.

----------


## Cujo

Anyway,  this is the president Biden thread, not the ex president Trump thread so..

----------


## Klondyke

> Some of Trumps opponents dug out the fact that Trump was exempted from military service at the time of the Vietnam war do to bone growths in his heel.
> 
> Some suspected that the medical reports were phony and just a way of getting Trump out of military service.


Thanks for the help. I was suspecting that when reading the word every day it was by "different reporting".

Unfortunately, the others before him were so keen to serve for the country, however, it hadn't been enabled to them. 

Not that I would keep in a high esteem such a noble service, however, wondering why never hear anything like that about the others for the whole 4 (8) years. Obviously, as  said, "different reporting"...

----------


## aging one

> RT USA News


And here we go again. Russian propaganda news agency. Your favorite source.

----------


## Klondyke

> And here we go again. Russian propaganda news agency. Your favorite source.


So, how were the figures of the respondents by your favorite source? Please disclose to us...

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Taps A Former Top Scientist At NOAA To Lead The Weather And Climate Agency

President Biden is nominating Rick Spinrad to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the government's premier agency on climate science which oversees the National Weather Service.

Prior to his current role as a professor of oceanography at Oregon State University, Spinrad served as NOAA's top scientist under President Obama and the U.S. representative to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

The nomination comes at a difficult moment in NOAA's history. The agency has been without an official, Senate-confirmed leader since former President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, after his two nominees to lead the agency failed to garner enough support to win a full vote before the Senate.

If Spinrad manages to win over the Senate, he will have to contend with a challenge beyond the agency's already-rigorous scientific mandate: restoring public confidence in a traditionally apolitical agency marred by political scandal.

In September 2019, then-President Trump wrongly said Alabama was in the projected path of Hurricane Dorian. He continued to reassert the claim for several days, including during an Oval Office briefing on the storm  in which he displayed what appeared to be an official National Weather Service map in which the storm's projected path was extended to Alabama by someone using a black marker.

After a National Weather Service office in Birmingham put out a tweet correctly stating that Alabama would not feel the effects of the storm, NOAA published an unsigned defense of the president's claims and rebuking its professional staff who posted the message.

Dan Sobien, then-president of the National Weather Service Employees Organization, said at the time that "the hard working employees of the NWS had nothing to do with the utterly disgusting and disingenuous tweet sent out by NOAA management."

If confirmed, Spinrad will lead a 12,000-person agency charged with a diverse portfolio that spans daily weather forecasts, climate monitoring, fisheries management and coastal restoration.

In a statement, the Environmental Defense Fund's Eric Schwaab applauded Spinrad's nomination, saying that NOAA's workers "couldn't ask for a better leader to restore scientific integrity and honor the agency's mission."

edit: couldn't help myself  :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> _What neither the Post nor ABC mentioned, was that the poll oversampled Democrats by nine points. Some 33% of respondents identified as Democrats, 24% as Republicans, and 35% as independents. The remainder were either unsure or identified with minor parties. Previous research has found that political independents generally favor Democrats by four points, so with all of this taken into account, Biden’s true approval rating could be several points lower._
> Biden scores majority approval after 100 days, but the numbers don’t add up — RT USA News





> Originally Posted by *Klondyke*  (President Joe Biden)
> _RT USA News_





> And here we go again. Russian propaganda news agency. Your favorite source.


Please, never believe RT USA News... (First check the ones we believe and then we can believe or not...)



> This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone April 18 to 21, 2021, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,007 adults. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points, including the design effect. Partisan divisions are 33%-24%-35%, Democrats-Republicans-independents





> Intense partisanship is holding Joe Biden to a tepid job approval rating -- the third-lowest for any president at 100 days in office since Harry Truman -- along with continued economic dislocation, pandemic impacts and questions about Biden's view of the size and role of government.





Biden'&#39;'s 100 days: Low-end approval, yet strong marks on pandemic response: POLL - ABC News

----------


## Norton

> Intense partisanship is holding Joe Biden to a tepid job approval rating


Kinda says it all. Not much to do about what he is doing well or not so well is it.
More useless media info.

----------


## Klondyke

> More useless media info.


"Different reporting"...

----------


## russellsimpson

Conclusive poll after only ninety days?

I am, which will become obvious in very short order, hardly a statistician. But I don't mind looking at a few groups of numbers and charts now and again. In short I know little to nothing. 

A 180 day poll, on the other hand, may be of some value. Ninety days for presidential job approval is too short imo.

----------


## russellsimpson

That being said, even going back to Snubby's bizarre presidential job approval post 1509 the numbers have been really quite interesting to gawk at.

----------


## Norton

> Ninety days for presidential job approval is too short imo.


As is reporting your residence to Thai immigration.  :ourrules:

----------


## russellsimpson

> Kinda says it all. Not much to do about what he is doing well or not so well is it.
> More useless media info.


I'm afraid so.

Klondyke,

Your sarcasm is a tad overwhelming.

Keep it up.

----------


## bsnub

> I'm afraid so.
> 
> Klondyke,
> 
> Your sarcasm is a tad overwhelming.
> 
> Keep it up.


Not a  surprise coming from a lemming like yourself

----------


## russellsimpson

> As is reporting your residence to Thai immigration


I lived down in Songkhla Town where the immigration official in charge of 90 day reporting had a reputation for being a right arsehole. He seemed to have reserved a good portion of his spite for anything white. It's one memory which I haven't looked back on with much fondness.

back to POTUS,

----------


## russellsimpson

> Not a surprise coming from a lemming like yourself


Make peace not war snubby. Peace not war.


Drink the Coolaide! :bananaman:

----------


## misskit

*Biden’s 1970s-Era Taxes on Rich Collide With GOP and SALT Rebels*


(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden is poised to unveil a plan that would raise taxes on the income, investments and estates of the wealthiest Americans to levels not seen in more than four decades, a move that will trigger intense debate in Congress about whether and how to address income inequality.

Biden’s “American Families Plan,” itself featuring the biggest expansion of federal support for lower-income and middle-class Americans in decades, will be offset by a series of tax increases on the wealthy, administration officials say. The president will unveil his program in a Wednesday night speech to Congress.


To pay for a bill that could top $1 trillion, Americans earning over $400,000 will face higher marginal income tax rates. Those taking in $1 million or more will get hit with a levy of up to 43.4% on their capital gains. The last time rates got close to that, Jimmy Carter was president.

MORE Biden’s 1970s-Era Taxes on Rich Collide With GOP and SALT Rebels

----------


## russellsimpson

Let's see what the economists have to say.

Will these additional taxes on the wealthy really offset all these expensive new programs supporting the non-rich?





> Americans earning over $400,000 will face higher marginal income tax rates.


Isn't that a pretty high threshold?

----------


## Cujo

> Let's see what the economists have to say.
> 
> Will these additional taxes on the wealthy really offset all these expensive new programs supporting the non-rich?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't that a pretty high threshold?


Yes, so most except the very wealthy won't be affected.
The average blue collar worker sure won't.
Problem?
Meanwhile Biden remains your, deeks's, BMs (and Trumps) president.
Problem?

----------


## Klondyke

(obviously, some will not believe this source, so they can compare with the original of Rasmussen, see below, I do not have the membership to read it full...) *

Half of Americans see Kamala Harris as unqualified for presidency, poll shows*
26 Apr, 2021

Half of US voters, including 60% of independents, say Vice President Kamala Harris is unqualified to assume the role of president – a troubling poll stat, given that many Americans don't expect Joe Biden to serve his full term.

A Rasmussen Reports poll released on Monday showed that 41% of likely US voters see Harris as “not at all qualified” to take over the responsibilities of the presidency, and 9% believe she is “not very qualified.” The research firm based its findings on a survey of 1,000 likely voters.





> Rasmussen Reports
> @Rasmussen_Poll
> 8h
> "How qualified is Kamala Harris to assume the responsibilities of the presidency?"
> 
> 1000 National Likely Voters
> Not Very(NV) + Not At All(NAA) = Not Qualified
> Democrats: NV 5% + NAA 13% = 18%
> Unaffiliated: 12% + 48% = 60% 
> ...





> Rasmussen Reports
> @Rasmussen_Poll
>  · 14h
> Majority Say #KamalaHarris Not Qualified to Become #President... Majority Say Kamala Harris Not Qualified to Become President - Rasmussen Reports(R) #BreakingPoll


https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/s...-presidency%2F


The negative outlook on Harris' readiness for the job of president is especially strong among Republicans, 74% of whom see her as unqualified. But independents also lack confidence in the vice president, with 48% of respondents saying she is “not at all qualified” and 12% seeing her as “not very qualified.”

Among Democrats, only 18% see Harris as unqualified, including 15% who say she is “not at all qualified.” Harris performed poorly in the 2020 Democrat presidential primaries, even in her home state of California, despite being one of the mainstream media's favored candidates. After winning the party's nomination for president, Biden chose then-Senator Harris as his running mate last August, and media outlets hailed her as the first black vice-presidential candidate and the first of South Asian descent.

Biden bait & switch? Almost HALF Americans think someone else is making the president’s decisions
The Rasmussen poll, which was conducted on April 19-20, showed that Harris is viewed favorably by 46% of likely voters. That compares with 51% who have an unfavorable impression of the vice president, including 43% who described their view as “very unfavorable.”

The survey on Harris' readiness for the role of president is especially relevant because Biden is seen by many Americans as unlikely to be physically and mentally able to complete his four-year term. A Rasmussen poll last August showed that 59 percent of voters, including 49 percent of Democrats, didn't expect Biden to serve his full term if elected in November.

A Rasmussen poll released in March indicated that Americans were split evenly on whether Biden is currently in charge, making the important day-to-day decisions of his office.

Despite being the oldest president to take office and the questions that have been raised about his fitness, the 78-year-old Biden told reporters in March that he expects to seek re-election in 2024. A second Biden term would run through 2028, when he would turn 86.

Half of Americans see Kamala Harris as unqualified for presidency, poll shows — RT USA News


*

Majority Say Kamala Harris Not Qualified to Become President*
Monday, April 26, 2021

Most voters have an unfavorable impression of Vice President Kamala Harris, and GOP voters in particular doubt she is qualified to become president.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters have an unfavorable impression of Harris, including 43% who have a Very Unfavorable impression of Joe Biden’s vice president. Forty-six percent (46%) of Likely Voters have a favorable impression of Harris, including 28% who have a Very Favorable view of her. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it’s in the news, it’s in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on April 19-20, 2021 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Want to read more?
Majority Say Kamala Harris Not Qualified to Become President - Rasmussen Reports(R)

----------


## AntRobertson

> GOP voters in particular doubt she is qualified to become president


GOP voters put an orange reality TV star in office...They can fuck all the way off.

----------


## Cujo

1000 is a very small sample.

----------


## lom

> Half of Americans see Kamala Harris as unqualified for presidency





> Almost HALF Americans think someone else is making the president’s decisions



Almost half of Americans are republicans...

----------


## happynz

^^House of Ras? The right leaning House of Ras?

555

----------


## S Landreth

Biden’s first big speech to Congress is on Wednesday. Here’s what to expect.

Just in time for Joe Biden’s 100-day mark as president, the commander-in-chief is set to give his first big speech to Congress on Wednesday night. But don’t call it a State of the Union.

While it will look and feel like a State of the Union speech, Biden — like other presidents in their first year in office — will give what’s known as an address to a joint session of Congress. The upshot, however, will be similar: The president will lay out his big priorities in a prime-time address aimed at connecting directly with voters.

High on the agenda: the “American Families Plan,” or initiatives for what some have dubbed social infrastructure. 

“The core of that [speech] will be him laying out the specifics of the American Families Plan, his commitment to child care, to education,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters last week, “and ensuring that there’s an investment in economic security from the federal government.”




> Want to read more?
> 
> Rasmussen Reports(R)


 ::doglol:: 

Edit: related to other misinformation as Rasmussen puts out for their gullible readers

Fox News - Biden Red Meat Ban

----------


## russellsimpson

*Americans give Biden mostly positive marks for first 100 days, Post-ABC poll finds*
_
April 25, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. EDT_
_President Biden nears the end of his first 100 days in office with a slight majority of Americans approving of his performance and supporting his major policy initiatives, but his approval rating is lower than any recent past presidents except Donald Trump, with potential warning signs ahead about his governing strategy, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll._

_Overall, 52 percent of adults say they approve of the job Biden is doing, compared with 42 percent who disapprove. At this point in his presidency four years ago, Trump’s rating was nearly the reverse, with approval at 42 percent and disapproval at 53 percent. Overall, 34 percent of Americans say they strongly approve of Biden’s performance, compared with 35 percent who strongly disapprove._
_Biden receives the highest marks for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with 64 percent of adults — including 33 percent of Republicans — giving him positive ratings. His approval rating for his handling of the economy stands at 52 percent. But 53 percent say they disapprove of the way he has dealt with the immigration situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, a problem that has vexed his administration for much of its first months_
_Although his first sizable initiatives enjoy majority support, the poll also finds that by 2 to 1, Americans say that Biden should be willing to make “major changes” to his proposals to win Republican support, rather than trying to enact proposals without making major changes and getting no backing from congressional Republicans._
_In another caution for the president, a slim majority of Americans — 53 percent — say they are either “very” or “somewhat” concerned that Biden will do too much to increase the size and role of government. Overall, Americans are almost evenly split on whether they favor a smaller government with fewer services (48 percent) or a larger government with more services (45 percent)._

_That finding does, however, represent a shift in public opinion that existed between 1992 and 2012, when at least half favored smaller government._

_The 2020 presidential election and its acrid aftermath, during which Trump falsely insisted that the election had been stolen and that it was marred by widespread voting irregularities, left the country deeply divided. The new poll provides ample evidence that those divisions have not lessened during the early months of Biden’s presidency._
_For example, 78 percent of Republicans say they strongly disapprove of the way Biden has handled his job, which is slightly higher than the 72 percent of Democrats who strongly disapproved of Trump at the same point in 2017, and also far higher than the 43 percent of Republicans who strongly disapproved of President Barack Obama’s performance in April 2009. At no point during Obama’s first three years in office did strong disapproval among Republicans reach its current level._
_The poll also shows a record divide between the parties in views of Biden ahead of the 100-day mark, with 90 percent of Democrats approving of his performance compared with 13 percent of Republicans. Biden’s approval among fellow Democrats is six points higher than Trump’s rating was among Republicans four years ago, while the two presidents’ ratings among those in the rival party are identical (13 percent). Among independents, Biden’s approval rating of 47 percent is nine points better than Trump’s 38 percent four years ago._

_Although there are signs that the economy is improving, a majority of Americans — 58 percent — rate the economy negatively, while 42 percent rate it positively. That’s statistically unchanged from the findings of a Post-ABC poll in late September._
_But in another sign that opinions about the country’s condition are substantially shaped by party allegiance, the views of Democrats and Republicans have flipped with the change in administrations. Today, 49 percent of Democrats rate the economy positively, up from 18 percent in September. Meanwhile, 35 percent of Republicans give the economy positive marks today, compared with 69 percent who said that seven months ago._

_The president’s first major initiative was a nearly $2 trillion coronavirus relief package, approved by Congress on party-line votes. Despite the divisions among lawmakers, the American Rescue Package receives strong public support, with 65 percent saying they back the plan compared with 31 percent opposed. Just over 9 in 10 Democrats support it, as do 1 in 3 Republicans and around 6 in 10 independents. The poll finds that Republicans with incomes below $75,000 are considerably more supportive of the package than are those with higher incomes._
_Biden’s newly proposed $2 trillion infrastructure plan, which has not been acted upon by Congress, receives less support than the covid stimulus package, with 52 percent saying they favor it and 35 percent opposed. Broken down by party identification, 82 percent of Democrats, 51 percent of independents and 17 percent of Republicans give the measure their support. Unlike the stimulus package, there is little variation among Republicans based on their income._
_Biden has proposed paying for the infrastructure plan by raising the corporate tax rate, which once stood at 35 percent but was lowered to 21 percent during Trump’s presidency. Biden has recommended that it be raised to 28 percent, and the new poll shows that 58 percent of Americans say they support the increase. Again, views are partisan: More than 8 in 10 Democrats back the increase, while 2 in 3 Republicans oppose it. A narrower majority of independents say they support the 28 percent figure._

_Biden pledged in his inaugural address to try to unify the country and has often expressed willingness to negotiate with Republicans over the detail of his proposals. But on the economic stimulus package, he held firm on the overall size and most of the specifics of his proposal, arguing that it was bipartisan because voters from both parties backed it. He recently met with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to discuss the infrastructure package; while he indicated some openness to negotiation, he has not agreed to any changes._
_Not surprisingly, a huge percentage of Republicans say Biden should be willing to compromise to win bipartisan support from lawmakers for his proposals. But the poll also finds that about 4 in 10 Democrats and 2 in 3 independents favor a compromise settlement rather than having the president resist changes and enact his legislation without Republican support._
_Although Biden’s approval rating is notably higher than Trump’s was at this point four years ago, support for his job performance — which is a net positive of 10 points — ranks far below other past presidents._

_Obama was 43 points net positive near the end of his first 100 days. George W. Bush had a net positive of 31 points. Bill Clinton, at net positive 20 points, was the lowest of the six presidents who preceded Trump, who was a net negative 11 points. Ronald Reagan had the best rating, a net positive of 54 points, followed by George H.W. Bush at 49 points and Jimmy Carter at 45 points. Those three all governed during a less polarized era of American politics._
_The debate over the size and role of government, which has been resurrected during discussion of the Biden plans, has raged for decades, through administrations headed by both major parties. The shift in the direction of a larger government with more services is due largely to changes among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, with 70 percent of this group today saying they want a larger government providing more services, up from 58 percent in 2012. Republicans’ views have not budged, with 79 percent preferring a smaller government now vs. 81 percent in 2012. (The question was not asked between 2012 and this poll.)_

_Perceptions of Biden’s ideological leanings have changed markedly since the early months of 2020. About half of all Americans — 48 percent ― now say his views on most issues are “about right,” while 40 percent say they are too liberal and 7 percent say they are too conservative. Those findings are comparable to perceptions of last summer._
_But in February 2020, as the Democratic primaries and caucuses were getting underway, 25 percent of Americans said his views were too liberal, while 19 percent said he was too conservative and 42 percent judged his views as about right._

_The biggest shift is among Republicans, whose perception that Biden is too liberal has jumped from 46 percent in February 2020 to 80 percent today. Also, about twice as many independents today say he is too liberal, compared with early 2020 ― 45 percent vs. 21 percent._

_This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone April 18-21 among a random national sample of 1,007 adults, with 75 percent reached on cellphones and 25 percent on landlines. Results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points for the full sample.



_
Some very interesting numbers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...100-days-poll/

----------


## S Landreth

it has only been 100 days.

 :Smile: 

President Joe Biden inherited a tarnished American image abroad when he took office on Jan. 20 following four years of President Donald Trumps America First foreign policies and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that called into question the status of the worlds oldest continuous democracy.

Nearly 100 days later as the United States and the world meets a symbolic milestone of Bidens presidency, the Oval Offices current occupant is overseeing a sizable improvement to the American brand across many allied countries, according to Morning Consult Political Intelligence tracking of global sentiment.


 
U.S. popularity has improved the most in Germany, where there has been a 47-point net gain in favorability following Biden's inauguration. Since Jan. 20, the percentage of Germans with a favorable view of the U.S. has increased from 24% to 46%, a 22-point swing. Meanwhile, 37% of Germans now hold an unfavorable view of the U.S., down 25 points from the pre-Biden mark of 62%.

Similar positive changes in foreign countries' perceptions of the U.S. have been observed in Japan (+39), France (+37), Canada (+32), and the United Kingdom (+30), with smaller gains seen in Spain (+26), Italy (+23), Australia (+21), Mexico (+15), Brazil (+10), and Russia (+6).

----------


## russellsimpson

> and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that called into question the status of the world’s oldest continuous democracy.


I'm continuously amazed that Americans journalist are actually uneducated enough to still regurgitate this type of bollocks.

America isn't the working oldest continuous democracy FFS.

Grow a friggin" brain. WTF?

----------


## russellsimpson

Let's see what Biden actually does for a few more months so that a meaningful poll can be done.

This early stuff is pretty much meaningless.





Thanks for posting in any case.

----------


## Cujo

> I'm continuously amazed that Americans journalist are actually uneducated enough to still regurgitate this type of bollocks.
> 
> America isn't the working oldest continuous democracy FFS.
> 
> Grow a friggin" brain. WTF?


What is then.

Meanwhile Biden will limit Americans to no more than 4lbs of meat a year and beer will be plant based.

----------


## russellsimpson

> What is then.


Google is free.

Try Iceland.

America may rank sixth, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Hell The UK is well older a democracy than the USA. Several others as well.






> Meanwhile Biden will limit Americans to no more than 4lbs of meat a year and beer will be plant based.


 :rofl:

----------


## AntRobertson

"patriots! Joe Biden is coming after your constitutional right to drink meat-beer! 

holy fucking shit, it's impossible to keep up with the twentyfourseven firehose of fucknuttery from the wingnuts"

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Klondyke

> Americans give Biden mostly positive marks for first 100 days, Post-ABC poll finds


That's perhaps since the population appreciates the increased money for armoring (however started by the former guy, the current guy will surely reverse it, won't he?) 




> *Despite virus, global military spending grew in 2020, led by US*
> 2020 saw largest uptick in year-on-year outlay for more than a decade, even as some countries redirected funds to fight pandemic.
> 
> The US was by far the world's biggest spender, with Washington accounting for 39 percent of total global military expenditure in 2020 [File: Lockheed Martin/Handout via Reuters]
> 26 Apr 2021
> Global military expenditure rose by 2.6 percent to $1.98 trillion last year even as some countries reallocated their defence funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in a report issued on Monday.
> 
> The five biggest spenders in 2020, which together accounted for 62 percent of military spending worldwide, were the United States, China, India, Russia and the United Kingdom, in that order, according to the Sweden-based body.
> 
> ...

----------


## Klondyke

> Americans give Biden mostly positive marks for first 100 days, Post-ABC poll finds


How "positively" the cousins over the ocean see it:




> *Biden's 52% approval rating at 100 days in office is third-lowest since tracking began – but is 10 points higher than Trump*
> 
> -Joe Biden is sitting at a 52% approval rating as he nears his 100th Day in office
> 
> -This is the third-lowest of any president since tracking began in 1945 
> 
> -Biden's approval is still 10 points higher than Donald Trump's was at 100 Days
> 
> -Trump had the lowest of all presidents in modern history with 42% 
> ...

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> How "positively" the cousins over the ocean see it:


Comparing  pre-trump era and post-trump era opinion statistics is like comparing apples and oranges. Yes they are both fruits.
tramp was the apocalypse of American politics. Pandora's box has been opened and the fates are out. there is not putting them back in the box. Once seen it can not be unseen. 
So the only telling point in these polls is that Biden is 10 points higher than trump. In this post apocalyptic environment is a  huge  spread,  
trump came in with a maga  promise and all he accomplished was to irrevocably brake America and go back to his golden escalator and Palm Beach resort while the maga idiots eat cat food in their double wide tailor, busy writing him checks so that he can continue magaing them without Vaseline :smiley laughing:

----------


## Klondyke

^



> Of the 1,007 adults polled by phone for the survey, 42% say they disapprove of Biden's job as president so far, with 35% saying they strongly disapprove and 7% saying they somewhat disapprove.


If you believe that 1,007 people pool gives a representative sample of 330,000 population?

And what they know about him? Who has got a chance to ask him something?  Quite a different communication with the guy before, isn't it?





> *Biden cuts off press questions: 'I'm really gonna be in trouble' if I keep answering*
> Biden has been historically cagy with media since taking office
> 27 April 2021
> 
> President Biden said he would be "in trouble" if he continued to take questions from reporters during a rare back-and-forth with the press Tuesday afternoon.
> 
> After speaking about new federal health guidelines for mask-wearing for vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals, Biden answered a few shouted questions from gathered reporters at the White House.
> 
> "I'm sorry," he said, after listening to questions about his own mask-wearing and a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This is the last question I'll take, and I'm really gonna be in trouble."
> ...

----------


## S Landreth

How to Watch President’s Address to Congress 



 
President Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress will look different from past presidents’ because of the coronavirus pandemic. The speech will give him a chance to discuss his first 100 days and his legislative agenda before a prime-time audience.

Mr. Biden’s speech to Congress is expected to begin around 9 p.m. ET Wednesday.

----------


## Klondyke

*Going easy on Joe: WaPo drops presidential fact-checking database they maintained under Trump after Biden’s 100 days*
27 Apr, 2021




> The Washington Post, which obsessively “fact-checked” every utterance by former president Donald Trump for years, is discontinuing its presidential database only 100 days into Joe Biden’s tenure, saying it’s just too much work.
> 
> The Post’s chief fact-checker Glenn Kessler announced the decision late on Monday, making a Freudian slip by describing the database as a “Trump” one rather than presidential, while trying to argue it required “about 400 additional 8-hour days over four years beyond our regular jobs.”
> 
> “Biden is off to a relatively slow start but who knows what will happen. We will keep doing fact checks, just not a database,” Kessler added. 
> 
> If the argument that boils down to ‘Trump lied so much we’re now too tired to keep tabs on Biden even though he lies much less’ sounds strange, the one Kessler offered in the Biden database write-up on Monday is even more so.
> 
> Read more
> Going easy on Joe: WaPo drops presidential fact-checking database they maintained under Trump after Biden’s 100 days — RT USA News

----------


## Klondyke

> _ ‘Trump lied so much we’re now too tired to keep tabs on Biden even though he lies much less’_


Good logic ...

----------


## bsnub

Klondick posts links from RT and Fox news. What a fuckwit.

----------


## bsnub

The stock market during President Biden’s  first 100 days in office has outperformed every one of his predecessors  going back 80 years, adding yet another notable data point to what’s  been dubbed the “Biden boom.”

The  Wall Street surge is expected to translate into economic gains as well,  with analysts forecasting the fastest pace of gross domestic product  (GDP) growth since the Reagan era as the coronavirus-ravaged labor  market begins to heal and the country moves closer to fully reopening.

The  strengthening economy, fueled by a turbo-charged vaccination campaign  and $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, is boosting Biden’s political capital  heading into policy fights over his multitrillion-dollar spending plans  on infrastructure and families.

“The  economy is looking fantastic. It’s probably going to be the best year  of GDP growth in three decades,” said Dan North, senior economist at  Euler Hermes North America Insurance Co.
And voters of all stripes are taking notice, said John Leer, an economist with the polling firm Morning Consult.

“What  we have seen since Biden took office is that consumer confidence has  consistently increased over that period of time,” he said. “That  increase in confidence is occurring not only among Democrats, but among  Republicans.”

Congressional  Democrats are now seizing on the chance to link the widespread economic  optimism to their legislative agenda, and they’re hoping to gain ground  on an issue that’s often dominated by Republicans.

“After  one of the most difficult years in the recent memory, the first 100  days of the Biden presidency and the new Senate Democratic majority has  seen the country turn a corner,” Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday.

The booming economy comes despite numerous warnings from former President Trump during the 2020 campaign that markets would tank if Biden were to win.

"With  Joe Hiden' it would crash,” Trump tweeted in September as the Dow Jones  Industrial Average crossed 29,000. It is now hovering around 34,000.

While  many economists credit Biden with successfully scaling up the U.S.  vaccination campaign and quickly pushing a COVID-19 relief bill through  Congress, North noted that the president had some luck along the way.

Biden came into office with two safe,  effective vaccines that already had emergency approval, with a rollout  underway. Additionally, the post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases was  beginning to recede by Inauguration Day, when funds from a  coronavirus-relief bill just a few weeks earlier were making their way  into the economy.

“He’s really come in with a huge tailwind, riding a wave of a lot of stimulus,” said North.

But  with every boom comes the threat of an eventual bust. A stalled economy  would likely hamper Biden’s agenda, and potentially carry electoral  implications heading into the 2022 midterms.
“To  me, the biggest risk is COVID. They’ve had these really big resurgences  in Europe. That is a big risk if the trends here reverse,” North said.

In  the U.S., vaccine hesitancy poses an obstacle. And public health  officials worry about the possibility of a vaccine-resistant strain of  COVID-19.

For some economists, the Biden economy could be a victim of its own success.

Larry  Summers, a former Treasury Secretary and prominent Democratic  economist, has warned that the flood of fiscal and monetary stimulus  will result in persistent inflation, which could upend the growth  trajectory and lead to higher interest rates that in turn could prompt  another recession.

“We were  providing demand well in excess over the next couple of years of any  plausible estimate of the economy’s potential to produce, and that meant  substantial price increases,” Summers said last week. “All the signs  are for inflation starting to break out.”

The economy still has a long way to go before it reaches full recovery, particularly as millions remain unemployed.

Even  as weekly jobless claims have fallen significantly — reaching  pandemic-era lows in each of the past two weeks — 17 million Americans  are without any employment.

Recent  polling suggests Biden might not need to rely solely on the strength of  the economy to accomplish some of his top priorities.

“When  you talk to people about building the roads, bridges, broadband — these  are safety issues, water supply, etc., and health issues, as well, it's  vastly popular in a bipartisan way,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said earlier in April.

A  recent Monmouth poll found 68 percent supported the $2.3 trillion  infrastructure plan, and 64 percent support the families plan he’s set  to formally unveil Wednesday evening before his first address to  Congress. Similar numbers support his plan to tax corporations and the  wealthy in order to pay for those proposals.

“The  Biden administration’s presumption that spending programs are popular  is borne out by these poll numbers,” said Monmouth University Polling  Institute Director Patrick Murray. “The key to maintaining this level of  support is whether Americans can point to direct benefits in their own  lives once those plans are put into action.”

Still, polling numbers and an accelerating economy aren’t what will get Biden’s policies through Congress.

He  must still contend with Republicans, who want to dramatically scale  back the infrastructure plans and set aside some of the broader social  benefits he’s proposing.

Without  their support, Democrats can only pass whatever the Senate  parliamentarian deems permissible under the arcane budget reconciliation  rules that would allow Democrats to sidestep a GOP filibuster.

Biden must also ensure progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and centrists such as Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) are willing to back the same legislation.

But  the strong economy and popular voter support can’t hurt, and the Biden  team has taken every opportunity to remind political rivals of that.

“These  polls show what we have long known: That the president came into office  at one of the most divisive moments in modern American history and the  president's focus is on fulfilling his promise to bring the country  together,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday.

“On  delivering on the things the American people elected him to do, we have  seen broad approval for getting the pandemic under control, turning our  economy around, especially for working families and the middle class,”  she said.

https://thehill.com/policy/finance/5...first-100-days

----------


## Klondyke

> Klondick posts links from RT and Fox news. What a fuckwit.


So, what? Perhaps you can point out what is there not true?

(BTW, is meaning of the red points intended whether somebody likes or dislikes a source? A good style of argumentation...)

BTW2: reading somewhere, that like some social media (we know which they are) have been banning publicizing of somebody, similarly also some publishing houses cease to publish some.  Then, it's just a small step to sort out our libraries and throw some books in a fire...

----------


## elche

^ Poor Clowndyke.  He can't decipher the truth from the false, the right from the wrong, living a life of quiet desperation, crying out for attention.

----------


## Klondyke

> He can't decipher the truth from the false, the right from the wrong


Awaiting that somebody tells me...

----------


## Bogon

> The stock market during President Bidens first 100 days in office has outperformed every one of his predecessors going back 80 years, adding yet another notable data point to whats been dubbed the Biden boom.


This tool is very interesting regading stock prices compared to presidents.

Stock Market Performance by President | MacroTrends

----------


## OhOh

> Awaiting that somebody tells me...


Some believe insulting the messenger is more acceptable than providing evidence that may support their opinion.

C'est la vie

----------


## OhOh

> Biden boom' extends to stock market surge in first 100 days


One wonders how many *us$ 1,000,000,000,000*, "the fed" pumped into the "stock market" during the previous ameristani president's "first 100 days".
 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## misskit

> Some believe insulting the messenger is more acceptable than providing evidence that may support their opinion.


The pot calls the kettle black.

----------


## helge

> Some believe insulting the messenger is more acceptable than providing evidence that may support their opinion.


That is pretty much what El Condescendiente has to offer



> crying out for attention.


Here you are
Enjoy

----------


## OhOh

> The pot calls the kettle black.


Evidence of your opinion would assist us all in judging the validity of your allegation,

 ::chitown::

----------


## helge

> The pot calls the kettle black.


Wrong

You might feel that he insults your intelligence, but he doesn't insult posters much

----------


## OhOh

> You might feel that he insults your intelligence


I highlight the questionable content in the post MK makes, not intelligence. Some very intelligent people have what some people believe to be, highly unacceptable views.

If MK posts are enhancing any financial or any other status, online or otherwise, so be it.

----------


## Klondyke

> The stock market during President Bidens first 100 days in office has outperformed every one of his predecessors going back 80 years, adding yet another notable data point to whats been dubbed the Biden boom.


If somebody believes that stock market figures represent the state of the economy? 

That's Las Vegas enabling some to get rich - and some to get poor - within 1 day... Does it change anything on the economy within 1 day?

And if it goes really wrong - as it had gone many times - sometimes it can be helped, as it was helped in 2008 (who was the POTUS and VPOTUS that time?).  

How had it helped to the population? To the ones not playing on Las Vegas?

----------


## helge

> I highlight the questionable content in the post MK makes, not her intelligence.


I tried to be diplomatic

----------


## OhOh

^
Anybody who is "fragile" should stick to reading posts and refrain from their offering opinions.

----------


## misskit

> If MK posts are enhancing any financial or any other status, online or otherwise, so be it.


I’m afraid to even ask what this means.  ::doglol::

----------


## elche

> Some believe insulting the messenger is more acceptable than providing evidence that may support their opinion.
> 
> C'est la vie


You know what they say about arguing with a fool?

----------


## elche

> Awaiting that somebody tells me...


We don't argue with fools.

----------


## S Landreth

Just hours away,………… a preview.

Here's what's in Biden's $1.8T American Families Plan

The American Families Plan calls for a $200 billion program offering universal pre-kindergarten for all three- and four-year-olds; $109 billion for tuition-free community college for any American who wants it; $85 billion to increase Pell Grants to benefit low-income and minority students; and more than $4 billion in funding for larger scholarships, certification and support programs for teachers.

The proposal also calls for the creation of a national paid family and medical leave program. The $225 billion investment would provide workers up to $4,000 a month if they require leave to care for a new child, care for a seriously ill loved one, deal with an illness or another serious reason.

Other measures Biden will call on Congress to pass include a $45 billion investment in meal programs for children and low-income families; unemployment insurance reform; $225 billion for investments in child care that would include a $15 minimum wage for early childhood staff and expanded child care center accessibility.

The White House views the proposal as a companion to Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure and climate plan he announced last month, and officials said that the investments would be made over a 10-year period.

The two plans combined total more than $4 trillion in government spending, on top of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that Biden signed into law about 50 days into his term. The administration’s two most recent proposals include tax increases that would pay for both plans in full over a 15-year period.

Biden’s proposed jobs plan would be paid for through an increase in the corporate tax rate, while Wednesday’s proposal would roll back the 2017 Trump tax cuts by increasing the top individual tax rate from 37 percent to 39.6 percent for taxpayers in the top 1 percent of income. Biden is also proposing an increase in the capital gains tax rate for households making more than $1 million to 39.6 percent, which officials have said would only impact 0.3 percent of taxpayers.

How Biden's speech will make history

President Biden's address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday will be noteworthy not because of the COVID-restricted audience but because he'll stand before two women in the House Chamber.

The biggest visible visual difference will be apparent when the president steps up to the podium. Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be seated in the two chairs behind him.

*Again you can view it here live………..*


 
*I have no doubt the world will be watching and happy knowing America is back.*

Biden’s Early Tenure Has Improved America’s Image Abroad

----------


## Norton

The long term effect of Biden's $1.8 trillion budget plan will not end well.

Taxing the rich sounds just the thing but will cause decline in investment. Investment creates jobs so only follows job growth will decline. Btw Joe, there simply are not enough "rich" folks to pay for this massive debt.

Joe's primary jobs and the reason he was elected is to reunite the nation, get us past the Covid pandemic and get the economy running smoothly again. Sure everyone likes a nice "stimulus" check but their children will no doubt have to pay for it.

Even moderate conservatives across the nation will see this budget as no more than another tax and spend liberal plan with no thought to fiscal responsiblity.

Covid will pass in time given the vaccination effort. Jobs will return as a result but forget uniting the nation unless the budget has a significant decrease.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Taxing the rich sounds just the thing but will cause decline in investment. Investment creates jobs so only follows job growth will decline.


That sounds like another version of 'Trickle Down' to me.

That is, was, always has been and always will be, a myth and 50 years of tax cuts for the wealthy has only succeeded in widening the wealth gap.

----------


## russellsimpson

I'll be looking for any signs of any further physical deterioration.
And the general mood, etc.

Figure he'll go the whole way?

----------


## russellsimpson

i say down in six.

----------


## elche

> Taxing the rich sounds just the thing but will cause decline in investment. Investment creates jobs so only follows job growth will decline.


Worked well during the 1950's, 60's and 70's, when the top federal income tax rate remained high, never dipping below 70 percent.  Today, the top rate is less than half that. Btw, private sector investment is not intended to create jobs.  In fact, jobs are a cost to production and capital is continuously trying to reduce the costs of labour, as any economist will tell you.  If private investment created enough work for everyone, then market economies would have solved their unemployment problem the day capitalism started and created the problem.  In other words, laissez faire capitalism creates unemployment and inequality.




> Btw Joe, there simply are not enough "rich" folks to pay for this massive debt.


The US has over 800 billionaires, and just three men in the US own more wealth than 165 million Americans.  If that is not enough, the IRS estimates that somewhere between $32-$36 trillion USD - yes trillion, not billion - is hidden in off-shore accounts, evading tax.  We have a problem here and it's to do with gross inequality, the new gilded age as many economists now call it.

----------


## elche

> That sounds like another version of 'Trickle Down' to me.
> 
> That is, was, always has been and always will be, a myth and 50 years of tax cuts for the wealthy has only succeeded in widening the wealth gap.


Indeed, trickle down theory has been long debunked and discredited but returns repackaged and resold in many forms: "the job creators", "creating a climate of investment" etc.  It ought to be renamed "trickle down trickery".

----------


## russellsimpson

Standing in front of and below two strong women?


Down in four.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Standing in front of and below two strong women?
> 
> 
> Down in four.


What does that even mean.

----------


## Klondyke

> Taxing the rich sounds just the thing but will cause decline in investment


Why to worry.  Do the richest pay tax, anyway?

Wondering whether Mr. Bezos will decline his investments?  He has already foreseen how to rip also the profits of the sellers on his Amazon: 
Google a bit "Thrasio", unprecedented growth, what's that? The new company (owned by former Amazon big guys) is quietly buying companies that are well selling on Amazon, further carrying on with their branch name, eliminating some for a "good competition"... How many small companies already in their hands they've got within 2 years?  (Nobody knows...)

----------


## russellsimpson

> What does that even mean.


Here.







> The biggest visible visual difference will be apparent when the president steps up to the podium. Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will be seated in the two chairs behind him.


Please pay attention.

----------


## AntRobertson

My attention isn't the issue if you're referencing a post several before yours that you hadn't even quoted so your snark and condescension is misplaced.

----------


## russellsimpson

:Reporter: My twenty five cent review.

He made it through the hour and eight easily enough.

He looked well. I thought I detected a lack of concentration around :38 min., but he recovered well.

America is on the move again!
No quit in America!
Greatest logistical achievement since WW2. (the pandemic crisis)
Every American to drink clean water.
Job! Jobs! Jobs!
Make blades in Pittsburg, not Beijing!

Buy American!   This one I have concerns with. "America's back but we'll protect are markets."



We will cure cancer! (Joe may have misspoke.0

Tough on China.........................Excellent.

Several comments directed at China, none really directed at Putin and Russia. (Excellent Joe.)

Jill gets standing O from Dems present.

Pelosi's hands will be chapped and bleeding from the vigorous clapping.

Ted Cruz shoots Biden the evil eye on several occasions.

How to pay?

Tax the evil rich! :witchhunt:  

China no pissing around in South China Sea. :fire:   (Misskit will be pleased)

Joe talking with George's Floyd's  young daughter.
"My daddy changed the world"                                              (Yup he really did recount this story)

Transgender! America has your back. (Perhaps a poor choice of words?)

And,

May God protect our troops!


All finished.

----------


## Klondyke

> Greatest logistical achievement since WW2. (the pandemic crisis)


Actually, he spoke that such pandemic hasn't been here since civil war. Then, when such exceptional pandemic worldwide - and at home either - one has to wonder, why in this terrible time the biggest armament race has been triggered? 

Where is the threat? Is it so eminent that the enormous amount of money and huge effort cannot be better used to reduce the suffering of millions of people at home and abroad?

----------


## russellsimpson

[QUOTE=Klondyke;4252016]Actually, he spoke that such pandemic hasn't been here since civil war. [/QUOTE

Actually the "civil war" reference was to the "Great Insurrection of 2021."

He said it was the greatest assault against the Capitol since the Civil War.

Or did he say the greatest assault against American democracy?

----------


## AntRobertson

“America is not a racist country,” says Tim Scott, one of only three Black Republicans in the entire United States Congress... Who then goes on to detail racism he faced.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Is it so eminent that the enormous amount of money and huge effort cannot be better used to reduce the suffering of millions of people at home and abroad?


Wake up and smell the coffee. :Smile:

----------


## HermantheGerman

Not a big Biden fan but have to give credit when credit is due.
RESPECT!
He is really moving his ass and America in the right direction.

----------


## Slick

I just need 15 more years of good employment and 8-10% market gains per year and I can cash the fuck out before this all comes crashing down. 

I realize 95% of forum posters do not comprehend how American retirement works or how the market effects a large portion of American citizens, but it does, and these continual trillion dollar spending plans and  tax the rich proposals are gonna catch up one day and I hope to fuck Im out of it before it comes crashing down.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I realize 95% of forum posters do not comprehend how American retirement works or how the “market” effects a large portion of American citizens, but it does, and these continual trillion dollar spending plans and “tax the rich” proposals are gonna catch up one day and I hope to fuck I’m out of it before it comes crashing down.


So you were fine with Trump's bloating the deficit and cutting taxes for the wealthy and now you're bitching even though the markets are booming under Biden, jobs tracking well, and economy on track...

Sorry, who doesn't comprehend again?

----------


## Slick

> So you were fine with Trump's bloating the deficit and cutting taxes for the wealthy and now you're bitching even though the markets are booming under Biden, jobs tracking well, and economy on track...
> 
> Sorry, who doesn't comprehend again?


This your expert investment opinion?

----------


## AntRobertson

> This your expert investment opinion?


Nope it's me mocking your ridiculously transparent myopic partisanship with all the subtlety of a brick.

Don't you know anything??  :Dunno:

----------


## Slick

> Nope it's me mocking your ridiculously transparent myopic partisanship with all the subtlety of a brick.
> 
> Don't you know anything??


Took you 2 posts to drop a big steaming turd.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Took you 2 posts to drop a big steaming turd.


Myopic angry little man says what?

You're basically just a synthesis of Fox propaganda, seething resentment, sense of entitlement and ill-informed low-information voter at this point.

----------


## baldrick

it is hilarious that putins and Xes propaganda arms cannot post about how much their patrons are helping their poor and middle classes

Biden and his team have powered out of the starting blocks and continue to achieve - marvelous

----------


## tomcat

> Myopic angry little man says what?


...Slick just spotted an unharassed  nigra...he'll be right back...

----------


## bsnub

> I realize 95% of forum posters do not comprehend how American retirement works or how the “market” effects a large portion of American citizens, but it does, and these continual trillion dollar spending plans and “tax the rich” proposals are gonna catch up one day and I hope to fuck I’m out of it before it comes crashing down.


Taxing the rich is not going to crash anything you painfully stupid idiot. It didn't in 50s,60s and 70s, and it won't now. As has been previously stated by people in this thread who are clearly better educated and informed than you are. Because clearly you do not know two fucks about what you are talking about. 




> You're basically just a synthesis of Fox propaganda, seething resentment, sense of entitlement and ill-informed low-information voter at this point.


It is pathetic to be able to forecast his posts in advance because you know exactly where he gets his talking points from. He is so utterly predictable that he is basically just a wind up doll.

I have a story that relates to this, and I think I will share it. It won't get through slicks dense scull but some others may have interest...

I have a friend that I have known since high school. We went to the same University, and he graduated with a degree in economics. He promptly moved to San Francisco and got a job in finance. From there he went on to Wall Street  and ultimately landed a job on one of the largest hedge funds in the country. He built a small fortune for himself and made the fund a lot of money. But as time went on he became more and more obsessed with far right politics and wound up a Fox News koolaid drinker. 

After eight years of the Bush presidency the economy was in ruins, and we were in a major depression. Then Obama was elected. At that time my buddy was sure that Obama's policies were going to tank the economy even more, so he leveraged heavily on that theory. Well as most of us know Obama's policies helped to turn around the economy and triggered the largest period of economic growth in American history. During those years my buddy who became consumed with political ideology continued to hedge his bets that a crash was coming. It never did, and he wound up losing everything including his job and reputation.  

He returned to Seattle and no longer works in finance got a shitty sales job and drives a fucking Uber part-time at night. He is still a right wing nut job even though he fully admits it was bogus propaganda and political ideology that cost him everything.

----------


## Slick

> Taxing the rich is not going to crash anything you painfully stupid idiot.


How are you planning for retirement, bshit?

----------


## baldrick

> How are you planning for retirement,


Dogecoin

----------


## Slick

> Dogecoin


Tesla Stock

----------


## AntRobertson

> Dogecoin


Reminds me... 

How are people trading crypto's since that Thai exchange shut down? Been so long I've forgotten the name even.

----------


## bsnub

> How are you planning for retirement, bshit?


Why would I share that here when there are scumbags like you who try to dox people?

 Firstly I am in possession of generational wealth assets (real estate in Seattle) thanks to my grandfather secondly I work in the tech sector and have benefited from stock options and grants from several previous employers. I have rolled several 401k plans from mentioned companies who happen to generously match into one IRA, I am invested in crypto and the stock market using my own capital and that is just for starters. 

I will be fine, and I never let political dogma influence the way I invest my money like you do. Your comments here are just further proof that you have not idea what you are talking about.

----------


## S Landreth

See if I can ruffle some feathers  :Smile: 

Most viewers approve of Biden's speech

Tonight, I come to talk about crisis — and opportunity. About rebuilding our nation — and revitalizing our democracy. And winning the future for America.

As I stand here tonight — just one day shy of the 100th day of my administration. 100 days since I took the oath of office, lifted my hand off our family Bible, and inherited a nation in crisis.

The worst pandemic in a century. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.

Now, after just 100 days, I can report to the nation: America is on the move again. Turning peril into possibility. Crisis into opportunity. Setback into strength.


 
In other news…………

Fox News - Hunter Biden is doing really great these days

----------


## thailazer

No repubs applauded when Biden stated that 55 large companies pay zero tax and that it was time that they did.    Taxing the rich to pay their fair share makes absolute sense.    The Republican Party is totally owned now by corporate America and the wanna-be oligarchs with Americans somehow drinking that kool-aid.   Going to to be an uphill battle for Biden but he is right when he says it is a war between democracy and an autocracy.   Good speech last night with solid plans and such a relief from the past four years of incompetence and incoherency.

----------


## Slick

> Your comments here are just further proof that you have not idea what you are talking about.


I’m doing pretty well and should retire by 50 with enough to live on 4% forever and pass the remainder to my daughter (unless your political party takes a grab at it) so I do in fact know what I’m talking about, and I do in fact have concerns that your party will stimey investments and balloon the deficit to the point that the bubble will burst. The money printer will only run for so long before it pops. At this point is not a matter of IF the bubble pops but WHEN it pops. 

And I meant HOW do you invest, not the vehicles in which you place funds. If you’re already almost 50 and don’t have a 401k (because IRA rollover) then you don’t have enough tax advantaged accounts to put money in and therefore don’t invest much yearly. 

If you’re using a brokerage account to invest your “own capital” then I’d be curious to know what brokerage and your methodology. Stocks. Bonds. ETF’s & Index’s. Expense ratios.

----------


## AntRobertson

> No repubs applauded when Biden stated that 55 large companies pay zero tax and that it was time that they did


Nor did they applaud when Biden said, “We’re on track to cut child poverty in half this year”.

That's the GQP.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I do in fact know what I’m talking abou


...



> and I do in fact have concerns that your party will stimey investments and balloon the deficit to the point that the bubble will burst. The money printer will only run for so long before it pops. At this point is not a matter of IF the bubble pops but WHEN it pops.


Proceeds to demonstrate that he does not, in fact, know what he's talking about.

It's a demonstrable fact, in fact, that the economy and markets do better under the Dems but no 'ole Slickarooney here is still trotting out the same hackneyed, partisan, and disproven tropes like a good little programmed puppet. Probably still thinks 'trickle down' is a good thing.

 :Very Happy:

----------


## russellsimpson

> and such a relief from the past four years of incompetence and incoherency.


Yes, we can all agree with that sentiment.

I would  have liked to have heard a few more details in terms of foreign policy. His continuing commitment to maintaining an active American presence in the Asia Pacific and particularly in the area of the South China Sea was refreshing. Go Joe Go

----------


## elche

Slick has a plan for his retirement.



And no matter how many times TD members try to set him straight, he won't hear a word of it.  It's like talking to a brick wall.

----------


## russellsimpson

> My attention isn't the issue if you're referencing a post several before yours that you hadn't even quoted so your snark and condescension is misplaced.


Yea, there were none and then suddenly there were a few


I'll be more careful next time.

Condensation possibly; Snarky? I hope not but could be.

----------


## Klondyke

*Biden ripped for calling Capitol riots ‘worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War’

*President Biden is being ripped for calling the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol the “worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”

“January 6 was worse than 9/11? Or Pearl Harbor?” prominent journalist Glenn Greenwald asked of the president’s claim to Congress Wednesday night used as apparent proof that he was leading the US out of crisis.

“Or the Oklahoma City bombing? Or the dismantling of civil liberties in the name of the Cold War and War on Terror?

“Or the mass surveillance program secretly and illegally implemented by NSA aimed at US citizens?” continued Greenwald, referring to the Edward Snowden expose of government documents he first reported.

“How about the War on Drugs, mass incarceration and Jim Crow? Were those worse ‘attacks on democracy’ than the 3-hour Capitol riot on Jan. 6? The assassination of JFK? The interference in domestic politics by the CIA? The list of worse attacks than Jan. 6 is endless,” he wrote.

Read more
Biden calls Capitol riots 'worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War'

----------


## Klondyke

*Biden slammed for calling Capitol riot 'worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War' in address to Congress

*President Joe Biden was slammed by conservatives Wednesday for referring to the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot as “the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War" in his address to Congress.

The comment was part of an excerpt released by the White House from Biden’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night.

"100 days since I took the oath of office, lifted my hand off our family Bible, and inherited a nation in crisis,” Biden will say in the speech. “The worst pandemic in a century. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”

The comment generated immediate pushback from many social media users, who pointed out a variety of national tragedies that have taken place since the Civil War, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Biden asserts riot was a worse attack than various bombings and deadly attacks on the Capitol, deadly Summer of Rage with its attacks on the WH and federal court buildings, four presidential assassinations, another five assassination attempts, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11,” Federalist senior editor Mollie Hemingway tweeted. “OK.”

"Left wing terrorists literally detonated a bomb in the US capitol in 1983 and one of them was later granted clemency by Bill Clinton," journalist Jon Levine tweeted.

Professor Andy Grewal pointed out that four U.S. presidents have been murdered since the end of the Civil War.

Others wondered aloud why the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor carried out by Japan was overlooked.

“I was at SEAL training in Coronado when Al Qaeda took down the Twin Towers on 9/11Over 3,000 Americans died that day,” Republican Senate candidate Eric Greitens tweeted. “Thousands more died in the Global War on Terror that followed. Joe Biden forgets their sacrifice.”

Read more
Biden slammed for calling Capitol riot 'worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War' in address to Congress | Washington Examiner

----------


## elche

^ Sorry to inform you that not one of your examples was a threat to democracy in the US.  January 6, 2021 was an attempt to overthrow a duly elected government with an autocrat.  You lost, get over it.

----------


## beachbound

^^
“Ripped” by Glenn Greenwald, Dinesh D’Souza, Steve Cortes, and some hack from the Washington Examiner. 
Surprised you don’t have a quote from Marjorie Taylor Greene.

----------


## russellsimpson

Yes, I immediately realized that that comment was going to be problematic.

Opening up old wounds anybody?

Besides the riots were really quite overblown.

We really do still a review of what actually happened on that day.

I say let it go, move on. ::spin::

----------


## beachbound

> the riots were really quite overblown.


Considering the countless moronic comments you made over the years, that may be the most idiotic thing you’ve ever posted.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yes, I immediately realized that that comment was going to be problematic.
> 
> Opening up old wounds anybody?
> 
> Besides the riots were really quite overblown.
> 
> We really do still a review of what actually happened on that day.
> 
> I say let it go, move on.



You're a fucking idiot.

----------


## russellsimpson

Everyone's a fucking idiot!

----------


## russellsimpson

> Considering the countless moronic comments you made over the years, that may be the most idiotic thing you’ve ever posted.


Interesting! Considering that I've only been here for two months. :Privateeye:

----------


## russellsimpson

idiot........................................2 votes in favour, zero abstentions.


normal intelligence ...................o votes, zero abstention.

No mail-in ballots as year, early voters remain uncounted. ::smilebla:: 


Fuck off gents.

----------


## helge

> The worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.”


The civil war-democracy ?

Did it take 100 years before blacks could cast their vote in great parts of the country ?

Compare the Capitol Boyscout Outing to that

----------


## beachbound

> Interesting! Considering that I've only been here for two months.



Not forgetting your many years on AF, are you?

----------


## russellsimpson

> Not forgetting your many years on AF, are you?


I thought I remembered you from over on AF. 

How the hell are you?

I can't remember arguing with you over there?

----------


## beachbound

^
You’re Canadian. Canadians don’t argue. They “discuss.”

----------


## russellsimpson

:rofl: 

Take care.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Not forgetting your many years on AF, are you?



Russ is disengenuous at best.

----------


## tomcat

> Everyone's a fucking idiot!


...unfortunate generalization...



> Russ is disingenuous at best


...an improvement over his years on AF where he was voted Forum Idiot 5 years running...

----------


## russellsimpson

> ...an improvement over his years on AF where he was voted Forum Idiot 5 years running...


I can't recall that and I would.

I do remember being the most popular for three years running.

You may be losing your memory TC, it happens to us all.

----------


## bsnub

> I can't recall that and I would.


He is right you are an idiot. The tally of people pointing it out to you keeps growing.

----------


## Klondyke

> ^^
> “Ripped” by Glenn Greenwald, Dinesh D’Souza, Steve Cortes, and some hack from the Washington Examiner. 
> Surprised you don’t have a quote from Marjorie Taylor Greene.


Perhaps you expected to see similar comments on NYT, WaPo, CNN, you name it? (WMD - Weapons of Mass Deception ...)

----------


## russellsimpson

> He is right you are an idiot. The tally of people pointing it out to you keeps growing.


Commas are free, try using them on occasion snubs.







> The tally of people pointing it out to you keeps growing.


There is no crime greater than treating the English language poorly.

Maybe a creative writing course at night?

Best wishes.

----------


## Klondyke

I have missed the live speech, looking now where it is recorded:




*CNN, Watch Joe Biden's full speech to Congress* 

As of now:358,664 views
Like 7.7K
Dislike 14K

(and counting, quite impressive...)

----------


## lom

> CNN, Watch Joe Biden's full speech to Congress
> 
> As of now:358,664 views
> Like 7.7K
> Dislike 14K
> 
> (and counting, quite impressive...)


Did you also get the email with the link to the video and a call to dislike it?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ...unfortunate generalization...
> ...an improvement over his years on AF where he was voted Forum Idiot 5 years running...


Fucking great, another one fighting for klondick's title.

----------


## S Landreth

so some feathers were ruffled yesterday.

See if I can ruffle more today  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden's 100-day numbers: Face to face with Trump

----------


## russellsimpson

> Originally Posted by tomcat 
> ...unfortunate generalization...
> ...an improvement over his years on AF where he was voted Forum Idiot 5 years running...
> Fucking great, another one fighting for klondick's title.



I resent TC's comment, well over the top. I detect early signs of Alzheimer's. 

Five years running my ass, it was six if memory serves correctly.

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden's 100-day numbers: Face to face with Trump


Impressive figures...
Any comparison how many pens used off for signing EOs? And what about Marion games?

----------


## misskit

Biden, the boring president.  :Smile:

----------


## russellsimpson

> Biden, the boring president.


And that's the kindest one. :smiley laughing:

----------


## cyrille

Well at least it made sense.

----------


## Klondyke

> Biden, the boring president.


*Ted Cruz caught sleeping during Biden's address
*<strong>

----------


## russellsimpson

He rested his eyes briefly for sure.

Sleeping? Fuck off.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Well at least it made sense.


Jees Cy, what* are* you on about orrather perhaps what are you on?

----------


## S Landreth

Nice to know an adult is now back at the helm………

Biden cancels military-funded border wall projects

President Biden is canceling projects to build a wall along the southern border using diverted defense funds and will use some funding to counter environmental damage from the wall's construction.

A Defense Department spokesperson said the funds would be returned to accounts designated for "schools for military children, overseas military construction projects in partner nations, and the National Guard and Reserve equipment account," but added that the department was reviewing projects to determine priorities.

----------


## Cujo

> And that's the kindest one.


You thought it was an insult.  :smiley laughing:

----------


## Cujo

> He rested his eyes briefly for sure.
> 
> Sleeping? Fuck off.


Nodding off I believe is the term. There's no such thing as 'resting eyes' unless perhaps one does intense production line work or something.
Anyway, Cruz nods off during the most important speech outlining a radical new agenda and massive infrastructure spending.
I suppose he just didn't think it was that important.
This kind of thing is boring by nature. Does Ted need it presented carnival barker style like chump used to do.
That kept him all awake and excited. I imagine him clapping hands quickly and gleefully jumping up and down and coming in his pants when chump delivered a speech.

----------


## Klondyke

^Perhaps if he listened more carefully he would learn that the grandiose infrastructure plan has started already with Obama...

----------


## russellsimpson

A 79 year old man must never, ever wear a baseball cap under any circumstance.

It looks like he dressed himself in items recruited fom a Salvation Army thrift store sale.

The other thing is that I think the presidential handlers should let him rest more often.

Are they trying to kill him? :France:

----------


## Cujo

> A 79 year old man must never, ever wear a baseball cap under any circumstance.
> 
> It looks like he dressed himself in items recruited fom a Salvation Army thrift store sale.
> 
> The other thing is that I think the presidential handlers should let him rest more often.
> 
> Are they trying to kill him?


He shouldn't wear a baseball cap? That's the best you've got?
 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Klondyke

> I think the presidential handlers should let him rest more often.


Perhaps this weekend the relaxing Mario Game will help (once the granddaughter let him graciously win). And no golf please...

----------


## Klondyke

And not to forget where did you put the mask
https://twitter.com/charliespiering/...pletely-los%2F

----------


## beachbound

> A 79 year old man must never, ever wear a baseball cap under any circumstance.
> 
> It looks like he dressed himself in items recruited fom a Salvation Army thrift store sale.
> 
> The other thing is that I think the presidential handlers should let him rest more often.
> 
> Are they trying to kill him?



It’s pretty obvious you watch far right news, and are influenced by their bullshit. You’re practically regurgitating Hannity talking points. So 78-year-old Joe Biden needs more rest. What about 80-year-old Anthony Fauci? Should he cut back on his six day a week run/powerwalk routine?

When was the last time you broke a sweat, Russ? Your last bowel movement?

----------


## beachbound

> And not to forget where did you put the mask


That’s a good one, Klandork. Tell me, do you have that video where Trump was bragging about passing the test for early signs of dementia?


You know the one, 

person
woman 
man
camera
TV

Talk about your cognitive decline!  

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## russellsimpson

[QUOTE=beachbound;4253306]
It’s pretty obvious you watch far right news,[/QUOTE

Don't watch FOX, never have, never will.  Can't stand that kind of stupidity, never have, never will.

Anyone who takes stuff too seriously, on either side, I have no patience for, never have.








> What about 80-year-old Anthony Fauci?


Everyone is different. Fauci and Trump will probably be healthy 85 year olds. I know people like that. Other folks even in their mid sixties look worn out. I suspect Biden is somewhere between the two groups.

This is not a left or right comment. I wish some folks could comprehend that.

I has stated endlessly that I don't have any horses in any races. 
Politically I'm a committed Independent.

I consider people who seriously involve themselves in politics as clowns. These days the clowns are very entertaining, particulary with the nasty Co-vid in our midst.





> When was the last time you broke a sweat, Russ? Your last bowel movement?


You're pretty much spot on with that Beach :smiley laughing:

----------


## beachbound

> Trump will probably be healthy 85 year old...


 :smiley laughing: 

For God’s sake. Russ what the hell are you on? He’s morbidly obese, with a spray-on tan. 
Unless McDonald’s starts making healthy Big Macs, that fat f*ck won’t make it to 85!

----------


## Hugh Cow

Biden is worth it even if only because it ended ceaseless moronic tweets, speeches that were at times embarassingly infantile and an endless turnover of staff that was nearly impossible to keep up with making for unstable policy and must just about be a record for any president. Did I mention zero credibility with USAs allies? 
One thing all senior politicians have in common is to congratulate their own policies when the economy is good and blame a poor performing world economy when things are bad. 
Closer to reality, the economy often makes the current leader the benificiary of policies that may go back years. Obama was caught with the economic crash which was caused by factors before his presidency. The following leader can be  lucky enough to be benificiary of good policies implemented in a previous administration. Of course this is rarely acknowledged by most politicians of different political persuasion.
 Finally, it must take some sort of moral turpitude to believe less tax on 3 people that own more wealth than the bottom 50% of the USA population is good for a country and its' people. The so called trickle down effect is a furphy.

----------


## beachbound

^
Well said

----------


## Klondyke

How wonderful - and strange - that a life and prosperity of 330 millions can be changed overnight by one man (of course, if he is of a strong mind and stature...) 

BTW, don't the 330 mil. contribute to steering their life? Aren't they implementing their ideas, wishes, advices, dreams while living in a democracy?

----------


## S Landreth

> A 79 year old man must never, ever wear a baseball cap under any circumstance.


Anyone with fair skin and thinning hair should protect themselves from cancer.

Sun Safety | Skin Cancer | CDC

----------


## S Landreth

It’s Sunday. Just for fun.

Joe Biden 100 days scandals,

The refugee cap.
Hunter Biden’s trash gun.
Neera Tanden’s mean tweets.
T.J. Ducklo.
Andrew Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes.
Major Biden.
Disrespecting the Space Force.
Canceling Dr. Seuss.
Indoctrinating border children with Kamala Harris’ book.
If ground beef is outlawed, only outlaws will grind beef.

----------


## beachbound

> people implementing their .....dreams


Funny you should mention that. Just last night I was implementing a dream where you were shutting the f*ck up.

----------


## Klondyke

> Just last night I was implementing a dream where you were shutting the f*ck up.


So, apart from your wet dreams, do you have any idea how to improve life of your brethren and how do you implement it using democratic tools to that?

Or do you just sit back and await what the (s)elected honorable representatives will come with? OK, they are obviously more suitable than you to brain out something for the well-being of the population. 

It's wonderful the ability of such honorfable repfresentatives. Beside what they do for the population (and they let us know that is what they are doing), they also are good in business (after all, aren't they also the population?).  After the hours they work so hard and are able to amass such a big money and big property, do they get any sleep?

For instance, the old lady who sometimes tear across the report of SOU (not this time), she (and her husband) were able to invest big money into FB, beside into the election machines, to name just a few...

(but you just have wet dreams...)

----------


## beachbound

^
My head hurts. It’s like trying to read an instructional manual for a Chinese food processor.

----------


## misskit

^ Let me sum it up for you... USA BAD! 

They even have wooden telephone poles and houses there!  :Smile:

----------


## Saint Willy

> A 79 year old man must never, ever wear a baseball cap under any circumstance.
> 
> It looks like he dressed himself in items recruited fom a Salvation Army thrift store sale.




or is 74 ok?  :rolleyes4:

----------


## Klondyke

> ^ Let me sum it up for you... USA BAD! 
> 
> They even have wooden telephone poles and houses there!


And 110V and inches...

----------


## Klondyke

> or is 74 ok?


At least they did not have to show him where is the way to Marine One, the secret service agents blocking other exits... 
(since that the wife leads him on, holding his hand up to the stairs into the chopper, when heading to the deserved relaxation weekend with the granddaughters in Wilmington...)

----------


## russellsimpson

> (since that the wife leads him on, holding his hand up to the stairs into the chopper, when heading to the deserved relaxation weekend with the granddaughters in Wilmington...


Sorry I missed that.

----------


## S Landreth

Start of a new week. Where things stand/stood at about 100 days

 
Gallup

Just for fun. only the best

Michael Flynn this afternoon was called up to lead the Pledge of Allegiance, HE FORGOT THE WORDS!!!

----------


## Klondyke

> At least they did not have to show him where is the way to Marine One, the secret service agents blocking other exits...





> Sorry I missed that.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It’s Sunday. Just for fun.
> 
> Joe Biden 100 days scandals,
> 
> The refugee cap.
> Hunter Biden’s trash gun.
> Neera Tanden’s mean tweets.
> T.J. Ducklo.
> Andrew Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes.
> ...


You forgot Dandeliongate.

Newsmax host freaks out over Biden giving wife a dandelion: “It gives everybody asthma.”

----------


## elche

> At least they did not have to show him where is the way to Marine One, the secret service agents blocking other exits...


An absurdity is all you've got, Clowndyke?  Hilarious.  I'm afraid to say you're becoming more idiotic every day.  It's no wonder why progressives see white suprems as knuckle dragging Neanderthals.

----------


## russellsimpson

Double post it is.

----------


## Klondyke

> An absurdity is all you've got, Clowndyke? Hilarious. . I'm afraid to say you're becoming more idiotic every day. It's no wonder why progressives see white suprems as knuckle dragging Neanderthals.


Really, very "progressive". I am not the one who forgot where he was said to go... 
Do you want the whole video? Unfortunately, it's not on YT, just "different reporting"...

----------


## elche

Hey Clowndyke, I hear there's a video of Biden with one of his shoe laces untied.  Do you have that one?

----------


## Klondyke

What a stupid comment...
Anyway, pity him...

----------


## AntRobertson

> What a stupid comment...


Yes but enough about your posts, this thread is about President Biden...

----------


## elche

> What a stupid comment...
> Anyway, pity him...


Which is exactly what we are thinking about your comments.

----------


## Backspin

Biden rehires Donald Trump's Russia ambassador.

----------


## Cujo

> Biden rehires Donald Trump's Russia ambassador.


Ridiculous. Should be in the Republican lunacy thread.
They really are grasping at straws.

----------


## Backspin

> Ridiculous. Should be in the Republican lunacy thread.
> They really are grasping at straws.


Lol they are all west coast liberals in the video
 Why is biden keeping Trumps Russia ambassador ? Just why.

----------


## lom

> Why is biden keeping Trumps Russia ambassador ? Just why.


Why not?
It is not a party-political post, it is a post where the skills of representing the country and being in possession of the noble art of diplomacy counts.

----------


## Backspin

> Why not?
> It is not a party-political post, it is a post where the skills of representing the country and being in possession of the noble art of diplomacy counts.



It is a post appointed by the presidential administration. If Donald Trump was compromised by Russia, then the first thing the next president should do, is get Trumps guy in Russia, the hell out of there

----------


## lom

I'm sure Biden knows what he's doing. 
You assume a lot, for instance that the ambassador colluded with Trump.
A good diplomat can work with any government, he is only a messenger.

----------


## S Landreth

What leadership looks like………

President Biden To Support Waiving Patents For COVID-19 Vaccines

The Biden administration plans to support a temporary waiver on patents and other intellectual property rules preventing developing countries from mass-producing COVID-19 vaccines, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced on Wednesday.

A group of developing countries led by India and South Africa was pushing for the move, which comes as a relief for global public health advocates.

“The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in the service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of these protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” Tai said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/AmbassadorTai/st...21205974003720

extra………..

Dr. Vivek Murthy on new US inoculation strategy and distributing vaccines abroad (starts at 4:30 into the video)

----------


## Backspin

Maybe Biden could undo Trumps blocking of Sputnik V from Brazil. If Brazil got Sputnik V went it could have , a lot of lives would have been saved.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...putnik-russia/

Buried deep in the dry, 72-page annual report of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lay a startling admission: U.S. health officials under President Donald Trump worked to convince Brazil to reject Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirusvaccine.

Brazil, which has the second-highest coronavirus death toll worldwide, has struggled to obtain adequate vaccine supplies. But the Health Attaché office within HHS’s Office of Global Affairs pushed the country to turn down offers of help from the Russians last year, according to the report.

----------


## Klondyke

Gullivers visiting Lilliputs...

----------


## helge

> It is not a party-political post, it is a post where the skills of representing the country and being in possession of the noble art of diplomacy counts.


Sullivan was party-political appointed

He is not a diplomat

----------


## russellsimpson

I wonder if Uncle Joe realizes that he has a deepening crisis on the southern border? 

I wonder if Ms. Psaki realizes how ridiculous she sounds describing the situation as a challenge.

And I see the latest job numbers have fallen far short of projection.

Ours is not to wonder why, ours is but to do and die.

----------


## elche

> I wonder if Uncle Joe realizes that he has a deepening crisis on the southern border?


US immigration has always been a challenge on its southern border, but the last 50 years of US meddling in Central America is not Joe's doing.




> And I see the latest job numbers have fallen far short of projection.


For one month.  So?  How about the covid numbers over the same period?




> Ours is not to wonder why, ours is but to do and die.


Sounds like something a trumpian cult member would recite.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Sounds like something a trumpian cult member would sing to celebrate his Covid "plan".


You may be right.

I myself do not know any trumpian cult members.

I will keep an eye peeled nevertheless.

----------


## beachbound

> I myself do not know any trumpian cult members.


I find it hard to believe that you do not have any mirrors in your trailer.

----------


## beachbound

> I wonder... 
> 
> I wonder....


I wonder if Russ Simpleton realizes Biden has a 63% approval rating.

Biden hits 63 percent approval rating in new AP poll | TheHill

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Gullivers visiting Lilliputs...


They will never be shorthanded at the Biden White House because Gil has three hands.

----------


## beachbound

That might be funny if anyone knew who Gil was.

----------


## russellsimpson

> I wonder if Russ Simpleton realizes Biden has a 63% approval rating.


Okay then beachbum, explain this............

Sixty-three percent of American approve of President Biden's job performance thus far, according to an Associated Press-NORC poll released Monday, up 2 percentage points from late March.

The poll surveyed 1,842 people from April 29 to May 3, and it has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

So we are talking about a 2 percent rise over the course of a month and a half.

With a margin of error of 3.2 percent.

Are these statistics in any manner meaningful?

Yes, Mr. Biden has already accomplished a great, accepted.

Would it then not be more productive to concentrate our attention  on the more negative aspects of the administration?

I did not the appreciate the article for a variety of reasons.

The sunglasses advertised on  the page however, seemed very attractive and at a good price.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> That might be funny if anyone knew who Gil was.


isn't Biden's wife's name Gill?

----------


## russellsimpson

> I find it hard to believe that you do not have any mirrors in your trailer.


Sharp beachbum, very sharp indeed. :smiley laughing:

----------


## beachbound

> isn't Biden's wife's name Gill?


oh dear....

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> oh dear....


Ohh I see, a corectionista. 
I bet being in a spelling bee  genius  must had gotten you laid a lot in high school.

----------


## beachbound

^
Why are you so anxious to show your stupidity?

----------


## helge

> isn't Biden's wife's name Gill?


Her name is Jill

You really know how to provoke beachbum and his OCD  :Sad:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ^
> Why are you so anxious to show your stupidity?


Just trying to fit in

----------


## panama hat

> *G.O.P. Claims Biden Is Artificially Inflating Job-Approval Rating By Displaying Competence*
> 
> By Andy Borowitz
> May 10, 2021
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Photograph by Patrick Semansky / AP
> ...


G.O.P. Claims Biden Is Artificially Inflating Job-Approval Rating By Displaying Competence | The New Yorker

----------


## Klondyke

Is it a lie again (as usually :Confused: ) from RT that 120 retired generals/admirals question Biden's election? (not speaking about his mental health...)

But even the Yahoo jumped on the bandwagon reporting that. 
More than 120 retired generals and admirals wrote to Biden appearing to back a false election conspiracy and questioning his mental health

But nothing on (non-state) MSM, then it cannot be true, can be?

----------


## happynz

They're retired, dip shit. Their opinion and a gift card from Starbucks will get 'em a coffee and not much else.

----------


## panama hat

Your words:


> 120 retired generals/admirals question Biden's election


Yahoo's words:


> More than 120 retired generals and admirals wrote to Biden *appearing* to back a *false election conspiracy* and questioning his mental health


Is Vlad not getting enough headlines lately, tovarish?  OK:




> *Russia arrests over 1,700 at rallies for hunger-striking Navalny*
> 
> 
> ReutersPolina IvanovaMaria TsvetkovaPolina Nikolskaya
> 
> Police rounded up more than 1,700 protesters on Wednesday as Russians in dozens of cities took part in rallies organised by allies of hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny over his failing health in jail.
> His spokeswoman was jailed for 10 days, and another close ally detained, on the same day that President Vladimir Putin delivered a state-of-the-nation speech warning the West not to cross Russias red lines and pointedly made no mention of Navalny.
> 
> 
> ...


Russia arrests over 1,700 at rallies for hunger-striking Navalny | Reuters

----------


## Klondyke

> They're retired, dip shit. Their opinion and a gift card from Starbucks will get 'em a coffee and not much else.


Well, such a general or admiral will hardly go to drink a shitty coffee at Starbucks. Now they are at last free to say what they want without fear that they will get kicked out straight away.  Their pension is guaranteed, some "small" money they surely have been able to give aside.

And they know a thing or two about what's going on, don't they?

----------


## panama hat

> And they know a thing or two about what's going on, don't they?


They might . . . but you don't:

Your words:


> 120 retired generals/admirals question Biden's election


Yahoo's words:


> More than 120 retired generals and admirals wrote to Biden *appearing* to back a *false election conspiracy* and questioning his mental health

----------


## Klondyke

*Business Insider*



> A group named "Flag Officers 4 America" released a letter signed by 124 former military leaders.
> 
> The letter questioned the 2020 election result and President Joe Biden's physical and mental health.
> 
> One serving Navy leader told Politico the letter was "disturbing and reckless."
> 
> Sign up for our daily newsletter 10 Things in Politics You Need to Know Today.
> 
> More than 120 retired US military leaders have signed an open letter appearing to advance a false conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was rigged and questioning President Joe Biden's mental capacity to serve.
> ...

----------


## lom

> More than 120 retired generals and  admirals wrote to Biden appearing to back a false election conspiracy  and questioning his mental health



"The letter begins by asserting that Our Nation is in deep peril, and that We are in a fight for our survival as a Constitutional Republic like no other time since our founding in 1776. The conflict is between* supporters of Socialism and Marxism vs. supporters of Constitutional freedom and liberty*."

Does that make sense to you comrade Klondyke?

----------


## panama hat

> Does that make sense to you comrade Klondyke?


It makes sense only to him

----------


## Klondyke

> Does that make sense to you comrade Klondyke?


Comrade lom, it makes me sense that such media can hardly afford to say: "it's a B S..."

However, I assume, that such retired generals/admirals (with their good pension and secured background) are the few people who can say: "we have a freedom of expression"... (sitting on their modest yacht moored at unnamed island in Caribbics)
Unless their sons, grandsons don't carry in the same career (something like grandfather-admiral, father-admiral, son-bomb,bomb Iraan...)

----------


## helge

> 120 retired generals/admirals question Biden's election?


So if there are about 900 active generals (ex Adms) I reckon there could be loads of retired, which would make your number of 120 insignificant

----------


## Klondyke

> So if there are about 900 active generals (ex Adms) I reckon there could be loads of retired, which would make your number of 120 insignificant


How many would you like to have? (Perhaps only the 124 do not have a son, grandson in Navy academy who would get some troubles because of his father, grandfather...)

Quantity over quality?  Wouldn't be just 1 enough who has got the balls to speak out his mind?

----------


## panama hat

> How many would you like to have?


Utterly irrelevant and your typical obfuscation when shown up to be a fool




> Quantity over quality?


Nope, as above - try not to be so simplistic

----------


## RPETER65

Have a look at what Australia thinks of Biden

The &#39;leader of the free world&#39; is &#39;cognitively delinquent&#39; - YouTube

----------


## AntRobertson

> Have a look at what Australia thinks of Biden
> 
> The 'leader of the free world' is 'cognitively delinquent' - YouTube


That's not Australia it's a partisan hack network owned by Murdoch / Fox and commentary from the bigoted moron and science denier Jones.

Learn to filter your sources you indoctrinated fool.

----------


## Cujo

> That's not Australia it's a partisan hack network owned by Murdoch / Fox and commentary from the bigoted moron and science denier Jones.
> 
> Learn to filter your sources you indoctrinated fool.


That's like showing a Hannity clip and saying look what America thinks of Biden.

----------


## AntRobertson

> That's like showing a Hannity clip and saying look what America thinks of Biden.


Exactly.

The confirmation bias is strong in Repeater.

----------


## Klondyke

> That's like showing a Hannity clip and saying look what America thinks of Biden.


So, what clip would you recommend to the world to see what America thinks of Biden?

----------


## panama hat

> So, what clip would you recommend to the world to see what America thinks of Biden?


Not that one, innit . . . you may love one-eyed propaganda, having been raised on it in the Soviet Union . . .

----------


## S Landreth

> what Australia thinks of Biden......


And at home where it matters most

At about 121 days into the presidency


 
 
Biden approval  52.9%
IQ45 approval  38.8%

FiveThirtyEight Interactives | FiveThirtyEight

Biden’s Early Tenure Has Improved America’s Image Abroad

----------


## Norton

> So, what clip would you recommend to the world to see what America thinks of Biden?


Try this. Not bad. Still early days though.
How Popular Is Joe Biden? | FiveThirtyEight

----------


## Norton

^^ Beat me to it.  :Smile:

----------


## Norton

> And they know a thing or two about what's going on, don't they?


No more than I do. 120 signatures from retired flag officers who are all Trump supporters, all white males, only one 4 star and most retired before 9/11. 

Bunch of old white dudes totally out of today's reality. 

Maybe current military has a different opinion.

----------


## panama hat

Klondyke's not going to like that . . . facts.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Klondyke's not going to like that . . . facts.


Why let facts get in the way of a good delusion?? LOL

----------


## beachbound

> That's like showing a Hannity clip and saying look what America thinks of Biden.


Therein lies the rub. Hannity pounds his listeners with that drivel, on his TV show, and his radio show, and people like KlongDork are lapping it up, and regurgitating that shit. 
They had no problem with four years of Trump butchering the English language, on a regular basis.

To steal one of my favorite Trumpisms, they’re  trying to *delegitimizatize* Biden.

----------


## Klondyke

Haven't we here lately some more wise posts?

----------


## beachbound

> Haven't we here lately some more wise posts?


Still waiting on that fooking dictionary, people.

----------


## Norton

> Haven't we here lately some more wise posts?


It is not truth, but opinion that can travel the world without a passport. 
Walter Raleigh

----------


## panama hat

> Haven't we here lately some more wise posts?


Try this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=goog...hrome&ie=UTF-8

----------


## S Landreth

> ^^ Beat me to it.


heart was in the right place

----------


## S Landreth

> A while ago while watching the news and I overheard Biden thanking some supporters,.. see you at the inauguration. I thought Biden might hold a small private (invitation only) indoor event because of Covid.
> 
> Sent a note to my daughter asking if she wanted to attend. She was thrilled.


Just arrived. Little late.  :Smile: 

The Garnet section would have been very nice.

----------


## S Landreth

Company officially nixes Keystone XL pipeline

The company behind the Keystone XL pipeline announced on Wednesday that it's officially scrapping the project after President Biden nixed a border-crossing permit for it.

A statement from TC Energy said that after "a comprehensive review of its options, and in consultation with its partner, the Government of Alberta, it has terminated the Keystone XL Pipeline Project."

"We value the strong relationships we’ve built through the development of this Project and the experience we’ve gained," François Poirier, the company's president and CEO, said in a statement.

The company also said that it will work with regulators and others to safely terminate the project.

The news was first reported by the Washington Examiner.

On his first day in office, Biden decided to revoke the key permit for the project, garnering cheers from many environmental and indigenous groups and ire from conservatives.

In an executive order doing so, Biden argued that the proposed oil pipeline "disserves" the U.S. national interest and that "leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my Administration's economic and climate imperatives."

----------


## S Landreth

U.S. image abroad rebounds sharply with Biden in office

Percent who have confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing regarding world affairs

The United States' image around the world has sharply improved since President Biden took office after dipping during the Trump administration, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 16 countries.


 
The big picture: The high marks come as Biden embarks on his first overseas trip as president. Though opinions of the U.S. have broadly increased internationally, people in allied countries did not express great confidence in the U.S. as an ally and were also concerned about its domestic politics.

By the numbers: More than 6 in 10 people in the surveyed countries said they have confidence in Biden to do the right thing in world affairs.

In 12 of the surveyed countries, a median of 75% expressed confidence in Biden, compared with 17% for Trump in 2020.

*Dr. Jill Biden in Europe*

----------


## Klondyke

Again the Arsenal... (it really wouldn't be very wise to start a fight without an Arsenal...)

----------


## baldrick

better than being putin - the arsehole of the world

----------


## Klondyke

*'What kind of fan fiction comic book is this?' Time magazine is mocked for its fawning cover with wrinkle-free Biden in aviators 'taking on Putin' ahead of their meeting at Geneva summit*



Time magazine mocked for fawning cover with Biden in aviators 'taking on Putin' | Daily Mail Online

----------


## russellsimpson

Haven't touched that rag going on two decades.

Biden cover...........ridiculous.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden "definitely" brings U.S. back into "club," Macron says at G7

U.S. President Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron were all smiles and handshakes during their first formal, in-person meeting on Saturday, with Macron telling pool reporters "it's great to have the U.S. president part of the club."

Why it matters: Biden has made rebuilding the United States' global leadership central to his foreign policy, frequently touting, "America is back."

"What you demonstrate is that leadership is partnership," Macron told Biden during their breakout session on the side of the G-7 summit in England

Details: The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including NATO, climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.

First lady meets with U.K. military families during G-7

First lady Jill Biden spent part of Saturday meeting with British veterans, first responders and their families on the sidelines of the G7 summit, according to pool reports.

*Why it matters:* The first lady has prioritized participating in military-focused events during the trip to highlight her Joining Forces initiative.


Biden and former-first lady Michelle Obama led the program during the Obama administration.Biden said this April that the relaunch of the initiative will focus on U.S. military family employment and entrepreneurship, as well as making sure families can get quality child care when needed.

*Zoom in:* The U.S. president met with members of the group Bude Surf Veterans, according to Reuters.


The first lady told the group that she owned a surfboard. "It was white with a big butterfly,” she added.

In photos: Harris shows up at Pride parade in downtown D.C.

 
Vice President Kamala Harris dropped in at the Capitol Pride Walk And Rally in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

The state of play: Harris and second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, joined the crowd, who welcomed them with cheers, according to press reports.

The visit had not been on the vice president's public schedule.

The big picture: Pride celebrations are taking place across the country this weekend, a year after many similar events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What they're saying: “We need to make sure that our transgender community and our youth are all protected. We need, still, protections around employment and housing,” Harris said. “There is so much more work to do, and I know we are committed.”

----------


## beachbound

> Haven't touched that rag going on two decades.
> 
> Biden cover...........ridiculous.


I’m sure the publishers are gutted by the fact that you don’t subscribe. Dollars to donuts, you had no problem with 
Dipshit Donny on the cover.

----------


## Samuel

Some wise words from Jon Stewart  as per usual  talking about "progressophobia" where Gen Z (and others)  are unaware there was actually a world before they were born, yet they are unable or unwilling to contextualize their grievances.


One example he gave was Kevin Hart who said: "You're witnessing white power and privilege at an all-time high". 


Stewart's reply to Hart was  "This is the problem with wokeness; it doesn't have to make sense or jive with the facts or ever be challenged lest the challenge itself be conflated with racism."


Stewart starts with some video of Joe Biden:

----------


## happynz

Jon Stewart? 

That's not Jon Stewart, FaRT.

----------


## panama hat

Yea ... Bil Maher, like it states in the title.   :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden concludes first G-7 as president declaring 'America is back at the table'

President Biden on Sunday sounded a triumphant note at the conclusion of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in the United Kingdom, declaring "America is back at the table" while making thinly veiled swipes at the foreign policy of former President Trump.

"The lack of participation in the past and full engagement was noticed significantly, not only by the leaders of those countries but by the people in the G-7 countries. America is back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values," Biden said in opening remarks at a press conference before departing for London to meet with Queen Elizabeth II.

Biden pointed to U.S. commitments to fight the coronavirus pandemic and climate change and its loyalty to NATO allies and others in implicit and at times explicit rebukes of Trump's foreign policy.

The president had made clear throughout the lead-up to the weekend's summit that his goal was to reassure allies the U.S. was returning to center stage and could be counted on to tackle global problems, and he was adamant during Sunday's press conference that he was successful. 

"I felt a genuine sense of enthusiasm that America was back at the table and fully, fully engaged," Biden said.

"Bottom line is I think we’ve made some progress in reestablishing American credibility among our closest friends and our values," he added.

Biden knocked Trump when he said the U.S. does not view NATO "as a sort of protection racket," but as critical for domestic security. Trump repeatedly chastised NATO allies for failing to pay more to the alliance and reportedly wanted to leave the alliance, questioning its usefulness.

The president also swiped at his predecessor on the issue of climate change, which Trump repeatedly questioned and downplayed in favor of boosting the economy. Trump skipped the climate session at the 2019 G-7, the most recent one to be held in person.

"One of the things some of my colleagues said to me while I was there is 'Well, United States leadership recognizes there is global warming,'" Biden said. "I know that sounds silly, but we had a president last who basically said it's not a problem, global warming."


President Biden and Jill Biden meet with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle



 
*In other news………*

Fox News - Caitlyn Jenner calls out Jimmy Kimmel after he mocked her candidacy for California governor

----------


## AntRobertson

> Some wise words from Jon Stewart — as per usual — talking about "progressophobia" where Gen Z (and others) are unaware there was actually a world before they were born, yet they are unable or unwilling to contextualize their grievances.


FaRT is unaware that's Bill Maher, an asshole not fit to tie Stewart's shoe laces.

----------


## cyrille

> Jon Stewart





> Stewart's reply





> Stewart





> *jive* with the facts


dance FaRT, dance!

 ::doglol:: 

Pray tell, wasn't one of the things you used to drone on about endlessly...banned posters returning with new nicks?

----------


## Cujo

> FaRT is unaware that's Bill Maher, an asshole not fit to tie Stewart's shoe laces.


Regardless, he makes a good point.

----------


## cyrille

To me it seemed a rather laboured and obvious point, about one stupid comment from a guy (Hart) who, let's face it, doesn't seem very bright.

Maher tends to choose sitting ducks.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Maher tends to choose sitting ducks.


He does. 

And that's a common criticism of him, that he's always punching down.

----------


## cyrille

Oh, and a green to anyone who can spot the mistake in the phonetic script.  :Very Happy:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> To me it seemed a rather laboured and obvious point, about one stupid comment from a guy (Hart) who, let's face it, doesn't seem very bright.
> 
> Maher tends to choose sitting ducks.


He's one of the few with the balls to call out America for not making any effort on obesity, especially when it's been a factor in 70% of Covid deaths.

He's also a staunch free speech advocate and despite being on the left side of the spectrum frequently criticises his own party for putting off voters with all their woke nonsense.

He's spot on that they provide the right with ample evidence to support their "radical socialist" nonsense.

I like him.

----------


## bsnub

> FaRT is unaware that's Bill Maher


It didn't take long for FaRT to make an ass of himself.  :Smile:

----------


## havnfun

And a picture is worth a thousand words.

----------


## havnfun

Please explain.

----------


## havnfun

^ and La Conta" we have this guy sitting down for over an hour with a foreign media, WTF.

----------


## S Landreth

^^ got to hurt. 17  ::doglol:: 




> U.S. image abroad rebounds sharply with Biden in office
> 
> Percent who have confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing regarding world affairs
> 
> The United States' image around the world has sharply improved since President Biden took office after dipping during the Trump administration, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 16 countries.
> 
> 
>  
> The big picture: The high marks come as Biden embarks on his first overseas trip as president. Though opinions of the U.S. have broadly increased internationally, people in allied countries did not express great confidence in the U.S. as an ally and were also concerned about its domestic politics.
> ...

----------


## S Landreth

White House to host July 4 'independence from virus' bash

Cue the fireworks.

 
President Joe Biden wants to imbue Independence Day with new meaning this year by encouraging nationwide celebrations to mark the country’s effective return to normalcy after 16 months of coronavirus pandemic disruption.

Even as the U.S. is set to cross the grim milestone of 600,000 deaths from the virus on Tuesday, the White House is expressing growing certainty that July Fourth will serve as a breakthrough moment in the nation’s recovery. That's even though the U.S. is not expected to quite reach its goal of having 70% of adults vaccinated by the holiday.

As COVID-19 case rates and deaths drop to levels not seen since the first days of the outbreak, travel picks up and schools and businesses reopen, Biden is proclaiming “a summer of freedom” to celebrate Americans resuming their pre-pandemic lives.

The holiday will see the largest event yet of Biden’s presidency: He plans to host first responders, essential workers and military servicemembers and their families on the South Lawn for a cookout and to watch the fireworks over the National Mall. Well more than 1,000 guests are expected, officials said, with final arrangements still to be sorted out.

The plan shows the dramatic shift in thinking since Biden just three months ago cautiously held out hope that people might be able to hold small cookouts by the Fourth, an idea that seems quaint now given the swift pace of reopening.

“By July the 4th, there’s a good chance you, your families and friends will be able to get together in your backyard or in your neighborhood and have a cookout and a barbeque and celebrate Independence Day,” Biden had said as he marked the one-year anniversary of the pandemic on March 11. “That doesn’t mean large events with lots of people together, but it does mean small groups will be able to get together.”

For most Americans, that reopening target was hit last month, by Memorial Day weekend, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people and the accompanying relaxation in state and local virus restrictions.

Now, officials say July Fourth will serve as an unofficial kickoff to a new phase in the U.S. pandemic response. The federal government is looking to turn the page on the domestic public health crisis and focus on an economic and civic revival at home and marshaling support for vaccinations around the globe.

Across the country, the White House is hoping to see the similar Independence Day activities, after last year saw the mass cancellation of July Fourth festivities, according to two White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to outline the administration’s thinking.: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/0...us-bash-494638

----------


## havnfun

Will it be mask free? or only for the vaxxed? :Smile:

----------


## Cujo

> Will it be mask free? or only for the vaxxed?


No and yes.

----------


## S Landreth

Five takeaways from the Biden-Putin summit

The last time President Biden met Russian President Vladimir Putin, he says he told the Russian leader he didn’t believe he had a soul.

That exchange was just one of the reasons the meeting between the two men in Geneva on Wednesday was so highly anticipated.

The summit — the final engagement on Biden’s weeklong trip to Europe — came amid tensions around Ukraine, the treatment of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, recent cyberattacks and allegations of election meddling.

Here are the five main takeaways. (_Some editing on my part)_

*A return to pragmatism*

Biden made clear he and Putin weren’t miraculously going to fall into lockstep. Rather, he held out the possibility that the Russian leader could burnish his country’s reputation over time by staying within international norms.

“This is not a ‘Kumbaya’ moment … but it’s clearly not in anybody’s interest — your country or mine — for us to be in a situation where we’re in a new cold war,” Biden added.

Such statements aren’t exactly exciting. But they show Biden trying to walk a fine line.

He knows his political and media opponents at home are eager to brand him as weak in his dealings with Putin, so some tonal toughness is required. At the same time, if Biden had contrived a dramatic blowup, it would have raised new questions about why the U.S. had issued the invite to the summit in the first place.

In the end, the event met modest expectations.

Putin, for his part, struck a similar tone.

*Capitol riot rears its head*

The most contentious subject from the two leaders’ dueling news conferences was an unexpected one — the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Putin raised the issue in response to a question about human rights in Russia. It’s a hot topic in general, particularly amid criticism of the Kremlin’s treatment of Navalny.

Putin reacted in characteristic fashion, drawing attention to U.S. abuses in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the continued existence of the prison camp at Guantánamo Bay.

But he then drew the insurrection into the same broad argument, saying mildly that “people came to the U.S. Capitol with political demands.” The law enforcement response, he suggested, had been too harsh.

This view — which replicates the talking points of the most fervent supporters of former President Trump — irked Biden when it was put to him at his news conference.

The president said any comparison of Jan. 6 with legitimate protest was “ridiculous.”

The Jan. 6 rioters, he added, were “literally criminals” who had broken through a security cordon to assail the Capitol.

*Biden praised as 'not Trump'*

Biden had one big advantage going into Wednesday’s summit — the low bar set by his predecessor.

When Trump met Putin in Helsinki in 2018, the U.S. president was widely criticized for a craven performance. Trump infamously appeared to take Putin’s word over the testimony of U.S. intelligence agencies about whether Russia had meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

The late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) branded Trump’s behavior at that meeting “disgraceful.”

Biden has sought to reassure U.S. allies over the past week that “America is back” — a clear allusion to the disruption and frequent chaos of the Trump years.

Much of the commentary that initially followed Wednesday’s summit measured Biden’s performance against that of his predecessor.

For the most part, Biden earned positive reviews simply by staying within the standard parameters. In doing so, he offered a contrast to Trump’s seeming delight in trampling on every line.

*Putin relishes occasion*

The Russian president certainly seemed to relish the spotlight. His lengthy press conference was mostly relaxed and even, on occasion, jocular. While he complained about American double-standards on issues like human rights, he was at pains to point out that the atmosphere at his meeting with Biden had been constructive.

“There was no hostility, quite the contrary,” he said. On several occasions, he praised Biden’s experience.

Putin’s clear enjoyment of the event irked some observers. One critic, the former chess champion Garry Kasparov, complained on MSNBC that Putin had “got what he wanted” simply by virtue of the summit taking place.

*Questions linger about details*

The summit provided some positive mood music for Biden and Putin, but it is unclear whether it presages any real change.

An extension of the New START arms reduction treaty had already been agreed in advance of the summit. Putin said the two nations had agreed that their ambassadors, who had been recalled to their home countries this spring, would return to their posts soon.

Afterward, the White House issued a statement noting that the two nations “will embark together on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future that will be deliberate and robust.”

The proposal is nebulous, and it could be undone at a moment’s notice by anything that raises frictions, such as new cyberattacks.

This, in turn, explains Biden’s positive but cautious tone.

Asked at his news conference whether he trusted Putin, the president pushed back against the terms of the question.

“This is not about trust. This is about self-interest and verification of self-interest,” he said. “Let’s see what happens.”

----------


## AntRobertson

> When Trump met Putin in Helsinki in 2018, the U.S. president was widely criticized for a craven performance. Trump infamously appeared to take Putin’s word over the testimony of U.S. intelligence agencies about whether Russia had meddled in the 2016 presidential election.


I never quite got how some of the same people who praised Trump as a 'tough guy' gave him a pass on that.

----------


## panama hat

The orange buffoon was such an arse-licker towards Putin . . . both amazing and disgusting.  His fellow neo-cons simply swallowed it

----------


## Klondyke

> Asked at his news conference whether he trusted Putin, the president pushed back against the terms of the question.






> “As usual, folks, they gave me a list of the people I'm going to call on,” Biden admitted at the start,


Who is "they"???

----------


## Klondyke

> Asked at his news conference whether he trusted Putin, the president pushed back against the terms of the question.
> 
> This is not about trust. This is about self-interest and verification of self-interest, he said. Lets see what happens.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Meanwhile undoing the vile baldy orange cunto mess continues.




> June 17 (UPI) -- The Justice Department has vacated two Trump-era rules barring victims of domestic and gang violence asylum in the United States as the Biden administration continues to undo its predecessor's immigration policies.


Justice Dept. vacates 2 Trump-era restrictions on asylum seekers - UPI.com

----------


## beachbound

Colbert interviews Biden. 
A good chuckle

----------


## panama hat

Funny piss-take without bring nasty . . .  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden announces bipartisan deal on infrastructure

President Biden on Thursday announced he'd reached an infrastructure deal with a group of Republican and Democratic senators, saying both sides gave up some things they wanted to get a rare accord in a bitterly divided Washington, D.C.

Biden acknowledged the deal would not include proposals he's made for spending to help American families, but firmly endorsed the deal on infrastructure in unusual remarks just outside the White House with the bipartisan group of senators looking on.

“We have a deal,” Biden told reporters.

“I think it’s really important, we’ve all agreed that none of us got all that we wanted. I clearly didn’t get all I wanted. They gave more than I think maybe they were inclined to give in the first place,” he said.

“But this reminds me of the days we used to get an awful lot done in the United States Congress, we actually worked with one another,” Biden said, putting his hand on Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-Ohio) shoulder. “Bipartisan deal means compromise.”

Biden said he did intend to continue to look for a larger package on spending through a budget reconciliation measure, which would allow it to pass the Senate with just Democratic votes.

*President Biden on infrastructure: "We have a deal."*



 
*In other news.......


*Fox News - Britney Spears is speaking out about her conservatorship

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Fox News - Britney Spears is speaking out about her conservatorship


Bless them, they're doing their best to avoid calling it an infrastructure bill by referring to it as a "spending plan".

Forget the fact the Republitards routinely stuff every bill with little favours to their sponsors...

----------


## Slick

:Usa:  :Usa:  :Usa:

----------


## S Landreth

^yet with all of his (perceived) faults………..

https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.c...-Release-1.pdf


 
Gallup News | Nonpartisan Analysis of Critical Global Issues

----------


## Slick

> yet with all of his (perceived) faults………..


Yeah man, crazy what a compliant & subservient media can do for a politician. 

Anyway his approval rating is about what you'd expect. Not rocking the boat too hard and paying people money all the time is defo a winning strategy at the moment.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Funny piss-take without bring nasty . . .


Indeed, I enjoyed it. 

Happy to see the Late Show live again. I didnt enjoy the lockdown versions much.

----------


## Saint Willy

> Biden announces bipartisan deal on infrastructure
> 
> 
> *President Biden on infrastructure: "We have a deal."*
> 
> 
> *In other news.......
> 
> 
> *Fox News - Britney Spears is speaking out about her conservatorship





> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hthos7j_3dA[/video]




Both lampooned here by Steven Cobert.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yeah man, crazy what a compliant & subservient media can do for a politician. 
> 
> Anyway his approval rating is about what you'd expect. Not rocking the boat too hard and paying people money all the time is defo a winning strategy at the moment.


It's called "getting stuff done" rather than just dog whistling to a load of retards.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Yeah man, crazy what a compliant & subservient media can do for a politician.


Not as crazy as when a man with a documented history of lies and fraud told people like you that the media reporting unfavorably on him was "fake news" you believed him or that instead of science and academics you put your faith in a reality TV 'star' or that you thought someone who bankrupted a casino could steer the economy.

Now that's trailer park crazy asf!  :Very Happy:

----------


## Cujo

I'LL SEE YOUR...



> 


And raise you..

----------


## cyrille

:Very Happy: 

Exactly.

Really - that all ya got?

----------


## harrybarracuda

^^^ I'd forgotten how mentally defective that orange fucking retard actually is.

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## S Landreth

> 



That was good

----------


## S Landreth

Biden touts bipartisan infrastructure deal in Wisconsin: 'This is a generational investment'

"After months of careful negotiation -- of listening, compromising together and in good faith moving together, with ups and downs and some blips -- a bipartisan group of senators got together and they've forged an agreement to move forward on the key priorities of my American Jobs Plan," he said.

Biden said: "This is a generational investment, a generational investment to modernize our infrastructure, creating millions of good-paying jobs ... and positions America to compete with the rest of the world in the 21st century, because China is way outworking us in terms of infrastructure."

Biden said his proposal, which would total $1.2 trillion over eight years, would make much-needed upgrades across the country -- including to bridges, roads and public transportation -- while creating millions of jobs. He said the nation's crumbling infrastructure is a "drain on our economy."

"You all know that feeling losing time, sitting in traffic or being rerouted because the bridge isn't wide enough or the road is poorly maintained. This deal is going to put Americans back to fixing all of that, and good paying jobs," Biden said. He said the average American pays a "hidden tax" of more than $1,000 a year in wasted time and fuel due to traffic congestion.



 
*In other news………
* 
Fox News - Tucker Carlson says 'Biden administration is spying' on him

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Fox News - Tucker Carlson says 'Biden administration is spying' on him


It's just a shame that the NSA aren't allowed to add "He is a retarded fat c u n t as well".

----------


## cyrille

^^ Well that was well worth watching.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## russellsimpson

> He (Biden) said the average American pays a "hidden tax" of more than $1,000 a year in wasted time and fuel due to traffic congestion.


That must have been one bitch to calculate. :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

^1,000.00 is close enough

Failing infrastructure costing families $3,300 a year, new ASCE report says | Civil Engineering Source

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Biden touts bipartisan infrastructure deal in Wisconsin: 'This is a generational investment'


Trump talked about it. Biden did it.
Not perfect, but it's a pleasure to have adults back in the Whitehouse.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Trump lied about it. Biden did it.


FTFY.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden gives major voting rights speech in Philadelphia





Democrats reach deal on $3.5T price tag for infrastructure bill

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Budget Committee Democrats, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have reached a deal on a $3.5 trillion price tag for a Democratic-only infrastructure package.

Schumer, emerging from an hours-long meeting with Budget Committee Democrats, said they had reached a deal on the budget resolution  which greenlights reconciliation, the process Democrats will use to bypass a GOP filibuster on the infrastructure bill  including a $3.5 trillion top-line figure. President Biden is coming to meet with Senate Democrats on Wednesday, as Democrats work lockdown support for the deal.

"The budget committee has come to an agreement. The budget resolution with instructions will be $3.5 trillion," Schumer said, speaking to reporters with Sanders and other members of the panel. "Every major program that President Biden has asked us for is funded in a robust way."

The deal will also include funding for expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearinga key ask from progressives including Sanders. A Democratic aide familiar with the deal said that the budget resolution will also include language prohibiting taxes from being raised on individuals who make less than $400,000 or small businesses.

"What this legislation says among many, many other things ... is the wealthy and large corporations are going to start paying their fair share of taxes, so that we can protect the working families in this country," Sanders told reporters.

I want to see the details!

*edit........*

Little more - ABC News

----------


## S Landreth

Senate Democrats unveil details of $3.5 trillion budget deal

Senate Democrats revealed on Wednesday key details of their $3.5 trillion budget framework, a starting point for a Democrat-only bill for "human" infrastructure that would enhance federal safety net programs, expand Medicare and tackle climate change.

*Why it matters:* The release of the FY2022 budget deal formally kicks off the process for getting a pair of infrastructure bills across the finish line.


Democratic leaders need to hold all 50 of their senators together to pass this budget framework, which they plan to usher through the budget reconciliation process.

Details:

*Tax credits:*


Extend the child tax credit under the American Rescue Plan, the earned income tax credit, and separate child and dependent care tax credits.A senior Senate Democratic aide said the duration of each credit’s enactment will be determined by congressional scoring and committee input.

*Climate change:*


Create 80% clean electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon emissions by 2030.More funding for the clean energy standard, clean energy and vehicle tax incentives, "climate-smart agriculture," wildfire prevention, federal procurement of clean technologies, and the weatherization and electrification of buildings.The resolution will also propose a new methane reduction and polluter import fees "to increase our emissions reductions," per the aide.

*Key provisions in the American Families Plan*


Universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-old children, child care and community college.Increased funding for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), pell grants, paid family and medical leave, nutrition assistance and affordable housing.

*Health care costs*


The package would add a new dental, vision, and hearing benefit to Medicare, extend expansions of the Affordable Care Act, expand home care, reduced prescription drugs costs and expand Medicaid coverage to states that haven't done so yet.

*Economic inequality*


Increased funding for housing investments and manufacturing and supply chains.Improve green cards and pro-worker incentives and penalties.

Pay fors

The plans to offset the package are broken into three separate buckets.

*Tax reform*


Increasing corporate and international taxes, as well as taxes on the wealthy.Increased funding for the IRS to crack down on tax enforcement.

*Health savings*


Through new language on prescription drugs and by repealing the Trump rebate.

*Long-term economic growth*


The framework would prohibit tax increases on families making under $400,000 per year, small businesses and family farms.

*The latest:* During Senate Democrats' caucus lunch on Wednesday, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) briefed their colleagues on these top-line details.


President Biden also attended the lunch in an attempt to keep Democrats unified in their support for both infrastructure bills.

*What to watch:* The Senate will continue to work on the massive budget reconciliation package while it takes up a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure, with a goal of passing both by August recess.

*edit.......*

Little more | TheHill

*Climate change is a major component*

The budget framework would allow Democrats to pursue spending that aims to meet Biden’s goals of 80 percent clean electricity and a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, the aide said.

The deal calls for funding clean-energy tax incentives, federal procurement of clean energy technologies and a clean-energy accelerator.

It also calls for funding for a Civilian Climate Corps, which would create conservation jobs. Sanders told reporters Wednesday that this program is included in the deal “so that a young generation can earn decent wages and get educational benefits in leading the effort to combat climate change.”

The climate-focused programs are in line with ideas that Biden proposed earlier this year in his $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan but were not included in the framework for a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package.

The budget deal also would allow Democrats to pursue other aspects of the jobs plan in a reconciliation bill, including spending on research and development and workforce development and worker protections, the aide said.

And………

The budget deal would direct Congress to enact provisions to finance the new spending.

Much of the spending would be offset through tax increases on corporations and high-income individuals, as well as by strengthening tax enforcement.

----------


## David48atTD

Damm it, why can't he fly cattle class and catch an Uber like the rest of us  :Smile: 




BTW ... amazed at the C17's short takeoff trajectory.

----------


## S Landreth

NFL quarterback Tom Brady joked alongside President Biden at a White House ceremony Tuesday that 40 percent of the country doesnt believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl, alluding to the considerable percentage of Republicans who polls show do not accept Bidens election victory.

Not a lot of people think that we could have won, Brady joked. And in fact about 40 percent of people still dont think we won.

I understand that, Biden responded, laughing.

----------


## helge

> BTW ... amazed at the C17's short takeoff trajectory.


Empty ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

HAHAHAHA You can't make this shit up!




> Recently, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve a document concerning the sacrament of communion. The measure would prevent politicians like Biden and Pelosi, who have voted to allow abortion rights from receiving the holy sacrament.
> The General Secretary of the USCCB, _Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill_ read the voting results to the conference back in June.


Meanwhile...




> Burrill was elected general secretary of the U.S. bishops conference in November 2020. In that role, Burrill was effectively the highest-ranking American cleric who is not a bishop. 
> 
>  A priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, he began to work at the bishops conference as associate general secretary in February 2016. In that capacity, the priest was charged with helping to coordinate the U.S. bishops response to the Churchs 2018 sexual abuse and coercion scandals.
> 
> But an analysis of app data signals correlated to Burrills mobile device shows the priest also visited gay bars and private residences while using a location-based hookup app in numerous cities from 2018 to 2020, even while traveling on assignment for the U.S. bishops conference. 
> 
> According to commercially available records of app signal data obtained by The Pillar, a mobile device correlated to Burrill emitted app data signals from the location-based hookup app Grindr on a near-daily basis during parts of 2018, 2019, and 2020  at both his USCCB office and his USCCB-owned residence, as well as during USCCB meetings and events in other cities.


And the best bit!.....




> In 2018, the priest was a member of the USCCBs executive staff and charged with oversight of the conferences pastoral departments. He and several senior USCCB officials met with Pope Francis Oct. 8, 2018, to discuss how the conference was responding to ecclesiastical scandals related to sexual misconduct, duplicity, and clerical cover-ups.

----------


## RPETER65

Obama&#39;s former doctor predicts Biden will resign &#39;in the near future,&#39; fears the president is a &#39;national security issue&#39; - TheBlaze

----------


## RPETER65

Former MEP asks why 81.2m people voted for Joe Biden | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## bsnub

Oh look, it's repeater666 back and posting shit links. The doctor quoted is a disgrace...

*Scathing report finds Rep. Ronny Jackson engaged in 'inappropriate conduct' as White House doctor*

Scathing report finds Rep. Ronny Jackson engaged in '''inappropriate conduct''' as White House doctor

Not to mention that he is a Repulican trumpanzee congressmen. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze.

----------


## Cujo

Those ^^ should be in the republicans lunacy thread.

----------


## beachbound

> Ronny Jackson predicts… blah blah blah blah blah-
> 
> The Blaze


Not exactly what one would call credible news sources, you douche.

----------


## havnfun

> Damm it, why can't he fly cattle class and catch an Uber like the rest of us 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW ... amazed at the C17's short takeoff trajectory.

----------


## cyrille

Jeez, he should be downbeat and humble like the last guy.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Is he still charging the US taxpayer for security at Mar-a-Lago?

----------


## havnfun

Restaurant owners should shut up. "We kept you open".

Biden to Restaurant Owner Hurt By COVID: "We Kept You Open," Your Business Will Be In A "Bind" For A While | Video | RealClearPolitics!

----------


## havnfun

> Is he still charging the US taxpayer for security at Mar-a-Lago?



He's taken up a couple of floors at Barrack Husein.s place, they share it. :Smile: 


Pretty awesome flyover though, regardless.

----------


## RPETER65

:smiley laughing: 


> Oh look, it's repeater666 back and posting shit links. The doctor quoted is a disgrace...
> 
> *Scathing report finds Rep. Ronny Jackson engaged in 'inappropriate conduct' as White House doctor*
> 
> Scathing report finds Rep. Ronny Jackson engaged in '''inappropriate conduct''' as White House doctor
> 
> Not to mention that he is a Repulican trumpanzee congressmen. Your stupidity never ceases to amaze.



 :rofl:

----------


## AntRobertson

Senile moment?

----------


## bsnub

> Senile moment?


I think so. He posts very sporadically now and when he does, it is just a link or now this weird response.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Looks like the old coffin dodger survived the Wuhan virus, but it may have affected his brain.

----------


## Klondyke

> Looks like the old coffin dodger survived the Wuhan virus, but it may have affected his brain.


Looks like some "old coffin dodgers" were spared of the Wuhan virus, but despite of that (being spared), wondering - what on earth - has affected their brain...

----------


## aging one

> Looks like some "old coffin dodgers" were spared of the Wuhan virus, but despite of that (being spared), wondering - what on earth - has affected their brain...


With your new style of constant trolling in your "impeccable" English I hope you realize there are consequences on this board.  Waiting to hear you start squealing when they occur.

----------


## Little Chuchok

"Joe Biden announced today a new Delta Airlines flight, the _Delta Variant_ is now transporting passengers from Mexico throughout the United States. In prepared remarks from the Oval Office the President remarked, "I was friends with the Wright brothers; their dad owned an ice cream shop in Scranton. It was at that ice shop that me and Cornpop first hatched the plan to free Nelson Mandela from the clutches of the Ottoman Empire. Anyway, you know the thing..."

 :Smile:

----------


## Klondyke

> With your new style of constant trolling in your "impeccable" English I hope you realize there are consequences on this board. Waiting to hear you start squealing when they occur.


Could you be more specific? With my "impeccable" English I did not get it...

----------


## RPETER65

Reality check: 5 Biden whoppers | Just The News

----------


## helge

> Former MEP asks why 81.2m people voted for Joe Biden | World | News | Express.co.uk





> Senile moment?


Have a look

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Reality check: 5 Biden whoppers | Just The News


5?

That's like Baldy Orange Cunto's daily quota then.

----------


## RPETER65

Americans'&#39;' optimism about country'&#39;'s direction over next year drops nearly 20 points since May: POLL - ABC News

----------


## Switch

I think we should all encourage plural viewpoints. Much better to have the retard views out in the open. Laugh at them or cancel them with simple logic, but let them speak.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Americans'&#39;' optimism about country'&#39;'s direction over next year drops nearly 20 points since May: POLL - ABC News


That's probably because thanks to the trumpanzees not getting vaccinated, Covid is on the rise again.

Hopefully lots of them will die of it.

----------


## bsnub

> Hopefully lots of them will die of it.


Good riddance!

----------


## Klondyke

> Americans'&#39;' optimism about country'&#39;'s direction over next year drops nearly 20 points since May: POLL - ABC News


Was it before or after the rally in Arlington for Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe?

----------


## Samuel

> *Liberalism* is a political and moral philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed and equality before the law.
> 
> Liberalism - Wikipedia



Have to love the guy as he is a real *Liberal*: 

 :tumbs:  


Bill Maher Tears into Cancel Culture and Cultural Appropriation



Bill Maher Tears into Cancel Culture and Cultural Appropriation

----------


## RPETER65

Elder abuse at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - Washington Times

Enjoy the truth about the wonderful President Biden

----------


## S Landreth

Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill moves toward passage, Senate vote possible this week


 
The bill would spend $1.2 trillion in total to repair roads and bridges, create a national EV charging network and provide federal funds to combat climate change.

2021_full_text_infrastructure_bill

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Elder abuse at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - Washington Times
> 
> Enjoy the truth about the wonderful President Biden


Written by "Charles Hurt".

Is that short for butthurt?

 :bananaman:

----------


## aging one

Peters are you a moony?  Nice source by the way.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Peters are you a moony?  Nice source by the way.


He tends to gravitate towards Fox News-standard sources...

----------


## HermantheGerman

Coffin dodgers supporters and Trump lunatics.
This country has nothing else to show and is going down the drain fast.

"Divided we stand divided we failed!"

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Coffin dodgers supporters and Trump lunatics.
> This country has nothing else to show and is going down the drain fast.
> 
> "Divided we stand divided we failed!"


Squarehead trolling isn't up to much, is it?

----------


## RPETER65

> Peters are you a moony?  Nice source by the way.



 No but I am vaccinated

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No but I am vaccinated


.... against distemper.

----------


## RPETER65

More of Biden’s BS

CNN Makes Itself Complicit in Joe Biden's Flagrant Lawbreaking | National Review

----------


## S Landreth

^Lawbreaking  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden rallies Senate Democrats after they reach $3.5 trillion budget deal




A senior Democratic aide told CNBC later Wednesday that the major items in the budget framework for fiscal year 2022 include:

Extending the temporary tax credit expansions from the $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan that Biden signed in March. That includes the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit and the child and dependent care tax credit.

Funding an array of climate change programs and initiatives, with the goal of achieving 80% clean electricity and a 50% economy-wide reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

Investments in child care and family programs, including universal Pre-K, paid family and medical leave, nutrition assistance and affordable housing.

A slew of workforce and business investments aimed at supporting small businesses, research and development improvements, and manufacturing and supply chain efforts.

The Senate leaders say the budget plan is fully paid for  a feature that could help sway moderate Democrats concerned about government spending and rising debt levels, especially in the wake of the trillions spent during the Covid pandemic.

The leading lawmakers also said that the budget would expand Medicare coverage for dental, vision and hearing benefits, which progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders have pushed for.

Offsets to the whopping topline price tag will come from three major categories: Tax reform, health savings and long-term economic growth.

The aide said the budget will also prohibit tax increases on family farms, small businesses and families making less than $400,000 annually.

----------


## havnfun

You guy's must be so happy over there now :Smile:  Trump is gone, crime is gone, illegal immigration is gone, fuel prices are down, price of bread and milk is down, China said ya'll are racist to your face, and now you have to put that face diaper back on :Smile: 
But apparently 80 million of you voted for it, The most in the history of voting in the USA. Yeah right. :Smile:  But the bloke still can not fill a basket ball stadium, (because of covid) yeah, or because no-one likes him?
Truth will come out in the end, Kinda like the Wuhan Lab leak, What is plain to the eye to see will always prevail. Light onto the dark as they say.

----------


## AntRobertson

> More of Bidens BS
> 
> CNN Makes Itself Complicit in Joe Biden's Flagrant Lawbreaking | National Review


If you were silent and OK with 4 years of Trumps litany of conflicts of interest, emoluments breaches, filtering money to his businesses and children via the presidency, soliciting foreign interference in elections and using the DOJ as his attack dogs then maybe you need to take a back-seat, sit down and shut up now.

----------


## Slick

> The Senate leaders say the budget plan is fully paid for


 ::doglol::

----------


## qwerty

I didn't vote for Biden during the primaries, but I will say that two things point to his being an effective president:  
1.  The Bipartisan infrastructure bill seems to be lurching the the right direction and will hopefully pass.
2.  He extended the moratorium on evictions, which is something that Obama should have done back in 2008, but didn't.

Trump seems to be opposing the Infrastructure Bill, simply because that was one of his own failed goals.  He simply can't stand the thought of Biden succeeding where he failed.

----------


## RPETER65

> If you were silent and OK with 4 years of Trumps litany of conflicts of interest, emoluments breaches, filtering money to his businesses and children via the presidency, soliciting foreign interference in elections and using the DOJ as his attack dogs then maybe you need to take a back-seat, sit down and shut up now.



Except I wont I will continue to post the great successes of your hero.

----------


## Slick

> Trump seems to be opposing the Infrastructure Bill, simply because that was one of his own failed goals. He simply can't stand the thought of Biden succeeding where he failed.


Anyone that knows anything about american politics knows the only reason Trump failed was because of the filibuster. Democrats have always known that republicans would never shit-can the filibuster, so they also knew that they could block almost all legislation that came forth. The situation is exactly the same now, only the Democrats are in power but they cant overcome the filibuster. So they do what they always do and threaten to change longstanding rules of the game so that they can win - this is how they are forcing Republicans to "debate" the infrastructure bill while at the same time they keep changing whats it it, adding trillions, and changing the intent of the bill from infrastructure to "climate"  

Democrats have 2 issues tho - they dont have enough votes to change the filibuster because 2 people in their party dont agree with changing the rules, and the other issue is that if they do pass this infrastructure bill, it could help them win more seats in congress, and thats an even bigger threat to the filibuster and an even bigger concern for Republicans than it is right now. 

Its likely either gonna get stalled indefinitely, a tiny bill will be passed just to keep things unchanged, or the hail-may and dems fuckup the filibuster and start jamming through bills with reckless abandon and cause chaos in the same USA they promised to "heal".

----------


## havnfun

You changed my mind beachbound,
I agree with you now, I was such an idiot, Biden is the best thing ever to happen to the USA, fuel prices,blahhh, food prices blahhhh. the less americans can afford to drive the better for the environment, and the less they eat the better for the obesity problem, and consumerism, woahh, now they will have to buy online from China regardless if they can get the same product made in USA.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Except I won’t I will continue to post the great successes of your hero.


Of course you will, because hypocrites gonna hypocrite.

----------


## RPETER65

And even more amazing accomplishments  by your hero 

Truck-Drivin’ Joe: Biden Brings Penchant for Fabrication to Presidency

----------


## Slick

Yeah the truck driving thing was pretty funny. Too bad the media stopped chronicling presidential lies once Orange Hitler was out of office.

----------


## RPETER65

Joe Biden and the CDC are at War with the Constitution | National Review

----------


## AntRobertson

> _If you were silent and OK with 4 years of Trump’s litany of conflicts of interest, emoluments breaches, filtering money to his businesses and children via the presidency, soliciting foreign interference in elections and using the DOJ as his attack dogs then maybe you need to take a back-seat, sit down and shut up now._





> And even more amazing accomplishments  by your hero 
> 
> Truck-Drivin’ Joe: Biden Brings Penchant for Fabrication to Presidency


This has potential to get circular. 

Weird how you didn't care about lies for 4 years.

 ::chitown::

----------


## AntRobertson

> Yeah the truck driving thing was pretty funny. Too bad the media stopped chronicling presidential lies once Orange Hitler was out of office.


'Literally' the post right above yours:




> Truck-Drivin’ Joe: Biden Brings Penchant for Fabrication to Presidency


Don't ever let facts get in the way of what you want to be angry about!  :Very Happy:

----------


## Cujo

> And even more amazing accomplishments  by your hero 
> 
> Truck-Drivin’ Joe: Biden Brings Penchant for Fabrication to Presidency


You're kidding right? But apparently honesty isn't an issue as far as you're concerned or you would surely have said something before.

----------


## harrybarracuda

And repeater believed every single one of them.

----------


## Slick

> But apparently honesty isn't an issue as far as you're concerned or you would surely have said something before.


Statements like these always make me chuckle. You guys needed your fainting couch for 4 years straight over Cheeto Hitler lying, but now that its the other guy, lying is acceptable, defensible even, because... Cheeto Nazi lied. 

Just seems to me that being a filthy lying slime ball politician is acceptable as long as its your guy doing it.

----------


## Klondyke

But now, they no longer count the lies, do they?

----------


## AntRobertson

> Statements like these always make me chuckle. You guys needed your fainting couch for 4 years straight over Cheeto Hitler lying, but now that its the other guy, lying is acceptable, defensible even, because... Cheeto Nazi lied.
> 
> Just seems to me that being a filthy lying slime ball politician is acceptable as long as its your guy doing it.


If you didn't have false equivalences and logical fallacies you'd have nothing.

 :Dunno:

----------


## Slick

> But now, they no longer count the lies, do they?


Nah, they shut that shit down once Bidet went into the job and switched tactics over to covering for him and his obvious mental health decline.

----------


## bsnub

> Nah, they shut that shit down once Bidet went into the job and switched tactics over to covering for him and his obvious mental health decline.


Oh god, more fucking dumbass Fox News talking points. You literally have to be dumb as dog shit to swallow that shit.

----------


## Slick

> Let's see how much it it starts popping up on the internets.


If you want to waste your time doing that, be my guest, but its my position. 

All. Politicians. Lie. Some more obvious than others, some more cultured, some spin better, and some have a sugar coated tongue, but they all lie.

----------


## cisco999

> I'm looking forward to three of my next threads:
> Trump in Court
> Trump daughter/son in Court
> Trump sentenced to .... years in jail
> Trump daughter/son sentenced to .... years in jail




Have you intentionally left out his son in law?

----------


## Cujo

> All. Politicians. Lie. Some more obvious than others, some more cultured, some spin better, and some have a sugar coated tongue, but they all lie.


No shit

----------


## Slick

> No shit


Too bad they quit compiling presidential lies once Bidet went into office, but we all knew they were. Is and always was about nothing more than politics.

----------


## lom

> Too bad they quit compiling presidential lies once Bidet went into office, but we all knew they were.


Are "they" the only ones who can compile presidential lies?

----------


## Cujo

> Are "they" the only ones who can compile presidential lies?


Good point.
Slick?
Oh wait, Biden lied about having driven a truck and the length of a line drive.
Oh nos, fetch the fainting couch.
Jesus h christ what hypocrites you trumptards are.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Oh god, more fucking dumbass Fox News talking points. You literally have to be dumb as dog shit to swallow that shit.


I reckon he has pictures of Hannity and Tucker on his bedroom ceiling.

----------


## helge

> But the bloke still can not fill a basket ball stadium, (because of covid) yeah, or because no-one likes him?


Der Fuhrer could fill a stadium or two.

In hindsight it didn't make him ......a top guy


I think most democrats are looking for a different type of president

----------


## RPETER65

Or turn a blind eye as you do.

----------


## helge

> Or turn a blind eye as you do.


?

Help me out there

Not sure I get this one

----------


## RPETER65

> Good point.
> Slick?
> Oh wait, Biden lied about having driven a truck and the length of a line drive.
> Oh nos, fetch the fainting couch.
> Jesus h christ what hypocrites you trumptards are.


If pointing out facts is hypocritical count me in

----------


## RPETER65

> ?
> 
> Help me out there
> 
> Not sure I get this one


Yelling hypocritical when pointing out Biden’s lies and yet an endless line of pointing out Trumps lies.

----------


## helge

> Yelling hypocritical when pointing out Biden’s lies and yet an endless line of pointing out Trumps lies.


Yelling ?

 :Smile: 

I very calmly pointed out my opinion, that using the standard of "stadium filling", doesn't do it for me.

----------


## helge

> pointing out Biden’s lies and yet an endless line of pointing out Trumps lies.


If you'd list the lies of both Biden and Trump, you'd gain more credibility in my eyes.

----------


## Slick

> Good point.
> Slick?
> Oh wait, Biden lied about having driven a truck and the length of a line drive.
> Oh nos, fetch the fainting couch.
> Jesus h christ what hypocrites you trumptards are.


He’s lied about a lot more than that, but I get it. Lies are fine as long as it’s your guy lying. No need be a hypocrite about it.

----------


## elche

> All. Politicians. Lie. Some more obvious than others, some more cultured, some spin better, and some have a sugar coated tongue, but they all lie.


If this is your way of defending your racist hero, you've lost the argument.  No one is even close to being in the same league as trump.  But his lies are only a small part of the last dreadful four years even though his lies needlessly cost US citizens lives, thousands of lives.  But I blame pathetic racists like you for supporting criminals like trump who commit crimes against humanity.

----------


## RPETER65

> If you'd list the lies of both Biden and Trump, you'd gain more credibility in my eyes.



It makes no difference if one is prone to lying to further his agenda he has pretty much lost credibility

----------


## RPETER65

Eviction moratorium: Biden's tyranny should alarm lawmakers

----------


## AntRobertson

Nothing funnier than the Trumptards on here suddenly pretending to be concerned with honesty and integrity.

----------


## elche

> Eviction moratorium: Biden's tyranny should alarm lawmakers


You lost sore loser.  Get over it, snowflake.

----------


## bsnub

> Nothing funnier than the Trumptards on here suddenly pretending to be concerned with honesty and integrity.


As has been stated by me before, the world knows no greater hypocrite than a Republican.

----------


## aging one

> You lost sore loser. Get over it, snowflake.


Bingo, although I am sure Peters thinks the election was stolen. Yes he is that far gone.

----------


## RPETER65

> You lost sore loser.  Get over it, snowflake.



Not sore at all the only reason I hated to see Trump go was that Biden would become president and its becoming quite evident of why.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden sets goal for 50% of new US vehicles to be electric by 2030



Joe Biden is setting a goal for half of all new US vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 while also tightening pollution standards for cars and trucks, in a barrage of action aimed at reducing the largest source of planet-heating gases in America.

On Thursday, the White House outlined its plan to tackle the climate crisis by cutting emissions from vehicles, with Biden set to sign an executive order demanding that 50% of all new cars and trucks sold by the end of the decade be powered by electric batteries.

At the White House with car makers and unions on Thursday, Biden said the future of the car industry is electric and there is no turning back.

The question is whether we will lead or fall behind in the race for the future, said the president, who stood in front of two electric SUVs. We used to lead in this technology and we can lead again, But we need to move fast. The rest of the world is moving ahead, weve just got to step up.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US department of transport, meanwhile, are unveiling new fuel efficiency standards for vehicles to bolster pollution rules that were weakened under Donald Trumps presidency. From 2023, new cars will be required to emit 10% less greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous year, with further reductions of 5% a year mandated until 2026.

Michael Regan, administrator of the EPA, said the new vehicle pollution standards were a major step forward in delivering on president Bidens ambitious agenda to address the climate crisis and create good paying, union jobs.

A joint statement by Ford, GM and Stellantis said that the companies were aiming for 40% to 50% of electric sales by 2030. This represents a dramatic shift from the US market today, the statement read, adding that this could only be achieved if the federal government is able to provide incentives to buy electric cars, invest new charging infrastructure and bolster research and development funding.

*Just for fun..*

https://twitter.com/hashtag/governorwho

Biden responds to DeathSantis criticism: 'Governor who?'

----------


## RPETER65

> Bingo, although I am sure Peters thinks the election was stolen. Yes he is that far gone.



You obviously no nothing about me.

----------


## Klondyke

^Moreover, as the latest pools are showing...
Daily Presidential Tracking Poll - Rasmussen Reports(R)

----------


## misskit

^ From the above link.

----------


## RPETER65

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1276138

----------


## misskit

^ From the above link.

The administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump also declined to declassify supporting documents, citing national security concerns. The Trump administration invoked the state secrets privilege in 2019 to justify keeping documents classified.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Poor old repeater's just making a fool of himself again. It's a shame, he's making progress in the climate change thread.

----------


## RPETER65

> ^ From the above link.
> 
> The administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump also declined to declassify supporting documents, citing national security concerns. The Trump administration invoked the state secrets privilege in 2019 to justify keeping documents classified.



So you missed the point of the article.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So you missed the point of the article.


Which was what, you were trying to have a whinge about Biden and got it shoved back in your face because you're too stupid to read the whole thing?

I'm still waiting to find out who was on the grassy knoll.

----------


## RPETER65

Joe Biden on brink as 'coming war' with Supreme Court could leave President powerless | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## RPETER65

Biden Gaffes Yet Again, Says More Americans Have Been Vaccinated Than Live In The Country | The Daily Caller

----------


## David48atTD

> Joe Biden on brink as 'coming war' with Supreme Court could leave President powerless | World | News | Express.co.uk


*sigh*

"_JOE BIDEN has a "coming war" with the Supreme Court, according to an  expert, who warned the US President could be left powerless._"

The "_expert_" is not named.  However, at the bottom of the article it refers to Ian Millhiser a Senior Correspondent at Vox.

_Vox_ is an American entertainment website owned by _Vox_ Media.
_Vox Media_ is a digital media company known for its  high-profile brands including Vox, SB Nation, The Verge, Racked, Eater,  Curbed, Recode, and Polygon.

Ian Millhiser is promoting his book  :spam2: 


The article, despite it's clickbait headline refers to ... "_Joe Biden's  administration announced a new, targeted federal eviction ban, but this  risks a potential clash with the Supreme Court. It was announced by the  Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but could face  opposition at the Supreme Court, where one justice in late June warned  the administration not to act further without explicit congressional  approval._"


Next ...  ::chitown::

----------


## elche

> Biden Gaffes Yet Again, Says More Americans Have Been Vaccinated Than Live In The Country | The Daily Caller


Bwahahahaaaa ... quoting from a site Tucker Carlson founded, a far right propaganda mill that is widely known for publishing false stories, white supremacist trash and conspiracy theories.  This piece of rubbish is more concerned about a mistake than the reality of saving the lives of millions of people, which is perfect for racist bigots like yourself.

----------


## Slick

> Bwahahahaaaa ... quoting from a site Tucker Carlson founded, a far right propaganda mill that is widely known for publishing false stories, white supremacist trash and conspiracy theories.  This piece of rubbish is more concerned about a mistake than the reality of saving the lives of millions of people, which is perfect for racist bigots like yourself.


Why do you guys get so off-the-charts angry when people point out what a colossal moron Bidet is?

----------


## Davis Knowlton

I expected very little from Biden - less from his VP - and I'm getting it.

----------


## Slick

> I expected very little from Biden - less from his VP - and I'm getting it.


As long as he doesn't shit-can the filibuster and tank the economy by flooding too much money into it unnecessarily, then it'll be a success in my book. 

My biggest concern at the moment is that the bubble is gonna pop and Ive still got alot of time left that I need to invest before I can retire and I need the investment returns.

----------


## helge

> Why do you guys get so off-the-charts angry when people point out what a colossal moron Bidet is?


Like him or not; I don't think he is a moron.

That his memory is a bit hazy, could be expected at his age

Must be a calculated risk, when you elect an old man

----------


## Cujo

> Why do you guys get so off-the-charts angry when people point out what a colossal moron Bidet is?


No one is angry, let alone 'off the charts' angry because apart from a few gaffes he's a genius compared to the last guy. And a decent bloke as well.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No one is angry, let alone 'off the charts' angry because apart from a few gaffes he's a genius compared to the last guy. And a decent bloke as well.


Anyone is a genius compared to the last guy. Except his idiot fucking children.

----------


## Norton

> I expected very little from Biden - less from his VP - and I'm getting it.


You and I have been around long enough to know no matter who is Prez, the system is such, even with his powers, a President can't do much to make big changes to the status quo no matter what promises got him elected.

Unfortunately in the last several Presidential elections, I find myself forced to vote for the candidate who will do the least harm.

----------


## Davis Knowlton

> Unfortunately in the last several Presidential elections, I find myself forced to vote for the candidate who will do the least harm.


Indeed. All politicians, by inclination and definition, are bottom feeding scum.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Like him or not; I don't think he is a moron.
> 
> That his memory is a bit hazy, could be expected at his age
> 
> Must be a calculated risk, when you elect an old man


Hazy? Christ I hope when he's not hazy he has moments of clarity, because of what I have seen, it can't be him running the country, surely?

I  can't believe that the USA went from narcissist dork to a person that doesn't seem to be all there. WTF?

----------


## helge

> I can't believe that the USA went from narcissist dork to a person that doesn't seem to be all there. WTF?


 :Smile: 

But they did

----------


## Klondyke

> But they did


Did they?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I expected very little from Biden - less from his VP - and I'm getting it.


I think he would oversee significant, positive changes but it seems his hands are tied by his own party.

It's a weird system.

----------


## Klondyke

> I think he would oversee significant, positive changes but it seems his hands are tied by his own party.


Quite strange, isn't it? Usually, he seems very authoritarian, with strong words, no hesitation, a strong character everybody would follow, nobody would dare to resist. 

So, his party controls him? Who are the ones who pull the strings?

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by harrybarracuda
> 
> 
> I think he would oversee significant, positive changes but it seems his hands are tied by his own party.
> 
> It's a weird system.
> 
> 
> So, his party controls him? Who are the ones who pull the strings?


Deep state boys: They have dirt on him  Hunter and the "the big guy" (joe) making money on Joe's name = corruption. 

Joe was so well connected  even the former FBI director was asking Hunter to hook him up with Joe. 



Ex-FBI chief gave $100K to Biden grandkid trust as he sought 'future work': Hunter emails



The whole thing is corrupt:  Why they (deep state boys) were terrified when Trump won as he'd see the shit they were up to  so they put him on his back foot:  accusing him of conspiring with the Russians to defeat Hillary. 


TL;DR:  Biden is corrupt, the deep state is corrupt and they make good bedfellows.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Don't you just wish they'd kept Parler shut down?

These fucking morons lap it up.

----------


## RPETER65

> Bwahahahaaaa ... quoting from a site Tucker Carlson founded, a far right propaganda mill that is widely known for publishing false stories, white supremacist trash and conspiracy theories.  This piece of rubbish is more concerned about a mistake than the reality of saving the lives of millions of people, which is perfect for racist bigots like yourself.



Ok then how about from a nonpartisan source

With only 330 million Americans in existence, Biden says U.S. has vaccinated 350 million | Just The News

----------


## RPETER65

> No one is angry, let alone 'off the charts' angry because apart from a few gaffes he's a genius compared to the last guy. And a decent bloke as well.



A decent bloke?

----------


## Cujo

> A decent bloke?


Yes, essentially a good person,  as opposed to trump who is essentially not a good person.

----------


## helge

> A decent bloke?


Hmm could be

Also, in my opinion not likely after all these years in politics.

I'm afraid, that you won't get to where he is now, being ..decent.

But wouldn't that be nice

----------


## David48atTD

> Ok then how about from a nonpartisan source
> 
> With only 330 million Americans in existence, Biden says U.S. has vaccinated 350 million | Just The News





> The White House in its transcript of the remarks appended a clarifying  correction on them, claiming that Biden was referring to "doses  administered" rather than the number of fully vaccinated individuals.


Couple of things.

Yes, Biden was referring to the number of Jabs given.  One jab is (partially) vaccinated, 2 jabs is fully vaccinated.


As for a "nonpartisan source"  :rofl: 

John F. Solomon is an American journalist, and contributor to Fox News until late 2020 ... until Fox dumped him.
At Fox he was the _Architect of Trump’s Ukraine Conspiracies_.

John Solomon. Founder, CEO and Editor in Chief at Just the News

Just the News ... your nonpartisan source  :kma:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yes, essentially a good person,  as opposed to trump who is essentially not a good person.


If I had a nickel for every time the fat orange turd came out with utter fucking nonsense, I'd have a covfefe.

repeater actually thinks a president who spoke of injecting disinfectant to kill viruses is better than one who makes the odd gaffe.

----------


## RPETER65

> Yes, essentially a good person,  as opposed to trump who is essentially not a good person.



You obviously dont know much about him.

----------


## RPETER65

> If I had a nickel for every time the fat orange turd came out with utter fucking nonsense, I'd have a covfefe.
> 
> repeater actually thinks a president who spoke of injecting disinfectant to kill viruses is better than one who makes the odd gaffe.



Maybe you can point out to me where I have even inferred Trump was better than Biden.

----------


## Klondyke

> Yes, Biden was referring to the number of Jabs given. One jab is (partially) vaccinated, 2 jabs is fully vaccinated.


No, he was not...




> “We have uh roughly 350 million people vaccinated in the United States and billions around the world,”

----------


## pickel

> Maybe you can point out to me where I have even inferred Trump was better than Biden.


You did it when you voted.

----------


## aging one

^ Yes it is but the traitor you see above is still spreading bold face lies and disinformation about the legitimate results of the election. So hence his insurrectionist ways need to be highlighted.

----------


## bsnub

> You did it when you voted.


He is too stupid to realize that.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Maybe you can point out to me where I have even inferred Trump was better than Biden.


Maybe I was replying to someone else's post you doddery old fool.

----------


## S Landreth

Senate Votes To Advance President Joe Biden’s $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Over Weekend Session




The Senate moved closer to passing a $1 trillion infrastructure package Saturday after lawmakers from both parties came together and voted to clear a key procedural hurdle, but the action soon stalled out as opponents tried to slow the rush to approve one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities.

The measure would provide a massive injection of federal money for a range of public works programs, from roads and bridges to broadband internet access, drinking water and more. In a rare stroke of bipartisanship, Republicans joined the Democrats to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the measure toward final votes. The vote was 67-27, a robust tally. If approved, the bill would go to the House.

Senators are meeting for a second consecutive weekend to work on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is the first of Biden’s two infrastructure packages. Once voting wraps up, senators immediately will turn to the next item on Biden’s agenda, the budget outline for a $3.5 trillion package of child care, elder care and other programs that is a much more partisan undertaking and expected to draw only Democratic support.

Schumer has vowed to keep senators in session until they finish up the bipartisan bill and start the initial votes on the next big package.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrived on Capitol Hill for meetings on the bipartisan legislation, which Biden said offered a potentially “historic investment,” on par with the building of the transcontinental railroad or interstate highway system.

Congress is under pressure to make gains on the president’s infrastructure priorities — first with the bipartisan bill and then with Democrats’ more sweeping $3.5 trillion budget blueprint they plan to shoulder on their own.

----------


## RPETER65

Joe Biden in 'disarray' over Beijing threat as Whitehouse scramble to form China strategy | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## RPETER65

> Maybe I was replying to someone else's post you doddery old fool.


Except you were not

----------


## beachbound

> Joe Biden in 'disarray' over Beijing threat as Whitehouse scramble to form China strategy | World | News | Express.co.uk


Any source that references the White House as one word doesn’t pass the credibility test, you numpty.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Any source that references the White House as one word doesn’t pass the credibility test, you numpty.


The Daily Express is aimed at doddery old, white right wingers.

The sort repeater votes for.

----------


## David48atTD

> Joe Biden in 'disarray' over Beijing threat as Whitehouse scramble to form China strategy | World | News | Express.co.uk


Meh

I read the article ... it's a click bait headline.

The article talks about Biden taking a different policy stance now that he's in government to that which he espoused in his election campaign.

The person quoted, Nicholas Eftimiades, is solid though and not to be dismissed as a lightweight on the subject.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Meh
> 
> I read the article ... it's a click bait headline.


Aimed it demented coffin dodgers and trumpanzees.

----------


## RPETER65

More great work.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-mi...orse-than-ever

----------


## RPETER65

Great work once again.

MEHLMAN: Americans Want Order At The Border, But Kamala Harris Gives Them Pie In The Sky | The Daily Caller

----------


## S Landreth

Here Are The Big Policies In Democrats and President Joe Bidens $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation Plans



A highlight and a warning for TDs resident Tax Cheat (slick) from the article

Climate

Democrats are planning on going big on investments to fight climate change in their reconciliation package, including billions for clean electricity, electric vehicles, energy efficient buildings, weatherizing homes, a Civilian Climate Corps and more. Progressives and environmental groups, who say even more needs to be done to address the alarming effects of climate change across the world, will be watching the details of the bill closely. A number of progressives in the House have vowed not to support the bipartisan infrastructure bill that is expected to be approved by the Senate this week if the reconciliation package falls short.

The Budget Resolution will allow the Senate to make the most significant investment in tackling the climate crisis in US history, and put America on a path to meet President Bidens climate change goals of 80% clean electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon emissions reductions by 2030, Senate Democrats pledged in their memo summarizing the coming legislation.


Taxes

Unlike the three major coronavirus relief bills Congress has passed, Democrats plan to offset the cost of the budget reconciliation package by raising taxes. They say theyll target corporations and the wealthy without burdening families earning less than $400,000, which was a key campaign pledge from Biden. 

A chunk of revenue will come simply through increased IRS enforcement of current laws, since the government misses out on as much as $1 trillion annually due to taxpayer noncompliance. Presumably, much of the rest of the tax increases will come through reversals of the tax cuts Republicans enacted in 2017. But Democrats have said theyll undo that laws limit on federal deductions for state and local taxes, a provision that targeted wealthy households in blue states like New York and California.

----------


## RPETER65

> Any source that references the White House as one word doesn’t pass the credibility test, you numpty.



Seems with you any excuse will do numpty

----------


## RPETER65

IsnÂt this great.

Biden Rolls Out Red Carpet for COVID-Infected Illegal Immigrants

----------


## S Landreth

Senate set to pass  President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill Tuesday



 
The Senate is poised to pass a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill on Tuesday, capping off a lengthy, days-long debate.

Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), wrapping up the chamber's work for the day, said it had "come to an agreement" and that the Senate will vote on passing the bill at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

"It has taken quite a long time, and there have been detours and everything else, but this will do a whole lot of good for America, and the Senate can be proud it has passed this," Schumer said about the bipartisan bill.

Technically, the clock on the bipartisan bill runs out early Tuesday morning, but cutting the deal on timing allows senators to bypass having to come back for a middle-of-the-night vote.

The bill is on a glide path to passage, as roughly 20 GOP senators have supported advancing the bill so far.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden's popularity PLUMMETS in telling new poll as concerns for America’s future grow | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## RPETER65

Column: Biden violates his oath of office and no one cares - Los Angeles Times

----------


## S Landreth

^it's going to be an awful 4 years for you   ::doglol::

----------


## S Landreth

Senate passes President Joe Biden’s 1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package




Yada, yada, yada……..

President Joe Biden’s budget package includes plan for pathway to citizenship, green cards for millions

The inclusion of immigration in the budget reconciliation package comes shortly after President Biden last month forcefully backed the idea.

"I think we should include in the reconciliation bill the immigration proposal," Biden told reporters following a meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus legislators and others who have worked on immigration reform.

----------


## Klondyke

> "I think we should include in the reconciliation bill the immigration proposal


Isn't it strange that all the previous POTUS candidates had had as their main program how to solve the immigration? Actually how to curb it down, some of them really did it when elected.

But now, when everywhere in world the immigration is the biggest problem for the governments - especially in Europe - the US welcomes them - however, not the same sort of immigrants as flowing into Europe.  And no problem with the COVID 19? 

Can somebody enlighten me, or did I miss the explanation (in MSM) why it is so?

----------


## Slick

> Can somebody enlighten me, or did I miss the explanation (in MSM) why it is so?


Democrats know that illegal immigration and illegal immigrants bolster their base. It’s why they have sanctuary cities and do their very best to grant citizenship and eventual voting rights to millions of people who should never be eligible, and apply obvious half measures at the border with no real intention to stop the flow of illegal aliens. 

Their intention is to turn Florida and Texas blue, and people who vote for the democrat party know this and support it but don’t have the balls to admit they hate their fellow countrymen so much that they’ll import voters from 3rd world countries if they can disenfranchise their fellow Americans and win elections. 

This is the fetid truth about American politics and illegal immigration. It’s about one party trying to import voters and the other trying to stop it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> This is the fetid truth about American politics and illegal immigration. It’s about one party trying to import voters and the other trying to stop it.


But if the racist fucks embraced immigration, something on which the nation is built, maybe they could find some replacements for the senile old white fuckers they are killing off with their antivax nonsense.

Bear in mind there was a Bipartisan immigration bill that would have gone through, and that would have satisfied even you, under the Obama administration, and that other orange turd Boehner refused to bring it to the floor for a vote.

So Republicans are the ones who stopped immigration reform.

Republicans are racist.

That is the fetid truth.

----------


## Klondyke

> So Republicans are the ones who stopped immigration reform.
> 
> Republicans are racist.
> 
> That is the fetid truth.


Does it mean that half of the population is bad and half is good? There were the times when it changed from plus to minus and vice versa, never stopped changing. 

And it seems the politicians do any possible effort to make it worse - always to their own advantage, to make their adversaries down...

That's not a good outlook for the nation...

----------


## Samuel

> So Republicans are the ones who stopped immigration reform.
> 
> Republicans are racist.
> 
> That is the fetid truth.


That's not true. 


Republicans are for legal immigration  and against illegal immigration. 


Legal immigration rose to almost two million per year under Dubya senior, dropped under Clinton, and has been around one million per year since, under Dubya, Obama, and Trump. 


Reagan was the one who got legislation passed that legalized 3/4 of the illegals at the time. 


The idea was that the border would be enforced (stop illegals coming across) while legalizing those in the country. 


Since then, the border hasn't been enforced  Trump started, and Biden stopped those efforts  so, there won't be another Regan-like bill supported by Republicans until a strong border stops further illegals from crossing, obviously. 


Meanwhile, left-wingers like AOC are actually against stopping the illegals from crossing  and illegal immigrants are happy Biden is president while they crash the border in record numbers. 





> Number of migrants at US border hits new record high - BBC News
> 
> *Number of migrants at US border hits new record high*
> 
> 
> The number of undocumented migrants reaching the US-Mexico border has hit the highest level in more than 20 years in the latest sign of the humanitarian crisis facing the Biden administration.

----------


## bsnub

> Democrats know that illegal immigration and illegal immigrants bolster their base. It’s why they have sanctuary cities and do their very best to grant citizenship and eventual voting rights to millions of people who should never be eligible, and apply obvious half measures at the border with no real intention to stop the flow of illegal aliens.


Complete horseshit you got straight of Fox News. Obama deported more people than your orange god dummy. So right there, your argument comes crumbling down. Learn to think for yourself and stop swallowing talking points. 




> Their intention is to turn Florida and Texas blue


There is no intention at all, and it is happening due to internal demographic changes more so than through immigration, and the Democrats have nothing to do with it. More Fox News talking points. 




> This is the fetid truth about American politics and illegal immigration. It’s about one party trying to import voters and the other trying to stop it.


What a brainwashed, talking point spewing lemming.

----------


## happynz

> Democrats know that illegal immigration and illegal immigrants bolster their base. It’s why they have sanctuary cities and do their very best to grant citizenship and eventual voting rights to millions of people who should never be eligible, and apply obvious half measures at the border with no real intention to stop the flow of illegal aliens.


Quite the claim, shortbread. You have any evidence to back that up?

----------


## bsnub

> Quite the claim, shortbread. You have any evidence to back that up?


Of course, he doesn't, this is the nonsense they spew over on Fox 24/7. It is horseshit. 

How about I start by posting a doc that proves his talking point is shit...

*Deportations lower under Trump administration than Obama: report* 

https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/G...0109-SD007.pdf

----------


## AntRobertson

> Quite the claim, shortbread. You have any evidence to back that up?


He doesn't and he won't.

The real 'fetid truth of American politics' is that there are people like him who don't care for actual facts and are happy to have their impotent anger and bigotry pandered to by Fox and the GOP.

Played like fiddles.

----------


## Slick

> But if the racist fucks embraced immigration, something on which the nation is built


Notice the very subtle yet always present swap between the term I used - *Illegal* Immigration - and Harriets - Immigration. 

Very common amongst people on the left side of the political spectrum, this is an intentional misrepresentation of the point made and amounts to  The classic strawman. 

Legal immigration is great. Illegal immigration is not and never will be.

----------


## Klondyke

> Complete horseshit you got straight of Fox News.





> More Fox News talking points.





> nonsense they spew over on Fox 24/7. It is horseshit.


Surprised to learn such an outrage against a media and its denigration (is it US media?), nearly same as like against RT...

In a country so famous for freedom of speech and democratic principles?

----------


## AntRobertson

> _the racist fucks_
> 
> 
> Notice the very subtle yet always present swap between the term I used - Illegal Immigration - and Harriets - Immigration.


I notice that and it's not subtle.

Also ILLeGaL IMMiGraNTs CAN't VoTE and there is precisely zero evidence of a Dem plan to allow it no matter how many times you mindlessly parrot Fox bigotry / talking points.

----------


## Slick

> In a country so famous for freedom of speech and democratic principles?


These principals have been tanking faster than a communist stock market over the last 20 years.

----------


## bsnub

> Quite the claim, shortbread. You have any evidence to back that up?


See, I told you he wouldn't be posting any.

----------


## Slick

They are trying to grant citizenship to millions of illegal aliens. The 11 million number is shit they pulled out of their ass because the actual number is higher, but the higher the number the harder to sell. Citizenship comes with voting rights. 

Message: Come to America and get citizenship, no matter if its legal or not. 

Result: Flipping states that are usually red or purple permanently and pissing on Americans who spent their whole lives in the rat race, trying to do the right thing, buying into the "democratic" system, and fracturing an already divided country even more. *

Democrats unveil Biden's immigration bill, including an eight-year path to citizenship

*


> The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 includes: _an eight-year pathway to citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants_; a shorter process to legal status for agriculture workers and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program; and an enforcement plan that includes deploying technology to patrol the border.


Immigration: Biden plan to include eight year path to citizenship

----------


## Slick

> Deportations lower under Trump administration than Obama: report 
> 
> 404 - File or directory not found.


From your own link. 




> U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attributed the lower numbers to “an increased deterrent effect from ICE’s stronger interior enforcement efforts,” but administration officials have also noted an increased proportion of immigrants from Central America, who are harder legally to deport, compared to that faced by the Obama administration.
> 
> The agency has also increased the length of time it detains people, holding non- criminals an average of 60 days in detention, 11 days longer than convicted criminals, and nearly doubling the average in 2009, according to the Post.

----------


## David48atTD

I know this is the Biden thread, but one thing about the USA is I've never understood why the USA allows a baby born in the USA to parents, neither of who are US Citizens, automatic US Citizenship?

The so called 'anchor babies'.




> "Anchor baby" is a term  (regarded by some as a pejorative) used to refer to a child born to a  non-citizen mother in a country that has birthright citizenship which  will therefore help the mother and other family members gain legal  residency.


 WIKI

But I digress ...

----------


## Slick

> But I digress ...


You aren't the only one. That is probably one of the more flagrantly abused immigration loopholes of all the flagrantly abused immigration loopholes. Fucking chinese have tours that bring pregnant women to the states to shit out babies on American soil so they can have American passports and then fuckoff until the kid is 21 and able to transmit citizenship to their parents. 

South of the border they just come over illegally and shit out babies and do the same thing once they hit 21. 

A law with the best of intentions becomes one of the bigger problems and one political party refuses to do anything about it because its a net benefit for them. 

Ironically, to get my daughter her American passport I had to prove all kinds of shit spanning years with federal documents and jump through hoop after hoop. 

Its a broken system that punishes the people who do the right thing and rewards people who dont.

----------


## bsnub

> The 11 million number is shit they pulled out of their ass because the actual number is higher, but the higher the number the harder to sell. Citizenship comes with voting rights.


So basically, Trump did a shit job deporting illegals then. 




> From your own link.





> U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attributed the lower  numbers to “an increased deterrent effect from ICE’s stronger interior  enforcement efforts,” but administration officials have also noted an  increased proportion of immigrants from Central America, who are harder  legally to deport, compared to that faced by the Obama administration.
> 
> The agency has also increased the length of time it detains people,  holding non- criminals an average of 60 days in detention, 11 days  longer than convicted criminals, and nearly doubling the average in  2009, according to the Post.


So the above quote turned out to be horseshit. You live in a fantasy land because no one is going to deport all the illegals that are in the US. 




> Result: Flipping states that are usually red or purple permanently and pissing on Americans who spent their whole lives in the rat race, trying to do the right thing, buying into the "democratic" system, and fracturing an already divided country even more.


More empty talking points.

----------


## happynz

> I know this is the Biden thread, but one thing about the USA is I've never understood why the USA allows a baby born in the USA to parents, neither of who are US Citizens, automatic US Citizenship?


It's in the 14th Amendment to the US constitution, Dave.
_
"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."_

----------


## bsnub

> It's in the 14th Amendment to the US constitution, Dave.
> 
> "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."


Trumpanzees only know about the Second Amendment.

----------


## Slick

> It's in the 14th Amendment to the US constitution, Dave.
> _
> "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside_


Care about the constitution now do we? 

This is why border control is so important. You shouldn't be able to come illegally and dump out babies for citizenship.

----------


## David48atTD

> Care about the constitution now do we? 
> 
> This is why border control is so important. You shouldn't be able to come illegally and dump out babies for citizenship.


Mate, *happynz* was simply explaining the 14th Amendment ... he didn't make a statement supporting or condemning it.

No need to dump on him.


I, on the other hand, completely disagree with it (the 14th Amendment).

----------


## Slick

> Mate, happynz was simply explaining the 14th Amendment ... he didn't make a statement supporting or condemning it.
> 
> No need to dump on him.


I dumped on him because he likes to take little swipes but has no intention of reading or understanding any position he demands evidence for. 




> I, on the other hand, completely disagree with it (the 14th Amendment).


It wouldnt bother me at all if this was trashed.

----------


## bsnub

Migrants are not what is flipping red states purple or blue. It is the fact that the GOP is an aging party and its base is dying off, the fact that people from progressive states are moving to red states especially Florida and Texas. 

Arizona just turned blue, Virginia did back in 2016, and I can guarantee you it was not because of immigrants.

But talking points, however untrue, get the lemmings stirred up. Slick being a case in point.

----------


## Slick

> Migrants are not what is flipping red states purple or blue.


Granting citizenship and voting rights to millions and millions of illegal aliens will 100% without a doubt flip numerous states permanently blue. This is the goal. A one party state with total control. 

You can create all the false equivalences and straw men you want, still doesn't change the truth of it, nor does it make it any less fucked up that you and your party refuse to acknowledge it, and in fact, support it.

----------


## Klondyke

^Some say that they are transported into other states despite the resistance of the state officials, but who knows whether it is true...

----------


## Slick

> Some say that they are transported into other states despite the resistance of the state officials


Those are "refugees" from other countries. A different method of importing voters that typically Democrats expand when they are in power and Republicans reduce when they are in power. 

Another arm of the same shitty body.

----------


## Samuel

> That's not true.
> 
> 
> Republicans are for legal immigration  and against illegal immigration.
> 
> 
> Legal immigration rose to almost two million per year under Dubya senior, dropped under Clinton, and has been around one million per year since, under Dubya, Obama, and Trump.
> 
> 
> ...






> Obama deported more people than your orange god dummy.


Why do you suppose the Biden Admin is reversing Obama's policies?

Because whatever the far left-wingers like AOC want, they get?


Good ole Uncle Joe can't say "no"?


Centrist democrats know this will not suit the party well in the midterms next year. 


Even the Washington Post is sounding the alarm:






> *Opinion: President Biden needs a coherent strategy for the border*
> 
> 
> 
> Opinion by the Editorial Board
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## AntRobertson

> It wouldnt bother me at all if this was trashed.


LOL the 'position' of the Right right here... 

The GunZ Amendment is an irrevocable human right but actual human rights aren't.

But for bald-faced hypocrisy and hate and bigotry they'd have nothing.  :Dunno:

----------


## cyrille

> It's in the 14th Amendment to the US constitution, Dave.
> 
> "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside."






> Care about the constitution now do we?


YES!!

After 16 years someone finally got annoyed by happynz!

 :Very Happy:

----------


## bsnub

Great news...

WASHINGTON  Democrats pushed their expansive $3.5 trillion framework  for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs toward  Senate passage early Wednesday, as Republicans unleashed an avalanche  of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next years  elections.

Congressional approval of the budget resolution,  which seems assured, would mark a crucial first step by Democrats  toward enacting the heart of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda. It  would open the door to a follow-up measure aiming the government's  fiscal might at assisting families, creating jobs and fighting climate  change, with higher taxes on the wealthy and big companies footing much  of the bill.

Senate  Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., once a progressive  voice in Congress' wilderness and now a national figure with legislative  clout, said the measure would help children, families, the elderly and  working people  and more.

It will also, I hope, restore  the faith of the American people in the belief that we can have a  government that works for all of us, and not just the few," he said.

Republicans argued that Democrats' proposals would waste  money, raise economy-wounding taxes, fuel inflation and codify far-left  dictates that would harm Americans. They were happy to use Sanders, a  self-avowed democratic socialist, to try tarring all Democrats backing  the measure.

If Biden and Senate Democrats want to  "outsource domestic policy to Chairman Sanders" with a historically  reckless taxing and spending spree," Republicans lack the votes to stop  them, conceded Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. But we  will debate. We will vote."

Budget resolution passage is  critical because in the 50-50 Senate, it would let Democrats alone  approve a subsequent bill actually enacting their $3.5 trillion in  spending and tax policies over the next decade. Approval of the budget  would shield the follow-on legislation from Republican filibusters,  procedural delays that kill bills.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of  Maryland, No. 2 House Democratic leader, announced Tuesday that the  chamber would return from recess Aug. 23 to vote on that blueprint and  perhaps other measures. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has praised the  budget resolution.

The Senate turned to the budget minutes after it approved  the other big chunk of Biden's objectives, a compromise $1 trillion  bundle of transportation, water, broadband and other infrastructure projects. That measure, passed 69-30 with McConnell among the 19 Republicans backing it, now needs House approval.

In  contrast, every Republican present was opposed as the Senate voted  50-49 to begin considering the budget. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., missed  the roll call to be with his ailing wife.

Senate  Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., assured progressives that  Congress will pursue sweeping initiatives going beyond the  infrastructure compromise. It was a nod to divisions between the party's  moderates and liberals that he and Pelosi will have to resolve before  Congress can approve their fiscal goals. Democrats also control the  House but only narrowly.

To my colleagues who are  concerned that this does not do enough on climate, for families, and  making corporations and the rich pay their fair share: We are moving on  to a second track, which will make a generational transformation in  these areas," Schumer said.

In a budget ritual, senators plunged into a "vote-a-rama," a  nonstop parade of messaging amendments that often becomes a painful  all-night ordeal. The Senate had held roll calls on more than two dozen  of them as midnight came and went, more than 10 hours after the  wretchedness began.

With the budget resolution largely  advisory only, the goal of most amendments was not to win but to force  the other party's vulnerable senators to cast troublesome votes that can  be used against them in next year's elections for congressional  control.

Republicans crowed after Democrats opposed GOP  amendments calling for the full-time reopening of pandemic-shuttered  schools, boosting the Pentagon's budget and retaining limits on federal  income tax deductions for state and local levies. Those deduction caps  are detested by lawmakers from upper-income, mostly Democratic states.

Republicans  were also happy when Democrats opposed restricting IRS access to some  financial records, which McConnell's office said would prompt political  witch hunts, and when Democrats showed support for Biden's now  suspended ban on oil and gas leasing on federal lands, which Republicans  said would prompt gasoline price increases.

One  amendment may have boomeranged after the Senate voted 99-0 for a  proposal by freshman Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., to block federal  funds for any municipalities that defund the police. That idea has been  rejected by all but the most progressive Democrats, but Republicans have  persistently accused them anyway of backing it.

In an animated, sardonic rejoinder, Sen. Cory Booker,  D-N.J., called Tuberville's amendment a gift" that would let Democrats  put to bed this scurrilous accusation that somebody in this great  esteemed body would want to defund the police." He said he wanted to  walk over there and hug my colleague."

Republicans  claimed two narrow victories with potential long-term implications, with  West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, one of the chamber's most conservative  Democrats, joining them on both nonbinding amendments.

One  indicated support for health care providers who refuse to participate  in abortions. The other voiced opposition to teaching critical race  theory, which considers racism endemic to American institutions. There's  scant evidence that it's part of public school curriculums.

The  budget blueprint envisions creating new programs including tuition-free  pre-kindergarten and community college, paid family leave and a  Civilian Climate Corps whose workers would tackle environmental  projects. Millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally would have a new  chance for citizenship, and there would be financial incentives for  states to adopt more labor-friendly laws.
Medicare would  add dental, hearing and vision benefits, and tax credits and grants  would prod utilities and industries to embrace clean energy. Child tax  credits beefed up for the pandemic would be extended, along with federal  subsidies for health insurance.

Besides higher  taxes on the wealthy and corporations, Democrats envision savings by  letting the government negotiate prices for pharmaceuticals it buys,  slapping taxes on imported carbon fuels and strengthening IRS tax  collections. Democrats have said their policies will be fully paid for,  but they'll make no final decisions until this fall's follow-up bill.

Senate passes Dems'&#39;' $3.5T budget resolution in latest win for Biden

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Slick
> 
> 
> The discussion is about what’s going to happen IN THE FUTURE if Democrats put their filthy claws on the scale and give themselves *11 millions potential voters*.
> 
> 
> That is not the discussion, you little runt. It has already been explained to you that it is an empty little racist talking point that racists like you swallow without question. You really are dumb and brainwashed.


Bsnub:  You don't think Democrats want to legalize those who illegally entered America and live in America now — thus, becoming "potential voters" as slick says?

----------


## AntRobertson

Why not read what he posted. Slowly, if it helps.

----------


## bsnub

> Why not read what he posted. Slowly, if it helps.


But they won't. Because indoctrination and idiocracy.

----------


## Samuel

> Why not read what he posted. Slowly, if it helps.


I did. 

Democrats wanting to legalize those who illegally entered America and live in America now  thus, becoming 15 million "potential voters" =  "an empty little racist talking point that racists like you swallow without question. You really are dumb and brainwashed"  according to Bsnub. 

Do you agree with Bsnub, Ant?

----------


## beachbound

> These principals have been tanking faster than a communist stock market over the last 20 years.


Private, or public school principals?

----------


## beachbound

Anywho….

How about that infrastructure bill?!

It took Biden a mere seven months, to do what the Cheeto in chief couldn’t do in four years.

----------


## RPETER65

> Of course, he doesn't, this is the nonsense they spew over on Fox 24/7. It is horseshit. 
> 
> How about I start by posting a doc that proves his talking point is shit...
> 
> *Deportations lower under Trump administration than Obama: report* 
> 
> https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/G...0109-SD007.pdf



You forgot to mention illegal crossings also much lower.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> That's not true. 
> 
> Republicans are for legal immigration — and against illegal immigration.


I'll repeat: Republicans had agreed an immigration reform bill with Democrats and the reason it never went through is because Boehner wouldn't table it because he was terrified of upsetting the Tea Party wankers.

Republicans now do nothing more than pander to their base, which is almost entirely raging trumpanzee window lickers or crayon munching god botherers, both of which are racist fucks.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Notice the very subtle yet always present swap between the term I used - *Illegal* Immigration - and Harriets - Immigration. 
> 
> Very common amongst people on the left side of the political spectrum, this is an intentional misrepresentation of the point made and amounts to  The classic strawman. 
> 
> Legal immigration is great. Illegal immigration is not and never will be.


Illegal immigrants don't vote, no matter what you, baldy orange cunto and the rest of the trumpanzee simians say.

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> That's not true.
> 
> 
> Republicans are for legal immigration  and against illegal immigration.
> 
> 
> ...


And the "tea party wankers" won't support legalizing the 15 million illegal immigrants in America until the border is secured.

You can take that to the bank.

 :Wiggle:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> And the "tea party wankers" won't support legalizing the 15 million illegal immigrants in America until the border is secured.
> 
> You can take that to the bank.


In case you're not getting the point, the tea party wankers are the ones that stopped the border being secured to Republican satisfaction.

FFS do I have to explain it a third time?




> The Gang of Eight bill would essentially revamp every corner of U.S. immigration law, establishing a 13-year pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, with several security benchmarks that have to be met before they can obtain a green card. _The measure would not only increases security along the border, but requires a mandatory workplace verification system for employers, trying to ensure no jobs are given to immigrants who are not authorized to work in the United States._
> It also includes a new visa program for lesser-skilled workers – the product of negotiations between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and labor unions. And it shifts the country’s immigration policies away from a family-based system to one that is focused on more on work skills.


Immigration reform bill 2013: Senate passes legislation 68-32 - POLITICO




> Republicans claim they first want to address border security before making any provision for the 11 million undocumented immigrants who live and work in the shadows. This is precisely what the Senate bill does.
> The number of Border Patrol agents would be nearly doubled and 700 miles of fencing built before qualifying undocumented adults could even obtain green cards -- giving them permanent residence -- let alone apply for citizenship.
> Even if the agents, the fence and other new security measures are in place sooner, green cards would not be awarded for at least 10 years after the bill becomes law.
> Along the border with Mexico, there would be watch towers, camera systems, ground sensors and other high-tech gear. Drones are already patrolling the skies overhead, but the Senate bill calls for those, too. And again, all of this has to be in place -- and working well -- before eligible migrants would begin getting permanent permission to live and work here.


Boehner's Stall on Immigration | RealClearPolitics

----------


## Samuel

> In case you're not getting the point, the tea party wankers are the ones that stopped the border being secured to Republican satisfaction.
> 
> FFS do I have to explain it a third time?


Boehner didn't have any bills that would totally secure the border — so not sure what you're talking about. 

I think after Democrats get demolished in the midterms, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, the dems will agree to secure the border in return for legalizing the illegals living in America.


If the winds shifted that way, Biden would jump on board, in my opinion. 


Moderate Republicans and Joe Manchin would, too.

----------


## Samuel

> FFS do I have to explain it a third time?


you think "tea party wankers" belived :_The measure would not only increases security along the border, 

_
On Biden's first day in office, he repealed all of Trump's executive orders about the border.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Great news...
> 
> WASHINGTON — Democrats pushed their expansive $3.5 trillion framework  for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs toward  Senate passage early Wednesday, as Republicans unleashed an avalanche  of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next year’s  elections.
> 
> Congressional approval of the budget resolution,  which seems assured, would mark a crucial first step by Democrats  toward enacting the heart of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda. It  would open the door to a follow-up measure aiming the government's  fiscal might at assisting families, creating jobs and fighting climate  change, with higher taxes on the wealthy and big companies footing much  of the bill.
> 
> Senate  Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., once a progressive  voice in Congress' wilderness and now a national figure with legislative  clout, said the measure would help children, families, the elderly and  working people — and more.
> 
> “It will also, I hope, restore  the faith of the American people in the belief that we can have a  government that works for all of us, and not just the few," he said.


Attachment 74109

----------


## RPETER65

> Illegal immigrants don't vote, no matter what you, baldy orange cunto and the rest of the trumpanzee simians say.



Until they receive their citizenship papers

----------


## pickel

> Sorry Harry but that was not the Republican Party that was a few crazy folk


More than half of Republicans believe the big lie.

----------


## RPETER65

> More than half of Republicans believe the big lie.



Not me. But anyway just because half of Republicans believe the big lie doesnt mean their all crazy and ready to try overthrowing the government.

----------


## aging one

> But anyway just because half of Republicans believe the big lie doesn’t mean their all crazy and ready to try overthrowing the government.


Bullshit and its scary as hell. They already tried an insurrection led by your hero.

----------


## cyrille

> Not me. But anyway just because half of Republicans believe the big lie doesn’t mean their all crazy and ready to try overthrowing the government.


Just half of them, at the instigation of the President.

Nothing out of the ordinary to worry about then, eh?

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## RPETER65

> Bullshit and its scary as hell. They already tried an insurrection led by your hero.



You seem to be confusing a few crazy people with the Republican Party.

----------


## RPETER65

> Just half of them, at the instigation of the President.
> 
> Nothing out of the ordinary to worry about then, eh?


I am thinking you would have to add a few zeros to the and of the number of the crazy people at the capital building to equal half the Republican Party

----------


## pickel

> You seem to be confusing a few crazy people with the Republican Party.


If it's "just a few" of them, why are they pandered to so much by the party? Even Trump calls them his "base". You're delusional.

----------


## aging one

From the Guardian in mid May


A majority of Republicans still believe Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election and blame his loss to Joe Biden on baseless claims of illegal voting, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.
The 17-19 May national poll found that 53% of Republicans believe Trump, their party’s nominee, is the “true president” now

Why do you think the orange asshole keeps the whole charade up?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Boehner didn't have any bills that would totally secure the border  so not sure what you're talking about.


How secure do you want it, given that most illegal immigrants arrive by air and overstay?

----------


## Samuel

> How secure do you want it, given that most illegal immigrants arrive by air and overstay?


Do you really think that the Washington Post would be writing an editorial stating "a policy whose incoherence has yielded pressure at the border that may cost the Democrats control of one or both houses of Congress in next years midterm elections." if the record level of illegals crashing the border wasn't a big deal and actually those flying into America and overstaying their visas is the more significant issue? 

Maybe you should send the Washington Post an email to enlighten them. 


;-)




> How secure do you want it, given that most illegal immigrants arrive by air and overstay?


Anyways, I doubt that you have any data to back up your statement.  Sure, maybe 20-30% of illegals living in America arrived by air, though they are much less of a concern than those who crossed the border because the overstayers were screened at least once.





> Number of migrants at US border hits new record high - BBC News
> 
> *Number of migrants at US border hits new record high
> 
> 
> The number of undocumented migrants reaching the US-Mexico border has hit the highest level in more than 20 years in the latest sign of the humanitarian crisis facing the Biden administration.*
> 
> 
> *
> ...

----------


## beachbound

> Anyways, I doubt that you have any data to back up your statement.  Sure, maybe 20-30% of illegals living in America arrived by air, though they are much less of a concern than those who crossed the border because the overstayers were screened at least once.


Do you have any data to back up _your_ statement?

----------


## bsnub

> Do you have any data to back up your statement?


It is FaRT. He has a new nick. He will constantly bend the goal post and twist your words. The man is cancer.

----------


## beachbound

^



What’s with the new nick?

Samuel? 

Is that some lame attempt to sound cerebral?   :Smile:

----------


## beachbound

> Anyways, I doubt that you have any data to back up your statement. Sure, maybe 20-30% of illegals living in America arrived by air.


*During fiscal 2017, the Department of Homeland Security found that the number of immigrants that overstayed their visas was more than double those apprehended at the border during the same time frame.*

Where Does Illegal Immigration Mostly Occur? Here's What The Data Tell Us : NPR

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Do you really think that the Washington Post would be writing an editorial stating "a policy whose incoherence has yielded pressure at the border that may cost the Democrats control of one or both houses of Congress in next year’s midterm elections." if the record level of illegals crashing the border wasn't a big deal and actually those flying into America and overstaying their visas is the more significant issue?


They're writing it because they know Republicans will be dog whistling more shit about "caravans" and "border walls" to raise the ire of their base, the racist trumpanzee arseholes and jesus wheezers, to get them out to vote.

It is not long ago that Republicans had the house, senate and presidency and never once pushed an immigration bill.

That should tell even the most retarded that they are not interested in resolving it when they know they can keep using it as a political tool.

----------


## beachbound

^
Well said

----------


## RPETER65

T
his will certainly help everyone struggling financially 


Harvard economist breaks the bad news to CNN: Biden&#39;s inflation has wiped out wage gains from COVID relief bills - TheBlaze

----------


## aging one

The Blaze, now there is a non biased neutral source...   Damn Peters you are well gone....

----------


## beachbound

^

 :Smile: 

He almost had me with “Harvard economist”,  until the source was revealed.

----------


## bsnub

Anyone that would try to blame this inflation on Biden is a full stop idiot. The causes of the inflation are pretty clear for any reasonably intelligent individual.

----------


## David48atTD

> The causes of the inflation are pretty clear for any reasonably intelligent individual.


What would those causes be?

----------


## Samuel

> During fiscal 2017, the Department of Homeland Security found that the number of immigrants that overstayed their visas was more than double those apprehended at the border during the same time frame.
> 
> Where Does Illegal Immigration Mostly Occur? Here's What The Data Tell Us : NPR


From the chart in your article, there were 500K overstays in the most recent year analyzed.

Meanwhile, this year there have been more than 1 million illegals caught trying to cross the border since October.

Of course, if you include those who could cross without getting caught, then the number is much higher.




> *More than 1 million migrants arrested at the US-Mexico border since October*
> *
> More than 1 million migrants arrested at the US-Mexico border since October - CNNPolitics
> *



From Politifact:





> Our ruling
> 
> Ramos said that about 40 percent of undocumented immigrants fly into the country and overstay their visas. While there is some evidence that overstays represent about 40 percent of the unauthorized population, and perhaps more, the best estimates of those flying in -- which are admittedly a bit shaky -- could be as low as one-quarter or somewhat more than one-third. The statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details, so we rate it Half True.
> 
> PolitiFact | Ramos: 40% of undocumented immigrants come by air

----------


## bsnub

> What would those causes be?


Do you have no ideas of your own? If not, then perhaps you're one of the idiots who think it is Biden's fault.

----------


## Samuel

> It is not long ago that Republicans had the house, senate, and presidency and never once pushed an immigration bill.


Well, they worked on getting the wall built while Democrats fought tooth and nail to stop the construction.

As already mentioned, Reagan was the last one to legalize illegal immigrants with the plan that the border is secured  so they don't have to do it all over again.

1.  Secure the border.
2.  Negotiate on how to legalize the 10-15 million illegals living in America.

----------


## David48atTD

> The causes of the inflation are pretty clear for any reasonably intelligent individual.





> What would those causes be?





> Do you have no ideas of your own? If not, then perhaps you're one of the idiots who think it is Biden's fault.



*bsnub*, I was asking what YOU thought the 'causes of the inflation' where.

Because, essentially you are saying is that anyone who doesn't agree with you "_is a full stop idiot"._

----------


## Little Chuchok

^ That's because he doesn't know.  :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Well, they worked on getting the wall built while Democrats fought tooth and nail to stop the construction.


Because it wasn't the fucking problem.

You need all these border crossers to pick your fruit and veg and wipe your arse for you.

Something else covered in the Obama Immigration Reform bill that Republicans blocked.

----------


## Samuel

> What would those causes be?


The Biden admin would say inflation is temporary due to supply chains being disrupted due to demand declining during the lockdown and then suddenly increasing after things opened up. 


Critics say that the trillions the Biden Admin is planning to spend this year in excess of the regular budget will cause even more inflation unless the fiscal stimulus "leads to increased production, as opposed to only consumption."






> There is good reason to expect inflation in the short to medium term, but the longer term picture is more mixed. The seeds of higher long-term inflation are surely present, but the chances of their germinating will depend to a large extent on to what extent the extra fiscal stimulus from the US and elsewhere leads to increased production, as opposed to only consumption.If there is higher business investment and labour participation, government budget deficits will narrow faster as the private sector gets back into gear and pays more in taxes. This will also help the Fed to find a smoother path through the minefield of the exit from QE, since the increased bank lending will be more likely to be unlocking sustainable economic growth. If so, it is still possible that the central banks claims that inflation will only be transitory could still be proven right.
> 
> 
> more: https://theconversation.com/inflatio...that-161461the

----------


## S Landreth

> I said anyone that would blame this inflation on Biden is an idiot.


Where’s hoehoe  :Smile: 

edit...........




> What would those causes be?


Question for Fvck off David. Did you move any money you have in the market out during the past 8 months because you read that the market would tank if Biden was elected?  :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> Where’s hoehoe


Looks like we have FaRT to post his nonsense instead.

----------


## bsnub

*Donald Trump Built a National Debt So Big (Even Before the Pandemic) That It’ll Weigh Down the Economy for Years*






> Critics say that the trillions the Biden Admin is  planning to spend this year in excess of the regular budget will cause  even more inflation unless the fiscal stimulus "leads to increased  production, as opposed to only consumption.


More of your utter nonsense. The truth...

One of President Donald  Trump’s lesser known but profoundly damaging legacies will be the  explosive rise in the national debt that occurred on his watch. The  financial burden that he’s inflicted on our government will wreak havoc  for decades, saddling our kids and grandkids with debt.

                  The national debt has  risen by almost $7.8 trillion during Trump’s time in office. That’s  nearly twice as much as what Americans owe on student loans, car loans,  credit cards and every other type of debt other than mortgages,  combined, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It amounts to about $23,500 in new federal debt for every person in the country.

                                                              The growth in the annual  deficit under Trump ranks as the third-biggest increase, relative to the  size of the economy, of any U.S. presidential administration, according  to a calculation by a leading Washington budget maven, Eugene Steuerle,  co-founder of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. And unlike George  W. Bush and Abraham Lincoln, who oversaw the larger relative increases  in deficits, Trump did not launch two foreign conflicts or have to pay  for a civil war.

Read the rest here...

Donald Trump Built a National Debt So Big (Even Before the Pandemic) That It’ll Weigh Down the Economy for Years — ProPublica

----------


## David48atTD

> Question for Fvck off David.


What do you mean by that comment?

----------


## bsnub

> What do you mean by that comment?


Stop dodging questions, you numptie.

----------


## David48atTD

> Stop dodging questions, you numptie.


Well snubbie, I asked you a question and you didn't reply.

I asked another member a question and you reply on their behalf.


BTW, I was asking what YOU thought the 'causes of the inflation' ... but you can't be arsed to reply.

OH, thanks for the red

----------


## Samuel

> One of President Donald Trump’s lesser known but profoundly damaging legacies will be the explosive rise in the national debt that occurred on his watch.


Bsnub, 

We're talking in the context of inflation — and the effect Biden's extra trillions of spending will have on it. 


Sorry to tell you that Trump's spending did not cause inflation as the economy was booming, AND it definitely is not a possible cause of inflation this year. 


So, not sure what you're on about. 

 :Wiggle:

----------


## bsnub

> Sorry to tell you that Trump's spending did not cause inflation as the economy was booming, AND it definitely is not a possible cause of inflation this year.


You as usual are a buffoon who has no idea what he is talking about.

----------


## Samuel

> You as usual are a buffoon who has no idea what he is talking about.


So, Trump's spending in previous years will cause inflation this year — though Biden's spending won't?

 :Smile:

----------


## Samuel

> You are incredibly stupid. I am not about to teach you basic economics. The hint is that yes, the economy will show the effects of your orange moron before policies that Biden has not even implemented, you utter dumbass.


Go on then, Bsnub. 


Do you have one source that will back you up saying inflation this year is caused by Trump's spending in previous years? 

Is that what your answer for David is (you kept to yourself):  Trump caused the inflation? 




> bsnub, I was asking what YOU thought the 'causes of the inflation' where.



I've already stated the current inflation was caused by supply chain disruptions  and the worry is that Biden spending trillions above the budget will make the situation worse. 






> The Biden admin would say inflation is temporary due to supply chains being disrupted due to demand declining during the lockdown and then suddenly increasing after things opened up.
> 
> 
> Critics say that the trillions the Biden Admin is planning to spend this year in excess of the regular budget will cause even more inflation unless the fiscal stimulus "leads to increased production, as opposed to only consumption."

----------


## Little Chuchok

> You as usual are a buffoon who has no idea what he is talking about.


Well you still haven't answered the question, but you are making out that you know the causes of inflation etc.

Well lets hear it. Answer the question, son. You seem to know everything.

Personally, I do not know too much about the exact 'causes etc...just a few ideas. I certainly wouldn't be running my mouth off about it though.

And I wouldn't be pointing to some politically motivated web site to make my point.

I don't believe for a second that it is Bidens fault either.

----------


## helge

Heated economy and/or excesive printing of ....dollar notes.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Heated economy and/or excessive printing of ...dollar notes.



If all countries printed notes at the same time/percentage, then it shouldn't effect exchange rates too much, but what it does to local economies? i don't know?

Housing going up with a bang?

Cost of goods from overseas suppliers increasing remarkably.

Overseas Shipping and airfreight  costs going up almost exponentially. Worst hit is the USA and Europe.

Here in NZ, everything is going up. All Items. Houses are going completely stupid. So much so, that this government have been trying to cool the market...and failed.

----------


## beachbound

> Do you have one source that will back you up saying inflation this year is caused by Trump's spending in previous years?


Shut
The fuck
Up





*While some economists say the stimulus packages passed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic are having an impact on inflation, it's misleading to suggest that's the only explanation for the recent rise in inflation. Blaming it exclusively on Democratic spending proposals misrepresents what's actually been passed, and ignores the trillions of dollars in spending passed last year supported by Republicans and signed by then-President Donald Trump which economists say have also contributed to inflation.

Last year, Congress passed two bills totaling around $3 trillion in Covid relief spending -- the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act passed in March 2020, and the $900 billion pandemic relief bill passed in December 2020. Both were signed by Trump and supported by Republicans.* 

Fact-checking Republican attempts to blame inflation on Democrats - CNNPolitics

----------


## bsnub

The cause of the current inflation is not due to governmental spending. It is due firstly to the fact that lots of consumers are flush with cash after saving money the last year and a half. Secondly, there are supply chain issues,  new car production is interrupted due to the chip shortage and car lots have been running out of new inventory, goods can not currently be imported into the country fast enough due to a container shortage etc. So consumers with plenty of cash in hand and not enough products for them to buy. It is simple supply and demand.

----------


## S Landreth

> The cause of the current inflation is not due to governmental spending. .........It is simple supply and demand.


We make a 5-year plan. Last year I was unable to travel so I spent more time on the property working,………..completing most all work the guys wanted me to do for 2022. Couple weeks before I left (July) the manager got with me and told me he couldn’t get the full tractor trailer load of material he needed to finish the work I started and that the little amount he could get was priced too high.

I told him to wait to complete the work when the prices came down.

Electrician was giving us a price to rewire (with new switches and sockets also) a three-bedroom house on the property in June. He told us the price was only good for three days because the supplier would only hold the material for that long. The material/parts were leaving the shelves faster than the supplier could stock them.

----------


## bsnub

^

My Aunt unfortunately decided to remodel her house in the middle of all of this. Contractors are fully booked up for weeks in advance, construction materials are in short supply everywhere, appliances are all back-ordered for several weeks now. Her house is in disarray, and she currently is down to one functional bathroom as the plumber is waiting for materials. 

So ya, that is a perfect example of why there is currently rising inflation.

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> Do you have one source that will back you up saying inflation this year is caused by Trump's spending in previous years?
> 
> 
> Shut
> The fuck
> Up
> ...


So, beachbound:  Unlike everyone else on this thread and most economists  you think the current inflation was caused government spending and not supply chain disruptions. 

hmm. 

 :Wiggle:  




> The cause of the current inflation is not due to governmental spending.

----------


## Hugh Cow

> The cause of the current inflation is not due to governmental spending. It is due firstly to the fact that lots of consumers are flush with cash after saving money the last year and a half. Secondly, there are supply chain issues,  new car production is interrupted due to the chip shortage and car lots have been running out of new inventory, goods can not currently be imported into the country fast enough due to a container shortage etc. So consumers with plenty of cash in hand and not enough products for them to buy. It is simple supply and demand.


Coupled with FCLs have gone from about $2.5K US towards 20K US in some cases. That transport cost effects the retail price and inflate prices. Petrol/Gasoline in Australia has reached $1.75 per litre.

China-U.S. container shipping rates sail past $20,000 to a record

----------


## Little Chuchok

> I told him to wait to complete the work when the prices came down.


They won't come down any time soon.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> There is an Australian off road company (ARB) that has its US HQ here in Seattle, and they are having trouble even getting FCLs at the moment. I heard they usually do 4 per month but are only able to get 1 per month at the moment and I heard that $20k number as well. The bottom line is they will be raising prices. Needless to say that ARB USA is out of just about all parts.


This has been going on for almost a year now. It's old, old news.

World freight volumes are up, but not as much as you would expect. It's the price of goods at origin. And i'm talking about all the shite that people buy that is not made in the USA or parts they need to make their stuff. Plus your ports are an absolute shambles. Certainly the worst in the Western world.

Freight rates have gone up from $2000 a 40' container to more than 20K. (Trans Atlantic)

Suppliers are putting up prices between 10-25% on average. Factor in that and then work out inflation...

----------


## Klondyke

> World freight volumes are up, but not as much as you would expect. It's the price of goods at origin. 
> Suppliers are putting up prices between 10-25% on average. Factor in that and then work out inflation...


I do not think, since the buyers cry a river at the supplier because of their freight cost and delays, threatening them to shop next door. 
The suppliers do need to increase their price, at least not in Thailand where they get 10% more Baht for the $, £, €.

----------


## beachbound

> I do not think..


That’s been abundant clear for quite some time.

----------


## Klondyke

^ You surely can do better to make it a bit humorous for us... (Or did you mean it as a joke? Oh yes, now I got it, very funny, gerade luschtig as your friend would find it...)

----------


## beachbound

^
See, you _can_ think. Unfortunately, you usually choose not to.

----------


## RPETER65

Federal judge hands Biden &#39;major loss,&#39; orders Biden to revive Trump-era immigration policy - TheBlaze

----------


## beachbound

^
Hey REGURGITATER, do you honestly think anyone bothers opening links that you post from sources like The Blaze?

----------


## bsnub

> do you honestly think anyone bothers opening links that you post from sources like The Blaze?


I would never read anything from a propaganda outlet run by a moron like Glenn Beck. Anyone who does is most likely a brainwashed old fool.

----------


## Norton

Old Joe is doing just fine btw.  :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

> ^
> Hey REGURGITATER, do you honestly think anyone bothers opening links that you post from sources like The Blaze?



Do you really think I care as I am sure the information is found on sites that you would read.

----------


## RPETER65

> Old Joe is doing just fine btw.



Are you sure,I see judges are beginning to overturn some of his executive orders. The latest I see is directing Biden to reinstate the remain in Mexico order of the  previous administration.

----------


## Norton

> Are you sure


Yep. Nothing he has done affects me in a negative way. Only in a positive way.

I really don't give a shit about his immigration policies or his decision to pull out of Afghanistan.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden’s energy idiocy: Kneecap US oil but beg OPEC to pump more

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden’s energy idiocy: Kneecap US oil but beg OPEC to pump more


Not content with the Blaze shite, now he's trying to push more Murdoch bollocks.

Fox News next?

----------


## havnfun

Top Five wins of Bidens Presidency for the doubtfull.

1 - Border control
2 - Inflation
3 - Afghanistan
4 - Energy Security
5 - Remembering where the door to the WhiteHouse is.

----------


## beachbound

> the WhiteHouse.


Imbecile

----------


## RPETER65

> Imbecile



You just cant handle the truth can you.

----------


## RPETER65

> Not content with the Blaze shite, now he's trying to push more Murdoch bollocks.
> 
> Fox News next?



The real question is can you refute any part of the article?

----------


## AntRobertson

> You just can’t handle the truth can you.


Trump supporters talking about the 'truth' will never not be funny.

----------


## beachbound

> You just can’t handle the truth can you.


What I can’t handle is, idiots who have no idea how to spell _White House_ correctly.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The real question is can you refute any part of the article?


Yes. It seems to think that blocking Keystone XL has led to higher US gas prices.

If you believe that shit I have a bridge I can sell you, you moronic coffin dodger.

----------


## David48atTD

> Bidens energy idiocy: Kneecap US oil but beg OPEC to pump more


Piss off with your crap ...

From your article ...




> On his very first day in office, Biden killed the Keystone XL pipeline,  which would have brought 830,000 barrels of Canadian oil a day down  south  and thousands of good-paying jobs with it. In March, he put a moratorium on oil leasing on federal land, which a judge later found to be illegal. Later, he canceled Trump-era oil leases in Alaska.


And it's just crap what the article has written. 
"_An expansion of the companys existing Keystone Pipeline System, which has been operating since 2010_"

The expansion would ... 


> to be precise, it would transport 830,000 barrels of Alberta tar sands oil per day to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas.Some  3 million miles of oil and gas pipelines already run through our  country. But Keystone XL wouldnt be your average pipeline, and tar sand  oil isnt your average crude.
> 
> *Keystone XL and Tar Sands*
> 
> 
> The boreal forest
> 
> Beneath the wilds of northern Albertas  boreal forest is a sludgy, sticky deposit called tar sands. These sands  contain bitumen, a gooey type of petroleum that can be converted into  fuel. Its no small feat extracting oil from tar sands, and doing so  comes with steep environmental and economic costs.


* 
RPETER65*, get it right and be factual.

----------


## Klondyke

> What I can’t handle is, idiots who have no idea how to spell _White House_ correctly.


How wonderful it's no problem for you... (thanks for letting us know)

----------


## harrybarracuda

> *RPETER65*, get it right and be factual.


Unlikely to happen. He's too dumb to realise that there is plenty of existing pipeline to pump Canadian oil.

He's got dementia, he just doesn't know it.

----------


## Klondyke

> He's got dementia, he just doesn't know it.


Here we go... I thought that it is not allowed to say that, is it?

----------


## RPETER65

> What I can’t handle is, idiots who have no idea how to spell _White House_ correctly.



Why does something so trivial bother you. In regards to the comment on the red you gave me just pointing out the amazing accomplishments of your hero President Biden.

----------


## RPETER65

> Unlikely to happen. He's too dumb to realise that there is plenty of existing pipeline to pump Canadian oil.
> 
> He's got dementia, he just doesn't know it.



If in fact there is plenty of pipeline then why were they spending large amounts of money to build a new one ?

----------


## Klondyke

> If in fact there is plenty of pipeline then why were they spending large amounts of money to build a new one ?


Or just buy it from our friend Vlad?

----------


## RPETER65

Joe Biden’s ‘six verifiable lies’ in ‘disastrous’ interview | Sky News Australia

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Joe Biden’s ‘six verifiable lies’ in ‘disastrous’ interview | Sky News Australia


If you are going to quote Murdoch's rabid home team, please be sure to mark this rubbish as it is labelled:

*Opinion*

And a shit one at that.

----------


## helge

> If you are going to quote Murdoch's rabid home team, please be sure to mark this rubbish as it is labelled:
> 
> Opinion
> 
> And a shit one at that.


So..you mean, that Biden never said this ?

I'll excuse him cause of his age

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So..you mean, that Biden never said this ?
> 
> I'll excuse him cause of his age


Do you know what the word "opinion" means?

----------


## malmomike77

> I'll excuse him cause of his age


He is certainly living up to what we expect of America, signs are not good.

----------


## helge

> Do you now what the word "opinion" means?


I think so



> So..you mean, that Biden never said this ?


?

----------


## RPETER65

> If you are going to quote Murdoch's rabid home team, please be sure to mark this rubbish as it is labelled:
> 
> *Opinion
> *
> 
> 
> And a shit one at that.



I will leave that for you to figure out the point is it is all true.

Of course it is shit to you as it points to the fallacies of your hero.

----------


## RPETER65

> Do you now what the word "opinion" means?



I don’t now what the word opinion means but I do know what the word opinion means. I also know those who live in a glass house should not throw stones.

----------


## helge

> those who live in a glass house should not throw stones.


It's worse  :Smile: 

Harry lives in a house of mirrors.

That's why he appears so confused

----------


## RPETER65

Most voters deem Biden unable to do job, mentally unfit to be president: poll

----------


## Samuel

Anyways, it's always a tough election in the first midterm after winning the presidency. 

This time looks even tougher.

The cook political report is quite sound:




> Early indicators suggest Democrats'&#39;' House majority is in jeopardy
> *Early indicators suggest Democrats' House majority is in jeopardy*
> 
> 
> WASHINGTON  Democrats with proven track records of winning tough districts aren't running for re-election. Republicans are enjoying early fundraising windfalls. And, as Donald Trump and Barack Obama both learned the hard way, midterm elections almost always break against the president's party.
> 
> 
> The early indicators that showed Democrats poised to make big gains in Congress four years ago now point the other direction, suggesting that the narrow 220-212 Democratic House majority is in serious danger.
> 
> ...

----------


## havnfun

"America Is Back"------------- Yeah back to 1975

----------


## Samuel

Biden's honeymoon is over, and he's overplayed his hand, trying to please the radical left with policies/spending that are unpopular with independents. 


The only question now is how big the Republicans' win will be in the midterms. 


From the Washington Post: 





> *Opinion: Bidens approval rating is slipping fast. Democrats should be nervous.*
> 
> 
> Something similar is probably what was behind Bidens pre-Afghanistan decline. As the pandemic faded into the background with the rise in vaccinations, many American voters started to think about other things. They saw high inflation and an administration focused more on pushing an unprecedented expansion of federal government power than on economic recovery. The gross incompetence on display now will only add to the sense that the administration is out of touch and out of control.
> 
> 
> Bidens weakness is most apparent among independent voters. More of this crucial bloc disapproved of Bidens performance than approved of it in the most recent Economist/YouGov and Politico-Morning Consult polls, and he had only a 44 percent approval rating with independents in the pre-Monday Reuters-Ipsos poll. While Democrats remain staunchly in support, that simply isnt enough to preserve the partys congressional majority given that the Democratic base support is concentrated in a small number of urban areas. It simply doesnt matter how many votes the party gets in New York or the Silicon Valley; if it loses among independents, it will lose seats in more marginal suburban and rural seats nationwide.
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## havnfun

You can't tell the people, they have to see for themselves.

----------


## RPETER65

> You can't tell the people, they have to see for themselves.


This pretty much wraps up Joe Bidens presidency.

President Joe Biden leaves vacation to address Afghanistan

----------


## Klondyke

But isn't it good that in WH at last is an adult?

----------


## havnfun

An adult that wakes up to change his depends.

----------


## havnfun

The guy looks like a deer in the headlights any time the media ask him a pointed question.--------If they ever get to ask one.

----------


## Klondyke

*‘Does the president know? – It’s an emotional time!’: Blinken ridiculed for DODGING question on Joe Biden’s awareness*
22 Aug, 2021 



US Secretary of State Tony Blinken was hammered online after he repeatedly dodged a question on just how aware President Joe Biden is of the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. Biden’s other officials are equally evasive.

According to Biden’s public statements, the US withdrawal and evacuation from Afghanistan is going about as well as can be expected. The president has claimed that Al-Qaeda – the terrorist group the US set out to destroy 20 years ago – is no threat in Afghanistan, and the US’ allies have praised Washington’s withdrawal.

Those statements aren’t true. UN reports claim Al-Qaeda is present in nearly half of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, and America’s allies have condemned the US’ chaotic pullout. Armin Laschet, the German politician likely to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the withdrawal as “the biggest debacle that NATO has seen since its foundation.”

Given the disconnect between Biden’s statements and reality, Fox News host Chris Wallace asked Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Sunday “does the president not know what’s going on?”

Blinken dodged the question, saying “this is an incredibly emotional time for many of us.”

He did not return to the question, instead launching into apparently prepared talking points about the US’ relationship with its allies. When pressed again by Wallace, Blinken gave the same answer about the “powerfully emotional time” the Biden administration and its foreign friends are experiencing.

His evasiveness was noted by viewers, with one commenter suggesting that Blinken “take a break from TV appearances until the administration can get its story straight.”

Read more:
‘Does the president know? – It’s an emotional time!’: Blinken ridiculed for DODGING question on Joe Biden’s awareness — RT USA News

----------


## harrybarracuda

> An adult that wakes up to change his depends.


You leave repeater alone now.

----------


## bsnub

*GOP congressman places blame on Trump admin for crisis in Afghanistan: 'They set this up to fail'*

GOP congressman places blame on Trump admin for crisis in Afghanistan: 'They set this up to fail' - CNNPolitics

----------


## harrybarracuda

> *GOP congressman places blame on Trump admin for crisis in Afghanistan: 'They set this up to fail'*
> 
> GOP congressman places blame on Trump admin for crisis in Afghanistan: 'They set this up to fail' - CNNPolitics


I doubt they were that clever, they were probably winging it like they did on everything else.

----------


## bsnub

> I doubt they were that clever, they were probably winging it like they did on everything else.


I agree, but the key point is this withdrawal agreement was negotiated by the Drumpf administration.

----------


## Samuel

> I agree, but the key point is this withdrawal agreement was negotiated by the Drumpf administration.


Biden could have ripped it up — as he did with Trump's actions to secure the border.

Silly to blame Trump (and not Biden, too), in my opinion.


Though, as mentioned — I disagree with both Trump/Biden pulling out of Afghanistan.

----------


## bsnub

> Silly to blame Trump (


No it's not. If it was not for your orange god laying the framework, none of this would have ever happened in the first place. That said, I am glad we are out.

----------


## Klondyke

Luckily, the US people have their POTUSes to blame on whatever goes wrong (it's always the case). But that does not hinder them in the next two years to adore another (sometime new, sometimes old) one who will do it much better (sometimes in an opposite way) than the damned one. 

Important that it does not give them a time get bothered by thinking where (and to whom) their money go and whether some of their fellow citizens will again lay their life (if they do not want to end up on the street of L.A.) for that new ideas, beside the lives of other fellows they do care too much about...

----------


## beachbound

^
painful

----------


## aging one

> Luckily, the US people have their POTUSes to blame on whatever goes wrong (it's always the case). But that does not hinder them in the next two years to adore another (sometime new, sometimes old) one who will do it much better (sometimes in an opposite way) than the damned one.
> 
> Important that it does not give them a time get bothered by thinking where (and to whom) their money go and whether some of their fellow citizens will again lay their life (if they do not want to end up on the street of L.A.) for that new ideas, beside the lives of other fellows they do care too much about...


How the f&^k would you know?  Give us a break from this crap please.  Its painful to even try to read.

----------


## Klondyke

> How the f&^k would you know?


How the f&^k would I know? Know what? Who is blamed?  Isn't Trump blamed? And also GWB and Obama? 

And Biden is not blamed? By his people at home. And by his allies abroad. Is it not true? You want to get a break?

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> Biden could have ripped it up  as he did with Trump's actions to secure the border.
> 
> Silly to blame Trump (and not Biden, too), in my opinion.
> 
> 
> Though, as mentioned  I disagree with both Trump/Biden pulling out of Afghanistan.
> ...


What exactly are you blaming Trump for?

----------


## havnfun

Watched his press meetings? Listened to his answers? The guy is gone. And that is when they let him talk. "I've been instructed" "I'll get in trouble" "I shouldn't say".

What Is Dementia? Symptoms, Types, and Diagnosis | National Institute on Aging

----------


## beachbound

> What exactly are you blaming Trump for?


For starters, arranging a “peace treaty” that doesn’t include the most affected party.

----------


## Cujo

> For starters, arranging a “peace treaty” that doesn’t include the most affected party.


They're calling it a surrender agreement.

----------


## Klondyke

> Any doubts Biden has Dementia?


The WH physician should know...

----------


## S Landreth

Biden forces out former Trump officials from military academy advisory boards

The Biden administration has asked 18 members of military service advisory boards, including 11 officials appointed by former President Trump, to resign or be fired, the White House confirmed Wednesday.

Why it matters: The officials include prominent former Trump advisors  like former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway and former press secretary Sean Spicer who were appointed to Air Force Academy and Naval Academy boards respectively  just before the former president left office.

Other officials include former national security adviser H.R. McMaster on the West Point board, former Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought on the Naval Academy's board and former White House liaison to the Justice Department ​​Heidi Stirrup.

What she's saying: "The president's objective ... was to ensure you have nominees and people serving on these boards who are qualified to serve on them and who are aligned with our core values," press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing Wednesday.

"I will let others evaluate whether they think Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer and others were qualified, or not political, to serve on these boards."

Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer  ::doglol:: 


Biden has canceled over $9 billion in student loan debt

The Department of Education has canceled more than $9 billion in student loan debt since President Biden has come into office with moves that will affect more than 563,000 borrowers.

The agency confirmed the new top-line figure upon its recent announcement detailing its cancellation of $1.1 billion in debt for 115,000 borrowers that attended ITT Technical Institute, which is now defunct. 

The department said borrowers receiving relief attended ITT during a period in which the institution misrepresented its finances and misled students about unaffordable private loans that were allegedly portrayed as grant aid.

ITT's malfeasance drove its financial resources away from educating students in order to keep the school in business for years longer than it likely would otherwise have, resulting in debts that are being discharged starting today, the agency said. 

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said ITT, which closed permanently in 2016, "hid its true financial state from borrowers" for years "while luring many of them into taking out private loans with misleading and unaffordable terms that may have caused borrowers to leave school."

----------


## baldrick

> Luckily, the US people have their POTUSes to blame on whatever goes wrong (it's always the case)


yes , luckily - if they were not able to criticise the president because they risked imprisonment or death , then they would have to blame other countries and shadowy international groups for the fcukwittery

----------


## harrybarracuda

> For starters, arranging a “peace treaty” that doesn’t include the most affected party.


It's almost like they knew the thieving, useless fuckers would be on their toes at the first sign of trouble.

 ::chitown::

----------


## RPETER65

Oh happy days Biden has finally achieved a 39% approval rating all you libs must be extremely excited.

----------


## S Landreth

in other news………

White House says Taliban 'cooperative' in facilitating departure of Americans

The White House confirmed Thursday that a charter flight from Afghanistan carrying U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents landed safely in Qatar and that the Taliban was “cooperative” in facilitating their departure.

“The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents on charter flights from HKIA,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement, referring to Kabul’s international airport. “They have shown flexibility, and they have been businesslike and professional in our dealings with them in this effort. This is a positive first step.”

----------


## malmomike77

> The Taliban have been cooperative in facilitating the departure of American citizens and lawful permanent residents


Well its a win win for the Tallis - hey get rid of more dissenters and the US has the problem - #sleepers  :rofl:

----------


## bsnub

> Well its a win win for the Tallis - hey get rid of more dissenters and the US has the problem


So what is this your fifth nick now? Still the same MO from you. Drunk shit posting. What a twat.

----------


## RPETER65

> So what is this your fifth nick now? Still the same MO from you. Drunk shit posting. What a twat.



Your the one who has on more than one occasion admitted to drunk posting doesn’t that make you a hypocrite. Any way I assume from your comment on the last red you sent my way you haven’t seen the latest polls on Biden’s approval.


Biden's approval tanks even further to 39% with just 77% of Democrats approving his performance | Daily Mail Online

----------


## bsnub

One poll that is skewing 5-10 points lower than all the other polls and quoted by a right wing rag in the daily mail. So as usual you are posting deceptive trash you old fool. The truth...

How Popular Is Joe Biden? | FiveThirtyEight

----------


## AntRobertson

> Your


*You're




> ...a hypocrite. Any way I assume from your comment on the last red you sent my way you haven’t seen the latest polls on Biden’s approval.


Oh so now you care about polls!

Hypocrite.

----------


## Little Chuchok

This may be more accurate

Biden approval polling tracker

----------


## harrybarracuda

History will record that once again a Democrat cleaned up the enormous mess created by a Republican.

It's a repetitive cycle.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> History will record that once again a Democrat cleaned up the enormous mess created by a Republican.
> 
> It's a repetitive cycle.


Fuck me, You are not that stupid that you believe that your side have all the answers ?

I can't understand that a bloke like you believes that Democrats are the bomb and anybody that opposes them are fuckwits. Jesus Wept.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I can't understand that a bloke like you believes that Democrats are the bomb and anybody that opposes them are fuckwits. Jesus Wept.


The Dems are shit and at best usually their own worst enemies.

However it is an objective fact that the ecoonmy in particular does better under a Dem president than a GOP one.

It's demonstrated throughout history the GOP one comes increases the deficit (usually by cutting taxes on Co's / the wealthy) and / or leads the US into recession, the Dem on comes in and leads the recover. Rinse and repeat.

Don't believe me just ask this guy...




> _“I’ve been around for a long time and it just seems that the economy does better under the Democrats than the Republicans.”
> 
> 
> _-- D J Trump.


 :Very Happy:

----------


## Little Chuchok

^^ Yep. but i hate both.  :Very Happy:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It's demonstrated throughout history the GOP one comes increases the deficit (usually by cutting taxes on Co's / the wealthy) and / or leads the US into recession, the Dem on comes in and leads the recover. Rinse and repeat.


And let's not forget this whole fucking Afghanistan mess was created by GHWB's idiot child and his pack of money-hungry crooks.

----------


## bsnub

Not sure where to put this but here it goes...

"An Authoritarian." 

"Rotting bag of oatmeal ... tyrant." 

"Very frail and very weak."

Those are only a handful of the vile attacks directed at President Biden on Fox News Thursday night following his address to the nation  announcing sweeping new vaccine mandates. Biden's move has prompted an  all-out declaration of war in right-wing media. While he is getting a  fair amount of praise from mainstream sources, with some analysts even  saying he still did not go far enough, the reality is entirely different  in the media consumed by the individuals Biden _actually_ needs (and has tried) to persuade. 

It  is difficult to overstate the degree to which right-wing commentators  are slinging venom at Biden, the White House, and public health  officials following the speech. I pay close attention to these corners  of the media ecosystem and it is as bad as I have ever seen it.

"BIDEN  IS AN AUTHORITARIAN," a banner on Fox declared. "BIDEN DECLARES WAR ON  MILLIONS OF AMERICANS," yet another Fox banner read. "FULL  TOTALITARIAN," Breitbart's homepage splash screamed. The far-right, but  mass consumed, Gateway Pundit ripped the "Biden regime" for its  "tyrannical mandates." The Federalist described it as a "fascist move."  On and on it went...

*This can't be ignored*

I  know there is a temptation to just ignore these talkers. To tune them  out. To pretend they don't exist. But their language -- which  essentially characterizes Biden and public health officials as evil  tyrants  is key to understanding why so many Americans are not  protecting themselves with a vaccine. 

Huge  communities of Americans are being lied to and misinformed by bad-faith  media personalities and politicians who seek profit and power. And when  you understand the nastiness of the rhetoric being spewed to these  communities, you also understand that nothing Biden or Dr. Anthony Fauci  or any public health official can say will win them over. Nothing. 

Which  I imagine is the conclusion Biden and his administration have drawn. As  Biden said in his speech, "We've been patient, but our patience is  wearing thin, and your refusal [to get vaccinated] has cost all of us."  Steve Schmidt put it this way  on MSNBC: "We live in an age of misinformation and an age of insanity   and enough is enough is enough. Reality is reality and it is time to  end the B.S."

*The bad faith*

Bad  faith nonsense has saturated right-wing media and the GOP. One key  argument I've seen put forward is that Biden should not mandate  vaccines, but simply articulate why they are needed so that people can  come to the decision on their own. Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a  right-wing media star and proponent of this strategy, summed it up like this,  "The right path is built upon explaining, educating, and *building*  trust, including explaining the risks/benefits/pros/cons in an honest  way so a person can make their own decision."

But  that has proven not to be a viable option when Republican politicians  and the media sources trusted by conservatives poison the waters. It is  as if politicians and pundits like Crenshaw are living in an alternate  world in which the top-rated cable hosts are not peddling anti-vaccine  rhetoric.

>>  Speaking of bad faith: I was struck at how shameless Sean Hannity was  on his show Thursday night, saying about the Biden admin, "They created  Covid hesitancy. They did this!" Uh, really Sean?

*Feelings, not facts*

_Brian Stelter writes:_  "Reading Darcy's recap of Thursday's coverage, two things come to mind.  First: The crazed reactions to Biden are about feelings, not facts. The  most popular links on the right-wing web aren't to news stories,  they're to opinion pieces. Second, I'm reminded of what Nicco Mele wrote earlier this week.  His 'Rule 1' is that 'it will get crazier.' If the Biden era seems calm  to you, 'rest assured,' he says, 'it will get crazier.' One of the  reasons why: 'There are two media eco-systems in this country, standing  side-by-side.' Thus, rule 1 remains in effect..." 

*"Even Fox News"*

During  his speech, Biden called out Fox News for its vaccine hypocrisy -- but I  thought what he said was slightly misleading. Biden said that many  companies are requiring employees to get vaccinated or submit to weekly  tests. He held up Fox as an example of this, leading some people to  incorrectly say that Fox has a vaccine mandate.

That's not true. Fox does not have a vaccine mandate. Fox has required employees to report their vaccination status to the company. Fox has its own version of a vaccine passport  which gives special privileges to those who have reported they are  vaccinated. And Fox does require some essential employees get tested  weekly, regardless of if they are vaccinated. But Fox News does not have  an actual vaccine mandate, which is important to point out.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/09/media...ces/index.html

----------


## Chico

Well we had a riveting display of an irrational president in Trump, and now we have a  new President that has most probably became the worlds  most laughed at President of all time. :rofl:

----------


## russellsimpson

I caught the president on Al Jazeera last night.

I've  been thinking recently about what would prompt an eighty year old to take on what is arguably the most difficult and demanding job on the planet. Vanity? I can't even imagine. I can't exactly put my finger on it but when Biden speaks these days it seems to be lacking in 'energy', he's not the guy inviting Trump out to the woodshed to lay a good beating on him any more. He's in an impossible position when it comes to Republican governors and administrators throught the nation. From an outsiders, Canadian perspective it seems that America is pretty much at war. I can't imagine things disintegrating to such a degree here or in Britain or any other G7 nation. Anyway, good luck Joe and hang in there( you poor bastard)

----------


## havnfun

> Well we had a riveting display of an irrational president in Trump, and now we have a  new President that has most probably became the worlds  most laughed at President of all time.


You are not being fair Chico, I can quote Biden from his last 40 odd years in politics directly as stating that he was arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandella, not to mention that he stated in July that used to drive an 18 wheeler. He stated that when he was a young "life guard" at a swimming pool, he let the little kids play with the hair on his legs, and at a press conference he told the story about "cornpop" He said cornpop was a bad dude.

So be fair Chico, Biden has never said he was top of his class in college. :Smile:

----------


## havnfun

> I caught the president on Al Jazeera last night.
> 
> I've  been thinking recently about what would prompt an eighty year old to take on what is arguably the most difficult and demanding job on the planet. Vanity? I can't even imagine. I can't exactly put my finger on it but when Biden speaks these days it seems to be lacking in 'energy', he's not the guy inviting Trump out to the woodshed to lay a good beating on him any more. He's in an impossible position when it comes to Republican governors and administrators throught the nation. From an outsiders, Canadian perspective it seems that America is pretty much at war. I can't imagine things disintegrating to such a degree here or in Britain or any other G7 nation. Anyway, good luck Joe and hang in there( you poor bastard)


One might think that the media have a hand in this? forget over the last 4 years that 95% of the media spin on Trump was negetive? remember all the leaks,Russia Russia Russia, anonymous sources? And now Biden continually has a list of reporters to go to for questions, if not he continually sais, "Im not supposed to take questions" or " i'll get in trouble" or he just walks off after a press conference.
Than ask how many companies own the media in the USA?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I caught the president on Al Jazeera last night.
> 
> I've  been thinking recently about what would prompt an eighty year old to take on what is arguably the most difficult and demanding job on the planet. Vanity? I can't even imagine. I can't exactly put my finger on it but when Biden speaks these days it seems to be lacking in 'energy', he's not the guy inviting Trump out to the woodshed to lay a good beating on him any more. He's in an impossible position when it comes to Republican governors and administrators throught the nation. From an outsiders, Canadian perspective it seems that America is pretty much at war. I can't imagine things disintegrating to such a degree here or in Britain or any other G7 nation. Anyway, good luck Joe and hang in there( you poor bastard)


How about a sense of duty for his country, and his place in history? His turn at bat came and he stood up. That's what men do. 
  America is at war and the outcome is not entirely certain, but don't think that other federations are safe. Canada has a separatist movement don't they? and what about brexit for the brits? Do you think the UK will survive as an entity ? 
The truth of the matter is that we are transitioning from the industrial era into the information era, and the nessacery adjustments have not been made yet. As people get displaced by the changes with no safety nets set in place they will gravitate toward any "Messiah" in hope of delivery to the promised land. Case and point trump and all these other trump wanabees .
I promise you this, It will get worse before it gets better.

----------


## beachbound

> You are not being fair Chico, I can quote Biden from his last 40 odd years in politics directly as stating that he was arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandella, not to mention that he stated in July that used to drive an 18 wheeler. He stated that when he was a young "life guard" at a swimming pool, he let the little kids play with the hair on his legs, and at a press conference he told the story about "cornpop" He said cornpop was a bad dude.


Where is the quote where he bragged about grabbing women by the pussy?

----------


## Klondyke

*Pence tears into Biden following vaccine mandate: ‘Unlike anything I’d ever heard’ from a US president**

'That's not how the American people expect to be spoken to': Mike Pence tears into Biden's COVID speech and says Biden and Harris spent last year 'undermining confidence in the vaccine'
*
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday tore into the tone of President Joe Biden's COVID speech
Pence also blamed the current president and vice president for some Americans' vaccine hesitancy 

'I have to tell you the president's speech yesterday was unlike anything I've ever heard from an American president,' Pence said on Fox & Friends

Pence added, 'That's not how the American people expect to be spoken to by our elected leader' 

During Biden's Thursday remarks, the president chided the unvaccinated for keeping the COVID-19 pandemic roaring 

Pence said Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would have an easier time getting people vaccinated if they hadn't been critical of President Donald Trump

'They spent the whole last year undermining public confidence in the vaccine,' Pence complained 

During the 2020 presidential campaign, both Biden and Harris expressed that they feared Trump would push for a hasty authorization of a COVID vaccine in order to gain a political upper hand. 

'If and when the vaccine comes, it's not likely to go through all the tests that need to be done, and the trials that are needed to be done,' Biden said last August. 

Harris said she'd only take the vaccine if Dr. Anthony Fauci, and other top American medical experts, approved of the process. 

'If the public health professionals, if Dr. Fauci, if the doctors tell us that we should take it, I'll be the first in line to take it,' she said at the vice presidential debate in October with Pence. 'Absolutely.' 

'But if Donald Trump tells us that we should take it, I'm not taking it,' she added. 

Read more
Mike Pence tears into Biden's COVID speech | Daily Mail Online

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Where is the quote where he bragged about grabbing women by the pussy?


Where's him having to compensate people for defrauding them?

----------


## baldrick

> 'They spent the whole last year undermining public confidence in the vaccine,' Pence complained


are people really that stupid ?

----------


## AntRobertson

> are people really that stupid ?


There are several on this forum that will take that as a challenge.

----------


## beachbound

> 'I have to tell you the president's speech yesterday was unlike anything I've ever heard from an American president,' Pence said on Fox & Friends
> 
> Pence added, 'That's not how the American people expect to be spoken to by our elected leaders


Pence must have had earplugs in every time the Cheeto in Chief was spewing his bullshit.

----------


## sabang

Even if he ends up like Steven Hawkings, he would still make a better prez than trump.

----------


## Chico

^20% of American public who voted for Biden now regret voting for him? We ain't seen nothing yet with Biden, and his successor Harris yet. :Smile:

----------


## sabang

Public opinion in America, like every other democracy, goes up and down like a yoyo. Clearly, the withdrawal from Afghanistan has affected his short term ratings, because it made real an unfolding national humiliation. But it was unfolding for years- Trump (as usual) just promised, but Biden had the balls and guts to deliver. Ditto with the Covid response.

I look forward to Kamala Harris becoming Potus actually, and hope she does. But who actually knows whats gonna happen in wacky America these days.

----------


## Klondyke

> Pence must have had earplugs in every time the Cheeto in Chief was spewing his bullshit.


And that was before we heard yesterday:

CBS Mornings host Gayle King asked Hillary Clinton if she was concerned about another Islamic terror attack after Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Hillary Clinton responded by claiming that Trump supporters are a far bigger threat to America than Islamic terrorists.

----------


## aging one

> Hillary Clinton responded by claiming that Trump supporters are a far bigger threat to America than Islamic terrorists.


She would be right. Look at people like you. Only reason to live is to complain, be contrary and attempt to create divisiveness.  Don't you agree? Pls no names here.

----------


## bsnub

> Hillary Clinton responded by claiming that Trump supporters are a far bigger threat to America than Islamic terrorists.


Looks like GW Bush agrees with her. From today's speech...




> "We have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can  come, not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within,"  Bush said in a speech marking the anniversary at the Flight 93 Memorial  in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
> 
> "There is little cultural overlap  between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home," he  said. "But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human  life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are  children of the same foul spirit."
> 
> "And it is our continuing duty to confront them," Bush added.


George Bush Delights Democrats, Infuriates MAGA World With Veiled Jan. 6, 9/11 Comparison




> She would be right.


Absolutely right.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Let's see how many Republicans support this.




> Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Thursday unveiled the Biden administrations road map to lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
> 
> The plan, summarized in a 29-page document, supports legislation that allows the federal government to negotiate lower prices on the costliest drugs each year and pass those savings on to private insurers. Current rules prohibit HHS from negotiating drug prices on behalf of Medicare  the federal governments health insurance plan for the elderly.
> 
> It would reduce regulatory barriers to getting a new drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration and incentivize drugmakers to develop medications that are already on the U.S. market, ensuring competition and forcing other companies to lower prices, according to the administration.


Biden administration unveils plans to lower prescription drug costs

----------


## Klondyke

> Only reason to live is to complain


It seems that you got it wrong. Where did you see I complain? About what? 
Obviously you mix "complain" with "rebuking lies"...

----------


## aging one

> Obviously you mix "complain" with "rebuking lies"...


There is Klondick in his full glory.. :smiley laughing:

----------


## helge

> Hillary Clinton responded by claiming that Trump supporters are a far bigger threat to America than Islamic terrorists.


There are so many threats to America, which are bigger than the Islamic ones.

The US political system for one



> Even if he ends up like Steven Hawkings, he would still make a better prez than trump.


All of us would

----------


## havnfun

> Where is the quote where he bragged about grabbing women by the pussy?


They are all over on the "President Donald Trump" thread :Smile: .

----------


## havnfun

Biden is becoming more senile by the month, in my opinion, even the way he is walking off from the reporters now appears to be more geriatric in stature.

----------


## havnfun

Maybe it was nap time. Biden appears to fall asleep at meeting with Israel's  Prime Minister.

Joe Biden appears to fall asleep during meeting with Israeli PM | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## Chico

Mr Biden won't be around for long, so we won't be seeing the shenanigans of the last President.

USA banana republic here we come.

Harris possibly the next president :France:

----------


## helge

> Mr Biden won't be around for long, so we won't be seeing the shenanigans of the last President.


So.. are you saying that even as deceased, Biden is better than Trump ?

You might be right. :Smile: 

Still: You shouldn't use Trump as a benchmark for quality, which seems to be a common mistake here.

----------


## havnfun

> Harris possibly the next president


At least she can speak in coherent sentences and not look like a senile old fool. :Smile:  Might give America at least the look of a strong country.(If she quiets the school girl giggling all the time) :Smile: 
Then at least The USA can kill 2 birds with one stone, make the liberals happy that they got a female President and a black female President. Then at last the glass ceiling can come crashing down on their heads, and maybe all this nonsense will stop. ::spin::

----------


## Chico

Any good Joe Biden, news to report?

Seems American politics has become very quite, what's happened has the penny dropped..... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Cujo

> Any good Joe Biden, news to report?
> 
> Seems American politics has become very quite, what's happened has the penny dropped.....


Not at all, it just seems you got used to the Trump era when everyday bought some new facepalming WTF moment. 
Now it's back to normal except for all the republican shenanigans. 
IE de Santis, the Californian governor recall election etc.

----------


## RPETER65

> Any good Joe Biden, news to report?
> 
> Seems American politics has become very quite, what's happened has the penny dropped.....



No good news that I can find but many like the one in the link below

Joe Biden is pathetic, and Americans' 'patience is wearing thin' - Washington Times

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> No good news that I can find but many like the one in the link below
> 
> Joe Biden is pathetic, and Americans' 'patience is wearing thin' - Washington Times


It is amazing that the Washington Times would think Biden is pathetic. What's next? Fox news entertainment network would think that the Democrats are not good for the country?

----------


## Klondyke

Not only Trump has been cut off... How dare they?




> BIDEN: “Can I ask you a question?”
> 
> (White House feed cuts out)


https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/stat...https%3A%2F%2F

----------


## S Landreth

President Joe Biden: Wealthy should pay their fair share in taxes



 
Bank Tax Reporting Is a Critical Component of Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda

The United States will lose an estimated $7 trillion over the next decade from people and corporations not paying the taxes they owe. That is twice the $3.5 trillion of investments that Congress is now considering in the budget reconciliation bill.

----------


## Cujo

> Not only Trump has been cut off... How dare they?
> 
> 
> 
> https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/stat...https%3A%2F%2F



Read this klongdick and do try to pay attention. Read it slowly, maybe two or three times.


> *Mic drop: Republican senators claim of button to silence Biden draws chuckles*
> James Risch questioned the secretary of state about an official supposedly able to mute the president  Who is that person?
> 
> The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken,  fought back laughter on Capitol Hill on Tuesday as the Republican  senator James Risch relentlessly questioned him about a rumor that  someone on the White House staff pushes the button and cuts [Joe Biden]  off mid-sentence with a wireless device.
> 
> 
> Somebody in the White House has authority to  press the button and cut off the presidents speaking ability and sound.  Who is that person? asked Risch, who was also former lieutenant  governor of Idaho.
> In  video of the testimony, Blinken tries to restrain his amusement as Risch  repeatedly asks him different iterations of the same question during a  hearing that was meant to focus on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
> 
> ...


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...cuts-off-biden

----------


## Klondyke

> Read this klongdick and do try to pay attention. Read it slowly, maybe two or three times.


Looking two or three times, however, cannot find the thread with fairy tales...

----------


## harrybarracuda

> President Joe Biden: Wealthy should pay their fair share in taxes


Which of course is the real reason Fox, the "Washington Times" and all the other conservative lackies are going after him.

----------


## S Landreth

I do hope the Bank Tax Reporting item/s are in the package. Fvck ‘em all.

little more.....

Biden goes after top 1 percent in defending tax hikes

President Biden on Thursday went after big corporations and wealthy Americans while promoting his economic agenda that congressional Democrats are working to get across the finish line.

“Let me ask you this, where is it written in that all the tax breaks in the American tax code go to corporations and the very top? I think it’s enough, I’m tired of it,” he said in remarks at the White House on the economy. 

The president reiterated his calls for big corporations and the wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, saying it's “long overdue.” 

“I’m not out to punish anyone, I’m a capitalist. If you can make a million or a billion dollars, that’s great. God bless you. All I’m asking is you pay your fair share, pay your fair share, just like middle class folks do,” he said. 

Biden promotion of his Build Back Better agenda comes as Democrats are focused on passing the $3.5 trillion spending package without Republicans through budget reconciliation, along with the Senate-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill.

“How’s it possible that the wealthiest billionaires in the country can entirely escape paying income taxes on what they make?” Biden said. “For a long time, this economy has worked great for those at the very top. Ordinary, hardworking Americans, the people who built this country, have been basically cut out of the deal.”

----------


## malmomike77



----------


## HermantheGerman

Trump or Biden? Jeezus what has become of the greatest corrupt country in the world.
Biden will not make it to the end, and Trump is lurking. Good night America.

----------


## Cujo

> Trump or Biden? Jeezus what has become of the greatest corrupt country in the world.
> Biden will not make it to the end, and Trump is lurking. Good night America.


Yeah, bit sad when those two are the best they can come up with.

----------


## panama hat

> Read this klongdick





> Looking


And there's the problem - your lack of even basic comprehension, Klongdick

----------


## havnfun

> Anyone who knows the president, including members of the committee knows that he speaks very clearly and very deliberately for himself,


Yes Cujo.

----------


## harrybarracuda

He makes more sense than you deeksy.

----------


## havnfun

> He makes more sense than you deeksy.



Havnfun.
How was Afghanistan, How are the gas prices, How is the southern border, How is the eviction moratorium, How is inflation, How is the mandate on vaccines, How are the drone strikes going?. How is France?, How is the "jobs report", and then ask How is Joe's memory?  :Smile:

----------


## havnfun

> Which of course is the real reason Fox, the "Washington Times" and all the other conservative lackies are going after him.


No, It's their turn now, the others had 4 years of going after Trump, now they get a turn, :yerman:

----------


## David48atTD

On ya Elon (you fuckwit)

---

Elon Musk mocks President Biden after SpaceX completes first all-civilian mission

After SpaceX completed a historic, private spaceflight on Saturday, CEO Elon Musk took a pot shot at President Joe Biden who had yet to remark on the companys and the civilian flight crews accomplishments.


One  of Musks 60 million followers on the social networking platform  Twitter asked him, The President of the United States has refused to  even acknowledge the 4 newest American astronauts who helped raise  hundreds of millions of dollars for St. Jude. Whats your theory on why  that is?

Musk replied, Hes still sleeping.

During his 2020 campaign, former President Donald Trump frequently insulted then-candidate Biden by calling him Sleepy Joe.

Elon Musk mocks President Biden after SpaceX completes first all-civilian mission

----------


## bsnub

> How was Afghanistan


It is great we are out of there.




> How are the gas prices


Has not one thing to do with Biden, but I wouldn't expect you to understand how free market forces affect gas prices.




> How is the southern border


The same as it would be been if your orange moron got reelected.




> How is the eviction moratorium


There isn't one.




> How is inflation


See above comment about gas prices.




> How is the mandate on vaccines


Fucking great, and I wish it was mandated sooner. Anti-vaxxing clowns need a swift kick in the ass.




> How are the drone strikes going?


Same as before, with the usual collateral damage.




> How is France?


Angry but who gives a fuck. Australia made the right call.




> How is the "jobs report"


Outstanding at last glance and a strong improvement over your orange bozo's jobs numbers.




> How is Joe's memory?


Better than your fat orange shit for brains, that's for sure. 

Now that was a massive crap pile of attempted distortion by you just swept up and binned. Feel free to move along, lemming.

----------


## David48atTD

> Fucking great, and I wish it was mandated sooner. Anti-vaxxing clowns need a swift kick in the ass.


On this, we can whole-hardheartedly agree.

----------


## David48atTD

Should Biden consider a tax hike on petrol (gas) as part of the plan to repay the debt.

Relative to many Western countries, the US petrol tax is comparatively low.

----------


## bsnub

> Should Biden consider a tax hike on petrol (gas) as part of the plan to repay the debt.


No gas tax is regressive and hurts the working class more than it hurts the wealthy. The taxes need to focus on the top 1% and to be more specific the top .01%.




> Relative to many Western countries, the US petrol tax is comparatively low.


Maybe, but so are all the other taxes Americans pay. A gas tax increase would be a major political issue that would hurt Biden's reelection campaign. Not a good idea.

----------


## RPETER65

> Let's see how many Republicans support this.
> 
> 
> 
> Biden administration unveils plans to lower prescription drug costs


As long as they only negotiated prices and kept their fingers off of what can be prescribed for what conditions I would whole heartedly support.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> As long as they only negotiated prices and kept their fingers off of what can be prescribed for what conditions I would whole heartedly support.


And if certain drug companies refuse to cut prices on certain products?

----------


## russellsimpson

> As long as they only negotiated prices and kept their fingers off of what can be prescribed for what conditions I would whole heartedly support.


The guidelines governing the off-label use of medications are extremely loose. You might be very surprised.






> And if certain drug companies refuse to cut prices on certain products?


Silly question Harry, they won't, that's my personal guarantee. :bananaman:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The guidelines governing the off-label use of medications are extremely loose. You might be very surprised.
> Silly question Harry, they won't, that's my personal guarantee.



Perhaps someone who actually has a dog in this fight can answer rather than some dribbling canuck who can't even quote properly.

----------


## RPETER65

> Perhaps someone who actually has a dog in this fight can answer rather than some dribbling canuck who can't even quote properly.


I live in the U.S but I have no dog in this fight as I dont pay for prescription drugs but my children and grand children do so I guess I have to speak for them. I agree with Russell that is a silly question  if they dont agree the government will do as they do with doctors who refuse to accept the reduced payments from Medicare and the VA,dont do business from them.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I live in the U.S but I have no dog in this fight as I dont pay for prescription drugs but my children and grand children do so I guess I have to speak for them. I agree with Russell that is a silly question  if they dont agree the government will do as they do with doctors who refuse to accept the reduced payments from Medicare and the VA,dont do business from them.


That does not work because if a doctor does not lower his fee you can go to another doctor, but if a pharmaceutical company does not lower its prices  you cant go to another for a drug they hold the patent .

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I live in the U.S but I have no dog in this fight as I don’t pay for prescription drugs but my children and grand children do so I guess I have to speak for them. I agree with Russell that is a silly question  if they don’t agree the government will do as they do with doctors who refuse to accept the reduced payments from Medicare and the VA,don’t do business from them.


You don't use Medicare?

----------


## S Landreth

U.S. to buy 500 million more Pfizer doses to share with the world

The Biden administration is planning to purchase 500 million more Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine doses to donate to the world, officials said in an op-ed Wednesday.

*Why it matters:* The move represents a big step toward making the U.S. a major global vaccine supplier just as China has ramped up exports of its Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino vaccines, which can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures.

*State of play:* The U.S. had already bought 500 million vaccine doses from Pfizer to donate to countries in need.


The country has already donated more than "all other countries in the world combined," White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said during a press briefing last week.

*Between the lines:* Wealthier nations have more vaccines than citizens who want them, while poorer countries are facing bleaker timelines for when they can administer first doses.

*What they're saying: "*After purchasing 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in June to donate to the world, well double that commitment, purchasing an _additional_ 500 million Pfizer doses to give to low- and lower-middle-income countries around the globe," Zients and Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in the Washington Post.


"This is a monumental commitment by the United States, bringing our total number of donated vaccines to the world to more than 1.1 billion. For every one shot weve put in an American arm to date, we are now donating about three shots globally," they added.

----------


## helge

> U.S. to buy 500 million more Pfizer doses to share with the world





> Why it matters:





> Between the lines:


Nah

I'm in a good non-contrarian mood today  :Smile:

----------


## russellsimpson

^ Trending towards iconoclastic, eh   :Smile:

----------


## helge

> iconoclastic


Good word

Wonder if Harry is aware of its existence

----------


## RPETER65

https://www.thedailybeast.com/bidens...ng-up-with-him

----------


## S Landreth

Here Are The Big Policies In Democrats $3.5 Trillion Budget Reconciliation Plans

Benefits For Parents

Democrats intend to continue the new monthly benefits for parents that they launched as part of the American Rescue Plan. Nearly every family in America started receiving $300 per child under 6 and $250 per kid age 6-17 last month, but the benefits wont continue past this year.

Paid Leave

Democratic lawmakers have found a way to get around the Senates budget rules and include a national paid leave proposal in their reconciliation package. Policy advocates and leading lawmakers have proposed essentially creating a new entitlement program giving most Americans the right to federally paid leave.

No Debt Limit Hike

Democrats are daring Republicans to vote against an increase in the debt limit, setting up a high-stakes game of chicken in the coming months that could lead to catastrophic economic consequences.

Taxes

Unlike the three major coronavirus relief bills Congress has passed, Democrats plan to offset the cost of the budget reconciliation package by raising taxes. They say theyll target corporations and the wealthy without burdening families earning less than $400,000, which was a key campaign pledge from Biden. 

A chunk of revenue will come simply through increased IRS enforcement of current laws, since the government misses out on as much as $1 trillion annually due to taxpayer noncompliance. Presumably, much of the rest of the tax increases will come through reversals of the tax cuts Republicans enacted in 2017. But Democrats have said theyll undo that laws limit on federal deductions for state and local taxes, a provision that targeted wealthy households in blue states like New York and California.

Medicare

Reflecting one of Bidens campaign promises and a rallying cry of Budget Committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) presidential bid, Democrats are aiming to expand Medicare to include dental, vision and hearing care for the first time. They also want to slightly lower the eligibility age of Medicare, which is currently at 65.

Immigration

The Senate Judiciary Committee is tasked with providing lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants as part of the Democrats budget reconciliation package. The plan aims ​​to grant green cards to millions of immigrant workers and families, per an outline of the document. Congress has been unable to pass any kind of immigration reform measure on a bipartisan basis, so its inclusion in a reconciliation package is a big deal.

Climate

Democrats are planning on going big on investments to fight climate change in their reconciliation package, including billions for clean electricity, electric vehicles, energy efficient buildings, weatherizing homes, a Civilian Climate Corps and more. Progressives and environmental groups, who say even more needs to be done to address the alarming effects of climate change across the world, will be watching the details of the bill closely. A number of progressives in the House have vowed not to support the bipartisan infrastructure bill that is expected to be approved by the Senate this week if the reconciliation package falls short.

The Budget Resolution will allow the Senate to make the most significant investment in tackling the climate crisis in US history, and put America on a path to meet President Bidens climate change goals of 80% clean electricity and 50% economy-wide carbon emissions reductions by 2030, Senate Democrats pledged in their memo summarizing the coming legislation.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Good word
> 
> Wonder if Harry is aware of its existence


Are you retarded or something?

They taught us English in school.

----------


## havnfun

Ya don't say?

Biden Not Mentally Sharp: Poll | National Review

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Ya don't say?
> 
> Biden Not Mentally Sharp: Poll | National Review



Of course they do, this is the republitard cause of the day you idiot.




> National Review is an American semi-monthly _conservative_ editorial magazine

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Of course they do, this is the republitard cause of the day you idiot.


Imagine that. The national review does not like Biden. 
 :rofl:  :rofl:

----------


## RPETER65

Here is a good read on the demise of President Joe Biden 

Christie: 2020 Joe Biden 'is now officially dead and buried' | TheHill

----------


## panama hat

> Here is a read


Nah, not even that

----------


## bsnub

Who gives a shit what that fat bastard thinks. Just another pathetic Republican that licks the shoes of the orange moron.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Who gives a shit what that fat bastard thinks. Just another pathetic Republican that licks the shoes of the orange moron.


* arse. Licks the arse.

----------


## qwerty

> Here is a good read on the demise of President Joe Biden 
> 
> Christie: 2020 Joe Biden 'is now officially dead and buried' | TheHill


So Biden has given in to the progressives...

This is good news, I still think that Bernie or Elizabeth Warren would have made a better president, but this makes it a bit easier to accept Biden.

----------


## bsnub

> This is good news, I still think that Bernie or Elizabeth Warren would have made a better president, but this makes it a bit easier to accept Biden.


Exactly! I voted for Bernie in the primaries both times he ran. He would have been a great president. Biden coming around to the progressives is a good thing.

----------


## RPETER65

It appears your beloved President Joe Biden is in trouble with American people this morning approval rating 39 percent good luck all you liberals in 2024

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It appears your beloved President Joe Biden is in trouble with American people this morning approval rating 39 percent good luck all you liberals in 2024


That can happen when you're a demented old fool that watches Fox News and the poll they cherry picked.

----------


## RPETER65

Just as you cherry pick your polls

----------


## AntRobertson

It's funny how Trumptards suddenly care about polls.

----------


## RPETER65

What’s really funny is you calling out people for not trashing Trump for his misgivings but say nothing about all the bumbling of the Biden administration.

----------


## AntRobertson

> What’s really funny is you calling out people for not trashing Trump for his misgivings but say nothing about all the bumbling of the Biden administration.


One of those people was a wannbe dictator, an existential threat to democracy and a petrologically lying conman who used the office for his own benefit whilst hundreds of thousands died in a pandemic he downplayed and lied about because it hurt his 'ratings'. The other is a flawed man doing the best he can missteps notwithstanding.

Only a radicalized right-wing Trumptard would even see a comparison between the two.

----------


## bsnub

> What’s really funny is you calling out people for not trashing Trump for his misgivings but say nothing about all the bumbling of the Biden administration.


There is no comparison between the two. Your fat orange god was the most incompetent and dangerous president in American history. How many of Biden's cabinet have been charged with a crime?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Just as you cherry pick your polls


Which bit of "All Polls" are you struggling with?

"All" or "Polls"?

----------


## AntRobertson

> Which bit of "All Polls" are you struggling with?
> 
> "All" or "Polls"?


That part where anything that doesn't conform to his narrow-minded bigoted and hateful viewpoint dressed as 'Christianity' is automatically disregarded.

Probably.

----------


## RPETER65

I guess you missed the intent of my post as I was comparing you to conservative posters on this thread.

----------


## RPETER65

Time will tell.

----------


## panama hat

> I guess you missed the intent of my post


Seeing as it's right-wing propagandist bullshit . . . no.

----------


## RPETER65

More evidence that your beloved president is in serious mental decline.

Joe Biden slammed as utterly incoherent even with assistance of autocue | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## AntRobertson

> More evidence that your beloved president is in serious mental decline.


Yo-semite Thighland Hamberders Motang Herd mentality Nars Super-duper hydrosonic Covfefe I’m under levered!

Maybe get yourself checked for encroaching senility, Repeater.

----------


## RPETER65

No it’s more like you pull your head out of your butt and try to face reality.

----------


## beachbound

> Yo-semite Thighland Hamberders Motang Herd mentality Nars Super-duper hydrosonic Covfefe I’m under levered!
> .


Trump always did have the best words.

----------


## beachbound

> Yo-semite


Another one of Trumps failed projects. A national park for anti-Semites.

----------


## panama hat

> No it’s more like you pull your head out of your butt and try to face reality.


Your reality?  I'm nor great fan of Biden but he makes trump look like . . . well, Trump . . . a mental midget, rapist, failed businessman, borderline incest-lover, narcissistic serial liar.

----------


## bsnub

> No it’s more like you pull your head out of your butt and try to face reality.


You are completely brainwashed. You do not live in reality, you live in a bubble, and you suffer from a terrible case of Dunning Kruger syndrome.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Seeing as it's right-wing propagandist bullshit . . . no.


Arguing with trump supporters is like shooting fish in a barrel. 
You tear them a new asholle, and all they can come back with is,  "Biden is senile", LOL
and "Oh Oh , and his mother wore army boots"
 :smiley laughing: its pathetic. desperately trying to rationalise their stupidity for having be had.

----------


## RPETER65

> Your reality?  I'm nor great fan of Biden but he makes trump look like . . . well, Trump . . . a mental midget, rapist, failed businessman, borderline incest-lover, narcissistic serial liar.



Thats all you have comparing Biden and Trump how about letting Biden stand alone and come back with some giant contribution Biden has made to anything. The fact is you cant because there is none. Inflation is out of control,the latest jobs numbers are dismal at best, hospital workers are ready to walk off the job in the middle of the worst pandemic since the Spanish flu of course the only thing you have is to compare Biden to Trump.I will be waiting to see your post of his great accomplishments.

----------


## RPETER65

> You are completely brainwashed. You do not live in reality, you live in a bubble, and you suffer from a terrible case of Dunning Kruger syndrome.



I will be waiting to hear from you as well as Panama let’s hear something about Biden’s accomplishments instead of your boring usual dribble about the poster. Maybe if you try really really hard you can contribute something that at least comes close to making sense.

----------


## RPETER65

Seems as you’re in the same boat as Panama and Bsnub senseless dribble my dad can beat up your dad.

----------


## tomcat

> my dad can beat up your dad


...your dad produced you, magat...a tRump-licking threat to the national IQ...if ever a condom were needed...

----------


## bsnub

> I will be waiting to hear from you as well as Panama let’s hear something about Biden’s accomplishments instead of your boring usual dribble about the poster.


I can tell you what he did not do, and that is stoked an insurrection against a sitting government, something that no president has ever done. There is no comparison between your orange god who was an abject failure and the worst president in modern history with a cabinet full of criminals. 

But you keep reading the right-wing lies and propaganda and swallow it without question. You are a blindly stupid lemming and a cancer to the country, like all trumpanzees.

----------


## RPETER65

So nothing about his great accomplishments just resorts back to bringing Trump into the equation just as I thought. Oh and bringing the brainwashed right wing dribbling.

----------


## aging one

> So nothing about his great accomplishments just resorts back to bringing Trump into the equation just as I thought. Oh and bringing the brainwashed right wing dribbling.


What do you think about Trumps continual lies about the election being stolen from him. Do you believe this?

----------


## S Landreth

> my dad can beat up your dad.


Because you brought family into the mix, I have a question for you.

When a family member of yours brought you to see the doctor; as a child, did you hear the nurses in the background whisper “bottleneck population” to one another?

----------


## RPETER65

> What do you think about Trumps continual lies about the election being stolen from him. Do you believe this?



I think it was some of his most ridiculous blathering on but what does that have to do with Biden which is what this thread is all about. Seems as you fit in with Ant and Bsnub as you also can find nothing to post about Bidens great accomplishments.

----------


## RPETER65

Oh the list continues to grow of the posters who have no intelligent post for President Biden.

----------


## aging one

> you also can find nothing to post about Biden’s great accomplishments.


Except for your buddies the anti mask and anti vax crowd Biden did a great job with Covid. Being as how Trump had no plan at all this seems pretty remarkable to me. Saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Has donated millions of doses of vaccines to the world as well. Pretty hard to work with a congress filled with brain dead republicans putting their fear of the wrath of Trump ahead of the country they are supposed to represent.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> But you keep reading the right-wing lies and propaganda and swallow it without question. You are a blindly stupid lemming and a cancer to the country, like all trumpanzees.


You have to give some credit to the trampards in this forum ,
 they don't stay down.
You knock them down with sound argument but they get up with  returns such as 
"Ohh yes I will bloody your fist with my face"  :smiley laughing:  Actually very entertaining!!

----------


## RPETER65

> Except for your buddies the anti mask and anti vax crowd Biden did a great job with Covid. Being as how Trump had no plan at all this seems pretty remarkable to me. Saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Has donated millions of doses of vaccines to the world as well. Pretty hard to work with a congress filled with brain dead republicans putting their fear of the wrath of Trump ahead of the country they are supposed to represent.



Hmmmm Biden distributed and donated all those vaccine dosses that Trump fast tracked to be developed in record time. Are those the vaccines your talking about.
  Getting something accomplished in Congress with a near 50 50 split requires some give and take.Attitude and moderation should be the name of the game. Both the house and the senate had a 1.5 Trillion dollar infrastructure bill ready but the progressive squad pressured Pelosi into not bringing it up for a vote that was assuted to succeed.You people that are all in for a socialist America just cant seem to understand that a growing percentage of the American voters are not in line with that. I think you are going to be unpleasantly surprised at what is coming in the midterm elections Rasmussen has Biden under water at 39 percent approval.

----------


## aging one

> I think you are going to be unpleasantly surprised at what is coming in the midterm elections Rasmussen has Biden under water at 39 percent approval.


You predicted a Trump win in 2020.

----------


## Hugh Cow

> Hmmmm Biden distributed and donated all those vaccine dosses that Trump fast tracked to be developed in record time. Are those the vaccines your talking about.
>   Getting something accomplished in Congress with a near 50 50 split requires some give and take.Attitude and moderation should be the name of the game. Both the house and the senate had a 1.5 Trillion dollar infrastructure bill ready but the progressive squad pressured Pelosi into not bringing it up for a vote that was assuted to succeed.You people that are all in for a socialist America just cant seem to understand that a growing percentage of the American voters are not in line with that. I think you are going to be unpleasantly surprised at what is coming in the midterm elections Rasmussen has Biden under water at 39 percent approval.


Very true the democrats did provide support. The problem is the 50/50 split means the republicans will probably slow down any biden/democrat legislation in the hope of making the democrats look like they have done nothing, in the hope of garnering votes in the next election. Not the first time they have done that. The worlds worse nightmare would be a Trump return in the next presidential election. Surely americans cannot be that stupid twice. The U.S.A. is in need of a third party for more balance IMO. The Republicans are far right the democrats are IMO centre at best. A more left leaning party would balance the political spectrum better IMO. Incidentally I am not a lover of the left but recognise in politics there needs to be balance. A bit like having ohoh and Texpat. :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> Hmmmm Biden distributed and donated all those vaccine dosses that Trump fast tracked to be developed in record time.


That is the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard, and it just shows how utterly brainwashed you are to believe such idiocy. Your orange god had nothing to do with fast tracking a vaccine development. He fucking told people to inject bleach, FFS. 

Once again, you make an utter fool of yourself.




> Rasmussen has Biden under water at 39 percent approval.


Of course, you cherry-pick the most biased and inaccurate poll in existence. 

 :rofl:

----------


## RPETER65

> You predicted a Trump win in 2020.



Sorry I dont remember that but if I did whats your point.

----------


## RPETER65

> Very true the democrats did provide support. The problem is the 50/50 split means the republicans will probably slow down any biden/democrat legislation in the hope of making the democrats look like they have done nothing, in the hope of garnering votes in the next election. Not the first time they have done that. The worlds worse nightmare would be a Trump return in the next presidential election. Surely americans cannot be that stupid twice. The U.S.A. is in need of a third party for more balance IMO. The Republicans are far right the democrats are IMO centre at best. A more left leaning party would balance the political spectrum better IMO. Incidentally I am not a lover of the left but recognise in politics there needs to be balance. A bit like having ohoh and Texpat.



First I would like to say the U.S. does not need another 4 years of Trump.Having said that the Republicans have already showed support for an infrastructure bill tha is waiting on Pelosi to bring to the floor. Take out a lot of the socialist agenda in the Biden 3.5 trillion spending and taxing bill and the Democrats could probably garner enough Republican support to pass it on a reconciliation vote.When they started talking about giving the IRS access to any bank account activity over 600 dollars I believe most sensible Americans turned away.

----------


## panama hat

> brainwashed right wing dribbling.


Happy to see you admit it

----------


## RPETER65

> That is the biggest crock of shit I have ever heard, and it just shows how utterly brainwashed you are to believe such idiocy. Your orange god had nothing to do with fast tracking a vaccine development. He fucking told people to inject bleach, FFS. 
> 
> Once again, you make an utter fool of 
> 
> 
> 
> Of course, you cherry-pick the most biased and inaccurate poll in existence.


Could you please post a link supporting your inference the Trump Presidency had nothing to do with fast tracking the COVID 19 vaccine.

----------


## panama hat

> Could you please post a link supporting your inference the Trump Presidency had nothing to do with fast tracking the COVID 19 vaccine.


Yup, it's everywhere and plain to see, simply do a little bit of research instead of asking others to constantly and repeatedly trowel-feed you because you're a dense apologist

----------


## RPETER65

> Yup, it's everywhere and plain to see, simply do a little bit of research instead of asking others to constantly and repeatedly trowel-feed you because you're a dense apologist



Ok

Why Trump'&#39;'s Operation Warp Speed is credited with helping race for COVID-19 vaccine | CBC News

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Could you please post a link supporting your inference the Trump Presidency had nothing to do with fast tracking the COVID 19 vaccine.


Like that Pfizer didn't take any government money to develop the vaccine and actually was, like the rest of them, fast-tracking it to get its product to the market first?

----------


## panama hat

> brainwashed right wing dribbling.





> Ok


Happy to see you admit it

----------


## AntRobertson

> What’s really funny is you calling out people for not trashing Trump for his misgivings but say nothing about all the bumbling of the Biden administration.





> That’s all you have comparing Biden and Trump how about letting Biden stand alone and come back with some giant contribution Biden has made to anything. The fact is you can’t because there is none. Inflation is out of control,the latest jobs numbers are dismal at best, hospital workers are ready to walk off the job in the middle of the worst pandemic since the Spanish flu of course the only thing you have is to compare Biden to Trump.I will be waiting to see your post of his great accomplishments.


Compares Trump to Biden.

Complains that people are comparing Biden to Trump.

Why are so many Trumptards so stupid.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Operation Warp Speed Head Says Trump Administration Responsible For 90% Of Vaccine Rollout


That's actually quite funny. Man who had ONE vaccine company to deal with claims great success - when he was actually on the board of Moderna and anything other than it fast tracking vaccines would have meant losing out to Pfizer-BionTech and would have made him an abject fucking failure as a board member.

----------


## beachbound

> Operation Warp Speed Head Says Trump Administration Responsible For 90% Of Vaccine Rollout


It’s amazing that a guy appointed by the Trump administration, would speak in such glowing terms about the Trump administration.

----------


## RPETER65

Here is a good read on why American voters are beginning to reject the new left wing progressive democratic party


Inside the Beltway: Democratic Party now 'off the deep end' - Washington Times

----------


## AntRobertson

> Here is a good read on why American voters are beginning to reject the new left wing progressive democratic party


Because they read and believe ridiculous propaganda like that.

----------


## bsnub

> It’s amazing that a guy appointed by the Trump administration, would speak in such glowing terms about the Trump administration.


I post up several credible sources who legitimately explain what a mess and abject failure warp speed was, and he responds by posting that trash. Utterly laughable.




> Here is a good read


It is propaganda nonsense put out by a fake news site owned by the fucking Moonies cult. Stop posting trash from the Washington times, you brainwashed lemming.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Here is a good read on why American voters are beginning to reject the new left wing progressive democratic party
> 
> 
> Inside the Beltway: Democratic Party now 'off the deep end' - Washington Times


Washington times don't like the democrats? WOW!!
What does the fox news entertainment channel think?

----------


## RPETER65

> I post up several credible sources who legitimately explain what a mess and abject failure warp speed was, and he responds by posting that trash. Utterly laughable.
> 
> 
> 
> It is propaganda nonsense put out by a fake news site owned by the fucking Moonies cult. Stop posting trash from the Washington times, you brainwashed lemming.



Obviously an egotist such as yourself is never going to take a serious look at anything outside of your bubble -to be expected. Having said that you call my posts when you post up something from an ultra left source such as politico oh the hypocrisy.
  I understand you choose not to read anything outside of your socialist ultra left news sources thats ok I will just wait to see you crying the blues after the midterm elections.

----------


## panama hat

> Washington times





> propaganda nonsense





> Obviously


Good man

----------


## aging one

> Obviously an egotist such as yourself is never going to take a serious look at anything outside of your bubble -to be expected. Having said that you call my posts when you post up something from an ultra left source such as politico oh the hypocrisy.
> I understand you choose not to read anything outside of your socialist ultra left news sources that’s ok I will just wait to see you crying the blues after the midterm elections.


And you quote the Washington Times again and again. Is it middle of the road or right leaning, lets have a look.

*Washington Times media bias rating is Lean Right.*


The Washington Times bias rating is leans right. The Washington Times has the slogan “America’s Newspaper” and targets center-right conservatives, even defining itself as a conservative news outlet. The newspaper was created by Sun Myung Moon to conservatively fight communism, and also to stand as another, more conservative option to The Washington Post, which he claimed had a liberal bias. Because the newspaper is conservative, the AllSides Bias Rating™ for The Washington Times leans right. As of April 2017, a vast majority of the 14,000 AllSides users who voted agree with the lean right ranking. This number is consistent with the July 2016 results in which a large majority had also agreed.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I understand you choose not to read anything outside of your socialist ultra left news sources that’s ok I will just wait to see you crying the blues after the midterm elections.


You believe in sky fairies and that billionaires have your best interests at heart and you're trying to attack someone else for being credulous and lacking the ability to critically evaluate information.

----------


## panama hat

> The newspaper was created by Sun Myung Moon


Not even Christian . . . does repeater know this?

----------


## bsnub

> Obviously an egotist such as yourself is never going to take a serious look at anything outside of your bubble -to be expected.


I do not live in a bubble, I read the nonsense that you swallow without question and I also watch Fox news on occasion. It is trash, and any clear thinking individual can see it. It takes a blinked brainwashed buffoon like you to be stupid enough to swallow anything that the right-wing alternate reality pushes. 

I watch and read the trash you swallow, I just reject it for what it is. Mostly propaganda and fake news. You on the other hand never question it and swallow it hole.

----------


## beachbound

> Obviously an egotist such as yourself is never going to take a serious look at anything outside of your bubble .


Just curious, do you have any mirrors in your trailer?

----------


## RPETER65

> I post up several credible sources who legitimately explain what a mess and abject failure warp speed was, and he responds by posting that trash. Utterly laughable.
> 
> 
> 
> It is propaganda nonsense put out by a fake news site owned by the fucking Moonies cult. Stop posting trash from the Washington times, you brainwashed lemming.



Not so much you post up crap from an ultra liberal site such as Politico then you claim posts from sites like The Wall Street Journal are trash nice try but no cigar Buck Wheat

----------


## RPETER65

Great example of why the Biden Administration is a house of cards that that is on the brink of collapse.




Scandals from top to bottom in Joe Biden's cabinet of horror

----------


## S Landreth

Biden task force has reunited 52 families separated under Trump: report

The Biden administrations Family Reunification Task Force has reportedly reunited 52 families that were separated under former President Trump, up from just seven families in June.

 
The update was included in a new report from 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday, in which correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi interviews Michelle Brane, the chair of the task force. 

Alfonsi reported that 52 families separated in 2018 under the Trump administrations zero-tolerance policy have been reunited since the task force was created in February. 

Brane warned that up to 1,500 or more families remain apart, noting it is difficult to discern a specific number because of the lack of records from the Trump administration. 

We estimate that over 1,000, somewhere between 1,000, 1,500 maybe more remain separated. It's very hard to know because there's no record, Brane told Alfonsi.

The task force has identified 82 families that it believes will be reunified, according to the report. 

In June, a report from the Department of Homeland Security revealed that more than 2,100 children had still not been reunified with their families, to the task forces knowledge. Roughly 2,800 children were taken from their parents under the 2018 policy, though the actual number may be higher.

Brane said that because there was no system in place in 2018 for documenting family separations, officials are now left without a database or system to consult when determining who was separated.

What happened was that there was no system in place for documenting separations. So there's nowhere to go to find out who was separated or not. It really is case-by-case detective work, she said, adding that the situation is shocking.

Alfonsi cited a federal investigation into the governments record-keeping during the child separations, which was found to be ad-hoc. One border station reportedly used a whiteboard to keep track of children, according to 60 Minutes.

Additionally, phone numbers, addresses and names for parents were reportedly missing.

Brane also said it is difficult to locate the parents of children who were separated at the border because the young kids are with sponsors who they refer to as mommy and daddy.

In many cases, these children are with sponsors who they now call mommy and daddy, right? And so it's not as simple as just saying, Gonna put you on a plane, and reunify you, and then we're done, she said.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Great example of why the Biden Administration is a house of cards that that is on the brink of collapse.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Scandals from top to bottom in Joe Biden's cabinet of horror


How many of his admin or associates have been charged with crimes or arrested and how many times has he been impeached?

Thats only a great example of what a ridiculous hypocrite you are.

----------


## bsnub

> Not so much you post up crap from an ultra  liberal site such as Politico then you claim posts from sites like The  Wall Street Journal are trash nice try but no cigar Buck Wheat


Buckwheat? That is a racist comment if I ever heard one. 

Politico is far from "ultra liberal" it may lean slightly to the left but it is far from "ultra liberal" that is just more of your brainwashed mind clouding your judgement.




> Great example of why the Biden Administration is a house of cards that that is on the brink of collapse.


Keep wishing you utter buffoon. The WSJ was bought out by your puppet master Rupert Murdock and since then has lost most of its credibility. Of course, you would have no idea because you live if a bubble of false reality.

----------


## RPETER65

Ok here we ad another Biden scandal



Biden’s tax hypocrisy: POTUS slammed over loophole that let him skirt $500k in taxes | MEAWW

----------


## Cujo

> Ok here we ad another Biden scandal
> 
> 
> 
> Biden’s tax hypocrisy: POTUS slammed over loophole that let him skirt $500k in taxes | MEAWW


If it's legal where's the scandal?

----------


## beachbound

> | meaww



meaww?
 Wtf?

----------


## panama hat

> If it's legal where's the scandal?


It's clever if the right wing morons do it . . . and scandalous when others do, providing it's even true

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Ok here we ad another Biden scandal
> 
> 
> 
> Biden’s tax hypocrisy: POTUS slammed over loophole that let him skirt $500k in taxes | MEAWW


You didn't even read your own shitty link again, you stupid coffin dodger.




> The CRS report doesn't directly name Biden or indicate he owns back taxes, but that's the allegation being made by Republicans after reviewing it


As we know, Republicans allege the "election was stolen" and "the government are covering up Ivermectin", so that's about as useful as any of the shit you post.

----------


## AntRobertson

> That’s only a great example of what a ridiculous hypocrite you are.





> Ok here we ad another Biden scandal
> 
> 
> 
> Biden’s tax hypocrisy: POTUS slammed over loophole that let him skirt $500k in taxes | MEAWW


And another.

----------


## panama hat

> Ok here we ad another Biden scandal





> providing it's even true





> The CRS report doesn't directly name Biden or indicate he owns back taxes





> you stupid coffin dodger.


Aren't you ashamed of yourself, constantly lying - act your age

----------


## bsnub

> Aren't you ashamed of yourself, constantly lying - act your age


Just another of the many times he has made of fool of himself here, posting right-wing propaganda.

----------


## RPETER65

> Not even Christian . . . does repeater know this?



Why would rpeter care?

----------


## RPETER65

> If it's legal where's the scandal?



The scandal is Biden pushing for a change to a questionable tax maneuver that he himself is trying to change but using it himself to get out of $500,000 in taxes.

----------


## RPETER65

> You didn't even read your own shitty link again, you stupid coffin dodger.
> 
> 
> 
> As we know, Republicans allege the "election was stolen" and "the government are covering up Ivermectin", so that's about as useful as any of the shit you post.



If you would keep up on the news you would know most Republicans legislators don’t believe the election was stolen.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> If you would keep up on the news you would know most Republicans legislators don’t believe the election was stolen.


Then why are they still supporting trump? They either believe trump, or they are supporting a delusional liar.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The scandal is Biden pushing for a change to a questionable tax maneuver that he himself is trying to change but using it himself to get out of $500,000 in taxes.


The scandal is that you're fucking dumb enough to not read the shit you post, which says none of that.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> If you would keep up on the news you would know most Republicans legislators don’t believe the election was stolen.


And you know there are plenty that still claim it is when they know it's bollocks.

So don't try being disingenuous, you look stupid enough already.

----------


## RPETER65

And still another example of the Biden administration’s house of cards.
Amateur hour: Pete Buttigieg's inexperience exposed as supply chain breaks down | TheHill

----------


## RPETER65

> The scandal is that you're fucking dumb enough to not read the shit you post, which says none of that.




Joe Biden Used Tax-Code Loophole Obama Tried to Plug - WSJ
Biden may owe up to $500K in back taxes


EDITORIAL: Biden used a tax loophole to shave tax bill by $500K | Las Vegas Review-Journal

----------


## harrybarracuda

Same bullshit, different toilet paper.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> And still another example of the Biden administration’s house of cards.
> Amateur hour: Pete Buttigieg's inexperience exposed as supply chain breaks down | TheHill


It's nothing to do with Biden or Buttigieg, you simpleton. You can't just build or expand ports overnight.




> *The forces overloading the world’s ports*
> 
> Two long-term trends have been inflating the number of containers loaded or unloaded on the average ship—also known as the ship’s “call size”—even before the pandemic. First, container ships are getting bigger, which has dramatically increased their maximum capacity. Second, the shipping industry has consolidated: just 10 companies that now control 80% of all shipping.  These (more profitable) shipping giants are using their market power to make their shipping routes as efficient as possible (for them) which means filling their ships as close to maximum capacity as possible.
> 
> Then the pandemic kicked this into overdrive. Demand for consumer goods rose, especially via e-commerce, straining supply chains. Space onboard container ships became scarce and expensive, which incentivized shipping lines to cram every available inch with cargo to maximize the amount of revenue they could squeeze out of their slow, arduous journeys through backlogged ports.
> *
> More cargo, more problems*
> 
> The problem is infrastructure: Ports simply aren’t built to unload ships carrying so many containers. “It’s a big stress factor,” said Mooney.
> ...


https://qz.com/2065671/cargo-ships-a...o-unload-them/

----------


## RPETER65

> It's nothing to do with Biden or Buttigieg, you simpleton. You can't just build or expand ports overnight.
> 
> 
> Cargo ships are so full that ports are struggling to unload them — Quartz



It has everything to do with Biden and Buttigieg as they are the ones who are tasked with solving the problem and as my post points out they have absolutely no experience in the transportation industry. Quit trying to defend the indefensible and look at the facts for once.

----------


## beachbound

> they have absolutely no experience.


That applies to everyone in the Trump administration, including the Cheeto in Chief.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It has everything to do with Biden and Buttigieg as they are the ones who are tasked with solving the problem and as my post points out they have absolutely no experience in the transportation industry. Quit trying to defend the indefensible and look at the facts for once.


I'll tell you what it needs you gibbering retard:

An INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

There is nigh on $12 Billion for ports in the Biden Infrastructure bill.

Perhaps if your fat orange god hadn't reneged on yet another false election promise they might be getting expanded as we speak.

Christ you know nothing do you? All you listen to is this fucking bollocks from right wing attack shops.

All destructive, never creative.

Republicans are a cancer on America.

----------


## RPETER65

> That applies to everyone in the Trump administration, including the Cheeto in Chief.



Wrong thread this is the Biden thread

----------


## RPETER65

> I'll tell you what it needs you gibbering retard:
> 
> An INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
> 
> There is nigh on $12 Billion for ports in the 
> 
> Perhaps if your fat orange god hadn't reneged on yet another false election promise they might be getting expanded as we speak.
> 
> Christ you know nothing do you? All you listen to is this fucking bollocks from right wing attack shops.
> ...


Seems as though you know nothing as there is an infrastructure bill already passed by the senate that Pelosi refuses to bring up for a vote.Port expansions are not the major problem moving things out of the ports is the big problem.

----------


## panama hat

> Trump





> Trump





> Trump





> Trump





> Republicans





> Pelosi





> socialist





> Republican





> Trump





> Congress





> Trump





> Trump





> left wing progressive democratic party





> socialist ultra left





> Trump





> Trump





> Buttigieg





> Pelosi





> Republicans





> Wrong thread this is the Biden thread


 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Seems as though you know nothing as there is an infrastructure bill already passed by the senate that Pelosi refuses to bring up for a vote.Port expansions are not the major problem moving things out of the ports is the big problem.


It was right there in front of you, you doddery old fool. Go and get your magnifying spectacles you bought off that Fox News ad.




> _Roads and highways leading into a port may not have enough capacity to handle the_ surge of trucks_ that come in to pick up or drop off containers when a tightly packed ship comes in. The_ intermodal terminals connecting ports and railroads_ may also get clogged with the sudden spike in traffic._

----------


## beachbound

> Where do you see I am still supporting Trump I actually think another run by Trump for president would be a loss for the Republicans there are many more qualified potential candidates.


Wrong thread, dipshit. This is the Biden thread.

----------


## RPETER65

> Your fat orange god was the most inept and corrupt president in modern history. The country would be in far worse hands if that shitbag was still in office. You clearly have no idea how supply chains work and as usual are just spewing the horseshit that the right-wing propaganda outlets are cramming into your feeble senile mind.


Sorry Buckwheat your redundant posting has become way to boring time for you to join Ant on ignore bye bye.

----------


## beachbound

> your redundant posting has become way to boring .


The very definition of the pot calling the kettle black.

----------


## RPETER65

On and on it goes.



Out-of-touch Biden threatens private sector companies as polls nosedive | TheHill


Democrats' reconciliation bill breaks Biden's middle class tax pledge | TheHill


This is bad news for Joe Biden - CNNPolitics



The Memo: Troubles pile up for Biden | TheHill

----------


## AntRobertson

> join Ant on ignore bye bye


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## aging one

> Sorry Buckwheat your redundant posting has become way to boring time for you to join Ant on ignore bye bye.


Exposed as a pussy. Jeez dude, you post up your bullshit, then run away from comments. Meow. MOFO.

----------


## RPETER65

> That applies to everyone in the Trump administration, including the Cheeto in Chief.




So your ok with no experience following no experience as long as you can compare Biden admin to Trump admin?

----------


## RPETER65

Democrats need to take this massage to heart.



The Post Says: Diss is what Democrats now are

----------


## Chico

How's Joes, Ratings this month, has he gone into minus mode yet?

----------


## Chico

> Democrats need to take this massage to heart.
> 
> 
> 
> The Post Says: Diss is what Democrats now are


Have a green for being in the red. :Smile:

----------


## beachbound

> Have a green for being in the red.



Have a red, for being an idiot.

----------


## panama hat

> How's Joes, Ratings this month, has he gone into minus mode yet?


There,, nut two, bad, cosidering hes prublims, they're there

A true Brexiteer!   :Smile: 





> Have a red, for being an idiot.


And another just for being . . . chico

----------


## AntRobertson

> Have a green for being in the red.


You're in the red and can't give greens.

Good example of the intra-stupid at work among Trump supporters right there.

----------


## AntRobertson

> You're in the red and can't give greens.
> 
> Good example of the intra-stupid at work among Trump supporters right there.


LULZ...I received a gray to punctuate the point.

Stupid always finds a way to out stupid itself.

----------


## Chico

> You're in the red and can't give greens.


Right ok you'd know these things as you spend every moment of your mundane life on a internet forum, just about sums you up with you're dullard friends...........

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Right ok you'd know these things as you spend every moment of your mundane life on a internet forum, just about sums you up with you're dullard friends...........

----------


## S Landreth

White House: US has donated 200 million COVID-19 vaccines around the world

The United States has donated 200 million COVID-19 vaccines as of Thursday to countries around to the world, a White House official said.

The vaccines were all successfully delivered and went to over 100 countries.

“President Biden has pledged that the U.S. will be the world’s arsenal of vaccines, and USAID continues to play a pivotal role in fulfilling the ambitious goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the eligible global population by next year,” Samantha Power, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said in a statement. 

The State Department also released a video on Thursday to celebrate the 200 million vaccines, touting that the U.S. donated more vaccines than any other country in the world and all at no cost and with no strings attached.

“This pandemic will not end anywhere until it’s defeated everywhere,” the State Department video said, showing images of the vaccines being delivered.

Over the next year, the U.S. will donate over one billion U.S.-made COVID-19 vaccine doses to low and lower-middle income countries, Power announced. She added that USAID is also helping provide oxygen services, testing, medical treatment, personal protective equipment for health workers to other countries. 

“Today, Americans have 200 million reasons to be proud. USAID is honored to be at the forefront of this global vaccination effort unprecedented in scale, speed, and complexity, to counter the worst pandemic in modern history,” she said.

Biden last month pledged to donate an additional 500 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to the world, bringing the total U.S. commitment to over 1.1 billion doses across this year and next.

----------


## Chico

Well done Joe, that will get you some brownie points........

----------


## S Landreth

U.S. leadership approval rebounds from Trump low



A Gallup report published Tuesday found approval of United States leadership in 46 countries and territories hit 49% — up from 30% at the end of Donald Trump's presidency, and matching former President Obama's first year (2009).

Why it matters: Biden's efforts to reengage with the international community following the Trump administration appear to be improving the global approval ratings for U.S. leadership, though this poll does not take into account the withdrawal from Afghanistan in August.

Gallup said America's global approval ratings will likely continue to shift as it completes its polling for 2021, though it is unlikely to drop to Trump-era lows.

By the numbers: The transition from Trump to Biden significantly improved the approval rating of U.S. leadership in 36 of the 46 countries and territories surveyed by Gallup through the first half of the year.

Ratings improved the most among European allies, including Portugal (52 percentage points), the Netherlands (45 points), Norway (42 points) and Sweden (41 points).

After Biden assumed office, ratings of U.S. leadership decreased in just three countries: Russia, Serbia and Benin.

----------


## Switch

^ No one should be surprised by this, such was the approbation heaped on Trump and his rule by twitter.

My concern from afar, with only limited knowledge of a broken democracy, is the ability of an aging President who remains subject to public faux pas, despite the insularity provided by his team at the White House.

It prompts some thoughts and concerns for the future.

Can Biden survive his first term? Is the VP a suitable candidate to replace him if he does fail? Is the VP a credible successor in the next round of 4 years, leading such a powerful country?

She seems to have gone a bit quiet since the celebration of her inauguration?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^ No one should be surprised by this, such was the approbation heaped on Trump and his rule by twitter.
> 
> My concern from afar, with only limited knowledge of a broken democracy, is the ability of an aging President who remains subject to public faux pas, despite the insularity provided by his team at the White House.
> 
> It prompts some thoughts and concerns for the future.
> 
> Can Biden survive his first term? Is the VP a suitable candidate to replace him if he does fail? Is the VP a credible successor in the next round of 4 years, leading such a powerful country?
> 
> She seems to have gone a bit quiet since the celebration of her inauguration?


In fairness, when do you ever hear of a VP unless they do or say something stupid?

I mean they're there to open schools and shit aren't they.

----------


## Switch

> In fairness, when do you ever hear of a VP unless they do or say something stupid?
> 
> I mean they're there to open schools and shit aren't they.


I expect Biden’s staffers are too busy organizing his daily schedule to worry about the VP. If she is serious about standing for the top job next time around, she will need to raise her profile at some point.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I expect Biden’s staffers are too busy organizing his daily schedule to worry about the VP. If she is serious about standing for the top job next time around, she will need to raise her profile at some point.


No point in doing it this early.

----------


## Switch

> No point in doing it this early.


I suggest that it is not too early, simply because Biden is so vulnerable health wise, and the country seems to be run by advisors now anyway!

Can you imagine a republican candidate, or even Trump trying to steal a March on the next election? Who else could the democrats field apart from the VP?

----------


## panama hat

> the country seems to be run by advisors now anyway!


As they are in most democracies





> Who else could the democrats field apart from the VP?


There are many good and viable candidates, many of them part of the recent Dem weeding-out sessions.  Joe was chosen because he brings stability, is a known entity and isn't 'radical' (US style which is not radical anywhere else).

I'd probably add Newsom to the field

----------


## Switch

> As they are in most democracies an assertion I would question, regarding the scale of Biden’s in house protectorate!
> 
> 
> There are many good and viable candidates, many of them part of the recent Dem weeding-out sessions.  Joe was chosen because he brings stability, is a known entity and isn't 'radical' (US style which is not radical anywhere else).
> 
> I'd probably add Newsom to the field


Th reason I ask for alternates is because I don’t know of any. I know why Biden was picked, but I’m not aware of the VPs suitability index, or any other possible who might decide to run.
My knowledge on this subject is sketchy, but I do find the machinations of prospective candidates fascinating. If the VP is not the front runner, why not? Hence my question.

----------


## panama hat

> I do find the machinations of prospective candidates fascinating. If the VP is not the front runner, why not? Hence my question.


A fair question . . . she didn't do too well in the selection process, but is a) female and b) not Caucasian.  Both help with votes

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Th reason I ask for alternates is because I don’t know of any. I know why Biden was picked, but I’m not aware of the VPs suitability index, or any other possible who might decide to run.
> My knowledge on this subject is sketchy, but I do find the machinations of prospective candidates fascinating. If the VP is not the front runner, why not? Hence my question.


When the time comes for the Democrats to offer a candidate for the 2024 race, if that candidate is not  Biden,  that  I am sure will not be. If Haris is considered for that Nomination expect Harris to experience a transformation.
At this point she needs to appear competent, and involved, but not so much that she takes away from Biden's ability peruse his addenda now. 
It is a balance that both Parties try to maintain with their VP.

----------


## Switch

> When the time comes for the Democrats to offer a candidate for the 2024 race, if that candidate is not  Biden,  that  I am sure will not be. If Haris is considered for that Nomination expect Harris to experience a transformation.
> At this point she needs to appear competent, and involved, but not so much that she takes away from Biden's ability peruse his addenda now. 
> It is a balance that both Parties try to maintain with their VP.


I have two concerns. Biden is old, white and male. His health in a stressful job is making me question his suitability to last the first term, and he has been quoted that he want to run again if he lasts the first 4 years and wins next time around.

My second concern is the Harris suitability to step up if Biden falters, and the fact that she said she does not want to be President?

Joe seems to be managed by WH staff, rather than him leading the country. What happens next? Am I the only one concerned about this?

----------


## happynz

> the fact that she said she does not want to be President?


Where did you hear this?




> Joe seems to be managed by WH staff, rather than him leading the country.


It looks to be a competent team, so no worries there. 

Much better than the horror show of grifters, liars,  cheats, and proto-fascists that Trump appointed.

----------


## Little Chuchok

*Biden’s approval hovers below 50%*Chris Kahn
REUTERS POLLING EDITOR

OCT. 21, 2021
Less than half of Americans approve of President Joe Biden’s performance in office, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The national poll, conducted Oct. 20-21, found that 46% of U.S. adults approved of Biden’s performance in office, while 48% disapproved and the rest were not sure. Biden’s overall popularity has hovered under 50% since August. At the same point in Donald Trump’s presidency, about 35% of Americans approved of his performance in office, while 60% disapproved. The Reuters/Ipsos poll is conducted online in English throughout the United States. The latest poll gathered responses from 1,005 adults in total including 435 Democrats and 406 Republicans. It has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 4 percentage points.

https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-BIDEN/POLL/nmopagnqapa/

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> I have two concerns. Biden is old, white and male. His health in a stressful job is making me question his suitability to last the first term, and he has been quoted that he want to run again if he lasts the first 4 years and wins next time around.
> 
> My second concern is the Harris suitability to step up if Biden falters, and the fact that she said she does not want to be President?
> 
> Joe seems to be managed by WH staff, rather than him leading the country. What happens next? Am I the only one concerned about this?


He says he is going to run so that he wont be a lame duck president, He is using the prospect that he might run again as leverage. much like trump is doing to raise funds . All this nonsense about his mental equity  is for the consumption of the feeble  minded. Over 20% of the Senate is over 70 years old, and no one is concerned about their mental acuity. 
Many of them same age as Biden and older, and most of them Republicans.

Age of Members of 117th Congress (& Averages) | FiscalNote
-Harris is a very smart lady , smarter than most people in this forum, you don't become AG of California, United States Senator, A presidential candidate and Vice President of The United States by being a dummy. If she is a dummy, what does that make us? 
-Biden the president of the United states, and not your pal "joe"  would have you for lunch in any debate. He is certainly not managed but rather than managing the talent that he has hired. The job of the President is to hire professionals and delegate responsibility, not to micromanage  a bunch of armature's like trump did. 
But No you are not the only one concerned about this,there are many other who bought into the oppositions narrative.

----------


## Switch

> Where did you hear this?
> 
> 
> It looks to be a competent team, so no worries there. 
> 
> Much better than the horror show of grifters, liars,  cheats, and proto-fascists that Trump appointed.


She sajd it herself, before losing the 2016 nomination to run for president.

The team may be competent, but they were not elected. Biden was.

I should inform you and others, that my concerns are to avoid Trump or another tool exposing loopholes to regain the WH in 2024.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> She sajd it herself, before losing the 2016 nomination to run for president.


Let me see if I understand this correctly. She was running for president but said she did not want to be president? 
Can you please provide a link where you read this to this innovative presidential campaign strategy .

----------


## Little Chuchok

> -Harris is a very smart lady , smarter than most people in this forum, you don't become AG of California, United States Senator, A presidential candidate and Vice President of The United States by being a dummy. If she is a dummy, what does that make us? 
> -Biden the president of the United states, and not your pal "joe"  would have you for lunch in any debate. He is certainly not managed but rather than managing the talent that he has hired. The job of the President is to hire professionals and delegate responsibility, not to micromanage  a bunch of armature's like trump did. 
> But No you are not the only one concerned about this,there are many other who bought into the oppositions narrative.


Smart but evil.

No defending of Proposition 8( Until she flip flopped when the polls went against her) and kept many wrongfully convicted people in jail without the ability of a new trial. Who does that sort of thing?

Bring in Tulsi Gabbard as the Dem nominee. I wouldn't kick her out of bed if she was to break wind... :Smile:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Smart but evil.
> 
> No defending of Proposition 8( Until she flip flopped when the polls went against her) and kept many wrongfully convicted people in jail without the ability of a new trial. Who does that sort of thing?
> 
> Bring in Tulsi Gabbard as the Dem nominee. I wouldn't kick her out of bed if she was to break wind...


all these thing are arguable , but what is not is Harris suitability to step up if Biden falters,as switch said.

----------


## havnfun

Even MSN news are making fun of him now,   What's the bet that someone will say " fuck off deeks" :Smile:  :rofl: 

See Joe Biden’s ‘Imaginary Jetpack’ And Other Memes From The President’s CNN Town Hall

----------


## Samuel

"Biden’s Thursday night CNN town hall will bring him to 16 interviews total — versus 82 by Trump, 131 by Obama" at the same time in their terms. 





> Even MSN news are making fun of him now,


SNL did, too:  'Saturday Night Live' debuts 47th season with Owen Wilson as host

He's avoided regular interviews from the press and the poor guy struggled with anderson cooper tossing him softballs.

----------


## cyrille

> SNL did, too:


Christ, that show's as funny as pancreatic cancer.  :Sad:

----------


## cyrille

Or Seinfeld.

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## bsnub

Biden is 10000x a better and more stable president than the cheeto that lost the election fair and square. The orange moron was the most corrupt and incompetent president in modern American history. I hope he runs in 2024 because he will guarantee the Democratic Party a win.

----------


## cyrille

Do you think they'll put up Harris, snub?

----------


## Samuel

> I hope he runs in 2024 because he will guarantee the Democratic Party a win.


Well, that's a ways off. 

One thing almost for sure the Dems will get crushed in the midterms next year — losing the house and possibly even the senate. 

According to polls, independents in swing areas aren't happy with Biden and the Dems' perfomance.

----------


## Cujo

> Christ, that show's as funny as pancreatic cancer.


Just as a matter of interest what would you consider a funny show?

----------


## bsnub

> According to polls, independents in swing areas aren't happy with Biden and the Dems' perfomance.


Just what poll are you talking about, lemming?


Trumpanzees are a cancer. No one wants that shit stain back in office. Up your IQ.

----------


## Samuel

> Christ, that show's as funny as pancreatic cancer.





> Or Seinfeld.





> Just as a matter of interest what would you consider a funny show?


I'm curious, too.

----------


## pickel

It doesn't matter who the Dems run in 2024. The Republicans are busy correcting the errors of their last coup attempt by changing state electoral laws to have the power to decertify the results, and submit their own electoral college. Gonna be a wild one.

----------


## misskit

President Tammy Duckworth has a nice ring.

----------


## beachbound

^
Her military background would certainly give her a leg up on anyone running against her.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ^
> Her military background would certainly give her a leg up on anyone running against her.


Pun intended?

It would be very unusual for the DNC Not to run Harris. She is paying  her dues.
If indeed they don't, a deal will be made with her for some other internationally responsible condition to pad her resume, for a 2028 run. 
 Perhaps secretary of State. Much in the way a deal was made With Hillary Clinton to support Obama .

----------


## misskit

^^ Har har. She’s a kick-ass woman!

----------


## Samuel

Not likely — though, it the dems ran Tulsi Gabbard in 2024 against the republicans, she'd pick up a lot of the libertarian independent vote.

----------


## HermantheGerman

"He's got neither the competence nor the guts"...

Biden's comments about Taiwan shows that he has lost his marbles completely. Sorry Snubby, but Sleepy Joe won't make it. The Republicans don't even have to rip him apart because he is falling apart. 

Will someone be so kind and put this guy in a retirement home... have some mercy.

----------


## HermantheGerman

> U.S. leadership approval rebounds from Trump low


To rebound from Trump's low can't be that hard.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

But let's be fair, the world press is just "now" starting to report about the incompetence of Biden. I guess they gave him some time after those cruel laughable Trump years.

The Biden's and Trump's should be exempted from politics . That could make America Great Again.

----------


## happynz

> if the dems ran Tulsi Gabbard in 2024 against the republicans


"If cowshit were butter, then why milk the cow?" 

The preposterous notion that Gabbard could win the Democratic nomination for president is laughable.  She saw the writing on the wall and was going to be primaried and likely lose in her home district in Hawai'i. As a fall back she has decided to appeal to the Q loons and Fox News crowd to keep her income rolling in.

----------


## tomcat

Many folks here are frustrated by the Democrats as they try to push through the Biden agenda but seem stymied at every turn. I have found that its best to think of things this way: We dont really have 50 Democrats. We have 48 Democrats and 2 Corporatists. That means the actual current Senate make up is 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 2 Corporatists.

The Corporatists, Sens. Manchin and Sinema, answer to the fossil fuel industry and to big pharma. Thats why we cant get their agreement on clean energy proposals for climate change and Medicare negotiation on prescription drug prices.

What we can get their agreement on is an expansion of the social safety net, which ultimately is good for business, too. Workers will be better off with subsidized child care, elder care, pre-K subsidies, and child tax credits for poor families. We should come into the modern age with things like this. And we need to do something about climate change to meet our global commitments, though we can argue about how best to get there.

If you think of the Senate this way, it is something of a miracle that we are close to pushing through Bidens agenda, which is the largest expansion of this social safety net since the Great Depression years. Even at half the originally hoped-for price tag, it is transformative for working families, for children, for our elderly. To get this, Democrats needed to bargain and negotiate with the two corporatists, who are looking out for big business interests and their rich pals who fund their campaigns and lifestyles.

The two arent as bad as the GOP. They vote with the Dems on most social issues and have allowed Biden to appoint his cabinet and progressive judges to the federal bench. Without their support, wed be nowhere.

When the Build Back Better and infrastructure bills passand I still believe there is a good chance of them both passingwe should take it as a win. And we should stop blaming Democrats that there are corporatists in Democrats vests in the Senate. We should remember that the true enemy are the 50 GOP Senators who are doing nothing to help the average American family. And we should sing Nancy Pelosis and Chuck Schumers and Joe Bidens praises loudly rather than gripe about what they could not accomplish. Because what they are accomplishing with these bills is truly, truly remarkable under these near impossible circumstances and odds.

-Jay Kuo (Twitter post)

----------


## panama hat

> We don’t really have 50 Democrats. We have 48 Democrats and 2 Corporatists. That means the actual current Senate make up is 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 2 Corporatists.


 . . . Bernie and Angus who also don't just tow the line

----------


## bsnub

> . . . Bernie and Angus who also don't just tow the line


No way you could call them Corporatists though.

----------


## happynz

_Toe the line_. Idiomatic expression that comes from when racers stand poised at the line waiting for the starting pistol to be fired.

----------


## panama hat

> No way you could call them Corporatists though.


True . . . yet they're not shoe-ins (please let that be correct or . . . )




> tow





> Toe


Oops.  :Smile:  Thank you

----------


## Hugh Cow

Nice to see Joe throw Australia under the bus to save a little face with France. That bloke needs to grow some balls. Then to add insult to injury wax lyrical about America having no greater friend than France. He might have got Macron back on side but lost a lot from a country who has always backed up their supposed mate. 
At least we know where we stand now with slippery Joe.

----------


## aging one

> Nice to see Joe throw Australia under the bus to save a little face with France. That bloke needs to grow some balls. Then to add insult to injury wax lyrical about America having no greater friend than France. He might have got Macron back on side but lost a lot from a country who has always backed up their supposed mate.
> At least we know where we stand now with slippery Joe.


How about a little context as to what he did Hugh?

----------


## russellsimpson

Is anybody actually buying the line that "he thought others were informed when they were not" to wiggle his way out of this 'French situation'. First asking us to believe  he was mis-informed about the situation in Afghanistan and now this.

Joe is in a very tough situation. I fear it is going to be a very long three years. I'm not sure the nation can weather this storm. We have never needed strong leadership more and this man simply can't provide it. Jill is going to have to sit her husband down and explain that there is no shame in stepping aside.

Bring on the reds guys. ::spin::

----------


## aging one

> We have never needed strong leadership more


We?  Now you are American after all your anti American statements?  Do agree that one term is enough.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The Corporatists, Sens. Manchin and Sinema, answer to the fossil fuel industry and to big pharma.


I disagree with that,
The problem is the two party system that does not allow for coalitions and compromise. Money and corporate control play a big part on the decision making of most if not all  elected officials in goverment, but Manchin and Sinema have the additional consideration of coming from conservative districts . If they are to be reelected and the democrat's maintain the balance they have. they have to consider that. 
I am sure strategy conversations concerning that , were had.
To dance you have to be invited to the dance, otherwise you'll be doing the two step in a corner all by yourself.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Nice to see Joe throw Australia under the bus to save a little face with France. That bloke needs to grow some balls. Then to add insult to injury wax lyrical about America having no greater friend than France. He might have got Macron back on side but lost a lot from a country who has always backed up their supposed mate. 
> At least we know where we stand now with slippery Joe.


How did he throw Australia under a bus?

All he did was give Macron a pat on the head and a "there there there". Not even an apology.

----------


## beachbound

> I fear it is going to be a very long three years. 
> 
> 
> I'm not sure the nation can weather this storm. 
> 
> 
> We have never needed strong leadership more and this man simply can't provide it. 
> 
> 
> ...


The mods really need to consider adding a third reputation option. 
One for sympathy.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The mods really need to consider adding a third reputation option. 
> One for sympathy.


Or perhaps just incessantly getting things wrong.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> "If cowshit were butter, then why milk the cow?" 
> 
> The preposterous notion that Gabbard could win the Democratic nomination for president is laughable.  She saw the writing on the wall and was going to be primaried and likely lose in her home district in Hawai'i. As a fall back she has decided to appeal to the Q loons and Fox News crowd to keep her income rolling in.



She would surely be better than Mr Alzheimer or his 2IC. regardless of weather she would have made it or not.

I've not seen her on fox news, but that is probably because I don't watch it.

----------


## beachbound

> regardless of weather she would have made it


I really don’t think the weather has anything to do with it.

----------


## aging one

> She would surely be better than Mr Alzheimer or his 2IC. regardless of weather she would have made it or not.
> 
> I've not seen her on fox news, but that is probably because I don't watch it.


Please do a little research. Not even 5 minutes. Thanks.

----------


## RPETER65

Joe Biden’s presidency is ‘dying a slow death’ | Sky News Australia

----------


## AntRobertson

> Joe Biden’s presidency is ‘dying a slow death’ | Sky News Australia


Oh hey look, Repeater is uncritically disseminating another Rupert Murdoch 'news' source.

You can take the bot away from Fox but not the fox outta the bot.

----------


## RPETER65

> Oh hey look, Repeater is uncritically disseminating another Rupert Murdoch 'news' source.
> 
> You can take the bot away from Fox but not the fox outta the bot.



Hey look the wannabe lawyer is criticizing the news source without addressing the material in the post.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Hey look the wannabe lawyer is criticizing the news source without addressing the material in the post.





> Sorry Buckwheat your redundant posting has become way to boring time for you to join Ant on ignore bye bye.


Oh hey look senile old fool forgot.

Why do you expect people to address links that you spam with no commentary of your own and what's a 'wannabe lawyer', Repeater?

----------


## RPETER65

‘Scary News For Democrats’: Chuck Todd Lays Out Poll Saying 71% Of Americans Believe US Is Headed In The Wrong Direction | The Daily Caller

----------


## RPETER65

> Oh hey look senile old fool forgot.
> 
> Why do you expect people to address links that you spam with no commentary of your own and what's a 'wannabe lawyer', Repeater?



I actually don’t care only pointing out the hurtful truth to you liberals


What’s a wannabe lawyer? That would be you.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I actually don’t care only pointing out the hurtful truth to you liberals


You're spamming links from a right wing Murdoch rag with no commentary and then crying that someone else hasn't commented on it.

You clearly do care.

 :Dunno: 




> What’s a wannabe lawyer? That would be you.


How does one become a 'wannabe lawyer'.

 :Dunno:

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Please do a little research. Not even 5 minutes. Thanks.


Piss off.

I know a fit bird when I see one.

----------


## happynz

^ might I suggest specsavers?

----------


## bsnub

> I actually don’t care only pointing out the hurtful truth to you liberals


As soon as the infrastructure bill and the build back better act passes, his approval rating will go up. You continue to swallow right-wing horseshit propaganda like a good lemming.

----------


## bsnub

> She would surely be better than Mr Alzheimer or his 2IC.


Ronald Reagan hat Alzheimer's for most of the time he was president, but the GOP think he was one of the greatest presidents ever.  :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

> You're spamming links from a right wing Murdoch rag with no commentary and then crying that someone else hasn't commented on it.
> 
> You clearly do care.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How does one become a 'wannabe lawyer'.


Sorry to burst your bubble I actually do not care if you and the other liberal fools want to keep your head in the sand and refuse to look at the writing on the wall for the Democrats.

If you want to see how you become a wannabe lawyer look back on your own history.

----------


## helge

> * 71% Of Americans Believe US Is Headed In The Wrong Direction*




First indication for me, that they might be going in the right direction

----------


## AntRobertson

> Sorry to burst your bubble I actually do not care if you and the other liberal fools want to keep your head in the sand and refuse to look at the writing on the wall for the Democrats.


You clearly do care though.

You're having a veritable tantrum over a link you posted with no commentary. 




> If you want to see how you become a wannabe lawyer look back on your own history.


That makes no sense.

Are you on some sort of medication? Should you be?

 :Dunno:

----------


## AntRobertson

> the writing on the wall for the Democrats.


This is a textbook MAGA voter right here:



That you Repeater?

Looks a bit young.

----------


## Samuel

> As soon as the infrastructure bill and the build back better act passes, his approval rating will go up.


I really doubt the democrats will get any other than the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed.


AOC and girls are holding it up as they want their massive spending bill passed, too. 


Manchin is saying stop playing games and pass the infrastructure bill. 


Meanwhile, if the Virginia governor's race goes to the Republican (looking likely) — say goodbye to Biden's left-wing agenda. 


Moderate Democrats will try to save their own hides at the polls by moving to the political center — Biden, too, I'm guessing. 

--------------------




> Manchin says Congress should pass infrastructure bill, not hold it 'hostage' with Build Back Better plan
> 
> Speaking to the press on Monday, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., pushed for Congress to pass a bipartisan infrastructure bill, saying the body should "stop playing games with the American people in holding a critical infrastructure bill hostage" waiting to vote for it simultaneously with a Build Back Better bill.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Manchin is just a conservative in a democrat skin suit, let's face it.

----------


## Samuel

> Manchin is just a conservative in a democrat skin suit, let's face it.


Agree:  compared to how far left-wing AOC and crew are. 

Though, he's an old school blue-dog democat. 

Used to be more common.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Agree:  compared to how far left-wing AOC and crew are. 
> 
> Though, he's an old school blue-dog democat. 
> 
> Used to be more common.


He's a millionaire conservative with a vested interest in fossil fuels and the wealthy avoiding taxes.

----------


## Samuel

Anyways, back to Biden.

Interesting in Virginia how big a drag Biden is on the ticket.





> Biden drag haunts Democrats in Virginia and beyond: The Note - ABC News
> 
> Biden drag haunts Democrats in Virginia and beyond: The Note
> 
> Tuesday's contests will show just how much of a drag Biden is for Democrats.
> 
> Former President Donald Trump was supposed to be a drag on Republicans in 2021, particularly in states he lost by 10 points (Virginia) or 15 points (New Jersey) a year ago.
> 
> That script could get flipped on Tuesday, depending on election results in those two states and a handful of other key races.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Anyways, back to Biden.
> 
> Interesting in Virginia how big a drag Biden is on the ticket.


If it were nearer a general election, it might be significant.

Now, not so much.

----------


## beachbound

> Manchin is just a conservative in a democrat skin suit, let's face it.


Without a doubt. West Virginia is about as red as you can get, and Joe Manchin knows the only way he’s going to stay in power, and continue to line his pockets, is to ride the fence. That c*nt out in Arizona is cut from the same cloth.

Until the US sets term limits on these fu*kers, stagnation is all we’re ever going to get. They’ll continue to stand in front of the cameras, and profess to be working “for the American people”, all the while sucking up to their special interest groups, and padding their bank accounts.

----------


## Samuel

> f it were nearer a general election, it might be significant.
> 
> Now, not so much.


nobody thinks the dems will keep the house. 

do you?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> nobody thinks the dems will keep the house. 
> 
> do you?


Swings in mid term usually mean stalemate.

It's up to Biden to roll through his bills before then and reap the benefits in the next two years.

----------


## Samuel

> Swings in mid term usually mean stalemate.
> 
> It's up to Biden to roll through his bills before then and reap the benefits in the next two years.


He's not going to "roll through them". 

And, the American people are starting to realize he's a "fucking moron" (as you might say) whenever his puppet masters allow him to speak.

----------


## beachbound

> He's not going to "roll through them". 
> 
> And, the American people are starting to realize he's a "fucking moron" (as you might say) whenever his puppet masters allow him to speak.


It’s apparent You are a product of your environment, and you just regurgitating shit you see/hear on far right Conspiracy news. Which one is it, Breitbart, OANN, Fox, Prager, or all of the above?

----------


## Samuel

> It’s apparent You are a product of your environment, and you just regurgitating shit you see/hear on far right Conspiracy news. Which one is it, Breitbart, OANN, Fox, Prager, or all of the above?


watch the virginia race. 

if the dem loses, watch the biden agenda fall apart. 

...prediction...

----------


## beachbound

> watch the virginia race. 
> 
> if the dem loses, watch the biden agenda fall apart. 
> 
> .. regurgitating shit I heard on Fox News….



Fixed that for you, you boring cvnt.

----------


## Samuel

> Fixed that for you, you boring cvnt.


what does that mean?

you are confident that the dems will win the virginia gov race?

----------


## beachbound

> you are confident that the dems will win the virginia gov race?


No, what I’m confident about is my statement that you are a boring cvnt who watches far right drivel “news”, and regurgitates it to anyone who will listen.

----------


## Samuel

does the little angry boy have anything else to say?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It’s apparent You are a product of your environment, and you just regurgitating shit you see/hear on far right Conspiracy news. Which one is it, Breitbart, OANN, Fox, Prager, or all of the above?


He sounds moronic enough for it to be Newsmax.

----------


## beachbound

> Newsmax


America’s news source. (as long as you’re white, uneducated, and gullible)

----------


## beachbound

> does the little angry boy have anything else to say?


Do you? You spew the same shit, post after post. The only thing different is your nic.

----------


## Samuel

> Do you? You spew the same shit, post after post. The only thing different is your nic.


you seem to think if the dems lose Virginia, it won’t affect Biden and his agenda.

 ::doglol::

----------


## AntRobertson

If the GOP wins Virginia I expect an immediate and vociferous response from the 'Stop The Steal!' crowd and demands for immediate recounts.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> you seem to think if the dems lose Virginia, it won’t affect Biden and his agenda.


Why would it?

----------


## Samuel

> Why would it?


Posted this on the last page:


Meanwhile, if the Virginia governor's race goes to the Republican (looking likely)  say goodbye to Biden's left-wing agenda. 


Moderate Democrats will try to save their own hides at the polls by moving to the political center  Biden, too, I'm guessing.

----------


## beachbound

> say goodbye to Biden's left-wing agenda.






> watch the biden agenda fall apart






> say goodbye to Biden left-wing agenda






> you seem to think if the dems lose Virginia, it won’t affect Biden and his agenda







> I’m guessing


_I’m_ guessing you’re not. I highly doubt an original thought has never passed  through that pea-sized brain of yours. You just continue to regurgitate Sean Hannity talking points.


Youngkin victory deals another blow to Biden, as agenda stalls in Congress-Fox News

----------


## Samuel

Hmm, lets see what axlerod has to say.

/
Axelrod: Democrats In Swing Districts Are Probably Rethinking Their Vote For Biden's Reconciliation Package After Tonight | Video | RealClearPolitics



DAVID AXELROD: They only have one-term governors in Virginia. I was struck the other day. Kamala Harris came in to campaign for him. She said the question in this campaign is whether we will move forward and whether we will move back. And she is standing next to a guy who was governor some time back. It seemed like a discordant message. 

But I want to make a point about the messages and how they're going to be read of this election. David Chalian talked earlier about 53% of the voters saying that the Democratic party is too liberal and Youngkin winning 75% of that vote. They each got equal numbers of votes or percentages of the votes from Republicans and Democrats, and Republicans and Democrats voted almost equal numbers. But independents broke nine points in favor of Youngkin. And that proved to be devastating. 

Just remember that Joe Biden, I think, won independents said by 18 points ten years ago. So that is a real concern. 

One of the questions I have is if you are a Democrat on Capitol Hill and you are from a swing district in suburban areas, are you rethinking tonight your vote on this reconciliation package. Are you thinking, maybe the best you shouldn't do it. If I were sitting in the White House or the leadership of the Democratic councils in Congress, I would be worried about it. I'd be trying to firm these people up. I know how this goes, I've experienced it. I know when things go badly, people begin to think of themselves.

----------


## RPETER65

> what does that mean?
> 
> you are confident that the dems will win the virginia gov race?



What that means is hes angry over the fact what your saying is true.Typical of liberals when they are digging themselves in a whole they attack your character.

----------


## beachbound

..edit…

----------


## helge

> You have no character, asshole. You’re a piece of shit Trump apologist, with no redeeming qualities, whatsoever.
> 
> The very definition of deplorable.


A forum for civil discussion and exchange of ideas. No flaming or abuse allowed. All posts should include your opinion on the subject, not your opinion of the member posting.

......

----------


## Hugh Cow

I would be surprised if Biden gets a second term but he hasnt buried his head in the sand on climate change and is trying to do something. Trump was a complete moron on this issue and many states like California were way past Trump on this issue. 
Can someone better versed in U.S politics than I, please explain to me why Republicans cant seem to get there head around this important issue or for the most part and even acknowledge it let alone do anything about it and why there appears to be so many Americans who seem to disbelieve climate change is here. 
There seems to be a political anomaly in the states. Why are the democrats moderately left of centre yet by all appearance the Republicans are so far right of centre they would be (IMO) virtually unelectable in most western democracies?

----------


## Switch

The US presidency has become a bit of a poisoned chalice since Trump was voted in to office. He behaved with a total lack of grace in both domestic and international politics.

The democrats put up Sleepy Joe as a candidate out of desperation. Despite his histrionics and a complete lack of charm, the buffoon that is Trump still persuaded millions to vote for him. Even with such benign opposition as Biden, the democrats managed to get it right.

I don’t claim to have any great understanding of the American system, but if so many people voted for a second term of the Donald Trump show, that system is clearly broken, and not fit for purpose.

Just like democracy in the UK, the USA needs strong but determined leadership. There are huge capability gaps and poor opposition on both sides of the pond.

----------


## Norton

> please explain to me why Republicans cant seem to get there head around this important issue


Like most all US politicians their heads are focused on getting elected or reelected. Re climate change 2 reasons prevent embracing the issue. In the majority of the Republican (red) states the fossil fuel industry provides large numbers of jobs. Putting folks out of work is not the smartest thing a politician can do. This coupled with the fear of getting on the wrong side of Trump and supporters make embracing (climate change) something obvious to all, political suicide.

----------


## beachbound

> Please explain to me why Republicans cant seem to get there head around this important issue or for the most part and even acknowledge it let alone do anything about it and why there appears to be so many Americans who seem to disbelieve climate change is here.


Look no further than where they get their news. 
Fox, and the other propaganda news outlets, roll out _their_  climate change experts, who spew their alternative facts on climate change, and their viewers lap it up.

----------


## RPETER65

Looks like the agenda of the liberal politicians to turn the U.S. into a socialist country is slowly dying of a thousand cuts. The people have awakened.

Dems keep butting heads after Virginia shellacking - POLITICO

----------


## RPETER65

> Look no further than where they get their news. 
> Fox, and the other propaganda news outlets, roll out _their_  “climate change experts”, who spew their “alternative facts“ on climate change, and their viewers lap it up.



Maybe when they see hundreds of carbon spewing planes parked wherever there is a climate summit they are turned off. Maybe when they see nothing but talk coming from these summit meanings and countries like China and India pushing more coal fired eel plants they say why bother and Imcould go on and on.

----------


## beachbound

> Maybe when they see hundreds of carbon spewing planes parked wherever there is a climate summit they are turned off. Maybe when they see nothing but talk coming from these summit “ meanings.”


Republicans are not that deep. No, they’re just sitting around the trailer parks, watching Fox News, and drinking the Kool-Aid. 




> coal fired eel plants


Coal-fired eel? Is that how they cook it in China?






> I could go on and on


You usually do.

----------


## AntRobertson

> they attack your character.


What character?  :Dunno: 

You're a cookie-cutter hypocritical bigot who hides behind being 'Christian' and uncritically disseminates Fox News talking points.

Literally thousands of you on the right.

----------


## russellsimpson

It just seems to me that the Democrats are going to get ahead of the game only when they stop dragging a bloodied Ex-President Trump behind them. That don't work anymore boys! There are many reasons why the blues took a thumpin' but one of those reasons undeniably is Joe. Now, how to shift Mr. Trump into ancient history. It's a grand work in progress. We need leadership and at the moment don't have any. Giant wake up call.

I was pleased to see the ballot entry regarding doing away with the police has failed miserably in Minneapolis. What do you think AO?

----------


## RPETER65

> Republicans are not that deep. No, they’re just sitting around the trailer parks, watching Fox News, and drinking the Kool-Aid. 
> 
> 
> 
> Coal-fired eel? Is that how they cook it in China?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Are you really as simple minded as your posts would lead one to believe

----------


## AntRobertson

> What that means is he’s angry over the fact what your saying is true.Typical of liberals when they are digging themselves in a whole they attack your character.





> Are you really as simple minded as your posts would lead one to believe


Lols…

----------


## Headworx

100% serious question: Is it just me that finds it impossible to watch Biden talk and have no confidence in him getting though a basic sentence without him having to slow down and gather his thoughts, or force himself to concentrate harder on the teleprompter if one's in use?

I've got no dog in the fight and no interest in American politics (and why would I as I'm not American) but watching news and current affairs programs from around the world, it's always been impossible to not see American Presidents and other world leaders giving interviews and speeches and whatnot. Guys like Obama and Bill Clinton use to impress me, they were fantastic public speakers and oozed an air of both confidence and intelligence when they spoke. Unlike Biden. 

I get it that he's a better choice than Trump but it's not like the bar was set high, Ronald McDonald with the Hamburgler as his running mate would have been a better choice too from what I saw, but that doesnt change the fact that I'm finding it impossible to look at him and think _Holy hell this guy's switched on._ Just the opposite.

Just me?

----------


## RPETER65

> 100% serious question: Is it just me that finds it impossible to watch Biden talk and have no confidence in him getting though a basic sentence without him having to slow down and gather his thoughts, or force himself to concentrate harder on the teleprompter if one's in use?
> 
> I've got no dog in the fight and no interest in American politics (and why would I as I'm not American) but watching news and current affairs programs from around the world, it's always been impossible to not see American Presidents and other world leaders giving interviews and speeches and whatnot. Guys like Obama and Bill Clinton use to impress me, they were fantastic public speakers and oozed an air of both confidence and intelligence when they spoke. Unlike Biden. 
> 
> I get it that he's a better choice than Trump but it's not like the bar was set high, Ronald McDonald with the Hamburgler as his running mate would have been a better choice too from what I saw, but that doesnt change the fact that I'm finding it impossible to look at him and think _Holy hell this guy's switched on._ Just the opposite.
> 
> Just me?



Not just you

----------


## panama hat

> Not just you


He's hardly addressing you with that question as your opinion is obvious.  You're as much an anti-Biden bigot as many here are anti-Trump bigots.







> 100% serious question: Is it just me that finds it impossible to watch Biden talk and have no confidence in him getting though a basic sentence without him having to slow down and gather his thoughts, or force himself to concentrate harder on the teleprompter if one's in use?


It is painful at times . . . luckily he's still being compared to Trump and comes out of it far better than he should.  No shame in being his age, but he should know his limits . . . luckily he has stopped 'running' up to podiums, that was also cringeworthy

----------


## Headworx

^I'm hearing you. Perhaps a word I should have used in my previous post as well should have been _charismatic,_ an area Joe is definitely lacking in. 

Would love to have a beer with Obama one day and talk about literally anything besides politics, you just know he'd be great for that. Would also love to have a beer with Bill and talk about girls, blow, and shitting too close to your nest. Especially when that nest is the fucking Oval Office regardless of the "have you ever seen my wife!" excuse he'd try to justify it with. But I can't see how having a beer with Joe would be a barrel of laughs or mental stimulating..

Edit to add, would _not_ like to have a beer with Trump who'd surely never stop talking about the time he shot 65 at St Andrews, made his 9th billion dollar, would have been Time magazine Person of the Year and won multiple Grammy's if the votes weren't rigged, and has been invited to be key-note speaker at the next Neurosurgeons convention  to discuss his excellent brain.

----------


## AntRobertson

> Just me?


I basically just don't even listen to him tbh.

It's enough for me that whatever or however he's saying it that it's still better than having that _"Yo-semite Thighland Hamberders Motang Herd mentality Nars Super-duper hydrosonic Covfefe Person TV Man Camera Im under levered!"_ lunatic and wannabe despot with his tiny fingers on the button.

----------


## Headworx

> I basically just don't even listen to him tbh.


Hard to avoid it, more so when cooking breakfast with the TV on in the background! I watch morning news from 3 different countries (none of them being America) and the brief talk Biden did this morning on why his party lost some election yesterday is on all of them, along with the finding of that little girl in Oz. He clearly has trouble putting a coherent sentence together and even with notes to look down at to keep him on track, stumbles all over the place trying to say whatever it is he's trying to say. If this was a Doctor trying to explain to me some serious condition I've got, I'd get another Doctor! Hence my post earlier.

----------


## AntRobertson

Yeah I get what you're saying, he's very far from inspiring that's for sure.

How good is that Cleo Smith story though aye! 

I mean not good obviously but somewhat miraculous she was found alive and unharmed. Usually not the case in 99.99% of these things.

----------


## Headworx

^ To be honest I thought she'd never be seen again, no shortages of places to bury someone that will never be found in West Australia. Couldn't be happier with the outcome, cannot even begin to imagine what she and her parents must have gone through.

----------


## happynz

> If this was a Doctor trying to explain to me some serious condition I've got, I'd get another Doctor! Hence my post earlier.


From what I've gathered Biden has had a life long issue with stuttering. Growing up with a brother with the same  issue I'm sympathetic to Biden's speaking issues.

----------


## panama hat

> unharmed


Unfortunately we don't know that yet . . . what was this creep doing with her for two weeks?

----------


## Headworx

> From what I've gathered Biden has had a life long issue with stuttering. Growing up with a brother with the same issue I'm sympathetic to Biden's speaking issues.


Stuttering is something I fully understand, I don't think there'd be too many of us that haven't know someone well with some form of speech impediment.

 Big difference to clearly losing your train of thought mid sentence regularly, and stammering while trying to remember what it was you were trying to say while hoping someone in the room jogs your memory with a word or two that snaps you back into reality. And the _Cornholio/jet pack pilot_ stance thing recently, what the actual fuck was that all about?

----------


## happynz

> And the Cornholio/jet pack pilot stance thing recently, what the actual fuck was that all about?


555 I don't know. I must have missed that.

----------


## Samuel

> And the Cornholio/jet pack pilot stance thing recently, what the actual fuck was that all about?


Read somewhere that for some elderly who are struggling in a situation  it's like they are trying to "grip reality".

----------


## bsnub

Good god, you are fucking cancer of stupidity. Will you please fuck off...

----------


## Norton

Joe never was much at rah, rah inspirational speaking. His strength is getting things done normally in the background. Problem with being President he is thrust into having to do what he never was good at. Nothing to do with his age. I'm older than Joe and no doubt could do a better job on TV but no way could I do what he does with a seriously divided Congress.

----------


## beachbound

> it's like they are trying to "grip reality".


What’s your excuse?

----------


## bsnub

Fuck me that is trippy. Looking back on that vid @norts. Crazy how time flies.

----------


## Samuel

> Im guessing youre not. I highly doubt an original thought has never passed through that pea-sized brain of yours. You just continue to regurgitate Sean Hannity talking points.


Hey Mr. Trash Talker: 

What did you think of what Axlerod has to say  pretty much the same as I was saying before the Virgina results came in? 

---------------

DAVID AXELROD: They only have one-term governors in Virginia. I was struck the other day. Kamala Harris came in to campaign for him. She said the question in this campaign is whether we will move forward and whether we will move back. And she is standing next to a guy who was governor some time back. It seemed like a discordant message.

But I want to make a point about the messages and how they're going to be read of this election. David Chalian talked earlier about 53% of the voters saying that the Democratic party is too liberal and Youngkin winning 75% of that vote. They each got equal numbers of votes or percentages of the votes from Republicans and Democrats, and Republicans and Democrats voted almost equal numbers. But independents broke nine points in favor of Youngkin. And that proved to be devastating.

Just remember that Joe Biden, I think, won independents said by 18 points ten years ago. So that is a real concern.

One of the questions I have is if you are a Democrat on Capitol Hill and you are from a swing district in suburban areas, are you rethinking tonight your vote on this reconciliation package. Are you thinking, maybe the best you shouldn't do it. If I were sitting in the White House or the leadership of the Democratic councils in Congress, I would be worried about it. I'd be trying to firm these people up. I know how this goes, I've experienced it. I know when things go badly, people begin to think of themselves.

----------


## Norton

> But independents broke nine points in favor of Youngkin. And that proved to be devastating.


Absolutely a concern for Dems especially given the growth in the number of independents.

----------


## bsnub

> Absolutely a concern for Dems especially given the growth in the number of independents.


It was due to a low dem turnout. This is a good thing. They will be reminded that they have to vote in the election that counts next year.

----------


## Samuel

> It was due to a low dem turnout.


as axelrod says, the turnout was equal between the 2 parties  — it was the independents:




> They each got equal numbers of votes or percentages of the votes from Republicans and Democrats, and Republicans and Democrats voted almost equal numbers. But independents broke nine points in favor of Youngkin. And that proved to be devastating.

----------


## AntRobertson

Youngkin campaigned massively on the racist dog-whistle of CRT and "Election fraud". CRT isnt even taught in schools, the majority of people angry about it don't actually understand what it is, and Trump didn't lose because of Election fraud. 

Both are performative theater for a party without policy and Youngkin was able to feed the lies directly to his base through a right-wing media machine that ceaselessly amplified his garbage.

That's the GOP today--an anti-democracy party focused of spreading lies to credulous morons.

----------


## Samuel

> That's the GOP today--an anti-democracy party focused of spreading l*ies to credulous morons.*


Are you saying that the majority of Virginians who voted for Youngkin are morons?

It was about high taxes, inflation, wokeness (gone too far) and the gift out-of-touch McAuliffe gave Youngkin.


---------------

McAuliffe says parents shouldn’t tell schools what to teach, handing Youngkin a campaign ad

*McAuliffe says parents shouldnt tell schools what to teach, handing Youngkin a campaign ad*

----------


## AntRobertson

> That's the GOP today--an anti-democracy party focused of spreading lies to credulous morons.





> It was about high taxes, inflation, wokeness (gone too far) and the gift out-of-touch McAuliffe gave Youngkin.


Ah huh.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It was due to a low dem turnout. This is a good thing. They will be reminded that they have to vote in the election that counts next year.



No it wasn't.

Northam won in 2017 with 1.41M votes.

McAuliffe lost in 2021 with 1.58M votes.

Americans are fed up with the stupid leftist obsession with transgender toilets and the rest of the woke shit.

You don't have to be Conservative to be a bit conservative.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Plus the Republicans are far better at motivating their idiot base.

----------


## beachbound

> .
> 
> Americans are fed up with the stupid leftist obsession with transgender toilets and the rest of the woke shit.


What we are fed up with is idiots who _aren’t_ American, telling us how we feel.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> What we are fed up with is idiots who _aren’t_ American, telling us how we feel.


If you don't fall into the category of GOP base, then it doesn't concern you.

If you do, suck it up, buttercup.

----------


## helge

> Nothing to do with his age. I'm older than Joe and no doubt could do a better job on TV


Without a doubt



> but no way could I do what he does with a seriously divided Congress.


Huh ?

As a long time resident of Roi Et, I'm sure that you have some experience in paying of the right people.

 :Smile:

----------


## Chico

^ Ye he's the PYB's financial adviser. :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

*Biden Delivers Remarks on October Jobs Report


*

----------


## panama hat

> Ye


 Almost, chico . . . almost a word - well done you








> Biden Delivers Remarks on October Jobs Report


Sounds confident . . . sadly he can't push his agenda through the house

----------


## S Landreth

^  The day isn’t over.

----------


## russellsimpson

Is ithat overly inspiring speech over yet? Has Joe always been as boring as he is now? 

I worry that Biden may have the wrong handlers. We are seeing way to much of the guy of late. Let's remember, familiarity breeds contempt. Let Joe fade back a bit. Does he really have to do  so many press conferences? He's old and tired. These fuckers seem to be tying to kill him.

It's ridiculous that we have the president (and perhaps maybe this one in particular) delivering the minutiae of broad statistical breakdowns such as is illustrated in the clip above. Presidents don't do that. :bananaman:

----------


## Switch

> Is ithat overly inspiring speech over yet? Has Joe always been as boring as he is now? 
> 
> I worry that Biden may have the wrong handlers. We are seeing way to much of the guy of late. Let's remember, familiarity breeds contempt. Let Joe fade back a bit. Does he really have to do  so many press conferences? He's old and tired. These fuckers seem to be tying to kill him.
> 
> It's ridiculous that we have the president (and perhaps maybe this one in particular) delivering the minutiae of broad statistical breakdowns such as is illustrated in the clip above. Presidents don't do that.


As Norton pointed out, Joe has always lacked presence. That doesnt necessarily mean hes a bad politician, just harder to elect, and maintain leadership.

Also, he has had a lot of damage limitation to do, following the dumb excesses of his predecessor.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> As Norton pointed out, Joe has always lacked ‘presence’. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bad politician, just harder to elect, and maintain leadership.
> 
> Also, he has had a lot of damage limitation to do, following the dumb excesses of his predecessor.


I think when you compare the snide, sarcastic, childish bullshit that was essentially everything that came out of baldy orange cunto's mouth, it's inevitable that anyone not doing that is going to come across as a little vanilla.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Americans are fed up with the stupid leftist obsession with transgender toilets and the rest of the woke shit.


I think you have it backwards. It is the republicans who are obsessed with other people's sexuality. The want the goverment  not to interfere with peoples lives unless of course they are the ones  doing the interfering. I never saw a more schichofrenic crowd in my life.

----------


## Cujo

On the turps early today BB.

----------


## bsnub

Chalk up a huge win for Biden.

*The House has passed the $1 trillion infrastructure plan, sending it to Biden's desk*

After months of delay, the House passes infrastructure bill : NPR

----------


## Samuel

Yes, a good win for Biden, the Democrats and Republicans for passing the bipartisan bill.


A loss for AOC and her squad who voted against it and will now become irrelevant.

 :tumbs:

----------


## S Landreth

> sadly he can't push his agenda through the house





> ^  The day isn’t over.





> Chalk up a huge win for Biden.
> 
> *The House has passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan, sending it to Biden's desk*
> 
> After months of delay, the House passes infrastructure bill : NPR


He had a great day and so will we

Nancy Pelosi - Tonight, I proudly signed the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework and sent it to @POTUS to be signed into law. This bill delivers a once-in-a-century investment in our infrastructure, creates good-paying jobs and takes a crucial step to #BuildBackBetter For The People.: https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/st...52294444765184
  
H.R.3684 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I never saw a more schichofrenic crowd in my life.


I'm pretty sure I haven't either.

----------


## happynz

> Republicans for passing the bipartisan bill.


Piss off you disingenuous FaRT.  Not exactly bipartisan when 200 Republicans voted against it.

----------


## Samuel

> Piss off you disingenuous FaRT.


 :ourrules: 

All posts should include your opinion on the subject, not your opinion of the member posting.





> Not exactly bipartisan when 200 Republicans voted against it.


As you probably khow  it received 19 Republican votes in the Senate and the bill wouldn't have passed the house without the Republican votes.

----------


## bsnub

> As you probably khow — it received 19 Republican votes in the Senate and the bill wouldn't have passed the house without the Republican votes.


This is the headline that the propaganda network lemmings like you turn to for news is pushing...

GOP lawmakers blast '''RINOS''' after House passes $1.2T infrastructure bill: '''Time to name names''' | Fox News

So ya not a trumpanzee victory. Your orange god promised an infrastructure bill and in the four years he was president he failed to deliver that, just like his stupid wall. Another fail for the cheeto and a win for Biden.

----------


## cyrille

^^happynz is a very mild-mannered poster.

But you've earned it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

It's actually good there are *some* Republicans left who care about more than tax breaks for the rich and lining the pockets of sponsors.

----------


## bsnub

> It's actually good there are *some* Republicans left who care about more than tax breaks for the rich and lining the pockets of sponsors.


12 of them, and FaRT is trying to lay claim for the entire trumpanzee nation that he sleepwalks too like the lemming they all are.

----------


## Samuel

I’m just saying that I’m glad it passed — as America needs to upgrade its infrastructure.

----------


## helge

In most other countries, the right wing would be thrilled with big spending on infrastructure.

It benefits their buddies in the big construction/supply corporations.

Average Joe with his shovel will get a minor cut of this cake  :Smile: .


But the US might be exceptional on this too

----------


## S Landreth

Biden speaks after passing of bipartisan infrastructure bill

----------


## bsnub

> But the US might be exceptional on this too


In the US, many of the jobs that will be created are good union jobs, but that in and of itself is why most of these idiots oppose investing in infrastructure. They despise the unions because they are bought and paid for by the right-wing oligarchs and corporations.

Useful idiots full stop.

----------


## sabang

It was a win for America, commonsense and consensus. A few more home runs, a few less foreign debacles, and Biden might just be MAGA (Made America Great Again).

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> It was a win for America, commonsense and consensus. A few more home runs, a few less foreign debacles, and Biden might just be MAGA (Made America Great Again).


During the primaries I was against Biden , and was looking for new blood in the Democratic party.
Biden has made a believer  out of me. 
I don't mind saying I was wrong. He is the right man at the right time
Less style and more substance. 
If I want trump style entertainment I can go to the circus, plenty of clowns there.

----------


## sabang

Well, he is the leader of a team- not Superman.  :Smile:  But I commend him, he is delivering on several things- including those tough involving tough, thankless decisions.
Certainly makes Obama and trump look like the wimps they were.

----------


## panama hat

> Certainly makes Obama and trump look like the wimps they were.


To be fair . . . Obamacare.  Not much else, but he ensured that millions were covered by the measly amount of care they get . . . better than nothing.

----------


## sabang

Has Biden pushed through that legislation yet reining in US drug manufacturers, and the State mandated monopoly pricing they impose on the USA? it's awful. Obama wasn't able to achieve that, in his watered down Obamacare package.) Better than nothing, yeh.) US healthcare should be done under RICO.

----------


## bsnub

> To be fair . . . Obamacare. Not much else, but he ensured that millions were covered by the measly amount of care they get . . . better than nothing.


In the states that chose to expand medicare (mostly blue states), the coverage is excellent for those that are low-income enough to qualify, in fact it is basically 100% coverage. For those of us that have to pay, it basically comes down to how much you want to spend for the coverage you get.

----------


## sabang

Next step, get more Citizens out of low income.

----------


## Norton

> It was a win for America, commonsense and consensus.


It was indeed. Through persistent pushing of the program and it's benefits to all, boring old Joe got it done. Not bad getting it done in less than a year. More to come. This program is far from partisan and will benefit all Americans regardless of their politcal affiliations. So far so good Joe. Keep on keepin' on!

"Im running as a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president. I will work with Democrats and Republicans and I will work as hard for those who dont support me as for those who do. Thats the job of a president. Its a duty of care for everyone."

- Joe Biden, Campaign remarks Gettysburg, PA

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> On the turps early today BB.


Nit noy, but it does not aflect my  trinkin.

----------


## beachbound

> Im just saying that Im glad it passed  as America needs to upgrade its infrastructure.


Yet you never once posted anything remotely close to supporting the bill, did you?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Yet you never once posted anything remotely close to supporting the bill, did you?


Of course not, he's saying that through clouds of tiny republican tears.

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by beachbound
> 
> 
> Yet you never once posted anything remotely close to supporting the bill, did you?
> 
> 
> Of course not, he's saying that through clouds of tiny republican tears.


I'm not sure why you two and BSnub are unhappy that I am supporting the fact that Republicans gave the votes to Biden to get the infrastructure bill passed since AOC and her  squad oppposed it. 

 Would you rather those Republicans didn't help Pelosi/Biden get the bill passed? 

 Would you rather I critized the Republicans for helping Biden/Pelosi to get the bill passed?  

You trash-talking dems (BSnub and beachbound) rarely think through what you are talking about, IMO. 




> Yet you never once posted anything remotely close to supporting the bill, did you?


One week before the vote:




> *I really doubt the democrats will get any other than the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed.*
> 
> 
> AOC and girls are holding it up as they want their massive spending bill passed, too.
> 
> 
> *Manchin is saying stop playing games and pass the infrastructure bill.*
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## malmomike77

Sounds like Joe needs to look a little closer to home on the climate change front  :Smile:  I wonder if he let out a contented sigh.

Shocked Camilla hasnt stopped talking about hearing Joe Biden break wind at Cop26 in Glasgow

Mr Biden had already pledged to cut his countrys emissions in half by 2030 in April, but on Monday issued a long-term plan for how to achieve net zero two decades later.

Boris Johnson may have hailed Joe Biden as a big breath of fresh air  but it appears that events at the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow may have given the Duchess of Cornwall, on some level, grounds to disagree.

The US president met with Camilla and various other members of the royal family during a reception at Kelvingrove Art Gallery to mark the summits opening night, attended by world leaders.

The royals diplomatic heft has been on display at the conference in which they have met with willing guests from across the globe, with Prince William claimed to have remarked loudly at one event: I liken it to speed dating here ... you chat for a bit then press the button and then quickly move on to the next, you dont have enough time.

But in another report carrying a claim about the etiquette of Mr Biden, any such imagery conjuring a whiff of romance was decidedly absent.

As she spoke with Mr Biden on Monday evening, it has been claimed that Camilla was surprised to hear the US president break wind, in an emission audible enough to make the duchess blush.

It was long and loud and impossible to ignore, the Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying. Camilla hasn't stopped talking about it.

Clarence House declined to comment when approached by The Independent.

The alleged flatulence  the unverified claim of which quickly began to trend on Twitter, where it was dubbed fartgate  came hours after Mr Biden sought to bring the US out from the shadow of the Trump administration, apologising for his predecessors decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement and put us sort of behind the eight ball on tackling the climate crisis.


https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/camilla-biden-wind-glasgow-cop26-b1953050.html

----------


## misskit

I’m not sure Camilla is the first person Biden has nuked. Doubt she will be the last.  :Smile:

----------


## malmomike77

^  :Smile:  does he have history? We all get caught out at times but its just infinitely more funny when its a world leader.

----------


## misskit

^He broke wind in a video meeting with some governor.

----------


## malmomike77

He's racking up some form in the nickname dept  :Smile:  i'd love it if he lit the touch paper one day.

----------


## russellsimpson

Great stuff :rofl:  :rofl:

----------


## sabang

Joe can be a bit long winded....

----------


## Samuel

> You thick fvck, how is anything you said there, positive?


When I support the republicans who helped Pelosi/Biden pass the bill  you respond by acting like an angry chav/trailer trash kid, hurling expletives.

If I were to oppose the republicans who helped Pelosi/Biden pass the bill  you would respond by acting like an angry chav/trailer trash kid, hurling expletives.

Who's the "thick fvck"?


 ::doglol::

----------


## panama hat

> When I support *the* republicans


 . . . being the operative word.  Problem is you procalim that 't_he Republicans_' passed the bill and that it was bi-partisan when only just over a dozen crossed the aisle.

Credit where credit is due to the dozen+ who did

----------


## Samuel

> Credit where credit is due to the dozen+ whodid



Agree — as it wouldn't have passed without their votes.

----------


## S Landreth

^not true

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> As she spoke with Mr Biden on Monday evening, it has been claimed that Camilla was surprised to hear the US president break wind, in an emission audible enough to make the duchess blush.
> 
> “It was long and loud and impossible to ignore,” the Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying. “Camilla hasn't stopped talking about it.”


Why do people post crap articles like this??
An elderly person passing wind?That is shocking!! 
What is more shocking though is Camilla publicly talking about it. Which of course she didn't. 
I am willing to bet the Paper making the claim is Rightist paper.
What I like to see Is a Leftist paper making the claim that Camilla replied by also passing wind.  LOL
 I would love to be present at the press conference where she denies it.

----------


## S Landreth

> It is FaRT, being disingenuous is his MO.


I was wrong. After further review, a simple majority would be needed to pass the bill (218). Mrs. Pelosi needed the 3 extra Yea votes.

----------


## helge

> AOC and her squad voted against it.


It was originally tied with the BBB Act (don't know what that is  :Smile: ), which was supposed to be voted through a the same time.

It wasn't and AOC and her.....Squad has little trust that it will be, in its originally form.

Clever girl


Someone here will be able to explain it to me

----------


## Norton

The $1.2 trillion bill that passed is known as BIF (Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework). Include investment in roads, bridges, water qualaty and internet.

The $1.75 trillion social spending bill, dubbed the Build Back Better Act (BBB) did not recieve a vote. Contained funding for early childhood care and education and for fighting climate change, as well as key health care reforms. Will be voted on later this month and is going to be a tough one to pass. Figure will end up far less than $1.7 trillion. Progressives want this one bad and majority moderate Dems want as well but findind a single Republican vote will be near impossible.

----------


## helge

Thank You

----------


## Samuel

> AOC and her squad voted against it.





> The $1.75 trillion social spending bill, dubbed the Build Back Better Act (BBB) did not recieve a vote.





> It wasn't and AOC and her.....Squad has little trust that it will be, in its originally form.


Yep and from what I've read the moderate democrats say they'll still vote for it at a later date — just want to see the full numbers, costed by the CBO.

Then, of course — the senate: Will the parliamentarian allow the bill to be passed under budget reconciliation (allows a simple majority to pass legislation) and will Manchin/Sinema be on board.

A steep hill to climb, as it were.

----------


## Cujo

> Yep and from what I've read the moderate democrats say they'll still vote for it at a later date — just want to see the full numbers, costed by the CBO.
> 
> Then, of course — the senate: Will the parliamentarian allow the bill to be passed under budget reconciliation (allows a simple majority to pass legislation) and will Manchin/Sinema be on board.
> 
> A steep hill to climb, as it were.


Is it not yet a done deal?

----------


## Samuel

> Is it not yet a done deal?


IMO, it won't pass in the senate — even if it passes in the house.

----------


## helge

> Is it not yet a done deal?


No

And it won't be, and if, then a watered down version.

The clever girl saw that, and now she and the......Squaaaaaad, can't be blamed for being a gullible twat, or one of the usual lying politicians.

----------


## panama hat

> IMO, it won't pass in the senate — even if it passes in the house.


Isn't a simple majority required?

----------


## RPETER65

> So why was your orange god not able to pass a similar bill? Maybe due to the fact that that failed administration was completely incompetent and dysfunctional?



Maybe due to the fact the Trump hating Congress was not about to give him anything.

----------


## panama hat

> Maybe due to the fact the Trump hating Congress was not about to give him anything.


So, being in control of the House and the Senate didn't work out for you there, repeater?


Excuses 101 - ask a Trump-Troll

----------


## bsnub

> Excuses 101 - ask a Trump-Troll


They seem to be running rampant of late in here.

----------


## Samuel

> Then, of course  the senate: *Will the parliamentarian allow the bill to be passed under budget reconciliation* (allows a simple majority to pass legislation) and will Manchin/Sinema be on board.





> IMO, it won't pass in the senate  even if it passes in the house.





> Isn't a simple majority required?


No  as you may know, in the US, the Senate is considered the deliberative and prestigious chamber where consensus is normally required (60 votes) to pass a bill  unless it is budget-related, undergoes a "Byrd bath" and can then pass with a simple majority under reconciliation.

----------


## Cujo

So it's still got to be approved by the senate？ Then why the hell is everyone talking like it's a done deal？

----------


## harrybarracuda

> So it's still got to be approved by the senate？ Then why the hell is everyone talking like it's a done deal？


If they say they "have enough votes" then it's likely that they "have enough votes".

Unless someone changes their mind. But usually these bills include a little incentive for each state so senators can crow about their achievements.

----------


## bsnub

> IMO, it won't pass in the senate — even if it passes in the house.


It will pass the senate. The fact that you think it won't is just further proof that you have no idea what you are talking about most of the time you post here.

----------


## Samuel

> It will pass the senate.


Which bill are you talking about?

----------


## bsnub

> Which bill are you talking about?


Which one do you think, numb nut? The infrastructure bill already passed, just what does that leave? Ask stupid questions, win stupid prizes.

----------


## Samuel

> Ask stupid questions, win stupid prizes.





> numb nut


Why do you always sound like an angry guy living in his parents' basement?  oh wait.  





> It will pass the senate. The fact that you think it won't is just further proof that you have no idea what you are talking about most of the time you post here.


Unlike BIF (Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework) which received Republican support and passed with a vote of 69-30 in the senate — the Buildback Better bill will not get any Republican votes and as discussed already on this thread, Dems hope the parliamentarian will allow them to pass it under reconciliation (51 votes needed). 


That's unlikely to happen with the way the bill has been written in the house.




> *It will pass the senate. The fact that you think it won'*t is just further proof that you have no idea what you are talking about most of the time you post here.


The Washington Post doesn't seem to agree with you that the bill's passing is a sure thing, BSnub:  





> https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-po...spending-deal/
> 
> With infrastructure victory in hand, Democrats brace for next battle over $2 trillion spending bill
> 
> 
> *Infrastructure deal gave new life to Democrats, but major hurdles await as centrists and liberals remain wary of each other.*
> 
> 
> Manchin is not the sole obstacle in the chamber, where concerns linger among a wider community of lawmakers. Even Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the architect of the original $3.5 trillion spending blueprint, has taken issue with the House-drafted bill for the way it handles state and local taxes — restoring a deduction, he has said, that amounts to an “absurd and hypocritical” tax break for higher-income earners.
> ...

----------


## bsnub

> Why do you always sound like an angry guy living in his parents' basement? oh wait.


You really are projecting with that dumb right-wing stereotype, but you are an idiot and not creative at all, so that is not a surprise. 




> The Washington Post doesn't seem to agree with you that the bill's passing is a sure thing


Nice to see you cherry-picking from an article when it is clearly just pointing out obstacles the bill faces, all of which can be overcome. The article never states that the bill will not pass. 

As usual posting disingenuous misleading distortions. Your posts are a waste of time to read.

----------


## Samuel

> all of which can be overcome.


Well, you seem more certain than Dick Durbin, the senate majority whip.  




> Durbin: 'I don't know' if Manchin will vote for Build Back Better
> 
>  Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois told Yahoo News, I dont know, whether Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., will provide the crucial 50th vote for Build Back Better, President Bidens signature budget bill, on Saturday.
> 
> I dont know the answer to that, Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said when asked if the Senate would muster the votes to pass the hotly contested legislation. First, we have to get it through the parliamentarians office and through 50 Democratic senators.





> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by bsnub
> ...


You seem to be reading my posts  a day after saying you won't.




> Your posts are a waste of time to read.


Yet, you have a strange compulsion to reply to them.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden hits road to tout infrastructure bill

President Biden needs no lessons in pitching voters on the importance of American ports, highways, bridges and rail. Hes been doing it for months. He did it as vice president during visits to Granite City, Ill.; Cleveland, Ohio; and Norfolk, Va. He gave an interview about infrastructure on Monday to a Cincinnati TV station. Hell repeat it on Wednesday at the Port of Baltimore. And hell recap his points later this month when senators and House members from both parties stand shoulder to shoulder in the White House as the bill they helped write becomes a $1.2 trillion law.
 
In Kentucky on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) applauded the passage of the infrastructure bill he voted to support in August. This will be the first time I have come up here in a quarter of a century where I thought maybe there was a way forward on the Brent Spence Bridge, he said in remarks in Covington, Ky., where the much-discussed span stretching to Cincinnati has been declared functionally obsolete by the Federal Highway Administration since the 1990s (Kentucky Politics).


Which Republican Senators Voted For The Infrastructure Bill?

Here are the 19 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill:

Roy Blunt, Missouri
Richard Burr, North Carolina
Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
Bill Cassidy, Louisiana
Susan Collins, Maine
Kevin Cramer, North Dakota
Mike Crapo, Idaho
Deb Fischer, Nebraska
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Chuck Grassley, Iowa
John Hoeven, North Dakota
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
Rob Portman, Ohio
James Risch, Idaho
Mitt Romney, Utah
Dan Sullivan, Alaska
Thom Tillis, North Carolina
Roger Wicker, Mississippi

----------


## Cujo

Just a quick question, leaving aside the Build back bill, has the infrastructure bill been finalised or does it still require FURTHER votes?

----------


## Samuel

> Just a quick question, leaving aside the Build back bill, has the infrastructure bill been finalised or does it still require FURTHER votes?


Yeah, I was wondering which bill you were talking about. 

The infrastructure bill has passed the senate and house — and will be signed by Biden when he holds a ceremony with congressmen next week.

----------


## RPETER65

Have a look at how the Chinese see Biden.


Joe Biden’s health is no laughing matter | South China Morning Post

----------


## S Landreth

> Have a look at how the Chinese see Biden.
> 
> Joe Biden’s health is no laughing matter | South China Morning Post


I’m happy to know how the rest of the world thinks of the US today…….




> U.S. leadership approval rebounds from Trump low
> 
> 
> 
> A Gallup report published Tuesday found approval of United States leadership in 46 countries and territories hit 49% — up from 30% at the end of Donald Trump's presidency, and matching former President Obama's first year (2009).
> 
> Why it matters: Biden's efforts to reengage with the international community following the Trump administration appear to be improving the global approval ratings for U.S. leadership, though this poll does not take into account the withdrawal from Afghanistan in August.
> 
> Gallup said America's global approval ratings will likely continue to shift as it completes its polling for 2021, though it is unlikely to drop to Trump-era lows.
> ...

----------


## panama hat

> Have a look


Do you remember how virtually everyone in the world, including country leaders, mocked Trump?  HE was the face of the USA and brought irreparable damage to the place

----------


## RPETER65

How about his for Democrats hypocrisy.


Democrats' Spending Plan Could Give a Tax Cut to the Moderately Rich

----------


## russellsimpson

> though this poll does not take into account the withdrawal from Afghanistan in August.


I'm happy that was added because I wasn't believing those poll numbers. Afghanistan was a deal breaker' it may live in infamy.

----------


## sabang

Here is a more sobering assessment of Joe, one year on. Afghanistan the big exception, but otherwise he has achieved basically nothing on the foreign policy front-


*Electing Biden: One Year Later*

by Ted SniderPosted onNovember 11, 2021Sunday marked one year since Americans elected Joe Biden president. And on his first year report card, Americans give him a failing grade. Only 42% of Americans approve of Bidens performance.

Biden may have received a failing grade, in part, because on several key foreign policy issues, he has done nothing. And on the few he has, he has made things worse.
Middle East

On the key Middle Eastern question, an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan still has not made it onto Bidens to do list. It is simply not a priority of the Biden administration. Or, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained it, "I dont think were at the  in a place where the getting to some kind of negotiation for what ultimately I think has to be the result, which is a two-state solution, is the first order of business."

In Yemen, despite his promises, Biden has done nothing. Despite his promise that "we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales," his State Department just notified Congress of a $650 million arms sale to Saudi Arabia, which sounds a lot like "American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales." The sale will include 280 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and 596 missile rail launchers.

But Biden never was keeping his promise to stop supporting Saudi offensive operations in Yemen, since the US never stopped servicing Saudi Arabias military planes. In September, Bidens State Department approved a possible $500 million contract with Saudi Arabia for equipment and maintenance support for their helicopters.

On the key foreign policy issue of returning to the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran, though this could have been an easy early success for Biden, as he suggested it could be, Biden did nothing, while Rouhani and Iran waited for months for the US to restart the negotiations. He refused to end the policy of maximum pressure, and he refused to put an end to the cruel and illegal sanctions. Most seriously, and most cynically, according to reporting by Trita Parsi, Biden was unwilling to provide Iran with a guarantee that he would honor his agreements and commitments as binding even for the duration of his own term.

Latin America

As in the Middle East, in Latin America, Biden has done nothing.

The Venezuela file remains unopened. Since Bidens election, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says, "There hasnt been a single positive sign. None." The Biden administration continues to recognize Juan Guaidó as Venezuelas legitimate president, and it continues to pursue an effective policy that can restore Venezuela to democracy.

In Cuba, Biden has done worse than nothing. As in Yemen and Iran, that represents a broken promise. While campaigning to be president, Biden said that he would "promptly reverse the failed Trump policies that have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights." But once he was president, the White House explained instead that "A shift in Cuba policy is not among President Joe Bidens top foreign policy priorities."

In fact, Biden has increased sanctions on several senior Cuban officials in the military and police and, most significantly, vowed to intensify US support for Cuban dissidents. Biden has voted against the near unanimous UN resolution to finally end the blockade on Cuba, and he has refused to lift the restrictions on remittances to Cuba that make it impossible for Cuban Americans to send money home to their families. He has listed Cuba as a country not cooperating fully with United States anti-terrorism efforts," a move toward keeping Cuba on the state sponsors of terrorism list.

Cuba expert William LeoGrande reports that the US embassy in Havana "has taken a leading role supporting dissident activists, pushing the boundaries of whats normally allowed under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." Cuban journalist Rosa Miriam Elizalde reports that "in September, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) gave $6,669,000 in grants for projects aimed at regime change in Cuba." LeoGrande says that "The United States and Cuba are on a collision course over U.S. diplomats support for "democracy promotion" programs."

Russia and China

In the most important foreign policy issue of his administration, Biden has done worse than nothing on Russia and China.

Donald Trump hoped to improve relations with Russia, seeing them as still a potential ally in the emerging struggle with China. Hillary Clinton, the Democrat Party and Russiagate squashed that hope, and, according to Richard Sakwa in his soon to be published book _Deception: Russiagate and the New Cold War, relations with Russia "deteriorated to a level below anything seen during the original cold war."
_
_That deterioration has intensified under Biden. His summit with Putin accomplished little if anything. And continued sanctions, exclusion, hostility and threatened NATO encroachment in Ukraine and Georgia has gone so far as to push Russia toward China in a Second Cold War.
_
_The pivot to China precedes Bidens administration. It began when he was vice president and intensified during the Trump administration. By 2016, the trade war on China compelled the realization in Beijing that cooperation with the US was a chimera. But it wasnt until the unyielding pressure of the Biden administration attempted to force the world into blocs that were on one side or the other that China finally, reluctantly accepted Bidens framework of a Second Cold War.
_
_Since then, provocative action in Taiwan and threatening action by US warships and aircraft near China have only further deteriorated relations with China and further pushed the world toward a Second Cold War. Biden has done more than any president since the close of the cold war to squander the peace and push the world back into a cold war.
_
_On several key foreign policy issues, Biden has done nothing. He has done nothing in the Middle East and Latin America, while in Russia and China, the most important foreign policy issue of the day, he has made things worse.

_https://original.antiwar.com/Ted_Snider/2021/11/10/electing-biden-one-year-later/

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Delivers Remarks Promoting Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal




 
Biden touts infrastructure bill ahead of Monday signing

President Biden on Wednesday said the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill would "stabilize" the supply chain and "modernize" the country's infrastructure.

*Why it matters:* The president's remarks at a briefing in Baltimore come days after the House passed the long-awaited bipartisan infrastructure package and ahead of the bill's signing ceremony on Monday.


At the ceremony, which will be attended by members of Congress and state and local lawmakers across the country, Biden will highlight how the package will "deliver to American families."Biden acknowledged in Baltimore that the U.S. still faces economic challenges, adding that "we're tracking these issues and trying to figure out how to tackle them head on."

*What they're saying:* "We did something long overdue, long talked about in Washington, but almost never actually done," Biden said.


"This is a once in a generation investment to create good-paying jobs, modernize our infrastructure [and] turn a climate crisis into an opportunity.""Progress has already begun and now that we've passed the bipartisan infrastructure deal it's only going to accelerate," he added.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How about his for Democrats hypocrisy.
> 
> 
> Democrats' Spending Plan Could Give a Tax Cut to the Moderately Rich


How about you read the whole bill and analyse its effects rather than picking out one small change?

As the saying goes, "The lord giveth and the Lord taketh away".

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden signs infrastructure bill at White House




 
Biden signs infrastructure bill into law at rare bipartisan gathering

President Joe Biden signs the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package into law

Once signed, it will deliver $550 billion of new federal investments in America's infrastructure over five years, including money for roads, bridges, mass transit, rail, airports, ports and waterways. The package includes a $65 billion investment in improving the nation's broadband infrastructure and invests tens of billions of dollars in improving the electric grid and water systems. Another $7.5 billion would go to building a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers, according to the bill text

----------


## harrybarracuda

Of course now all those republican wankers that have opposed this since day one will be running back to their dumb base and taking credit for it.

C u n t s.

----------


## S Landreth

Democrats press toward vote on massive Biden bill 

There was a bump in the road.

But the vote is planned for 8:00 (EST) Friday

final vote…..

Yeas - enough

Nays - not enough

Americans win again

What’s in Biden’s $1.75 trillion ‘Build Back Better’ package?

*Family benefits*

Free preschool for all three- and four-year-olds
Support for childcare costs: Families that earn less than $300,000 per year would pay no more than 7 percent of their income on childcare
Tax credits worth up to $300 per child per month
Bolsters coverage of home care costs for the elderly and disabled people through the Medicaid health programme
Expands free school meals and provides $65 per month in grocery money during summer months for 29 million low-income children who are eligible for free lunches at school

*Climate*

Rebates and credits to cut the cost of rooftop solar systems by 30 percent and union-made electric vehicles produced in the US by $12,500
Incentives to encourage US manufacturing of clean energy technology and shift other industries to reduce carbon emissions
Creates 300,000-strong Civilian Climate Corps to work on environmental and climate projects
Creates a Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator to invest in climate-related projects, with at least 40 percent serving disadvantaged communities
New spending on coastal restoration, forest management and soil conservation

*Healthcare*

Enables the Medicare health plan for seniors to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs that have been on the market for at least nine years
Penalises drug companies that increase prices faster than inflation
Caps out-of-pocket prescription drug prices at $2,000 per year and lowers insulin prices to $35 per month
Expands Medicare to cover hearing aids
Reduces Affordable Care Act premiums by an average of $600 per person per year
Expands Medicaid coverage to low-income people in the 12 states that have opted not to expand the programme on their own

*Housing*

Expands affordable housing, public housing and rental assistance programmes
Broadens downpayment assistance to bolster homeownership
Expands lead paint removal efforts
Supports community-led redevelopment in low-income neighbourhoods
Encourages local governments to ease zoning restrictions that limit housing density

*Education*

Increases Pell Grants for college costs
More aid for historically Black colleges and other minority-serving schools
Boosts the Labor Department’s job training programmes by 50 percent
Play Video
24:02
The tug of war within the US Democratic Party | The Bottom Line

*Immigration**

$100bn in “immigration reform”, which is additional funding beyond the $1.75 trillion
Efforts to reduce backlogs, expand legal services and improve border processing and asylum programmes

*Other programmes*

Expands a tax credit for low-income workers to cover those who do not have children
More money for rural projects
Supports community violence intervention

*Taxes*

15 percent minimum tax on corporate profits for companies with more than $1bn in profits
1 percent surcharge on stock buybacks
15 percent minimum tax on foreign profits of US corporations
5 percent surtax on personal income above $10m
Additional 3 percent surtax on income above $25m
Close loophole to prevent the wealthy from avoiding 3.8 percent Medicare tax
Bolster the Internal Revenue Service to improve customer service and focus enforcement on wealthy tax evaders
Expands a deduction for state and local taxes that primarily benefits upper-income households in high-tax states. Republicans had reduced that benefit in their 2017 tax cut package

*Immigration provisions could be removed from the legislation by the Senate parliamentarian

Voting now…

----------


## russellsimpson

America turns inward again.
Buy America provisions will create hardship on either side of the border both in Canada and Mexico.
Provisions will cripple auto manufacturing in Canada and USA.
Provisions will exclude both Canadians and Mexicans from bidding on contracts under _Build Back Better_ provisions.

Screw America. Screw Biden.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> America turns inward again.
> Buy America provisions will create hardship on either side of the border both in Canada and Mexico.
> Provisions will cripple auto manufacturing in Canada and USA.
> Provisions will exclude both Canadians and Mexicans from bidding on contracts under _Build Back Better_ provisions.
> 
> Screw America. Screw Biden.


Ah yes, because of course America exists solely for the benefit of its noisy neighbours.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## russellsimpson

I believe America is going to be in violation, both in spirit and in letter , of the NAFTA 2.0, Canada and Mexico can challenge of course but by the time things work there way through the court with the auto pact in particular the auto industry in both neighbouring countries will be ruined. America should be good neighbours, there is no excuse for them to be otherwise. Canada in particular has been a very good neighbour supporting them in both world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. If this is how America treats its closest allies then I think a general reappraisal of relations between the two nations is probably in order. :bananaman:

----------


## Cujo

The Nay vote carried the day.

----------


## beachbound

> Screw America. Screw Biden.


Yes, I long for the Trump days, when we were holding hands, sharing a Coke, and singing Kumbaya, with our neighbors.



Dick

----------


## russellsimpson

I always thought you were Canadian beachbound. That's the impression I got back in AF days anyway?

----------


## S Landreth

Update - House passes Biden's social spending bill




> final vote…..
> 
> Yeas - 220
> 
> Nays - 213
> 
> Americans win again
> 
> What’s in Biden’s $1.75 trillion ‘Build Back Better’ package?
> ...


In other news……..

Biden pardons turkeys Peanut Butter and Jelly ahead of Thanksgiving

President Biden pardoned turkeys Peanut Butter and Jelly on Friday afternoon in a ceremony at the White House.

----------


## helge

> I always thought you were Canadian beachbound.


You haven't got beaches, Russ

Beach Bum is the essence of a narrowminded seppo.

He thinks that he isn't though

----------


## beachbound

> Beach Bum is the essence of a narrowminded seppo.


High praise from the biggest sanctimonious twat on the forum.

----------


## helge

> Beach Bum is the essence of a narrowminded seppo.
> 
> He thinks that he isn't though





> High praise from the biggest sanctimonious twat on the forum.


Bingo

----------


## S Landreth

> What’s in Biden’s $1.75 trillion ‘Build Back Better’ package?
> 
> *Taxes*
> 
> 15 percent minimum tax on corporate profits for companies with more than $1bn in profits
> 1 percent surcharge on stock buybacks
> 15 percent minimum tax on foreign profits of US corporations
> 5 percent surtax on personal income above $10m
> Additional 3 percent surtax on income above $25m
> ...



Little more

Tax provisions in the Build Back Better act

*One year extension of expanded child tax credit; permanent extension of refundability
*
The changes to the child tax credit enacted by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), P.L. 117-2, for 2021 would be extended through 2022. This would include the requirement that the IRS make advance payments of the credit throughout 2022. Taxpayers whose adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds $150,000 for joint filers, $112,500 for heads of household, or $75,000 for other taxpayers, would not be eligible for advance payments.

The bill would extend the refundability of the child tax credit beyond 2022.

The bill would also implement new rules to avoid fraud. For payments of advance payment to taxpayers who file joint returns, one-half will be credited to each individual filing the joint return.

*Extending expanded earned income tax credit
*
The bill would extend the changes to the earned income tax credit that were enacted by ARPA through 2022. The increase in the earned income and phaseout amounts would be indexed for inflation in 2022.

*SALT deduction cap
*
The bill would increase the Sec. 164(b) limitation on the deduction for state and local taxes from $10,000 to $80,000 ($40,000 for married taxpayers filing separately and for trusts and estates) but would extend the limitation through 2031.

*Expanded premium tax credit
*
The bill would increase the amounts for premium assistance in Sec. 36B through 2025. The bill would also extend through 2025 the rule that allows the premium tax credit to certain taxpayers whose household income exceeds 400% of the poverty line. The bill would also modify the employer-sponsored coverage affordability test in the premium tax credit through 2025.

The bill would exclude a portion of lump-sum Social Security benefit payments when determining household income for purposes of the credit. The bill would also exclude the first $3,500 of income of dependents who have not reached the age of 24.

Through 2025, the bill would also allow certain low-income employees who are offered employer-provided health coverage to claim the credit. The bill would also make permanent the Sec. 35 health coverage credit, which is currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2022.

*15% minimum tax on profits of large corporations
*
The bill would impose a 15% minimum tax on the profits of corporations that report over $1 billion in profits to shareholders. Any corporation (other than an S corporation, regulated investment company, or real estate investment trust) that for any three-year period has average annual adjusted financial statement income (as defined in new Sec. 56A) over $1 billion and, in the case of corporations with foreign parents, has annual adjusted financial statement income in excess of $100 million, would pay a tax of 15% of its adjusted financial statement income for the year over the amount of its corporate AMT foreign tax credit.

*1% surcharge on corporate stock buybacks
*
The bill would impose a tax equal to 1% of the fair market value of any stock of a corporation that the corporation repurchases during the year, effective for repurchases of stock after Dec. 31, 2021. The provision would apply to any domestic corporation the stock of which is traded on an established securities market.

*Limitation on interest expense deduction
*
The bill would add a new Sec. 163(n) that limits the amount of net interest expense of certain domestic corporations (or foreign corporations engaged in a U.S. trade or business) that are members in an international financial reporting group. The provision limits the interest expense deduction to an "allowable percentage" of 110% of the domestic corporation's net interest expense.

*FDII and GILTI changes
*
The bill would reduce the applicable percentage in Sec. 250(a) for the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction from 37.5% to 24.8% and the applicable percentage for the global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) deduction from 50% to 28.5%, resulting in an effective FDII rate of 15.8% and an effective GILTI rate of 15%. The bill would also allow the FDII deduction to be taken into account when determining a net operating loss deduction.

Sec. 951A would be amended to have the GILTI provisions apply on a country-by-country basis, based on controlled foreign corporation taxable units.

*Foreign tax credit limitation
*
The bill would amend Sec. 904 to apply the foreign tax credit limitation on a country-by-country basis, by taxable unit. Taxable units would include the taxpayer corporation itself, each foreign corporation of which the taxpayer is a shareholder, interests held by the taxpayer in a passthrough entity, and any branch of the taxpayer. The bill would also repeal the carryback of the foreign tax credit. The foreign tax credit changes will apply to tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2022.

*Country-by-country minimum tax on foreign profits of US corporations
*
The bill would modify the Sec. 59A base-erosion and anti-abuse tax to gradually increase the applicable percentage from 10% to 12.5% in 2023, 15% in 2024, and 18% after 2024. Amounts would not be subject to the base-erosion and anti-abuse tax if they were subject to an effective rate of foreign tax of at least 15% (or 18% after 2024).

*Small business stock and high-income taxpayers
*
The bill would amend Sec. 1202 to disallow the 75% and 100% exclusion of gain from the sale of stock if the taxpayer's AGI is over $400,000 or if the taxpayer is a trust or estate.

*Wash-sale rules
*
The bill would amend Sec. 1091 to make commodities, foreign currencies, and cryptoassets subject to the wash-sale rules.

*Net investment income tax
*
The bill would amend Sec. 1411 to apply the tax to net investment income derived in the ordinary course of a trade or business for taxpayers with taxable income over $400,000 (single filers), $500,000 (married taxpayers filing jointly or surviving spouses) or $250,000 (married taxpayers filing separately).

*Excess business losses
*
The bill would make permanent the Sec. 461 limitation on excess losses of noncorporate taxpayers.

*High-income surcharge*
The bill would create a new Sec. 1A, imposing a surcharge (in addition to any other income tax imposed) on high-income individuals, estates, and trusts. The surcharge tax would equal the sum of 5% of the amount of the taxpayer's AGI that exceeds $10 million ($5 million for married taxpayers filing separately; $200,000 for an estate or trust), plus 3% of the amount of the taxpayer's AGI that exceeds $25 million ($12.5 million for married taxpayers filing separately; $500,000 for an estate or trust).

*Green energy incentives
*
The bill covers a wide variety of new and existing green energy incentives, which it generally arranges as two-tiered incentives, providing either a base rate or a bonus rate. The bonus rate is five times the base rate, and it would apply to projects that meet certain prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements.

The bill extends the production tax credit for production of energy from renewable sources and the Sec. 48 investment tax credit for certain energy property. The incentive for solar and wind energy under Sec. 48 is increased.

Taxpayers are given the option to elect to be treated as having made a payment of tax equal to the value of the credit they would otherwise be eligible for under various energy credits, rather than opting to carry the credit forward.

The bill also provides various other green energy production tax incentives, including a nuclear power production credit and a credit for production of clean hydrogen.

Individual taxpayers would be eligible for various green energy and energy-efficiency incentives under the bill. The bill extends the Sec. 25C nonbusiness energy property credit to property placed in service before the end of 2031. It also modifies and extends the credit.

The bill would extend the Sec. 25D credit for residential energy-efficient property through 2033 (it is currently scheduled to expire after 2023). It would a refundable credit for years after 2023. Qualified battery storage technology expenditures would be made eligible for the credit. The Sec. 45L credit for new energy-efficient homes would be extended through 2031 and would be increased and modified.

The bill extends the Sec. 48C qualified advanced energy property credit through 2031 and provides a new investment tax credit worth up to 25% for advanced manufacturing facilities. The bill also creates a credit for the production of solar polysilicon wafers, cells, and modules and wind blades, nacelles, towers, and offshore wind foundations.

The bill also creates an emissions-based incentive for electricity generating facilities. Taxpayers are able to choose between a production tax credit under new Sec. 45BB or an investment tax credit under new Sec. 48F.

The bill also creates a technology-neutral tax credit for the domestic production of clean fuels.

*Electric vehicle tax credits
*
The bill provides for a refundable income tax credit of up to $8,500 for new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicles. The credit would be available for qualified electric vehicles that cost up to $80,000 (for vans, SUVs, and trucks) or $55,000 (for other vehicles). The bill would also provide a credit of up to $7,500 for two- or three-wheeled plug-in electric vehicles. The credit would phase out for taxpayers with AGI over $500,000 (married taxpayers filing jointly) or $250,000 (single taxpayers). A smaller credit would be available for the purchase of qualifying used electric vehicles. The bill also provides a credit for the purchase of certain new electric bicycles.

The bill would provide a credit for any qualified commercial electric vehicle placed in service by a taxpayer. The credit would equal up to 30% of the basis of a fully electric vehicle or 15% of the basis of a hybrid vehicle.

The bill also extends the credit for the purchase of a qualified fuel cell motor vehicle and the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit through 2031.

The bill eliminates the temporary suspension of the exclusion for qualified bicycle commuting benefits and increases the maximum benefit from $20 per month to $81 per month.

*Retirement plans
*
The bill prohibits further contributions to a Roth or traditional IRA for a tax year if the contributions would cause the total value of an individual's IRA and defined contribution retirement accounts as of the end of the prior tax year to exceed (or further exceed) $10 million. The limitation would apply to individuals with income over $400,000 (single filers and married filing separately), $425,000 (heads of household), or $450,000 (married taxpayers filing jointly).

If an individual's combined traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and defined contribution retirement account balances generally exceed $10 million at the end of a tax year and the individual meets these same income thresholds, a minimum distribution would be required for the following year.

These provisions would be effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2028.

The bill prohibits all employee after-tax contributions in qualified plans and after-tax IRA contributions from being converted to a Roth IRA regardless of income level, effective for distributions, transfers, and contributions made after Dec. 31, 2021.

The bill also eliminates Roth conversions for both IRAs and employer-sponsored plans for single taxpayers (or taxpayers married filing separately) with taxable income over $400,000, married taxpayers filing jointly with taxable income over $450,000, and heads of household with taxable income over $425,000 (all indexed for inflation). This provision applies to distributions, transfers, and contributions made in tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2031.

*Housing credits
*
The bill would increase the 9% housing credit and small state minimums under the low-income housing credit for the years 2022–2025 and makes other changes to the credit. It also creates a new neighborhood homes credit to encourage rehabilitation of deteriorated homes in distressed neighborhoods. The new credit would be administered by the states, and rehabilitated homes would have to be owner occupied in order for investors to receive the credit

*IRS
*
The bill would repeal the Sec. 6751(b) requirement for written supervisory approval of IRS penalties. The bill would also provide more funding for IRS enforcement, technology, and customer service.

----------


## panama hat

Is the US finally moving more towards Europe on social issues?   Never mind Europe . . . anywhere with a pulse?

----------


## Cujo

It didn't pass as far as I see.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It didn't pass as far as I see.


It passed the House.

----------


## Cujo

> It passed the House.


Oh good news, thanks.

----------


## S Landreth

:Smile: 

Joe Biden intends to run again in 2024, White House confirms

The White House has said that Joe Biden intends to run for re-election in 2024, a statement that comes amid speculation over his future as the president sees a dip in his approval rating.

Biden, 79, has suffered a drop in his polling numbers in recent months, leading some Democrats to speculate he might not seek another four-year term.

“He is. That’s his intention,” said the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, as Biden flew onboard Air Force One for a Thanksgiving event with US troops in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Biden was already the oldest presidential candidate to be elected as commander-in-chief when he beat Donald Trump in the November 2020 election, and will be 15 days short of his 82nd birthday on 5 November 2024, the next time voters in the US will be asked to choose their president.

----------


## russellsimpson

> The White House has said that Joe Biden intends to run for re-election in 2024


Oh gosh, I sure wish he wouldn't. When he gets finished his first term he will have served the country at its highest level. That's a great honour that very few will ever have. For me this isn't a political opinion, I could really care less whether it's going to be Twiddly Dee or Twiddly Dum in the wheelhouse. Why would a guy who is going to be eighty two even consider running again. You're in pretty good health for a man your age Joe. Hang up the gloves and spend more time with your children and grandchildren Joe. I think history will judge you positively. Nothing left to prove sir. :bananaman:

----------


## helge

> Why would a guy who is going to be eighty two even consider running again


Because that he hasn't got a clue ?

Same for the democrats if they should nominate him, which they won't/can't

----------


## RPETER65

Looks like at least one Democrat still has common sense about Biden’s spending plan.

Manchin ready to further slash ambitions for Biden spending bill - Axios

----------


## Cujo

Manchin's a traitor to the party.

----------


## Little Chuchok

Joe Biden gives GM CEO Mary Barra credit for electrifying the entire auto industry, 

US President Joe Biden was at the inauguration of GMs Factory Zero yesterday, the companys first electric vehicle factory, and he gave a speech in which he gave credit to GM CEO Mary Barra for electrifying the entire auto industry.

https://electrek.co/2021/11/18/president-biden-gm-ceo-marry-barra-credit-for-electrifying-entire-auto-industry-wrong/



I think Joe just told a big fat lie...

----------


## S Landreth

Statement by President Joe Biden on the Omicron COVID-⁠19 Variant

This morning I was briefed by my chief medical advisor, Dr. Tony Fauci, and the members of our COVID response team, about the Omicron variant, which is spreading through Southern Africa. As a precautionary measure until we have more information, I am ordering additional air travel restrictions from South Africa and seven other countries. These new restrictions will take effect on November 29. As we move forward, we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.

Omicron Covid variant: U.S. to restrict travel from South Africa, 7 other nations

----------


## RPETER65

> Manchin's a traitor to the party.



No Manchin has a mind of his own and more common sense than all the rest of the Democrats combined.

----------


## koman

Don't think Joe tells lies.  He just goes around making ridiculous statements because he doesn't really know WTF he's talking about.
His news conferences are mostly a mess of fumbling, stumbling cluster fucks and he seldom answers questions unless they come from selected sources.  Mostly, he just turns and walks away so his handlers can do damage control.

----------


## S Landreth

> RPETER666  -  No Manchin has a mind of his own and more common sense than all the rest of the Democrats combined.


Sure

 ::doglol::

----------


## beachbound

> Manchin's a traitor to the party.


Joe Manchin is loyal to Joe Manchin, period. He’s a “Democrat“ in a deeply red state, and knows the only thing that’s going to save his ass, and continue to line his pockets, is to drag his feet on voting for any legislation from the Biden administration.


A poster boy for term limits.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Don't think Joe tells lies.  He just goes around making ridiculous statements because he doesn't really know WTF he's talking about.
> His news conferences are mostly a mess of fumbling, stumbling cluster fucks and he seldom answers questions u*nless they come from selected sources*.  Mostly, he just turns and walks away so his handlers can do damage control.


That sounds like our Prime Minister...  :Smile:

----------


## koman

It's a tough job being a President or Prime minster....at least of a country  with a population larger than a midsize city.   The entire western civilization seems to have an acute shortage of leadership at the present time.  No wonder Mr Putin and Mr Pooh bear are being so assertive these days.  
We (the western democracies) need to do better. At the very least our leaders should be able to string a few sentences together and know what day of the week it is.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No Manchin has a mind of his own and more common sense than all the rest of the Democrats combined.


Manchin is just another typical cash-trousering Republican who doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself and the people who throw money at him.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Looks like at least one Democrat still has common sense about Biden’s spending plan.
> 
> Manchin ready to further slash ambitions for Biden spending bill - Axios


Manchin is just another typical cash-trousering Republican who doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself and the people who throw money at him.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Manchin's a traitor to the party.


No, like all Republicans, and under the facade that's what he is, he's a traitor to the country.

----------


## RPETER65

> Manchin is just another typical cash-trousering Republican who doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself and the people who throw money at him.


Your opinion doesn’t count.

----------


## RPETER65

> No, like all Republicans, and under the facade that's what he is, he's a traitor to the country.



Again your opinion doesn’t count .

----------


## Cujo

It's true though, whether or not you think it 'counts'.

----------


## S Landreth

> RPETER666 - Your opinion doesnt count.


Mine does




> RPETER666 - No Manchin has a mind of his own and more common sense than all the rest of the Democrats combined.
> 			
> 		
> 
> 
> Sure

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Your opinion doesn’t count.


Yes well at least it's my opinion and not one a feeble, ageing brain absorbs off the Fox News ticker.

----------


## RPETER65

> It's true though, whether or not you think it 'counts'.



Yes I am sure in your mind it counts but without putting up any conclusive evidence as to the validity of his opinion it is only another useless unsubstantiated opinion. You offer no proof to the validity of either his or your opinion.

----------


## RPETER65

> Yes well at least it's my opinion and not one a feeble, ageing brain absorbs off the Fox News ticker.



Yes it is your opinion but quite feeble as well.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Ah, no denial then. We're getting there.

----------


## RPETER65

> Ah, no denial then. We're getting there.



Denial of what? If you posted up something to support your opinion there might be something to deny but so far only an opinion on something you obviously know very little about.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Denial of what? If you posted up something to support your opinion there might be something to deny but so far only an opinion on something you obviously know very little about.


It seems you are the only one here who doesn't know Manchin has massive interests in coal, is wealthy, and has no interest in Democratic measures that would impact coal or his wealth.

You really are a doddery old fool aren't you?

----------


## RPETER65

> It seems you are the only one here who doesn't know Manchin has massive interests in coal, is wealthy, and has no interest in Democratic measures that would impact coal or his wealth.
> 
> 
> 
> You really are a doddery old fool aren't you?


I am well aware of Manchin’s interests in coal and the fact that he is wealthy but I fail to see how that precludes him from taking care of his constituents. Unlike some Democrats he didn’t gain his wealth from being a senator he was quite wealthy when he was first elected.

Oh and he couldn’t possibly also have an interest in keep good paying coal industry jobs for his constituents .

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I am well aware of Manchin’s interests in coal and the fact that he is wealthy but I fail to see how that precludes him from taking care of his constituents.


He's not a Democrat.

He's a Republican dressed up as a Democrat.

He personally profits from coal. He personally profits from tax cuts for the wealthy. He's taking care of himself.

----------


## beachbound

> Unlike some Democrats he didn’t gain his wealth from being a senator he was quite wealthy when he was first elected.


Seven of the top 10 richest senators currently in office are Republican. But none of them enhanced their wealth while holding office, huh?

----------


## RPETER65

> He's not a Democrat.
> 
> He's a Republican dressed up as a Democrat.
> 
> He personally profits from coal. He personally profits from tax cuts for the wealthy. He's taking care of himself.


Of course he personally profits from coal he is in the coal business . Is he the only democrat to profit from tax cuts for the wealthy?No surprise he’s taking care of himself that’s what politicians do.

----------


## RPETER65

> Seven of the top 10 richest senators currently in office are Republican. But none of them enhanced their wealth while holding office, huh?


Not true.

Top 10 wealthiest senators - CBS News

----------


## beachbound

^
Hey dipshit, the article you posted was from 2011. Six of the 10 on that list aren’t even in the Senate anymore. Don’t you feel stupid?
(That’s a rhetorical question)

----------


## panama hat

> Seven of the top 10 richest senators currently in office are Republican





> Not true.
> 
> Top 10 wealthiest senators - CBS News





> Hey dipshit, the article you posted was from 2011.


Sigh . . . you should have written 'currently in bold *currently*, italics _currently_, yellow _currently_ and font size 5 _currently_

----------


## beachbound

^
I can see where that was confusing, and misleading.
 :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

> ^
> Hey dipshit, the article you posted was from 2011. Six of the 10 on that list arent even in the Senate anymore. Dont you feel stupid?
> (Thats a rhetorical question)



No I dont feel stupid as regardless of the year it still demonstrates there is wealth among Democrats as well as Republicans which was my point of posting.Many Democrats as well a Republicans have enhanced their wealth while serving in Congress.
If you need to take a look at example of Democrats enhancing their wealth while in Congress look no further than the speaker of the house your hero Nancy Pelosi. 
  By the way why is it you liberals feel the need to try and insult people who oppose your view?

----------


## panama hat

> I can see where that was confusing, and misleading.


Senility is. a curse as the fat-arse still doesn't get that he was wrong and is now doing a Skidmark:


> No I don’t feel stupid as regardless of the year ... blah blah blah

----------


## RPETER65

> Senility is. a curse as the fat-arse still doesn't get that he was wrong and is now doing a Skidmark:



Why you would you post that I dont get that I was wrong of course I was wrong but that does not take away from the fact that there is no lack of wealth among Democrats in both the house and senate which is exactly my point. For a great example look no further than the speaker of house.

Sorry to bust your bubble but I am not fat.

----------


## beachbound

> Many Democrats as well a Republicans have enhanced their wealth while serving in Congress


No doubt. But that’s not what you said just a few posts earlier. You made it out to be that only the Democrats were lining their pockets. 





> . why is it you liberals feel the need to try and insult people who oppose your view?


If I hurt your sensitive feelings while pointing out your hypocrisy and stupidity, 

then tough shit.

----------


## Chico

> It seems you are the only one here who doesn't know Manchin has massive interests in coal, is wealthy, and has no interest in Democratic measures that would impact coal or his wealth.
> 
> You really are a doddery old fool aren't you?


Out of interest If Biden and co, are so against coal, oil etc, and more interested in renewables, why would they accept donations from Exxon and Chevron?

----------


## panama hat

> Out of interest


 :rofl: 




> But that’s not what you said just a few posts earlier. You made it out to be that only the Democrats were lining their pockets.


Of coirse it was and now he's being a massive hypocrite.





> If I hurt your sensitive feelings while pointing out your hypocrisy and stupidity,then tough shit.


Yup . . .

----------


## Cujo

> Out of interest If Biden and co, are so against coal, oil etc, and more interested in renewables, why would they accept donations from Exxon and Chevron?


Did they though?

----------


## RPETER65

> No doubt. But thats not what you said just a few posts earlier. You made it out to be that only the Democrats were lining their pockets. 
> 
> 
> 
> If I hurt your sensitive feelings while pointing out your hypocrisy and stupidity, 
> 
> then tough shit.



Sorry pal it is not possible for youto hurt my feelings just wondering why feel you need to try and berate posters who dont share your views but do carry on.

If you took it that I tried to make it out as though only Democrats line their pockets while in office ok but that was not my intent my intent was to show all politicians line their pockets while in office.

----------


## Chico

> Did they though?


Yep last and not long ago

----------


## Cujo

> Yep last and not long ago


So YOU say.

----------


## RPETER65

If this kind of information doesn’t raise alarms about Biden some is wrong.


Joe Biden expected 10 percent cut in deal with a Chinese giant

----------


## panama hat

^ Hahahahahahaha . . . the same trash that chico just posted . . . Devine and the NYP.  chico and repeater . . . 


fact:
Trump impeachment: TV crew laugh at Ted Cruz during live interview after he supports baseless Ukraine conspiracy theory | The Independent | The Independent

----------


## beachbound

_Joe Biden caught in threesome with Big Bird, and Anthony Fauci_ -New York Post

----------


## S Landreth

> If this kind of information doesn’t raise alarms about Biden some is wrong.
> 
> 
> _Joe Biden caught in threesome with big bird, and Anthony Fauci -New York Post_


 :Smile: ...

----------


## Headworx

At this point it would probably be better if he just turned the tele-prompter towards us so we could read what he's trying to say.

 But he's _still_ a better option than Trump.

----------


## RPETER65

> ^ Hahahahahahaha . . . the same trash that chico just posted . . . Devine and the NYP.  chico and repeater . . . 
> 
> 
> fact:
> Trump impeachment: TV crew laugh at Ted Cruz during live interview after he supports baseless Ukraine conspiracy theory | The Independent | The Independent



I take it you don’t like reading what a bunch of grifters Joe and his family really  are,well hear have another look.


Chinese titan lavished Hunter Biden with 3-carat gem, offer of $30 million

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I take it you dont like reading what a bunch of grifters Joe and his family really  are,well hear have another look.


Fucking hell he'll be stealing from a kid's charity next!


 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## beachbound

> Fucking hell he'll be stealing from a kid's charity next!





> ._crickets_.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden just can’t seem to learn you have to work within the limits of the constitution.


Biden legal defeats rapidly piling up across the nation on broad array of policy fronts | Just The News

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden just can’t seem to learn you have to work within the limits of the constitution.
> 
> 
> Biden legal defeats rapidly piling up across the nation on broad array of policy fronts | Just The News


It's easier just to let trumpanzees die, Joe.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden signs order for federal government to achieve net-zero by 2050

President Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order that directs the federal government to achieve a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The order also directs the federal government to use its purchasing power toward a goal of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030, which is five years ahead of the administration’s target of 2035 for national carbon neutrality. It further directs the government to ensure demand is met by making at least half of that energy locally produced.

Under the order, the federal government would also reduce its operating emissions by 65 percent by 2030. This is also more ambitious than the administration’s stated goal of cutting emissions by half nationwide by 2030. However, the 2050 date for full carbon neutrality within the federal government matches the administration’s goal for nationwide net-zero emissions.

Other provisions of the order include making 100 percent of federal government vehicle acquisitions zero emissions by 2035, with a goal of 2027 for light-duty vehicles.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) praised the order in a statement Wednesday afternoon, calling it “the right thing to do.”

The order “will move us closer to reaching our shared climate goals and strengthen our clean energy sector” as well as “enhance the implementation of our recently enacted bipartisan infrastructure bill, meaning more Americans getting to work in good-paying jobs,” Carper said in a statement.

The Delaware senator went on to say cooperation from states will be necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the order.

“States should follow the federal government’s lead and implement their own emissions reduction plans,” he said, adding that passing the Democratic spending package would enable the federal government to provide support to states toward those goals.

The Center for Biological Diversity, however, was critical of the scale of the order, calling it insufficient.

“2050 is an extremely weak goal for the federal government to free itself from climate-heating pollution," CBD senior counsel Bill Snape said in a statement. It ignores existing technology and adds decades to [the General Services Administration]’s own commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2025. This is like a teenager promising to clean their room in 30 years. We need action now.”

----------


## bsnub

Democrats are faced with a sticky problem: The economy is nearing full employment after businesses added 210,000 jobs in November,  labor force participation climbed to its highest level since the  pandemic and wages are rising across many industries. Yet most voters  are increasingly pessimistic about President Biden’s economic stewardship. 

“I’m  not exactly sure why what’s happening isn’t being characterized as a  booming recovery from a worldwide shutdown,” Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz (D) mused in a tweet  last month. The answer involves a bit of Democratic over-optimism and a  whole lot of Republican messaging the Biden administration has been  slow to counter.

Schatz is largely right: Under Biden, the  American economy has recovered from its Trump-era lows with remarkable  speed. Just a year ago, the unemployment rate sat stubbornly at 6.7 percent. Today, only 4.2 percent of Americans are out of work. Similar economic recoveries have normally taken three times as long.  The Biden administration is delivering on the fastest sustained  economic recovery in American history, yet its messaging struggles to  tell that story.

More important for Democrats is that this isn’t a  “paper recovery,” where unemployment rates fall because more Americans  simply give up looking for work. Much to Democrats’ relief, the opposite  is true for the Biden recovery. The labor force participation rate, the  percentage of Americans 16 and older who are working or actively  looking for work, just hit pre-pandemic levels.  That’s a hugely reassuring development for analysts who initially  feared the global pandemic would be a drag on the labor force rate for  years to come.  

But a surging economic recovery doesn’t mean that  all is well for regular Americans, and if Democrats want to make jobs  and the economy a 2022 campaign issue, they’ll need answers for some of  the recovery’s potholes. Chief among them? Inflation.

A CNBC  All-America Economic Survey released this week found that while  Americans plan to spend 13 percent more this holiday season — great news  Biden’s media surrogates should be shouting from — it also found that more Americans are concerned about rising inflation than about the pandemic.  While that’s a promising sign that we’re moving forward from the  coronavirus, Democrats are now faced with rising prices and unhappy  consumers.

CNBC’s survey found 4 in 10 Americans are pessimistic  about where the economy is headed, but it should concern the White House  that 7 percent more Americans think the economy is getting worse today  than did a year ago at the peak of the third coronavirus wave. Not only  is that incorrect, it points to Democrats' biggest problem: a  conservative media machine pumping out economic disinformation on a 24/7  production schedule. 

Republicans want voters to think of their  economic gains as temporary and the inflation pinch as permanent. They  get the story exactly backwards. That hasn’t stopped some conservative  outlets from crafting the bogus narrative  that inflation is a result of Democratic spending priorities — not a  side effect of an economy rapidly expanding after a year with its head  held underwater. They also fail to mention that wages recently rose by the largest amount in two decades,  and American workers will still be pocketing those gains when our  post-coronavirus economic supercharge wears off and inflation drops back  to regular levels. 

If the conservative media’s framing is wrong, it’s also ruthlessly  effective in scaring Democrats away from discussing all of the good  happening in our economy since January. And like clockwork, skittish  moderate Democrats are taking the GOP bait. 

“We urge additional  action by the House of Representatives to further address the  disruptions and higher costs our constituents are experiencing,” a group  of centrist House Democrats, including over a dozen in vulnerable 2022  races, wrote in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi  (D-Calif.) last week. If Democrats can’t get their economic messaging  together to convince their own moderates, how do they intend to persuade  voters? 

At this point, only Biden has the bully pulpit necessary  to contain the jitters overtaking his party’s lawmakers. Instead of  focusing on the numbers, Biden should play to his strengths by  connecting each element of the economic recovery to the stories and  lived experiences of real Americans the recovery is helping.  

It  isn’t enough to quote charts at Americans who think the economy is  worse than it was a year ago — Democrats must show them how the Biden  administration has stewarded one of the most impressive economic  turnarounds in recent memory. Biden’s knack for one-on-one connection is  an asset to humanizing Democrats’ economic message, but only if the  party has the courage to counter months of unchallenged Republican  disinformation.  

America’s rapid-fire economic recovery is a historic event. It’s time Democrats treated it like one worth celebrating.

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-ho...tory-why-hasnt

----------


## bsnub

> The Biden administration is delivering on the fastest sustained economic recovery in American history, yet its messaging struggles to tell that story.


He needs to spell it out to the lemmings. They want to hear it from the president's mouth. The orange moron just spewed lies over and over again. Sadly, a lot of them stuck on the wall, so Biden needs to trumpet his successes in the same way. 

It is a sad new reality. You must pander to the idiots.

----------


## S Landreth

^President Biden Touts His Growing Economy and Plummeting Unemployment Rate | The Tonight Show

----------


## Cujo

They really need to pay more attention to self promotion.

----------


## bsnub

> They really need to pay more attention to self promotion.


Agreed. Take a page out of the orange morons playbook and brag. The people that live in the flyover states are fucking stupid.

----------


## Cujo

They really need to pay more attention to self promotion.

----------


## panama hat

> They really need to pay more attention to self promotion.


You can say that again . . . 






> They really need to pay more attention to self promotion.


Thank you

----------


## RPETER65

Time for all you  Biden lovers to have another look at the real Biden.President in name only

Joe Biden, despite wife Jill's denials, is mentally unfit - Washington Times

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Eulogizes Dole as ‘Genuine Hero’ Who ‘Lived by a Code of Honor’

Robert J. Dole — celebrated son of Kansas, lawmaker, presidential and vice-presidential runner-up, champion of the rights of veterans and the disabled, an enduring icon in the life of the Capitol — was memorialized Friday in a grand send-off at Washington National Cathedral.

President Biden eulogized Mr. Dole, his longtime Senate colleague who died Sunday at 98, calling him “a genuine hero,” who “never forgot where he came from” and always adhered to the ideal that “no first-class democracy can treat people like second-class citizens.”


 
It was the second day of tributes in Washington to the former Senate majority leader who worked with Democrats to advance Social Security, protect the disabled and rework the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly known as food stamps.

“Bob was a man who always did his duty,” Mr. Biden said. “Who lived by a code of honor. Almost seems strange to say that today. But he lived by a code of honor.”

The scene evoked a kind of Old Home Week ritual as one momentous Washington figure after another soldiered into the rows. Mr. Biden headlined a bipartisan roster that included the first lady, Jill Biden; Vice President Kamala Harris; Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic majority leader; and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader. Three former vice presidents — Mike Pence, Dick Cheney and Dan Quayle — were there, as were several dozen current and former senators, cabinet officials, foreign diplomats and top military brass.

Mr. Dole’s coffin is carried into Washington National Cathedral on Friday.Credit...Oliver Contreras for The New York Times

Mr. Biden; Jill Biden, the first lady; Vice President Kamala Harris; Douglas Emhoff, the second gentleman; and former President Bill Clinton at the National Cathedral on Friday.Credit...Kenny Holston for The New York Times

Also present was former President Bill Clinton, who defeated Mr. Dole in his 1996 re-election campaign and then presented his former opponent with the Presidential Medal of Freedom just three days before his second inauguration. “I had a dream that I would be here this historic week receiving something from the president,” Mr. Dole said in accepting the award in the East Room of the White House. “But I thought it would be the front door key.”

Such trademark wit was a recurring theme of the tributes. Mr. Biden recalled a contentious Senate debate over funding for Amtrak, the rail service that then-Senator Biden relied on for his nightly commutes home to Wilmington, Del. To Mr. Biden’s great surprise, Mr. Dole broke with his party to cast a deciding vote to secure the funding

“He was asked, ‘Why, why would you do that?’” Mr. Biden recounted. “He said, ‘It’s the best way to get Joe Biden the hell out of here at night.’” The cathedral filled with laughter. “Excuse my language,” Mr. Biden said, turning to the clergy seated nearby. “True story, absolutely true story.”
 
 
There have been a number of these memorial spectacles at the Cathedral in recent years: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s funeral was in November, and former Senator and Navy Secretary John Warner’s was held in June. Senator John McCain’s funeral was at the cathedral in September 2018, followed in December of the same year by the service for former President George H.W. Bush.

The Very Rev. Randolph Hollerith, the dean of the cathedral, referred to this string of losses at the start of the program, noting how recently many of these same guests had convened for Mr. Powell’s farewell. “We have indeed seen too much loss in recent days,” Dean Hollerith said.

Guests began arriving at the cathedral in Northwest Washington just after dawn of what would be a packed day of business from the White House to the Capitol to the Supreme Court. The funeral was a part of it as cable news networks carried the service live and correspondents did live shots from the cathedral lawn.

Mr. Biden, who shortly after his inauguration visited the Doles at their Washington home after his old friend learned he had lung cancer, said Mr. Dole’s love of country always prevailed over tribal political instincts.

----------


## panama hat

How the inbred looney-right sees the world . . . 



> Time for all you Biden lovers to have another look at the real Biden.President in name only




 . . . and how sane, rational people see it . . .



> President Biden eulogized Mr. Dole, his longtime Senate colleague who died Sunday at 98, calling him “a genuine hero,” who “never forgot where he came from” and always adhered to the ideal that “no first-class democracy can treat people like second-class citizens.”

----------


## bsnub

> President in name only


Who is mentally unwell? The President or the moron who reads the fucking Washington Times? A rag owned by a fanatic cult. 

 :rofl:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> How the inbred looney-right sees the world . . .


They have,No dignity, ho honor, just bull shit. and a lot of talk.

----------


## Cujo

> Time for all you  Biden lovers to have another look at the real Biden.President in name only
> 
> Joe Biden, despite wife Jill's denials, is mentally unfit - Washington Times


Jesus you do swallow some shit.
He got more honour and decency in his little finger than Trump could hooe to ever muster. 




> MENU
> TO SEARCH THIS SITE, ENTER A SEARCH TERM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BRIEFING ROOM
> Remarks by President Biden at the Memorial Service of Senator Robert J. Dole
> DECEMBER 10, 2021
> ...


Access Denied

----------


## RPETER65

> How the inbred looney-right sees the world . . . 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  . . . and how sane, rational people see it . . .



And Biden’s comments were spot on too bad he didn’t write them.

----------


## RPETER65

> Who is mentally unwell? The President or the moron who reads the fucking Washington Times? A rag owned by a fanatic cult.


Regardless the publication the words are spot on. If only you had the capacity to understand.

----------


## bsnub

> Regardless the publication the words are spot on.


It is a bunch of bullshit piled high for brainwashed retards like you to gobble down, and I stand by the comment that Biden is of much more sound mind than you are, you geriatric old fool.

----------


## RPETER65

> Jesus you do swallow some shit.
> He got more honour and decency in his little finger than Trump could hooe to ever muster. 
> 
> 
> Access Denied



I don’t recall anything in the article saying anything about a lack of dignity. If you had read the article you would have seen it was about his declining mental capacity which is caused by his age. I would not challenge that he has more dignity than Trump but a Trump comparison never came up in the article, so what is your point of bringing it up now?

----------


## RPETER65

> It is a bunch of bullshit piled high for brainwashed retards like you to gobble down, and I stand by the comment that Biden is of much more sound mind than you are, you geriatric old fool.



I take it you haven’t watched any of the few press conferences he has given.

----------


## bsnub

> If you had read the article you would have seen it was about his declining mental capacity which is caused by his age.


Trust me, your declining mental capacity has been on display in this forum for some time. Biden looks like Einstein compared to you and your posting history of propaganda horseshit you spoon-fed lemming.

----------


## RPETER65

> Trust me, your declining mental capacity has been on display in this forum for some time. Biden looks like Einstein compared to you and your posting history of propaganda horseshit you spoon-fed lemming.



So now we’re comparing Biden to me. Breaking news I am not the President of the USA.

----------


## bsnub

> So now we’re comparing Biden to me.


So you do acknowledge that you have a declining mental capacity, which is clearly displayed by your posts. 




> Breaking news I am not the President of the USA.


No shit Captain obvious, but Biden is much more in control than you are when it comes to intellect and brain health.

----------


## RPETER65

> So you do acknowledge that you have a declining mental capacity, which is clearly displayed by your posts. 
> 
> 
> 
> No shit Captain obvious, but Biden is much more in control than you are when it comes to intellect and brain health.



What does this have to do with Biden’s age related mental decline? If this is all you have to refute the obvious just admit you have nothing.If you actually have anything to refute the examples in the article then bring them to the front otherwise stop insulting your own intelligence.

----------


## RPETER65

> 


Once again displaying your lack of anything even remotely close to intelligence on the original subject.Oh but don’t let that stop you from making a fool of yourself. 
  Now if you actually have something to refute the original post please bring it forward.

----------


## Samuel

Biden is the GOP's greatest gift. 

Independents and conservative suburban housewives who put him in power will tell Biden how unhappy they are with his performance next year in the midterm elections. 

Even democrats and liberal media know the dems don't have much a chance of holding the house. 

Thanks, Joe.

----------


## Samuel

Kamala is even lower in the polls than Joe.

From the Sanfransisco Gate newspaper:





> Poll projects Kamala Harris may lose badly to Trump in 2024
> 
> The Harvard/HarrisX poll, conducted among 1,989 respondents between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2, found that in a hypothetical Trump-Harris matchup, *Trump receives 50% support, Harris receives 41% support* and 9% are unsure. Trump would win the Electoral College in a landslide with that margin.

----------


## bsnub

> Biden is the GOP's greatest gift.


Riiight. Another brainwashed racist lemming into the fray...


The broad Republican victories in last month’s elections have fed expectations for more GOP gains in 2022. Pundits point to the grassroots mobilization of Republican voters around cultural issues, President Joe Biden’s low popularity and Democratic divisions as evidence of a continuing electoral trend to the right, especially for elections in both houses of Congress.

These predictions may bear out in the next campaign cycle, but in the longer term, things look quite different for the two parties — and any Republicans sanguine about their prospects a decade from now aren’t paying close attention.

TheRepublican Party has dug itself a hole with regard to young, educated voters. Although Americans under 30 are less likely to vote than their older counterparts, they are a rapidly growing proportion of the electorate. Gen Z Americans, a cohort that includes today’s college students, now make up almost a quarter of the nation’s population. They are in line to be the nation’s most formally educated generation, with higher high school graduation rates and lower dropout rates than earlier cohorts. 

But the Republican Party has done more to alienate young, college-educatedvoters in recent years than ever before. A nationwide poll fielded in late Septemberby College Pulse of more than 1,500 students at 285 different colleges and universities shows that nearly three-quarters of college-age voters do not think the Republican Party represents them in any capacity. Sixty-six percent of students today cannot imagine registering as Republicans in the next 10 years, when their voices may be even stronger. And a striking43 percent of respondents think the Republican Party is flat-out racist; only 31 percent disagree. (The poll, which we co-sponsored, was conducted by College Pulse, a firm that specializes in student polling and frequently supplies data to researchers. Their online surveys are weighted and rebalanced to reflect the national population of college students.)

Young, educated voters have favored Democratic candidates for decades, but the gap has grown much larger than before. Most revealing, perhaps: The survey showed the Republican Party has become directly associated with racist, unconstitutional attitudes that strike most students as beyond the pale. They perceive Republicans as a threat to their own future, and democracy in general.

There are some signs, however, that this damaging view isnot irreparable — in part because college students don’t strongly identify with the Democratic Party. They may vote Democratic, but only 18 percent believe the party is moving in the correct direction. Democratsbenefit from the widespread hatred of Republicans, but the party itself is not inspiring loyalty.

The recent poll shows a path forward for Republicans — _if_ they embrace moderate reforms around race, women’s health and the environment. This poses a conundrum for a party that has hardened itself behind positions that motivate the aging Republican base: Those are exactly the policies it will have to slowly abandon if Republicans want to have a chance in the future.

That future is coming sooner than many analysts think.The Republican base of older, non-college, white voters will shrink rapidly in the coming years, leaving the party with a small and aging electorate. The party’s nominees have lost the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections — and with Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Tennessee and Ohio becoming younger and more educated, Republicans are at risk of losing their advantage in the Electoral College as well.

The gender gap is especially threatening to Republicans. Over the past few election cycles, women were far more likely than men to identify as and vote for Democrats than Republicans. This appears true in the most recent elections as well. In the College Pulse data, only 8 percent of women identify as either strong or weak Republicans while 42 percent identify as strong or weak Democrats. Men, on the other hand, are twice as likely to be Republican (16 percent) — but again, more of them(24 percent) identify as strong or weak Democrats. 

The Democrats have a decisive advantage with collegiate women, one of the fastest-growing groups of voters and a demographic that has recently been more politically active than men. Young women, for instance, are much more likely to have protested (36 percent) than young men (20 percent). Research has also found that young women, including young Black and Latina women, are generally more active as voters and participants in social movements than young men.

Still, substantial numbers of young men and women identify as either independents or “leaners,” — 52 percent of men in the recent survey and 40 percent of women — which reveals a real dislocation from both parties and an opportunity should one party move to court them. This is dangerous news for the GOP: With its current cocktail of far-right positions, women are not going to support the Republican Party down the road, and men are not a lock either.

The data suggest thatRepublicans can, however, reverse their collapse by abandoning the positions that clearly alienate today’s pragmatic and moderate young voters, particularly opposition to gay marriage, climate change denial, anti-vaccine rhetoric and anti-mask extremism. These are the Republican positions that young, college-educated voters find most objectionable. To lay the groundwork for its future, the GOP needs to find a way toward compromise positions on these social issues.

The dilemma for Republican candidates is that the very tactics needed to win elections now are jeopardizing elections of the future. They’re notching successes with attacks on racial “wokeness,” abortion and environmental regulations, which may win primaries and motivate the current party base but clearly alienate the voters needed to win general elections going forward.

The party’s recent wins in Virginia and other states will help Republicans only if they reach beyond the suburban families to emerging educated voters. It is today’s students, not the soccer moms or the angry Trump crowds, whowill determine the future of American politics. 
Our survey shows that young college-educated voters currently perceive the Republican Party as a cult following Donald Trump. They almost universally reject this cult. The evidence indicates they have much higher regard for more moderate established figures, including Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

College students are simply not as partisan as people think. They have a strong bias against the extreme positions of the current Republican Party, but they are not solid Democrats either. They are in play for creative, progressive and also moderate political figures. In the coming decade, the party that succeeds nationally will be the one that finds a way to capture this next electoral majority.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazi...trategy-524086

----------


## Samuel

BSnub:  That is a wall of copy and paste. 

What point does the article make?

----------


## bsnub

> What point does the article make?


That you like most trumpanzees are goal post shifting liars and rascists who constantly gaslight and push strawman arguments which is something that you have been jailed for in the past and are still doing right now. FaRTing around the forum as usual.

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> What point does the article make?
> 
> 
> That you like most trumpanzees are goal post shifting liars and rascists who constantly gaslight and push strawman arguments which is something that you have been jailed for in the past and are still doing right now. FaRTing around the forum as usual.



The article said that? 

That deserves a double dog laugh. 



 ::doglol:: 


 ::doglol::

----------


## bsnub

> The article said that?


You like most dimwitted trumpanzees are not capable of reading the article all the way through.

----------


## Samuel

Anyways, BSnub:  The article doesn't refute my point. It's talking about GenZ and the years in the future  not 2022.




> Even democrats and liberal media know the dems don't have much a chance of holding the house.



From your article: 




> The Good News for the GOP Is Only Temporary - POLITICO
> 
> evidence of a continuing electoral trend to the right, especially for elections in both houses of Congress.
> 
> 
> These predictions may bear out in the next campaign cycle, but in the longer term, things look quite different for the two parties

----------


## Samuel

> You like most dimwitted trumpanzees are not capable of reading the article all the way through.


Did you read it? 


 ::doglol::

----------


## harrybarracuda

Snubby flounced from the F1 thread because it looked like Sir Lewis was going to win. He's obviously been in a foul mood.

At some point he's going to turn on the TV or the interwebs and find out the racing gods gave Mad Max a huge slice of luck and then he'll be back all gloaty.

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## helge

> Biden is delivering the fastest economic recovery in history.Why hasnt anyone noticed


Yes
All down to his hard work and visions

Trump said the same a short time into his presidency.

He didn't mention what Obama had done.

Same with Bush, who took over the Clinton Up.


Talk talk talk

All economies in the world are exploding upwards at the moment

Only "lemmings" would credit Biden with that.

Why isn't this thread moderated ?

----------


## RPETER65

Biden’s BBB still looking to be on trouble.



Joe Manchin signals major changes needed to win his support on Biden's safety net plan - CNNPolitics

----------


## harrybarracuda

> BSnub:  That is a wall of copy and paste. 
> 
> What point does the article make?


Is scanning a 1,000 word post too complicated for you?

----------


## Samuel

> Is scanning a 1,000 word post too complicated for you?


I did and posted the relevant content. 

Though, in a debate/discussion, BSnub countered my point by saying you're wrong, didn't say why just posted a wall of words from something he googled. 

 ::doglol::  



From BSnub's article: 




> The Good News for the GOP Is Only Temporary - POLITICO
> 
> evidence of a continuing electoral trend to the right, especially for elections in both houses of Congress.
> 
> 
> These predictions may bear out in the next campaign cycle, but in the longer term, things look quite different for the two parties

----------


## harrybarracuda

Snubby does have a habit of talking about this as if it is happening next year. It will take a lot longer than that to unwind the gerrymandering and voter restrictions that the republicans have put in place.

----------


## harrybarracuda

The midterms are a year away. A lot can happen in a year. Even Republicans won't be counting their chickens just yet.

----------


## Samuel

> The midterms are a year away. A lot can happen in a year. Even Republicans won't be counting their chickens just yet.


That's true.

Though, as usual, the midterms are somewhat of a referendum on the president's performance.  

It's going to be really hard to change Biden's poll numbers due to inflation going in an upward direction and record murder rates in democrat-run cities nationwide.

From ABC news:  





> '&#39;'It'&#39;'s just crazy'&#39;': 12 major cities hit all-time homicide records - ABC News
> 
> 'It's just crazy': 12 major cities hit all-time homicide records
> 
> "It's worse than a war zone around here lately," police official said.
> 
> *At least 12 major U.S. cities have broken annual homicide records in 2021 -- and there's still three weeks to go in the year.*
> 
> Of the dozen cities that have already surpassed the grim milestones for killings, five topped records that were set or tied just last year.


 ABC/Ipsos poll: 




> President Biden'&#39;'s job approval sinking on inflation, crime and COVID: POLL - ABC News
> 
> These low job assessments in areas of high public concern have led to a new low in Biden's overall approval rating, measured by FiveThirtyEight at 43%.
> 
> The ABC/Ipsos poll, which was conducted by Ipsos in partnership with ABC News using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel, reveals these rocky ratings for Biden at a time when the bulk of Americans name inflation and paying everyday bills as a top concern.
> 
> *More than two-thirds of Americans (69%) disapprove of how Biden is handling inflation* (only 28% approve) while more than half (57%) disapprove of his handling of the economic recovery.
> 
> Biden's orbit is also hemorrhaging independent voters, with 71% disapproving of his handling of inflation.
> ...

----------


## harrybarracuda

As I said, they have a year. A lot can change in a year. At this point in time, an awful lot.

----------


## Samuel

> As I said, they have a year. A lot can change in a year. At this point in time, an awful lot.


True, though the horse race isn't only talked about in the final stretch — as it were.

The primaries start in May, as you many know.

----------


## Samuel



----------


## harrybarracuda

> True, though the horse race isn't only talked about in the final stretch — as it were.
> 
> The primaries start in May, as you many know.


It's the actual election that matters.

----------


## RPETER65

Biden doesn’t seem to be able to increase his ratings in some areas they are dismal.

Joe Biden on brink as US President's approval ratings hit new low | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## RPETER65

The Democrats’ agenda is on a collision course with reality | Washington Examiner

----------


## OhOh

^^
Don't be coy with the numbers:
_
"Biden took a significant hit in Americans’ faith in his handling of the  pandemic. While a majority of Americans (53%) still approve of Biden’s  response, 45% disapprove, marking the most since he took office and a nearly 20 percentage point drop from March, when 72% of Americans approved of his response. "

"Two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of gun violence,  while 32% approve, the ABC News/Ipsos poll found, and only 36% of  Americans approve of his handling of crime while 61% disapprove. Both  approval numbers are the lowest Biden has seen since his took office."

"The poll found that 28% of Americans approved of Biden’s handling of  inflation, while a majority of Americans, at 69%, disapproved."

"Disapproval rates of Biden’s handling of the economy jumped. Fifty-seven  percent of Americans surveyed disapproved of his handling of the  economy, compared to the 53% in October."_

Biden faces lowest approval ratings yet in handling of inflation, COVID-19, gun violence


The fear, of who's behind the curtain, is strong:

----------


## RPETER65

This came from a NYT columnist.


‘Worse Than A Lame Duck’: NYT Columnist Bret Stephens Torches Biden 2024 Ticket In Blistering Op-Ed | The Daily Caller

----------


## bsnub

> This came from a NYT columnist.


It is an op-ed piece you blathering idiot, do you know what that is? The author...

Bret Stephens




> Stephens is known for his neoconservative foreign policy opinions and for being part of the right-of-center opposition to Donald Trump, as well as for his climate change denial.


A neocon warmonger who is a science denier. His opinion is just more shit for a lemming like you to swallow.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It is an op-ed piece you blathering idiot, do you know what that is? The author...
> 
> Bret Stephens
> 
> 
> 
> A neocon warmonger who is a science denier. His opinion is just more shit for a lemming like you to swallow.


The problem is that repeater doesn't know what proper journalism is.

He thinks "Fair and Balanced" is when Fox News do a bit without politics in it, probably a "human interest" story about Lauren Boebert's dog or something.

----------


## RPETER65

> It is an op-ed piece you blathering idiot, do you know what that is? The author...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A neocon warmonger who is a science denier. His opinion is just more shit for a lemming like you to swallow.



Yes I know very well what an op-ed is and this particular op-ed hits a lot of nails squarely on the head. 

And then there is the fact that the senate parliamentarian shot down the Democrats plan to bring immigration changes into the BBB.

It just keeps getting better by the day.

----------


## RPETER65

> The problem is that repeater doesn't know what proper journalism is.
> 
> He thinks "Fair and Balanced" is when Fox News do a bit without politics in it, probably a "human interest" story about Lauren Boebert's dog or something.



 :rofl:

----------


## beachbound

It’s funny that REGURGITATOR, and Slimuel are eager to post their drivel on Biden, but on the topic of Republicans Lunacy, or The January 6th Commission…..


….. crickets…

----------


## bsnub

> Republicans Lunacy, or The January 6th Commission…..
> 
> 
> ….. crickets…


Because they are massive hypocrites.

----------


## RPETER65

> The problem is that repeater doesn't know what proper journalism is.
> 
> He thinks "Fair and Balanced" is when Fox News do a bit without politics in it, probably a "human interest" story about Lauren Boebert's dog or something.



 :rofl:

----------


## bsnub

Senator Joe Manchin's opposition to the Build Back Better Act prompted Goldman Sachs to swiftly dim its US economic outlook.The  Wall Street firm told clients Sunday it no longer assumes President Joe  Biden's signature legislation will get through the narrowly divided  Congress, citing the West Virginia Democrat's announcement that he's a  "no" on the $1.75 trillion bill.

"A  failure to pass BBB has negative growth implications," Goldman Sachs  economists, led by Jan Hatzius, said in the research report.

Citing  the "apparent demise" of Build Back Better, Goldman Sachs now expects  GDP to grow at an annualized pace of 2% in the first quarter, down from  3% previously.

The  bank also trimmed its GDP forecasts for the second quarter to 3% (from  3.5% previously) and the third quarter to 2.75% (compared with 3%  previously). It specifically pointed to the expiration of the child tax  credit and the lack of the other new spending that had been anticipated.

Goldman Sachs (GS)  reiterated that upcoming inflation reports are not likely to help swing  the tide back in favor of Build Back Better. The consumer price index  (CPI) rose in November by 6.8% from the year earlier, the biggest  12-month jump in 39 years.

"With  headline CPI reaching as high as 7% in the next few months in our  forecast before it begins to fall, the inflation concerns that Sen.  Manchin and others have already expressed are likely to persist, making  passage more difficult," Goldman Sachs economists wrote. "The omicron  variant is also likely to shift political attention back to  virus-related issues and away from long-term reforms."

The  lowered chances that Build Back Better has "negative implications for  near-term consumption" but will likely have some "offsetting positive  effects" for financial markets, Goldman Sachs said.

Specifically,  the chances of corporate tax hikes have faded — and those higher tax  bills would have eaten into the bottom lines of S&P 500 companies.  It's also a positive for biotech companies that would have been hit by  $100 billion in price reductions in the Medicare program, Goldman Sachs  said.

Still,  Goldman Sachs said there is a chance that Congress passes a few smaller  short-term provisions aimed at virus-related issues.

There  is a lot of uncertainty over the fate of the expanded child tax credit  that was a key part of Build Back Better and Goldman Sachs called this  the "most important question for the near-term outlook."

While  there is "some chance" that Congress extends the credit retroactively,  Goldman Sachs said "the odds of this happening seem to be less than even  at this point."

Goldman Sachs cuts US economic forecast after Joe Manchin rejects Build Back Better - CNN

----------


## bsnub

> Goldman Sachs now expects GDP to grow at an annualized pace of 2% in the first quarter, down from 3% previously.


This is a perfect example of one Manchin being beholden to special interest over the will of the people of his home state, and two the fact the GOP puts party over country. Dropping an entire percentage point off the GDP is massive.




> It specifically pointed to the expiration of the child tax credit and the lack of the other new spending that had been anticipated.


This points out the lie that Manchin told when he said he is worried about the voters in West Virginia, as most of them support the child tax credit and are in fact dependent on it, as WV is one of the poorest states in the country.

----------


## S Landreth

> Goldman Sachs cuts US economic forecast after Joe Manchin rejects Build Back Better

----------


## Samuel

Regarding the BBB bill which was discussed on this thread a month ago:






> IMO, it won't pass in the senate  even if it passes in the house.





> It will pass the senate.* The fact that you think it won't is just further proof that you have no idea what you are talking about most of the time you post here*.





> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> The Washington Post doesn't seem to agree with you that the bill's passing is a sure thing, BSnub:
> 
> 
> Nice to see you cherry-picking from an article when it is clearly just pointing out obstacles the bill faces, all of which can be overcome. The article never states that the bill will not pass.
> 
> *As usual posting disingenuous misleading distortions. Your posts are a waste of time to read*.


Time to eat some crow, BSnub.

 :Wiggle:

----------


## Norton

> Specifically, the chances of corporate tax hikes have faded — and those higher tax bills would have eaten into the bottom lines of S&P 500 companies. It's also a positive for biotech companies that would have been hit by $100 billion in price reductions in the Medicare program, Goldman Sachs said.


That must come as a relief to the 10%. As usual the other 90% can eat cake if they can afford it.

----------


## malmomike77

Thd idea of trickle down just doesn't work

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Thd idea of trickle down just doesn't work


Trickle down is desirable by those who don't mind  being peed on (trickled on)  which is why such person is called a peon.  :Smile:

----------


## malmomike77

A political system set up by the people for the people, except its run by sentors funded by corporates who's sole purpose is to create wealth for the chosen few. A we've just seen a perfect example of how corporate corruption can derail  a policy designed to benefit the people. Stinks really.

----------


## taxexile

Next year will be even worse for Biden and the West.




> President Biden has overseen a calamitous erosion of the West’s influence in 2021. The headwinds will only grow stronger in 2022





> CON COUGHLIN
> DEFENCE EDITOR
> 22 December 2021 • 9:30pm
> Con Coughlin
> 
> For a year that was meant to mark a welcome revival in the fortunes of the Western alliance, 2021 has proved to be not so much a sorry disappointment as a disaster of potentially catastrophic proportions.
> 
> Joe Biden’s arrival in the Oval Office at the start of the year certainly raised expectations that his tenure would help to heal the rancorous divisions that characterised the transatlantic relationship under his predecessor, Donald Trump. Mr Biden said as much himself, promising in his inauguration address to “defend democracy”, a commitment which was followed, in his subsequent speech to the State Department, by a pledge to restore Washington’s leadership position on the world stage.
> 
> ...

----------


## RPETER65

This article is spot on about the demise of the Democratic Party 


Democrats rush to their extinction - Washington Times

----------


## David48atTD

Now, remember, I just report the news   ::spin::  ...

---

Biden disapproval hits new high as voters give him bad grades on economy, new CNBC/Change poll says


*Key Points*
President  Joe Bidens overall disapproval rating reached a new high in December  as more voters signaled their unhappiness with his handling of the  economy and the Covid pandemic.Results from a CNBC/Change  Research poll show 60% of respondents said they disapprove of Bidens  handling of the economy as he nears the conclusion of his first year in  office.A 55% majority of survey respondents also signaled  disapproval of his leadership during the pandemic, an area in which he  previously excelled. 

Biden disapproval rating high, voters blame him on economy: CNBC poll

----------


## David48atTD

Kamala Harris aide leaves vice presidents office for Capitol Hill on heels of other departures

*Key Points*
The departure of a third aide to Vice President Kamala Harris comes amid reports of tension and dysfunction in her office.Vincent  Evans, her deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental  affairs, is leaving for a top job at the Congressional Black Caucus.A  person familiar with Evans departure says he is leaving Harris office  on great terms, and that the move has nothing to do with the other  departures. 


Kamala Harris aide leaves for Capitol Hill on heels of other departures

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> This article is spot on about the demise of the Democratic Party 
> 
> 
> Democrats rush to their extinction - Washington Times


I am surprised that the Washington times (not to be confused with the prestigious Washington post) would be critical of Democrats.
 Remember, affective propaganda is not in what an article tells you , but in what it does not, the only value the above article has s that it confirms the bias and hopes of certain people.

----------


## RPETER65

> I am surprised that the Washington times (not to be confused with the prestigious Washington post) would be critical of Democrats.
>  Remember, affective propaganda is not in what an article tells you , but in what it does not, the only value the above article has s that it confirms the bias and hopes of certain people.



Maybe so but taken with what recent polls indicate those “certain people” you speak of are rapidly becoming the majority.

----------


## RPETER65

Another good read about the inefficiency of the Biden government.



Is Joe Biden living in the same universe as the rest of us?

----------


## beam8

> Another good read about the inefficiency of the Biden government.
> 
> 
> 
> Is Joe Biden living in the same universe as the rest of us?



You just don't eat enough chocolate chocolate chip.--------- The wisest words ever said by Biden :Smile:

----------


## RPETER65

This kind of press on uncle Joe just gets better every day

Joe Biden mocked as he wishes Americans hope in '2020' - VIDEO | World | News | Express.co.uk

----------


## David48atTD

> This kind of press on uncle Joe just gets better every day
> 
> Joe Biden mocked as he wishes Americans hope in '2020' - VIDEO | World | News | Express.co.uk


That's a click bate article.  I read it.

For the 'mocking' the 'journalist' quotes 2 tweets.

BS !

----------


## RPETER65

> That's a click bate article.  I read it.
> 
> For the 'mocking' the 'journalist' quotes 2 tweets.
> 
> BS !



Maybe so but it really does show the state of the current administration.

----------


## bsnub

> Maybe so but it really does show the state of the current administration.


It shows nothing of the sort, you blathering idiot. The country is in far better hands than it was under you pathetic fat orange god. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, you brainwashed lemming.

----------


## RPETER65

> It shows nothing of the sort, you blathering idiot. The country is in far better hands than it was under you pathetic fat orange god. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid, you brainwashed lemming.



What took you so long to show up cupcake?

As I have stated many times Trump was not my first choice but when it came time to choose the president there was nomwy I could entertain the idea of having one of the corrupt Clintons back in the White House.

Now if you like inflation that is going to negate any help the social Security raise is being given to the seniors,more deaths from COVID already than under Trump,a Congress that is so set on making the U.S. a socialist country and a country more devided than in the history of the U.S. then yes I can see in your eyes that the country is better off but not in the eyes of those with the ability of critical thinking.

----------


## bsnub

> What took you so long to show up cupcake?


I am a cupcake now? Did you get that from the how to respond to anyone that is not a complete moron book? The last time you tried to attach a nickname to me, it  was "buckwheat" which is full stop racist and not a surprise coming from a shitbird like you. 




> more deaths from COVID already than under Trump


False and you can not post credible proof otherwise. So another lie. 




> a Congress that is so set on making the U.S. a socialist country


Can you in your own words in one paragraph define what you think socialism is? 

 ::chitown:: 




> a country more devided than in the history of the U.S.


You really do not understand or grasp the history of the country you claim to be born in.




> ut not in the eyes of those with the ability of critical thinking.


You can hardly read and write. You post gibberish, mostly from right wing propaganda sites for old angry white men. Yet, you want to try to take the intellectual high ground. 

 :rofl: 

I think not trumpanzee.

----------


## RPETER65

> I am a cupcake now? Did you get that from the how to respond to anyone that is not a complete moron book? The last name you tried to attach a nickname to me it  was "buckwheat" which is full stop racist and not a surprise coming from a shitbird like you. 
> 
> 
> 
> False and you can not post credible proof otherwise. So another lie. 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you in your own words in one paragraph define what you think socialism is? 
> ...



Bla bla bla just more of your gibberish trying to berate the poster but nothing of any substance about the post.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Maybe so but taken with what recent polls indicate those “certain people” you speak of are rapidly becoming the majority.


I am afraid demographics do not support that assertion.

----------


## Cujo

> Maybe so but it really does show the state of the current administration.


Do you really want to go down that cofefe troopen road?

----------


## beachbound

> Bla bla bla.


FFS, if that’s not a classic case of pot calling the kettle black…

All you do is post drivel from far right websites, with not an original thought of your own. 

In President Biden’s first 10 months, long-term unemployment fell by 1.8 million — the greatest drop in long-term unemployment in U.S. history. Any comment on that?

The average number of Americans filing for unemployment over the last four weeks is at its lowest level since 1969. When Biden took office, over 18 million were receiving unemployment benefits. Today, only 2 million are. Care to comment?

The economy added nearly six million jobs in 2021 — the most of any first-year president in history. When Biden took office, ... unemployment was 6.3%. Today it's 4.2%. What are your thoughts? 


Speaking of “in the news”, I noticed you steer clear of threads that deal with the January 6 committee, or the crazies in the Republican Party, and the damning evidence that is mounting against Trump and his cronies. 

I guess there are no articles on Breitbart that are covering any of that, are there?

----------


## bsnub

> Bla bla bla just more of your gibberish trying to berate the poster but nothing of any substance about the post.


I thought so. No way you would dare attempt this...




> Can you in your own words in one paragraph define what you think socialism is?


Idiot.

----------


## Norton

> I guess there are no articles on Breitbart that are covering any of that, are there?


*Kinzinger: Most GOP Lawmakers ‘Not Courageous Enough’ to Tell Trump Supporters the Truth*

“Honestly, most members of the Republican Congress understand what happened on January 6th. They’re just not courageous enough to go out and tell the truth. And so you put people like — it’s easy to demonize and isolate Liz Cheney and I. We’re willing to play that, to do that, because it’s the right thing. If you put everybody on truth serum, they would agree with us. The problem is the base voters are not having anybody tell them the truth. And they’re the ones that are going to be misled and abused as they have been for so long.”

Kinzinger: Most GOP Lawmakers 'Not Courageous Enough' to Tell Trump Supporters the Truth

----------


## RPETER65

> I thought so. No way you would dare attempt this...
> 
> 
> 
> Idiot.



I defined socialism for you several years ago and when you challenged my definition I then posted Webster’s definition which was very close to mine you then came up with some gibberish as to why my definition was incorrect.

----------


## RPETER65

> I am a cupcake now? Did you get that from the how to respond to anyone that is not a complete moron book? The last time you tried to attach a nickname to me, it  was "buckwheat" which is full stop racist and not a surprise coming from a shitbird like you. 
> 
> 
> 
> False and you can not post credible proof otherwise. So another lie. 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you in your own words in one paragraph define what you think socialism is? 
> ...



Ok so the death numbers from COVID-19 under Biden are now equal to Trump. Give it a day or two and my assertion will be correct.

----------


## RPETER65

> I am a cupcake now? Did you get that from the how to respond to anyone that is not a complete moron book? The last time you tried to attach a nickname to me, it  was "buckwheat" which is full stop racist and not a surprise coming from a shitbird like you. 
> 
> 
> 
> False and you can not post credible proof otherwise. So another lie. 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you in your own words in one paragraph define what you think socialism is? 
> ...


I will correct myself I should have wrote since the civil war.

----------


## beachbound

> Why are you liberal types so offended that you resort to name *callings*





> I made *a* assertion





> I should have *wrote*


Why are most Republicans so poorly educated?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Why are you liberal types so offended that you resort to name callings when you disagree with someone?
> 
> Fact is I made a assertion that there have been more COVID deaths under Biden than Trump, turns out I was probably right Trump 396000 total as of January 5 about 800000.
> 
> 
> Fact Check: Have More Americans Died From COVID Under Joe Biden Than Donald Trump?


That's fascinating repeater. How many of those are dumb trumpanzees that used sheep dewormer instead of vaccines, because baldy orange cunto told them it would "just go away"?

----------


## malmomike77

Its official, Hazza is back at work :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> I defined socialism for you several years ago and when you challenged my definition I then posted Webster’s definition which was very close to mine you then came up with some gibberish as to why my definition was incorrect.


So you do not know what it is. 




> I will correct myself I should have wrote since the civil war.


You constantly put your foot and your mouth and post falsehoods and propaganda. Why would you be surprised when someone calls you an idiot?




> Why are most Republicans so poorly educated?


I don't know maybe they have to take a stupid test to qualify for entry into the GOP.

----------


## RPETER65

> So you do not know what it is. 
> 
> 
> 
> You constantly put your foot and your mouth and post falsehoods and propaganda. Why would you be surprised when someone calls you an idiot?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know maybe they have to take a stupid test to qualify for entry into the GOP.


I know perfectly well what socialism is I just choose not to play your silly games.

Now about the fact more people dying from COVID-19 under Biden than Trump would you care to take back your statement that I cannot prove they have?

You know very well the point I was making about how divided the U.S. is.

----------


## RPETER65

> That's fascinating repeater. How many of those are dumb trumpanzees that used sheep dewormer instead of vaccines, because baldy orange cunto told them it would "just go away"?



I suspect not nearly as many as you would like to believe but maybe you can post the number for all to see.

----------


## RPETER65

> Why are most Republicans so poorly educated?



I suspect they are not poorly educated but maybe you could post some stats to prove me wrong.

----------


## bsnub

> Now about the fact more people dying from COVID-19 under Biden than Trump would you care to take back your statement that I cannot prove they have?


No because it is a misleading and idiotic statement to make. The implication is that Biden is to blame for more death than your orange god, as if someone is keeping a scorecard. The orange moron was completely incompetent in his handling of Covid, while Biden has not been. It is just more deceptive propaganda from the right which is a fever swamp of lies, doublespeak, and hypocrisy. 

You should be embarrassed you even posted it in the first place.




> I suspect they are not poorly educated but maybe you could post some stats to prove me wrong.


 :smiley laughing: 

Your posts here are enough evidence to prove his point, you old fool.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I suspect they are not poorly educated but maybe you could post some stats to prove me wrong.


No really, they're as dumb as fucking rocks.

How else would you describe someone stupid enough to vote for Jewish Space Lasers lady?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Its official, Hazza is back at work


Well I'm supposed to be (for one last day), but I have to self isolate until I get my arrival PCR result.

Which they told me would be lunchtime, so even though I've already got it, I'm following their advice.   :Smile: 

Then I have to go for the pre-work rapid test, go and pick up a cheque, pop into the office to say goodbyes and that's me done.

 :bananaman:

----------


## RPETER65

> No because it is a misleading and idiotic statement to make. The implication is that Biden is to blame for more death than your orange god, as if someone is keeping a scorecard. The orange moron was completely incompetent in his handling of Covid, while Biden has not been. It is just more deceptive propaganda from the right which is a fever swamp of lies, doublespeak, and hypocrisy. 
> 
> You should be embarrassed you even posted it in the first place.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your posts here are enough evidence to prove his point, you old fool.


Sorry to burst your bubble cupcake but the fact is Biden  clearly stated during his campaign he would take care of the pandemic but the pandemic is beyond control

----------


## Cujo

> Sorry to burst your bubble cupcake but the fact is Biden  clearly stated during his campaign he would take care of the pandemic but the pandemic is beyond control


He didn't say he'd snap his fingers and it'd be gone. He's only one year into his first term.

----------


## RPETER65

> He didn't say he'd snap his fingers and it'd be gone. He's only one year into his first term.


Yes one year into his first term and already more deaths than during Trumps term.And then there is the fact he as stated it can only be controlled state by state isnt that pretty much saying the federal government cannot control Covid-19.

----------


## bsnub

> Sorry to burst your bubble cupcake but the fact is Biden clearly stated during his campaign he would take care of the pandemic but the pandemic is beyond control


You complete moron, he was speaking to the people of the country collectively as a group. Here is the quote that you and the right wing fever swamps are trying to distort...




> "I’m never going to raise the white flag and surrender. We’re going to  beat this virus. We’re going to get it under control, I promise you. "


If you think that anything he said in this speech is off point, then you are a moron...




To try to lay blame on him for the constantly evolving virus is intellectually bankrupt and a fool's errand. No wonder you are onboard with that idea, you brainwashed lemming.

----------


## Samuel

> Biden: Anyone Responsible For So Many Covid Deaths &#39;Should Not&#39; Be President | Barron&#39;s
> 
> Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden said Thursday during his final debate with President Donald Trump that presiding over the nation as 220,000 Americans died from the coronavirus should disqualify Trump from reelection.
> 
> 
> *"Anyone who's responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States of America,"* Biden said in the opening remarks of the showdown that comes just 12 days before the election.


.....

----------


## Samuel

Trump cut red-tape and got the government to approve vaccines quickly with "operation warped speed". 

It's too bad Biden dropped the ball and hasn't done the same with producing high-quality treatments. 

Also, I'm pretty sure if Trump were president every American would have access to covid tests. 

Trump was good at bringing the players to the table — bringing the cameras into the room — and getting decisions and promises. 



 :tumbs:

----------


## bsnub

Another right wing moron chimes in. 




> If you think that anything he said in this speech is off point, then you are a moron...


You suck at life, FaRT.

----------


## Samuel

> You suck at life, FaRT.


BSnub:  Do you ever think to yourself why you spend so much time on a forum for people with ties to Thailand? 

Of course, you don't. 


 ::doglol::

----------


## bsnub

> rump cut red-tape and got the government to approve vaccines quickly with "operation warped speed".


It was a failure. 

*How Operation Warp Speed Created Vaccination Chaos*

How Operation Warp Speed Created Vaccination Chaos — ProPublica




> Also, I'm pretty sure if Trump were president every American would have access to covid tests.


You are pretty sure? Just another nonsensical post by a brainwashed trumpanzee that can't be backed by fact. 






> Trump was good at bringing the players to the table — bringing the cameras into the room — and getting decisions and promises.


 :smiley laughing: 




> It's too bad Biden dropped the ball and hasn't done the same with producing high-quality treatments.




Moron.

----------


## Samuel

> Originally Posted by Samuel
> 
> 
> Trump cut red-tape and got the government to approve vaccines quickly with "operation warped speed".
> 
> 
> It was a failure.


really, how?

Fact:  Vaccines were produced during the trump admin and Biden was fortunate he entered office as they came online. 

Biden has failed on pushing/funding the private sector to provide quality treaments — Americans are still dying from covid under the Biden admin —  and adequate testing.

----------


## bsnub

> really, how?


You are a dense trumpanzee who is clearly blinkered. Take the time to read the link I posted. The evidence is clear to those who do not live in the fever swamps.




> Biden has failed on pushing/funding the private sector to provide quality treaments — Americans are still dying from covid under the Biden admin — and adequate testsing.


Bullshit.

----------


## Samuel

> *You are a dense trumpanze*e who is clearly blinkered. Take the time to read the link I posted. The evidence is clear to those who do not live in the fever swamps.


translation: You are too drunk to read the link you posted and provide a reason to support your point.




> really, how?


You really have no idea how?

You can't post any reason and think that googling for a link will suffice?

Up your game, BSnub. 

 :Wiggle:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to call out Trump's 'singular responsibility' for Jan. 6 attacks

President Biden speaks on the anniversary of Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol (9:00am EST)






Section 3 of the 14th Amendment

----------


## beachbound

> Fact:  Vaccines were produced during the trump admin and Biden was fortunate he entered office as they came online.


What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office? What percentage of Americans are vaccinated now? And I’m talking the actual Covid vaccines (Pfizer Moderna, Johnson and Johnson), not the Clorox disinfectant injections that the Orange [at][at][at][at] was pushing.

----------


## beachbound

> "operation warped speed".


FFS, it’s “warp” speed, you fucking imbecile.

_Warped_ is a word you use to describe idiots who blindly support Trump.

----------


## bsnub

> You can't post any reason and think that googling for a link will suffice?


You moronic buffoon, the article is very clear with how your orange god failed




> "operation warped speed".


Warped indeed.




> FFS, it’s “warp” speed, you fucking imbecile.


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Topper

I listened to Biden's speech last night, I got the impression Biden directly blames trump for the insurrection.   :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

^President Biden did well  :Smile: 

_He marked the anniversary of Jan. 6 by calling the former president who still hasn’t accepted his loss a liar and a loser.

_https://www.thedailybeast.com/this-i...ident?ref=home

----------


## Topper

> He marked the anniversary of Jan. 6 by calling the former president who still hasn’t accepted his loss a liar and a loser.


I reckon the shoe fits perfectly....

----------


## Samuel

Operation Warp Speed





> Operation Warp Speed - Wikipedia
> 
> *The program promoted mass production of multiple vaccines, and different types of vaccine technologies, based on preliminary evidence, allowing for faster distribution if clinical trials confirm one of the vaccines is safe and effective. The plan anticipated that some of these vaccines will not prove safe or effective, making the program more costly than typical vaccine development, but potentially leading to the availability of a viable vaccine several months earlier than typical timelines.*[8]
> 
> 
> *Operation Warp Speed, initially funded with about $10 billion from the CARES Act* (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) passed by the United States Congress on March 27,[1] was an interagency program that includes components of the Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA); the Department of Defense; private firms; and other federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.[1]






> you fucking imbecile.





> You moronic buffoon


Why is it that many liberals have the emotional intelligence of an angry teenage boy?


I miss it when liberals were hippies with flowers in their hair driving a VW van. 


 :Wiggle: 


-----------------

The vaccines were developed/produced during the Trump admin — with the first doses being given in December and Joe Biden even got his first dose when Trump was still president. 

Anyways, the Trump admin was very successful in helping companies to quickly produce the vaccines. 

The Biden admin has failed in working with companies to mass-produce tests and quality treatments/therapeutics like anti-virals and monoclonal antibodies.

Even top Biden supporters like Ezekiel Emanuel are saying the same. 

From the Washington Post:





> https://www.washingtonpost.com/healt...ovid-strategy/
> 
> In the articles, the advisers lay out dozens of recommendations, sometimes explicitly and often implicitly criticizing the federal response. 
> 
> “I think they have pursued a very vaccine-centric approach,” said Celine Gounder, an infectious-disease doctor at New York University who served on Biden’s advisory board, *faulting the White House for not investing more in tests, treatments and other public health protections to blunt the pandemic.* “No one wants to face up to the reality: You can pay for it with prevention, as we’ve outlined, or you can pay for it on the back end, which is the American way.”
> 
> In their articles, Emanuel, Gounder and their colleagues — who include Luciana Borio, the former acting chief scientist at the Food and Drug Administration, Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota, Rick Bright of the Rockefeller Foundation and David Michaels of George Washington University — conclude that the current response has been patchwork and sometimes shortsighted.
> 
> *The Biden administration also has been widely criticized for failing to move faster to acquire and distribute hundreds of millions of rapid coronavirus tests, passing on opportunities last year to do so.*
> ...

----------


## beachbound

> Many liberals have the emotional intelligence of an angry teenage boy
> .


That’s your comeback, Slimeball?  :smiley laughing: 

Yes, we all know operation “warped” speed began under the Trump administration. A lot of good the vaccines have done Republicans. Because of all the anti-vax mis-information spewed from those websites you and Regurgitator love to quote, unvaccinated adults are now more than three times as likely to lean Republican than Democrat?
 How wonderfully ironic!

Since were on the subject of operation “warped” speed, why wasn’t Trump’s suggestion of using UV light and disinfectant part of the plan? 

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## bsnub

> That’s your comeback, Slimeball?


The thing about FaRT is he is a whiny, disingenuous, goal shifting hypocrite. Typical of right-wing trumpanzees. Mostly a waste of time. 




> Anyways, the Trump admin was very successful in helping companies to quickly produce the vaccines.


 :smiley laughing: 




> why wasn’t Trump’s suggestion of using UV light and disinfectant part of the plan?


I think he thought they would be.

----------


## beachbound

> I think he thought they would be.


No doubt. 
The President of the United States, actually stood in front of the cameras, spoke to the world, and actually made the suggestion of using UV light, and disinfectant to cure Covid, and 99% of Republicans act as if it never happened.

----------


## harrybarracuda

I see Biden was on form the other day, telling us we could "look forward to 2020".

I'm sorry, but he can't serve a second term. The wheel is spinning but the hamster is half off it.

----------


## Cujo

He called Trump a loser many times and a defeated ex president.
Trump must be fuming.
Wait for the flurry of statements.

----------


## Cujo

> No doubt. 
> The President of the United States, actually stood in front of the cameras, spoke to the world, and actually made the suggestion of using UV light, and disinfectant to cure Covid, and 99% of Republicans act as if it never happened.


I dont think it's that they act as if it never happened, it's that they're so stupid they don't see the problem. 
Witness how many actually drank bleach or shoved a torch up their ass.

----------


## Topper

> or shoved a torch up their ass.


Well, I think most republicans would have enjoyed something tangible up their ass, so that explains it.

----------


## taxexile

Joe Biden was meant to unite America – but it’s more divided than ever.





> Donald Trump's chaotic presidency may have ended, but the consensus seems to be that his successor doesn’t know what he's doing either
> 
> By
> Freddy Gray
>  and 
> Rozina Sabur,
> 
>  WASHINGTON EDITOR
> 8 January 2022 • 5:00am
> ...



with biden morphing into an american corbyn, it looks very much like trump, or a trumpian replacement will be in charge next time.

the chinese and the russians are laughing their heads of, rubbing their hands with glee and salivating as they study  maps of the ukraine, the south china sea and taiwan.

----------


## bsnub

> Joe Biden was meant to unite America – but it’s more divided than ever.


No one on either side of the divide ever thought that, most likely not even Biden. That said, the article or opinion piece is a peace of right wing trash. Oh wait, it's from the telegraph, so no surprise.

----------


## RPETER65

> I dont think it's that they act as if it never happened, it's that they're so stupid they don't see the problem. 
> Witness how many actually drank bleach or shoved a torch up their ass.



So tell us exactly how Mandy Republicans actually drank bleach or shoved a tour head up their ass? Be honest with your answer with some credible evidence.

----------


## RPETER65

> Well, I think most republicans would have enjoyed something tangible up their ass, so that explains it.



Acyually most who like something up their ass are Democrats.

----------


## RPETER65

> No one on either side of the divide ever thought that, most likely not even Biden. That said, the article or opinion piece is a peace of right wing trash. Oh wait, it's from the telegraph, so no surprise.



You might feel differently if you actually listened to uncle Joe’s speeches.


US election: Joe Biden vows to '&#39;'unify'&#39;' country in victory speech - BBC News

----------


## bsnub

> You might feel differently if you actually listened to uncle Joe’s speeches.


You pathetic dimwit, I did listen to his speeches just like you listened to the bullshit your orange god shoveled into your brain for years. 

Biden was trying to be optimistic, but I am sure he knew that it would never happen. 

Morons like you swallowed your cheeto in chief's 30,573 lies over 4 years. You are a massive, pathetic hypocrite.

*Trump’s false or misleading claims total 30,573 over 4 years*

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...er-four-years/

----------


## RPETER65

> You pathetic dimwit, I did listen to his speeches just like you listened to the bullshit your orange god shoveled into your brain for years. 
> 
> Biden was trying to be optimistic, but I am sure he knew that it would never happen. 
> 
> Morons like you swallowed your cheeto in chief's 30,573 lies over 4 years. You are a massive, pathetic hypocrite.
> 
> *Trump’s false or misleading claims total 30,573 over 4 years*
> 
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...er-four-years/



Can you please provide back up that makes you sure he did not believe his own words? Well of course you can’t your ownly trying to distract from the fact your statement was pure bs. And then went on to a further distraction by posting a link to Trump’s lies which I am sure everyone is well aware of. What you don’t realize is that your continual reverting to Trump’s short comings as a comparison to Biden sets a very low bar for uncle Joe. But then again that seems to be all you have.

----------


## beachbound

> Mandy Republicans.





> Acyually .





> Ownly.


Did they teach English at Trailer Park High School, or did you just skip that class?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Did they teach English at Trailer Park High School, or did you just skip that class?


It's dementia.

----------


## beachbound

> It's dementia.


He spells it _damincha_.

----------


## beam8



----------


## beachbound

^
He certainly has his moments. 
Reminds me of somebody else who struggled with English.

----------


## beam8

Carefull, You will get us both booted. :Smile:  No shit talk is allowed on the Biden thread. :Smile:  Although its fun to show politicians actual jibberish from their own mouth the tit for tat will eventually be removed by the mods. :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> Carefull, You will get us both booted.


It would not be the first time for you deeks you meth fueled fruit loop and your current iteration here has already gotten old.

----------


## RPETER65

> Did they teach English at Trailer Park High School, or did you just skip that class?


I really need to hand it to you beachbound you are quite the spell checker but suck at posting anything addressing the topic at hand.

----------


## beachbound

> I really need to hand it to you beachbound you are quite the spell checker but suck at posting anything addressing the topic at hand.


I wish it were just simple spellchecking. Sifting through your butchered syntax is painful.

The topic is _President Joe Biden_, and I have addressed it on several occasions. Ill ask the question, again. What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office, and what percentage of Americans are vaccinated now?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I wish it were just simple spellchecking. Sifting through your butchered syntax is painful.
> 
> The topic is _President Joe Biden_, and I have addressed it on several occasions. I’ll ask the question, again. What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office, and what percentage of Americans are vaccinated now?


I think he might have tried drinking bleach.

----------


## RPETER65

> I wish it were just simple spellchecking. Sifting through your butchered syntax is painful.
> 
> The topic is _President Joe Biden_, and I have addressed it on several occasions. I’ll ask the question, again. What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office, and what percentage of Americans are vaccinated now?



Yes you have addressed it on several occasions but you suck at it.

----------


## RPETER65

> I think he might have tried drinking bleach.




Nah 3 Pfizer

----------


## RPETER65

> I wish it were just simple spellchecking. Sifting through your butchered syntax is painful.
> 
> The topic is _President Joe Biden_, and I have addressed it on several occasions. IÂll ask the question, again. What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office, and what percentage of Americans are vaccinated now?



Yes you have addressed it on several occasions but you suck at it.

----------


## bsnub

> Yes you have addressed it on several occasions but you suck at it.


How many times are you going to repeat yourself, you blathering idiot? Why don't you answer his question?

----------


## Cujo



----------


## beachbound

> How many times are you going to repeat yourself, you blathering idiot? Why don't you answer his question?


He wont, because it doesnt fit his narrative.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How many times are you going to repeat yourself, you blathering idiot? Why don't you answer his question?


In cases like his, it's not unheard of for people to repeat themselves.

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## beachbound

> Why don't you answer his question?


…..crickets…..

----------


## Cujo

Can you stupid [at][at][at][at] bitches stop bitching at each other, you're embarrassing yourselves.

----------


## panama hat

Hello repeater  :Smile:   How are you?

I have a question which you could answer, given your wealth of knowledge:

_What percentage of Americans were vaccinated when Trump left office, and what percentage of Americans are vaccinated now?

Thanks ever so much._

----------


## S Landreth

It would be nice if they were to get it done by the end of the summer.

Biden backs filibuster changes to pass voting rights bill

President Biden on Tuesday threw his support behind changing the Senate's filibuster rules in an effort to pass voting rights legislation.

*Driving the news:* "I believe the threat to our democracy is so grave that we must find a way to pass the voting rights bill, debate them, vote, let the majority prevail," Biden said in a major speech in Atlanta. "And if that bare minimum is blocked, we have no option but to change the Senate rule, including getting rid of the filibuster for this."

*The big picture:* Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week that the Senate will vote on rules changes to the filibuster by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17.

*What they're saying:* "Today Im making it clear: To protect our democracy, I support changing the Senate rules whichever way they need to be changed to prevent a minority of senators from blocking action on voting rights," President Biden said.


"Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadow, justice over injustice?" he added. The "next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation.""I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right to vote and our democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic. And so the question, is where will the institution of United States Senate stand?""We have seen so many anti-voter laws, that there is a danger of becoming accustomed to these laws ... as though they are normal," Vice President Kamala Harris said in her own remarks at the event.

Top Democrats, including Biden and Harris, called for expanding voting rights on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The big picture: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said last week that the Senate will vote on rules changes to the filibuster by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17.


Why does a democratic goverment even needs the Filibuster? 
I cant think of any reason other than to subvert democracy.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Why does a democratic goverment even needs the Filibuster? 
> I cant think of any reason other than to subvert democracy.


How does it subvert democracy when a majority vote is still required?

Granted, it will come back and bite them in the arse but I don't get your point.

If anyone is subverting democracy it is republican states.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> How does it subvert democracy when a majority vote is still required?
> 
> Granted, it will come back and bite them in the arse but I don't get your point.
> 
> If anyone is subverting democracy it is republican states.


In a democracy the majority rules, the filibuster  allows one individual to change that dynamic and require a super majority, allowing a minority to impose their will .

----------


## harrybarracuda

> In a democracy the majority rules, the filibuster  allows one individual to change that dynamic and require a super majority, allowing a minority to impose their will .


I misread your earlier sentence.

I would agree, but the problem with this is that the Democrats have used it themselves, so there is nothing stopping the next Republican triumvirate from wreaking havoc. They pay no heed to standards of decency these days.

----------


## S Landreth

Justice Stephen Breyer to retire from Supreme Court, paving way for Biden appointment

Justice Stephen Breyer will step down from the Supreme Court at the end of the current term, according to people familiar with his thinking.

Breyer is one of the three remaining liberal justices, and his decision to retire after more than 27 years on the court allows President Joe Biden to appoint a successor who could serve for decades and, in the short term, maintain the current 6-3 split between conservative and liberal justices.

At 83, Breyer is the court's oldest member. Liberal activists have urged him for months to retire while Democrats hold both the White House and the Senate — a position that could change after the midterm elections in November. They contended that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stayed too long despite her history of health problems and should have stepped down during the Obama administration.

Biden said in brief remarks to the press on Wednesday that he will leave it to Breyer to formally announce the retirement.

"Let him make whatever statement he's going to make and I'll be happy to talk about it later," he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki had earlier tweeted a statement, saying, "It has always been the decision of any Supreme Court Justice if and when they decide to retire, and how they want to announce it, and that remains the case today." The White House had no additional details or information to share, she added.

Biden promised on the campaign trail to nominate a Black woman to the court. In the wake of Breyer’s announcement, there was an outpouring of statements calling for him to follow through. The progressive group Demand Justice hired a truck last year to drive around Washington with the sign: "Breyer Retire. It’s time for a Black woman Supreme Court justice."

Among likely contenders are U.S. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, a former Breyer law clerk; and Leondra Kruger, a justice on California’s Supreme Court.

Jackson, formerly a district court judge in Washington, was nominated by Biden to the U.S. Circuit Court and was confirmed by the Senate in mid-June on a 53-44 vote, including three Republicans. She succeeded Merrick Garland, who left the appeals court to become Biden’s attorney general.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., was among those who issued a statement soon after the news of Breyer's impending retirement, calling on Biden to uphold his pledge to nominate a Black woman as the next justice.

"The court should reflect the diversity of our country, and it is unacceptable that we have never in our nation’s history had a Black woman sit on the Supreme Court of the United States — I want to change that," she said.

Appointed by President Bill Clinton, Breyer came to the Supreme Court in 1994 and became one of the court's moderate-to-liberal members, though he often said it was misleading to label justices with such terms.

----------


## Little Chuchok

Joe is like your uncle whos on a new drug and hasnt got the dosage right, Robin Williams. Im proud to work with Barack America " joe Biden

From a Narcissist pig to Mr Alzheimer's

I hope you guys do better next time...

----------


## sabang

What difference does it make? A Democrat President is powerless just like the previous one- unable to achieve anything meaningful by way of reform and national investment, and the next Republican President will just drive the US further towards right wing, populist perdition- just like the last one, etc. I think the United States of America is a lost cause.

All they can really do is cast shade overseas, and blame China and Russia. Hard to believe it would come to this during the term of my natural life.

----------


## Norton

> What difference does it make? A Democrat President is powerless just like the previous one- unable to achieve anything meaningful by way of reform and national investment, and the next Republican President will just drive the US further towards right wing, populist perdition. I think the United States of America is a lost cause.
> 
> All they can really do is cast shade overseas, and blame China and Russia. Hard to believe it would come to this during the term of my natural life.


Nah, the US will keep keepin' on. Always been ups and downs but as Winston noted and I think the same, "Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else."

----------


## sabang

As a combined, united entity norts? Seriously, I have my doubts right now.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden addresses the nation on the Ukraine-Russia crisis



 
Biden says US ready to give 'diplomacy every chance to succeed

----------


## bsnub

> President Biden addresses the nation on the Ukraine-Russia crisis



I think he is a massive upgrade of a commander in chief and I am glad he is the president. That said the unwashed are going to most likely give both the senate and house back to the right-wing scum. So predictable and sad.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

President Joe Biden on Friday will nominate federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, the White House said, making her the first Black woman selected to serve on a court that once declared her race unworthy of citizenship and endorsed segregation.

In Jackson, Biden delivers on a campaign promise to make the historic appointment and to further diversify a court that was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries. He has chosen an attorney who would be the high court’s first former public defender, though she also possesses the elite legal background of other justices.

Jackson would be the current court’s second Black justice — Justice Clarence Thomas, a conservative, is the other — and just the third in history.

Biden planned to introduce Jackson in remarks at the White House Friday afternoon, where Jackson was also expected to speak, the White House said.

She would also be only the sixth woman to serve on the court, and her confirmation would mean that for the first time four women would sit together on the nine-member court.

The current court includes three women, one of whom is the court’s first Latina, Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Jackson would join the liberal minority of a conservative-dominated court that is weighing cutbacks to abortion rights and will be considering ending affirmative action in college admissions and restricting voting rights efforts to increase minority representation.

Biden is filling the seat that will be vacated by Justice Stephen Breyer, 83, who is retiring at the end of the term this summer.

Jackson, 51, once worked as one of Breyer’s law clerks early in her legal career. She attended Harvard as an undergraduate and for law school, and served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the agency that develops federal sentencing policy, before becoming a federal judge in 2013.

Her nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority by a razor-thin 50-50 margin with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaker. Party leaders have promised swift but deliberate consideration of the president’s nominee.

The next justice will replace one of the more liberal justices, so she would not tip the balance of the court, which now leans 6-3 in favor of conservatives.

The news comes two years to the day after Biden, then struggling to capture the Democratic presidential nomination, first pledged in a South Carolina debate to nominate a Black woman to the high court if presented with a vacancy.

“Everyone should be represented,” Biden said. “We talked about the Supreme Court — I’m looking forward to making sure there’s a Black woman on the Supreme Court to make sure we in fact get everyone represented.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin said in a statement that the panel will “begin immediately” to move forward on the nomination and that Jackson is an “extraordinary nominee.” Senators have set a tentative goal of confirmation by April 8, when they leave for a two-week spring recess. Hearings could start as soon as mid-March.

That timeline could be complicated by a number of things, including the ongoing developments between Russia and Ukraine and the extended absence of Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, who suffered a stroke last month and is out for several weeks. Democrats would need Lujan’s vote to confirm Biden’s pick if no Republicans support her.

Once the nomination is sent to the Senate, it is up to the Senate Judiciary Committee to vet the nominee and hold confirmation hearings. After the committee approves a nomination, it goes to the Senate floor for a final vote.

The entire process passes through several time-consuming steps, including meetings with individual senators that are expected to begin next week. While Justice Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed just four weeks after she was nominated ahead of the 2020 election, the process usually takes several weeks longer than that.

Biden and Senate Democrats are hoping for a bipartisan vote on the nomination, but it’s unclear if they will be able to win over any GOP senators after three bitterly partisan confirmation battles under President Donald Trump. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of three Republicans who voted to confirm Jackson to the appeals court last year, had pushed Biden to nominate a different candidate from his home state, Judge J. Michelle Childs. He said earlier this month that his vote would be “very problematic” if it were anyone else, and he expressed disappointment in a tweet Friday that Biden had not nominated his preferred choice.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said he looks forward to meeting with Jackson and “studying her record, legal views, and judicial philosophy.” But he also appeared to express skepticism, noting he voted against her a year ago.

Jackson was on the president’s short list as a potential nominee even before Breyer retired. Biden and his team spent weeks poring over her records, interviewing her friends and family and looking into her background.

Biden has said he was interested in selecting a nominee in the mold of Breyer who could be a persuasive force with fellow justices. Although Breyer’s votes tended to put him to the left of center on an increasingly conservative court, he frequently saw the gray in situations that colleagues were more likely to find black or white.

“With her exceptional qualifications and record of evenhandedness, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be a Justice who will uphold the Constitution and protect the rights of all Americans, including the voiceless and vulnerable,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “The historic nomination of Judge Jackson is an important step toward ensuring the Supreme Court reflects the nation as a whole.”

As part of his search process, Biden, a longtime chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also interviewed Childs and California Supreme Court Judge Leondra Kruger, according to a person familiar with the matter. He also consulted with a wide range of legal experts and lawmakers in both parties and delved deeply into the finalists’ legal writings before selecting Jackson for the post.

Jackson serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, a position that Biden elevated her to last year from her previous job as a federal trial court judge. Three current justices — Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts, the chief justice — previously served on the same court.


Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to top court

----------


## harrybarracuda

Of course Lady G is already criticising the pick because she is Ivy League, although strangely that has never stopped the rent-boy-fucker from voting for conservative ivy league picks in the past.

----------


## S Landreth

Presidents are not kings

That time Jackson shredded Trump in a federal court ruling

When the House’s lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena against former Trump White House Counsel Donald McGahn was randomly assigned to Jackson in 2019, the consensus among court watchers was that Trump was likely to be fileted. What emerged from Jackson was an 118-page jeremiad that did not mince words in dissecting Trump’s claim that his advisers had an absolute right to ignore Congressional subpoenas at his direction.

“Stated simply, the primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings,” Jackson wrote, dismissing the longstanding argument as “a fiction” and “a proposition that cannot be squared with core constitutional values.”

Beyond that decision and another in which Jackson blocked the Trump administration from expanding the use of expedited deportation proceedings, there are few rulings with clear political overtones.

“There’s very little there that can legitimately be characterized as radical. She’s a judge who takes pains to find and apply the law in an evenhanded manner with a balanced tone,” said Tomiko Brown-Nagin a constitutional law scholar and dean of the Harvard-Radcliffe Institute.

----------


## baldrick

I admire the skill Biden and his administration have displayed during the buildup and continuation of this European crisis.

I do doubt that his administration will get the credit they deserve because the subtlety of their actions will mean that it is not noticed

Such is diplomacy

----------


## Switch

> Such is diplomacy


Diplomacy should always be the winner. ÂSpeak softly and carry a big stickÂ.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden made his first (of eight) State of the Union address





None of us should be fooled: President Bidens speech on Russia.

Transcript

And unlike the $2 Trillion tax cut passed in the previous administration that benefitted the top 1% of Americans, the American Rescue Plan helped working peopleand left no one behind.

And it worked. It created jobs. Lots of jobs.

In factour economy created over 6.5 Million new jobs just last year, more jobs created in one year  than ever before in the history of America.

Our economy grew at a rate of 5.7% last year, the strongest growth in nearly 40 years, the first step in bringing fundamental change to an economy that hasnt worked for the working people of this nation for too long. 

For the past 40 years we were told that if we gave tax breaks to those at the very top, the benefits would trickle down to everyone else.

But that trickle-down theory led to weaker economic growth, lower wages, bigger deficits, and the widest gap between those at the top and everyone else in nearly a century.

----------


## baldrick

> In fact—our economy created over 6.5 Million new jobs just last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in the history of America.


to be fair - it was starting from the lowest point in US history

----------


## taxexile

Lazy, arrogant Biden has nothing to offer the free world.





> Like most of his speeches, the US President's State of the Union address was incoherent, dull and breathtakingly mind-numbing
> 
> NILE GARDINER
> 2 March 2022 • 9:51am
> Nile Gardiner
> 
> 
> As Joe Biden entered Congress to deliver his State of the Union speech last night, it was hard to think of a less successful first year for a US president in the modern era. True to form, Biden gave a monumentally unimpressive address, one that fit the myriad failures of his time in office so far. In many respects it was a reminder why the United States is a superpower in decline under the Biden presidency. America’s enemies are emboldened by a weak-kneed president who is the antithesis of Ronald Reagan. America deserves better.
> 
> ...

----------


## harrybarracuda

Jesus you wanker.




> _Nile Gardiner is the Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center_


What's that, the Margaret Thatcher Center for research into milk snatching affairs?

 :rofl:

----------


## thailazer

> I admire the skill Biden and his administration have displayed during the buildup and continuation of this European crisis.
> 
> I do doubt that his administration will get the credit they deserve because the subtlety of their actions will mean that it is not noticed
> 
> Such is diplomacy


Agreed, and there is so much going on behind the scenes.  Biden has rebuilt the State Deptartment expertise that the prior president-wannabe decapitated.

----------


## taxexile

bedbound



> The US is being infected,


infected by people that cannot accept that any other opinions exist, and anyone holding an alternative opinion must be insane and needs to be "cancelled", "no platformed" or ridiculed.

biden is even more of a joke than trump, christ, the demented and piss stained old fool can barely speak,  and with him at the helm america is becoming a weak and ineffectual laughing stock to those who are now taking their chance to rise up and subjugate smaller states, knowing that there is nothing anybody can do to stop them.

where's roosevelt and his "big stick ideology" when you need him. 
biden, the mummified old corpse, is not fit to lick his boots, and neither was trump.

the only politics you have now are identity politics, which you invented, along with woke, virtue-signalling and political correctness. you have allowed yourselves to be morally blackmailed by the fictional idiocy of race-guilt. and you are so fucking stupid you can't even see that identity politics (aka hatred of everyone who is not a minority) is your real enemy, and sadly you are infecting the rest of the western world with your inward looking shite.

you are a dead nation, eating yourselves from the inside, and the so-called american century has died with you.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> do you two seriously believe that biden is having a successful presidency? 
> 
> the decrepit old fool is turning america into even more of a joke than the previous potus.
> 
> the rampant liberalism that has infected america, the uk and the eu has allowed aggressive and hostile states, their organizations and their citizens to take advantage of our freedoms and undermine our societies.


You're so stupidly blinkered that you don't see what four years of baldy orange cunto did.

He was an absolute laughing stock who weakened the NATO alliance, drove wedges between the US and the rest of the world with his absurd, carnival barking "America First" policy, and sucked up to the worst dictators on the planet.

I had no idea you were so utterly fucking thick.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> You’re obviously a regular Faux News viewer, regurgitating Hannity/Tucker Carlson talking points. The US is being infected, for sure, but liberalism isn’t the problem. 
> The malignant tumor that is the fringe right, is slowly killing the US.


Judging by the quality of the drivel, it's more like he's watching OANN and Newsmax on Youtube.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> america is becoming a weak and ineffectual laughing stock


That's because it had four years of a weak and ineffectual laughing stock in charge.

----------


## beachbound

> infected by people that cannot accept that any other opinions exist, and anyone holding an alternative opinion must be insane and needs to be "cancelled", "no platformed" or ridiculed.


Alternative opinions are fine. It’s the alternative facts where liberals take issue.

For fcuks sake, Republicans can’t even accept differing opinions within their own party. Just ask Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger.

----------


## AntRobertson

Yeah the party of 'Freedom' and 'Freedom of Speech' doesn't like anyone going off message, especially when it comes to Cult Leaders corruption and attempts to overthrow democracy. 

I think that secretly a lot of them yearn to be dominated and subjugated under a dictator type--some sort of Freudian thing.

That is when when they're not busy with modern day booking burnings, sorry, bannings and demanding that kids shouldn't be taught actual history lest it interfere with the God 'n Guns indoctrination. Definitely not a cult though.

The 'Pro Life' Death Cult party perfectly happy with mass shootings and preventable death from diseases and 'Small Govt!' unless it comes to telling women what they can do with their own bodies, who you can/can't marry, what you can/can't learn etc.

----------


## S Landreth

Seems most who watched the State of the Union were happy with what President Biden said.

That might upset some. So,…….A review.




> President Biden made his first (of eight) State of the Union address
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ‘None of us should be fooled’: President Biden’s speech on Russia.
> 
> Transcript
> ...

----------


## S Landreth

US offers temporary protected status to Ukrainians to avoid deportation

The Biden administration offered humanitarian relief to Ukrainians in the United States on Thursday, which could protect thousands from being deported to their war-torn homeland.

Ukrainians can remain in the country for up to 18 months under the federal program known as Temporary Protected Status. In order to be eligible for the protection, individuals would have to have been in the US since at least Tuesday.

The administration said the decision was made because of the Russian invasion into Ukraine, which marks the largest conventional military action in Europe since the second world war. The invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis that has caused more than 1 million people to flee.

Russias premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence that has forced Ukrainians to seek refuge in other countries, said Alejandro Mayorkas, the US homeland security secretary.

As many as 30,000 Ukrainians in the United States may benefit, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan thinktank.

Pressure had been mounting on the Biden administration from lawmakers from both parties, including the Senates top Democrat, to grant the status to Ukrainians following Russias invasion of their country.

Bob Menendez, the Democratic senator of New Jersey and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said after a week of Vladimir Putins illegal and ruthless war against the people of Ukraine it was the right thing to do.

He said he was heartened that President Biden is once again making clear the United States will not relent in its support for the people of Ukraine in this dark moment in history.

----------


## David48atTD

Bidens job approval rating hits lowest point of his presidency as most Americans think the U.S. headed in the wrong direction

*Key Points*
President Joe Bidens job approval ratings keep falling in his second year in the White House.Just  40% of Americans approve of the job that he is doing, an NBC News  survey finds, the lowest rating Biden has seen in his presidency.Bidens  drop in approval comes as a large majority of Americans continue to say  the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction, the poll found. 

The poll surveyed 1,000 adults, 790 of whom were registered voters,  over four days last week. 
It has a margin of error of 3.1% among all  respondents.

The  political party of incumbent presidents as a rule sees a loss of seats  in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in mid-term  elections. 
All 435 House seats are at stake in the November 2022  elections, while 35 Senate seats are at stake.

Biden job approval fall to lowest point, amid Russia and inflation worry

I just report the news ...  ::spin::

----------


## AntRobertson

I have come to the conclusion most Americans are either idiots and/or easily led gullible sheep.

----------


## sabang

Dead man walking. Politically, that is.

----------


## David48atTD

> Dead man walking. Politically, that is.


I DON'T WANT TRUMP

I DON'T WANT TRUMP

I DON'T WANT TRUMP


... but (self proclaimed) one Term President Biden is looking a little shaky.

I was hoping Harris would have proven herself more capable.

Please Democrats, produce someone who will whip Trump (if he runs) and be a steady and progressive hand on the tiller.

----------


## panama hat

> Dead man walking. Politically, that is.


All presidents are - two terms, max eight years.  Logic.

----------


## Norton

Barack Obama voiced concerns about Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy and warned allies not to underestimate his ability to “f**k things up”.

----------


## OhOh

*Bidens summit with Southeast Asian leaders postponed* 

 The month-long conflict in Eastern Europe has injected a  new urgency into* U.S. efforts to reinvigorate* old alliances and  cultivate new ones, including in the Asia-Pacific. 


 By Steven Overly and Nahal Toosi

03/25/2022 03:29 PM EDT 

"The  White House has indefinitely postponed a special summit with leaders  from across Southeast Asia that was initially scheduled for next week,  according to four sources familiar with the schedule change.

 The gathering with the 10 countries  that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was set to take  place on Monday and Tuesday at the White House, and it was meant to*  demonstrate the United States enduring commitment* to a region that is * critical to its commercial and security interests* in Asia, the White  House said in late February.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    On  Friday, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said in a  statement to POLITICO that, The President looks forward to welcoming  the ASEAN leaders to Washington, DC for a U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit. To  ensure invited ASEAN leaders can all participate, we are working closely  with ASEAN partners to* identify appropriate dates for this meeting*.

President  Joe Biden will instead meet on Tuesday with Singapores prime minister,  Lee Hsien Loong, to discuss both U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific  region, such as supply chains and maritime security, as well as the  bloody conflict in Ukraine.

*Conflicting schedules*:  

Schedule conflicts do *appear to be the cause* of the delay, as neither  the Biden administration or ASEAN wanted to leave out key members,  people with knowledge of the situation told POLITICO.


It  seems that the event is experiencing scheduling turbulence, with more  than one of the key ASEAN members* unable to move* or cancel pre-existing  commitments on dates that the USA has proposed, 

said Kurt Tong, a  partner at The Asia Group. 

It is challenging given the long ten-member  ASEAN roster and that organizations* strong desire for inclusiveness*.


*A critical region*: 

The White  House has repeatedly declared that Southeast Asia is a central focus of  its foreign policy efforts, particularly as part of the Biden  administrations efforts to counter Chinas rising global influence.


Continues:

Bidens summit with Southeast Asian leaders postponed - POLITICO

"Little brown" people, and an expanding number of countries, saying FYJB.

How appropriate in view of the current "misspeaking" NaGastan administration.

----------


## Norton

> NaGastan


15 years on TD and never once put anyone on ignore. Damn tired of your constant childish posting of this silly term. Ignored as of now!

----------


## bsnub

> Ignored as of now!

----------


## harrybarracuda

> 15 years on TD and never once put anyone on ignore. Damn tired of your constant childish posting of this silly term. Ignored as of now!


Well like the rest of the four wanketeers, he is retarded, so what do you expect?

----------


## OhOh

> Biden’s summit with Southeast Asian leaders postponed





*Visit by ASEAN ministers shows willingness to cooperate with China rather than serving US interests*


By Zhang Changyue Published: Mar 28, 2022 11:41 PM 


_"The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday that foreign ministers from  Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar will visit China from  Thursday to Sunday at the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign  Minister Wang Yi. 

The upcoming visit of the four foreign  ministers from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations  (ASEAN) not only reflect China’s intimate relations with its neighboring  countries, but the high expectation from all sides to promote  China-ASEAN cooperation, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin  at a regular press conference on Monday.

“As important ASEAN  members, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar are China’s  friendly neighbors and important partners in promoting high-quality Belt  and Road cooperation. China has kept in contact with ASEAN members to  deepen cooperation on anti-pandemic measures and development restoration  since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Wang emphasized. 

Earlier in March, the planned special summit between the US and ASEAN from March 28 to March 29 was reportedly postponed. 

To  visit China while delaying the meeting with the US shows ASEAN’s  willingness to talk with China rather than the US, experts said. 

“While  the former truly and sincerely helps them boost economic development  and solve practical problems through win-win cooperation, the latter  doesn’t really care about their current situations but just wants to use  them to contain China without bringing them tangible benefit.  Obviously, ASEAN members know that,” Qian Feng, director of the research  department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University,  told the Global Times on Monday.

Wang talked about China’s  expectations for the visit, saying China wishes to work with ASEAN to  implement the results and common understanding reached last year at the  special summit of the 30th anniversary of China-ASEAN Dialogue Relations  and to promote global development initiatives.

“China will also  fully exchange views with the ministers on the current regional and  international situation, infusing more positive energy into regional  stability and world prosperity,” Wang added.

Experts also  mentioned that ASEAN tried to avoid the meeting with the US partly  because of the Ukraine crisis. “ASEAN doesn’t want to choose the US side  on the Ukraine crisis, which it believes would only add more tension  that could escalate the situation,” Qian added."_

Visit by ASEAN ministers shows willingness to cooperate with China rather than serving US interests - Global Times

----------


## harrybarracuda

Going to collect the cake tins no doubt.

----------


## panama hat

> Visit by ASEAN ministers shows willingness to cooperate with China





> Experts also mentioned that ASEAN tried to avoid the meeting



Well, they would, of course

----------


## bsnub

More crap propaganda fake news from the moron OhDoh.

----------


## Switch

> More crap propaganda fake news from the moron OhDoh.


He must walk around in circles permanently, weighed down by the avalanche of misinformation from one side only.
He struggles to find any balance at all due to his adherence to one sided information. What a pity he can’t read past the headlines.  :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

He is defending his country . . . Mainlanders will be Mainlanders

----------


## sabang

_An excerpt from an excellent article-_


In the Hunter Biden case, social media went still further and without disguise simply banned all mention of the Hunter Biden leaks.]

As I reported on September 27 last year:

What I find deeply reprehensible in all the BBC coverage is their failure to report the facts of the case, and their utter lack of curiosity about why Joe Biden’s son Hunter was paid $60,000 a month by Burisma, Ukraine’s largest natural gas producer, as an entirely absent non-executive director, when he had no relevant experience in Ukraine or gas, and very little business experience, having just been dishonorably discharged from the Navy Reserve for use of crack cocaine? Is that question not just a little bit interesting? That may be the thin end of it – in 2014-15 Hunter Biden received US $850,000 from the intermediary company channeling the payments. In reporting on Trump being potentially impeached for asking about it, might you not expect some analysis – or at least mention – of what he was asking about?

That Hunter Biden received so much money from a company he never once visited or did any legitimate work for, located in a country which remarkably at the same time launched into a US sponsored civil war while his father was Vice President, is a question which might reasonably interest people. This is not “fake news”. There is no doubt whatsoever of the facts. 

There is also no doubt that, as Vice President of the USA, Joe Biden secured the firing of the Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating Burisma for corruption.

The story now is that Hunter Biden abandoned a laptop in a repair shop, and the hard drive contained emails between Hunter and Burisma in which he was asked for, and promised, various assistance to the company from the Vice President. This hard drive was passed to the New York Post. What the emails do not include is any incriminating correspondence between Hunter and his father in which Joe Biden agrees to any of this – which speaks to their authenticity, as that would be the key thing to forge. Given that the hard drive also contains intimate photos and video, there does not seem to be any real doubt about its authenticity.

However both Facebook and Twitter slapped an immediate and total ban on all mention of the Hunter Biden emails, claiming doubts as to its authenticity and an astonishing claim that they never link to leaked material or information about leaked material.



Alert readers will note that this policy was not applied to Donald Trump’s tax returns. These were extremely widely publicised throughout social and mainstream media – and quite right too – despite being illegally leaked. Twitter may be attempting to draw a distinction between a “hack” and a “leak”. This is difficult to do – the Clinton and Podesta emails, for example, were leaked but are frequently claimed to have been hacked.

I am astonished by the online comment of people who consider themselves “liberals” who support the social media suppression of the Hunter Biden story, because they want Trump to be defeated. The truth is that those in control of social media censorship are overwhelmingly Atlanticist figures on the Clinton/Blair political spectrum. That embraces the roles of Nick Clegg and Ben Nimmo at Facebook. It explains the protective attitude of Blairite Wikipedia boss Jimmy Wales (also a director of Guardian Media Group) toward the Philip Cross operation.

Censorship from the self-satisfied centre of the political establishment is still more dangerous, because more stable, than censorship from the left or right. It seeks rigorously to enforce the “Overton window” on social media. It has a “whatever it takes” attitude to getting Joe Biden into the White House and removing a maverick element from the political stability it so prizes. Its hatred of public knowledge is behind the persecution of Assange.

... _The development of social media gatekeeping of internet traffic is one of the key socio-political issues of our time. We need the original founders of the internet to get together with figures like Richard Stallman and – vitally – Julian Assange – to find a way we break free from this. Ten years ago I would not have thought it a danger that the internet would become a method of political control, not of political freedom. I now worry it is too late to avert the danger.

_People Need to Reclaim the Internet - Craig Murray

----------


## Switch

^I think there are far more interesting insights into the flaws of US politics. The BBC is lambasted at home due to the penchant for supporting left wing politics, when it is supposed to be unbiased.

The Hunter Biden story is in a similar vein to two guys having a manufactured spat at the Oscar’s. It’s gossip and media manufactured click bait. It fails to connect to the main story of Trump v Biden, which should be about the future of US politics, but even that has been hijacked by the media.

----------


## sabang

But the media actively suppressed this 'clickbait'- and there you have the scandal. The other scandal- that the Bidens are bent fuckers- is no surprise.

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## Buckaroo Banzai

> I DON'T WANT TRUMP
> 
> I DON'T WANT TRUMP
> 
> I DON'T WANT TRUMP
> 
> 
> ... but (self proclaimed) one Term President Biden is looking a little shaky.
> 
> ...


As an American , I can tell you that trump has a snowman's chance in hell of being re-elected. Aside from many other reasons (Age, legal) , Americans have no appetite for the drama of another 4 years of trump . But trump will play that card  to keep the wolfs away and maintain funds raising , all these legal challenges cant be cheap. .

----------


## sabang

It seems to me, after two lamentable years of Biden & co, that the Repubs have it in their grasp to reclaim the 'sensible grown-ups' mantle in US politics (now that was some achievement Joe!). Accordingly, the very last thing they need is to run that squealing baby Trump. That would give the Dangerous Dems their only vague chance of winning the next election imho. As a citizen of a foreign but allied nation, I sincerely hope they can still find a mature adult in command of all of his faculties.

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## harrybarracuda

It's just the topic du jour for the carnival barkers at Newsmax, Fox, etc.

They will be drumming this story, with a ton of made up shit to spice it up, from now until the mid-terms, then the story will miraculously disappear like the "caravans of illegals" bullshit they invented for the last election.

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## Norton

> As an American , I can tell you that trump has a snowman's chance in hell of being re-elected. Aside from many other reasons (Age, legal) , Americans have no appetite for the drama of another 4 years of trump . But trump will play that card  to keep the wolfs away and maintain funds raising , all these legal challenges cant be cheap. .


Trump will string out his fund raising activity as long as he can but will not declare a run for President. If he declares, he will have to open his books to the FEC and be subject to Fed law pertaining to election fund raising. As of now, the $122 mil he has raised is his to do with as he pleases.

Help the lad out.  :Smile: 

Home | Donald J. Trump

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## S Landreth

Kamala Harris Presides Over Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court Vote




 
Kamala Harris, the country's first Black and first female vice president — who made history herself two years ago when she was voted into office — presided over another historic moment on Thursday when she affirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson's confirmation as the next Supreme Court justice.

"On this vote the yeas are 53, the nays are 47," Harris, in her official role as president of the Senate, said in the chamber after each lawmaker had made their choice. "This nomination is confirmed."

Her announcement that Jackson will be the high court's first Black woman judge was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation from Democrats on one side of the chamber.

After the celebration, Harris, 57, turned again to the intricate regulatory language of the legislature. But the thrill was palpable.

"Under the previous order, the motion to reconsider is considered made and laid upon the table and the president will immediately be notified of the Senate's action."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer animatedly replied: "Madame President, very happily I note the absence of a quorum."

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## harrybarracuda

Some great news for a change.

Imagine how bitter and angry the trumpanzees will be at having a black woman on SCOTUS. They will have already forgotten that McConnell has forever tarnished the confirmation process.

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## beachbound

> Some great news for a change.
> 
> Imagine how bitter and angry the trumpanzees will be at having a black woman on SCOTUS.


According to Tucker Carlson, she’s not really black.

----------


## hallelujah

> He is defending his country . . . Mainlanders will be Mainlanders


He's not, you know?

As I've said before, he's a UK born Commie (the worst type because they can see no bad in the regime as they've never had to endure it from the comfort of their western life- totally blinkered).

At a stretch, he might come from a Chinese family, but English is his first language and I can see it in his writing (he'd be making countless errors with articles and the 3rd person in terms of grammar for a start). 

You know they pay me to do this shite.  :Smile:

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## S Landreth

> 15 years on TD and never once put anyone on ignore. Damn tired of your constant childish posting of this silly term. Ignored as of now!


You’ll miss what and how the crazies are thinking

----------


## S Landreth

Biden has told Obama he’s running again

President Biden has told former President Obama that he is planning to run for reelection in 2024, two sources tell The Hill. 

The admission to Obama is the latest indication that Biden is likely to run for a second term, something the president has spoken about publicly. 

During a press conference in Brussels last month, he told reporters he’d be “very fortunate” to run against his rival in the 2020 election, former President Trump.  

“[Biden] wants to run and he’s clearly letting everyone know,” said one of the two sources familiar with the conversations between Obama and Biden. 

The source also said that Biden, despite his faltering approval ratings, remains the most likely Democratic candidate to defeat Trump. This was a key part of Biden’s salesmanship to voters as he sought support for this 2020 bid — and a big reason primary voters rallied to him in South Carolina and “Super Tuesday” states where he sealed his status as the Democratic frontrunner. 

“I believe he thinks he’s the only one who can beat Trump. I don’t think he thinks there’s anyone in the Democratic party who can beat Trump and that’s the biggest factor,” the source familiar with the Obama-Biden talks said.  

Biden and Obama had lunch together earlier this month, but it is unclear exactly when the two discussed 2024.

The White House did not provide comment on the conversations between Biden and Obama. A Biden adviser pointed to the president’s public comments that he intends to run again.

Beyond the rough political winds and poor approval ratings, it is Biden’s age that has fueled questions about his future. 

Biden, 79, was the oldest president to take office at 78 and would be 82 at the start of his second term, should he successfully seek one.

A CNBC survey released last week found that only 38 percent of Americans approve of the job that Biden is doing as president, while 53 percent disapprove. On the economy specifically, Biden gets lower marks, with 35 percent approving of his job handling the economy and 60 percent disapproving.

A FiveThirtyEight average of recent polls puts Biden’s approval rating at just under 42 percent. 

Still, the environment could look different by the start of next year. The White House and outside economists expect inflation to begin to ease. More Americans are getting back to their normal lives during the pandemic. That could put Biden on better footing heading into the 2024 campaign season. 

“He can recover,” said Basil Smikle, a Democratic strategist and director of Hunter College’s public policy program. “A lot will depend on the outcome of the midterms. If Democrats don’t fare very well, he’ll be going into 2024 from a position of weakness, if you will.” 

Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, noted that a handful of modern presidents have recovered from challenging times to successfully seek reelection, including former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Obama. 

Obama, Perry noted, had a difficult first two years in office with the recession, a slow recovery and turmoil surrounding the legislative battle over the Affordable Care Act. 

Others like former Presidents Carter, who also grappled with staggering inflation, and former President Trump were unable to come back from low points to win a second term.

“There’s good news and there’s bad news for Biden,” Perry said. 

Biden has said publicly on multiple occasions that he plans to seek reelection, but he has been clear that those plans could be disrupted by “fate.” 

“I’m a great respecter of fate,” Biden said during an interview with ABC’s David Muir in December. “Fate has intervened in my life many, many times. If I’m in the health I am in now, if I’m in good health, then in fact I would run again.”

Asked if he would do so even if it meant a rematch with Trump, Biden smiled: “You’re trying to tempt me now.”

“Sure. Why would I not run against Donald Trump if he were the nominee,” he answered. “That would increase the prospect of running.” 

More recently during a press conference, Biden also affirmed that Vice President Harris would be his running mate. 

John Anzalone, Biden’s 2020 pollster, suggested during a recent Politico interview that Biden is the only candidate who can go up against Trump and win if he runs again.

“You go head-to-head and Joe Biden’s always ahead of him. Not by a lot — one or two points. People don’t want the chaos,” Anzalone told the publication. “Even at his lowest approval rating, he still beats Donald Trump.”

Still, allies say they’re concerned about Biden’s current standing.

Unite the Country, a super PAC formed by longtime Biden loyalists, has recently been running television ads in key states such as Pennsylvania and Arizona to help boost the president’s numbers ahead of the midterm elections. 

And some have expressed worries about the sparse field of Democrats who can run if Biden doesn’t.

“Biden is the best choice, but there’s a concern that the Democrats don’t have a strong bench,” said Smikle, who added that there are still broader worries about Biden’s standing with younger voters and dampened enthusiasm. 

Smikle also argued that the Democrats aren’t doing enough to groom Harris to be the next standard bearer of the party after Biden leaves office. 

“Is she being used to push out Democrats’ messaging effectively in key areas? A lot of Democrats don’t see it but would welcome it,” he said.  

The source familiar with the talks between Biden and Obama said, meanwhile, that many Democrats are skeptical of Harris’s chances of winning in 2024. “People think she has no shot, which has to keep him as the guy.” 

Harris said during an NBC interview at the start of the year that she wasn’t interested in “high-class gossip” about 2024 and previously said she and Biden hadn’t talked about the next presidential election, choosing instead to focus on the issues at hand. 

One longtime Biden ally said the president has been clear about his intentions all along. 

“If you want to know what he’s thinking, he’ll probably just tell you,” the source said. “He doesn’t hide the ball well. Every indication I have is that he’s planning on running again.

“He has real concerns about who can beat Donald Trump.” 

I don’t  :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

> As I've said before, he's a UK born Commie (the worst type because they can see no bad in the regime as they've never had to endure it from the comfort of their western life- totally blinkered).


He claims to be Canadian, though.





> I can see it in his writing (he'd be making countless errors with articles and the 3rd person in terms of grammar for a start).


Hmm, his English is very good, but too stilted . . .






> You know they pay me to do this shite.


I'm envious . . .  :Smile:  . . . I want to be in that position.  Just imagine how much they'd pay Seekinga.... for his linguistic Spiel.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden Zaps Trump At White House Correspondents' Dinner

“We had a horrible plague ... followed by two years of COVID,” Biden cracked.

----------


## panama hat

:rofl:  . . . nice.  The orange turd will be fuming

'... contact all your favourite Fox presenters.  They're all here, vaccinated and boosted' . . . SLAYYYYY  :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to expand flights to Cuba, resume family reunification program

The Biden administration announced Monday that it will reinstate a program allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents to apply for their family members in Cuba to enter the U.S. without waiting for immigrant visas.

*Why it matters:* The move is part of a series of actions the U.S. is taking intended to bolster support for the Cuban people, one year after the largest anti-government protests on the island in decades took place.


The protests, which focused on the nation's economic conditions and lack of resources, led to widespread crackdowns. Cuban activists said at the time that more than 100 people went missing or had been arrested within the first few days of demonstrations.

*Details:* In addition to reinstating the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, which former President Trump suspended, the Biden administration will also further increase capacity for consular services and visa processing in Havana.


It will remove the limit on the amount of money people in the U.S. are allowed to send to their family members in Cuba, which currently is capped at $1,000 per quarter per sender-receiver pair.The U.S. is also expanding authorized travel to locations beyond Havana, reinstating group travel for things like professional meetings an research.The administration said it will seek to boost support for independent Cuban entrepreneurs by authorizing access to expanded cloud technology and e-commerce platforms.

*What they're saying:* The measures are aimed at making it "easier for families to visit their relatives in Cuba and for authorized U.S. travelers to engage with the Cuban people, attend meetings, and conduct research," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.


They will also allow "more Cubans to join their families in the United States via regular migration channels.""We continue to call on the Cuban government to immediately release political prisoners, to respect the Cuban peoples fundamental freedoms and to allow the Cuban people to determine their own futures," Price added.

*Cuba recently instated a new criminal code* that experts warn will further stifle dissent and independent media.


The laws, which target acts against security of the state, were approved unanimously on Sunday, almost a year after the protests that hundreds of Cubans were arrested and faced trial.Groups with international financing face up to 10 years in prison if theyre considered propagandists or dangerous to the state (as the Cuban regime deems many independent media outlets and NGOs). People who insult public officials face up to three years in jail.

*Some of Biden's Democratic allies* were not happy with the decision.


Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he is "dismayed" that the Biden administration will begin authorizing "visits akin to tourism.""For years, the United States foolishly eased travel restrictions arguing millions of American dollars would bring about freedom and nothing changed," Menendez said in the statement."[T]he regime ultimately laughed off any promises of loosening its iron grip on the Cuban people and we ended up helping fund the machinery behind their continued oppression."When asked about Menendez's concerns, a senior administration official told reporters that "we will ensure that that travel is purposeful and in accordance with U.S. law."

----------


## sabang

Amusing-

Propaganda demands Bush take a dive now. Not only did his recent honesty malfunction complicate messaging about the unique iniquity of Russian aggression, hes a living reminder of the uncomfortable truth that he and Joe Biden have essentially merged to become the same president.

Biden is just a less likable, more deranged version of _Dubya_, a political potted plant behind which authoritarians rule by witch hunt and moral mania, with Joe floating on a somehow even fatter cloud of media protection than Bush enjoyed after 9/11. Todays Biden _is_ Bush, a helpless, terrified passenger dragged on a political journey beyond his comprehension, signing his name whenever told to appalling policies, like a child emperor or King George in the porphyria years. Its obvious, but no one will bring it up, for the usual reason, i.e. because Trump. 

https://taibbi.substack.com/p/bush-is-biden-is-bush?s=r

----------


## Norton

> Amusing


Hilarious..  :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Anthony Albanese - Great to meet  @POTUS today to reaffirm the warm friendship between our two nations based on our shared values. We discussed AUKUS, working together with regional partners, and making comprehensive action on climate change a new pillar of our Alliance.: https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1528998343388844032


 
_____________

Quad Meet: Why Biden Told New Australia PM "You Can Fall Asleep Now"

Tokyo: Wishing a newly elected fellow world leader good luck is one thing, but US President Joe Biden also wants Australia's Anthony Albanese to have a good night.

Meeting Tuesday at the Quad summit in Tokyo -- the loose grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States -- Biden expressed admiration that Albanese made the long flight right after winning his election as prime minister.

"I welcome you to your first Quad meeting," said Biden, who had to make an even longer journey from Washington for his first presidential Asia trip, starting in South Korea before hopping to Japan.

"Like I said, you got on a plane -- you were sworn in and got on a plane," Biden said.

So "if you fall asleep while you're here, it's OK, because I don't know how you're doing it. It's really quite extraordinary -- just getting off the campaign trail as well."

After the Quad summit, Biden and Albanese are due to hold separate bilateral talks.

Biden will also meet separately with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Albanese is to hold talks with Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

'If you fall asleep it's OK': Biden applauds Albanese's determination to attend Quad summit – video | US news | The Guardian

______________

Narendra Modi -With fellow Quad leaders PM @AlboMP, @POTUS @JoeBiden and PM @kishida230. https://twitter.com/narendramodi/sta...63478438166528


 
______________

12 Asian nations join negotiations on Biden's signature economic initiative for the region

The White House said Monday that it had reached an agreement with a dozen Indo-Pacific nations to participate in negotiations on President Joe Biden’s signature economic initiative in the region after scrambling to sell trading partners on the proposal.

Biden formally launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework on Monday during his visit to Tokyo. The unconventional trade arrangement is a cornerstone of his strategy for deepening U.S. ties in Asia, a region that administration officials consider critical to countering China as an economic and national security rival.

India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines have agreed to take part in the framework negotiations after expressing some hesitation. They will join Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia, which were among the first countries the Biden administration started engaging last year.

Trade observers say luring so many countries to the negotiating table required the administration to water down the initial commitment it was seeking from prospective participants and, as the Financial Times reported, make last-minute changes to a shared statement.

Pledging to raise certain standards upfront was a “high bar for a lot of countries” and the administration chose to “lower the bar for initial entry into the IPEF so that they can pull as many countries in as possible,” said Matthew Goodman, senior vice president of economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“In recent weeks, the push to attract more participants has become the major focus of the administration and in order to do so, they have been willing to scale back on what they’re actually asking these countries to do,” added Wendy Cutler, the vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute and a former negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Top trade officials have long said they aimed to launch the framework with backing from a broad array of countries, but administration officials refuted reports that the framework and its launch were diluted in order to do so.

“There are free trade traditionalists who have raised questions about” the framework, said Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser. “Our fundamental view is that the new landscape and the new challenges we face need a new approach, and we will shape the substance of this effort together with our partners.”

What comes next: The 12 participants announced Monday are essentially pledging to continue the conversation, signing onto a declaration to move forward with negotiations in the four areas that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is designed to address: digital trade and trade facilitation, clean energy and decarbonization, supply chain resilience, and anti-corruption and taxes.

The countries are not yet declaring which of those four “pillars” they intend to participate in. Those decisions will be made over the next several weeks, administration officials said. They are also not yet agreeing to adopt new rules or meet minimum standards in thorny areas like labor, the environment or tech regulation.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework will not lower tariffs or contain the other market access provisions typically found in a free trade agreement, which has caused some industry groups and free trade advocates to doubt whether it will motivate countries to agree to regulatory changes.

“I haven’t yet been able to answer the question: What are some of the developing countries getting out of it?” said Charles Freeman, the senior vice president for Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “And so, it remains to be seen how far they can take this without a whole lot of carrots.”

But administration officials say the framework is intentionally designed to look beyond the typical parameters of a trade agreement and address other barriers that drive up costs, such as fractured supply chains and outdated infrastructure, as well as emerging economic challenges, such as the transition to a digital and clean energy economy.

“This has never been done before in terms of the ambition and inclusivity across a broad range of regional partners, and I’m confident that there will be benefits for U.S. businesses,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “And I would say, especially as businesses are beginning to increasingly look for alternatives to China, the countries in the Indo-Pacific framework will be more reliable partners for U.S. businesses.”

Still, some trading partners want the U.S. to eventually address market access.

“Even though [IPEF] does not contain a lot of things we’d like to see, we are going to try and do everything that we can to make this a success,” said one foreign diplomat, who declined to be named to speak candidly. “And hopefully it can be a stepping stone to something else.”

Who’s in, who’s out: The foreign diplomat described the mix of countries as “head turning” and credited the Biden administration’s hustle in pressing countries to join the talks. Indeed, the relatively long list of participants should quiet some doubts that the White House would be unable to get countries interested in a pact that does not contain market access provisions.

“The United States is going to be a partner of choice on all of the elements of this framework, even setting aside the question of traditional tariff liberalization,” Sullivan said. “And so we think we bring a huge amount to the table. And we think that proposition has been validated by the fact that we’ve gotten such an overwhelming and broad-scale response.”

Another senior administration official, who spoke anonymously to reporters, said “there’s just an enormous appetite in the region … to partner more closely with the United States around an economic framework that presents an alternative to the approach that China is taking in the region.”

Notably missing from the list of participants is Taiwan, which has made clear for months that it wants to be a “full member” of the framework. But including Taiwan in the framework would have angered China, which considers the self-governing island part of the mainland, and potentially spooked countries more sensitive to Beijing.

Biden vows to defend Taiwan with U.S. military if China invades

Nevertheless, Taipei’s exclusion means one of the U.S.’s top trading partners in Asia, and a key source of much-needed semiconductors, will not be part of the initial discussions.

“We intend to pursue a deeper bilateral engagement with Taiwan on trade and economic matters in the coming days and weeks,” Sullivan said. “And we think that that track can help strengthen both of our economies, while we’re also pursuing IPEF with the countries that we listed.”

Still, a number of U.S. lawmakers will be displeased with Taiwan’s exclusion. In a letter to Biden last week, more than half the Senate argued that adding Taiwan to the framework was in the U.S.’s economic interests and would make clear to China that the world will engage directly with Taipei.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Fucking hell he got in there quick.

----------


## S Landreth

Bidens arrive in Texas to pay respects after school shooting

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to pay their respects to the 21 people killed in the tragic mass shooting at an elementary school there last week.

The Bidens, who were met by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and his wife, Cecilia Abbott, visited a memorial constructed outside Robb Elementary School, the site of the deadly shooting Tuesday that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

The memorial was decorated with flowers and crosses bearing the names of the victims murdered in the shooting. The Bidens placed a bouquet of flowers at the memorial and held hands with the elementary schools superintendent, Hal Harrell, and principal, Mandy Gutierrez.

The president and first lady are spending all afternoon in Uvalde, meeting with families of victims and survivors of the mass shooting and, later, first responders. Those meetings are private and closed to the press, and the president was not scheduled to deliver formal remarks as he does on most official trips.

The Bidens, who are Catholic, are also attending mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde.

President Biden made the decision shortly after Tuesdays shooting to travel to Uvalde to offer comfort to the families and the community affected by the tragedy.

It was his second visit to a grief-stricken community following a mass shooting in less than two weeks; he recently visited Buffalo, N.Y., to meet with families of 10 victims killed in the mass shooting at Tops grocery store that police are investigating as a racially motivated hate crime.

As President Biden landed in Uvalde, outrage continued to mount over the police response after an 18-year-old gunman walked into the school and opened fire on adjoining classrooms.

While Greg Abbott praised the law enforcement response in the immediate aftermath of the mass shooting, new details have emerged contradicting officials initial account.

Videos emerged showing angry parents pleading with officers to enter the building and stop the gunman, and police said the shooter was not confronted before he entered the school despite earlier indications otherwise.

On Friday, a Texas official acknowledged that officers did not treat the situation as an active shooter because they believed no more children were at risk after initial shots were fired in a classroom, a belief directly contradicted by 911 calls police said they received.

Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw acknowledged during a news conference it was the wrong decision. The governor told reporters hours later that he was livid at having been misled by police.

The Justice Department announced Sunday, shortly after the Bidens arrived in Texas, that it would investigate the police response to the shooting at the request of Uvaldes mayor.

The events have also renewed a contentious national debate about gun control, with President Biden and other Democrats pressing for action on the federal level on measures such as expanding background checks and banning assault-style weapons.

Past such efforts have been futile, given Republicans opposition to gun restrictions, and its unclear whether the Uvalde school shooting will yield different results. Greg Abbott and other Republican lawmakers have dismissed the idea of enacting stricter gun laws following the Uvalde shooting.

As the Bidens exited the church service in Uvalde Sunday afternoon, a spectator yelled, Do something!

We will, the president replied.

pictures
________________


New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern to meet with Biden, discuss combating online radicalization

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who successfully oversaw the implementation of gun control measures in her own country, will meet with President Biden on Tuesday at the White House to discuss a range of issues, including countering "radicalization to violence both off and online."

Why it matters: This is the first time a New Zealand leader has visited the White House since 2014, with Biden and Ardern slated to discuss their bilateral relationship, their shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, and the climate crisis, according to a statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

They will also discuss the need for "countering terrorism and radicalization to violence both off and online," Jean-Pierre said.

The big picture: As the nation continues to reel from the Uvalde and Buffalo mass shootings, Ardern has addressed the gun control measures taken by New Zealand in the wake of its own mass shooting in 2019.

During an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" last week, Ardern explained how New Zealand enacted swift gun control reforms following the Christchurch mosque attacks.

"When we saw something like that happen, everyone said, 'Never again.' And so then it was incumbent on us as politicians to respond to that," she explained on the show.

Ardern touched on the topic during her Harvard commencement address last week, while also discussing the dangers of disinformation and online radicalization.

We knew we needed significant gun reform, and so that is what we did, she said.

But we also knew that if we wanted genuine solutions to the issue of violent extremism online, it would take government, civil society and the tech companies themselves to change the landscape.

______________


Biden signs executive order on police reform

President Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order intended to increase accountability in policing and improve public trust, citing it as a sign of slow but steady progress two years to the day that George Floyd was murdered in Minnesota.

At an event attended by the Floyd family and the family of Breonna Taylor, who was killed by police in Kentucky, Biden spoke of the order as a tangible result in response to nationwide protests in the summer of 2020 against police brutality and racial injustice.

Its a measure of what we can do together to heal the very soul of this nation, Biden said. To address profound fear and trauma, exhaustion that particularly Black Americans have experienced for generations, and to channel that private pain and public outrage into a rare mark of progress for years to come.

The executive order signed Wednesday establishes a national database of officers who have been fired for misconduct and requires federal agencies to update their policies on use of force. 

The database of disciplinary records will apply to federal officers and state and local jurisdictions that partner with the federal government on joint task forces. It will cover more than 100,000 officers in total, senior administration officials said. 

The order will ban federal officers from using chokeholds unless deadly force is authorized, and it will restrict the transfer and purchase of military equipment by local police departments. 

The measure will also limit the circumstances under which federal law enforcement can use no-knock warrants, and it will stipulate that certain federal grants for state and local police departments will be contingent on having proper accreditations in place. 

The executive order has been in the works for months as the White House consulted with policing groups, civil rights organizations and lawyers like Ben Crump, who represented the Floyd family after George Floyd was killed by police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin was convicted last year of murder.

Biden said Wednesday he hadnt signed the executive order earlier in his presidency because he did not want to undercut negotiations in Congress to pass police reform legislation.

The House last year passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would overhaul qualified immunity and outlaw no-knock warrants and chokeholds at the federal level, but negotiations in the closely divided Senate broke down and have shown little signs of restarting.

Still, Biden said he and Vice President Harris would continue to push for permanent legislation that would also apply reforms to the state level.

On this day were showing the America we know, Biden said. Were a great nation because the vast majority of us are good people.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden kills Trump's paint job plan for Air Force One

President Biden ditched former President Trump's red, white and blue paint design for the next version of Air Force One after a review found the paint scheme could increase costs of construction, AP reports.

*Driving the news:* “The Trump paint scheme is not being considered because it could drive additional engineering, time and cost," an administration official told Politico, which first reported on the news.


The official said Trump's design to include dark blue paint on the plane's underbelly could create heating issues for the plane, potentially driving up costs and taking more time to construct, Politico reports.The color scheme could also slow the delivery of the jets, the report found.

*The big picture:* Trump in 2018 said he wanted to update the paint job of the next version of Air Force One for a bolder, "more American" look, Axios' Mike Allen reported.


Trump sought to change the plane's blue-and-white look, designed by then-President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy in the early 1960s. "The baby blue doesn’t fit with us," Trump said of Air Force One to Fox News in 2019, per Politico.The new Air Force One planes are not expected to be in use until 2026, Politico notes.

----------


## hallelujah

> Biden kills Trump's paint job plan for Air Force One
> 
> President Biden ditched former President Trump's red, white and blue paint design for the next version of Air Force One after a review found the paint scheme could increase costs of construction, AP reports.
> 
> *Driving the news:* The Trump paint scheme is not being considered because it could drive additional engineering, time and cost," an administration official told Politico, which first reported on the news.
> 
> 
> The official said Trump's design to include dark blue paint on the plane's underbelly could create heating issues for the plane, potentially driving up costs and taking more time to construct, Politico reports.The color scheme could also slow the delivery of the jets, the report found.
> 
> ...


This is brilliant news. The news that matters. Paint jobs.

Just as an aside, are you willing to hand in your 4 guns and join the rest of the civilised world?

A simple yes or no will suffice, but with you being such a lefty like snubs I'm sure this decision will be easy.

----------


## bsnub

> Just as an aside, are you willing to hand in your 4 guns and join the rest of the civilised world?
> 
> A simple yes or no will suffice, but with you being such a lefty like snubs I'm sure this decision will be easy.


Yes, I would be. I hate the fact that there are so many guns in the US, and I would prefer if it was a gun free society. But I will explain to you why I keep firearms. It is not because I want them, it is to defend myself against traitors like the January 6 scumbags who happen to be armed to the teeth. They are the real threat to America, and they will not give up their firearms. So if I surrender mine, then I will just be a victim to trumpanzee scumbags.

That said, in my hood almost no one owns a gun aside from criminals.

----------


## hallelujah

> But I will explain to you why I keep firearms. .


So that's a no then.

Excuse my French, but you're all a fucking disgrace.

----------


## S Landreth

> Just as an aside, are you willing to hand in your 4 guns.......


4......  :Smile:

----------


## russellsimpson

> But I will explain to you why I keep firearms. It is not because I want them, it is to defend myself against traitors like the January 6 scumbags who happen to be armed to the teeth. They are the real threat to America, and they will not give up their firearms. So if I surrender mine, then I will just be a victim to trumpanzee scumbags.


 :smiley laughing:  :rofl: 

You're a gas Snubby. Good entertainment.

----------


## Neverna

> in my hood almost no one owns a gun aside from criminals.





> I keep firearms.


 :smiley laughing: 

Nice one, snubs. 

You be one of the good guys, obviously.

 :Smile:

----------


## hallelujah

> 4......


Is it just the 1, 2, or 3 then? Either way, it only takes 1 to end a life.

Anyway, let me ask you a Q.

The civilised world does just fine without guns and tends to avoid mass murders of innocent people (especially kids at school).

Are you willing to give yours up?

As has been asked before of you, a simple yes/no is all that is required.

YES or NO

----------


## hallelujah

> You're a gas Snubby. Good entertainment.


Insane reasoning.

Are they that fucking stupid to realise that the rest of the world is managing to survive "_traitors like the January 6 scumbags"_
without killing 20 kids every couple of weeks?

----------


## S Landreth

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that President Biden is indeed running for reelection in 2024

"The president, as you know, has been asked that question many times, and he has answered it," she added. "His answer has been pretty simple, which is, yes, he's running for reelection. I can't say more than that."

 :Smile:

----------


## sabang

> Is Joe Biden turning out to be the Rodney Dangerfield of American foreign policy? It’s tempting to think so: The man is one flub after another and he don’t seem to get no respect.
> 
> But he has the Europeans on his side. It is a mystery to many, but they have lined up via NATO in the proxy war against Russia and gone full-tilt with a sanctions regime that will hurt them more than the Russians. We will see how this goes as the war grinds on, inflation breaks records and furnaces go cold. Households in England are already burning wood.


PATRICK LAWRENCE: Biden’s Summit of No-Shows – Consortium News

----------


## panama hat

Isn't it great, though, to have fair free elections for some to make fun of, instead of a system where your vote - if you get one - doesn't count . . .

----------


## harrybarracuda

> fair free elections


You might have to explain that to sabang, he has no fucking idea what it means.

----------


## panama hat

> You might have to explain that to sabang, he has no fucking idea what it means.


He's purportedly in Thailand on vacation, perhaps he can look it up . . . so he can post about it during dinner

----------


## S Landreth

LGBTQ+ equality groups celebrate Biden executive order, but say theres more work to be done

LGBTQ+ equality groups on Tuesday celebrated an executive order signed by President Biden that addresses recent state legislative attacks on the LGBTQ+ community and introduces new safeguards for inclusive health care and housing.

This historic executive order will advance long-sought, LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices that will help save young LGBTQ lives, Amit Paley, the CEO and executive director of the LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project, said Tuesday in a statement.

Its past time that we put an end to the dangerous and discredited practice of conversion therapy, and expand access to the affirming care LGBTQ young people actually need to survive and thrive, Paley said, referring to one of the provisions in the executive order that charges the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with reducing the risk of youth exposure to the discredited practice, which aims to change a persons gender identity or sexual orientation.

Biden in the order also encourages the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to consider whether so-called conversion therapy constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice that consumers should be warned or notified about. The order also charges the Secretaries of State, Treasury and HHS with developing a plan of action to promote an end to the practice around the world to ensure that it does not benefit from U.S. foreign assistance dollars.

The order also directs HHS to issue guidance for states to expand access to affordable, comprehensive health care for LGBTQ+ patients, according to a White House fact sheet, and explicitly charges the department with promoting expanded access to gender-affirming care at a time when more than a dozen states have introduced legislation to restrict it, particularly for transgender and nonbinary youth.

Given the historic number of state legislative attacks on LGBTQI+ people, specifically LGBTQI+ youth and families, its critical that action is taken at the federal level to protect vulnerable children and parents, Kristine Kippins, deputy legal director for policy at the law firm Lambda Legal, said Tuesday.

Kippins said the order represents a step in the right direction, but cautioned that the presidents action is just a beginning.

There is still much work to be done in advancing rights for LGBTQI+ people in this country, she said. Others expressed a similar view.

This is an AMAZING startbut this language is very loose for an executive order [in my opinion], the actress Angelica Ross tweeted Tuesday shortly after the order was announced.

Ross has been critical of prior pledges made by Biden and his administration to advance LGBTQ+ rights, and in a March message directed at the president said, Talk is cheap. We need you to act.

Bidens executive order also directs the Department of Education to release a sample school policy that is inclusive of LGBTQ+ students  a direct rebuttal to legislation in states like Florida and Alabama, where public school educators have been barred from addressing sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.

Older LGBTQ+ Americans will also benefit from the executive order, which directs HHS to publish a Bill of Rights for LGBTQI+ Older Adults and release new guidance on nondiscrimination protections for older adults in long-term care settings.

The order also introduces new efforts to address LGBTQ+ homelessness and housing instability and better service LGBTQ+ youth in the juvenile justice and foster care systems.

After decades of demanding change and falling through the cracks in both racial justice and LGBTQ+ liberation groups, the federal government is finally doing something to systematically ensure equity for all parts of us, Victoria Kirby York, deputy director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a Black LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, said Tuesday in a statement.

Kirby added that she will be watching the administration for further action on Title IX and the protection of LGBTQ+ students from discrimination, federal investigations into still-unsolved fatal hate crime cases that have victimized Black transgender people, as well as the safe return of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for more than three months.

______________


Biden signs bill boosting security for SCOTUS justices, families

President Biden on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation to bolster security protection for Supreme Court justices and their families.  

The bill passed the House in a 396-27 vote on Tuesday, less than a week after an armed man was arrested outside of Justice Brett Kavanaughs home and charged with attempted murder. The White House said in a press release on Thursday evening that Biden had signed the bill. 

The legislation, which passed the Senate last month, will provide security protections to Supreme Court justices and their families on par with those granted to some members of the executive and legislative branches.

Supreme Court justices already had security details, but the new law will allow around-the-clock protection for families of the justices and any officer of the court if deemed necessary.  

The bill was introduced by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) in May, days after a leaked draft opinion signaling that the court was poised to overturn the landmark abortion rights ruling Roe v. Wade fueled protests outside of the homes of conservative justices and other demonstrations throughout the country.  

The bills passage in the House was delayed amid a standoff over House Democrats demands that protections also be extended to Supreme Court staff like judicial clerks. Senate Republicans objected to that idea, however.  

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Monday evening that the lower chamber would vote on the Senate-passed version. All no votes came from Democrats.

The White House condemned the threat against Kavanaugh last week and urged any protests around the forthcoming abortion ruling to remain peaceful.  

At the same time, Biden has criticized the draft ruling and warned that it could pave the way for the erosion of other rights beyond abortion rights.

----------


## Backspin

Biden crashes his bike like a ridiculous fool

----------


## sabang

By restricting the meeting to democracies, the president omitted countries key to addressing the agenda’s top issues.

The Ninth Summit of the Americas, hosted by President Biden last week in Los Angeles, was in trouble even before it convened. Planning for it was erratic, with no clear theme or agenda in place until the last minute. Invitations went out just a few weeks before the event, delayed because of a very public controversy over whether Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela would be included. In the end, they were not.

Senior U.S. officials hinted early on that the Summit would be restricted to “democratically elected leaders.” That prompted pushback from a number of Latin Americans, foremost among them Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Although the host nation sends out the Summit invitations, some Latin Americans regarded the decision to exclude the three governments as an abuse of the host’s prerogatives.

To mollify López Obrador and others who voiced similar concerns, the White House toyed with the idea of inviting Cuba to send a lower level official, or participate as an observer. Not surprisingly, Cuba rejected this second-class citizenship even before it was offered. López-Obrador politely declined to attend the Summit, sending his foreign minister instead. The presidents of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador declined as well. At the Summit, other heads of state openly criticized Washington for not inviting all the nations of the Americas.

Irregular migration was a main focus of the Summit, but between them, the countries excluded and those whose presidents stayed home accounted for 69 percent of the migrants encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in April — nearly 180,000 people. Trying to formulate a strategy to stem irregular migration without engaging the governments of the migrants’ home countries is a recipe for failure.

Other issues on the Summit’s agenda — environmental protection and climate change, public health, organized crime — are also transnational problems that cannot be effectively addressed unilaterally. Therein lies the flaw in Biden’s Wilsonian disposition to only engage with democracies. Sometimes you have to engage with governments you don’t like in order to deal with urgent problems. President Obama understood this; during his last two years in office, his administration signed 22 bilateral agreements with Cuba on issues of mutual interest. Trump cut off substantive diplomatic engagement with Cuba, and Biden has yet to resume it on any issue besides migration.

Biden has a long-standing faith in democracy. Like President Woodrow Wilson before him, he believes the United States has a mission to support and foster democracies abroad. To advance that cause, he convened a Summit for Democracy in December 2021, hosting delegations from over 100 countries (again excluding Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, along with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Bolivia). There, he announced new foreign assistance programs aimed at promoting democracy around the globe. “Democracy needs champions,” he told the opening session, calling the defense of democracy, “the defining challenge of our time.”

Biden’s commitment to democracy is laudable, but Washington always sees democracy through the prism of its own self-interest. It is no accident that the three countries Washington excluded from the Summit of the Americas are ruled by self-described governments of the left. Biden, after all, is a politician who came of age at the height of the Cold War, when Washington rationalized alliances with right-wing authoritarians as necessary to fight against communism.

Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, and Haiti — right-wing governments with questionable democratic credentials, authoritarian leaders, and poor human rights records — were all invited to the Summit of the Americas.

The controversy surrounding the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua is eerily reminiscent of the controversy over Cuba’s exclusion from the 2012 Summit in Cartagena, Colombia. Back then, Latin American heads of state publicly scolded President Obama for insisting that Cuba be excluded, warning that they would boycott the next Summit unless Cuba was invited. That rebellion against U.S. leadership contributed to Obama’s decision to begin normalizing relations with Havana in 2014. Will Biden draw a similar lesson?

At every Summit since the first in 1994, the U.S. president has extolled the virtues of cooperation, assuring his Latin American counterparts that the United States wants a new partnership based on equality. But Washington’s perennial demand that Cuba be excluded, despite the overwhelming Latin American consensus to the contrary, gives the lie to that fine sentiment. For Latin Americans, the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua is symbolic of Washington’s continuing “hegemonic presumption,” as scholar Abraham Lowenthal put it. Announcing his decision to skip the Summit,




called Washington’s insistence on controlling participation “a continuation of the old policy of interventionism [and] of lack of respect for nations and their peoples.”

Biden’s problem is that the United States no longer enjoys the political or economic dominance that enabled it to dictate the terms of hemispheric relations, and Latin Americans are no longer willing to simply accept Washington’s priorities as their own. Rebuilding U.S. leadership in the Hemisphere will require that Washington confer with its neighbors and genuinely listen to them rather than dictating to them. Occasionally, it will require Washington to take the unfamiliar and uncomfortable step of deferring to them.

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/06/10/bidens-summit-of-the-americas-showcases-failed-cold-war-style-worldview/?ct=t%28RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN%29&mc_cid=acffa4aff4&mc  _eid=ba0ace703b

----------


## Cujo

> Biden crashes his bike like a ridiculous fool


Can you even ride a bike?

----------


## harrybarracuda

I doubt he can even tie his own shoelaces.

----------


## panama hat

> I doubt he can even tie his own shoelaces.


The authorities allow him to have shoes with laces?

----------


## bsnub

Biden actually looks quite fit for his age. Laughing at someone for falling off a bike is idiotic and something only a child would do. Oh, wait...

----------


## S Landreth

Bears Ears deal: Native American tribes to co-manage monument

The Biden administration reached a historic new agreement Saturday that will give five Native American tribes more say over day-to-day management of the Bears Ears National Monument.

*Why it matters:* The co-management deal represents a new chapter in the relationship between tribes and the federal government, which has often been tense.

*Details:* The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service signed the agreement with five tribes near Bears Ears, including the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and the Pueblo of Zuni.


Each tribe will have one elected officer added to the Bears Ears Commission, the agreement explained.The commission and the federal agencies will be in charge of "planning, management, conservation, restoration and protection of the sacred lands" within Bears Ears, according to the agreement.They will also be tasked with protecting "ceremonies, rituals, and traditional uses that are part of the Tribal Nations' way of life," the agreement reads.The BLM and the U.S. Forest Service will provide resources to each tribe to support the new agreement, the BLM said in a news release.

*What they're saying:* "Today, instead of being removed from a landscape to make way for a public park, we are being invited back to our ancestral homelands to help repair them and plan for a resilient future," said Carleton Bowekaty, co-chair of the Bears Ears Commission and lieutenant governor of the Pueblo of Zuni, in a statement.


*Bureau of Land Management director Tracy Stone-Manning* said in a news release that the agreement is "an important step as we move forward together to ensure that tribal expertise and traditional perspectives remain at the forefront of our joint decision-making for the Bears Ears National Monument."

*The big picture:* Bears Ears has become a central character of America's ongoing battle over the country's public lands, the Washington Post reports.


*Former* *President Obama* established the Bears Ears National Monument, calling it a "profoundly sacred" land for Native American tribes.*In 2017*, former President Trump reduced Bears Ears by 1.1 million acres.*President Biden* expanded Bears Ears to cover 1.36 million acres, which was slightly larger than Obama's previous establishment, in 2021.

________________


Biden administration rescinds Trump-era rule on landmines

The Biden administration announced Tuesday it reversed a rule implemented by the Trump administration that allowed the United States to use anti-personnel landmines (APL) around the world.

*Why it matters:* The change, which came after an extended internal review of the 2020 policy, prevents the U.S. military from using such weapons everywhere except along South-North Korea border, where the U.S. has asserted for decades that their use is necessary for the defense of South Korea.


The international community banned the use of the mines under the 1997 Ottawa Convention, though the U.S. is not a party to the treaty, which requires states parties to stop the production, use and transfer of such weapons.The Clinton administration declined to join the convention because it would preclude the use of APLs in the Korean Peninsula's Demilitarized Zone.

*What they're saying:* The reversal "reflect the Presidents belief that these weapons have disproportionate impact on civilians, including children, long after fighting has stopped, and that we need to curtail the use of APL worldwide," the White House said in a statement Tuesday.


"The new commitment announced today will align U.S. APL policy outside of the Korean Peninsula with the key requirements of the Ottawa Convention  the international treaty prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of APL  which has more than 160 parties, including all of our NATO Allies," it added.

*The big picture:* Though the U.S. maintains the option to use landmines along the Demilitarized Zone for South Korea's defense, it currently does not have mines deployed there, according to the Washington Post.


China and Russia are also not parties to the Ottawa Convention.
https://www.axios.com/2022/06/21/bid...rule-landmines 





> Biden actually looks quite fit for his age.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Biden actually looks quite fit for his age. Laughing at someone for falling off a bike is idiotic and something only a child would do.


Damn fool shouldn't be riding a bike  at his age. I don't think people are laughing, more like feeling saddened by the old fool. Let's hope to god this guy will go quietly at the end of term one. The "summit" was a frigging joke. America doesn't need enemies with this old fool on the throne.

----------


## cyrille

> America doesn't need enemies with this old fool on the throne.


Yeah, the last guy was soo sensible, and did soo much for America.

Strange we didn't see you posting about all of his achievements. 

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## russellsimpson

Probably taking lessons from John Kerry. :rofl:  :rofl:

----------


## cyrille

All this shows is how photo opportunity bs has taken over much of the world, including TD.

Guess he should stick to 'Peleton'.  :Very Happy:

----------


## bsnub

> America doesn't need enemies with this old fool on the throne.


Far from a fool. The last president was the personification of one. You once again wonder aimlessly into a thread and make comments worthy of a Fox News headline. I think the fool is you.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> Yeah, the last guy was soo sensible, and did soo much for America.
> 
> Strange we didn't see you posting about all of his achievements.


Personally, I couldn't give a flying fuck what the last guy did. It's over. Gone.

Biden is still an old bugger who is (just) holding on to his marbles, like I hold on to mine. Tightly! You certainly wouldn't want him for another term.

----------


## beachbound

> Damn fool 
> 
> old fool
> 
> old fool



Hey Mr. Pot, I see you’ve met Mr. Black.

----------


## beachbound

> Personally, I couldn't give a flying fuck what the last guy did. It's over. Gone.


You obviously haven’t been paying attention.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> You obviously haven’t been paying attention.


I have. We are talking about comparing the senile one with the fat orange cock. He is not the Pres anymore, in case you were not paying attention. The fat [at][at][at][at] has not been nominated yet and hopefully will not be. Mind you, this is America, so anything could happen. Mickey Mouse for pres...

----------


## Norton

> Mickey Mouse for pres...


A winner fer sure!  :Smile:

----------


## cyrille

Bruce Willis is an iconic actor with cognition problems.

Could be worth a shout.

----------


## malmomike77

They could do with a professional actor rather than the amateurs of late.

----------


## bsnub

Oh, give it a rest. This buffoon is your prime minister...



You lot are no better off. 

 :rofl:

----------


## aging one

^ that fool "Trumps" them all.  :rofl:

----------


## malmomike77

I was referring to Ronnie, you lot really have no sense of humour.  :Smile:

----------


## bsnub

> I was referring to Ronnie, you lot really have no sense of humour.


You must have missed the laughing emojis.

----------


## malmomike77

nope just thought you'd get the joke  :Smile:

----------


## Iceman123

> That said, in my hood almost no one owns a gun aside from criminals.


How bad is your criminal record?

----------


## bsnub

> How bad is your criminal record?


I saw you lurking here. I am surprised that you did not take a pot shot at Biden.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> How bad is your criminal record?


It's a toss up between Des O'Connor's Greatest Hits and The Very, Very Best of Roger Whittaker.

----------


## Cujo

> Oh, give it a rest. This buffoon is your prime minister...
> 
> Attachment 88603
> 
> You lot are no better off.


Honestly, the fact that this buffoon and Trump buffon could get elected to the school board, let alone prime minister/President tells us there is something seriously wrong with the population. 
I blame it on decades of dumbing down.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Honestly, the fact that this buffoon and Trump buffon could get elected to the school board, let alone prime minister/President tells us there is something seriously wrong with the population. 
> I blame it on decades of dumbing down.


Mencken, 1920:

"All of us, if we are of reflective habit, like and admire men whose fundamental beliefs differ radically from our own. But when a candidate for public office faces the voters he does not face men of sense; he faces a mob of men whose chief distinguishing mark is the fact that they are quite incapable of weighing ideas, or even of comprehending any save the most elemental — men whose whole thinking is done in terms of emotion, and whose dominant emotion is dread of what they cannot understand. So confronted, the candidate must either bark with the pack or count himself lost. ... All the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

----------


## malmomike77

^ I guess it applies to women as well now  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> ^ I guess it applies to women as well now


Starting with Palin.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden delivers remarks on Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade


_____________

Overdue


Biden administration agrees to cancel student debt of 200K borrowers who say they were defrauded

The Biden administration has agreed to fully discharge the federal student loan debts of approximately 200,000 borrowers who claimed they were defrauded by their college but whose applications for relief have languished at the Education Department for years.

The agreement, which could wipe out more than $6 billion of student loan debt, was reached as part of a proposed class-action settlement filed in federal court Wednesday evening.

The proposed settlement is a possible ending chapter to a long-running lawsuit challenging the Education Departments handling of the borrower defense law, which entitles federal loan borrowers to debt relief when their college misleads them or otherwise defrauds them.

The class-action lawsuit accused the Trump administration  and then the Biden administration  of illegally delaying for years any action on the applications that borrowers had filed with the Education Department seeking debt relief.

Under the proposed agreement, which still needs to be approved by a judge, the Biden administration would forgive the student loan debts of hundreds of thousands of borrowers who have already filed a claim against one of 50 colleges, most of them for-profit institutions. Those borrowers would also receive a refund of payments they already made under the agreement.

Approximately 74,000 of the borrowers are those whose claims had been denied in the final years of the Trump administration. Those large-scale denials scuttled an earlier settlement in the case after a judge in 2020 blasted the decisions as being without sufficient explanation and disturbingly Kafkaesque. The Biden administration has now agreed to rescind those decisions, according to the proposed settlement.

Eileen Connor, director of Harvard Law Schools Project on Predatory Student Lending, which brought the lawsuit, called the proposed settlement a momentous agreement that will deliver answers and certainty to borrowers who have fought long and hard for a fair resolution of their borrower defense claims after being cheated by their schools and ignored or even rejected by their government.

It will not only help secure billions of dollars in debt cancellation for defrauded students, but charts a borrower defense process that is fair, just, and efficient for future borrowers, Connor said in a statement.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement that he was pleased to reach an agreement that will deliver billions of dollars of automatic relief to approximately 200,000 borrowers and that we believe will resolve plaintiffs claims in a manner that is fair and equitable for all parties.

The agreement is aimed at eliminating the large backlog of borrower defense claims that predated the Biden administration but has only grown larger during its time in office.

The full loan discharges for about 200,000 borrowers will wipe out about three-quarters of the pending claims, according to the proposed settlement. The remaining claims  from about 68,000 borrowers  will have to be decided individually by the Education Department. The Biden administration agreed as part of the deal to resolve those remaining claims within six months to 30 months, depending on how long the application has been pending.

Its not clear if the Education Department will seek to recoup any of the cost of forgiving the loans from those institutions or whether department officials have made any findings of misconduct against the schools or their owners.

The loan relief as part of the settlement is limited to borrowers who have already filled an application with the Education Department. A remaining question is whether the agency will take steps to expand the relief to borrowers who attended the schools at the same time but did not file borrower defense claims.

The proposed settlement follows Vice President Kamala Harris announcement earlier this month that the Education Department would cancel all remaining $5.8 billion of student loan debt for 560,000 borrowers who attended the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges chain of for-profit schools  on the same grounds that borrowers were defrauded.

But the deal also comes after months of progressive frustrations with how the Biden administration has address the backlog of claims that predated their time in office but have continued to grow larger. Two additional lawsuits have been filed against the Biden administration and Cardona over the past several months accusing the Education Department of illegally stalling on groups of claims.

Progressives were disappointed that the Biden administration has continued to defend against the lawsuit challenging the delays. And they were particularly dismayed that the Justice Department sided with attorneys for former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in arguing that DeVos should not be required to testify as part of the case.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided in February in a 2-1 ruling that DeVos could not be compelled to sit for a deposition in the case.

The appeals court ruled that the DeVos Education Department had acted in bad faith in denying large batches of applications for loan forgiveness, but it ruled that the case did not meet the high standard to compel the testimony of a former Cabinet secretary.

The Education Department and the plaintiffs in the case have asked the judge overseeing the case to hold a July 28 hearing on the settlement.

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## panama hat

He should appoint three more judges - nothing says the number of judges now are the required number . . . but the Dems are too chicken shit to do things like that while the Republicans wouldn't hesitate now, they have the fire of the dragon in them - especially with the obvious dumbing down of the population with Trump

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## Norton

> Republicans wouldn't hesitate now, they have the fire of the dragon in them - especially with the obvious dumbing down of the population with Trump


The dumb was there long before Trump hatter. Trump simply is a master of tapping into the dumb to get what he wants.

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## harrybarracuda

> He should appoint three more judges - nothing says the number of judges now are the required number . . . but the Dems are too chicken shit to do things like that while the Republicans wouldn't hesitate now, they have the fire of the dragon in them - especially with the obvious dumbing down of the population with Trump


Yeah great. The problem is that basically leaves the Republicans with the door wide open the next time they're in power.

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## sabang

Is there a requirement for the Federal government to provide funding to hospitals in states that do not allow a woman's right to choose?

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## harrybarracuda

> Is there a requirement for the Federal government to provide funding to hospitals in states that do not allow a woman's right to choose?


Oh yeah, tit for tat would definitely win over those independent voters.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## panama hat

> Yeah great. The problem is that basically leaves the Republicans with the door wide open the next time they're in power.


Better than what the situation is now

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## harrybarracuda

> Better than what the situation is now


No it isn't, it's completely pointless.

The Democrats are going to get chewed up and spat out in the midterms, and then the Republicans will concentrate on making Biden unelectable in 2024, which let's face it is not going to be difficult unless they run Baldy against him.

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## S Landreth

Biden says he wouldn’t be disappointed to run against Trump again

President Biden said that he wouldn’t be disappointed if there was a rematch between him and former President Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

“I’m not predicting. But I would not be disappointed,” the president told Israel’s Channel 12 in an interview that aired on Wednesday.

“No, look, the one thing I know about politics and American politics in particular is there’s no way to predict what’s going to happen. I’m not even halfway through my term yet … but my hope is that the Republican Party moves back to a normal position that’s not this MAGA party it’s become in many ways,” Biden added.

The president pre-taped the interview at the White House on Tuesday and it aired at 8 p.m. in Israel.

The prospect of a White House rematch between Biden and Trump is growing more serious and Trump is holding discussions about announcing a third White House bid with current and former advisers, sources recently told The Hill.

Meanwhile, support for a Biden reelection bid hit a record low on Wednesday when nearly two-thirds of Americans said he should not run for a second presidential term in a new poll.

Biden on Tuesday insisted Democrats want him to run for reelection, firing back at doubters after polling has showed a majority of primary voters wanted someone else at the top of the ticket in 2024. 

____________


What to expect from Biden's trip to Israel, West Bank, Saudi Arabia

Biden lands in Israel for first visit to the region as president

President Biden landed in Israel Wednesday for the start of his first trip to the region since taking office.

*Why it matters:* The trip is aimed at showing the Israeli people that Biden cares deeply about the Jewish state and its security, as well as reassuring the Palestinians of his administration's support, officials have said. But the more important, and controversial, stop on his trip will be his visit to Saudi Arabia, where he will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

*Driving the news:* Upon landing in Tel Aviv, Biden was greeted by Yair Lapid, who became acting prime minister less than two weeks ago after the coalition government collapsed and new elections were called. Israel is in the midst of its fifth election campaign in less than four years.


"We will discuss building a new security and economy architecture with the nations of the Middle East, following the Abraham Accords and the achievements of the Negev Summit," Lapid said at the welcoming ceremony."We will discuss the need to renew a strong global coalition that will stop the Iranian nuclear program," he added.Biden said that even though he knows "it won’t happen in the near future, we will discuss ... my support for a two-state solution," as well as work on increasing Israel’s integration in the region.

*What to expect:* On Thursday, Biden and Lapid will have a working meeting before holding a virtual summit with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Indian Prime Minister Narandra Modi that will focus on food security.


During his talks with Israeli officials, Biden is expected to discuss Iran, the normalization process between Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Air Force One en route to Tel Aviv Wednesday that Biden will emphasize his support of the two-state solution as the only way to keep Israel as a Jewish and democratic state while achieving independence for Palestinians.Sullivan added that at the same time, the president is aware of the challenges and therefore will not present any initiatives to resume peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials, but will urge the parties to take steps that could improve the situation and allow peace talks in the future.

*Biden and Lapid will also sign "The Jerusalem Declaration,"* which will serve as the framework for the U.S.-Israel strategic relationship moving forward. Israeli officials said it will be the main deliverable of the visit.


Israeli and U.S. officials have been working on the declaration for almost two months and Israeli officials say that such a broad and comprehensive statement on the U.S.-Israeli relationship hasn’t been published in more than two decades.The joint declaration will include a clause that says the U.S. and Israel will use all elements of their national power to ensure Iran doesn't get a nuclear weapon, Israeli officials said.Sullivan said Israel has a different view than the U.S. about the Iran deal but the Biden administration believes diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. “There is a deal on the table and the president believes Iran should take it," Sullivan said.

*Also on Thursday,* Biden will meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog and participate in a reception with senior Israeli officials. He will also hold a 15-minute meeting with opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.


Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for 40 years, but in the last year the U.S. president’s top unofficial priority on Israel was to help the Israeli government survive, which would prevent Netanyahu from returning to power.Sullivan said that one of the messages Biden wants to convey in this visit is that U.S.-Israeli relations are not about “who sits in which chair." Sullivan stressed that the fact Israel is in an election period won’t influence the president’s talks.

Sullivan said the meeting with Netanyahu shows Biden is talking to different political leaders in Israel.

*On Friday morning,* Biden will visit the Augusta Victoria Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem, where he is expected to announce $100 million in U.S. assistance to the Palestinian hospitals network in the area.


Biden’s visit to the hospital is diplomatically sensitive due to the fact it is located in East Jerusalem, which most countries see as the future Palestinian capital. Biden administration officials rejected an Israeli request to have Israeli officials join the visit to the Augusta Victoria Hospital, as Axios previously reported.While there, Biden is expected to meet Palestinian civil society activists before traveling to Bethlehem for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and a visit to the Church of Nativity.The Palestinian leadership has very low expectations for the U.S. president's visit, Palestinian officials say.

*Biden will travel to Saudi Arabia* for the last leg of his trip late Friday.


Biden's visit, which will reset his administration's relations with the Gulf kingdom, is seen as diplomatically and politically sensitive.Biden once vowed to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" and relations have been strained over a number of issues, including the kingdom's human rights record and the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. U.S. intelligence says MBS is responsible for Khashoggi's murder — an allegation Saudi Arabia denies.

*The Saudi visit* will include a summit with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.


It will also include a bilateral meeting, focused on repairing relations, the U.S. need for an increase in Saudi oil production and on normalization steps between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Biden earlier this month tried to downplay the bilateral part of his trip amid criticism among some Democrats in Congress.

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## harrybarracuda

If Biden runs in 2024, he'll lose, even if baldy orange cunto is his opponent.


'

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## S Landreth

looking forward to watching Biden sign this bill into law


Manchin announces support for climate, tax, health care deal in sudden reversal

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced Wednesday he planned to support a deficit reduction package that addressed both climate change and prescription drug reform, a stark reversal for the one senator who has been blocking key planks of President Biden's agenda.

*Why it matters:* The declaration from Manchin marks yet another about-face in a year-long negotiation over the size and scope of a Democrat-only reconciliation package.

*By the numbers:* The nascent deal would generate $313 billion in new revenue over ten years by increasing the corporate minimum tax to 15%, according to a one-page summary distributed by Manchin's office.


It would bring in an additional $124 billion from enhanced Internal Revenue Service enforcement.And in a major blow to the private equity industry, the agreement calls for another $14 billion by treating so-called "carried interest" as regular income and taxes it at a higher rate.

*For the climate provisions*, the proposed package would spend $369 billion, while providing another $64 billion to shore up the Affordable Care Act for three years.


That would leave an additional $300 billion for deficit reduction.

*Driving the news:* The reversal came just hours after the Senate passed a $280 billion package to support U.S. domestic semiconductor manufacturing.


Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had previously threatened to hold the CHIPS Act hostage if Democrats continued negotiating with Manchin, but that threat evaporated after Manchin opposed new climate spending earlier this month.

*What they're saying:* "I now propose and will vote for the _Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,"_ Manchin said in a statement.


"Rather than risking more inflation with trillions in new spending, this bill will cut the inflation taxes Americans are paying, lower the cost of health insurance and prescription drugs, and ensure our country invests in the energy security and climate change solutions we need to remain a global superpower through innovation rather than elimination."


*The big picture:* Two weeks ago, in response to the 9.1% Consumer Price Index release, Manchin said that he was only willing to support a bill that allowed Medicare to directly negotiate prescription drugs prices.


That pronouncement effectively killed any prospects for the $300 billion in spending to address climate change that Manchin previously supported. Democrats were depressed and vented their anger at Manchin.But privately, some Senate Democrats continued to negotiate.

_______

Manchin, Schumer announce slimmed-down $670 billion deal https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/...-billion-deal/

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## Buckaroo Banzai

> Honestly, the fact that this buffoon and Trump buffon could get elected to the school board, let alone prime minister/President tells us there is something seriously wrong with the population. 
> I blame it on decades of dumbing down.


I agree that people leaders such as tramp and Boris are a symptom rather than the decease , but the disease is more complicated than  just the "dumbing down"   of the population. I would argue that in no time in human history did people have more information available than they do now.
I know what you are thinking and I agree. Having information and being able to use it are two different things, and that's where the "Players" come in , and by "Players" I don't mean just people like trump. He IMO is a product. There is a manufacturing process with many "Players" behind a products such as trump. 
 IMO there is an overload of information and people don't know how to handle it, and they gravitate in the direction of the bias. This is not lost to the "Players" who have become increasingly expert in manipulating information and shaping public opinion. They "Farm" such people and as you are well aware, farming requires a lot of fertilizer  :Smile: 
Propaganda has become  so sophisticated as to make Goebbels a rank amateur . 
Making Democracy affectively dead.  
Socrates Hated Democracy. not because he did not like the concept, but because  it could be easily manipulated , leading to foolish decisions, .And that was over two thousand years ago. Imagine the sophistication in such manipulation. that has developed in two thousand years  
Interesting take on the subject by Noam Chomsky

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## S Landreth

Little more about the bill Biden will hopefully be able to sign


Climate activists optimistic about Manchin-Schumer deal

Climate activists are feeling hopeful after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) reached an agreement to move forward with legislation that includes energy and climate provisions. 

While the senators did not specify exactly what will be in the package, they said it will cut carbon emissions by approximately 40 percent by 2030 and will spend $369.75 billion on energy security and climate change programs over 10 years. 

Manchin indicated that this spending could help various types of energy, including fossil fuels, in addition to renewables. 

As it previously looked like congressional climate change legislation may have been dead, the news was generally met with cheers by activists. 

Wow! We are so excited that Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Manchin have reached a deal that includes climate investments to reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, and we are eager to see the details, said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters, in a statement. 

Passing a climate bill should be Congress number one priority. The reported agreement between Senator Manchin and Leader Schumer presents the opportunity for a major breakthrough in Americas fight against climate change, Jamal Raad, executive director of Evergreen Action, said in a statement.

Melinda Pierce, the Sierra Clubs legislative director, said in a statement that her group was encouraged by the development.

The Sierra Club is encouraged by the potential of the Senate finally passing bold climate action, she added. We are eager to see text of this legislation, and are grateful that Biden and Schumer have remained resolute in finding a path to pass once-in-a-generation investments in our communities, our economy, and our future.

The progressive Sunrise Movement, meanwhile, offered some criticism of the process. 

The system is rigged when one man, who profits off of fossil fuels, can hold life-saving climate legislation hostage. But if 50 Senators are actually committed to voting for a package that reduces emissions by 40% by 2030, Congress must pass it immediately, the group tweeted. 

___________

From one of the climate scientists I follow.......

Zeke Hausfather - Maybe maybe maybe: https://twitter.com/hausfath/status/1552409352589688832

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## S Landreth

Biden throws support behind Manchin-Schumer agreement

President Biden on Wednesday embraced a deal between Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to revive key pieces of his agenda, including provisions on health care, prescription drugs and climate change.

This afternoon, I spoke with Senators Schumer and Manchin and offered my support for the agreement they have reached on a bill to fight inflation and lower costs for American families, Biden said in a statement. 

Schumer and Manchin earlier Wednesday said they had agreed to a $670 billion deal on Democratic priorities  weeks after Manchin seemingly had scuttled any chance of an agreement with hesitancy over inflation.

Biden touted that the agreed upon bill, details of which were still being finalized, would help lower health insurance costs for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act, would lower the cost of prescription drugs and would provide tax credits to promote clean energy.

The bill would also adjust the tax code to close loopholes for corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

This is the action the American people have been waiting for. This addresses the problems of today  high health care costs and overall inflation  as well as investments in our energy security for the future, Biden said in a statement.

If enacted, this legislation will be historic, and I urge the Senate to move on this bill as soon as possible, and for the House to follow as well, the president added.

The Senate agreement seemed to catch even some Democrats by surprise given it came so quickly after Manchin had seemingly torpedoed hopes of a large-scale reconciliation package to pass major party priorities.

It will require the support of all 50 Democrats in the Senate to pass, as well as a simple majority in the House, where Democrats hold a narrow majority.

If the bill gets over the finish line, it would mark another legislative win for Biden, who has been racking up incremental victories despite his low approval ratings. Congress has in recent months passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill, a bipartisan gun safety bill, and the Senate on Wednesday passed a bill intended to improve competitiveness with China and manufacture semiconductors.

______________


Schumer, Manchin agree on billions of dollars for electric vehicles, solar panels and other clean-energy priorities

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) have agreed to spend billions of dollars to accelerate the production of electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines and to provide other incentives to bolster the clean-energy economy. 

Schumer announced the details of a $369 billion energy-and-climate deal Wednesday, which Democrats plan to include in a budget reconciliation package scheduled for the floor next week. 

Lawmakers estimate it will reduce U.S. carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030, putting the nation closer to meeting President Bidens pledge of reducing carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels.  

By a wide margin, this legislation will be the greatest pro-climate legislation that has ever been passed by Congress. This legislation fights the climate crisis with the urgency the situation demands and puts the U.S. on a path to roughly 40 percent emissions reductions by 2030, all while creating new good-paying jobs in the near and long-term, Schumer said in a statement. 

He said the package is now under review by the Senate parliamentarian and expects the Senate to vote on it next week. 

It would also allocate $300 billion to reducing the federal deficit and extend expiring health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act at a cost of $64 billion over three years. 

The package is entirely paid for by $451 billion in tax proposals, including the establishment of a 15-percent corporate minimum tax, beefing up IRS enforcement of tax law and closing the carried interest loophole for money managers. 

An additional $288 billion would come from empowering Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. 

I thank Senator Manchin for his willingness to engage and his commitment to reaching an agreement that can earn the support of all 50 Senate Democrats, Schumer said. 

The energy and climate change provisions are spread across a broad bill aimed at lowering consumer energy costs, boosting manufacturing of clean energy technology and reducing carbon emissions throughout the economy. 

The highlights include $4,000 consumer tax credits for lower- and middle-income Americans to buy used clean vehicles and up to a $7,500 tax credit to buy new clean vehicles, as well as a $1 billion grant program to make affordable housing more energy efficient. 

The bill would offer $9 billion in consumer home energy rebate programs and 10 years of tax credits to make homes more energy efficient and use clean energy. 

It would provide tax credits to encourage the manufacture of solar panels and wind turbines, $10 billion in investment tax credit to incentivize clean technology manufacturing centers, and $2 billion in grants to retool existing auto manufacturing facilities to produce clean vehicles.  

The agreement calls for tax credits for clean sources of electricity and energy storage and $40 billion for grant and loan programs for states and public utilities to transition away from fossil fuels.

The tax chapter of the bill would tighten requirements for an estimated 200 large corporations that use loopholes in the tax code to pay an effective tax rate below 15 percent.   

The IRS would receive $46 billion to beef up its enforcement operations and $25 billion for operations support along with $4.8 billion for modernization. 

The legislation puts emphasis on directing new climate spending into lower-income and minority communities by including over $60 billion in environmental justice priorities, such as $3 billion for a block-grant program aimed at disadvantaged communities. 

It would also fund $3 billion worth of grants to reconnect communities divided by existing infrastructure barriers, according to a summary of the proposal. This provision is aimed at what some critics call racist highway design that was intended to divide Black and White neighborhoods. 

Another $3 billion would go to address air pollution at ports by purchasing and installing zero-emission equipment and $1 billion would go toward purchasing school and transit buses and garbage trucks that emit less pollution. 

__________


Dr. Leah Stokes

We now have a game-changing clean energy and climate package ready to go in the Senate. What's in the "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022?" $369 billion in transformative investments.

Here's one BIG, IMPORTANT climate policy thread.. https://twitter.com/leahstokes/statu...72204343840770

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## S Landreth

Could be a bump in the road for Bidens new climate bill........


Sinema indicates she may want to change Schumer-Manchin deal

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) had a message for her Democratic colleagues before she flew home to Arizona for the weekend: She's preserving her options.

*Why it matters:* Sinema has leverage and she knows it. Any potential modification to the Democrat's climate and deficit reduction package  like knocking out the $14 billion provision on carried interest  could cause the fragile deal to collapse.


Her posture is causing something between angst and fear in the Democratic caucus as senators wait for her to render a verdict on the secret deal announced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin last Thursday.

*Driving the news:* Sinema has given no assurances to colleagues that shell vote along party lines in the so-called vote-a-rama for the $740 billion bill next week, according to people familiar with the matter.


The vote-a-rama process allows lawmakers to offer an unlimited number of amendments, as long as they are ruled germane by the Senate parliamentarian. Senators  and reporters  expect a late night.Republicans, steaming mad that Democrats have a chance to send a $280 billion China competition package _and_ a massive climate and health care bill to President Biden, will use the vote-a-rama to force vulnerable Democrats to take politically difficult votes.They'll also attempt to kill the reconciliation package with poison pills  amendments that make it impossible for Schumer to find 50 votes for final passage.

*The intrigue:* Not only is Sinema indicating that she's open to letting Republicans modify the bill, she has given no guarantees shell support a final wrap-around amendment, which would restore the original Schumer-Manchin deal.

*The big picture:* Schumer made a calculated decision to negotiate a package with Manchin in secrecy. He assumed that all of his other members, including Sinema, would fall into line and support the deal.


Now his caucus is digesting the specifics, with Sinema taking a printout of the 725-page bill back to Arizona on Friday for some dense in-flight reading.Schumer will find out this week if his gamble in keeping Sinema in the dark will pay off.

*What we're watching:* While Sinema supported the 15% minimum book tax back in December, which would raise more than $300 billion, Schumer never bothered to check if her position changed, given the darkening economic outlook.


Schumer and Manchin also inserted the language on taxing carried interest as regular income, which would raise approximately $14 billion, knowing full well that Sinema never agreed to it. That move blindsided Sinema.

Now the private equity industry, which has contributed heavily to Sinema, is hopeful that she'll knock the provision out.

*The intrigue:* While Schumer and Manchin have a well-documented and tumultuous relationship  replete with private fence-mending Italian dinners  Schumer and Sinema do not regularly engage.

*Flashback:* The Schumer-Sinema relationship took a big blow back in February when Schumer declined to endorse Sinema for her 2024 re-election when directly asked by CNN.


She didn't attend her party's caucus meeting on Thursday.

*Between the lines:* Sinema and Manchin always agreed that President Bidens initial $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan needed to be trimmed down.


They are also on the same page on the need to act on climate change.If Manchin has been primarily concerned with inflation, her guiding principles have always been economic growth and new jobs in Arizona.

*The bottom line:* Sinema isn't terribly pleased with how Schumer has foisted this package upon her. She reserves the right to modify it.


But she also knows that a progressive challenger, like Rep. Ruben Gallego, is all but guaranteed in 2024 if she's held responsible for killing the Democrats best shot at a climate bill in years.

___________

Climate bill could be a huge help for EV buyers

Electric vehicles could become a lot more affordable if Congress approves a spending bill that features sweeping climate provisions, among other components.

*Why it matters:* EVs' up-front costs are still too high for many buyers, despite their lower long-term cost of ownership.


Revised tax credits, along with incentives for domestic manufacturing of EV batteries and mining of raw materials, should help jump-start America's electric vehicle industry.

*Yes, but:* Some climate activists worry that tying tax credits to a domestic supply chain that doesn't yet exist could actually limit their effectiveness, reports E&E News.

*Details:* In the current version of the bill, EV buyers can earn up to $7,500 in federal tax credits on North American-built vehicles, but only if the battery minerals are mined in the U.S., or in a trade partner country, and the battery is largely built in North America. (That means cars like the popular Mexico-built Ford Mustang Mach-E would qualify.)


There are new income qualifications and sticker price limits ($80,000 for trucks and SUVs, $55,000 for sedans) to ensure that the incentives are directed to mass-market customers, not wealthy buyers of luxury EVs.The credits can be applied as a rebate at the time of purchase, rather than at tax filing time, which could make EVs' up-front costs more affordable for many.Buyers of pre-owned electric vehicles would be eligible for a credit of up to $4,000  important, because 70% of cars are purchased used.Commercial fleet owners would be eligible for EV purchase credits, too.

*The bill would also remove* a cap limiting tax credits to 200,000 vehicles per manufacturer, which would have put early leaders like Tesla, GM and Nissan at a disadvantage.


Instead, the credits will sunset for all automakers in 2032.

*There's also money in the bill* to encourage U.S. manufacturing of EV batteries, components and minerals, in line with the Biden administration's efforts to build a domestic EV supply chain. The package includes:


$10 billion in investment tax credits and $20 billion in loans to build clean technology manufacturing facilities.$2 billion in grants to retool existing auto manufacturing facilities to produce clean vehicles.$500 million in the Defense Production Act for heat pumps and critical mineral processing.

*What they're saying:* "This, in aggregate, is a very big deal that will really catalyze domestic manufacturing," said Joe Britton, executive director of ZETA, the Zero Emission Transportation Association.

*What to watch:* The legislation will need unanimous Democratic support to pass the Senate (which is uncertain), and details could still change during the amendment process.

https://www.axios.com/2022/07/29/cli...ehicle-credits

__________

Biden speaks via FaceTime with, sends pizza to veterans protesting for burn pit bill

President Biden spoke with veterans who are camping out at the Capitol building until the Senate passes a bill to expand care for veterans with burn pit injuries via FaceTime and sent them pizza on Saturday.

Biden tweeted that he was originally planning to visit them in person to meet with veterans and their families supporting the Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act, but he needed to cancel after testing positive for COVID-19.

He said he instead had Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough bring them pizza and facilitate a FaceTime call with them.

These heroes fought for our country  they shouldnt have to fight for health care, too, McDonoughs office said in a tweet. The Senate must pass the PACT Act now.

Biden said on the FaceTime call that the country has a sacred obligation to care for those who go into war and care for them and their families after they return. He said opposing the legislation is despicable, and he has to believe that the bills opponents are going to make up for the mistake they made.

The Senate attempted to advance the bill on Wednesday, but it only received 55 of the necessary 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. All Democrats and eight Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while three senators were absent.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the day after the bill failed that he plans to bring it up for a vote again on Monday.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), one of the votes against the legislation, said on the Senate floor that he was not opposed to the main purpose of the legislation, but he opposed that the bill would include $400 billion in unrelated spending, which he called a budgetary gimmick.

Toomey tweeted on Saturday that the bill could have passed weeks ago if Senate Democrats dropped the spending from the bill.

Schumer said in his comments after the bill failed that he offered Toomey the ability to propose an amendment to remove the spending after the legislation received 60 votes to advance, but Toomey insisted on the amendment passing in advance.

Toomey called for the Senate to vote on the amendment in a subsequent tweet. He said Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.) is working in good faith to resolve the conflict.: https://thehill.com/homenews/adminis...burn-pit-bill/

*Extra*


Eventually is not Okay.

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## S Landreth

Senate sends veterans toxic exposure bill to Biden’s desk

The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation expanding care for veterans who suffer from illnesses because of exposure to toxins during their military service, ending a standoff after Republicans blocked the bill last week.

The Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act passed with a vote of voted 86-11 and aims to expand benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to 3.5 million veterans.

The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk and he is expected to sign it.

Tuesday’s vote comes after Senate Republicans unexpectedly blocked the bill during a procedural vote last week. The upper chamber on Wednesday voted 55-42 in favor of the bill, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. Twenty-five Republicans who initially voted to advance the bill in June changed their votes.

The upper chamber previously passed the bill in June by a vote of 84-14, and the House passed the bill in July on a bipartisan 342-88 vote. The measure had to go back to the Senate, as the House version included changes.

Republicans have argued that the bill would create a “budgetary gimmick” by moving $400 billion spent by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to mandatory spending, where it wouldn’t be subject to annual appropriations like discretionary spending would.

Earlier on Tuesday, GOP Senators reached a deal for votes on three amendments, with 60 votes needing to pass the measures, followed by a vote on final passage of the bill.

Veterans’ groups have been camping outside the Capitol since last Thursday in a bid to pressure the Senate to pass the bill. Those same veterans, joined by comedian Jon Stewart, sat in the Senate Gallery to observe the vote.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) thanked the advocates for their efforts, saying they could “go home knowing the good and great things you’ve done for America.”

In addition to expanding VA eligibility for toxic exposed-veterans, the legislation also adds 23 burn pit and toxic-exposure related connections to the agency’s list of presumptive service connections.

The bill also expands presumptions related to exposures to Vietnam War-era Agent Orange to veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Guam.




Who voted against the burn pit bill

Toomey (R-PA) ultimately voted against the bill, along with Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. James Risch (R-ID), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

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## harrybarracuda

> The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation expanding care for veterans who suffer from illnesses because of exposure to toxins during their military service, ending a standoff after Republicans blocked the bill last week.
> 
> The Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act passed with a vote of voted 86-11 and aims to expand benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to 3.5 million veterans.
> 
> The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk and he is expected to sign it.
> 
> Tuesday’s vote comes after Senate Republicans unexpectedly blocked the bill during a procedural vote last week.


I suspect the release of the video of Republicans fist-bumping and laughing at their initial success in blocking the bill may have possibly swayed their decision.

Great way to throw away the Veteran vote.

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## S Landreth

Biden signs executive order to support patients traveling for abortions

resident Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider working with states to use Medicaid waivers to pay for expenses for women who cross state lines to receive abortions. 

The executive order was the second that Biden has signed over the past month in response to the Supreme Courts June ruling striking down the landmark 1973 abortion decision in Roe v. Wade. 

I believe Roe got it right, and its been the law for close to 50 years, Biden, who is isolating with COVID-19, said in virtual remarks at a meeting of an interagency task force on reproductive health care. 

I commit to the American people that we are doing everything in our power to safeguard access to health care, including the right to choose that women had under Roe v. Wade which was ripped away by this extreme court, Biden said. 

Bidens executive order also directs HHS to consider actions like providing technical assistance and issuing new guidance to make sure health care providers comply with nondiscrimination laws in the wake of the ruling.

And the order instructs HHS to improve federal research and data collection at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in order to evaluate the impact of the Supreme Courts ruling on maternal health and reproductive healthcare. 

Biden administration officials did not provide many specifics about what the Medicaid waivers could look like, leaving the details up to HHS.

The executive order states that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra shall consider actions to advance access to reproductive healthcare services, including, to the extent permitted by Federal law, through Medicaid for patients traveling across State lines for medical care.

Officials said Bidens new order paves the way for Becerra to invite states to apply for Section 1115 Medicaid waivers to cover certain costs related to traveling for abortion.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that the use of Medicaid funds would help low-income women who live in states with abortion restrictions and cannot afford to travel across state lines. 

Its going to help in particular low-income women, Jean-Pierre told reporters at a press briefing Wednesday afternoon. It paves the way for Medicaid to pay for abortions for women having to travel out of state. 

However, the Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for most abortions, with exceptions given for cases of rape, incest and when the life of the pregnant person is endangered. The Medicaid waivers are likely to face Republican-led legal challenges.

Jean-Pierre insisted that the executive order did not run afoul of the Hyde Amendment and said that HHS would ensure that the law is followed. She later seemed to clarify that the waivers could be used to support transportation, contraception and abortion procedures in some cases.

Medicaid provides comprehensive health care to women with low incomes, Jean-Pierre said. This care includes family planning services such as contraception, non-emergency medical transportation and support services like targeted case management which allows health care providers to help patients coordinate their care and it also includes abortion care in certain circumstances as excepted by the Hyde Amendment, which is rape, incest and life of the mother.

The actions triggered by the executive order, she said, leverage Medicaid to support patient care for those living in states with abortion bans.

The Biden administration has faced pressure to take more aggressive action to protect access to abortion, as several states have moved to implement new restrictions following the Supreme Court decision in June.

The White House had been internally considering using Medicaid funds to help pay for travel for abortion as early as May, following the leak of a draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court was poised to overturn Roe. 

While Wednesdays action is likely to be welcomed by abortion rights advocates, the administration has resisted calls to declare a public health emergency with respect to abortion access. 

A senior administration official previewing the order told reporters that the White House continues to review options to protect access to abortion services, but suggested that such a declaration would not yield much in the way of additional resources or legal authority.

The president is looking at all his options, Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. 

Wednesdays task force meeting took place a day after voters in Kansas dealt a resounding defeat to a state constitutional amendment that would have paved the way for new restrictions on abortion. 

Biden heralded that result, saying that voters made it clear politicians should not interfere in the fundamental rights of women.

Also, he again called on voters to elect more Democrats so that Congress can pass federal legislation codifying abortion rights.

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## S Landreth

Biden administration declares monkeypox a public health emergency

The Biden administration on Thursday announced it is declaring monkeypox a public health emergency, a move intended to speed up the distribution of the vaccines and expand testing as the outbreak continues to spread.

Were prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told reporters. And we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously and to take responsibility to help us tackle this virus.

A decision memo created by HHS has circulated through U.S. health agencies over the past week and has secured broad support from agency heads.

White House National Monkeypox Response Coordinator Robert Fenton described the virus as fast-moving and said it is spreading faster than previous outbreaks.

This public health emergency will allow us to explore additional strategies to get vaccines and treatments more quickly out to impacted communities, Fenton told reporters. And it will allow us to get more data from jurisdictions so we can effectively track and attack this outbreak.

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## S Landreth

About that bump in the road.......


Sinema announces deal with Schumer on taxes and climate

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) announced Thursday evening that she has reached a deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) that could pave the way for Democrats to pass their budget reconciliation package.

The deal would remove a provision closing the so-called carried interest loophole from the package announced last week by Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

Sinema said she and Schumer have also reached agreement on protecting manufacturing from the impact of a proposed 15 percent corporate minimum tax, which business leaders in Arizona warned would dampen economic growth. 

The announcement paves the way for Sinema to vote Saturday for a motion to proceed to a budget reconciliation package that would reform the tax code, tackle climate change, reduce the cost of prescription drugs and shrink the federal deficit. 

“We have agreed to remove the carried interest tax provision, protect advanced manufacturing, and boost our clean energy economy in the Senate’s budget reconciliation legislation,” Sinema said, signaling that she plans to vote to begin debate on the bill. 

“Subject to the parliamentarian’s review, I’ll move forward,” she said. 

Senate Democrats had waited anxiously for days for a positive sign from Sinema, whom they feared was angry after being left out of a final round of talks.

With Sinema’s vote, Democrats now have the support of all 50 members of their caucus to pass what would become President Biden’s biggest domestic legislative achievement. It would reduce the federal deficit by between $100 billion to $300 billion, according to various estimates, an accomplishment Democrats can pitch to voters at a time of 40-year-high inflation. 


“I am pleased to report that we have reached an agreement on the Inflation Reduction Act that I believe will receive the support of the entire Senate Democratic conference,” Schumer said in a separate statement confirming the deal. 

He said the agreement “preserves the major components” of the deal he announced with Manchin last week to lower drug costs, fight climate change, close tax loopholes and reduce the deficit. 

“The final version of the reconciliation bill, to be introduced on Saturday, will reflect this work and put us one step closer to enacting this historic legislation into law,” Schumer said. 

Democrats expect to vote to begin debate on the more-than-700-page bill sometime Saturday afternoon.

That will begin up to 20 hours of floor debate followed by an open-ended series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama, and then a vote on final passage of the legislation. 

Sinema in her statement promised to work with colleagues to address the carried interest preferential tax rate, which allows asset managers to pay a 20 percent capital gains rate on income they earn from advising clients on profitable investments. 

“Following this effort, I look forward to working with Sen. [Mark] Warner [D-Va.] to enact carried interest reforms, protecting investments in America’s economy and encouraging continued growth while closing the most egregious loopholes that some abuse to avoid paying taxes,” she pledged. 

The announcement capped off several days of intense discussions between Sinema, Schumer and Manchin. 

Democratic senators said Sinema wasn’t happy about being left out of the secret negotiations Schumer and Manchin held last month to add sweeping tax reform and climate provisions to the budget package. 

The Arizona senator had previously made clear that she opposed eliminating the carried interest tax rate as well as reforms that would effectively raise corporate taxes and threaten economic growth. Those priorities appeared to be somewhat overlooked in the Schumer-Manchin deal.

Sinema held back her support for the legislation and insisted on changes to soften the tax hit on manufacturers from a 15 percent corporate minimum tax, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. 

Manchin held at least two long conversations with Sinema on the Senate floor in recent days to win her over.

Multiple people familiar with the issue said Sinema wanted to exempt U.S. manufacturing companies from the 15 percent corporate minimum tax that Schumer and Manchin inserted in the Inflation Reduction Act. That bill caught almost every senator — including Sinema — by surprise when it became public last week

Exempting manufacturing companies from the book minimum tax would cost about $45 billion over ten years, according to one Senate estimate floated this week. 

Book is a tax accounting term that in effect would make it harder for companies to avoid declaring profit and therefore increase what they would pay in taxes.

Sinema also told colleagues that she opposed closing carried interest loophole, which critics say allows wealthy money managers to pay a lower effective tax rate than many middle-income Americans.  

And the Arizona senator wanted $5 billion in drought resiliency funding for her home state, according to two Democratic senators.   

The statements released by Sinema and Schumer Thursday evening made no mention of drought relief. 

Sinema declined to answer reporters’ questions when she emerged from her Capitol basement hideaway Thursday afternoon.  

She came under heavy pressure from business leaders in Arizona to oppose the corporate minimum tax.  

“In the face of record-high inflation, supply chain backlogs and a major labor crunch, now is not the time to hammer manufacturers with new taxes,” Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Danny Seiden said in a statement earlier Thursday.  

“Arizona job creators will continue to urge lawmakers to reject this manufacturers tax and instead focus on policies that encourage job growth and strengthen our state and economic competitiveness,” he said.  

The Schumer-Manchin deal would have established a 15 percent minimum tax for corporations with more than $1 billion in annual profits, though it exempted green-energy and microchip manufacturing tax credits from getting wiped out by that minimum tax threshold.  

Republicans said the Democrats’ proposal would hit manufacturing companies especially hard by superseding a key reform of former President Trump’s 2017 Tax Credits and Jobs Act allowing companies to fully expense capital expenditures for a given year.   

Full expensing under the Tax Credits and Jobs Act is due to phase out over the next four years.  

Sinema told the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in April that she would be “unwilling to support any tax policies that would put a break on … economic growth, or stall business and personal growth for America’s industries.”  

She made clear to senior White House officials and Senate Democratic colleagues early during the negotiations over the budget reconciliation bill that she would not support increasing the 21 percent corporate tax rate, a key achievement of the 2017 tax reform law.  

“The entire country knows that I am opposed to raising the corporate income tax. That was true yesterday and it is true today,” Sinema told the Arizona Chamber of Commerce earlier this year.  

Republican critics of the Schumer-Manchin deal said that preventing full and immediate expensing of capital expenditures would effectively increase taxes on many corporations. 

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who worked closely with Sinema in drafting last year’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law, warned in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal that it would “essentially” place a “tax on manufacturing.”  

He pointed out that the bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that nearly 50 percent of the new tax would hit manufacturers.  

“Imposing this new tax on U.S. companies, and restricting certain U.S. manufacturers from writing off investment costs immediately, would make America less competitive and drive investments and jobs overseas,” he warned.  

Sinema’s request for $5 billion in drought resiliency funding also loomed as a potential problem, sources warned. 

Guaranteeing access to more water to states lower in the Colorado River basin such as Arizona, Nevada and California may come at the expense of upper-basin states such as Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.  

“We are facing historic drought in Colorado. The state has had the worst wildfires in our state’s history. There is very little water in the Colorado River. And I think it would be great if we could do something on drought, but it has to be something that meaningfully improves the situation in Colorado and in the upper basin of the Colorado River,” said Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), who is up for reelection in November. 

Bennet warned that any drought resiliency language must provide an “enduring solution to the problem, otherwise it’s not worth doing.

Democrats secure Sinema's support for Inflation Reduction Act

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## S Landreth

Inflation Reduction Act  Maybe a vote tomorrow (Saturday)


Democrats Climate Deal Puts U.S. Emissions Goals In Reach, 3 Separate Studies Show

The potential climate and economic benefits of the surprise reconciliation package Democrats unveiled last week and are likely to pass as soon as this weekend are starting to come into a clearer view.

Researchers have crunched the numbers to forecast how the more than 100 climate provisions in the $740 billion deal, called the Inflation Reduction Act, would impact planet-warming carbon emissions, jobs, electricity prices and more.

The findings have given climate advocates, Democratic lawmakers and the majority of American voters who support the bill a lot to celebrate.

Three independent research organizations  the Rhodium Group, Energy Innovation and the REPEAT Project  found that the bill, if passed, could slash U.S. carbon emissions by 40 percent or more below 2005 levels by the end of the decade.

Those estimates came just a few weeks ago when Rhodium released a report warning the U.S. was way off track of meeting its emissions reduction goals. That analysis found that without additional policy actions, the U.S. would reduce planet-warming emissions 24% to 35% by 2030  far short of Bidens 50% to 52% target.

The economic package includes $369 billion in climate and clean energy spending. If passed, it would be the most significant investment the U.S. has ever made to confront fossil fuel-driven climate change and its mounting impacts.

Talks seemed to have collapsed for the third and final time last month between the White House and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) over a historic clean-energy spending package in Congresss reconciliation bill, a piece of budgetary legislation that Democrats can pass without a single Republican vote. Given the Senates 50-50 split, doing so would require every Democrats vote  giving Manchin, a frequent critic of Bidens agenda and chair of the Senate Energy Committee, unrivaled leverage over the negotiation.

Manchin signed off on the bill last week. And on Thursday, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), another key swing vote, announced her support, all but guaranteeing Democrats will have just enough votes to pass it.

This package, additional action from executive agencies and subnational actors can put the U.S.s target of cutting emissions in half by 2030 within reach, the Rhodium analysis found.

The bills climate investments are also expected to jumpstart clean energy jobs, lower electricity bills and improve public health.

t could ultimately lead to the creation of more than 9 million jobs over the next decade, according to a new analysis commissioned by BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of labor unions and environmental organizations, and conducted by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. That includes nearly 6 million jobs in clean energy deployment and manufacturing, 600,000 focused on protecting forests and other natural resources, and 150,000 to confront pollution in low-income and BIPOC communities.

Energy Innovations report found the IRA would create closer to 1.5 million jobs, primarily in manufacturing and construction, and prevent up to 3,900 premature deaths, about 100,000 asthma attacks and up to 417,000 avoided lost workdays by 2030.

As for how much the average American household would expect to save on future energy bills, Resources for the Future estimates it could amount to between $170 and $220 per year over the next decade. That would translate to up to $278 billion in total savings for consumers nationwide.

Moodys Analytics pegged the potential savings at more than $300 per year for the average household.

Biden touted the packages potential job opportunities, health benefits and energy savings during a Thursday roundtable with business and labor leaders.

The vast majority of people in America support whats in the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden said. So my message to Congress is this: Listen to the American people. This is the strongest bill you can pass to lower inflation, continue to cut the deficit, reduce healthcare costs, tackle the climate crisis and promote Americas energy security, all while reducing the burdens facing working-class and middle-class families. Pass it.

A poll conducted this week by environmental group Climate Power and think tank Data for Progress found that 73% of all likely voters, including 95% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans, support the reconciliation package.

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## S Landreth

Harris breaks 50-50 deadlock to advance landmark climate, tax, health bill


 
The Senate voted along party lines Saturday afternoon to advance a sweeping bill to reform the tax code, tackle climate change and lower the cost of prescription drugs, taking a big step closer to giving President Biden a major victory before the November midterm elections. 

The Senate voted 51 to 50 to proceed to the 755-page bill, after Vice President Kamala Harris arrived at the Capitol to cast the tie-breaking vote.

The vote puts the bill on a trajectory to pass the Senate sometime Sunday, barring an unexpected setback, such as the sudden absence of a Democratic senator. 

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) hailed the bills impending passage as a major achievement.

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## harrybarracuda

It must be nerve wracking knowing that a c u n t like Sinema is on the phone to her paymasters to find out if she should support it or not.

It seems she (and she alone) said she would not support this bill if it removed a $14Bn tax cut for HEDGE FUND MANAGERS and the like. So it was left in.

Clearly they are the poor dears that have suffered the most in these times of economic pressure.

She's an absolute fucking scumbag.

Kyrsten Sinema Donors Score Win From $14B Carried Interest Tax Break

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## S Landreth

Update


Senate Democrats kill off amendments as vote-a-rama goes all night

Senate Democrats are killing off amendments to their climate, tax and health bill as part of a marathon, around-the-clock series of votes known as a vote-a-rama that started after 11 p.m. Saturday night and will stretch toward midday Sunday.

The Senate has not taken a break overnight, with senators from both parties mingling on the floor as they consider one amendment after another.

Most of the GOP amendments are intended to put Democrats on the spot on tough issues. If any were approved, it could also make the sweeping package more difficult to pass in the House at the end of the week.

The process was initially expected to last as long as 12 to 14 hours, with some optimistic observers wondering if it could wrap up more earlier if lawmakers exhausted one another with the overnight work.

Senators appeared relatively chipping after dawn broke Sunday morning, despite the grueling work. The vast majority of the did not appear to be getting fatigued.

At 6:30 a.m., the Senate was dispensing with an amendment from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on crime. Several more hours of votes were expected.

The vote-a-rama is a feature of the Senate budget process, which Democrats are using to pass a major climate, tax and health bill with 51 votes, bypassing a Republican filibuster.

The budget reconciliation process allows the party in control of the Senate to pass major legislation with a simple-majority vote but the trade-off is Democrats must allow Republicans vote on an unlimited number of back-to-back amendments. 


Each side has only one minute to make an argument for or against an amendment before a vote is called. 

Votes on amendments that violate the Byrd Rule, which requires that legislation passed through the budget reconciliation process have a non-tangential impact on spending, revenues or the debt limit, are subject to procedural objections, which require 60 votes to be waived.

Not all the votes have been on GOP amendments.

The first amendment of the vote-a-rama is one sponsored by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), which would require Medicare not to pay more than what the Department of Veterans Affairs does for prescription drugs. 

It was defeated 1-99.

The last vote-a-rama the Senate held in August of 2021 to pass the budget resolution lasted 14 hours and included consideration of more than 40 amendments. 

Democratic senators say they expect this weekends vote-a-rama to last until 11 am or noon Sunday, judging by past experiences. 

Where to watch live [when it starts back up this (EST) morning]:

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## S Landreth

Nice Monday morning! 

Senate passes sweeping tax, climate package after marathon vote; Harris breaks tie


Senate Democrats have passed their sweeping tax, health care and climate change legislation after a marathon night of voting, with Vice President Harris casting the decisive vote to break a 50-50 deadlock and send the package to the House. 

The long-awaited $740 billion bill would raise taxes on corporations, tackle climate change, lower prescription drug costs and reduce the deficit.

The bill was approved on Sunday afternoon after a full night and morning in which senators worked nonstop on the consideration of amendments to the legislation. Democrats generally stuck together to defeat GOP amendments that might have scuttled the bill.

A last-second hiccup occurred when Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) backed an amendment that extended a cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions that was a key feature of the 2017 Trump tax cut bill. It was seen as endangering the bill because the ceiling on the deduction hurts many households in blue states and districts.

Seven Democrats ended up backing the amendment offered by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), but any damage was undone by the immediate passage of another amendment that replaced the SALT cap extension with a different revenue stream.

As the vote on final passage took place, several Democrats offered hugs to Sinema, who had been involved in a number of negotiations over the bill in the last several days that some worried could topple the package.

Democratic senators also applauded their staff, who were seated at the back of the chamber.

Once seen as all but dead, the bill came back to life last week after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) reached a deal that narrowed the more than $3 trillion legislation and renamed it the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Sinema reached a separate agreement with Schumer on Thursday, giving Democrats their 50th vote and paving the way for the party to steer the legislation through the Senate using special budget rules that prevented the GOP from killing it with a filibuster. 

The House is set to reconvene at the end of the week to vote on the package. Final passage by the House would send it to the White House for President Bidens signature less than three months before the midterm elections. 

Biden and Democrats hope it sweetens their changes of holding their House and Senate majorities by exciting a disenchanted Democratic base, while Republicans are expected to attack the spending as unnecessary and misguided. 

A vote-a-rama on the bill started just before midnight Saturday as Democrats stuck together to defeat a barrage of Republican-sponsored amendments designed to put the majority party on the spot.

One such amendment sponsored by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) would have pulled $1 million from the Affordable Care Act to maintain the Title 42 health order denying migrants seeking asylum entry into the United States.  

Democrats defeated another amendment by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to strike a 16.4 cent a barrel tax on imported petroleum products and crude oil refined in the United States.  

A third amendment sponsored by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) would have barred the IRS from auditing individuals and business owners with income under $400,000.  

The vote capped a long, grueling process that began more than a year ago when Senate Democrats began negotiations to enact the priorities of Bidens Build Back Better agenda.  

Over the past year, many of the presidents most ambitious social spending priorities were cast aside because of the opposition of Manchin and Sinema. At two points, the negotiations collapsed entirely amid angry recriminations.  

In the end, Democrats rallied around a bill to raise more than $300 billion in new tax revenue from wealthy corporations, substantially reduce global-warming emissions by 2030, and give Medicare broad new power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.  

I thank all my colleagues who have dedicated their blood, sweat and tears towards shaping this outstanding legislation. This is one of the most comprehensive and impactful bills Congress has seen in decades, Schumer said on the floor. 

Democrats say the bill will reduce the deficit by nearly $300 billion, but Republicans say it will have a negligible impact on inflation.  

Sounds like a bill thats going to address the number one problem facing our nation, which is inflation, and then you actually look at the bills contents and will discover that the bill will do nothing to reduce inflation, said Thune.  

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects the legislation will reduce the deficit by $90 billion over 10 years.  

A Democratic aide, however, said CBO recognizes the legislation will likely increase tax revenues by more than $200 billion by beefing up Internal Revenue Service programs and enforcement of tax compliance.  

Many Democratic lawmakers were thrilled to reach a deal on a $369 billion energy security and climate package, especially after talks between Schumer and Manchin collapsed during a heated exchange on July 14. 

Democrats last month were prepared to move a slimmed-down package consisting of just prescription drug reform and a two-year extension of expiring health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.  

But then Manchin met with Schumer on July 18 to revive the negotiations and within days crafted a bill that provided tens of billions of dollars in incentives for green energy technology and energy efficiency and penalties on fossil fuels, such as a fee on methane emissions and a tax on foreign oil imports.  

It provides $4,000 and $7,500 tax credits to buy used and new electric vehicles but doesnt allow them to be used for vehicles with batteries made from Chinese processed minerals.  

It is expected to reduce climate-warming emissions by 40 percent over the next decade.  

I cant stop talking to my kids about the climate provisions, said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). This is the first time theyve been legitimately excited about my job. We really owe to the next generation to get this right and a lot of young people in this country were developing an acute sense of hopelessness that adults werent taking seriously the climate crisis.  

Republicans argued the legislation would have little impact on rising global temperatures and wind up forcing to pay more for gas because of the revived tax on foreign oil.  

Graham called the tax on oil imports a vampire tax because it was eliminated in 1995 and now is coming back from the dead.  

This bill imposes a new gas tax of 16.4 cents per barrel on all imported petroleum products and crude oil refined in America, Graham said. This creates new gas taxes for the American consumer in the name of climate change. 

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) expressed deep disappointment with the prescription drug reform component of the bill. He said it should have done more to empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. 

But other Democrats rejected Sanderss view, arguing the reform would set a powerful new precedent by giving the federal government more influence over the market. 

There is a reason why big PhRMA is fighting this so hard. They know once you put negotiation, embedded into law, there will be no turning back. Thats what this is all about, said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who helped craft the prescription drug reform piece. This is a seismic shift between government and this lobby.  

Sanders offered an amendment to require Medicare to pay no more than the Department of Veterans Affairs for prescription drugs. His amendment failed by a lopsided vote of 1-99, with Sanders casting the only yes vote. 

Another Sanders amendment to extend a $300-a-month child tax credit and pay for it by raising the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent failed by vote of 1-97. Only Sanders voted for it.

The legislation includes a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies at a cost of $64 billion.  

The legislation will raise $258 billion over 10 years by imposing a 15 percent corporate minimum tax on companies with over $1 billion in profits and require companies to follow generally accepted accounting principles when reporting income to the IRS.  

Sinema won a significant concession from Schumer by shielding manufacturing companies from losing their ability to fully write off capital expenditures because of the 15 percent minimum tax. That shrunk the projected revenue from the proposal from $313 billion to $258 billion.  

Schumer also had to drop a proposal to close the carried interest tax loophole, which lets asset managers pay a favorable tax rate, to secure Sinemas vote. 

But the Democratic leader made up for the lost revenue by adding a 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks, which will raise an estimated $74 billion.   

I hate stock buybacks. I think theyre one of the most self-serving things that corporate America does, the Democratic leader explained to reporters Friday.  

I dont think I need to tell anyone what happens when you raise taxes on businesses, particularly when the economy is shrinking. You get less growth, lower wages and fewer jobs, Thune said.

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## Norton

> Nice Monday morning!


Saw it on CNN and was not impressed. The fact it was a totally inadequate bill and the vote was 50/50 along party lines is again an example that the state of affairs in US politics has fuck all to do with really serving the interests of America's citizens.

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## S Landreth

^Its a good start. https://s3.documentcloud.org/documen...ct-of-2022.pdf





Democrats pass a major climate, health and tax bill. Here's what's in it

*Tackling climate change*

More than $300 billion would be invested in energy and climate reform, the largest federal clean energy investment in U.S. history.

This portion of the bill takes on transportation and electricity generation, and it includes $60 billion for growing renewable energy infrastructure in manufacturing like solar panels and wind turbines.

It also includes several tax credits for individuals on things like electric vehicles and making homes more energy efficient.

*Lowering the cost of prescription drugs*

The bill includes a historic measure that allows the federal health secretary to negotiate the prices of certain expensive drugs each year for Medicare.

The bill puts a cap of $2,000 on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for people on Medicare, effective in 2025.

There's also a three-year extension on healthcare subsidies in the Affordable Care Act originally passed in a pandemic relief bill last year, estimated by the government to have kept premiums at $10 per month or lower for the vast majority of people covered through the federal health insurance exchange.

That helps millions of Americans avoid spikes in their health care costs.

*Tax reform*

Instead, a 1% excise tax on stock buybacks was introduced, and it could bring in roughly five times as much revenue as the carried interest measure (which was estimated at $300 billion). However, it wouldn't take effect until next year, raising predictions of a rush of buybacks by some companies before 2023 rolls around.

*And one other part of the bill that doesnt get the attention it should.*

The bill also includes President Bidens proposal to restore $80 billion of the enforcement budget that has been cut from the IRS over the past decade, which will more than pay for itself. As ITEP has explained, years of budget cuts have caused the IRS to reduce its audits of very large corporations in half and reduce its audits of millionaires by even more.

Even those opposed to changing our tax laws should agree with the commonsense notion that corporations and the richest Americans should follow tax laws already on the books. This proposal gives the IRS the tools to ensure that happens, continued Hanauer.

*Just a start!*

Gavin Schmidt - This is the first US federal legislation that is at all commensurate with the size of the climate challenge. Still a long road ahead, but finally the global embarrassment of legislative inaction is over.

The US has had useful action at the executive level (particularly these last two years) and effective regional, state, and local initiatives to reduce emissions, but there are things that can only be done at the legislative federal level. Finally! : https://twitter.com/ClimateOfGavin/s...87220596072450

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## pickel

You know politics are bad in the States when it feels like a bipartisan bill, but only Democrats voted for it.

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## S Landreth

White House worked behind the scenes to push Senate toward breakthrough win

President Biden is closing in on a legacy-defining win in Congress with the passage of a climate and health care bill in the Senate, a process officials say was not just months, but years in the making.

While hopes of passing Bidens agenda appeared dead just a few weeks ago, the president and White House officials quietly worked behind the scenes to help revive talks and ultimately get negotiations in the Senate over the finish line, an administration official said.

Over the weekend, while the Senate was working through a very long series of votes to approve the package, Biden called roughly a dozen senators and called the cloak room, an administration source told The Hill. The White House legislative team also delivered White House cookies to members on Sunday.

That followed several months of engagement between senior White House aides and Capitol Hill to get the reconciliation deal passed. 

Senate Democrats on Sunday voted to pass a $740 billion bill that would raise taxes on corporations, tackle climate change, lower prescription drug costs and reduce the federal deficit. Vice President Harris broke the 50-50 tie to send the bill to the House for a vote, where it only needs a simple majority to pass and be sent to Bidens desk.

____________

More detail on the bill........


Heres whats in the Inflation Reduction Act, the sweeping health and climate bill passed Sunday

The Senate passed Democrats Inflation Reduction Act on a party-line vote Sunday afternoon, delivering the long-awaited centerpiece to President Bidens agenda.

Democrats rallied behind the $430 billion climate, health care and tax overhaul after Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) reached a last-minute deal with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who had held up previous proposals.

The House is expected to approve the legislation on Friday and send it to Bidens desk.

Heres a summary of whats in the Inflation Reduction Act:

ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND CLIMATE

Businesses would get incentives for deployment of lower-carbon and carbon-free energy sources.

Tax credits are extended for energy production and investment in technologies including wind, solar and geothermal energies. The investment tax credit also now applies to battery storage and biogas.

Tax credits would be created or extended for additional technologies and energy sources including nuclear energy, hydrogen energy coming from clean sources, biofuels and technology that captures carbon from fossil fuel power plants.

Many of the incentives also contain bonuses for companies based on how much they pay their workers and offer credits for manufacturing their steel, iron and other components in the U.S.

Consumers and businesses get incentives to make cleaner energy choices.

Tax credits are extended for residential clean energy expenses including rooftop solar, heat pumps and small wind energy systems. Consumers can get credits for 30 percent of expenditures through 2032, and the credit phases down after that.

Tax credits of up to $7,500 are offered to consumers who buy electric vehicles  but this credit comes with stipulations that may make it difficult for vehicles to actually qualify.

A tax credit would be expanded for energy efficiency in commercial buildings.

Some fossil fuel production on public lands would be bolstered.

The future of solar and wind on public lands and wind in public waters would be tied to requirements to hold lease sales that open up new oil and gas production.

The bill reinstates the results of a recent offshore oil and gas lease sale that was struck down on environmental grounds. The Interior Department would be required to hold at least three more offshore oil and gas lease sales by next October.

New programs boost investment in climate.

A new program aims to reduce emissions of the planet-warming gas methane from oil and gas by both providing grants and loans to help companies reign in their emissions and levying fees on producers with excess methane emissions.

$27 billion would go to a green bank that would provide more incentives for clean energy technology.

Costs increase for fossil fuel production on public lands.

Minimum royalties increase for companies to pay the government for oil and gas they extract on public lands and waters. A royalty is added to the extraction of gas that is later burned off or released as waste instead of sold as fuel.

Communities that face high pollution burdens get relief.

$3 billion would go to environmental justice block grants  community-led programs addressing harms from climate change and pollutants, including $20 million for technical assistance at the community level, through fiscal 2026.

More than $3 billion is allocated to funds for air pollution monitoring in low-income communities. Nearly half of the funds  $117 million  would specifically go to communities in close proximity to industrial pollutants.

An excise tax on imported petroleum and crude oil products to fund the cleanup of industrial disaster sites increases from 9.7 cents to 16.4 cents per barrel. The reinstatement of the tax is projected to raise $11 billion.

The bill permanently extends and increases the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, a tax on coal production to finance claims from workers with the condition. Black lung, caused by long-term exposure to and inhalation of coal dust, is believed to affect at least 10 percent of coal miners with at least 25 years experience, according to a 2018 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

HEALTH CARE

Medicare can negotiate lower prices.

The bill would allow Medicare to negotiate prices for some drugs for the first time, a policy Democrats have been trying to enact for years over the fierce objections of the pharmaceutical industry. The provisions save more than $200 billion over 10 years.

It would allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for 10 high-cost drugs beginning in 2026, ramping up to 20 drugs by 2029. There is a steep penalty if a drug company doesnt come to the table: a tax of up to 95 percent of the sales of the drug. There is also a ceiling that the negotiated price cannot rise above.

In a deal with moderates including Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), only older drugs are subject to negotiation after a period of nine years for most drugs and 13 years for more complex biologic drugs. That means the negotiations are more limited than many Democrats wanted.

Drug costs can be capped but largely only for Medicare.

The bill includes other measures to cap drug costs. The provisions still largely apply only to seniors on Medicare, not the millions of people who get health insurance through their jobs, in part because complex Senate rules limited how expansive the provisions would be.

If drug companies raise prices in Medicare faster than the rate of inflation, they must pay rebates back to the government for the difference.

Democrats tried to apply this provision to the private market, but the parliamentarian ruled it violated the Senate rules used to bypass a GOP filibuster.

In one of the most tangible provisions for patients, the bill caps out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year for seniors on Medicare, starting in 2025.

The bill also caps patients insulin costs at $35 a month, but only for seniors on Medicare. Republicans voted against overruling the Senate parliamentarian to extend that protection to patients with private insurance.

People enrolled in ACA plans get an extension on premium assistance.

The measure also builds on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by extending enhanced financial assistance to help people enrolled in ACA plans afford premiums for three years. The extra help otherwise would have expired at the end of this year, setting up a cliff. The provision expands eligibility to allow more middle-class people to receive premium help and increases the amount of help overall.

TAXES

Large corporations will pay for climate and health measures within the bill.

The bill introduces new taxes on corporations to pay for its climate and health care measures.

The centerpiece of its tax plan is a 15 percent minimum tax on the income that big corporations report to their shareholders, a tax known as the minimum book tax. Initial proposals put the amount of revenue raised by the book tax at $313 billion  more than 40 percent of the $740 billion raised by the legislation as a whole.

The tax applies to companies reporting $1 billion in annual earnings. It would impact only around 150 large firms, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.

Sinema demanded some last-minute exclusions to the minimum tax that were favorable to the U.S. manufacturing sector and private equity firms.

The tax will exempt companies taking advantage of accelerated depreciation, a popular deduction that helps pay for capital investments such as new equipment.

Small businesses that are subsidiaries of highly profitable private equity firms will also be exempted from the minimum tax.

The IRS gets a funding boost.

Another key measure allocates $80 billion to boost enforcement at the IRS. Democrats hope that, with more employees and better technology, the IRS can more closely examine wealthy individuals and ensure they arent dodging taxes. That extra revenue is expected to lower the deficit by $203 billion over the next decade.

Stock buybacks will get an additional tax.

The bill enacts a 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks to replace the revenues lost by appeasing Sinema. Democrats expect the provision to raise $74 million over a decade.

Share repurchases by S&P 500 companies have soared in recent years and are on track to surpass $1 trillion this year. Companies buy back their stock to reward shareholders and boost their stock price by artificially limiting supply.

The tax will impact the nations largest companies that rely on multibillion-dollar buybacks to raise their stock price, including Apple, Nike and Exxon Mobil.

Democrats have criticized the practice, arguing that companies should invest in workers and innovation instead of repurchasing stock.

To further recoup revenue lost to the private equity sector, the bill also extends a set of limitations on losses that businesses can deduct from their taxes. The limits prevent wealthy individuals from significantly bringing down or even wiping out their income tax liability. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said that extending the caps would raise $52 billion.

___________

*Extra.*

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## harrybarracuda

Remember when baldy orange cunto said he was going to bring drug prices down and Republicans all said he would?

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## S Landreth

^Kind of

But hopefully what more Americans will remember is where the Republicans stood on drug prices/health care

Joni Ernsts (R) insulin speech..


Dan Diamond - In 2020, @SenJoniErnst warned about the heartbreaking consequences of high insulin costs and called on lawmakers to come together to lower them.

Ernst voted against the insulin copay cap today.: https://twitter.com/ddiamond/status/1556313038554267649


Senate Republicans blocked Democrats on Sunday from including a cap on insulin in their sweeping Inflation Reduction Act legislation.

The proposed provision of the bill would have capped the price of insulin for those on Medicare and with private coverage at $35.

The cap was defeated 57-43, despite many GOP Senators campaigning on lower drug prices, including Iowas Joni Ernst (R-IA) who once gave an impassioned speech on the topic.

The skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs has become a matter of life and death for so many, said Ernst on the Senate floor in 2020.

___________

Jordan - The price of insulin in the United States is so high it has led to nearly 4 in 5 diabetics who rely on it taking on debt. https://twitter.com/JordanUhl/status...21357641748482

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## bsnub

> Senate Republicans blocked Democrats on Sunday from including a cap on insulin in their sweeping Inflation Reduction Act legislation.


 Yet it is their voting constituents (obese mid-western and southern conservatives) that have diabetes at the highest rates. Amazing that most of the idiots will vote for them anyway.

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## harrybarracuda

> Yet it is their voting constituents (obese mid-western and southern conservatives) that have diabetes at the highest rates.


Perhaps that Obamacare should have waited a while.

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## S Landreth

Biden signs veterans toxic exposure bill into law

President Biden on Wednesday signed into law a bill to expand benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins during service and are suffering illnesses as a result.

The Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act also expands presumptions of service connections for a variety of conditions related to toxic exposure  meaning veterans dont have to prove their illness was service-connected.

This is the most significant law our nation has ever passed to help millions of veterans who are exposed to toxic substances during the military services, Biden said in remarks from the East Room.

You know, Secretary McDonough can tell you I was going to get this done come hell or high water, the president continued, referring to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.

Heath Robinson died of a rare form of lung cancer that was developed as a result of exposure to toxins during his deployment in Iraq and Kosovo.

We could not have done this without you all, Danielle Robinson said. Ours is just one story. So many military families who had to fight this terrible emotional battle. So many veterans are still battling today, too many have succumbed to those burn pits as well.


 
____________


What the historic health care bill Biden signed means for veterans and their families

President Biden signed a bill into law Wednesday that expands health care benefits to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits. 

The bipartisan bill, dubbed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, is the most significant expansion of veteran health care in 30 years, according to a White House statement. 

The PACT Act is the least we can do for the countless men and women, many of whom may be in this room for all I know, who suffered toxic exposure while serving their country, said President Biden during the bills signing. 

Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan not only face dangers in battle. They were breathing toxic smoke from burn pits I was in and out of Iraq over 20 times and in Fort Barstow and all those places you could actually see some of it in the air, Biden added. 

Burn pits the size of football fields incinerating waste of war such as tires, poisonous chemicals, jet fueland a lot of the places where our soldiers were sleeping were literally a quarter mile, a half a mile away.

The law essentially links 23 types of cancer, respiratory illnesses and other conditions to burn pit exposure and removes the need for some veterans and their survivors to prove service connection if they are diagnosed with any of those conditions. 

The PACT Act also lengthens the window that post 9/11 veterans have to enroll in the VA health care services from five to 10 years after discharge, in addition to creating a one-year open enrollment window for veterans who served in prior conflicts like Vietnam and the Gulf War. 

Under the law, all veterans enrolled in the VA will have access to toxic chemical screenings as well.

Biden was joined by Danielle Robinson, wife of the late Sergeant Heath Robinson whom the bill is named after, along with their 9-year-old daughter Brielle and Heath Robinsons mother Susan Zeier. 

Robinson died in 2020 after a yearslong battle against lung cancer which he developed after being exposed to toxic chemicals emitted from a burn pit during his time in Bagdad. 

Robinson spoke to her husbands battle against the disease and how the bill would help thousands of other veterans who have become sick due to the harmful way the United States military destroys its waste. 

As a military spouse, the day your loved one returns home safely from deployment, you count your blessings, said Robinson. Fear turns to relief when you start to live as a family again. But 10 years post deployment from Iraq, my husband began the biggest battle of his life, a terminal stage four lung cancer diagnosis due to toxic exposure from a burn pit.

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## S Landreth

With a spring in his step, Biden heads for vacation


 
President Biden got another sliver of positive news on Wednesday as inflation dipped to 8.5 percent in July after hitting a 40-year high of 9.1 percent in June, highlighted by falling gas prices that finally is giving consumers some relief.

The Associated Press: U.S. inflation slips from 40-year peak but remains high. 

The news was welcome given that Dow Jones economists had been expecting an uptick of 0.2 percent in inflation from June to July. In addition, the consumer price index was unchanged on a monthly basis, according to the Department of Labor (The Hill).

July core inflation, which includes all goods sans food and energy, stayed even at 5.9 percent. The totality of the news was also reflected on Wall Street where stocks jumped across the board (CNBC).

The easing of inflation is continuing a trend for Biden, who is reveling in recent good news, including narrow passage by the Senate on Sunday of a $740 billion measure focused on prescription drug pricing, health care costs and climate change. In total, the news has helped flip the script for Biden and allowed him the rare chance to go on offense with less than three months until the midterm elections.

Political observers tell The Hills Amie Parnes that the president has one card that needs to be played: talking about the robust jobs market in the country.

Its truly the greatest jobs market in the history of our country. said Tony Fratto, an economic policy consultant who served as White house deputy press secretary under the former President George W. Bush. They cannot win on inflation because its there and people are upset about it so if you cant win the argument, change the subject.

Its communications 101. And this isnt that hard to do. These are alley-oop dunks, he added.

Veterans: Biden kept up that good news on Wednesday as he signed into law a bill expanding benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins during war and are suffering illnesses. The PACT Act expands presumption of service connections for a number of conditions related to toxic exposure  meaning veterans dont have to prove their illness was service-connected.

This is the most significant law our nation has ever passed to help millions of veterans who are exposed to toxic substances during the military services, Biden said in emotional remarks from the East Room (The Hill and The Associated Press).

The new law is also personal for the president, whose elder son Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015, years after deploying to Iraq in 2008. The president, who made the hazards of military base burn pits and resulting illnesses a priority during his State of the Union address in March, linked his sons cancer to military deployment with the Delaware National Guard (The Associated Press).

I was going to get this done, come hell or high water, Biden said.

Lost pay: U.S. workers without paid sick leave during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic lost an estimated $28 billion in wages, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Urban Institute with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It found that work absences due to illness, child care or other family matters increased by 50 percent when compared to the previous two years. Most absences were due to a workers personal illness. Women were 40 percent more likely to miss work without pay, while they were also among several groups  including self-employed, Black and Hispanic workers  who experienced the biggest increase in missed days.

Trade: The administration is rethinking whether to scrap some tariffs on Chinese goods or potentially impose others in the wake of Beijings Taiwan response, putting aside options for now, Reuters reports. Biden has not reached a decision.

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## Norton

> Trade: The administration is rethinking whether to scrap some tariffs on Chinese goods or potentially impose others in the wake of Beijing’s Taiwan response, putting aside options for now, Reuters reports. Biden has not reached a decision.


Scrap some would be the best option. Tariffs and sanctions are lose/lose for both parties.

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## S Landreth

^Im not going to disagree

___________


Congress sends $740 billion tax, health and climate bill to Biden's desk

The House of Representatives on Friday passed Democrats' $740 billion tax, health care and climate bill, which now goes to President Biden's desk for his signature.

*Why it matters:* The bill's passage notches a big legislative victory for Democrats with the midterms approaching and delivers on several long-standing liberal policy goals.

*Driving the news:* The bill passed 220-207 with all Republicans voting against it.

*Details:* By far, the largest spending provision in the bill is nearly $370 billion to combat climate change, including tax credits and funding for renewable energy, electric vehicles and energy-efficient home improvements, as well as incentives for companies to cut methane emissions. It also:


Extends enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.Allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs and requires drug companies to pay rebates for raising prices faster than inflation.Imposes a 15% minimum tax on corporations making $1 billion or more in annual profits and a 1% fee on stock buybacks.Invests $80 billion in the Internal Revenue Service to crack down on tax evasion by the wealthy and corporations.  :Smile: 

*What they're saying:* "This landmark [legislation] that we send to the president's desk is a resounding victory for America's families starting at their kitchen table," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a floor speech.

Swing-seat Democrats told Axios they think the bill will boost them on the campaign trail.


"The prescription drug portions, in particular, are really going to be impactful," said Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), adding she got almost 1,000 calls in the last few days urging her to vote yes for those provisions, "which is high for us."But, Slotkin added, the bill won't just sell itself: "We need to explain it because we live in a world where, if you don't message, someone else will do it on your behalf."Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) told Axios: Results get results.  This is going to be a shot in the arm to Democrats everywhere.

*The other side:* House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), in a floor speech, called the legislation "the largest tone-deaf bill I've ever seen in this chamber in 232 years."


"They are choosing to spend the session by spending half a trillion dollars more of your money, raising taxes on the middle class and giving handouts to their liberal allies."

*The backdrop:* The bill was rolled out last month as a compromise between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).


It passed the Senate 51-50 with support from Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Vice President Kamala Harris as the tiebreaker.

*Yes, but:* The bill falls far short of what most Democrats had hoped for when Biden took office last January.


Democrats spent months last year pushing for a $3.5 trillion package that included paid family and medical leave, universal pre-K, tuition free community college, and an extension of the child tax credit.That proposal was rejected by Manchin in December.





______________

Investors like the climate deal


 
The early verdicts have arrived: Investors are confident the Democrats' climate deal will translate into expanded real-world deployment of low-carbon energy.

*Driving the news:* The movement of exchange-traded funds and individual companies in several segments of the energy sector tell a similar story.


The Climate Tech Index from the VC firm Energy Impact Partners tallies a basket of companies' performance against the wider market (though it's not an investment vehicle).The index is both wide-ranging and combines new market entrants and more established players.

*Zoom in:* The Invesco Solar ETF is up 16% since the deal emerged in late July and passed the Senate over the weekend, while the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF is up 14%.


Companies like EVgo (charging), Sunrun (solar), and Orsted (wind), to name just a few, have all seen gains since the surprise revival of the bill that's heavy on expanded and extended tax breaks.

*Yes, but:* If the bill passes, a lot needs to happen before it translates into a deployment surge, given workforce challenges, project siting hurdles and more.


And the bill is unlikely to end volatility in the clean energy sector, where companies are grappling with input cost fluctuations and other variables."Republicans are expected to take back control of Congress this fall, so its important to remember that policy uncertainty contributes to their volatility and thats unlikely to change over the next few years," DataTrek Research's Jessica Rabe tells Bloomberg.

*What they're saying:* The CEO of wind turbine maker Vestas said this morning that the bill is "very supportive of renewable energy in the United States over the next ten years," should it pass the House, which is expected to take up the bill on Friday, per Reuters.


A recent note from Goldman Sachs analysts said the legislation is bullish for utilities "as the wind, solar and storage tax credits would reduce the costs of building new renewables in the U.S."On solar specifically, the bill's announcement was a "welcome surprise for investors who by that point had become less confident on climate-related policy support being passed this year," Goldman's note states.

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## S Landreth

good news for most all of us......

President Biden - With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, House Democrats chose to build a future where everybody has a shot, not just the already-powerful. https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1558234907058573312

The White House - President Bidens Inflation Reduction Act takes the most significant leap forward in tackling the climate crisis and strengthening our energy security. https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/statu...23694408962050

Jill Biden - What a day  what a week!

Proud is an understatement. https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1558212484007432192






Statement from Vice President Harris on the Inflation Reduction Act

Thanks to President Joe Bidens leadership, and the hard work of Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi, the Inflation Reduction Act is off to the Presidents desk.

Because of this, we will lower the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors and reduce health insurance premiums for 13 million Americans. We will make the largest investment in our nations history to address the climate crisis, creating good-paying, union jobs in wind, solar, and electric vehicle manufacturing. We will lower energy bills for working families and support environmental justice. And, the legislation is fully paid for by finally ensuring the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share. This is an historic achievement for our country that will directly benefit millions of Americans.

Unfortunately, not a single Republican in Congress voted for the package. Not a single Republican voted to lower the cost of prescription drugs, reduce health insurance premiums, make investments to address the climate crisis, tackle inflation, or require the wealthiest corporations to pay their fair share.

In the 18 months since President Biden and I took office, we have created nearly ten million jobs, and helped to rescue small businesses; begun upgrading our roads and bridges and removing lead pipes; and we are making sure high-speed internet is available and accessible for all Americans. There is more work to do. But it is clear our nation is moving in the right direction.

These achievements reflect the determination of the American people and the vision President Biden and I laid out at the beginning of our Administration to take on the challenges of today and build a strong, prosperous future for America.

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## S Landreth

Biden will sign the Inflation Reduction Act this week

The package, which similarly passed the Senate on Sunday along party lines, was approved around 6 p.m. by a vote of 220-207.

Democrats in the chamber were seen celebrating what they are sure to champion as a legislative achievement -- which aims to make prescription drugs and health insurance cheaper while raising taxes on the wealthy, cutting the deficit, investing in clean energy and curbing climate change -- ahead of a contentious midterm cycle, when they will be up against the president's low approval ratings and other headwinds.

Biden soon tweeted his reaction to the House passage: "Today, the American people won. Special interests lost.

With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the House, families will see lower prescription drug prices, lower health care costs, and lower energy costs," he wrote, and said he planned to sign the bill next week.

Total party unity in both chambers is a major feat for Democratic leadership, which has struggled for months to unite the caucus around one cohesive strategy. The party has been attempting since Biden took office in January 2021 to pass a social spending bill, which eventually became the IRA, a much slimmed-down version of the multitrillion-dollar plan Biden first backed.

The more than $700 billion package includes the nations most extensive investments ever in new climate initiatives; allows Medicare to negotiate some drug prices; and extends Affordable Care Act subsidies while reducing the federal deficit with a 15% corporate minimum tax and with an excise tax on corporate stock buybacks.

Despite the legislation's name, Republicans have pointed out, it will have only a negligible effect on inflation in the short term, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found.

But the CBO said it would reduce federal budget deficits by $102 billion over 10 years.

At a press conference ahead of the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was questioned on whether the bill could actually tame high -- but slightly cooling -- inflation in the next months.

Well, you have to get started, Pelosi said, noting that inflation is caused by many factors, like the COVID-19 supply chain crunch and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The House GOP leader, Kevin McCarthy, on Friday called the bill misguided" and tone deaf." He spoke on the House floor for about 50 minutes ahead of the vote, mostly blasting the widespread use of proxy-voting for the bills passage and the IRAs boosted IRS tax enforcement measures, which supporters say will actually target the wealthy who shuck their tax bills.

Democrats more than any other majority in history are addicted to spending other peoples money, McCarthy said.

Over half of the House voted by-proxy, which prolonged the bills passage by designating a certain member to cast in-person votes on behalf of absent lawmakers.

The IRA passed the Senate on Sunday without a single Republican supporter. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie breaking vote after a 16-hour "vote-a-rama" that saw a slew of proposed amendments by both parties -- and saw Senate Democrats forced to make last-minute adjustments to the bill's tax provisions.

On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the IRA "one of the most comprehensive significant pieces of legislation that has passed the Senate and the Congress in decades."

While much of D.C. was focused on the Senate vote earlier this week, the White House was just as focused on the House at the same time, a White House official told ABC News, noting that the administration had been in contact with House leadership throughout the week.

Staff was also talking with individual members about the legislation, answering any questions and sending materials every day, the official said.

​​From his summer vacation on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, Biden twice video-conferenced with his staff who worked on the IRA, according to the White House.

The president called House members throughout the week; we had members at the CHIP signing and PACT Act signing which was another opportunity for POTUS to touch base with members on IRA," the official said. "White House staff also worked hard to refute Republican attacks on the bill and go on offense because of what Republicans were opposing.

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## Buckaroo Banzai

> Yet it is their voting constituents (obese mid-western and southern conservatives) that have diabetes at the highest rates. Amazing that most of the idiots will vote for them anyway


I loved the line from Forrest Gump
"stupid is as stupid does" 
and obesity is in my opinion the result of bad life decisions, sure there is some that is a result of medical factors and genetics ,  but for the most part is IMO and the opinion of many others , the result of bad life decisions.
And if one is to make bad decisions in one thing, predictors will indicate that one probably would make bad decisions in an other also.
So it does not surprise me that people in "Red" states vote against their best interest more so than others.

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## S Landreth

Biden to sign health and climate bill on Tuesday

President Biden will sign into law the sweeping climate, health care and tax legislation that has been Democrats’ priority for more than a year during a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday. 

The signing will represent a major milestone for Biden and his domestic economic agenda. The prospects of his climate proposal appeared hopeless a month ago but were dramatically revived in an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) at the end of July. 

Biden, fresh off a family vacation in South Carolina, will sign the legislation and deliver a speech in the State Dining Room on Tuesday, according to a White House advisory. With Congress currently on recess, Biden is expected to host a larger celebratory event in September. 

“This historic bill will lower the cost of energy, prescription drugs, and other health care for American families, combat the climate crisis, reduce the deficit, and make the largest corporations pay their fair share of taxes,” the White House advisory said.

“In the coming weeks, the President will host a Cabinet meeting focused on implementing the Inflation Reduction Act, will travel across the country to highlight how the bill will help the American people, and will host an event to celebrate the enactment of the bill at the White House on September 6th,” it added. 

The legislation, called the Inflation Reduction Act, passed the House in a party-line vote Friday, about a week after passing the Senate with only Democratic votes through a process known as budget reconciliation. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote. 

The legislation contains provisions to lower prescription drug costs, offer clean energy tax credits to Americans and companies, and establish a 15 percent corporate minimum tax and a 1 percent excise tax on stock buybacks. 

Biden administration officials are preparing to traverse the country to promote the bill in the coming weeks, making the case to voters that Democrats can deliver on their promises in the critical three months before the November midterm elections.

Cabinet members plan to visit 23 states to speak about the bill between now and the end of August, according to a White House memo released Monday morning.

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1557728662015082498

----------


## harrybarracuda

If there is anything good in this bill, Republicans will take credit whether they voted for it or not.

----------


## S Landreth

^They’re screaming and that when they take back the House and Senate (need 2/3’s vote in both) while Biden is in office,  they’ll correct the bill.  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Before the signing/celebration today I want to point out that there were some concessions made to pacify Joe Manchin.

They arent that bad considering the overall climate package in the bill.

The article below breaks it down. It is not that deep.

Critics Call Dems Climate Bill a Devils Bargain on Climate. Heres What the Devil Is Getting.

----------


## S Landreth

Watch live

Biden signs Inflation Reduction Act affecting health, climate and the economy





A look at Bidens past executive orders on climate change

Here is a list of executive orders on climate change issued so far, according to the Federal Register:


Upon inauguration, President Biden signed executive order 13990 in January 2021 to conduct an immediate review of all agency actions taken throughout former President Trumps administration as they relate to public health and the environment. The order also placed a temporary moratorium on activities related to the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program.Executive order 14007, signed in January 2021, created a council of advisors on science and technology to enable decisions based on evidence. The Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology would consist of a maximum of 26 members to guide the administrations decisions.Also in January 2021, the President signed executive order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, which in part aimed at prioritizing the crisis in foreign policy and national security decisions. Biden also called for a government-wide approach for meeting climate related challenges in the United States, and called on agencies to empower workers to advance reforestation and conservation.February of 2021 saw the signing of executive order 14013, Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration. The order directs agencies to report on climate changes impacts on migration patterns, as well as the security implications of climate migration.Also in February of 2021, President Biden signed executive order 14017 to bolster the countrys supply chains in the face of global disruptions such as climate shock and extreme weather events. Rebuilding the countries domestic manufacturing capacity will also result in less distance traveled for goods, cutting down on the use of fossil fuels for shipping and transportation.

May of 2021 saw the creation of the Climate Change Support Office via executive order 14027. The temporary office will be part of the Department of State and serve to advance the countrys efforts to meet the global climate crisis. It will also support the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the first of whom is John Kerry.Executive order 14030 was also signed in May of 2021. Titled Climate-related financial risk the order aimed to advance disclosure of climate-related financial risk information, including that of transitional and physical risks. It would also account for the disparate impact of climate change on underserved communities and communities of color.In August of 2021, President Biden signed executive order 14037 Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks. As part of this order, by 2030 half of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 will be zero-emission. The order also called on the EPA administrator to consider rulemaking under the Clean Air Act to establish new emissions standards for certain vehicles manufactured between 2027 and 2030.November 2021 saw the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act via executive order 14052. The Act aims to improve access to safe drinking water, advance environmental justice, and invest in underserved communities. These actions will be achieved through numerous initiatives such as building resilient infrastructure and coordinating with state and tribal governments to better target interventions.

In December 2021, Biden signed executive order 14057, Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. The move bolsters the countrys efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims to achieve 100 percent carbon-pollution free electricity by 2030. The order also involves provisions aimed at training and educating the federal workforce to incorporate sustainability and climate adaptation into their work.As part of executive order 14067, Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets, signed in March 2022, the president directed appropriate agencies to research how certain technologies impede or advance efforts to combat climate change and investigate the potential use of blockchain technology to monitor or mitigate climate impacts.Signed on Earth Day, 2022, executive order 14072 looks to strengthen the nations forests by pursuing sustainable and science-based land management. The government will collaborate with local and Tribal governments, along with the scientific community to do so. It will also work to promote forest resilience on federal lands and promote sustainable local economic development.


And why policy and voting matters: https://www.vox.com/2018/11/27/18112...climate-change

----------


## S Landreth

Approval


Obama: Climate, health care bill a BFD

Former President Obama tweeted that the Democrats newly signed climate and health care bill is a BFD, making a reference to a hot mic moment President Biden had years ago.

This is a BFD, Obama wrote in a tweet on Tuesday, quoting his former vice presidents tweet on the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Obama made the reference to a moment in 2010 when Biden was caught on a hot mic telling Obama that signing the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as ObamaCare, was a big f deal.

At an event focused on the Affordable Care Act earlier this year, Biden jokingly referenced his hot mic moment to Obama as he left the podium to sign an executive order.

Now, Im gonna sign an executive order, and, Barack, let me remind you: Its a hot mic, Biden told Obama.

In response to Obamas tweet, Biden simply replied, Thanks, Obama.

Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Tuesday. The sweeping $740 billion package will lower health care costs, address climate change, reform the tax code, and provide funding to the IRS to expand enforcement.

Biden added that the newly signed legislation will help peoples lives improve.

With unwavering conviction, commitment, and patience, progress does come, Biden said at the signing of the bill. And when it does, like today, peoples lives are made better and the future becomes brighter and a nation can be transformed.


 
https://twitter.com/BarackObama/stat...69129535176710

----------


## S Landreth

Some highlights


Inflation Reduction Act becomes law: How it will affect your health care

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, is set to lower the cost of prescription drugs  including cancer medications, blood thinners and insulin  for millions of Americans, experts say.

Heres what to know:

*Medicare will negotiate prices*

The Inflation Reduction Act allows the federal government to negotiate prices for some of the drugs that Medicare spends the most money on, a long sought-after goal by Democrats and some Republicans.

Previously, the U.S. government was explicitly prohibited from engaging in price negotiations with drugmakers on behalf of the Medicare population.

The new law essentially establishes a process whereby the Health and Human Services secretary proposes the governments offer price for certain drugs, said Tricia Neuman, senior vice president with the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Starting in 2026, Medicare will begin negotiating the price of 10 drugs, followed by an additional 15 drugs in 2027, and eventually an additional 20 drugs in 2029 and beyond. The negotiation process applies to drugs covered under Medicare Part D that lack a generic or comparable alternative, though drugs under Medicare Part B will eventually be included.

*A $35 monthly cap on insulin*

The cost of insulin will be capped at $35 a month for patients on Medicare under the new law.

However, the law does not cap the cost of insulin for the millions of people with private health insurance, as Republicans successfully blocked its inclusion in the bill.

The cap on insulin for people on Medicare takes effect next year.

The monthly cap is important, experts say, because patients usually need to buy multiple vials of insulin per month to maintain their health, which can sometimes cause costs to skyrocket.

*$2,000 out-of-pocket cap*

The law includes a $2000 out-of-pocket spending cap on prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries. It takes effect in 2025.

Previously, people on Medicare had to spend about $7,000 out of pocket on their prescriptions before qualifying for "catastrophic coverage," according to Medicare's website. Under catastrophic coverage, patients are only charged either a copayment  which is a set amount, usually $10 or $20 per prescription  or a coinsurance percentage, which is set at 5% of the cost of the drug.

Under the new law, in 2024, that 5% coinsurance will be reduced to zero, eliminating it.

The new benefit is not tied to income, said Juliette Cubanski, a Medicare expert with Kaiser Family Foundation, meaning that the out-of-pocket spending limit will apply to everyone on Medicare.

*Other notable benefits*

The law immediately extends subsidies through 2025 for the roughly 13 million people who buy individual coverage through the ACA. The subsidies were set to expire this year.

Next year, seniors on Medicare will no longer have a copay for adult vaccinations, such as the shingles and pneumonia vaccines.

Beginning in 2024, drugmakers will have to pay a rebate to Medicare if they raise the price of their medications faster than inflation, dampening drugmakers abilities to hike prices.

_____________

*In other news.*


Bidens Former Climate Candidate Rival On Historic Spending Law: Its Only The First Step

In 2019, Jay Inslee bet that Americans fed up with catastrophic disasters and a Republican administration axing virtually every regulation meant to curb planet-heating pollution might be ready to send a climate candidate to the White House.

The Washington governor authored a book-length stack of policy ideas to transform the U.S. economy away from fossil fuels, and pushed a crowded field of rivals to run on increasingly detailed and creative climate platforms. While his campaign failed to take off, Inslee made it to the debate stage that August, where he delivered some memorable jabs at the eventual winner, Joe Biden.

Almost exactly three years later, Biden on Tuesday signed legislation containing an unprecedented $369 billion in spending meant to vastly expand how much of the United States economy is powered with low-carbon energy sources.

Reached by phone Tuesday morning at his Bainbridge Island home, where the third-term governor recently installed new solar panels, Inslee, 71, was in a triumphal mood.

Im just happy as a clam at high tide here, he said. Weve got a good climate bill. Its a nice day in Washington state. My grandkids are available to play today, so Im goofing off today. Its a good day.

Much more in the interview https://www.huffpost.com/entry/insle...b06389482e2725

----------


## OhOh

> $369 billion in spending *meant to* vastly expand how much of the United States economy is *powered with low-carbon energy sources.
> *


I "meant to" buy the wining lottery ticket, unfortunately the lottery machine failed to deliver my "promised, by the sales lady, win".

"_There_ is _many a slip twixt cup and lip"_

Will "Asian" suppliers,  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  be the "energy sources" mentioned in the new bill?

----------


## S Landreth

Climate impacts of the #IRA

With the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on Tuesday Aug 16, the most significant climate legislation in US federal history (so far) became law.

Despite the odd name (and greatly overused TLA), the IRA contains a huge number of elements, totalling roughly $350 billion of investment, in climate solutions over the next ten years. This is an historic effort though it falls short of the broader ‘Green New Deal‘ goals that were proposed in 2019, and doesn’t include all of the elements that were in the proposed 2021 reconcilliation package (the American Jobs Plan in “Build Back Better“) that ultimately floundered.

As befitting an omnibus reconciliation package (of which there can only be one in each Congressional session), there are many different elements that have various pedigrees, magnitudes and likely impacts. There have been a number of good explainers about what is in the IRA, and what is not, and discussions about those climate impacts:


The RepeatProject’s detailed analysis by Jesse Jenkins et alThe David Roberts Volts podcasts here, and here with Jesse Jenkins and Leah Stokes, and again.Paul Krugman on why it doesn’t include a carbon price (though there is a methane fee)The New York Times visualization of the spending and revenue elements in the bill is useful:
 
 
Snapshot from NYT interactive graphic. Each green circle is a climate related part of the package, with area proportional to spending or revenue amount. 
As you can see there are tax credits and subsidies for electric vehicles, renewable energy, nuclear energy, transmission, hydrogen, air pollution reduction, energy infrastructure, climate resilience, rural development, residential buildings, etc. etc…. On the revenue side, the largest element is the proposed methane fee, followed by the reinstatement of the Superfund, a renewed tax on coal mining for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and controversially, $0.5bn in anticipated revenue for oil and gas leases.

Modeling the impacts of all this is hard. The net effects will depend on how people and enterprise respond to these incentives, what technological improvements occur, how fast we learn to do better etc. and so it’s not sensible to expect too much precision. Nonetheless, the projections from the ReadyProject (linked above), or the Rhodium Group suggest that the impacts on US net GHG emissions will be substantial:


 
It’s not enough to meet the US Nationally Determined Contributions for 2030 under the UNFCCC or the Paris Agreement goals, but it definitely accelerates progress compared to the current trajectory.

The biggest unknowns are the geopolitical implications. Now that the US federal government is finally acting on climate, what impact does that have on the eagerness of China or India to fulfill their pledges or even increase their ambition? How much global technological innovation will be spurred by these investments? Historically, these estimates have tended to be conservative (i.e. the indirect impacts have generally proven to be much larger than anticipated). Thus predicting the eventual impacts on temperatures and other climate variables is fraught with uncertainty – not that that will prevent some folks from making all the minimizing assumptions and ignoring any follow-ons and international impacts…

However, the key point to remember is that global warming will only stop once we get to global net zero CO2 emissions (with minor caveats related to methane and aerosol levels). So estimated changes in US emissions on the order of 40% is very significant and, for the first time, commensurate with the size of the problem. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, this might not be the beginning of the end for climate policy, but it is likely to be the end of the beginning – at least at the federal US level.

----------


## Cujo

I like that corporations will have to pay tax on profits they told their shareholders they made. Seems pretty obvious right.
Not on profits they told the tax dept. they made.




> Now that the US federal government is finally acting on climate, what impact does that have on the eagerness of China or India to fulfill their pledges or even increase their ambition?


erm, none? Why would it?
What naive world do you live in?

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## russellsimpson

Kiss the ring!

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## Backspin

> I like that corporations will have to pay tax on profits they told their shareholders they made. Seems pretty obvious right.
> Not on profits they told the tax dept. they made.
> 
> 
> erm, none? Why would it?
> What naive world do you live in?


China has broken off all climate related cooperation with the US.

----------


## Backspin

> Kiss the ring!


 This is cruel to continue with him as president with this kind of cognitive decline.

----------


## panama hat

> China has broken off all climate related cooperation with the US.


Typical of you to be way behind





> This is cruel to continue with him as president with this kind of cognitive decline.


Well, TD still has you despite never having had any cognitive reasoning to lose in the first place.  


Though I do agree that he shouldn't go for a second term

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## S Landreth

Joe Biden - The Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest step forward on climate ever. 

It includes ensuring that we create clean energy opportunities in frontline and fenceline communities that have been smothered by legacy pollution and it will help fight environmental injustice. https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1560755998826156033

____________


The electric car Battery Belt is reshaping Americas heartland

North American sites with major EV and battery investments

 
The climate bill President Biden signed into law yesterday will open up tens of billions of dollars in subsidies for high-tech electric vehicle plants across the South and the Midwest.

*Why it matters:* The package is a big down payment on addressing climate change and moving toward energy independence as the U.S. races to build a domestic supply chain for batteries and other critical materials.


It could also be a major economic jolt for a large swath of the country some are calling the Battery Belt, where lots of EV-related factories and facilities are being built.

*Driving the news:* The auto industry has already poured billions into new EV and battery manufacturing facilities across North America over the last couple years.


Now automakers and battery suppliers will be eligible for billions of dollars in federal loans and tax credits to offset those costs and spur additional investments.

*For example:* The government will provide a tax credit of $35 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for each U.S.-produced battery cell.


That's 35% of today's average cost of producing a battery cell.Ford, for instance, could get a $3 billion tax break for the twin factories it's building in Kentucky, which will be able to produce 86 gigawatt hours' worth of batteries annually. (The IRS still has to figure out how exactly the credits will work.)

*There's also a tax credit* for U.S.-produced battery modules  groups of cells bundled together that fit inside a battery pack.


At $10/kWh, the credit would whack about one-third off the cost of assembling an EV battery pack, according to Bloomberg NEF.

*Critical materials and minerals* produced in the U.S. also get a 10% tax credit under the new law.


That will help companies like Redwood Materials, which is investing $3.5 billion in Nevada for cathode and anode processing  essential work in the battery production process that's currently done mostly overseas.

*There's also $2 billion in grants* to retool existing auto plants to make clean vehicles, and up to $20 billion more in loans to build new factories.

*The intrigue:* And yet automakers aren't happy about the law, largely because its strict supply chain requirements mean far fewer electric vehicles will qualify for big consumer tax credits right off the bat.

*Yes, but:* Over time, reshoring battery production should drive down the cost of EVs  and lessen U.S. dependence on China.


The optimists' view: By incentivizing a domestic EV component supply chain, the law will help reduce automakers' costs  and they'll pass those savings along to consumers in the form of cheaper electric cars.

*Between the lines:* In essence, the U.S. has shifted the incentives for EV adoption from consumers to manufacturers  instead of making electrics cheaper for car buyers, the new law rewards carmakers for building EVs with U.S.-made batteries.


Lawmakers are not "just putting on new rules and saying, 'good luck.' They're putting tens of billions of dollars on the table to help [automakers] get there," said Joe Britton, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association.

*The bottom line:* Automakers' scramble to meet domestic content requirements will lead to a rapid build-out of manufacturing capacity for electric vehicles, batteries, and the components and materials required to produce them.


 
____________





> What naive world do you live in?


You  :Smile: 

You is Dr. Gavin Schmidt the Director of GISS, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York and is interested in modeling past, present and future climate. He works on developing and improving coupled climate models and, in particular, is interested in how their results can be compared to paleoclimatic proxy data. He has worked on assessing the climate response to multiple forcings, including solar irradiance, atmospheric chemistry, aerosols, and greenhouse gases.

He received a BA (Hons) in Mathematics from Oxford University, a PhD in Applied Mathematics from University College London and was a NOAA Postdoctoral Fellow in Climate and Global Change Research. He was cited by Scientific American as one of the 50 Research Leaders of 2004, and has worked on Education and Outreach with the American Museum of Natural History, the College de France and the New York Academy of Sciences. He has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and is the co-author with Josh Wolfe of Climate Change: Picturing the Science (W. W. Norton, 2009), a collaboration between climate scientists and photographers. He was awarded the inaugural AGU Climate Communications Prize and was the EarthSky Science communicator of the year in 2011.

And Dr. Schmidt does pose two excellent questions.

The biggest unknowns are the geopolitical implications. Now that the US federal government is finally acting on climate, what impact does that have on the eagerness of China or India to fulfill their pledges or even increase their ambition? How much global technological innovation will be spurred by these investments?

Think,..........Leader

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The biggest unknowns are the geopolitical implications. Now that the US federal government is finally acting on climate, what impact does that have on the eagerness of China or India to fulfill their pledges or even increase their ambition? How much global technological innovation will be spurred by these investments?
> 
> Think,..........Leader


Well one thing is that the chinkies and Indians will be queuing up to manufacturer whatever technologies the rest of the world comes up with - with the chinkies trying to claim they invented them all having nicked all the technology and started duplicating it of course.

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## S Landreth

President Biden - In keeping with my campaign promise, my Administration is announcing a plan to give working and middle class families breathing room as they prepare to resume federal student loan payments in January 2023. https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1562462774969581570

 

Heres whats inside Bidens historic student debt forgiveness plan

President Biden is directing the Education Department to forgive $10,000 in federal student loan debt for nearly all U.S. borrowers, an unprecedented decision that will affect millions of borrowers with immediate financial relief.  

The Biden administration formally announced its highly anticipated student debt forgiveness plan Wednesday, which will forgive $10,000 for every federal student loan borrower who earns less than $125,000 annually.  

The administration is also cancelling up to $20,000 for those student borrowers who received Pell Grants, applying the same income cap. 

Im keeping with my campaign promise, my administration is announcing a plan to give working and middle class families breathing room as they prepare to resume federal student loan payments in January 2023, Biden said on social media.  

Heres what the plan includes. 

*$10,000 in debt forgiveness for all federal borrowers* 

Federal borrowers who earn less than $125,000 and did not receive a Pell Grant will be eligible to have $10,000 of their student loan balances forgiven. This will likely eliminate the balances of at least 15 million borrowers. 

*$20,000 debt reduction for Pell Grant recipients* 

Millions of borrowers who received Pell Grants during college and meet the administrations income requirements will see 20,000 removed from their balances. Data shows around 7 million students receive Pell Grants each year. 

*Extends pandemic-related pause on student loan payments* 

The administration is also extending the federal moratorium on student loan payments for a sixth and final time. Payments will resume in January 2023, concluding the pause which has spanned more than two years and two administrations. 

*Overhauls income-driven repayment plans* 

The Education Department is proposing a new rule that would reduce future monthly payments for lower- and middle-income borrowers from 10 percent to 5 percent of discretionary income.  

It would also raise the amount of income thats considered nondiscretionary, therefore protected from repayment. The proposed rule is also tackling interest, so a borrowers loan balance will not increase as long as they are making their required monthly payments. 

The new rule would forgive loan balances after 10 years of payments, instead of the current 20 years under many income-driven repayment plans for borrowers with original loan balances of $12,000 or less. 

If approved, the rule would apply to borrowers with undergraduate degree loans and graduate degree loans. 

*Eases loan forgiveness under Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program* 

The Department is proposing a rule that would allow more payments to qualify for PSLF, including partial, lump sum and late payments and allowing certain kinds of deferments and forbearances.  

*Tackles college accountability* 

The department is proposing to reinstate and improve a rule to hold career programs accountable for leaving their graduates with unaffordable debt  like when DeVry University was found to have defrauded nearly 1,800 students after making widespread, substantial misrepresentations about its job placement rates. 

The Department also said it intends to act against colleges that have contributed to the student debt crisis, including publishing an annual watch list of the programs with the worse debt levels in the country. This is in addition to requesting institutional improvement plans from colleges concerning debt outcomes that outline how the college intends to bring down debt levels. 

___________

*Extra*


Biden administration moves to shield DACA from legal challenges

The Department of Homeland Security moved Wednesday to codify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy into federal regulations in a bid to protect the program from legal challenges.

*Why it matters:* Since its inception in 2012, DACA has shielded from deportation over 800,000 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, according to the DHS. The program has been subject to several legal challenges since it was first implemented.

*Details:* DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced Wednesday that the department has issued a final rule to preserve DACA for eligible noncitizens.


The final rule maintains existing criteria for DACA recipients  such as arriving in the U.S. by age 16 and before June 15, 2007  and work permit authorizations. It also declares DACA recipients "lawfully present" in the U.S. for certain purposes, including benefits.The final rule is effective Oct. 31 barring any litigation.

*What they're saying:* "Today, we are taking another step to do everything in our power to preserve and fortify DACA, an extraordinary program that has transformed the lives of so many Dreamers," Mayorkas said in a statement.


"Thanks to DACA, we have been enriched by young people who contribute so much to our communities and our country. Yet, we need Congress to pass legislation that provides an enduring solution for the young Dreamers who have known no country other than the United States as their own."

*The big picture:* Ten years after then-President Obama established the policy, many DACA recipients  and their allies  are still pushing for immediate action on a pathway to citizenship.


A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that roughly 75% of U.S. adults say they are in favor of granting permanent legal status in these cases.A district court judge closed DACA to first-time applicants in July last year after agreeing with Republican state officials that the policy violates federal immigration law.The Biden administration appealed the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which held a hearing on the case in July.

*What to watch:* The conservative-leaning court is expected to hand down an opinion siding with the Republican-led states who brought the lawsuit, CBS News reports. It could cause the Biden administration to bring it before the Supreme Court.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The conservative-leaning court is expected to hand down an opinion siding with the Republican-led states who brought the lawsuit, CBS News reports. It could cause the Biden administration to bring it before the Supreme Court.


And we know how that's going to turn out.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden announces new head of Secret Service

President Joe Biden has appointed Kimberly Cheatle to be the next director of the Secret Service.

Biden on Wednesday called Cheatle a distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills, saying in a statement that she was easily the best choice to lead the agency at a critical moment for the Secret Service. In this new role, she will become the second woman to lead the Secret Service, after former President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson as the first in 2013.

Cheatle will be taking over at an agency facing a number of issues. On July 13, Congress was notified by Homeland Securitys inspector general that the Secret Service had lost texts related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol while erasing employees phones as part of a new protocol. The House select committee investigating the attack then subpoenaed the agency for its records, concerned that federal records laws could have been violated if the messages werent preserved.

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari seemed to push back against the increased scrutiny. POLITICO reported at the beginning of August that Cuffari wrote in a work email that because of the U.S. Attorney General guidelines and quality standards, we cannot always publicly respond to untruths and false information about our work. He continued: I am so proud of the resilience I have witnessed in the face of this onslaught of meritless criticism.

Shortly after, the chair of Jan. 6 committee, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and Oversight chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter saying they had documents that raise troubling new concerns that your office not only failed to notify Congress for more than a year that critical evidence in this investigation was missing, but your senior staff deliberately chose not to pursue that evidence and then appear to have taken steps to cover up these failures.

Tackling these problems will be part of the next phase of Cheatles 25-year-plus career with the Secret Service. She has served numerous leadership roles within the agency, including becoming the first woman to serve in the role of assistant director of protective operations, in October 2019.

Biden came to trust her judgment and counsel when she was on his security detail as vice president, he said in his statement. In 2021, Biden awarded her a Presidential Rank Award, recognizing her among a select group of career members of the Senior Executive Service for exceptional performance over an extended period of time.

Cheatle is currently a senior director at PepsiCo North America, where she oversees facilities, personnel and business continuity.

___________

*Extra*

Just the highlights.


Aimee Harris, Robert Kurlander Stole Ashley Biden's Diary

Florida Man and Woman Admittedly Stole Ashley Bidens Diary and Several Other Belongings to Make a SH*T TON of Money

A Florida man and woman pleaded guilty to stealing a diary that belongs to Ashley Biden, the daughter of President Joe Biden, and then selling it to Project Veritas during the 2020 election.

Aimee Harris, 40, and Robert Kurlander, 58, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave in the Southern District of New York on Thursday. The conservative media group is based in Westchester County, a suburb of the Big Apple.

The pair will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.

Harris and Kurlander stole personal property from an immediate family member of a candidate for national political office, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. They sold the property to an organization in New York for $40,000 and even returned to take more of the victims property when asked to do so. Harris and Kurlander sought to profit from their theft of another persons personal property, and they now stand convicted of a federal felony as a result.

In a federal criminal information, authorities allege Harris and Kurlander knew an immediate family member of a then-former government official was temporarily residing and had stored the property at a private residence in Delray Beach, Florida. Harris was identified as the actual thief who took the diary and Kurlander was identified as the fencer who would help her facilitate its sale.

Harris and Kurlander stole personal property from an immediate family member of a candidate for national political office, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said. They sold the property to an organization in New York for $40,000 and even returned to take more of the victims property when asked to do so. Harris and Kurlander sought to profit from their theft of another persons personal property, and they now stand convicted of a federal felony as a result.

The plan became a conspiracy in late August 2020, the information says, after Harris contacted Kurlander to tell him about the diary as well as a digital store card containing private family photographs. In response to her message, Kurlander texted back that he would help her make a SHIT TON of money from selling the items.

Each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prisonp, but defendants are typically sentenced under federal guidelines that usually call for a sentence well below the maximum. Harris and Kurlander have each agreed to forfeit their $20,000 share of the sum Project Veritas paid.

Florida Residents Plead Guilty To Conspiracy To Commit Interstate Transportation Of Stolen Property | USAO-SDNY | Department of Justice

----------


## harrybarracuda

They don't even try and fucking hide it any more.

----------


## S Landreth

Historical Context of Presidential Approval Ratings

The latest improvement in Biden's overall approval rating puts him in better standing in the August before midterm elections than five of his predecessors over the past 40 years -- Ronald Reagan in 1982, Bill Clinton in 1994, George W. Bush in 2006, Barack Obama in 2014 and Donald Trump in 2018.

__________

A note: The PPP werent really loans if used properly,......but still


White House calls out Greene, other GOP critics on how their own loans were forgiven

The White House on Thursday called out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes (R-Ga.) criticism of President Bidens plan to forgive some student loans, noting that the congresswoman had Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene had $183,504 in PPP loans forgiven, the White House wrote, referring to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a lifeline extended to help small businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from ProPublica shows the loan and accrued interest for Greenes company, Taylor Commercial, Inc., which reportedly would go to payroll, was forgiven.

For our government just to say, you know, Ok, well your debt is completely forgiven,  its completely unfair, Greene said in the Newsmax interview, which aired Wednesday.

Taxpayers shouldnt have to pay off the great big student loan debt for some college student that piled up massive debt going to some Ivy league school, Greene argued. Thats not fair.

The White House Twitter account has created a thread below its response to Greenes criticism, with similar responses to other Congressional critics of the student loan debt announcement. The congressmen whose PPP loan amounts were revealed include Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

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## S Landreth

Wonder if Fox will cover it live.


Biden to deliver prime-time address warning Americans rights are under attack

President Biden will deliver a prime-time speech from Philadelphia on Thursday about protecting democracy during which he will warn that Americans rights and freedoms are under attack, according to a White House official. 

Bidens speech at Independence National Historical Park on Thursday evening will revive his 2020 campaign theme of fighting for the soul of the nation, according to the White House advisory, and is a sign of his message to voters coming into focus just two months out from the midterm elections. 

He will speak about how the core values of this nation  our standing in the world, our democracy  are at stake, the White House official said. He will talk about the progress we have made as a nation to protect our democracy, but how our rights and freedoms are still under attack. And he will make clear who is fighting for those rights, fighting for those freedoms, and fighting for our democracy. 

Biden has begun to more forcefully criticize Republican candidates on the ballot in November, last week describing those who align themselves with former President Trump as threats to democracy and accusing them of embracing semi-fascism. 

The MAGA Republicans dont just threaten our personal rights and economic security. Theyre a threat to our very democracy, Biden said at a rally in Maryland last Thursday, referring to Trumps Make America Great Again slogan. They refuse to accept the will of the people. They embrace, embrace political violence. They dont believe in democracy. 

NBC News was first to report on the upcoming speech.

An NBC News poll released earlier this month found that a plurality of voters rank threats to democracy as the most important issue facing the country  a larger percentage than those who single out cost of living.

Its unclear whether Biden plans to explicitly mention Trump during his Thursday address, but plans for the speech suggest hell at least allude to the former president and his false claims about the 2020 election.

Biden is increasing his domestic travel and is slated to travel to Pennsylvania  a key swing state  three times in the next week. Hell visit Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday to discuss combating gun violence, and on Monday hell attend Labor Day festivities in Pittsburgh. 

Some of Bidens trips are aimed at promoting his accomplishments, including a planned stop in Ohio later this month at the groundbreaking of a new Intel chip plant that will highlight the passage of a law championed by the Biden administration that will boost the domestic semiconductor industry.

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## S Landreth

Biden blasts 'MAGA Republicans,' 'sickening' attacks on FBI

President Joe Biden on Tuesday railed against the “MAGA Republicans in Congress” who have refused to condemn the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol and now are targeting the FBI as he tried to portray Democrats as the true pro-law enforcement party ahead of the November midterms.

In remarks initially billed as a crime-prevention speech, Biden seized on comments from allies of former President Donald Trump who have called for stripping funding from the FBI since it executed a search warrant at Trump’s Florida residence. Biden’s remarks were the first substantive defense he has made of the FBI since the Aug. 8 search at Mar-a-Lago, which triggered not just withering criticism of the agency but threats of violence against its employees.

“It’s sickening to see the new attacks on the FBI, threatening the life of law enforcement and their families, for simply carrying out the law and doing their job,” Biden said before a crowd of more than 500 at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania. “I’m opposed to defunding the police; I’m also opposed to defunding the FBI.”

It was a notably different tack for Biden, who has steered clear of extensively commenting on any element of the Justice Department’s investigation since federal agents conducted the search at Trump’s estate. Biden also appeared to call out — without naming him — recent comments from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who warned of “riots in the streets” should Trump ultimately face prosecution.

“The idea you turn on a television and see senior senators and congressmen saying, ‘If such and such happens there’ll be blood on the street’?” Biden said. “Where the hell are we?”

The speech Tuesday continued Biden’s aggressive rhetoric against the GOP ahead of the midterms, as Democrats enjoy a slightly brighter political environment buoyed by significant legislative accomplishments and a presidential approval rating that has trended slightly upward. During a political rally in the Washington suburbs last week, Biden likened Republican ideology to “semi-fascism.” He is set to deliver a democracy-focused speech on Thursday in Philadelphia that the White House has said “will make clear” who is fighting for democratic values.

As he has done before, Biden on Tuesday criticized GOP officials who have refused to denounce the pro-Trump rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol nearly 20 months ago. Referencing Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, Biden said, “Let me say this to my MAGA Republican friends in Congress: Don’t tell me you support the law enforcement if you won’t condemn what happened on the 6th.”

The campaign-style speech near Biden’s birthplace was the first of three visits by the president in less than a week to the state that is home to a competitive governor’s race and a U.S. Senate contest that could help determine whether Democrats will keep their majority in the chamber. Trump is hosting his own rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Democrats believe Pennsylvania is their strongest opportunity to flip a Senate seat currently held by Republicans. Meanwhile, the open race for governor will give the winner power over how 2024’s presidential election is run in a battleground state that is still buffeted by Trump’s baseless claims that Democrats fraudulently stole the 2020 election from him.

Biden’s comments on the FBI come as his son Hunter faces a federal investigation for tax evasion. He has not faced any charges, and he’s previously denied wrongdoing.

The president also used his remarks Tuesday to promote his administration’s crime-prevention efforts and to continue to pressure Congress to revive a long-expired federal ban on assault-style weapons. Democrats and Republicans worked together in a rare effort to pass gun safety legislation earlier this year after massacres in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. They were the first significant firearm restrictions approved by Congress in nearly three decades, but Biden has repeatedly said more needs to be done.

“We beat the NRA. We took them on and beat the NRA straight up. You have no idea how intimidating they are to elected officials,” an animated Biden said. “We’re not stopping here. I’m determined to ban assault weapons in this country! Determined. I did it once before. And I’ll do it again.”

As a U.S. senator, Biden played a leading role in temporarily banning assault-style weapons, including firearms similar to the AR-15 that have exploded in popularity in recent years, and he wants to put the law back into place. Biden argued that there was no rationale for such weapons “outside of a war zone” and noted that parents of the young victims at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde had to supply DNA because the weapon used in the massacre rendered the bodies unidentifiable.

“DNA, to say that’s my baby!” Biden said. “What the hell is the matter with us?”

Democrats are trying to blunt Republican efforts to use concern about crime to their advantage in the midterms. It’s a particularly fraught issue in Pennsylvania, a key swing state.

The Republican candidate for governor, Doug Mastriano, accuses Democrat Josh Shapiro of being soft on crime as the state’s twice-elected attorney general, saying Shapiro “stands aside” as homicides rise across Pennsylvania.

Homicides have been increasing in Pennsylvania, but overall crime seems to have fallen over the last year, according to state statistics.

“The real heroes here are the people who put on the uniform every single day,” said Shapiro, who spoke shortly before Biden’s remarks at Wilkes University. “We know that policing is a noble profession, and we know that we need to stand with law enforcement.”

In the U.S. Senate race, heart surgeon turned television celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee, has tried to portray the Democratic candidate, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, as extreme and reckless on crime policy.

Fetterman has endorsed recommendations that more geriatric and rehabilitated prisoners can be released from state prisons without harming public safety. Oz and Republicans have distorted that into the claim that Fetterman wants to release “dangerous criminals” from prisons or that he’s in favor of “emptying prisons.”

Fetterman’s campaign on Tuesday released a new 30-second ad emphasizing that Fetterman — as mayor of the tiny, impoverished western Pennsylvania steel town of Braddock from 2006 through 2018 — has dealt with street-level crime, and Oz hasn’t. In the ad, Fetterman said he ran for mayor “to stop the violence” after two of his students in an afterschool program were murdered and “I worked side by side with police.”

Fetterman was not in Wilkes-Barre with Biden on Tuesday, but he’s expected to march in Pittsburgh’s Labor Day parade when the president visits Sept. 5. Biden also will be in Pennsylvania on Thursday for a prime-time speech that the White House said will address “the continued battle for the soul of the nation” and defending democracy.

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## S Landreth

Biden speaks on the state of democracy ahead of the midterm elections





Trump and "MAGA forces" represent extremism, Biden says

President Biden condemned former President Trump, "MAGA forces" and what he called their determination to "take this country backwards" in a rare primetime speech on Thursday.

*Driving the news:* Biden's remarks at Philadelphia's Independence Hall called on all Americans to defend the nation against threats to democracy, including aspects of Trumpism, during a visit to one of the biggest political battlegrounds on the midterm map.

*Why it matters:* Democrats are betting that making Trump a central theme of the midterms will hurt Republicans' chances of winning back control of Congress.

*What he's saying:* "Tonight I have come here to the place where it all began to speak plainly to the nation about the threats we face," Biden said at the event. "About the power we have in our own hands to meet those threats. And about the incredible future that lies in front of us if only we choose it," he contined.


"Not even a majority of Republicans are MAGA Republicans, but there's no question the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans — and that is a threat to democracy," Biden added."MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards. Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love."

*The bottom line:* Trump and MAGA Republicans "represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic," Biden said. They "do not respect the Constitution."


"For a long time, we've reassured ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed," he noted. "But it is not. We have to defend it. Protect it. Stand up for it. Each and every one of us."
_"I will not stand by and let elections be stolen by people who simply refuse to believe that they lost."_ _— Excerpt from President Biden's speech_

*The other side:* House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) accused Biden of choosing to "divide, demean and disparage his fellow Americans" in a speech Thursday prior to Biden's primetime event.


"Why? Simply because they disagree with his policies. That is not leadership," McCarthy said."When the president speaks tonight at Independence Hall, the first lines out of his mouth [should] be to apologize for slandering tens of millions of Americans as fascists."

*Flashback:* Biden slammed Trump-allied Republicans last week and likened the MAGA movement to "semi-fascism" in his first political rally speech in the leadup to November's midterm elections.

*The big picture:* Trump will headline an event with three of his endorsed candidates in Pennsylvania this week.

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## Cujo



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## S Landreth

^The hecklers probably saw the poll that was released earlier in the day.

Biden leads Trump in hypothetical rematch

 
Biden holds a 6-point lead over Trump in a hypothetical rematch, with 50 percent of registered voters saying they would probably or definitely vote for Biden and 44 percent saying the same of Trump.

That 6-point spread that President Biden holds today is even larger than the spread that Biden defeated trump by in 2020 (which was about 4 points).  :Smile:

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## S Landreth

Biden taps Podesta to implement climate and energy spending in Inflation Reduction Act

President Joe Biden revamped his climate change team on Friday, announcing that longtime political operative and climate advocate John Podesta would join the White House and Ali Zaidi would take over for Gina McCarthy as domestic climate adviser.

Podesta, a former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton and counselor to President Barack Obama, will take on a role implementing the energy and climate parts of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act.

Zaidi, an alumnus of the Obama administration who served as deputy to McCarthy, a former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, was promoted to become Bidens top national climate aide. McCarthy steps down on Sept. 16.

Under Gina McCarthy and Ali Zaidis leadership, my administration has taken the most aggressive action ever, from historic legislation to bold executive actions, to confront the climate crisis head-on, Biden said in a statement.

Podestas climate and government background, Biden said, mean we can truly hit the ground running to take advantage of the massive clean energy opportunity in front of us.

McCarthy, 68, led the implementation of Bidens expansive climate policy agenda across all federal agencies.

____________


Judge sides with Biden in narrow ruling over oil lease pause in Wyoming

A federal judge sided with the Biden administration in a case related to its oil and gas leasing pause in Wyoming.

However, because of another case, the government still appears to be barred from continuing its leasing pause in several other states.

At the start of his tenure, President Biden temporarily paused new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters. This pause prevented new rights to drill for the fuels on federal lands from being auctioned off.

U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl, an Obama appointee, ruled Friday that the Biden administration was within its rights to postpone lease sales in Wyoming during the first quarter of 2021.

He wrote that there was substantial evidence to support the Interior Departments move to put off lease sales that had been slated for March 2021 over concerns about the adequacy of their underlying environmental reviews.

Wyoming filed its suit after the March lease sales were postponed, but before other postponements. Skavdahl also ruled that Wyoming did not have the right to challenge any postponements that occurred after its suit was filed.

But, in most states, the Biden administration still appears to be barred from pausing new oil and gas leasing.

Last month, Trump appointee District Judge Terry Doughty ruled in favor of 13 states that had challenged the oil and gas leasing pause.

He determined that the law requires the government to sell oil and gas leases, and therefore, the Biden administration must auction more acres for drilling.
____________

Biden administration seeks waiver of 'Buy American' rules for EV chargers 

The Biden administration is asking for a waiver of "Buy American" rules for federally-funded electric vehicle chargers to more rapidly roll out the infrastructure needed to scale up EV adoption.

Domestic content rules say 100% of steel, iron, and manufactured goods made mostly of steel and iron in federal highway projects must be made in the United States.

But only a handful companies can build fast EV chargers that would meet the requirements, according to a filing submitted Wednesday by the Federal Highway Administration.

The agency argued that requiring companies to stick to the rules would significantly slow charger deployment as officials prepare to dole out $5 billion for chargers over the next five years under the bipartisan infrastructure law.

"Immediately applying all applicable domestic content preferences for these projects would be inconsistent with the public interest," the agency wrote. "It is likely to delay immediate implementation of (the funding) for EV chargers, which are a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

The request illustrates the tension between the administration's interests in rapidly decarbonizing the economy and reshoring manufacturing.

President Joe Biden has long promised to create millions of high-paying jobs by advancing clean energy and other climate-related goals. But supply chains for critical components of green technology  from the minerals in batteries to the microchips in cars and electronics  are not always reliably based in the U.S. or with allies.

The infrastructure law sought to create a national network of EV chargers along highways to decrease "range anxiety," in which consumers stick with gas cars because they're worried they won't be able to drive long distances in an EV. Auto experts say it is one of the top barriers to EV adoption.

The law requires most of that funding to go to DC Fast chargers, which most closely mimic the experience of stopping at a gas station by charging an EV to 80% in around 30 minutes.

Thirteen companies told FHWA they could build chargers that fit the requirements, but only three  ChargePoint, FreeWire Technologies Inc. and Rhombus  said they could build fast chargers. Industry experts said demand for chargers is already outpacing supply, and funding for the national charging network will only exacerbate that.

Instead, FHWA, an agency within the Department of Transportation, proposed weakened Buy American requirements that would ramp up over time.

Under the proposal, all chargers installed in 2022 would qualify for a full waiver of domestic sourcing requirements. For the first half of 2023, only chargers with final assembly in the U.S. would qualify. In the second half of 2023, the only qualifying chargers would have at least 25% U.S.-made components making up the total cost. By January 2024, that threshold would rise to 55%.

This approach would "provide a strong incentive" for companies to quickly shift to domestic manufacturing, according to the agency's filing. "We seek to maximize the use of American made products and materials while also ensuring successful and timely delivery of these critical EV infrastructure projects."

Several advocacy groups, including the Zero Emission Transportation Association, Electrify America and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials also supported a phased-in approach.

Lack of reliable and easy-to-access charging is one of the top obstacles to buying an EV, said Mike Ramsey, a transportation and mobility analyst for Gartner Inc.

"It is important that the chargers are secured now," he said via email. "Longer term, it would be good for America to source more of its vital equipment either in the U.S. or with close trading partners, however."

Federal law only allows a waiver of Buy American rules when applying them would be inconsistent with the public interest or when there is not sufficient quantity or quality of the product available in the U.S.

These sorts of requirements often have "short-term unintended consequences and this is one of them," said Ramsey. "I expect a waiver to be granted because while the administration is seeking to create industrial policy, supply chains cant be created overnight."

FHWA is seeking comments on the proposed rules through Sept. 30.

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## S Landreth

President Biden Delivers Remarks Celebrating Labor Day and the Dignity of American Workers




 
Biden touts accomplishments, takes on GOP during swing state stops with general election sprint underway

President Biden visited two key swing states on Labor Day to tout Democratic accomplishments and go on offense against Republicans with the midterm elections just two months away.

Biden first made a stop in Wisconsin to speak at Milwaukee Laborfest, followed by a stop in Pittsburgh where he delivered remarks to the United Steelworkers of America Local Union 2227.

While Biden used both events to demonstrate his support for labor unions, he also used the trips as campaign stops to show what his administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress has accomplished while he’s been in office.

The “…American Rescue Plan also created and saved millions of jobs. Why? Because here in the state of Pennsylvania, and almost every state, didn’t have enough money to keep teachers on the payroll, to keep firefighters on the job, to keep police on the job, to keep people, nurses and docs on the job,” Biden said while in Pennsylvania. 

“And so what’d we do? We, in fact, gave them the money to make sure they did it. And this governor, your governor, spent it well.”

He also touted the bipartisan infrastructure law; aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act, including an aspect of the law that allows some drug prices to be negotiated by Medicare; and legislation boosting the domestic semiconductor industry amid a critical computer chip shortage.

Biden used the opportunity to go on offensive against Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), one of the most vulnerable GOP senators up for reelection in November, blasting him for comments that he thought Medicare and Social Security should be annually approved.

While in Pennsylvania, the president didn’t invoke Republican Senate nominee Mehmet Oz’s name but instead went after former President Trump more prominently in his remarks.

“All of us love the country. But you can’t love the country and say how much you love it when you only accept one of two outcomes from the election. Either you won or you were cheated. It doesn’t work that way,” Biden said, referring to Trump’s baseless allegations that the last election was stolen from him.

And borrowing language he used during his prime-time speech last Thursday, he also went after “MAGA Republicans.”

“Not every Republican is a MAGA Republican. Not every Republican embraces that extreme ideology. I know because I’ve been able to work with mainstream Republicans my whole career. But the extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress have chosen to go backwards, full of anger, violence, hate and division,” Biden said in Wisconsin.

While Democratic Senate challenger Mandela Barnes, who is taking on Johnson in November, was not president during Biden’s speech, Biden gave him a shout out during his remarks in Wisconsin.

Pennsylvania Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman did attend the president’s event in the state. Biden quipped during his speech, “if I have to be in a foxhole. I want John Fetterman in there with me.”

Both Fetterman and Barnes are gearing up for tight races in critical battleground states that will help determine whether Democrats can retain control of the Senate past November.

The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Johnson’s seat as a “toss up” while it recently moved Pennsylvania’s open Senate seat from a “toss up” to “lean Democrat.”

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## S Landreth

Biden calls British PM Truss, reaffirms ‘special relationship’

President Biden called new British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Tuesday to congratulate her on her win and to reaffirm the strong ties between the U.S. and the U.K.

“The leaders reaffirmed the special relationship between our countries and expressed their readiness to further deepen those ties,” according to the White House.

Truss, the former foreign minister, took office on Tuesday, replacing former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned following a series of scandals.

Biden and Truss on the call discussed cooperation on global issues, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, as well as challenges from China and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Additionally, they discussed securing “sustainable and affordable energy resources.”

Biden and Truss talked about their “shared commitment” to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, which is the agreement between British and Irish governments to restore self-government to Northern Island

“They also discussed … the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol,” according to the White House.

Biden has expressed his commitment to the agreement throughout his administration and spoke in March to Taoiseach Micheal Martin of Ireland about preserving the stability of Northern Ireland.

Truss delivered her first speech as prime minister on Tuesday at Downing Street, outlining priorities such as tax cuts, economic growth, energy security and the national health care system.

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## S Landreth

White House reveals official portraits of Barack, Michelle Obama

President Biden praised Barack Obama as one of “the most consequential presidents in our history” as he unveiled the ex-commander in chief and Michelle Obama’s official portraits in a long-delayed ceremony at the White House.

“There are a few people I’ve ever known with more integrity, decency and moral courage than Barack Obama,” Biden said on Wednesday in the East Room — packed with alumni of the Obama administration — as the former first family looked on.

“These portraits have a special significance because, as Joe mentioned, they will hang in the White House alongside portraits of other presidents and first ladies dating back to George and Martha,” Obama, flanked by his wife, remarked.

Obama’s portrait, by artist Robert McCurdy, shows the former president sporting a black suit and grey tie. The painting was created from photographs taken of Obama by McCurdy, which the White House said the artist preferred over working from sketches based on sittings.

The white backgrounds of McCurdy’s portraits “allow the viewer to establish a relationship with the subject,” the White House said, “the focus shifts from the celebrity-status of the individual to the viewer’s direct response to that individual as a human being.”

Obama lauded McCurdy’s work, saying, “What I love about Robert is that he paints people exactly the way they are — for better or worse.”

“He captures every wrinkle on your face, every crease in your shirt. You’ll note that he refused to hide any of my gray hairs, refused my request to make my ears smaller,” Obama said.

“He also talked me out of wearing a tan suit,” Obama cracked to laughs, a reference to an infamous 2014 sartorial choice that made headlines.

Sharon Sprung painted the image of Michelle Obama that will hang in the White House. “By methodically manipulating the layers of paint, she works to mimic the complexity of real life in her portrait compositions,” the White House said in a statement about the portraits.

While typically not an eyebrow-raising custom, the tradition of a first-term president unveiling the official portrait of their immediate predecessor was a precedent-shattering casualty of former President Trump’s time in office. Trump reportedly declined to host Obama — his longtime political nemesis — for such a ceremony during his term. Obama was also opposed to participating in the tradition with Trump, according to news reports.

Michelle Obama struck a serious tone while addressing the crowd gathered.

“It’s still a big awkward for me to stand in this historic space, see this big, beautiful painting staring back at me,” Obama said.

Growing up in Chicago, 58-year-old Obama said, “I never could have imagined that any of this would be part of my story.”

“But even if it’s all still a bit awkward for me, I do recognize why moments like these are important. — why all of this is absolutely necessary,” she said.

“Traditions like this matter — not just for those of us who hold these positions, but for everyone participating in and watching our democracy,” Obama said, without mentioning Trump by name.

“You see the people that made their voices heard with their vote,” she continued.

“And once our time is up, we move on. And all that remains in this hallowed place are our good efforts, and these portraits,” Obama said.

The first public view of the Obamas’ official portraits also faced further delays beyond the Trump presidency due to COVID-19. The pair of paintings was originally expected to be revealed last year, but the ceremony was reportedly postponed because of the pandemic.

The event marked the first trip back to the White House for Michelle Obama since she was first lady. The former president had returned to the White House in April — his first visit since Biden took office — to promote the Affordable Care Act.

The Obamas’ portraits will have a permanent home at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this week ahead of the ceremony. The artwork, she said, “will hang on the walls of the White House forever as reminders of the power of hope and change.”

“A girl like me, she was never supposed to be up there next to Jacqueline Kennedy and Dolley Madison,” Michelle Obama said in the moments after her portrait was unveiled. “She was never supposed to live in this house and she definitely wasn’t supposed to serve as first lady.”

“What we’re looking at today — a portrait of a biracial kid with an unusual name, and the daughter of a water pump operator and a stay-at-home mom — what we are seeing is a reminder that there’s a place for everyone in this country,” she said.

 
Michelle Obama digs at Trump: ‘Once our time is up, we move on’







New poll shows Biden with six-point lead on Trump

President Biden is leading former President Trump by 6 points in a hypothetical 2024 presidential match-up, new polling shows.

In a Yahoo News-YouGov poll released Wednesday, 48 percent of registered voters said they’d cast their ballot for Biden “if the 2024 election were held today,” while 42 percent said they’d vote for Trump.

Biden held a 3-point lead in the hypothetical 2020 rematch in a similar August poll. Trump’s support was steady across both surveys.

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## S Landreth

DHS issues final rule to rescind Trump's "public charge" policy

The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday issued its final rule to rescind a Trump-era immigration policy that limited benefits for immigrants who used public assistance benefits, such as housing vouchers or Medicaid.

*Driving the news:* The DHS law rolls back Trump's "public charge" immigration rule, which restricted immigration benefits for foreigners who "are likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence," per the DHS .


The new rule "restores the historical understanding of a ‘public charge’ that had been in place for decades," DHS said, adding that the Trump administration considered "supplemental public health benefits ... as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination."The Biden administration stopped enforcing the rule within months of taking office, Politico reports.

*What they're saying:* "This action ensures fair and humane treatment of legal immigrants and their U.S. citizen family members," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.


"Consistent with America’s bedrock values, we will not penalize individuals for choosing to access the health benefits and other supplemental government services available to them."

*What to watch:* The final rule is set to go into effect on Dec. 23.

___________


Same-sex marriage bill expected to pass Senate this month

Senate negotiators expect to reach a deal on a bill to protect same-sex marriages in time to begin considering it on floor next week, which would put it on a path to pass before the end of the month. 

Republican negotiators caution they haven’t yet locked down 10 GOP votes to overcome an expected filibuster against the bill, but they say they are making good progress.

“We’re not there yet,” said one Senate GOP source familiar with the soft whip count. “I think we’ll get there, but we’re not there yet.” 

Negotiators believe they will work out a compromise to protect the views of religious groups that don’t recognize same-sex marriage, which would then attract more Republican support for the legislation. 

“I’m uncertain what exactly the schedule will be but [we] will start the process, next week, I’m told, but it will really be the following week” that the bill gets done, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said while leaving the Capitol Thursday. 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the lead Democratic negotiator, confirmed the expectation is to “start the process at the end of next week.” 

Negotiators still need to finalize the language of an amendment to modify the original bill crafted by Baldwin and Collins in order to address the concerns of some Republican senators who worry the legislation could create legal problems for religious groups that don’t recognize same-sex marriage. 

But those final details are expected to get hammered out next week. 

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told The Hill Thursday that he expected the final legislative language to be worked out by next week, but expressed uncertainty about the timing of the bill.

He and other negotiators, including Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), have kept in close touch with each other since returning to Washington after Labor Day to get the bill ready for the floor. 

Senators have a small window to act before Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) moves to a short-term government funding measure, which needs to pass by Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown. 

Schumer on Wednesday said he does not want to add the marriage equality legislation to the funding stopgap, an idea Senate Democratic leadership floated Tuesday to force Republicans to commit to a path for getting the bill passed through the Senate. 

GOP lawmakers — and Baldwin — balked at the idea of combining the two pieces of legislation, putting pressure on Republicans to commit to considering a standalone marriage equality bill on the Senate floor in the next few weeks, according to Senate Democratic aides. 

The trial balloon about wrapping marriage equality legislation into a two-and-a-half-month government funding measure got lawmakers and media outlets focused on the marriage issue at the start of the week, putting a spotlight on whether GOP senators would block it. 

Senators are still uncertain, however, which 10 Republicans will support the bill when it comes to the floor. 

One prospect, retiring Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), said Thursday that he was not involved in the negotiations.

“I’m going to look at the bill when they produce it, but I’m not involved in any talks,” he said. 

Another possible yes vote, Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), said he is still deliberating over how to vote.  

“I’m consulting with my constituents about it,” he said. 

A Senate aide noted that Young was spotted on the floor Thursday afternoon chatting with a couple of the negotiators who are working on the final version. 

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), another Republican who has joined past bipartisan efforts, said he’s a “no” vote. 

“It’s not necessary, I don’t think,” he said. “I personally am not planning on voting for it.” 

Collins, Baldwin and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced the Respect for Marriage Act in July to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and ensconce marriage equality into federal law. 

The senators announced the legislation after conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas urged fellow justices to reconsider the court’s landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, when it ruled that the 14th Amendment’s protection of the right to marry applies to same-sex couples. 

The House passed its version of the Respect for Marriage Act in July by a vote of 267 to 157, with 47 Republicans joining all Democrats in passing the measure. 

Some Republicans, however, worry the legislation could create unintended legal consequences for religious groups that don’t support same-sex marriage. 

“One of the things that has been raised is that an institution that doesn’t support gay marriage, say a Catholic charity helping orphans, that they would somehow face consequences such as funding cuts,” said a source familiar with the negotiations. 

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said his vote will depend on how the language to protect religious liberty is drafted.

“I have questions and concerns about religious liberty and that being included as part of the legislation, so we’re working on that,” he said, adding he is a possible “yes” vote, “depending on how it turns out.” 

Republican lawmakers also want to make sure that the legislation isn’t drafted in a way that might somehow be interpreted as granting federal protection to polygamous marriages. 

People familiar with the negotiations say that Republicans who are raising concerns over sections of the bill are, by and large, getting the changes they have requested, building momentum for final passage of the bill in the third full week of September. 

Schumer on Wednesday guaranteed a vote on the bill “in the coming weeks.”

----------


## harrybarracuda

I can't think of anything better than every single gay person in America hating the Republicans after watching them fillibuster such a bill.

Talk about guaranteed Democrat votes.




> Some Republicans, however, worry the legislation could create unintended legal consequences for religious groups that don’t support same-sex marriage.


No, they're worried about losing votes. Fuck all else.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden delivers remarks in Detroit on electric vehicles manufacturing boom. President Biden starts at 38:45


 

Biden announces first round of funding for EV charging network across 35 states

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday the release of the first round of funding for a nationwide electric vehicle charging network, financing the construction of stations in 35 states.

Im pleased to announce that were approving funding for the first 35 states, including Michigan, to build their own charging infrastructure throughout their state, Biden said at the Detroit Auto Show, standing in front of a spate of electric vehicles.

Biden has been a big proponent of EVs, signing into law incentives to encourage consumers to buy them and companies to build them. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $7.5 billion for a national EV charging network while the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act both included provisions fostering development of the industry in the United States.

You all are going to be part of a network of 500,000 charging stations  500,000  across the country, installed by the IBEW, Biden said, referring to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers labor union.

Biden noted that his administration has put $135 billion toward electric vehicle development and creation.

It used to be that to buy an electric car you had to make all sorts of compromises, not today, Biden said. Look, the great American road trip is going to be fully electrified, whether youre driving coast to coast along I-10 or on I-75 here in Michigan, charging stations will be up and easy to find as easy as they are now.

The lack of ubiquitous chargers remains one of the largest barriers for electric vehicles nationwide. Tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act are meant to give Americans incentives to purchase electric vehicles, including to buy used electric vehicles for the first time.

 
___________


Joe Biden can take the BEAST to the Queen's funeral at Westminster Abbey due to 'security reasons' but lesser leaders will have to take the bus

President Biden will be able to take the armored Beast to the Queen's funeral next week while 'lesser' world leaders will be asked to take the shared bus, as is standard protocol.

Logistical preparations are underway for the largest gathering of foreign dignitaries on British soil since former Prime Minister Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965, and funeral planners worry that gathering over 100 kings, queens and heads of state will clog up the streets surrounding Westminster Abbey, where the service will take place on Monday, Sept. 19.

While many world leaders will be asked to ride shared buses in from an undisclosed location in west London, there will be exceptions for the most prominent - including Biden, according to The UK Times.

The Beast, the U.S. president's $1.5million Cadillac, boasts of night vision cameras, tear gas cannons, and 8 inches of armor.

Its doors weigh as much as those on a Boeing 757 aircraft and its tires are pneumatic run-flats so the vehicle can still drive even if they are deflated. The president also can use a state-of-the-art communication system that is built into the Beast, which weighs about 20,000 pounds.

There is also a secure oxygen system and a supply of the presidents own blood in case of an emergency.

The vehicle was built to withstand chemical and biological attacks as well as bullets and explosions, with its chassis said to be effectively 'indestructible.'

Its windows are said to be 3 inches thick while the steel-and-ceramic armor is said to be 8 inches thick.

Based on security concerns, several others, including President Macron of France, President Herzog of Israel and Emperor Naruhito of Japan are likely to have their own transportation.

All countries with diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom will be asked to have a representative at the service, though delegations will be smaller than usual. All countries have been told their maximum allocation of seats is limited to the head of state or representative plus their partner.

Buckingham Palace issued a personal invitation to the first couple on late Saturday night and the Bidens accepted it on Sunday.

The guest list has not yet been finalized, but despite the war with Ukraine, Russia is expected to be represented by its ambassador and North Korea is also expected to be represented, according to The Times.

____________

*Extra*.


Biden approval rises sharply ahead of midterms: AP-NORC poll | AP News

Support for Biden recovered from a low of 36% in July to 45%, driven in large part by a rebound in support from Democrats just two months before the November midterm elections.

----------


## harrybarracuda

The following countries dirtbag leaders have not been invited:

Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Belarus.... and Russia.

I guess Puffy knows his level now.

 :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden signs bill eliminating civil statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims

President Biden on Friday signed a bill that will eliminate the statute of limitations for people who were sexually abused as minors to file civil claims.

The Eliminating Limits to Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act was passed by the House by voice vote on Tuesday after passing the Senate by unanimous consent in March.

The bill eliminates time constraints for survivors to file civil claims related to sex abuse crimes against minors, including forced labor, sex trafficking, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.

Previously, minors who survived such abuse were able to file federal claims until they reached the age of 28 or until a decade after the violation or injury was discovered.

No federal statute of limitations was in place for criminal claims regarding child sex abuse.

The bill was initially introduced by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and co-sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.).

“The science of trauma is clear: it often takes years for victims to come forward,” Durbin said in a statement after the House passed the bill. “Our bipartisan bill honors the basic notions of justice for survivors, and I was proud to work with Senator Blackburn and our colleagues in the House to lead it across the finish line. By signing this legislation into law, we can finally help survivors have their day in court and a moment of healing—when they are ready.”

_____________

Biden says he’s running.

Cedric Richmond, the former Democratic lawmaker and Biden White House official, said definitively this week that it’s on when it comes to Biden and 2024.

“He’s running and we’re building an infrastructure for him to run and win,” Richmond told NBC. “Right now, it’s all an early investment in 2024 while we’re helping 2022.”

----------


## harrybarracuda

Looks like the Catholic legal bill is about to go through the roof.

 :bananaman:

----------


## S Landreth

Trending Liberal - BREAKING: When President Biden heard Puerto Rico had their power cut by Hurricane Fiona, he immediately declared a federal emergency and ordered FEMA to act asap.

No delay. No racism. Just action. Because when Americans need help, liberals step up. https://twitter.com/TrendingLiberal/...18632240893952

___________

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for Puerto Rico

FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to supplement the Commonwealths response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Fiona beginning Sept. 17 and continuing.

The Presidents action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance, to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all 78 municipalities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.

Robert Little III has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date.

----------


## malmomike77

Old Joe's getting good at this :Smile: 

Biden again says US would defend Taiwan if China attacks

US President Joe Biden has again said the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an "unprecedented attack" by China.

Speaking in a CBS interview, Mr Biden replied "Yes" when asked if that meant US forces would defend Taiwan.

The interview aired on Sunday, prompting the White House to reiterate that US policy had not changed.

Washington's policy has always been one of "strategic ambiguity" - it does not commit to defending Taiwan, but also does not rule out the option.

Taiwan is a self-ruled island off the coast of eastern China that Beijing claims as part of its territory. Washington has long walked a diplomatic tightrope over the issue. On the one hand it adheres to the One China policy, a cornerstone of its relationship with Beijing.

Under this policy, Taiwan is a part of China and the position is not challenged. So the US does not recognise it as a separate state and has no diplomatic ties with the island. But it maintains close relations and sells arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Mr Biden reiterated this in the CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday.

"There's a One-China policy and Taiwan makes their own judgements on their independence. We are not moving, not encouraging their being independent - that's their decision," he said.

Mr Biden had made similar comments in May, vowing to intervene militarily to defend Taiwan if it was attacked. The White House had quickly followed up by saying there was no departure from America's long-standing policy.

This time too the White House has issued a statement that appears to contradict Mr Biden: "The President has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn't changed. That remains true."

But this is the third time in a year that President Biden has gone further than the official stance in indicating a promise of military action - in October 2021 and then again in May this year.

more:  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62951347

----------


## HermantheGerman

^
That ole fool needs to shut the fu*k up.

----------


## Norton

> ^
> That ole fool needs to shut the fu*k up.


Why? Joe is simply stating what the US position has been for decades. Nothing new here. Note not just a US position on nations agreeing to the one China agreement.




> Under this policy, Taiwan is a part of China and the position is not challenged. So the US does not recognise it as a separate state and has no diplomatic ties with the island. But it maintains close relations and sells arms to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, which states that the US must provide the island with the means to defend itself.
> 
> Mr Biden reiterated this in the CBS 60 Minutes interview on Sunday.

----------


## harrybarracuda

He needs to keep the chinkies on their toes. It's a nice little "will he won't he" so all they'll do is their usual bluster.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden says he plans to run in 2024, but "it's just an intention"

President Biden said it's his intention to run for re-election, but it's "much too early" to make a "firm decision" on 2024.

*Why it matters:* Biden's comments during an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday evening mark a departure from previous remarks he and White House aides have made about the 2024 presidential election.

*Driving the news:* Biden told CBS' Scott Pelley in the "60 Minutes" interview filmed before he flew to the U.K. to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral that "a whole range of things come into play" if he's running for re-election, including election laws.


*"*My intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it's just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen," Biden said."I'm a great respecter of fate. And so, what I’m doing is I’m doing my job. I’m gonna do that job. And within the timeframe that makes sense after this next election cycle here, going into next year, make a judgment on what to do."

*The big picture:* During the wide-ranging interview, Biden said the "pandemic is over," vowed to "get control of inflation" and he again said American forces would defend Taiwan if China's military invaded the self-governing island — prompting the White House to stress that U.S. policy hasn't changed on the matter.


He also responded to a photo of top-secret documents strewn on the floor of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home during the FBI search of the Florida property by raising concerns that data may have been compromised and questioning how "anyone could be that irresponsible."

----------


## S Landreth

Biden says Russia 'shamelessly violated' U.N. principles in its invasion of Ukraine after Putin escalates conflict

President Joe Biden slammed Russias invasion of Ukraine as having shamelessly violated United Nations principles during a speech to the world body Wednesday, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to threaten to use nuclear weapons against Kyiv.

Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the U.N. charter  no more important than the clear prohibition against countries taking the territory of their neighbors by force, Biden told the U.N. General Assembly. If nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences, then we put at risk everything this very institution stands for.

In a roughly 30-minute speech, he said that the war in Ukraine was about extinguishing Ukraines right to exist as a state  and Ukraines right to exist as a people, calling out Putin for making irresponsible nuclear threats.

A nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought, Biden said in his speech.


 
_____________

Biden approves major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico

President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to assist with recovery efforts in the areas affected by the deadly Hurricane Fiona, the White House announced Wednesday evening.

Driving the news: Local officials told AP Wednesday they were having difficulty trying to reach stranded residents days after Fiona swept through, cutting off areas in "at least six municipalities" after triggering heavy rains, mudslides and flooding that destroyed bridges, roads and property.

*The big picture:* President Biden declared a federal disaster for Puerto Rico after Fiona struck, knocking out power to the entire island.


Gov. Pedro Pierluisi requested the major disaster declaration on Tuesday. He tweeted his thanks to Biden and Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell for the declaration, which he said would ensure towns had additional FEMA help to assist in storm damage recovery.

*What they're saying:* Criswell said at a briefing in Puerto Rico Wednesday after visiting affected areas that initial recovery efforts were about "stabilizing the incident and bringing the communities to a level that they can function," before moving into rebuilding infrastructure to be more resilient "so that they can withstand future impacts."


____________


House passes Jan. 6 election reform bill

House lawmakers on Wednesday voted to approve legislation crafted by two members of the Jan. 6 committee that seeks to protect elections from interference by lawmakers.

The Presidential Election Reform Act (PERA) reaffirms that the vice presidents role in certifying the election is purely ceremonial, and drastically increases the number of lawmakers in each chamber needed to object to the certification of electors from one member to one-third of the body.

It also targets other actions taken by former President Trump in the lead up to Jan. 6, making explicit the role governors play in the electoral process. The bill takes aim at the faux election certificates crafted by Trumps team and the pressure campaign in various states to replace their electors with those who would vote for then-President Trump.

The bill passed in a 229-203 vote, with nine Republicans joining all Democrats present in supporting the measure: Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), Fred Upton (Mich.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.), Peter Meijer (Mich.), Tom Rice (S.C.), John Katko (N.Y.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio) and Chris Jacobs (N.Y.).

During debate on the House floor Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.)  a sponsor of the bill and a member of the Jan. 6 select committee  said the legislation will make it harder to convince people that they have the right to overthrow the election.

Ultimately, this bill is about protecting the will of the American voters, which is a principle that is beyond partisanship. The bottom line is this  if you want to object to the vote, you better have your colleagues and the constitution on your side. Dont try to overturn our democracy, she added.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the second sponsor of the bill and one of two Republicans on the Jan. 6 panel, argued that the measure would prevent Congress from illegally choosing the president itself.

The bill drafted by Lofgren and Cheney may be the only formal legislation to come out of the committee.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-brief...n-reform-bill/

----------


## malmomike77

> President Biden said it's his intention to run for re-election, but it's "much too early" to make a "firm decision" on 2024.


if he wins will he be able to find the white house, he was having trouble finding his way off stage at the UN

----------


## S Landreth

> if he wins


If?  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden admin to cover Hurricane Fiona recovery costs for next month

President Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will cover 100% of costs for the next month as Puerto Rico recovers from Hurricane Fiona.

*Driving the news*: The move, which will surge federal resources, comes a day after Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Puerto Rico and ordered federal aid to assist with recovery efforts.


The costs that will be covered include debris removal, search and rescue, power and water restoration, shelter and food, the president said.

*What he's saying:* "We're laser-focused on what's happening to the people of Puerto Rico again," Biden said, noting that just five years ago, Hurricane Maria also devastated the island.

*The big picture:* Earlier this week, Hurricane Fiona knocked out power to hundreds of thousands in the Dominican Republic and the entire island of Puerto Rico, and has been linked to at least five deaths.


Gov. Pedro Pierluisi had requested the Biden administration declare Hurricane Fiona a major disaster Tuesday to unlock more federal aid.Puerto Rico's power grid was already fragile after being severely damaged during Hurricane Maria in 2017.While in office, former President Trump resisted giving Puerto Rico any more federal money for its recovery from Hurricane Maria, and the U.S. response has been widely recognized as inadequate.

*By the numbers:* Nearly a million people remained without power and nearly 359,000 had no running water or only intermittent service in the U.S. territory on Thursday, according to government data.

___________

*Just for fun.*


Coloradans would rather have a second term with President Joe Biden than a second term with Donald Trump, according to a FOX31/Channel 2/Emerson College/The Hill poll of likely voters.

Among all Colorado voters of all political persuasions, 36% said they would vote for Trump in a showdown between him and Biden. A plurality of 46%, however, said they would rather keep the incumbent Democrat. About 14% said they would rather have someone else, and 4% said they are still undecided.

Biden has better chances in Colorado because of his edge with independent voters.


 

 
https://kdvr.com/news/politics/elect...en-trump-2024/

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden Surprises Teary Elton John With National Humanities Medal at White House Concert

Sir Elton John was moved to tears as President Joe Biden surprised the enduring music icon with a National Humanities Medal.

John, at the White House on Friday to perform at A+E and Historys A Night When Hope and History Rhyme, looked visibly shocked and humbled as the president addressed the thousands in the audience. Tonight is my great honor, and I mean this sincerely, to present the National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John, Biden said.

A White House officer elaborated on Johns contributions, saying, The President of the United States awards this National Humanities Medal to Sir Elton John for moving our souls with his powerful voice, one of the defining songbooks of all time. An enduring icon and advocate with absolute courage, who found purpose to challenge convention, shatter stigma and advance a simple truth: that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

It was a bipartisan night on the South Lawn of the White House, which was packed with teachers, first responders, and veterans, as well as Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, former First Lady Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush Hager, Anna Kendrick, activist Malala Yousafzai and tennis legend Billie Jean King. Paul Buccieri, president and chairman of A+E Networks Group, opened the evening by welcoming the guests to the White House.

Over the course of the brisk evening, John received a total of seven standing ovations as he delighted the crowd with some of his biggest hits, including Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man, Your Song and Im Still Standing.

John spoke throughout the night about the advocacy and work hes done since creating the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1991, adding that he wants to eradicate the disease by 2030. We can do it, and we will, he said defiantly.

He also thanked George W. Bush, who was not in attendance, for his astonishing work to expedite the fight against HIV and AIDS. He addressed the former presidents wife, saying, President Bush accelerated the whole thing with his PEPFAR bill. We would have never gotten as far without President Bush  please tell him for me, give him a big hug. I just wish America could be more bipartisan on everything.

The AIDS epidemic, he mentioned earlier in the night, has always been bipartisan in America. I cant tell you how many times Ive rang [United States Senator] Lindsey Graham. And to his credit, hes always come through.

Past recipients of the National Humanities Medal, a recognition thats given to people whose work as deepens the nations understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans access to important resources in the humanities, include National Public Radio host Terry Gross, chef José Andrés and Elie Wiesel.

____________

Joe Biden Hits Another Year-High Approval Rating In New Poll, Thanks To Women

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden admin to cover Hurricane Fiona recovery costs for next month
> 
> President Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will cover 100% of costs for the next month as Puerto Rico recovers from Hurricane Fiona.


You mean he's not just going to go there and throw kitchen towels at them?

Imagine...

----------


## beachbound

> You mean he's not just going to go there and throw kitchen towels at them?
> 
> Imagine...


In his defense, Donny douche-bag was just practicing is jumpshot.

----------


## beachbound

Stephen Colberts newest nickname for Trump:

 The Count of Mostly Crisco.

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden administration to propose new rules for airline fees requiring more transparency

President Joe Biden plans to announce new rules on Monday that would require airlines and online travel agencies to disclose fees for seat selection, checked baggage and other add-ons along with fares, the administrations latest effort to bolster passenger protections after a rocky summer travel season.

Airlines charge travelers for a number of additional perks, which used to come with the cost of a ticket, including a fee for advanced selection for many seats on board, even those without extra legroom.

Airline passengers deserve to know the full, true cost of their flights before they buy a ticket, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release. This new proposed rule would require airlines to be transparent with customers about the fees they charge, which will help travelers make informed decisions and save money.

Carriers and online travel agencies have updated their websites in recent years to call out basic economy tickets, airlines most restrictive but cheaper fares. Airline executives have said they want passengers to avoid those tickets in favor of more flexible standard economy tickets.


 
___________


Biden quips he knows something about being counted out to World Series champs Atlanta Braves

President Biden hosted the Atlanta Braves, who won the 2021 World Series, at the White House on Monday, quipping that he also knows about being counted out.

Biden called Atlantas World Series win one of historys greatest turnarounds.

I know a little something about being counted out, and I know in Georgia, you show up when it counts, the president said.

The team gifted Biden a Braves jersey with the number 46, which the president held up and showed around the room before taking a photograph with the team.

 
_________

*Just for fun.*

----------


## S Landreth

Biden vows to save Social Security, Medicare but gives few details

President Joe Biden on Tuesday put the spotlight on Medicare and Social Security, hot button issues that could pack a political punch six weeks before the midterm elections.

His remarks at the White House were delivered days after the popular programs got little attention in House Republicans rollout of the agenda they promise to pursue if voters give them control in November.

Both Medicare and Social Security face long-run financing problems.

Democrats proposed solutions have generally focused on increasing taxes on higher income earners while also promising to expand benefits.

Republicans accuse Democrats of further straining Medicare through recent efforts to lower prescription drug costs. Many Republicans have backed raising the eligibility age for Medicare and the retirement age for Social Security as part of a plan to keep the programs solvent without hiking taxes.

*The latest*


Because the government is paying out more in monthly Social Security benefits than its collecting in taxes, its projected to run out of reserves to fully fund benefits in 2035. At that point, it would have enough money to cover 80% of benefits.The Medicare trust fund, which covers inpatient hospital services, will only be able to pay 90% of scheduled benefits after 2028.Biden initially planned to travel to the retirement haven of Florida to talk about Social Security and Medicare. With a hurricane heading toward Florida, Biden instead spoke at the White House.Biden accused Republicans of wanting to cut the programs without detailing his own past promise to fix the funding shortfalls. Instead, he focused on recent steps to reduce prescription drug costs for Medicare patients.Social Security and Medicare are consistently top issues for senior citizens who vote at higher rates than younger Americans.

Remarks by President Biden on Medicare and the Inflation Reduction Act - The White House

----------


## Little Chuchok



----------


## S Landreth

^"she was on his mind"  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

White House hosts first conference on hunger in decades: No child should go to bed hungry

The Biden administration on Wednesday hosted a conference on hunger, nutrition and health, the first such conference the White House has hosted in more than 50 years.

Speaking at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, President Biden called for the U.S. to build on the measures passed under his administration meant to improve financial security for families, such as the expanded child tax credit and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Biden also proclaimed his aim of ending hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

This goals within our reach. Lets look at how far weve come on child poverty. Thirty years ago, as was referenced, 1 in 4 children lived below the poverty line. Today, 1 in 20 live below the poverty line. So I know we can tackle hunger as well, said Biden.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the conference will seek to identify nutrition problems within the U.S. and map out immediate recommendations to address these issues. He stated that the food insecurity issues that former President Franklin D. Roosevelt once noted at a nutrition conference in 1941 are still relevant today.

The first White House conference on food and nutrition more than 50 years ago made significant progress towards reducing food insecurity. Today, USDA runs nutrition assistance programs that serve 1 in 4 Americans every year. However, food and nutrition insecurity still remains unacceptably high, Vilsack said.

Biden noted the efforts made during his term so far to improve the economy, such as the more than $1 trillion COVID-19 recovery package, which he said have helped to address food insecurity issues.

Soon after I came to office, I signed whats called the American Rescue Plan into law. It helped put food on the table and keep a roof over the heads of millions of American families. It helped our economy create nearly 10 million new jobs. Most jobs created in that time frame in American history, Biden said.

Overwhelmingly, working families use the child tax credit to buy food and other basic needs for their families. And has helped cut child poverty by nearly 50 percent in the United States. 50 percent. And it cut food insecurity for families by 26 percent.

The White Houses anti-hunger strategy released on Tuesday laid out numerous goals, including expanding free school meals for children by 9 million by the year 2032. The administration also announced the creation of a pilot program to test medically tailored meals for Medicare.

Biden called for a bipartisan effort to address hunger, saying, In every country in the world, every state in this country, no matter what else divides us  if a parent cannot feed a child, theres nothing else that matters to that parent. If you look at your child and you cant feed your child, what the hell else matters?

Recent data has suggested that rates of food insecurity rose recently in response to economic stressors and the end of some safety net programs.

A report from the Urban Institute this month found that 1 out of 5 U.S. adults said their households experienced food insecurity during this past summer. Almost 1 out of 4 parents or guardians in the same study reported that their households were food insecure.

__________


More Democrats want Biden to run in 2024; Harris top choice if he doesnt: poll

Next up in the new poll was Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who has recently drawn more 2024 rumors, with 13 percent.

Lower down on the list was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) with 8 percent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) with 7 percent, California Gov. Gavin Newsom with 6 percent and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) with 4 percent.

----------


## Little Chuchok

> ^"she was on his mind"


 :Smile: 
 :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden: FEMA's response to Hurricane Ian is reinforcing faith in government

President Joe Biden on Thursday praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its response to Hurricane Ian, telling the room full of FEMA workers that theyre restoring Americans faith in their government.

Biden stopped to speak to the workers after attending a FEMA briefing on the hurricanes devastation in Florida. He said over the past six to 10 years, faith in government institutions has been eroding.

You are reinforcing peoples faith in institutions, Biden said at the FEMA headquarters. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Restoring trust in government and its institutions has long been a pillar of the Bidens agenda, and was a focal point of his campaign for president as he challenged Donald Trump in 2020. During Bidens first year in office, he signed an executive order aimed at this priority, making it easier for Americans to renew passports, apply for Social Security and receive aid after facing natural disasters  the idea being to put public interest and customer service at the center of government operations.

The publics trust in government has remained low through much of the 21st Century. But the data is approaching a new all-time low, according to the latest research from Pew Research Center that found that just 20 percent of Americans feel that they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time.

During Thursdays speech, Biden thanked FEMA again and other federal employees for their emergency response.

Ive seen you in action all across the country from the West coast of the Northwest and the Northeast, down in Louisiana, all across this country, Biden said. And just in the last two weeks, youve been working 24/7. No matter what, when emergencies happen, FEMA is always there. You deserve the nations gratitude and full support.

Asked Thursday about his calls with GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Biden brushed off the divergent politics and rhetorical sparring between the two men that have escalated in recent weeks ahead of Novembers midterm elections. Already Biden has issued a disaster declaration in the state, which will provide Florida with federal aid to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in impacted areas. The president also said he will travel to Florida when conditions allow.

This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically. This is about saving peoples lives, homes and businesses, he said. Thats what this is about.




 
__________

*Just for fun.*


Big lawsuit against Biden's student debt cancellation gets shot down in less than a week

United States District Court Judge Richard L. Young on Thursday declined to block the Biden administration's student debt forgiveness plan.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday by Frank Garrison, an Indiana attorney who works for the Pacific Legal Foundation. Garrison said he did not want $20,000 worth of forgiven debt because he would have to pay more than $1,000 in Indiana state taxes.

One day later, on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education responded, saying Garrison would not suffer irreparable harm.

"Upon receiving this lawsuit and reviewing Plaintiffs filings, the Department has already taken steps to effectuate Plaintiffs clearly stated desire to opt out of the program and not receive $20,000 in automatic cancellation of his federal student loan debt, and so notified Plaintiffs counsel today," the Department of Education responded.

On Thursday, Judge Young agreed in an order denying a temporary restraining order, writing, "The court, in view of the fact the Department of Education exempted Plaintiff from receiving debt relief, finds Plaintiff cannot be irreparably harmed as is required for preliminary relief."

https://storage.courtlistener.com/re...03163.16.0.pdf

----------


## harrybarracuda

> "Upon receiving this lawsuit and reviewing Plaintiffs filings, the Department has already taken steps to effectuate Plaintiffs clearly stated desire to opt out of the program and not receive $20,000 in automatic cancellation of his federal student loan debt, and so notified Plaintiffs counsel today," the Department of Education responded.


Well haven't they made him look the dumb shit.

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden signs bill to honor Jackie Walorski

President Biden on Friday signed a bill to honor the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.), days after the president asked if the congresswoman, who died in an August vehicular accident, was in the room during an event this week.

The bill designates the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Mishawaka, Ind., as the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic. Biden signed it in a private ceremony with members of Walorskis family and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), according to the White House.

The president has been looking forward to hosting the late representatives family and other lawmakers to honor her legacy, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday. Clearly this is an important moment for her, for her family.

Walorskis husband, mother, brother and staff attended, as well as other lawmakers, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).


 
*_____________*


Biden watches Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson swearing in

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was welcomed there Friday with a traditional investiture ceremony attended by President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses.

 
*_____________*


Biden denounces Kremlins phony move to annex Ukrainian territory

President Joe Biden on Friday strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putins declaration that four provinces of Ukraine will become Russian territory based on referendums that took place this week.

The United States condemns Russias fraudulent attempt today to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory, Biden said in a statement. Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere.

Biden described Russias claims of annexation as phony and having no legitimacy. He also announced new sanctions that the U.S. and its allies will impose on Russia, including costs on individuals and entities both inside and outside of Russia that provide political or economic support to the annexation attempt.

We will rally the international community to both denounce these moves and to hold Russia accountable, Biden said. We will continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself, undeterred by Russias brazen effort to redraw the borders of its neighbor.

*_____________*

Biden marks fifth anniversary of Las Vegas shooting: May we resolve to turn our heartbreak into action 

President Biden called for additional gun control legislation on Saturday, as he marked the fifth anniversary of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

Jill and I mourn with all those who lost a piece of their soul on October 1st, 2017, Biden said in a press release. May God bless those taken from us and comfort the loved ones of the fallen. And may we resolve to turn our heartbreak into action.

The shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas remains the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, with 60 people killed and hundreds more injured.

From the Nevada desert, we heard the same cry that weve heard in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, Charleston, Parkland, Uvalde, Buffalo, and too many neighborhoods to count: Do something, Biden added. And, my Administration has been working tirelessly to heed that call.

Sunday shows preview: Florida, Carolinas begin recovery after Hurricane Ian; Putin annexes 4 Ukraine regions
United Airlines cutting 12 routes from several major air hubs
In June, Biden signed into law the countrys first major gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. The law came just weeks after a spate of deadly mass shootings, including a shooting at a Uvalde elementary school that left 19 children dead.

Biden said on Saturday that he is determined to push for more gun control legislation, including bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Weve done it before, and we can do it again, he said. The memories of the victims demand nothing less.

__________

*Just for fun*

Most registered voters say Trump shouldnt be allowed to serve a second term

With several investigations into Trumps conduct ramping up, 51 percent of registered voters say that the allegations of wrongdoing are enough to preclude the former president from launching another campaign.

In comparison, just 35 percent of respondents believe that he should be able to run again.

The poll was conducted immediately after New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a sweeping $250 million lawsuit against Trump, his family business and three of his children, alleging that they used false financial statements to mislead investors.

----------


## Cujo

The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.


Why don't you just stop whining and block him?

Your regular bleating is more annoying than any of his posts.

----------


## Cujo

The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.


Easily solved with the block button. You look stupid just moaning about it.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to visit hurricane-ravaged Florida and Puerto Rico

President Joe Biden will travel to Florida and Puerto Rico next week to survey storm damage and meet with officials and residents after hurricanes battered both regions within a 10-day span.

The White House announced Bidens travel plans on Saturday after he made clear his intentions to visit both destinations earlier this week. The president and first lady Jill Biden will visit Puerto Rico on Monday and then Florida on Wednesday, the White House said. Biden spoke on Friday about the recovery efforts underway.

Its not just a crisis for Florida. This is an American crisis. Were all in this together, Biden said in remarks. I just want the people of Florida to know: We see what youre going through and were with you.

Hurricane Ian devastated parts of Florida after making landfall on Wednesday. Theres a growing fear that search and rescue efforts will reveal a staggering death count as rescue teams continue to look for people trapped by flood waters. Ian has killed at least 44 people, according to reports from the states medical examiners.

More than 1.1 million homes and businesses were still without power on Saturday. The state, with the support of federal and local responders, had performed more than 700 rescues, Florida officials said Friday. More than 1,300 search and rescue workers were looking for survivors on Saturday, officials said, including five teams from out of state.

Were just beginning to see the scale of that destruction. Its likely to rank among the worst in the nations history, Biden said Friday. You have all seen on television homes and property wiped out. Its going to take months, years to rebuild. Our hearts go out to all those folks whose lives have been devastated by the storm. Americas heart is literally breaking.

The recovery efforts around Hurricane Ian have also threatened to overshadow the devastation wrought on Puerto Rico by Hurricane Fiona. That hurricane, which struck the island two weeks ago, has left more than 200,000 people still without power.

The Biden administration has faced criticism from community and nonprofit leaders on the ground, including frustrations that the federal government did not initially cover all of Puerto Rico in the presidents disaster declaration, as well as the slow transfer of federal aid to communities facing catastrophic flooding.

Some Puerto Ricans fear their recovery will become further stalled as the federal government turns its resources and attention to the destruction caused by Ian. Speaking at FEMA on Thursday, Biden said he remains focused on the recovery of the island, and he repeated his commitment to Puerto Rico on Friday.

Were going to stay with it, stay at it, for as long as it takes, Biden said.

___________


Biden to announce $60M to bolster flood protections in Puerto Rico

President Joe Biden will visit the hard-hit Ponce region of Puerto Rico on Monday and announce more than $60 million in funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law to build up the islands defenses against future storms.

The funding will aim to shore up levees, strengthen flood walls and create a new flood warning system to better prepare Puerto Rico for future storms, according to a White House official.

At least 25 deaths have been linked to Hurricane Fiona, which hit the island Sept. 18.

The president and first lady Jill Biden will visit the municipality of Ponce, which was one of the regions most devastated when Hurricane Fiona dropped 20 to 30 inches in the southern and southwestern parts of the island. About 14 percent of customers in Ponce had not had their power restored as of Sunday evening, according to LUMA Energy, the private company managing the islands power grid.

LUMA said 92 percent of its 1.5 million customers on the island have had their power restored although residents in restored areas report the power continues to cut in and out. The biggest ongoing power loss remains in the Mayagüez region, where 32 percent of customers were without power as of Sunday evening.

Mayagüez and Ponce are not expected to be fully restored until Tuesday through Thursday.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will join the president, who will be briefed on ongoing recovery efforts.

The Biden administration released $1.3 billion for Puerto Rico to protect against future disasters in February 2021 and removed onerous restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on the islands ability to access nearly $5 billion in additional funds, including for reconstruction and recovery after Hurricane Maria, according to the official.

Activists have criticized the Biden administration for not initially including all of Puerto Rico in President Joe Bidens declaration of a major disaster, as well as what they say was a slow flow of federal aid to communities that experienced catastrophic flooding. But they also have praised the Biden administration for some of its pre-storm preparation and mobilization for Fiona compared to the response of the Trump administration to Maria, which caused an estimated 2,975 deaths in the weeks after the 2017 storm made landfall on the island.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden in Puerto Rico: 'We'''re going to make sure you get every single dollar promised'

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell are visiting Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Monday  weeks after Hurricane Fiona ravaged the US territory.

In Puerto Rico, Biden received a briefing on the storm and met with individuals who have been impacted. He also announced $60 million in funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law to shore up levees and flood walls, and to create a new flood warning system to help residents better prepare for future storms.

We have to ensure that when the next hurricane strikes, Puerto Rico is ready, Biden said during his remarks at the Port of Ponce.

Biden hailed the people of Puerto Rico for their resilience and promised that as long as hes president, the federal government is not leaving until every single thing we can do is done.

Hurricane Fiona, Biden said, has been an all too familiar nightmare for Puerto Ricans who survived Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Through these disasters so many people have been displaced from their homes, lost their jobs and savings or suffered injuries  often unseen but many times seen  but somehow, the people of Puerto Rico keep getting back up with resilience and determination, he remarked.

You deserve every bit of help your country can give you. Thats what Im determined to do and thats what I promise you, the President continued. After Maria, Congress approved billions of dollars to Puerto Rico, much of it not having gotten here initially. Were going to make sure you get every single dollar promised.



 
______________

 

Bidens trip to Puerto Rico rekindles memories of Trumps

Those in attendance could be forgiven if they were suffering, in that moment, from a bout of deja vu: Five years ago to the day, then-President Donald Trump had visited the island, too. He was there to survey the damage done by Hurricane Maria amid a heightening rift with the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz, who had grown increasingly frustrated and critical with his hurricane response.

Instead of an indoor basketball court, Trump went to a makeshift supply center at Calvary Chapel. While he took the time to hand out supplies, he also decided to shoot paper towels, as if he were the presidential incarnation of Steph Curry and the arms of the needy in front of him were an inviting basketball net.

Theres a lot of love in this room, Trump declared thereafter. He gave his team an A+ grade.

On Monday, there was no paper towel shot-putting. No grade giving either.

______________

Why Biden world isnt overly worried about House GOP investigations

Congressional Republicans are talking more openly about their desire to investigate every aspect of the Biden administration  and family  should they regain control of one or both houses of Congress.

Inside Biden world, aides and allies arent entirely displeased with the chatter.

There is a growing confidence in the White House that the House Republicans clamoring for a hodgepodge of investigations will overreach  and that their attempts will backfire politically, with key voters recoiling at blatant partisan rancor. Officials believe they can use GOP efforts to their political advantage heading into the 2024 cycle, betting a pro-Trump Republican conference fixated on Biden will elevate ultra-MAGA Republicans and provide a useful foil for Biden, allowing him to draw sharp contrasts between his governing and their obfuscating.

Their sense for what will resonate with middle-of-the-road folks [is wrong]. Its not going to be the kind of extremist performance that these hearings will likely end up being, one White House ally said. It might make the base feel good, and its going to give [Republican Reps.] Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene something awesome to say on their live stream, but its not going to be what convinces suburban women in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

The GOPs investigative wish list is long, and it runs the gamut. But members have made it clear they believe digging into the business dealings of the presidents son, Hunter Biden, is at the top of the agenda  hoping it may yield a smoking gun on President Joe Biden. Also ranking high, a coronavirus origins probe that would put Anthony Fauci in the hot seat and a multi-committee dive into the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last year that sparked bipartisan criticism.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden - Congrats @TheJudge44 on home run 62. History made, more history to make.: https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1577462671582134272

___________

Biden speaks at reproductive rights taskforce meeting


 

Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at the Second Meeting of the Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access

_So it is important for everyone to know what is at stake.  To stop and reverse these attacks on women, we need to pass such a national law.  And so we need the American people to make their voices heard and take a stand on the right of all women to exercise their choice, to have access to reproductive healthcare._

_And Ill close by mentioning that, as we know, Justice Clarence Thomas said the quiet part out loud in terms of the other rights that are also now at stake, such as access to contraception and same-sex marriage, marriage equality._

___________


Indian-Origin Dr Vivek Murthy Is US Representative On WHO Executive Board

Biden Confirms US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy To Join WHO Executive Board

US President Joe Biden nominated Dr Vivek Murthy to serve as America's representative on the executive board of the World Health Organization.

Dr Murthy will serve in the new position alongside his continued duties as the Surgeon General, the White House said in a statement.

He was confirmed by the US Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the country. He previously served as the 19th Surgeon General under President Barack Obama.

As the nation's doctor, the Surgeon General's mission is to help lay the foundation for a healthier country, relying on the best scientific information available to provide clear, consistent and equitable guidance and resources for the public.

"While serving as the 21st Surgeon General, Dr Murthy is focused on drawing attention to and working across government to address a number of critical public health issues, including the growing proliferation of health misinformation, the ongoing youth mental health crisis, well-being and burnout in the health worker community, and social isolation and loneliness," said the White House.

As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr Murthy also commands a uniformed service of over 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations.

"The first Surgeon General of Indian descent, Dr Murthy, was raised in Miami and is a graduate of Harvard, the Yale School of Medicine, and the Yale School of Management. A renowned physician, research scientist, entrepreneur and author, he lives in Washington, DC with his wife Dr Alice Chen, and their two children," the White House said.

 
_____________


Biden tells Al Sharpton he will run for president again in 2024

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## S Landreth

Biden, DeSantis project unity in response to Hurricane Ian

President Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) put their political rivalry on hold Wednesday as the two toured damage from Hurricane Ian and projected a sense of unity in vowing to help the hardest-hit parts of the state rebuild.

Today we have one job and only one job. That is to make sure the people of Florida get everything they need to fully recover, Biden said in prepared remarks as DeSantis stood behind him.

Asked about DeSantiss response to the storm, Biden told reporters: I think hes done a good job. We have very different political philosophies, but weve worked hand in glove.

Biden and DeSantis emphasized the cooperation between the federal government and state and local officials, highlighting emergency declarations and the allocation of federal resources that allowed for a prompt response to the storm before it even made landfall.

We were very fortunate to have good coordination with the White House and FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] from the very beginning of this, DeSantis said.

The two men were in Fort Myers, one of the areas that sustained the most damage when Hurricane Ian made landfall last week as a Category 4 storm that destroyed homes and left millions without power. State and local officials warned rebuilding would be a years-long process in some areas.

Biden received a briefing on the response and recovery efforts from DeSantis and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and met with residents and small-business owners impacted by the storm. Biden also met with Florida Sens. Rick Scott (R) and Marco Rubio (R), as well as Rep. Byron Donalds (R).

Before arriving, Biden issued an amended disaster declaration that doubled the eligibility window for fully covered federal aid from 30 days to 60 days. In his remarks, he spoke about federal aid to provide temporary housing, insurance assistance, food, water and other critical supplies.

DeSantis, meanwhile, repeatedly thanked the federal government as a whole for cutting through red tape to expedite assistance before, during and after the storm made landfall.

The White House has downplayed any tension between Biden and DeSantis or whether other political disagreements would overshadow the meeting on Wednesday, wary of shifting attention away from the hurricane response. The president last week called their political rivalry irrelevant during the emergency.

The two leaders have spoken multiple times on the phone over the past week about Hurricane Ian. Wednesday was also not the first time the two leaders have been in person together. Biden and DeSantis met in July 2021 after the deadly condo collapse in Surfside, Fla., that killed roughly 100 people.

Biden and DeSantis could face one another in a potential 2024 presidential election. DeSantis is seen as a contender should he run for his partys nomination, although former President Trumps plans could be a factor in the Florida governors decision.

DeSantis, who is up for reelection to a second term in November, has raised his national profile recently and leaned into culture war issues last month by flying migrants from Texas to Marthas Vineyard, Mass.

Scott and Rubio are two other Republicans who are at odds with the Biden administration. Scott, the chief of the Senate GOPs campaign team, has been bashed by Biden over his tax plan and has been a consistent foil for Biden in speeches. Rubio, who is up for reelection this year, has criticized the administration on its handling of multiple issues, from immigration to abortion rights.

DeSantis, Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and Floridas first lady Casey DeSantis all greeted each other with handshakes.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) felt the ire of Republicans in 2012 after photographers captured pictures of him shaking hands with then-President Obama, who put his hand on the governors shoulder. The former governor was repeatedly put on the defensive during the 2016 GOP presidential primary for embracing Obama.

Biden earlier this week visited Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Fiona, a visit that was compared with former President Trumps visit to the U.S. territory after the devastation from Hurricane Maria in 2017.

The president sought to contrast his support for Puerto Rico with the Trump administrations response and has emphasized that he has the plight of Puerto Rico in mind even as much of the nations attention has shifted to Florida and damage from Hurricane Ian.

____________


NPR poll: Biden's approval rating up

With just over a month to go in the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats are starting to rally around President Biden, according to the latest NPR/Marist poll.

Biden's approval rating is up to 44%, which marks a third straight month of improvement. He had bottomed out in July at about 36%. Democrats are also largely keeping pace with Republicans on enthusiasm about the elections this fall, a continued trend after the Supreme Court's June Dobbs decision, which overturned the guaranteed right to an abortion in this country.

_____________

*Extra*

DeSantis

----------


## panama hat

What a difference a man makes

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## S Landreth

Biden touts recent IBM, Micron investments amid broader economic concerns

Biden was in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Thursday to celebrate a planned $20 billion investment from IBM over the next decade to boost research and development initiatives and semiconductor manufacturing.

The IBM announcement came on the heels of Micron, another semiconductor manufacturer, unveiling plans to spend $100 billion on a new facility near Syracuse, N.Y. Micron previously announced a major investment in its Boise, Idaho, campus.

And Biden visited Ohio last month to highlight a groundbreaking for a new Intel facility.

As we saw during the pandemic, when factories that make these chips shut down around the world, the global economy literally comes to a screeching halt, Biden said Thursday.

More Americans have learned the phrase supply chain, he added. Well guess what. The supply chain is going to start here and end here, in the United States.

Those investments aim to restore microchip manufacturing to the U.S. over the next decade after companies outsourced production to Asian countries. Biden noted that car prices skyrocketed in recent years due to a shortage of chips, which are also used in smartphones, appliances and weapon systems. 

The IBM announcement is the latest economic win for the White House since the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, which passed with bipartisan support and included more than $50 billion in incentives for manufacturers to build domestic semiconductor plants. It also included more than $80 billion for the National Science Foundation to support innovation and research.

_____________


Biden to pardon all federal offenses of simple marijuana possession

President Biden will pardon everyone who has been convicted of simple possession of marijuana under federal law, the White House announced Thursday.

There are thousands of people who have prior federal convictions for marijuana possession, who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result.  My action will help relieve the collateral consequences arising from these convictions, Biden said in a statement.

The pardons will also include people who have been convicted of simple possession in the District of Columbia.

The announcement represents the most significant action on marijuana the Biden administration has taken to date  and a major step towards decriminalization.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law, even as states have moved toward legal use for recreational and medical purposes.

As a candidate, Biden stopped short of endorsing legalization of recreational marijuana, but he supported moving towards decriminalization.

Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. Its time that we right these wrongs, he said in a video announcing the move.

_____________


Biden: Putin could escalate "prospect of Armageddon" with nuclear weapons

President Biden warned Thursday that the Russian invasion of Ukraine invites the highest nuclear "prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis."

*Why it matters:* Kremlin officials hinted at using nuclear weapons ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin signing laws Wednesday claiming the annexation of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk into Russia, vowing to defend the Ukrainian regions as Russian territory.


Russian forces do not fully control any of those four regions and have suffered a series of major setbacks eight months into the invasion, as Ukraine's military advances in the country's south and northeast.Biden's comments come after Russian forces fired seven missiles into residential buildings on Thursday in the city of Zaporizhzhia  home to Europe's largest nuclear power station.

*Details:* "Putin is "not joking when he talks about potential use of tactical nuclear weapons or biological or chemical weapons because his military is, you might say, significantly underperforming," Biden said at a fundraiser Thursday.


"We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis," he added."First time since the Cuban missile crisis, we have a direct threat of the use nuclear weapon if in fact things continue down the path they are going.""I'm trying to figure out what is Putin's off ramp?" he said. "Where does he find a way out? Where does he find himself in a position that he does not not only lose face but lose significant power within Russia?"

_"I don't think there's any such thing as the ability to easily [use] a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon."_

*What they're saying:* Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Biden's comments were "an appeal to start yet another world war with unpredictable, monstrous consequences," according to the Russian state-owned RIA news agency.

*Worth noting:* White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday the U.S. had "not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture, nor do we have indication that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons."


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier Thursday Putin "understands that after the use of nuclear weapons he would be unable any more to preserve, so to speak, his life, and I'm confident of that."

*The big picture:* As Zelensky spoke of Ukrainian forces recapturing dozens of settlements and roughly 195 square miles in the southern Kherson region and "successes in the eastern direction" since the start of October, a key Russian-installed leader in Ukraine publicly criticized "generals and ministers" in Moscow Thursday.


Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson region, suggested in a video address that Putin's defense minister "should consider killing himself" due to military failures in Ukraine, Reuters notes.

*Meanwhile,* hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled to neighboring countries since Putin issued a mobilization order and Alaskan officials said Thursday two had requested asylum in the U.S. after arriving in the state by boat.

*What we're watching:* The Biden administration announced this week a new $625 million security assistance package for Ukraine, which last week announced it was accelerating its bid to join NATO.

https://www.axios.com/2022/10/07/bid...ine-armageddon

----------


## russellsimpson

> Biden tells Al Sharpton he will run for president again in 2024


Please no. 






> The problem with these fucking Landreth spam threads is there's so much Landreth spam it doesn't leave room for members to discuss and whatever discussion there is gets buried under all the Landreth spam.


Totally. Please someone start a Biden Part 2 thread.

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## S Landreth

Florida mayor not offended by Biden’s ‘salty language’ on live microphone

----------


## russellsimpson

:Sleeping:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden administration has reunited 500 families separated under Trump

The Biden administration has reunited 500 children separated from their parents under the Trump White Houses zero tolerance border policy, an official told The Hill Friday.

The benchmark follows nearly two years of steady work by the Biden administration, which tasked itself with reuniting an estimated more than 1,000 children who remained separated from their parents due to the 2018 Trump policy.

Five hundred is a really important milestone. Obviously, the first step for these families is that physical reunification and going through that process, Michelle Brané, executive director of the administrations Family Reunification Task Force, told The Hill.

Those are 500 individual children that are now with their parents.

The Biden administration launched its family reunification task force weeks into taking office, pledging to contact the parents, many of whom are outside the U.S. and may no longer reside in their home country.

Outrage over the policy pushed Trump to suspend it, but not before separating more than 5,000 children from their parents.

Brané said the task force still has nearly 700 children it is still trying to reunify with their parents.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Biden's comments were "an appeal to start yet another world war with unpredictable, monstrous consequences," according to the Russian state-owned RIA news agency.


It seems that most of what Joe has to say has to be 'clarified' these days. Fortunately the Russians and Chinese understand this otherwise we might have a major conflagration by now...................the silly old fool. He's defintely leading America down the path of destruction.  I hope to hell he doesn't seek another term, it may be in the end of us all.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden signs executive order on EU-U.S. data privacy agreement

U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday that would limit the ability of American national security agencies to access peoples personal information as part of a transatlantic data sharing agreement with the European Union.

The decree follows lengthy negotiations between the United States and the EU after the blocs highest court ruled in 2020 that Washington did not sufficiently protect Europes data when it was transferred across the Atlantic. The judges concerns focused on how U.S. surveillance programs did not have proper measures for European citizens to address how the government collected their data.

The order will create a new body within the U.S. Department of Justice that will oversee how American national security agencies are able to access and use information from both European and U.S. citizens. It will also give new powers to the civil liberties protection officials within the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, a body that oversees agencies work, to investigate possible breaches of peoples privacy rights.

When it is established, the so-called Data Protection Review Court within the Department of Justice will allow people to file lawsuits via a so-called special advocate to challenge how their data is used by these agencies, marking a potentially significant limit to how the likes of the National Security Agency operate.

The courts decisions are intended to be independent and binding, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a briefing Thursday.

These commitments fully address the Court of Justice of the European Unions 2020 Schrems II decision and will cover personal data transfers to the United States under EU law, Raimondo told reporters.

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## S Landreth

Joe Biden Ribs Republicans With Deadpan Response To 'Socialist' Slam

President Joe Biden on Friday mocked conservative Republicans who previously slammed his infrastructure program as socialist and voted against it  but who have since asked his administration for grants from it.

I didnt know there were that many socialist Republicans, Biden deadpanned during a speech at a Volvo automobile plant in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The president, citing a CNN report from this week, noted how Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) were among numerous Republicans who had lambasted the program in public but then requested cash to fund projects in their states.

Folks, look, you cant make this stuff up. Youve got to say, and Ive got to say, I was surprised to see so many socialists in the Republican caucus, Biden cracked.

____________

*Just for fun*.


Wisconsin lawsuit targeting Biden's student debt relief plan tossed

Judge tosses Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty lawsuit challenging Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

A federal district judge on Thursday tossed a conservative legal group's lawsuit challenging President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty sued Biden and U.S. Education Department officials earlier this week, arguing that the plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for millions of borrowers was illegal executive overreach.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> 


I'm glad you're starting to realise the effects your posts have on people.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) ... among numerous Republicans who had lambasted the program in public but then requested cash to fund projects in their states.


Since he's a particular arsehole about blocking spending even when it's desperately needed, it's good to embarrass him.

----------


## russellsimpson

> I'm glad you're starting to realise the effects your posts have on people.



I realized that many a decade prior. 

I put it down to the fact that we probably reside on different _planets_ but haven't the consciousness to realize it yet..
or something to that effect. :rolleyes4:

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden praises U.S. jobs data, but seeks stable growth

President Joe Biden hailed new job numbers Friday, saying the slowdown in job growth shows the United States is transitioning to more stable growth, although he warns that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Americas employers slowed their hiring in September but still added 263,000 jobs, a solid figure that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to keep raising interest rates aggressively to fight persistently high inflation.

Fridays government report showed that hiring fell from 315,000 in August to the weakest monthly gain since April 2021. The unemployment rate dropped from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent, matching a half-century low.

The president also used his speech at a Volvo manufacturing plant in Maryland to slam Republicans who had voted against his infrastructure plan, declaring it socialism, but are now seeking funds under the bill for their districts.

I didnt know that many socialist Republicans, he told the audience.

_____________


Biden Heads for the Midterms with Ten Million New Jobs

With the September jobs report in hand, theres only one more employment update left before the midterms. The October report will be released on Friday, November 4thjust four days before the polls open. Yes, there is a possibility of a last-minute surprise, but, based on what we know today, the Democrats and Joe Biden can go to the voters and make a very strong case: since his January, 2021, Inauguration, the American economy has created ten million jobs.

Last month, according to the Labor Departments payroll survey, over-all employment rose by two hundred and sixty-three thousand. While that figure was lower than the three hundred and fifteen thousand increase during August, it still represents healthy job growth in an economy where the unemployment rate now stands at just 3.5 per centtying the lowest figure for the past half a century. The U.S. economy has added, on average, half a million jobs per month since Biden took office. White House officials were quick to point out that this pace of job growth is unprecedented for the first half-term of a Presidency.

Even though there are still deeply rooted racial and educational fissures in the labor market, the jobs gains over the past twenty months have been widely spread. When Donald Trump left office, the unemployment rate among Hispanics was 8.6 per cent: last month, it hit an all-time low of 3.8 per cent. During the same period, the Black jobless rate has fallen from 9.2 per cent to 5.8 per cent. (The white unemployment rate is now 3.1 per cent.)

----------


## russellsimpson

_getting back to Biden,
_
I'm starting to wonder who is in charge at the State Department.. Whoever it is, they have _imo_ done a masterfully stupid job. We may be on the verge of witnessing the collapse of the American Empire _diplomatically_ speaking.  Nucleur war is, unfortunately, not off the table. :Crucified:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden administration imposes limits on semiconductor exports to China

The Biden administration on Friday announced new export restrictions aimed at hobbling China's ability to make advanced semiconductors, escalating the tech conflict between the world's two biggest economies.

*Why it matters:* The move is expected to reshape the interplay between American and foreign chipmakers, potentially undermining China while also heightening the risk of a countermove.

*The big picture:* The decision reflects the increasing concern in the U.S. that China is using American technology to advance its military ambitions.


Advanced chips are viewed as crucial to China's development of new weapons, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported."This will set the Chinese back years," Jim Lewis, a technology and cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Reuters.

*Zoom in:* In the U.S., the export limits could hurt companies that previously relied on sales to China, though such relationships have become politically fraught in recent years.


The imposition of restrictions "remains a key risk" to wafer fab equipment production in the U.S., Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya said Friday in a research note.The VanEck Semiconductor ETF, which seeks to track the performance of 25 large semiconductor companies, was down more than 5% on Friday afternoon. Part of that drop, however, was attributable to disappointing preliminary third-quarter results from Advanced Micro Devices, which warned of weakening demand for PCs.

*What they're saying:* "We are assessing the impact of the new export controls on the U.S. semiconductor industry and working with our member companies and the U.S. government to ensure compliance," the Semiconductor Industry Association said in a statement.


"We understand the goal of ensuring national security and urge the U.S. government to implement the rules in a targeted way  and in collaboration with international partners  to help level the playing field and mitigate unintended harm to U.S. innovation.

*The other side:* "What the U.S. is doing is purely sci-tech hegemony,'" Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told the Journal. "It seeks to use its technological prowess as an advantage to hobble and suppress the development of emerging markets and developing countries," including China.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden vows continued aid to Ukraine in call after Russian strikes

President Biden on Monday spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to condemn the Russian militarys missile strikes in Kyiv and nine other Ukrainian cities while pledging continued U.S. support for the country.

Biden expressed his condemnation of Russias missile strikes across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, and conveyed his condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured in these senseless attacks, the White House said in a readout of the call.

Biden also pledged to continue providing support to Ukraine for the country to defend itself amid Russias invasion, including advanced air defense systems.

He also underscored his ongoing engagement with allies and partners to continue imposing costs on Russia, holding Russia accountable for its war crimes and atrocities, and providing Ukraine with security, economic, and humanitarian assistance, according to the White House.

Zelensky said that the two leaders had a productive conversation.

Air defense is currently the number 1 priority in our defense cooperation. We also need US leadership with the G7s tough stance and with support for our UN GA resolution, Zelensky said in a statement on Twitter.

The Ukrainian president is set to address the Group of Seven (G-7) nations in an emergency meeting following the Russian strikes.

Congress has passed more than $53 billion in security, economic and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine this year. Last month, $12.3 billion in security and financial assistance to the country was included in the continuing resolution to fund the government through Dec. 16.

___________


Biden brokers breakthrough maritime deal between Israel and Lebanon

The Biden administration has successfully brokered a deal between warring states Israel and Lebanon delineating maritime borders, allowing gas extraction from a key field in the eastern Mediterranean.

Amos Hochstein, the State Departments senior adviser for energy security, brokered the deal over a year of negotiations, shuttling between Israel and Lebanon on text that satisfied both countries economic and security needs.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Tuesday said that Israel and Lebanon had reached a historic agreement

Tomorrow I will assemble the political-security cabinet followed by a government meeting. The draft agreement fully complies with the principles presented by Israel in the security and economic fields, he tweeted.

This is a historic achievement that will strengthen Israels security, bring billions into Israels economy and ensure stability on the northern border.

The information office of Lebanese President Michel Aoun had earlier tweeted that the final version of the agreement presented by Hochstein satisfies Lebanon, meets its demands and preserves its right to its natural wealth.

The tweet by the Lebanese president followed a statement published early Tuesday from the head of Israels National Security Council, Eyal Hulata, who said that All our demands have been met, the changes we demanded have been fixed. We have preserved Israels security interests.

Both Israeli and Lebanese officials had signaled optimism in completing the talks. A formal announcement and signing ceremony is reportedly expected for October 20.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Bless him:

"Two words: Made In America"

 :Smile:

----------


## panama hat

> We may be on the verge of witnessing the collapse of the American Empire diplomatically speaking


Possibly just wishful thinking on your part.  Whether you like it or not, the world is split into several spheres of influence and the US leads the largest and most influential with China leading themselves an a Pacific island or two with Russia trying desperately not to see the ex-Soviet allies all run away while cementing their place as the pariah state of the world.

----------


## aging one

^ When you can't spell nuclear you have a problem. Remember it's Russell.

----------


## cyrille

> It seems that most of what Joe has to say has to be 'clarified' these days...................the silly old fool.


 :smiley laughing: 

Projection gone wild.

He certainly looked ridiculous talking tough about MBS being a pariah and then fist bumping with him weeks later, though. 

Some bunch of clowns involved in coordinating _that_ visit on the US side, for sure.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden says he 'can beat' former US president Donald Trump again 

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday voiced confidence that he could beat his predecessor Donald Trump in a 2024 rematch  even as he acknowledged the country could sink back into recession under his leadership.

The 79-year-old Democrat was asked if hed be announcing a run for a second term after Novembers midterm elections  and if Trump would be a factor in his decision.

I believe I can beat Donald Trump again, Biden responded, although he stopped short of confirming another tilt at the Oval Office in 2024.

Biden defeated Trump in both the state-by-state electoral college and the popular vote in 2020  leading to relentless false claims of widespread voter fraud from the defeated president.

Biden indicated to reporters at a NATO summit in March that he would be happy for Trump to be his opponent again.

________________


White House releases preview of student debt relief application

The White House has released a preview of what the student debt relief application looks like as the site is expected to drop this month for borrowers.

In a Twitter post, the administration previewed what the application looks like if a person is applying on their phone, showing a relatively simple process for borrowers.


 
Borrowers will have to provide their name, Social Security number, date of birth, phone number and email address in the application.

They will then have to agree to terms and conditions that include providing financial documents if the Department of Education requests them, understanding relief will not be given if they dont qualify or dont apply before March 31, 2024, and affirming they meet the qualifications for the relief.

The end of the application includes a box that individuals have to check to certify under penalty of perjury that all the information provided is correct and there are legal repercussions if information is falsified.

After an individual provides that information and agrees to the terms, all they have to do is submit the application. The application will be available over the phone and published in both English and Spanish.

No financial documents or Federal Student Aid ID will be needed for the initial application, although the department can request further information after its review of an individuals situation.

Federal Student Aid will review applications to check eligibility and work with loan servicers to process relief, according to the White House.

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/statu...64437749530624

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> US President Joe Biden on Tuesday voiced confidence that he could beat his predecessor Donald Trump in a 2024 rematch — even as he acknowledged the country could sink back into recession under his leadership.


IMO neither Biden or trump  will be running for president  2024. 
But Biden will keep the possibility of a run as long as he can as not to be a lame duck, and trump to keep his fund raising for as long as possible to finance his legal difficulties.

----------


## malmomike77

> IMO neither Biden or trump will be running for president 2024.


Money on that BB?  :Smile:

----------


## russellsimpson

> Possibly just wishful thinking on your part.


I did specify my comments with 'diplomatically speaking' PH. I take no particular joy in watching a meltdown in the State Department.  I always appreciate your point of view and agree on most things.





> When you can't spell nuclear you have a problem. Remember it's Russell.


Whatever the hell that means mr. rapidly aging one. :smiley laughing: 

And remember old guy,

Never trust a fart....

----------


## S Landreth

Biden touts planned $4.4B battery plant in Ohio

President Biden on Tuesday touted the plans for Honda to build a joint-venture battery factory in Ohio, saying new investments are part of the backbone of his economic agenda.

Just as my CHIPS and Science Act is spurring record investments in communities across the country, my Inflation Reduction Act is driving a manufacturing boom for electric vehicles. This has been the backbone of my economic plan: America is leading the world again, rebuilding our supply chains, infrastructure, and manufacturing here at home, Biden said in a statement.

Honda will team up with LG Energy Solution of South Korea to build the $3.5 billion battery factory as a joint-venture southern Ohio. The factory is expected to employ 2,200 people.

Additionally, Honda announced it will invest $700 million and add 300 jobs to three of its Ohio factories so they can start manufacturing electric vehicles.

The president last month visited the groundbreaking of a new Intel factory in Ohio and also tied the investment directly to the CHIPS Act, which he signed into law last month to boost investments in semiconductor chips.

As I said at the groundbreaking of Intels Ohio factory last month: its time to bury the label Rust Belt,  he said.

Biden last month suggested the area that includes the new Ohio factory should be called the Silicon Heartland instead of the Rust Belt.

_____________


Biden Cracks Down On Misclassification Of Workers As Independent Contractors

The Biden administration introduced a new regulation Tuesday that would make it harder for employers to misclassify workers as independent contractors to avoid minimum wage and overtime laws.

The proposal from the White House would replace an earlier, more business-friendly rule created by the Trump administration that set looser guidelines around who could be considered a contractor in the workplace. Labor Department officials said the previous administrations rule increased the likelihood of workers being exploited.

Employers often mislabel their workers as contractors in order to evade workplace laws or shift certain costs of employment onto workers. Gig companies like Uber and Lyft have been fighting misclassification lawsuits for years and have battled both state and federal officials over tighter regulations.

While independent contractors have an important role in our economy, we have seen in many cases that employers misclassify their employees as independent contractors, particularly among our nations most vulnerable workers, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said in a statement.

The rule must undergo a public comment period before officials can finalize and implement it.

The proposal essentially articulates how the Labor Department views the independent contractor issue. It pertains only to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the New Deal-era law that created a federal minimum wage and ensured workers receive premium pay for working extra hours. It would not apply to other federal workplace laws or make it easier for workers labeled contractors to form unions.

But the new federal guidelines, if implemented, could make it easier for more workers to pursue complaints or lawsuits against their employers if they believe theyve been shorted on their paychecks. It could also impact the way state and local officials craft legislation aimed at cracking down on misclassification.

Although the gig platforms may be the best-known users of independent contractors, the practice has been ingrained in the transportation and health care sectors for many years.

The Labor Department estimates that 22 million people are labeled as contractors. In the proposal, officials pointed to an assessment from the National Employment Law Project that anywhere from 10% to 30% of them are misclassified and should be considered employees. Workers of color are hurt more by the practice because of the industries where its most prevalent, like agriculture, construction and trucking.

Seema Nanda, the Labor Departments solicitor, said on a call with reporters Tuesday that the Trump regulation had made it too easy to get away with misclassifying workers when it comes to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Money on that BB?


After having trump elector president (I thought he had an ice cube's chance in hell) , I would not bet money on anything concerning US politics   where lately, anything could happen  :Smile:

----------


## malmomike77

> I would not bet money on anything


good man, you've only just liquidated your house you want some time to enjoy the gain  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

White House: Nearly $60B from infrastructure law sent to roads and bridges

The Biden administration on Tuesday announced it will invest nearly $60 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law towards roads, bridges, tunnels, carbon emission reduction and safety improvements in all 50 states.

The Department of Transportations Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will release more than $59.9 billion in funding from the $1.2 trillion bill that the president signed into law nearly a year ago.

The law provided an increase of $15.4 billion towards infrastructure funding compared to funding in fiscal 2021.

This is more than a $15 billion increase from the year before the bipartisan infrastructure law and what that ultimately adds up to is a lot more good projects that improve everyday life, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters on Tuesday.

Better roads and bridges mean that people are safer on the roads, people can save money on car repairs, and that we can all save time that is too often wasted, he added.

Funding towards carbon reduction program, promoting resilient operations for cost-saving transportation, and a national electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure program is all new funding from the law.

Meanwhile, bridge program funding was increased by 391 percent over fiscal 2021 and Appalachian development highway system program funding was increased by 146 percent.

Buttigieg said that new investments cant be our grandparents idea of how to build infrastructure, adding that funding will go to reduce carbon emissions, to build a nationwide network of EV chargers along our highways, and to make our transportation systems more resilient to the extreme weather that climate change is hitting Americans all across the country.

The more than $59.9 billion is appropriated to each state, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. States that will receive the most include Texas, which will receive nearly $5.5 billion; New York, which will receive more than $2.7 billion; and California, which will receive more than $5.6 billion.

The announcement comes ahead of Buttigiegs trip to Charleston, S.C., on Wednesday to tour local infrastructure and highlight infrastructure law investments with House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

____________

A WWII training ground becomes Bidens first national monument

President Biden traveled to Colorado on Wednesday and designated Camp Hale, a World War II-era training ground, as a new national monument, the first such designation of his presidency.

*Why it matters:* Camp Hale was the initial training ground for the 10th Mountain Division, the U.S. Army's first and only mountain infantry division. The division played a pivotal role in the liberation of Italy in WWII.

*What they're saying:* "When you think about the national beauty of Colorado and the history of our nation, you find it here, Biden said at Camp Hale on Wednesday before signing the the proclamation establishing Camp Hale  Continental Divide National Monument.


"I'm honored to sign this proclamation to preserve this special part of our military history," Biden added. "This is the story of America the beautiful.""This action will honor our nations veterans, Indigenous people, and their legacy by protecting this Colorado landscape, while supporting jobs and Americas outdoor recreation economy," the White House said earlier Wednesday.It also said the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior would announce new protections for the Thompson Divide, a large swath of public lands within the White River National Forest.

*Between the lines:* Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D), who is facing an unexpectedly tight re-election race this November, has been a proponent of establishing Camp Hale as a national monument and protecting the Thompson Divide.


He introduced legislation, the CORE Act, in the Senate last year that would have established the same designation and protections, but it has not moved forward.A similar bill passed the House last Congress but failed in the Senate.You ensure that, years from now, we can bring our kids, grandkids here and tell them the story of the 10th Mountain Division and their contributions not only to Colorado but to humanity, Bennet said of Biden's proclamation.


*The big picture:* At Camp Hale, the 10th Mountain Division received extensive winter and mountain warfare training, with soldiers learning how to rock climb, snowshoe and ski.


The Camp Hale area was also a home and place of significance for Indigenous peoples like the Ute Tribes.The White House said the USDA and DOI would propose a 20-year hold on new mining claims and mineral leases on approximately 225,000 acres in the Thompson Divide area, which is home to wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and grazing lands.

____________


Biden hails UN general assembly vote condemning Russia annexations in Ukraine

The United Nations general assembly has overwhelmingly condemned Russias attempted illegal annexation of four Ukrainian regions, demanding that Moscow reverse course.

US president Joe Biden said the vote sent a clear message to Moscow. The stakes of this conflict are clear to all, and the world has sent a clear message in response  Russia cannot erase a sovereign state from the map, he said in a statement.

Russia cannot change borders by force. Russia cannot seize another countrys territory as its own, Biden said.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was grateful to 143 states that supported the historic UNGA [United Nations general assembly] resolution, tweeting: The world had its say  [Russias] attempt at annexation is worthless and will never be recognised by free nations.

Three-quarters of the 193-member general assembly  or 143 countries  voted on Wednesday in favour of a resolution that called Moscows move illegal, deepening Russias international isolation.

Only four countries joined Russia in voting against the resolution  Syria, Nicaragua, North Korea and Belarus. Thirty-five countries abstained, including Russias strategic partner China, together with India, South Africa and Pakistan. The rest did not vote.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ons-in-ukraine

----------


## russellsimpson

> the American economy has created ten million jobs.


burger flipping or 'real' jobs?






> The United Nations general assembly has overwhelmingly condemned Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions,


It's a strong vote condemning Russian actions but hardly 'overwhelming'. Still and all a vote for human dignity. It's hardly going to motivate Russia to change course. The abstentions are quite notable. India and China together represent the majority of life on the planet. The votes against are hardly surprising. It's not as though Putin could give a shithouse rat's ass. 

As to the ascertation expressed by some on the thread claiming that Russia is 'going to get their ass handed to them on a plate' I would borrow from Churchill and say "some ass, some plate".  One can only hope there are very high level discussions between the USA and Russian to avoid an accidental nuclear dust up.

----------


## pickel

> It's a strong vote condemning Russian actions but hardly 'overwhelming'.


I would consider 143-5 overwhelming. Even if you include the abstentions it's 143-40. Still overwhelming. I'll use a simple analogy for you, since you are a simple person. If the Raptors beat the Lakers 143-40, would you not consider that overwhelming?

Do you try to be naive, or does it just come naturally?

----------


## russellsimpson

> If the Raptors beat the Lakers 143-40, would you not consider that overwhelming?


give us all a break pickel. :smiley laughing:

----------


## russellsimpson

> Do you try to be naiv


It's a gift.

Thanks for asking.

 ::doglol:: 

An yes. Your concerns are duly noted.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden says Democrats will keep Georgia Senate seat

President Biden said Wednesday that he thinks Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock (Ga.) will hold on to his seat, while avoiding giving his reaction to the allegations against GOP candidate Herschel Walker that have roiled the race.

Negative. And yes, Biden told reporters when asked about Walker and if Democrats can hold the seat.

The presidents remarks were his first time weighing in on the Georgia race since the claims against Walker become public. The Daily Beast reported last week that Walker conceived a child with a woman he was dating in 2009 and encouraged her to get an abortion.

The outlet then reported that the same woman is also the mother of one of Walkers children, and The New York Times has since reported that Walker pressed for a second abortion. The allegations follow previous claims of domestic abuse against the former football star.

Walker is a self-described pro-life candidate and has denied the allegations.

Georgia is a pivotal state for Democrats in November, and in 2020, Warnock won in a runoff to solidify Democrats majority in the Senate. Biden won the Peach State by nearly 12,000 votes, flipping a state that former President Trump won in 2016 by more than 100,000 votes.

Warnock this week narrowly pulled ahead of Walker, according to an Emerson College Polling-The Hill survey. The Democrat garnered 48 percent, compared to Walkers 46 percent, which is a 4-point improvement for Warnock since August, when he was trailing Walker 44 percent to 46 percent.

----------


## malmomike77

> The Biden administration on Tuesday announced it will invest nearly $60 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law towards roads, bridges, tunnels, carbon emission reduction and safety improvements in all 50 states.


 ::doglol:: 

that's a new rail crossing, a couple of high street refurbs and a road to a trailer park in each state paid for

----------


## S Landreth

^Little help. I dont know if youve ever bid on a DOT project. But for the most part the DOT will contribute a certain amount of money. The largest chunk. The state will also contribute. Second largest chunk. And lastly, the local County will contribute.

The money the Biden administration is giving out is a lot of money, and will go a long way.


The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contains the single largest dedicated investment in our transportation infrastructure since the construction of the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s and 1960s. In the last year alone, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has already been used to help address long overdue needs in every State in the nation, including:


The *Bridge Formula Program* supported repairs on over 2,400 bridges, including the I-270 bridge replacement over the Mississippi River in Illinois, the Dare County bridge replacement in North Carolina, and the I-65 bridge replacement over the Sepulga River in Alabama.The *Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program* has funded over $200 million of projects in 21 States, including resilience improvements to the I-20 Wateree River Bridge in South Carolina to upgrade critical elements of the bridge and raising the elevation of Louisiana Highway 1 (LA 1) to make it more resilient to flooding during extreme weather events across the Gulf of Mexico.The *Highway Safety Improvement Program* supported improvements on over 5,300 projects, including a total of 155 roundabout projects throughout the country that will reduce the number of traffic conflict points; over 100 pedestrian and bicyclist safety improvement projects throughout Oregon; the implementation of 30 rectangular rapid flashing beacons in Arlington County, Virginia, to help pedestrians safely cross the street; and road safety audits along rural corridors in Tennessee to identify safety improvements needed to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.The *National Highway Performance Program* has funded more than 6,000 projects, including replacing a dangerous intersection on US-50 in Pueblo, Colorado with an interchange that improves safety and connectivity for bikers, pedestrians, motorists, and freight flows; resurfacing 13 miles of I-57 in Illinois and improving a rest area that includes truck parking; and constructs a new bridge, passing lanes and two-way left-turn lanes on California State Route 46.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> It's a strong vote condemning Russian actions but hardly 'overwhelming'.


You are retarded.

 :rofl:

----------


## S Landreth

^Just a few left

----------


## S Landreth

Biden's busy SoCal tour continues with stops to address infrastructure, fundraising and to grab some tacos

 
President Joe Biden was in California, and visited a Metro subway construction site in West Los Angeles Thursday, touting federal investments in the nation's infrastructure and saying the dollars will support projects across the Southland, including transit improvements for LAX and the ports.

Overlooking the future Metro D (Purple) Line subway terminus near the West Los Angeles VA complex, Biden said the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was making funding available for critical projects locally.

"Every year, people take more than 22 million rides on your subways, your light rail and your buses," Biden told the crowd of dignitaries and workers. "It's how so many people get to work school and how tourists and locals explore this world-class city. But the transit system needs an upgrade, badly. You know that. You need to connect more neighborhoods, ease traffic congestion, air pollution, make it easier for people to get around to where they need to go.

"That's exactly what you're doing. That's exactly what you're doing. But it's being funded in part through this infrastructure law -- through local taxes and the infrastructure law. This project, the extension of the Metro Purple Line, it's gonna cover one of L.A.'s busiest areas and job centers."

Biden touted the project as dramatically cutting the time it will take to travel from downtown to West Los Angeles, adding more than 80,000 daily riders to the Metro system while taking 27,000 cars off the roads. He also said it would result in 124,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the air, and would save 14 million gallons of gas.

----------


## sabang

One-time Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has said she is no longer a Democrat following long running speculation about her political allegiance.

The former Democrat senator said on Tuesday she was leaving the party she once attempted to represent as president – eventually being beaten by Joe Biden for the 2020 nomination.

Ms Gabbard issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday decrying what she has dubbed “an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness”, in remarks not dissimilar to Republican attack lines on Mr Biden.

Reasons cited by Ms Gabbard for her departure included the US president’s border policy and Democrat “ideology”, as well as so-called hostility “to people of faith & spirituality” as well as the alleged demonisation of “the police”.

Mr Biden, who is Catholic, has long expressed his support for law enforcement however – particularly in light of the attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6.

Ms Gabbard continued by alleging that today’s Democrat party also worked to “weaponise the national security state to go after political opponents, and above all, dragging us ever closer to nuclear war”.

Those remarks were in apparent reference to Republican criticism of the Justice Department investigation into former US president Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents, and the US’s support of Ukraine against Russia.

Responding to the news on Twitter on Tuesday morning, many Democrats and political analysts expressed a lack of surprise over the former senator’s departure.

Ms Gabbard has long expressed criticism of Mr Biden and the Democratic Party as a whole, with the former presidential nominee calling his criticism of Republican attacks on democracy a form of “authoritarian” control designed “to intimidate those who oppose him politically into silence”.

Tulsi Gabbard says she’s no longer a Democrat

----------


## harrybarracuda

Obviously realised there's more money to be extracted from witless trumpanzees.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden announces $725M in military assistance for Ukraine

President Biden announced a new $725 million defense drawdown to support Ukraine on Friday as Russia conducts a series of missile strikes throughout the country.

Biden announced the drawdown in a White House release, authorizing Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide the money for equipment, military education and training.

The Biden administration had announced a $625 million security aid package earlier this month after Russia held four referendums to annex regions of Ukraine. Both the votes and Russias annexations have been condemned by the U.S. and its allies.

____________

President Biden arrives in Portland for Oregon Democrats grassroots event

President Joe Biden is in Portland this weekend to fundraise for the Oregon Democrats and to promote his plans to lower health care and prescription drug costs for Americans, starting with Air Force One landing at Portland International Airport on Friday evening.

Greeting the president on the tarmac included U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Air National Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Donna Prigmore and Col. Todd A. Hofford, commander of the 142nd Air Wing.


 
After arriving in Portland, Bidens next stop was at a grassroots volunteer event with the Oregon Democrats at the SEIU Local 49 in Portland as he promoted Tina Kotek, the Democratic nominee for governor facing a tight race.

Biden is expected to stay in Portland overnight and will resume events locally on Saturday as he promotes his plan to fight inflation ahead of the mid-term elections.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden calls recent Jan. 6 video and testimonies devastating, says he has gone out of his way not to comment

President Biden said on Saturday that he found the Jan. 6 committees newly released footage and testimony to be devastating, Reuters reported.

I think the testimony and the video are actually devastating, and Ive been going out of my way not to comment, Biden told reporters while in Oregon, according to Reuters.

The committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol released never-before-seen footage from the day itself, during what may have been its final public hearing on Thursday.

The footage showed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) making urgent calls for assistance as rioters breached the Capitol.

We have some senators who are still in their hideaways, Schumer told former Defense Secretary Chris Miller in the footage. They need massive personnel now.

In additional footage obtained by CNN, Pelosi spoke with former Vice President Mike Pence amid the riot, telling him I worry about you being in that Capitol. Dont let anybody know where you are.

The committee unanimously voted at the end of its Thursday hearing to subpoena former President Trump in what Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) acknowledged was an extraordinary move. However, the subpoena is not expected to yield testimony from the former president, who has frequently dismissed the committee as partisan.

___________


 
Biden has busy second day in Portland with town hall, reception for Tina Kotek

President Joe Biden had a busy Saturday in the Rose City as his visit to the western United States comes to an end.

Air Force One touched down at the Portland International Airport Friday evening, and the president spoke at a volunteer event with Oregon Democrats. He stayed downtown overnight.

Shortly after noon on Saturday, Biden delivered remarks on lowering costs for families at a community center in east Portland.

Saturdays event was centered around his administration's efforts to lower prescription drug costs. He closed his speech with a hopeful tone, looking forward.

"Ive never been more optimistic in my life. Ive been doing this a while, man. Ill tell you, Ive never been more optimistic," Biden said. "We have a chance. Were the only nation in the world whos come out of a crisis better than when we went into the crisis."

He was joined by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, and City Commissioner Carmen Rubio.

At about 1:45 p.m., Biden attended a reception for the Democrat candidate for Oregon governor, Tina Kotek, in northeast Portland.

It was Biden's second tour stop with Kotek. She was in attendance at the grassroots volunteers for the Oregon Democrats on Friday evening when he spoke about the importance of the upcoming election to the Democratic party.

At about 3:15 p.m., police closed off the area around NE 181st and Glisan Street so Biden and Kotek to make a stop at Baskin-Robbins.

Biden answered reporters' questions about Oregon's gubernatorial race, the recent Jan. 6 Committee hearing, and other big events.

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## S Landreth

Student loan forgiveness application officially live

More than 8 million people have submitted student loan forgiveness applications since a beta site launched Friday, President Biden said Monday announcing that the official application is now live.

*Why it matters:* Biden called the debt relief a "game changer" with the plan canceling up to $20,000 in student debt for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for individual borrowers who make under $125,000 per year.


Biden said more than 40 million Americans can benefit from the relief.The online application takes an estimated five minutes, and documents aren't needed.

*The big picture:* Biden's student loan forgiveness plan has faced a number of legal challenges as well as criticism from Republicans and some Democrats in battleground states.

*Zoom out:* The government is advising borrowers to apply by mid-November to receive relief before the student loan payment pause expires on Dec. 31, 2022.


The Department of Education will continue to process applications as they are received through Dec. 31, 2023.Relief is expected within six weeks for most borrowers, the government said.

*What's next:* A paper version of the form is expected soon, the government said on the student aid website.

*Student loan application site live*

*Details:* A beta student loan forgiveness application went live Friday night and is now officially live as of Monday afternoon, Biden said.

*Zoom in:* Borrowers can apply without attaching any proof or documentation that they qualify for debt relief by going through the easy application process.


The simple application requests borrower information, such as name, Social Security number, email, phone number and more.Individuals who make less than $125,000 per year, and married couples who earn under $250,000, qualify for forgiveness.

*What theyre saying:* As millions of people fill out the application, were going to make sure the system continues to work as smoothly as possible so that we can deliver student loan relief for millions of Americans as quickly and as efficiently as possible, Biden said.


I want to be clear whos going to benefit most. Working people, middle class."About 90% of that relief is going to go to those making less than $75,000 a year," Biden said, dismissing GOP attacks that the plan will benefit wealthy borrowers."Their outrage is wrong and hypocritical," Biden said of Republicans. "I will never apologize for helping working Americans and middle-class people as they recover from the pandemic."He also warned borrowers about potential scammers and encouraged people to report potential fraud.

*Student loan relief deadline for teachers, military and more*

*Meanwhile,* a Halloween deadline is approaching for public service borrowers who are employed by non-profits, the military, or federal, state, Tribal or local government.


These borrowers who include teachers may be eligible to have all of their student loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.Borrowers must apply and certify their employment at PSLF.gov by Oct. 31, the government said.

*Between the lines:* The waiver provides federal student debt relief to public servants after 120 qualifying payments, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.


It also allows public servants with student loan debt to earn credit for past payments that previously did not count toward the required 120 monthly payments.

*Yes, but:* More than 100 congressional Democrats signed a letter in August asking the Biden administration to extend a waiver for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program through July 2023.

*Flashback:* Earlier this month, the White House said the Department of Education had approved more than $13 billion in forgiveness for more than 211,000 public servants under temporary changes to PSLF.

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## S Landreth

Biden plots his first piece of post-midterms legislation: codifying Roe

President Biden on Tuesday said that he would make an abortion rights bill the first piece of legislation he will send to Congress next year if Democrats elect more senators and his party keeps control of the House.

*Why it matters:* With exactly three weeks until Election Day and the renewed pressure of high inflation, Biden is doubling down on making abortion the centerpiece of the midterm elections.

*State of play:* Biden delivered remarks at a Democratic National Committee event at the Howard Theatre in Washington, where he drew a contrast between Republicans "who want a national ban" and Democrats "who want to codify Roe into law," according to a Democratic official.


If Democrats keep the House and win more seats in the Senate, the first bill he will send to the next Congress will be to codify Roe  to be signed into law around the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling on Jan. 22, 2023.

*But, but, but:* Keeping both chambers will be a tall order for Democrats given the renewed pressure of high inflation and the political headwinds the party in power typically faces in a midterm year.

*What they're saying:* Biden encouraged the public to vote for Democrats in the upcoming November elections and said that if Democrats keep control of the House and the Senate,"the first bill that I will send to Congress will be to codify Roe v. Wade."


Biden said that if the bill passes, he will "sign it in January, 50 years after Roe was decided as the law of the land. Together we will restore the right to choose for every woman in America."Biden also pledged to veto any bill passed by Republicans that restricts abortion nationwide.

*The big picture:* The Biden administration unveiled new steps to enhance abortion protections earlier after announcing executive actions over the summer.


Biden has also pledged to veto any bill that would ban abortions on the federal level if Republicans take control of Congress.Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) introduced legislation that would impose a federal ban on most abortions at 15 weeks of pregnancy.


__________


Biden backs federal fund for abortion support

President Biden would support a federal fund for people who need to take time off work and pay for childcare to obtain an abortion, he said in an interview forum with NowThis that will air Sunday on social media.

*Why it matters*: It's one of his strongest public comments in favor of federal support for those seeking abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

*Details*: Biden was responding to a question from Danielle Mathisen, a 26-year-old medical resident, who noted that some companies have begun helping their workers pay for abortions and asked whether Biden would support federal funding for the same services.


"The answer is absolutely ... I do support that, and I've publicly urged companies to do that. I've urged them publicly as president of the United States saying, 'This is what you should be doing," he said."I urge you to do it because there's so many, and imagine the women who need that kind of assistance, but have no money at all to be able to do this. None. How, how  what do they do? They don't have the option," Biden said.

*Between the lines:* The interview represents a strategic effort by the president to communicate to young voters about various social issues ahead of the midterms. Biden spoke with six young voters about


NowThis has a significant social media presence, with over 80 million followers across its Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts. The majority of its followers across TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are under 35.The company was founded in 2012 as a millennial-oriented video brand that focused on social change content and newsmaker interviews with mostly progressive politicians. The company interviewed every major Democratic candidate for president last presidential cycle.

*What to watch*: The interview, which was taped on Tuesday, will debut Sunday across NowThis' social media channels.


It was part of a wider forum moderated by NowThis correspondent Alejandro Alba. President Biden spoke with six young adults about six key issues this election cycle, including abortion access, trans rights, criminal justice reform, gun safety, economic insecurity, and climate injustice.

https://www.axios.com/2022/10/20/bid...travel-nowthis

____________


President Biden touts infrastructure bill in stop at Fern Hollow Bridge construction site

With the Fern Hollow Bridge construction site as his backdrop, President Joe Biden on Thursday touted the good he said the bipartisan infrastructure bill has done across the state and country.

Mr. Biden, who was visiting the city for the second time in six weeks, made a stop at a Moon restaurant before heading for the Fern Hollow bridge site.

Just shy of nine months since the bridge collapsed into Frick Park below, Mr. Biden pointed to the speed at which the rebuild has happened and said the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress in November allowed that to happen.

Its being done in record time, Mr. Biden said. It normally takes two-to-five years to build a bridge like this, and the total project cost $25 million  fully paid for by the federal government.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/po...s/202210200100
___________

*Just for fun*


Amy Coney Barrett Declines Request To Block Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Thursday rejected an appeal from a Wisconsin taxpayers group seeking to stop the Biden administrations student debt cancellation program.

Barrett did not comment in turning away the appeal from the Brown County Taxpayers Association, which also has lost rounds in lower federal courts. The group wrote in its Supreme Court filing that it needed an emergency order to put the program on hold because the administration could begin canceling outstanding student debt as soon as Sunday.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/amy-c...b08e0e608c8d81

___________


Michael Stratford - NEWS --> Federal judge in Missouri dismisses the lawsuit filed by 6 Republican-led states challenging Biden's student debt relief: https://twitter.com/mstratford/statu...20411298246656

 
___________

*Last, just for fun*


Biden on Oz: 'Delaware was smart enough to send him to New Jersey'

President Joe Biden on Thursday winked at carpetbagging allegations against Mehmet Oz, Pennsylvanias Republican Senate nominee, as he backed Democrat John Fetterman at a Philadelphia fundraiser.

I couldnt believe it. He went to high school in Delaware, Biden said of Oz, a nod at the presidents home state.

But Delaware was smart enough to send him to New Jersey, Biden said to laughs from the Democratic audience.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/1...enate-00062860

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## S Landreth

President Biden reveals his intentions for the 2024 race

I have not made that formal decision, but its my intention. My intention to run again. And we have time to make that decision,

___________


Biden's student debt relief program reaches 22M applications

About 22 million Americans applied for federal student loan debt relief in the first week since the Education Department began accepting applications, President Joe Biden announced on Friday.

That figure is roughly half of the more than 40 million Americans who the Education Department expects will be eligible for the relief program, which offers up to $20,000 of loan forgiveness to borrowers earning below $125,000 individually or $250,000 as a couple.

Speaking at Delaware State University, Biden touted his administrations smooth rollout of the federal website where borrowers can apply for relief in a matter of minutes. Biden said the vast majority of the people had applied online using their phone.

In preparing to launch the student debt relief program, Biden said, he wanted to avoid the position that Barack and I were in, in terms of the Affordable Care Act, referring to the disastrous launch of the HealthCare.gov website in 2013.

We made sure we tested it, Biden said of the debt relief application, which is available at StudentAid.gov.



 
_______________

Bump in the road


Federal appeals court temporarily halts Bidens student debt relief program

A federal appeals court has temporarily stopped the Biden administration from moving ahead with its plan to forgive hundreds of billions of dollars of federal student loan debt.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday issued an order that prohibits the Biden administration from discharging any student loan debt under its sweeping relief program until the court rules on an emergency request by Republican-led states to block the policy.

The court said it would hear the GOP states legal challenge on an expedited basis, with briefs from each side due on Monday and Tuesday.

Tonights temporary order does not prevent borrowers from applying for student debt relief at studentaid.gov  and we encourage eligible borrowers to join the nearly 22 million Americans whose information the Department of Education already has, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Friday night. It also does not prevent us from reviewing these applications and preparing them for transmission to loan servicers.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> President Biden reveals his intentions for the 2024 race
> 
> “I have not made that formal decision, but it’s my intention. My intention to run again. And we have time to make that decision,”


He'll have forgotten he said that by tomorrow. In fact he probably already has.

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## S Landreth

doubt that

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## S Landreth

Biden calls Rishi Sunak becoming next UK prime minister a groundbreaking milestone

President Biden on Monday called the United Kingdoms selection of Rishi Sunak to be its next prime minister a groundbreaking milestone during a reception to celebrate Diwali.

Sunak, a former British finance minister, will become the countrys first leader of color and the first Hindu to serve in the role. Diwali, which started on Monday, is the Hindu festival of lights.

Diwali is a reminder that each of us has the power, has the power, to dispel darkness and bring light to the world, Biden said in remarks at the White House. Its a choice, and we make that choice every day. Its true in our lives and in the life of this nation, especially in the life of a democracy, whether here in America or for the families back in India marking 75 years of independence and whether its the United Kingdom, where just today we got news that Rishi Sunak is now the prime minister.

As my brother would say, Go figure  in the Conservative Party  expected to become the prime minister I think tomorrow when he goes to see the king. Pretty astounding. A groundbreaking milestone, and it matters, it matters, the president added.

Biden was joined at the Diwali event by Vice President Harris, whom he recognized as the first African American, Indian American and female vice president of the United States.

Indians have celebrated Sunak becoming prime minister, especially during Diwali. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent Special Diwali wishes to the living bridge of UK Indians in a tweet on Monday.

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## harrybarracuda

> doubt that



Doubt what?

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## S Landreth

he forgot

----------


## harrybarracuda

> he forgot



Forgot what?

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## S Landreth

what he said

----------


## harrybarracuda

> what he said


What who said?

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## S Landreth

Think, title of the thread

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## harrybarracuda

> Think, title of the thread


What thread?

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## S Landreth

did you forget

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## harrybarracuda



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## S Landreth

It’s awful, but there’s a new drug that should be available next year.

You might want to think about getting in line. Putting a reminder on a calendar might be a good idea.

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## OhOh



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## S Landreth

^Still upset  ::doglol:: 

We are going to stick with Ukraine, and all of the alliance is going to stick with Ukraine as long as it takes to, in fact, make sure that they are not defeated, Biden said.

____________


Joe Biden hosts largest ever Diwali reception at White House

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden on Monday hosted a Diwali reception at the White House in what they called the largest since the Peoples House started celebrating the festival during the George Bush administration.

More than 200 eminent Indian Americans attended the reception at the East Room, a venue which has witnessed some of the landmark events related to the India-US relationship, including the signing of the nuclear deal and the joint press conference by then-US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2008.

The reception saw some enthralling cultural events, including performances by sitarist Rishab Sharma and dance troupe The Sa Dance Company. The guests, dressed in traditional Indian attires such as saree, lehenga and sherwani, relished some mouthwatering Indian delicacies.

The room is full at the East state dining room This is a real celebration of what the Indian American community has achieved in the United States. Its a wonderful recognition by the President and by the White House to host all of us on Diwali. I feel very privileged to be here as an Indian American, Atul Keshap, president of US India Business Council told PTI during the reception.

____________

*Edit*


Biden speaks with British PM Sunak about Ukraine,  Good Friday Agreement in first call

President Biden on Tuesday spoke for the first time with new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with the two leaders coordinating on policy toward Ukraine and China.

Biden spoke with Sunak hours after he officially took over as prime minister, becoming the third person this year to hold the position in the United Kingdom.

The leaders reaffirmed the special relationship between our countries, underscoring their desire to further enhance cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, the White House said in a readout of the call. The leaders agreed on the importance of working together to support Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its aggression, address the challenges posed by China, and secure sustainable and affordable energy resources.

The two also discussed the importance of protecting the Good Friday Agreement, which ended the Northern Ireland conflict.

Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom (U.K.), shares a border with Ireland, which is part of the European Union (EU). The U.K.s exit from the EU sparked renewed concerns about the possibility of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, upsetting the agreement that has maintained peace for more than two decades.

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## S Landreth

Biden discusses Iran, antisemitism with Israeli president

President Biden hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the White House on Wednesday to discuss threats posed by Iran as concern grows over its strengthening relationship with Russia.

Biden emphasized to Herzog his pledge to ensure Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon. The White House expressed concern on Wednesday that Russia may be advising Iran on best practices to manage protests as the Iranian government has violently cracked down on women-led anti-government protests.

Also in the meeting, Biden and Herzog discussed the new maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon. Biden called it a historic breakthrough thats going to create new hope and economic opportunities for the people in Lebanon, and it enhances stability and security for the people of Israel.

The agreement between Lebanon and Israel establishes a sea boundary between the two countries. The border between them has been monitored by United Nations peacekeepers for over 40 years.

Bidens energy envoy traveled to Beirut on Wednesday as part of the final steps in securing the agreement.

It took a lot of courage for you to step up and step into it, and it took some real guts, and I think it took principle and persistent diplomacy to get it done. And I compliment you and I compliment the government, Biden said to Herzog.

Biden in the meeting condemned antisemitism, which is in the spotlight in the U.S. recently amid the backlash and fallout over antisemitic remarks by the rapper Ye. The president highlighted the U.S. support for Israels further regional integration into the Arab world.

Additionally, Biden condemned the persistent scourge of anti-Semitism, including anti-Israel bias in international fora, according to the White House. In that regard, the President reaffirmed the United States strong opposition to the open-ended and biased nature of the UN Commission of Inquiry established in May 2021, which continues a longstanding pattern of unfairly singling out Israel and does nothing to establish conditions for peace.

Biden underscored his belief that a two-state solution in the best way towards peace for Israel and Palestine and he and Herzog spoke about the importance of deescalating the security situation in the West Bank.

They discussed the importance of promoting coexistence and weakening extremists who promote hatred and violence, according to the White House.

Herzog assumed office in 2021 and this is his first official trip to Washington as president.

___________


White House downplays concerns about Fetterman debate performance

The White House on Wednesday downplayed concerns from some Democrats about Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fettermans performance at a debate Tuesday night, in which his recovery from a stroke earlier this year was a point of focus.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she didnt know if President Biden watched the debate, but she repeatedly said the president has confidence in Fetterman and believes he is a capable and authentic individual.

In personal conversations the president has had with the lieutenant governor, the president has found him to be an incredibly bright and talented person whos just as capable as always to carry out the duties of his office  and has great ability and heartfelt concern for the people of the commonwealth, Jean-Pierre said.

Thats what the president has observed himself. That was the case before and that is the case now. He respects the courage and the honesty that he has seen from the lieutenant governor.

____________


Biden pushes back on doomsayers while touting latest economic growth numbers

President Biden on Thursday took a victory lap after federal data showed the U.S. economy grew by 2.6 percent during the third quarter of the year and accused congressional Republicans of rooting for a downturn.

For months, doomsayers have been arguing that the US economy is in a recession and Congressional Republicans have been rooting for a downturn, Biden said in a statement. But today we got further evidence that our economic recovery is continuing to power forward. This is a testament to the resilience of the American people.

____________

*Extra*


US growth rebounds in third quarter, but shows warnings signs

U.S. economic growth rebounded during the third quarter after six months of steady declines, according to data released Thursday by the Commerce Department.

U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) grew at annualized rate of 2.6 between July and September, up from declines of 1.6 percent in the second quarter and 0.6 percent in third quarter of 2022, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday.

That means that if the third quarters pace of growth lasted 12 months, the U.S. economy would have grown 2.6 percent by the end of that time.

Economists expected U.S. GDP to rise at an annualized rate of 2.3 percent in the third quarter, according to consensus estimates.

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## S Landreth

Biden predicts student loan forgiveness checks will go out within two weeks

President Biden on Thursday predicted that a court fight over his student loan forgiveness program would be quickly resolved, and that borrowers would soon see their refunds materialize.

Were gonna win that case. I think in the next two weeks youre gonna see those checks going out, Biden told Nexstars Reshad Hudson in an exclusive interview in Syracuse, N.Y.

__________

Biden marks 4-year anniversary of Tree of Life synagogue shooting

President Biden on Thursday marked the four-year anniversary of the attack at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue, the deadliest assault on Jewish people in U.S. history.

*Driving the news:* "As we grieve this deadliest act of antisemitism in American history, we stand with the community of Squirrel Hilland Jewish communities across America and around the worldin resolving to combat antisemitism and hate in all of its forms," Biden said in a statement on Thursday.


"This is especially true as we witness an ugly increase in antisemitism in America."

*The big picture:* Eleven people were killed and six were injured at the Pittsburgh synagogue on the morning of Oct. 27, 2018, when a gunman stormed the building.


Four years after the attack, the synagogue remains closed to the public, CBS News reports.

*What he's saying:* "In the four years since that terrible day, the people of Pittsburgh have shown us what it means to be stronger than hate," Biden said.


"Welcoming the community to Torah study sessions. Showing their support for refugees and immigrants. Reimagining the Tree of Life synagogue as both sanctuary and memorial.""The courage and character of the Pittsburgh community remains an inspiration to us all."

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## S Landreth

Biden connects despicable Paul Pelosi attack to Republican talk of stolen elections

President Biden on Friday called the attack on Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) husband at their San Francisco home despicable and suggested it was a natural progression from lies Republicans have spread about the 2020 election.

This is despicable. Theres no place in America. Theres too much violence, political violence, too much hatred, too much vitriol, Biden said at the start of remarks to Pennsylvania Democrats.

And what makes us think that one party can talk about stolen elections, COVID being a hoax, that its all a bunch of lies, and it not affect people who may not be so well balanced, Biden continued.

What makes us think that its not going to corrode the political climate? Enough is enough is enough. Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against violence in our politics, no matter what your politics are.

Biden said hed spoken with Pelosi and helped arrange for her to get back from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco. Paul Pelosi, 82, underwent surgery for a skull fracture and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police said earlier Friday that the suspect in the case violently assaulted Paul Pelosi around 2:30 a.m. Authorities arrived at the home for a priority well-being check and found the two men tussling over a hammer. The suspect then gained control of the hammer and used it to attack Pelosi.

The Speaker was not in San Francisco at the time, according to her spokesman Drew Hammill. U.S. Capitol Police said she was in Washington, D.C., with her protective detail.

Before the assault occurred, the man confronted Paul Pelosi and shouted, Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy? according to a source briefed on the attack.

Biden on Friday connected that phrase to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters stormed the Capitol and many sought Nancy Pelosi out.

The attack on Paul Pelosi is the latest instance of political violence that has been on the rise in the United States in recent years.

Hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 to try to stop the certification of Bidens victory after then-President Trump and his allies had claimed for weeks that the 2020 election was rigged and fraudulent.

__________


Biden appeals for 2022 support in Pennsylvania: Everythings at stake

President Biden and Vice President Harris on Friday made a rare joint appearance on the campaign trail to boost the Democratic ticket in Pennsylvania, where Senate candidate John Fettermans race could determine control of the chamber for the next two years.

Biden argued Democrats had delivered on their agenda over the past 20 months, touted a report on gross domestic product and railed against oil companies that he said were failing to use profits to deliver savings to the public.

Its been a rough few years for a lot of hardworking Americans. For a lot of families, things are still tough. But there are bright spots where America is re-asserting itself. We made enormous progress in the last 20 months. We have more to do, Biden said in a keynote address at the Pennsylvania Democratic Partys annual Independence Dinner.

Biden highlighted legislation Democrats passed to lower prescription drug costs and address climate change and a bipartisan infrastructure package that is being used to improve roads, airports and bridges nationwide.

The president argued those gains are at risk in a Republican majority, which he said would also threaten Social Security and Medicare and seek to cut taxes for wealthy Americans.

Biden also cited Pennsylvanias pivotal role in determining control of the House and Senate, and there is also a closely watched governors race on the ballot where former President Trump has endorsed the GOP candidate.

Everythings at stake in just 11 days, Biden said. Its not hyperbole to suggest all eyes are on Pennsylvania. So much is at stake for this state, for this country we all love. So I call on Democrats and mainstream Republicans and independents to come together. We can meet this moment. We can meet it together. I truly believe were just getting started.

Starts at 1 05 00

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## S Landreth

Biden Congratulates Brazil's Lula On 'Free, Fair' Election Win

US President Joe Biden on Sunday congratulated Brazilian leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for winning the South American country's divisive but ultimately "free, fair and credible" presidential election against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

"I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections," Biden said in a statement.

"I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead," he added.

____________

Brazil’s Donald Trump Takes a Well Deserved L

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden Congratulates Brazil's Lula On 'Free, Fair' Election Win
> 
> US President Joe Biden on Sunday congratulated Brazilian leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for winning the South American country's divisive but ultimately "free, fair and credible" presidential election against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
> 
> "I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections," Biden said in a statement.
> 
> "I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead," he added.
> 
> ____________
> ...


Good move getting in there so quickly. Let's hope it gives the Brazilian Baldy Orange Cunto some pause.

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## S Landreth

Biden administration providing $13B to help lower Americans energy bills

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced $13 billion in funds to provide winter heating assistance for low-income Americans, including $4.5 billion through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

In addition to the LIHEAP funding, provided through the Department of Health and Human Services, the White House announced $9 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds for energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households.

This includes enough funds to install 500,000 heat pumps and provide upgrades to 500,000 homes, according to a White House call with reporters Tuesday evening. The White House said this would include separate rebate programs for whole-home upgrades and appliances. White House officials said the initiatives are part of a broader goal to deploy at least 12 million heat pumps by the end of the decade.

Vice President Harris is set to formally announce the funds Wednesday in Boston, part of a broader trip through the U.S. seeking to tout the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act.

As energy prices remain high, this Administration is working to cut costs for working families and businesses through historic investments for consumer rebates for more efficient home improvements and energy-efficient appliances nationwide, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

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## S Landreth

NotedDC  White House is Bidens to lose in 2024, analyst says

The dust isnt anywhere near settled for this years midterms, but already eyes are looking ahead to the next White House race, with major implications for both parties.

While Democrats are bracing for a potential drubbing in next weeks midterms, one prominent political scientist says at this point the next election is President Bidens to lose.

If the Democrats have any hope of winning in 2024, they have to nominate Joe Biden, American University professor Allan Lichtman told NotedDC.

Lichtman, who has accurately predicted every presidential election dating back to 1984 (with the exception of the controversial 2000 election), said that two years out from the White House battle, the usual figures remain the parties best chances.

On the Republican side there are only two candidates  [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis and [former President] Trump. I dont see anyone else who has any chance whatsoever, he said.

The White House and the president have maintained he plans to seek reelection in 2024, but Biden  who turns 80 later this month  is already the oldest president in history and it remains to be seen how the midterms might impact Democrats views.

Trump has teased announcing another White House run soon after the midterms, and hes hit the campaign trail hard in recent weeks stumping for Republican candidates he sees as potential allies.

DeSantis is currently locked in a bid for reelection that will be decided next week, but when asked during a recent debate whether he would commit to a full four-year term, the potential contender for the GOP nomination in 2024 wouldnt say.

Hes steadily grown his national profile and become a darling of the conservative media. Still, Lichtman says the Florida governor will not find it easy to consolidate the Trump wing of the Republican Party, adding, He just isnt Trump.

Lichtmans model doesnt rely on polls or issues but instead factors the circumstances around a candidate and which of 13 identified keys work to their advantage or disadvantage  from incumbency to social unrest.

Bidens holding the most keys at this point, the professor says.

Hes got a lot going for him already, Lichtman said. I have no prediction yet, but its going to be tough for [Biden] to lose six other keys, particularly if the economy is not in recession in the election year.

Conventional wisdom is that politicians try to let the current elections pass, see what happens and then plot out their futures, but election timelines are increasingly shrinking.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who has stoked speculation that he could jump into the 2024 race if Biden decides not to run, drew attention this week when he took aim at his own partys messaging.

Were getting crushed on narrative. Were going to have to do better in terms of getting on the offense and stop being on the damn defense, Newsom told CBS Newss Major Garrett in an interview that aired Wednesday.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden says 16M student debt relief applicants to be approved this week

President Biden on Thursday said that 16 million Americans who applied for the student loan debt program will be approved by the end of the week, the last step before they begin receiving forgiveness checks.

By the end of this week, the Department of Education will have approved applications of 16 million Americans and sent the necessary paperwork to student loan servicers  the last step before the 16 million Americans can have their loan discharged, Biden said in remarks at the Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, N.M.

Those 16 million people should be seeing relief in the coming days, he said, while noting that the program is on a temporary hold because of legal challenges.

He blamed Republicans for the halt, adding that their outrage is just simply wrong, and I might add  Im not being too political here, but hypocritical.

A legal ruling halted the administration from disbursing relief while a federal appeals court considers a challenge from six Republican-led states. Biden previously predicted checks would arrive in coming weeks and that his administration would win the court case.

The plan is set to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers earning under $125,000 and as much as $20,000 for borrowers who received Pell Grants.

Biden has touted the program, despite the halt, in the days leading up to the election as one of the major accomplishments of his administration.

My plans going to make a real difference lowering the monthly costs for families, Biden said on Thursday.

He added that 150,000 New Mexicans who took a Pell Grant to go to college qualify for the loan forgiveness.

______________


Barrett Again Refuses to Block Biden's Student Debt Relief  :Smile: 

Justice Barrett Again Shows Conservative Challengers of Bidens Student Loan Forgiveness Plan the Supreme Door

Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected without comment on Friday a conservative challenge of President Joe Bidens student loan forgiveness plan, the second such rejection in recent weeks.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> White House is Biden’s to lose in 2024, analyst says


I don't know what the metrics are that determined the above, but Biden would be too old by 2024, heck he is too old now IMO. 
He was the right man for the right time and is doing a fantastic job, but I am sure the Democrats must be able to find some one else to carry the fight.
 Of course  if trump gains the nomination , I am sure Americans will not have another round of tramp drama, I cant belive that the country is so fare gone that would elect trump again.

----------


## S Landreth

^little jab

Which candidate did you first get behind during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary?

I think we can leave it (your judgement/opinion) there.  :Smile:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ^little jab
> 
> Which candidate did you first get behind during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary?
> 
> I think we can leave it (your judgement/opinion) there.


I did not support Biden during the primary because I thought then as I do now that he was too old in addition I was disappointed in him when he gave up his turn to to Hillary, and consequently gave us trump. 
I blame trump on Hillary, Biden and Obama. trump did not win as much as Hillary lost.
I am sure when Obama sought the support of the Clintons after he won the nomination, and a deal was made that offered the office of Secreter of State, to pad up her CV, and another shot of the presidency after his term to Hillary.
So IMO trump was in part a product of Biden and Obama. 
Oh what a tangled web we weave....
Because of the above and many other reasons I supported Andrew Yang. His Universal basic income idea , given the disruption that AI technology is already bringing but will escalate in the coming decade  is inevitable if we hope to survive as a federation. And Young is smart, very smart , if he had won the nomination it is my opinion that he would had pivoted more to the center and had been a strong candidate against trump. 
But I am a pragmatist and supported Biden in the General election. 
as to my opinion, I believe I am allowed one as much as anyone else, I don't think my opinions during the primary disqualifies me from having one now. My judgment is debatable. :Smile: 
But what is not debatable is that Biden is too old.

----------


## S Landreth

> My judgment is debatable.


Your “debatable” judgement vs Lichtman's

I am going to side with Lichtman




> “If the Democrats have any hope of winning in 2024, they have to nominate Joe Biden,” American University professor Allan Lichtman told NotedDC.


By the way how many delegates did that wackjob Yang receive before pulling out?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Your “debatable” judgement vs Lichtman's
> 
> I am going to side with Lichtman
> 
> 
> 
> By the way how many delegates did that wackjob Yang receive before pulling out?


I agree that trump would lose 2024. If he runs. or is allowed to run after an indictment.
What I am concerned with is a second term of 82 year who by the time his term is over will be 86.
The average lifespan of a US male is 77.2 years, as such, even now he is well over his self life. 
The math don't lie . 
Who I supported and why,does not change any of the above facts

----------


## Takeovers

Far outside of my knowledge and experience, so I ask.

Is Hillary Clinton really that bad, or is she at least partly the victim of character assasination? I know that the anti Hillary campaign was relentless.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Far outside of my knowledge and experience, so I ask.
> 
> Is Hillary Clinton really that bad, or is she at least partly the victim of character assasination? I know that the anti Hillary campaign was relentless.


She was/is not very well liked, and a terrible campaigner IMO and the opinion of many others.
Her "deplorables" comment was a fatal mistake that alienated many. 
Director Comey's statement to the press on the FBI's investigation of Secretary Clinton's a week before the election did not help. Everyone knows she was coming int the game with a lot of baggage, but the coronation had occurred eight years ago.
As I said , when Obama won the nomination and wanted the support of the Clinton political machine , i exchange for that support a deal was negotiated where Hillary got a cabinet position in the Obama administration to pad up her CV, and the run after Obama's term. Don't tell me VP Biden did not want to run after the end of Obama's term as most VPs do but changed his mind after trump's term. The slot belonged to Biden but was given to Hillary.

----------


## S Landreth

> Is Hillary Clinton really that bad,.......


Of course not. Hillary was well liked by the majority. She won the popular vote. The only reason she didn’t become our president because of an outdated election process.




> What I am concerned with is a second term of 82 year who by the time his term is over will be 86.
> The average lifespan of a US male is 77.2 years, as such, even now he is well over his self life. 
> The math don't lie.


Put some weight behind your continued statement. Biden is too old.

You have an audience of about 5 here at TD on a good day.

However, Professor Lichtman; who has accurately predicted the US presidential contest since 1982, has a national and international audience and doesn’t think Biden is too old.

Again. I am siding with Lichtman.

----------


## helge

> Put some weight behind your continued statement. Biden is too old.
> 
> You have an audience of about 5 here at TD on a good day.


I'm sure that there are way more than 5 on TD, who would agree with BB on Biden being too old for another run.

I would say an overwhelming majority

----------


## S Landreth

Folks, it’s also now cheaper to generate electricity from wind and solar than it is from coal and oil.  Literally cheaper.  Not a joke.

I was just — and so we can accommodate that transition.  I was in Massachusetts about a month ago on the site of the largest old coal plant in America.  Guess what?  It cost them too much money.  They can’t count.  No one is building new coal plants because they can’t rely on it, even if they have all the coal guaranteed for the rest of their existence of the plant.  So it’s going to become a wind generation.

And all they’re doing is — it’s going to save them a hell of a lot of money, and they’re using the same transmission line that transmitted the coal-fired electric on. We’re going to be shutting these plants down all across America and having wind and solar.




> I'm sure that there are way more than 5 on TD, who would agree with BB on Biden being too old for another run.
> 
> I would say an overwhelming majority


They may be non-American and/or are still a little upset their candidate did not win the nomination and are hoping for a comeback

----------


## helge

> They may be non-American and/or are still a little upset their candidate did not win the nomination and are hoping for a comeback


 :Smile: 

Maybe/yes/ I don't know.

Doesn't change the age and capabilities of Joe Biden though.


I could argue that you must be overly devoted to the democrat party or blind.

But it's your opinion, which I can respect.

----------


## S Landreth

^and we go back to the post that brought us where we are today........




> NotedDC — White House is Biden’s to lose in 2024, analyst says
> 
> “If the Democrats have any hope of winning in 2024, they have to nominate Joe Biden,” American University professor Allan Lichtman told NotedDC.

----------


## helge

Ok

Peace

----------


## panama hat

Can Biden really win the next election?  He did a good job in the last one but, imo, he will be too old for the next, sady.  I think he's been a good leader, such a refreshing change to the last halfwit. 

But yes, too old . . . sadly.

----------


## 39TG

> Can Biden really win the next election?  He did a good job in the last one but, imo, he will be too old for the next, sady.  I think he's been a good leader, such a refreshing change to the last halfwit. 
> 
> But yes, too old . . . sadly.


I agree with all that.  I can't see enough young people being bothered to vote for such an old dodderer.

----------


## Switch

Despite the poor attitude and ridiculous posturing of Trump, he still has a shedload of support from dumb Americans. This is very worrying.

Biden may have a useful team around him, but he does lack the gravitas essential in the modern world. He lacks a personality strong enough to call out Trump and his supporters.

Whatever political nous and personal qualities Biden might have, is drowned out by his aging posture. When an obvious fraud like Trump can energize idiot support, there is a problem. I would hate to see the country suffer for it.

----------


## S Landreth

> Maybe/yes/I don't know.


First few (see above)……

From three non-Americans with no real skin in the game when the original post clearly states………




> NotedDC — White House is Biden’s to lose in 2024, analyst says
> 
> “If the Democrats have any hope of winning in 2024, they have to nominate Joe Biden,” American University professor Allan Lichtman told NotedDC.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Far outside of my knowledge and experience, so I ask.
> 
> Is Hillary Clinton really that bad, or is she at least partly the victim of character assasination? I know that the anti Hillary campaign was relentless.


It was a combination of a lengthy campaign of character assassination coupled with her team's arrogance in assuming she could win states without even bothering to make the effort to campaign in them.

----------


## panama hat

> From three non-Americans with no real skin in the game when the original post clearly states………





> _“If the Democrats have any hope of winning in 2024, they have to nominate Joe Biden,” American University professor Allan Lichtman told NotedDC._


Indeed, but many of us here have a very good grasp of US politics, it's not innate to citizens of the US . . . as for having 'skin in the game' the outcome of US elections directly and indirectly affects many of us as well. 

Lichtman's opinion, because that is what it is, is as valid as anyone else well-read

----------


## S Landreth

‘Two-minute drill’: Time is running out to break the Pentagon’s nominee logjam, Senate Dems say

Senate Democrats want to finish up confirmations of senior Pentagon nominees who have been stuck in limbo for months — but there may not be enough time to get the job done.

More than a dozen of President Joe Biden’s civilian nominees await action when the Senate returns after the Nov. 8 midterm elections that could swing control of the chamber.

The list includes those who would oversee weapons purchases and industrial policy as the Pentagon and defense contractors are scrambling to build missiles, drones and ammunition to send to Ukraine and replace depleted inventories for the U.S. and NATO allies.

Confirmations of Biden’s Pentagon picks have ground to a halt in recent months amid resistance from some Republicans, and no nominees have been confirmed since July. Once the Senate returns next week, the need to confirm those officials will compete with other priorities regardless of the election’s outcome, including passing defense policy, striking an agreement to fund the government, and confirming the president’s judicial nominees.

Any nominees who aren’t confirmed by the end of this Congress are sent back to the White House to be renominated and start the process over.

The possibility of the Senate flipping to Republicans adds urgency to getting Pentagon nominees confirmed by the end of the year. Senate Armed Services Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said confirming all pending Pentagon nominees “turns on the election.”

“If there’s a Democratic Senate in the next term, then we have a little more flexibility to move off of judges and move to other departments,” Reed said last month at a Council on Foreign Relations event. “If we lose the majority, which is 50-50 at the moment, then I think there will be an all-out push to get as many judges as possible confirmed and that will interfere with the ability to get DoD people in.”

While 43 of Biden’s Pentagon nominees have been confirmed over his first two years in office, 11 picks still await a final vote by the full Senate. Four of those nominees have been waiting for confirmation votes since March.




> as for having 'skin in the game' the outcome of US elections directly and indirectly affects many of us as well. 
> 
> Lichtman's opinion, because that is what it is, is as valid as anyone else well-read


To a certain extent all large economies have an effect, however a trump 2nd term would be devastating for us here in the US.

Biden’s age makes no difference. What makes the difference is that he’s the only one who can defeat trump. That’s coming from a professional who carries a bit more weight than someone who is well-read on US politics but maybe not on presidential predictions.

I’m still siding with Professor Lichtman for obvious reasons.  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> What makes the difference is that he’s the only one who can defeat trump. That’s coming from a professional who carries a bit more weight than someone who is well-read on US politics but maybe not on presidential predictions.


That's just silly.

There are a number of people who the Republicans have yet to character assassinate who could choose to run.

Who expected Obama to win? Clinton didn't.

----------


## S Landreth

answer to your question 

Professor Lichtman  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden calls Israels Netanyahu to congratulate him on election 

President Biden spoke by phone on Monday with former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to return to power in Israel, and congratulated him on his countrys elections, the White House confirmed.

Biden spoke with Netanyahu to congratulate him on his partys victory and commend Israels free and fair elections, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

The president reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral partnership and underscored his unwavering support for Israels security, Jean-Pierre said, adding that the White House will be monitoring the government formation process.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Israeli government on our shared interests and values, Jean-Pierre said.

Netanyahu teamed up with far-right parties to form a conservative coalition and win the election last week. He beat his main opponent, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, a centrist who conceded on Thursday.

___________


Biden acknowledges Dems keeping Congress is a very high expectation

President Biden acknowledged Monday that Democrats keeping control of Congress is a very high expectation amid final midterm predictions that show Republicans with an increased likelihood of taking over the House and Senate.

At two Democratic National Committee virtual receptions the day before the election, Biden said he remained optimistic about the prospect of Democrats keeping control of Congress while making a push for voter turnout.

One more night to do everything we can to win it and to keep it going. Look, if were able to hold on, were going to be in incredible shape. Imagine what we can do in a second term if we maintain control. I know that sounds like a very high expectation, but I think  anyway, Im optimistic, Biden said.

At another reception on Monday, Biden again warned of the dangers of electing Trump-backed  MAGA Republicans, calling them some of the darkest forces in U.S. history.

Again, not power for powers sake but power for the good of the country. You know, I know its not easy. Were up against some of the darkest forces weve ever seen in our history. These MAGA Republicans are a different breed of cat. This is not your fathers Republican Party. Its a different deal, he said.

----------


## bsnub

> former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to return to power in Israel


Sad day.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden: My intention is to run in 2024

----------


## harrybarracuda

> answer to your question 
> 
> Professor Lichtman


I mentioned Clinton because I was talking about the primary.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## S Landreth

Joe Biden moves to bury the hatchet with GOP

President Biden on Thursday extended a small olive branch to Republicans after condemning a large swath of the GOP as “ultra-MAGA” extremists and casting the pivotal midterms as a battle for the “soul of the nation.”

In an address to Democratic National Committee organizers in Washington, Mr. Biden conceded that America’s democracy remains intact even as Republicans glide toward probable control of the House.

“It was the first national election since Jan. 6, and there were a lot of concerns about whether democracy would meet the test,” he said. “It did. It did.”

He thanked “all of these mainstream Republicans” who made it possible. “They fought like we usually fight, and we accepted it. Everybody accepted it,” he said.

____________

That was from the Washington Times

Listen to: start at 16:40

----------


## S Landreth

Let’s see what the old man is doing today


Biden arrives in Cambodia looking to counter China's growing influence in Southeast Asia 

President Joe Biden underscored the US partnership with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries on Saturday as “the heart of my administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy” as he seeks to counter China’s growing influence ahead of a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping set for Monday.

The weekend of meetings in Cambodia comes ahead of the highly anticipated Group of 20 summit next week in Indonesia where Biden will meet with Xi for the first time in person since he took office. The ASEAN meetings – along with Sunday’s East Asia Summit, which is also being held in Phnom Penh – will be a chance for the president to speak with US allies before sitting down with Xi.

In remarks to the summit, Biden announced “another critical step” toward building on the group’s progress as he detailed the launch of the US-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which, he said, “will tackle the biggest issues of our time, from climate to health security, defend against the significant threats to rule based order and to threats to the rule of law, and to build an Indo-Pacific that’s free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure.” He touted existing US financial commitments to ASEAN as he noted a budget request for $850 million in assistance for Southeast Asia.

“This is my third trip, my third summit – second in person – and it’s testament to the importance the United States places in our relationship with ASEAN and our commitment to ASEAN’s centrality. ASEAN is the heart of my administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. And we continue to strengthen our commitment to work in lockstep with an empowered, unified ASEAN,” Biden said in brief opening remarks as the summit began.

The president’s first order of business in Cambodia was a bilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as he looks to build on a summit between Biden and ASEAN leaders in Washington earlier this year.

Biden, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One, “was intent on elevating our engagement in the Indo-Pacific” from the start of his presidency, and his attendance at the ASEAN and East Asia summits this weekend will highlight his work so far, including the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework announced earlier this year and security partnership efforts.

“He’s coming into this set of summits with that record of accomplishment and purpose behind him, and he wants to be able to use the next 36 hours to build on that foundation to take American engagement forward, and also to deliver a series of concrete, practical initiatives,” Sullivan said.

Among those practical initiatives, Sullivan noted, are new ones on maritime cooperation, digital connectivity and economic investment. Biden is set to launch a new maritime domain effort “that focuses on using radio frequencies from commercial satellites to be able to track dark shipping, illegal and unregulated fishing, and also to improve the capacity of the countries of the region to respond to disasters and humanitarian crises,” Sullivan said.

Biden will also highlight a “forward-deployed posture” toward regional defense, Sullivan added, to show that the US is on the front foot in terms of security cooperation.

During his remarks, Biden also pointed to a new US-ASEAN electric vehicle infrastructure initiative.

“We’re gonna work together to develop an integrated electric vehicle ecosystem in Southeast Asia, enabling the region to pursue clean energy, economic development, and ambitious emissions reductions targets,” he said of the initiative.

There will also be a focus on Myanmar and discussions on coordination “to continue to impose costs and raise pressure on the junta,” which seized power from the country’s democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup.

----------


## S Landreth

What did the the old man do today

_____________


US, Japan, SKorea vow unified response to North Korea threat

Biden huddles with Asian allies on NKorea threat, China

President Joe Biden met Sunday with the leaders of Japan and South Korea to coordinate their response to North Koreas threatening nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as to seek input on managing Chinas assertive posture in the Pacific region on the eve of his planned face-to-face with President Xi Jinping.

Biden met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The three leaders are scheduled to then sit down together on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia.

The meetings come as North Korea has fired dozens of missiles in recent weeks, including an intercontinental ballistic missile 10 days ago that triggered evacuation alerts in northern Japan, and as the allies warn of a looming risk of the isolated country conducting its seventh nuclear test in the coming weeks.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Saturday that Biden aims to use the meetings to strengthen the three countries joint response to the dangers posed by North Korea, officially known as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

What we would really like to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation where the three countries are all coming together, he said. Thats acutely true with respect to the DPRK because of the common threat and challenge we all face, but its also true, more broadly, about our capacity to work together to enhance overall peace and stability in the region.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula have skyrocketed in recent months as the North continues its weapons demonstrations and the U.S. and South Korea launched stepped-up joint defense exercises. Earlier this month, the South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-35 jets during the last day of Vigilant Storm joint air force drills. It was the first time since December 2017 that the bombers were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved a total of roughly 240 warplanes, including advanced F-35 fighter jets from both countries.

North Korea responded with its own display of force, flying large numbers of warplanes inside its territory.

The Biden administration has said it has sent repeated requests to negotiate with North Korea without preconditions on constraining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but that Kim Jong Uns government has not responded.

Biden has said he plans to press Xi to use Chinas unique sway over North Korea to curtail its aggressive behavior, as part of what is expected to be a wide-ranging bilateral meeting on the margins of the Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia.

China has an interest in playing a constructive role in restraining North Koreas worst tendencies, Sullivan said Saturday. Whether they choose to do so or not is, of course, up to them.

Biden told reporters on Sunday that hes always had straightforward discussions with Xi, and that has prevented either of them from miscalculations of their intentions. Their meeting comes weeks after Xi cemented his grip on Chinas political system with the conclusion of the Community Party congress in Beijing that gave him a norm-breaking third term as leader.

____________

Biden on Dems keeping Senate control: "I am incredibly pleased"

President Biden on Sunday celebrated the news that Democrats had clinched control of the Senate, telling reporters that he was "incredibly pleased" by the result.

Driving the news: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) won her bid for re-election over former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt late Saturday night, officially handing Democrats control of one chamber of Congress.

_____________


Ranking the Democrats who could run for president in 2024

Heres a list of the most likely Democrats to run and win the nomination  our first ranking of potential candidates since the midterms. 

President Biden

The Democrat with the strongest chance of winning his partys nomination is clearly Biden.

----------


## S Landreth

Old man Biden had an interesting day.


Joe Biden, Xi Jinping Clash On Taiwan, Find Common Ground On Ukraine

Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping clashed Monday over Taiwan but found areas of common ground during the powers' first in-person summit in three years, including a joint warning against Russia using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Xi and Biden both sought to lower the temperature as they met for more than two hours on the resort island of Bali, with the presidents both saying they wanted to prevent high tensions from spilling over into conflict.

In a sign of headway on working together, the White House announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit China -- the most senior US visitor since 2018.

Biden and Xi, who is on only his second overseas trip since the pandemic, shook hands and smiled before the two countries' flags at a hotel in Bali, where the Group of 20 opens a summit on Tuesday.

Biden, sitting across from Xi at facing tables, said that Beijing and Washington "share responsibility" to show the world that they can "manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming conflict".

Xi, China's most powerful leader in decades who is fresh from securing a norm-breaking third term, told Biden that the world has "come to a crossroads".

"The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle the relationship," Xi told him.

Xi later told him that China and the United States "share more, not less" in common interests, according to a Chinese statement.

- 'First red line' -

Tensions have risen sharply over Taiwan, with China in August conducting major military exercises after a visit to the self-governing democracy, which it claims, by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Xi told Biden that Taiwan is the "first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations," according to the Chinese foreign ministry statement.

The White House said that Biden told Xi he opposed any changes on Taiwan -- after the US leader repeatedly indicated that Washington was ready to defend the island militarily.

Biden raised US "objections" to China's "coercive and increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan, which undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region, and jeopardise global prosperity," the White House said.

Despite the clash on Taiwan, the White House indicated it had found some common ground with China on Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- a high priority for Biden who is hoping to deprive Moscow of its key potential source of international support.

Xi and Biden "reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought and can never be won and underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine," the White House statement said.

China, despite rhetorical support for Russia, has not supplied weapons for the war in Ukraine, with Moscow obliged to rely on Iran and North Korea, according to US officials.

Biden also nudged China to rein in ally North Korea after a record-breaking spate of missile tests has raised fears that Pyongyang will soon carry out its seventh nuclear test.

Biden told Xi that "all members of the international community have an interest in encouraging the DPRK to act responsibly," the White House said, using the acronym for North Korea's official name.

Xi's last in-person meeting with a US president was in 2019 with Donald Trump, who along with Biden identified China as a top international concern and the only potential challenger to US primacy on the world stage.

Although the meeting was the first time Xi and Biden have met as presidents, the pair have an unusually long history together.

By Biden's estimation, he spent 67 hours as vice president in person with Xi including on a 2011 trip to China aimed at better understanding China's then-leader-in-waiting, and a 2017 meeting in the final days of Barack Obama's administration.

On Tuesday, Xi will hold the first formal sitdown with an Australian leader since 2017, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced, following a concerted pressure campaign by Beijing against the close US ally.




 
___________


US, China agree to work together on climate, says White House 

The U.S. and China will once again collaborate on issues related to climate change, according to a White House readout of a meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The readout said that Biden underscored that the countries need to work together to address global challenges including climate change.

The two leaders agreed to empower key senior officials to maintain communication and deepen constructive efforts on these and other issues, the readout stated.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> In a sign of headway on working together, the White House announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit China -- the most senior US visitor since 2018.


Best make sure he's up to date with his Covid jabs, the place is riddled with it.

----------


## S Landreth

A busy the old man.


Joe Biden meets Turkish leader Erdogan on sidelines of G20 in Bali

Joe Biden meets with Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan on sidelines of G20 in Bali as Zelensky dials into the summit to demand unity in ending Russia's war in Ukraine

President Joe Biden met with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali on Tuesday, a meeting that was not announced in advance.

It came as Biden sought to build unity among leaders in isolating Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Turkey has posed as a dealmaker between the West and Russia, and on Monday Biden dispatched CIA chief Bill Burns to Ankara for meetings with his Russian counterpart.

Video showed the two leaders deep in conversation. It was confirmed by the Turkish president's office but journalists traveling with Biden were not allowed to cover the meeting.

White House officials initially said the meeting was unplanned, but the video showed the two leaders sitting at a table adorned with a U.S. and a Turkish flag.

It was a potentially sensitive moment, with Turkey sometimes frustrating the U.S. and NATO allies, buying a Russian air defense system and raising objections to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance.

But that has bought it leverage with Moscow.

The White House said Biden offered his sympathy for a weekend bomb attack in Istanbul and thanked Erdogan for his help in negotiating free passage for grain from Ukraine.

'President Biden expressed his deep condolences to President Erdogan and the people of Turkey on the acts of violence in Istanbul and made clear we stand with our NATO ally,' the White House said.

'President Biden expressed his appreciation to President Erdogan for his efforts to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which they both agreed has been critical to improving global food security amid Russias war and that the Initiative must continue.'

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What is the $20 billion green deal that US President Biden has agreed to?

A coalition of countries will mobilise $20 billion of public and private finance to help Indonesia shut coal power plants and bring forward the sectors peak emissions date by seven years to 2030, the United States, Japan and partners announced on Tuesday.

The Indonesia Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), more than a year in the making, is probably the single largest climate finance transaction or partnership ever, a U.S. Treasury official told reporters. The Indonesia JETP is based on last years $8.5 billion initiative to help South Africa more quickly decarbonise its power sector that was launched at COP26 in Glasgow by the United States, Britain and European Union.

To access the programmes $20 billion worth of grants and concessional loans over a three- to five-year period, Indonesia has committed to capping power sector emissions at 290 million tonnes by 2030 - and with a peak that same year. The public and private sectors have pledged about half of the funds each.

Indonesia also has set a goal to reach net-zero emissions in its power sector by 2050, a full decade before its current target set in its national climate plan, and to double the pace of renewable energy deployment so that it accounts for at least 34% of all power generation by 2030.

Weve built a platform for cooperation that can truly transform Indonesias power sector from coal to renewables and support significant economic growth, U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry said. Weve wrestled with countless issues to arrive at todays groundbreaking announcement.

US Treasury on Indonesias green energy

The Treasury official said that the peak power emissions for Indonesia in 2030 under the plan would be at a level 25% lower than their currently estimated peak in 2037. Indonesias annual emissions reduction over those years would be larger than Britains annual power sector emissions, the official said.

The plan will eliminate 300 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2030 and a reduction of well over 2 billion tonnes through 2060, the partners said in their statement.

Indonesia is committed to using our energy transition to achieve a green economy and drive sustainable development, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a statement.

This partnership will generate valuable lessons for the global community and can be replicated in other countries to help meet our shared climate goals, he added.

United States and Japan lead the way

The United States and Japan are co-leading the effort with Indonesia on behalf of the other G7 democracies Britain, Canada, France, Germany Italy, as well as partners Norway, Denmark and the European Union.

On Monday, Japan announced it would help Indonesia transition away from coal power through public and private institutions, including the state-affiliated Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

Indonesia, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a private power producer on Monday announced plans to refinance and prematurely retire a 660-megawatt coal-fired power plant in West Java province, the first such deal under the ADBs groundbreaking new carbon emissions reduction financing programme.

U.S. Treasury and State Department officials said half of the $20 billion would come from the private sector, with seven global banks participating: Bank of America Citigroup Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Macquarie and MUFG. The U.S. officials said that public finance would include concessional lending and equity, as well as some grants.

The United States will work with Indonesia to map out a 90-day plan to set up a secretariat to run the initiative and for Indonesia to reform its policies, such as streamlining permitting and setting up a competitive procurement process to make the targets achievable.

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Biden meets with new Italian Prime Minister Meloni

President Biden on Tuesday met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the margins of the Group of 20 Summit (G20) in Bali, Indonesia.

The meeting is Bidens first with Meloni, a far-right politician who is a member of the conservative Brothers of Italy party, which has been tied to neo-facism. Biden in October had expressed concern over Melonis election, sharing her victory as a warning to the U.S. of the possibility of far-right leadership.

The president and Meloni met to coordinate responses to a range of global challenges, including those posed by the Peoples Republic of China, the climate crisis, and Russias use of energy as a weapon, according to a readout from the White House.

Additionally, Biden and Meloni discussed the war in Ukraine. Italy is a member of NATO.

The two leaders also discussed their commitment to continue providing Ukraine the support it needs to defend itself and to holding Russia accountable for its aggression, according to the White House.

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Polish president speaks to Biden after deadly "explosion" near Ukraine border

At least two Polish citizens were killed by an explosion on Polish soil near the country's border with Ukraine on Tuesday, a Polish government spokesperson confirmed.

State of play: Poland has not publicly attributed a cause to the explosion, and the Pentagon and White House have said they cannot at this time confirm media reports that Russian missiles crossed into Poland.

The latest: President Biden held a phone call with Polish President Andrzej Duda shortly after being briefed on reports of the explosion.

Duda also spoke to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, as well as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

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Biden holds emergency roundtable with world leaders at the G20 Summit after Russian-made missile falls on Polish village

US President Joe Biden begins his final day at the Group of 20 Summit dealing with another crisis surrounding Russias war in Ukraine  this time involving a NATO ally.

The president is holding an emergency roundtable with world leaders in Bali on Wednesday morning local time, according to the White House website. The talks come after an explosion in Poland that killed two people.

Polands foreign ministry said late Tuesday that the Russian-made missile fell on the village of Przewodów. The ministrys statement did not specify the type of missile or where it was fired from. Biden spoke earlier with Polands president and the NATO secretary general.

The Russian Defense Ministry has called reports of Russian missiles landing in Poland a deliberate provocation, denying that there were strikes made on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border. https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/polit...day/index.html

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## S Landreth

The the old man is back home.

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Biden meets with new British prime minister 

President Biden met with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday at the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, where the two leaders recommitted their support for Ukraine.

The White House said the leaders discussed Russias barbaric missile strikes in Ukraine and underscored their governments strong support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression.

They also discussed the explosion that took place in the eastern part of Poland and our full support for Polands ongoing investigation, it said.

Their meeting came hours after a missile struck a grain silo in a village in Poland about 15 miles from the Ukraine border. Polish authorities said the missile was Russian-made, while Russias defense ministry has denied firing any missiles near the Ukraine-Poland border

Biden vowed in the meeting to support Ukraine for as long as needed.

Biden and Sunak also coordinated on a range of global issues, including the challenges posed by China, according to the White House.

They discussed the global need to step up ambitions to tackle the climate crisis, as well as the importance of securing sustainable and affordable energy supplies, the White House said, adding that they also affirmed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

Biden kicked off the meeting on Wednesday by calling the United Kingdom the closest ally and closest friend to the U.S.

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Biden praises Senate vote to advance same-sex marriage bill 

President Biden on Wednesday celebrated a Senate vote to advance legislation that would codify same-sex marriage protections, and he urged Congress to send the final bill to his desk for his signature.

Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love, Biden said in a statement. Todays bipartisan vote brings the United States one step closer to protecting that right in law.

The Senate on Wednesday voted 62-37 to advance the Respect for Marriage Act, with 12 Republicans joining with every Democrat in support. Lawmakers are expected to vote again on Thursday to invoke cloture, potentially setting up a final vote by the end of the week.

Biden argued passage of the bill will ensure protections for LGBTQ and interracial couples under federal law. Democrats had expressed concern in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that reversed abortion protections under Roe v. Wade that the court would next look to overturn decisions that guaranteed the right to same-sex or interracial marriage.

I want to thank the Members of Congress whose leadership has sent a strong message that Republicans and Democrats can work together to secure the fundamental right of Americans to marry the person they love, Biden said. I urge Congress to quickly send this bill to my desk where I will promptly sign it into law.

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## S Landreth

Biden honors Pelosis career: Most consequential speaker in our history

President Biden on Thursday honored the career of outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saying that his fellow Democrat and ally is a person of dignity.

She might be stepping down from her leadership role in the House Democratic Caucus, but she will never waiver in protecting our sacred democracy, the president said in a statement.

As a nation, we owe her a deep debt of gratitude for her service, her patriotism, and above all, her absolute dignity.

Pelosi took to the House floor Thursday afternoon to announce she will step down next year from her spot at the top of the party after leading Democrats for the last two decades, but she will remain in Congress.

Biden spoke personally with Pelosi earlier on Thursday morning over the phone and congratulated her on her historic tenure as Speaker of the House, according to the White House.

Her departure from leadership came shortly after late midterm results had officially flipped House control to the Republicans.

There are countless examples of how she embodies the obligation of elected officials to uphold their oath to God and country to ensure our democracy delivers and remains a beacon to the world. In everything she does, she reflects a dignity in her actions and a dignity she sees in the lives of the people of this nation, Biden said in his statement.

Biden argued that Pelosi is the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history and said that he watched her in action during his career from senator to vice president to president.

With Nancy, you see a fathers daughter who learned by his side how to win and govern. With her leading the way, you never worry about whether a bill will pass. If she says she has the votes, she has the votes. Every time, he said.

The president reportedly told Pelosi on a phone call last week, following the House Democrats better-than-expected performance in the midterm elections, I hope you stick.

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Biden administration to make it easier for student loan borrowers to discharge debt in bankruptcy

The Biden administration announced on Thursday updated guidelines that will make it easier for those struggling with their student debt to discharge it in bankruptcy.

The new bankruptcy policy comes from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education, and allows federal student loan borrowers to prove that theyre experiencing financial distress requiring a fresh start. Under the rules, the agencies may recommend that a bankruptcy judge discharge a borrowers student debt if they find their case warrants it.

Currently, its difficult, if not impossible, for someone to walk away from their federal student debt in a normal bankruptcy proceeding.

Todays guidance outlines a better, fairer, more transparent process for student loan borrowers in bankruptcy, said Vanita Gupta, associate attorney general of the U.S.

The announcement comes as the White House is battling to defend its sweeping student loan forgiveness plan in the courts. The Biden administration stopped accepting applications for its program, which would cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for tens of millions of Americans, last week after Judge Mark Pittman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas called the policy unconstitutional and struck it down.

The DOJ has appealed.

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## harrybarracuda

I hope to fuck Pelosi realises it's time for younger blood.

The Dems are starting to look like a geriatric meet up.

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## S Landreth

^So, you wont be sending a BD card  ::doglol:: 

Biden granddaughter's wedding offers youthful spin for president turning 80

President Joe Biden is turning 80 this weekend, but the big bash at the White House will be for an entirely different and more youthful occasion. Naomi Biden, Bidens oldest granddaughter, is set to marry Peter Neal on the White House South Lawn on Saturday.

One day following the nuptials, Biden will mark his spot in American history as the only octogenarian president, a numerical milestone that shines a spotlight on a primary issue plaguing Biden with his opponents: his age. Despite a spate of recent wins  better-than-projected midterm elections for Democrats, a relatively gaffe-less trip to Egypt and Asia, and a lackluster presidential announcement from his old rival, Donald Trump  Biden cannot shake being the oldest commander-in-chief America has ever had.

But a glossy wedding of two twenty-somethings, kicking off a fresh life chapter with music and dancing and revelry, could put a youthful spin on the 80th birthday weekend. Two people familiar with the planning of the wedding say it was not a coincidence Naomi Bidens wedding weekend coincides with the presidents day  noting the age issue is never something Biden wants to highlight.

The wedding gives some cover, says one of the people.

The wedding, which CNN is told includes the extended Biden clan on the guest list, as well as friends and family of the couple, will also mark a kickoff of sorts for the tight-knit Bidens to begin earnest discussions over whether Joe Biden should run for a second term.

Shortly after the wedding, Jill Biden and Joe Biden will travel to Nantucket, Massachusetts, for the Thanksgiving holiday; Christmas follows quickly on its heels, as the clock ticks toward Bidens need to say whether he will be in for 2024, or out. Both the president and the first lady have said they will weigh the pros and cons of a second run, something Biden has previously said he intends to undertake.

The wedding itself will consist of three parts, a person familiar with the planning tells CNN. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. ET on the South Lawn  a location that in the history of White House weddings has never before been used. There will be no tent, the source confirms, which could make for a chilly outdoor morning; temperatures for Saturday are forecast in the mid-40s. Following the exchange of vows, a smaller, family-and-wedding-party-only luncheon will take place in the White House, and later, in the evening, guests will return for an evening reception of dessert and dancing, also to be held indoors.

The grandchild closest  literally  to her grandfather

In a way, Naomi Biden, 28, is experiencing a White House wedding thanks in large part to her own gumption. Biden, an associate at the Washington, DC, law firm Arnold & Porter, pushed her grandfather to run the first time.

Though the patriarch, Joe Biden has always included his larger family circle, including his five oldest grandchildren when weighing life choices. His sensitivity to their feelings, and the invasive nature of a nasty political battle weigh heavy on his mind.

I dont think theres been any decision, no matter how big or small, that we havent decided as a family, said Naomi Biden in a video interview played at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Though typically called by the elder Biden family members, it was Naomi Biden who convened the most critical, in-person, all-hands-on-deck family meeting, the one that would have the most impact on Joe Bidens future. Biden was concerned  they, however, were not.

He thought we were calling a meeting sort of to discuss whether or not we wanted him to [run,] but really were calling it to be like,
"Get in that race! Hurry up! said Naomi Biden. In the years since, it has been Naomi who has been most publicly vocal on her social media channels about Democratic issues, and championing her grandfather. On November 12, she tweeted, Democracy wins in the Senate. Never think your vote doesnt matter.

Naomi is also the grandchild closest  literally  to her grandparents. She and Neal, 25, a recent University of Pennsylvania Law School graduate who works at Georgetown University Law Center on National Security, moved into the White House last August, a person familiar with the living arrangements tells CNN.

The close proximity to the couples wedding site has only increased their involvement in the planning. The wedding planner is Bryan Rafanelli, founder of Rafanelli Events, the source familiar with the details tells CNN. Rafanelli is no stranger to whipping up fantastical parties at the White House; he oversaw seven State Dinners during Barack Obamas presidency, including the final of the administration for Italy, which included a tent with a glass ceiling on the South Lawn and a performance by Gwen Stefani.

He also planned and orchestrated the wedding of Chelsea Clinton in 2010.

Inside the White House's months of prep-work for a GOP investigative onslaught

A Rafanelli-produced wedding is not an inexpensive endeavor. The price tag for many of his events starts at around $300,000 and can go into the millions of dollars. Consistent with other private events hosted by the First Family and following the traditions of previous White House wedding festivities in prior Administrations, the Biden family will be paying for the wedding activities that occur at the White House, Jill Bidens communications director Elizabeth Alexander told CNN.

Naomis father is Hunter Biden. Her mother is Kathleen Buhle. Her parents, who divorced in 2017, have each written memoirs about struggles in their relationship, many of which involved Hunter Bidens yearslong struggle with addiction.

Neals family is from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where the couple was engaged in September 2021. (The engagement ring includes the band of Neals grandmothers engagement ring and was designed by a DC jeweler, a person with knowledge of its construction tells CNN.)

The social event of the White House this year

Naomi Bidens wedding gown designer has not yet been revealed, though several fashion insiders contacted by CNN speculate the job went to Ralph Lauren, perhaps the most iconic American fashion designer alive today. Joe Biden is partial to Laurens suits, having worn one on Inauguration Day, and Jill Biden has also been photographed wearing the label. In March, Naomi and her sister, Finnegan, 23, and Neal, attended Ralph Laurens Fall 2022 fashion show in New York City, which sparked most of the chatter that she will wear the designer for at least one of her wedding looks. The White House did not comment on the dress speculation.

Photographs of the wedding are set to be released to the press on Saturday afternoon, at some point between the morning ceremony and the evening reception, the person familiar with the planning says.

Ashley Biden finds her voice: 'I know my worth'

Without question, the wedding will be the social event of the White House this year, perhaps of the entire Biden administration. It is only the 19th wedding to ever take place at the White House, the last one was for Obamas chief photographer, Pete Souza, who in 2013 was married in the Rose Garden. The last presidential daughter to celebrate a wedding at the White House was Jenna Bush in June 2008. Bush held her wedding and reception months prior at the Bush familys Texas ranch, but her father, George W. Bush, hosted approximately 600 guests at the White House for his daughters second reception.

But the scope and scale of the Biden wedding most correlates with that of Luci Johnson, who held her reception in the East Room after marrying Patrick Nugent, and Lynda Johnson, who in 1967 married Charles Robb in the East Room of the White House. Tricia Nixon in June 1971 married Edward Finch Cox under a flower-laden white gazebo erected in the Rose Garden. All of these weddings were media catnip, with newspapers printing the recipes for the 6-feet tall wedding cakes.

Pieces of the Johnson daughters and Nixons cakes were sent to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. (Nixons hardened to a 2-inch by 2-inch piece that now looks like a dried sponge, according to the White House Historical Association.)

No word yet on Bidens cake flavor, or whether like the aforementioned White House weddings, guests will take home a slice as a party favor at the end of the evening.

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## S Landreth

Biden turns 80 as election talk swirls

Questions about Joe Bidens age have loomed over his presidency ever since he entered the White House.

On Sunday, Biden will reach a major milestone when he is expected to spend his 80th birthday quietly with his family, many of whom will be at the White House to mark another occasion: His granddaughter Naomis wedding.

Biden allies say they know the day will be used by his rivals, who want to cast the president as lacking the energy and mental acuity needed for the job.

The question is increasingly relevant, critics say, as Biden considers reelection, though the presidents supports say the age-based attacks are markedly unfair.

Im sure Republicans will use the day to remind everyone that hes some out-of-it octogenarian, which couldnt be farther from the truth, one Biden ally said.

Michael Eric Dyson, the renowned scholar who met with Biden last year as part of a small group of historians, said this of the GOP criticism: Joe Biden has proven time and again that its, as he would call it, malarky.

When we see LeBron James and Tom Brady performing 20 years into their careers, thats the indication that 80 may be the new 60, and Im all for it, Dyson said.

The reason he can fall off his bicycle is because he was on it in the first damn place, he added.

During a news conference last week, when he was asked about whether he had it in him to run for reelection, Biden replied Watch me.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday that the Biden family typically celebrates the presidents birthday on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This year, however, the family will celebrate it on Bidens real birthday, since his family already will be together in Washington.

 The first lady is going to be having a brunch on Sunday for the president, to celebrate the presidents birthday  with his family, Jean-Pierre said.

Both the birthday brunch and wedding will be closed to the media, so any images or information from either event will come from the White House after the fact.

Biden had a very busy lead-up to the big family weekend.

He saw Democrats glide to a stronger-than-expected finish to the midterm elections, as the party held the Senate and kept the GOP to a slim majority in the House.

The Senate victory in particular is important to Biden, as it ensures Democrats will have control of the chamber for his nominees. They hope to add a 51st vote in Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) if he can win a runoff election next month.

There is also change coming for the party with the departure of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), who announced on Thursday that she will not seek another term as a Democratic leader, even though she will remain in Congress. It means Biden is likely to work with a younger generation of party leaders in the House.

Biden also just returned from a foreign trip that included stops for the Group of 20 meetings in Indonesia, as well as stops in Cambodia and Egypt.

Some say Biden should celebrate the birthday and a successful November.

On the heels of holding the Senate, a White House wedding and success at the G-20, no particular media strategy matters for the Big 8-0, said Bruce Mehlman, a former assistant secretary at the Commerce Department under former President George W. Bush.

For crying out loud, the Presidents age is no secret. Go ahead and celebrate! said former Rep. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), a Biden ally. Does being 80 make a person unable to govern? I dont know, lets ask Chuck Grassley.

The remark is a nod by the Democrat to other aging politicians who continue to exert power.

While Biden takes flack for his age from the GOP, former President Trump is only four years younger and has announced a bid for reelection. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), mentioned by Carney, is 89.

Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, said former President Reagan also dealt with criticism about his age during his reelection campaign against his rival, Democrat Walter Mondale.

But Reagan, who was 69 years old when he was sworn into his first term, used it to his advantage, didnt hide from it but embraced it.

During one of the presidential debates with Mondale, Reagan said I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponents youth and inexperience.

While Zelizer said Biden has tried to handle it by ignoring frenzies over gaffes, focusing on governing and output and sticking it to his political opponents  there might be room for a Reagan moment to use the question of age to his advantage.

But overall, his age is what it is, Zelizer said. He cant change that. So the best strategy is not to double down and define himself through that.

When Biden met with the group of historians at the White House last year, he engaged in extensive questioning, reflection and curiosity, for nearly three hours, Dyson said.

His energy, his insight, his capacity and his mental acuity were all unquestioned, he said.

Biden said he will formally announce if he plans to run for another term in the new year, after months of insisting that he intends to run. He has characterized it as a family decision, largely between one hell make with his spouse.

Allies though say that if he is up for the job, even at 80, he will do it.

I have every confidence that if President Biden deemed his age is an impediment to serving, he would not seek reelection, said Carney.

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Biden's granddaughter Naomi ties knot in White House wedding

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## S Landreth

Germany mulls breaking subsidy taboo to avoid trade war with Biden 

With only six weeks to avoid a transatlantic trade showdown over green industries, the Germans are frustrated that Washington isn't offering a peace deal and are increasingly considering a taboo-breaking response: European subsidies.

Europe's fears hinge on America's $369 billion package of subsidies and tax breaks to bolster U.S. green businesses, which comes into force on January 1. The bugbear for the Europeans is that Washington's scheme will encourage companies to shift investments from Europe and incentivize customers to "Buy American" when it comes to purchasing an electric vehicle  something that infuriates the big EU carmaking nations like France and Germany.

The timing of this protectionist measure could hardly be worse as Germany is in open panic that several of its top companies  partly spurred by energy cost spikes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine  are shuttering domestic operations to invest elsewhere. The last thing Berlin needs is even more encouragement for businesses to quit Europe, and the EU wants the U.S. to cut a deal in which its companies can enjoy the American perks.

A truce seems unlikely, however. If this spat now spirals out of control, it will lead to a trade war, something that terrifies the beleaguered Europeans. While the first step would be a largely symbolic protest at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the clash could easily slide precipitously back toward the tit-for-tat tariff battles of the era of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

This means that momentum is growing in Berlin for a radical Plan B. Instead of open tariff war with America, the increasingly discussed option is to rip up the classic free-trade rulebook and to play Washington at its own game by funneling state funds into European industry to rear homegrown green champions in sectors such as solar panels, batteries and hydrogen.

France has long been the leading advocate of strengthening European industry with state largesse but, up until now, the more economically liberal Germans have not wanted to launch a subsidy race against America. The sands are now shifting, however. Senior officials in Berlin say they are increasingly leaning toward the French thinking, should the talks with the U.S. not lead to an unexpected last-minute solution.

Berlin is the 27-nation bloc's economic powerhouse, so it will be a decisive moment if Berlin ultimately decides to throw its might behind the state-led subsidy approach to an industrial race with the U.S.

Running out of time

The clock is ticking for a truce with Biden that looks increasingly unlikely.

Recent attempts by a special EU-U.S. task force to address EU concerns have met little enthusiasm on the American side to amend the controversial legislation, the European Commission told EU countries this week.

"There are only a few weeks left," warned Bernd Lange, the chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, adding that "once the act is implemented, it will be too late for us to achieve any changes."

Lange said that the failure to reach a deal would likely trigger a WTO lawsuit by the EU against the U.S., and Brussels could also strike back against what it sees as the discriminatory U.S. subsidies by imposing punitive tariffs. Warnings of a trade war are already overshadowing the runup to a high-level EU-U.S. meeting in Washington on December 5.

It's precisely the kind of spat that the German government wants to avoid, as Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes to forge unity among like-minded democracies amid Russia's war and the the increasing challenges posed by China. Earlier this month, Scholz's government made an overture to Washington by suggesting that a new EU-U.S. trade deal could be negotiated to resolve differences, but that proposal was quickly rejected.

There are sympathizers for the subsidies approach in Brussels, with officials at the EU's executive saying powerful Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton is a leading proponent. Breton is already advocating for a "European Solidarity Fund" to help "mobilizing the necessary funding" to strengthen European autonomy in key sectors like batteries, semiconductors or hydrogen. Support from Germany could help Breton win the upper hand in internal EU strategy discussions over the more cautious Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

Breton will travel to Berlin on November 29 to discuss the consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act as well as industrial policy and energy measures with Scholz's government.

The German considerations even echo calls from top officials of the Biden administration, including U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who are urging the EU to not engage in a transatlantic trade dispute and instead roll out their own industrial subsidies; a strategy that Washington also sees as way to reduce dependence on China.

Plan B

Scholz first indicated late last month that the EU might have to respond to the U.S. law with its own tax cuts and state support if the negotiations with Washington fail to reach a solution, lending support to similar plans articulated by French President Emmanuel Macron, who will meet Biden on December 1 in Washington.

Although Scholz does not endorse Macrons framing of the initiative as a "Buy European Act" (which sounds too protectionist for the Germans), the chancellor agrees that the EU cannot stand by idly if it faces unfair competition or lost investments, people familiar with his thinking said late last month.

Negative economic news, such as carmaker Tesla putting plans for a new battery factory in Germany on hold and instead investing in the U.S., or steelmaker ArcelorMittal partly closing operations in Germany, have increased calls in Berlin to consider more state support to counter a negative trend caused by both the U.S. scheme and high energy prices.

Although the official government line remains that Berlin is still holding out hope for a negotiated solution with Washington, officials in Berlin say that it could be possible to increase incentives for industries to locate the production of green technologies in Europe.

A spokesperson for the German Economy Ministry said that faced with the challenges stemming from the Inflation Reduction Act, we will have to come up with our own European response that puts our strengths first  The aim is to competitively relocate green value creation in Europe and strengthen our own production capacities.

The spokesperson warned, however, that both the U.S. and EU must be careful that there is no subsidy race that prevents the best ideas from prevailing in the market, and added: "Green technologies in particular thrive best in fair competition; protectionism cripples innovation."

One important condition that could help Germany and the EU to safeguard said fair competition and to avoid the global free trade system descending into protectionist tendencies would be to ensure that any EU state subsidies remain in line with WTO rules. That means, in contrast to the U.S. law, that those subsidies would not discriminate between local and foreign producers.

Crucially, support is also coming from German industry.

"In the area of industrial policy and subsidies, we could look at measures that are compatible with WTO rules  as the EU is already doing in the chip sector," said Volker Treier, the head of foreign trade at the German Chamber of Commerce.

Treier also stressed that "there must be no discrimination" against foreign investors, but added: "This explicitly does not rule out the possibility of settlement bonuses, which in turn should be available to investors from all countries who would be interested in such investment commitments in Europe."

In Brussels, the Commission's competition department has also made clear that it's looking with an open mind at upcoming proposals.

"There are no instruments excluded a priori" when it comes to the EU's response to the U.S. subsidies, the department's state aid Deputy Director General Ben Smulders said Thursday.

_____________


Biden admin sends student debt relief updates amid legal fight 

The Education Department began sending out emails this weekend to update applicants seeking student loan relief about the program as it drags though the courts.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the department began sending emails on Saturday and would continue to send them out to applicants over the coming days.

We remain confident in our legal authority to carry out the Student Loan Debt Relief program
@POTUS & I announced in August, Cardona tweeted. Borrowers, remember, we will not stop fighting for you.

Emails are being sent to applicants who have been approved by the Education Department, according to screenshots shared on Twitter and in various news reports.

Your application is complete and approved, and we will discharge your approved debt if and when we prevail in court, the email to approved borrowers reads.

President Bidens relief program would forgive up to $10,000 in student loans for those making under $125,000 annually and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. The program is estimated to cost about $40 billion over 30 years.

The Biden administration is fending off several challenges to the program, including two lawsuits that have effectively halted the debt forgiveness after millions of borrowers applied for relief.

Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to lift one of the orders blocking the program from taking effect. The ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit granted an injunction in response to a challenge from six conservative-led states.

A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas also invalidated the relief program this month. The Biden administration is appealing that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

In the email to approved applicants, the Biden administration told borrowers they believe strongly that the lawsuits are meritless.

Unfortunately, a number of lawsuits have been filed challenging the program, which have blocked our ability to discharge your debt at present, the email reads. The Department of Justice has appealed on our behalf.

______________

Jill Biden - A perfect birthday celebration filled with so much love  and Joes favorite coconut cake! https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1594457430922088448

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> That's just silly.
> 
> There are a number of people who the Republicans have yet to character assassinate who could choose to run.
> 
> Who expected Obama to win? Clinton didn't.


I keep hearing the "he’s the only one who can defeat trump" mantra and I don't get it. 
Repeat something long enough and it is believed to be true  
Other that he did once before, why is he the only one?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I keep hearing the "he’s the only one who can defeat trump" mantra and I don't get it. 
> Repeat something long enough and it is believed to be true  
> Other that he did once before, why is he the only one?


I don't get it either. In two years time in a debate he'll look like an OAP who took a wrong turn.

----------


## S Landreth

> I'm sure that there are way more than 5 on TD, who would agree with BB on Biden being too old for another run.
> 
> I would say an overwhelming majority





> They may be non-American and/or are still a little upset their candidate did not win the nomination and are hoping for a comeback


upset their candidate did not win the nomination




> I keep hearing the "hes the only one who can defeat trump" mantra and I don't get it.


non-American




> I don't get it either. In two years time in a debate he'll look like an OAP who took a wrong turn.


 :Smile: 

____________


How Biden spent his 80th birthday

President Biden celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday, becoming the first octogenarian to serve in the Oval Office.

Biden marked his birthday with a brunch hosted by First Lady Jill Biden, according to White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the day after the Saturday wedding of his granddaughter Naomi Biden on the White House South Lawn.

A perfect birthday celebration filled with so much love  and Joes favorite coconut cake! the first lady tweeted, sharing a photo of the Biden family gathered around a table as the president blew out a birthday candle.

Biden also made a call to the U.S. Mens National Soccer Team as the FIFA World Cup got underway Sunday in Qatar.

Coach, put me in, Im ready to play You guys, I know youre the underdog, but Ill tell you what man, youve got some of the best players in the world on your team and youre representing this country and I know youre going to play your hearts out, so lets go shock em all, Biden told the players.

The U.S. team is set to play their first game against Wales on Monday.

In a break from birthday levity, the president also addressed the deadly shooting at the LGBTQ nightclub Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colo., where a gunman killed five people and wounded 18 others.

Today, yet another community in America has been torn apart by gun violence. More families left with an empty chair at the table and hole in their lives that cannot be filled. When will we decide weve had enough? We must address the public health epidemic of gun violence in all of its forms, Biden said.

Biden also joined other lawmakers to mark Transgender Day of Rememberance in the wake of the shooting.

There is no place for violence, hatred, and bigotry in America. Yet, tragically, as last nights attack in Colorado Springs reminds us, too many LGBTQI+ people in the United Statesand around the worldcontinue to face unconscionable attacks, Biden said in a statement. 

The presidents 80th birthday comes as the political focus shifts from the midterms to the 2024 presidential election, with former President Trump last week announcing hell mount another run to reclaim the White House.

Biden, already the oldest president to enter office, has acknowledged his age as a concern for voters, but insisted he intends to run again.

----------


## harrybarracuda

It's not like he hasn't been to the Whitehouse a zillion times, and he fucking lives there now.

 :Smile: 

President Biden appears to get lost in his own garden after White House event - LBC

----------


## S Landreth

> _They may be non-American and/or are still a little upset their candidate did not win the nomination and are hoping for a comeback_


or upset non-americans

----------


## harrybarracuda

> or upset non-americans


Fucking right we'll be upset if that orange turd got elected again.

----------


## S Landreth

Jayapal: Biden should run for reelection

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is coming down strongly on the side of those who think President Biden should run for a second White House term in 2024.

He was not my first or second choice for president, but I am a convert. I never thought I would say this, but I believe he should run for another term and finish this agenda we laid out, Jayapal told Politico in an interview published Monday.

What the president understands is you need this progressive base  young people, folks of color  and that progressives issues are popular. Whoever is in the White House should understand that, because it is a basic tenet now of how you win elections, she said.

Jayapals endorsement comes as talk of 2024 intensifies. Biden, who turned 80 on Sunday, has hinted that hell make an official decision on whether to run early next year, and has appeared energized by his partys unexpected midterm wins and the Democrats hold of the Senate majority.

Nearly three-quarters of Democratic voters in a USA Today-Ipsos poll released Sunday said Biden could win if he runs for reelection, and half of Democrats think he deserves to win the White House again, a notable uptick from just a few months ago, before the midterms.

The Progressive Caucus, which has pushed Biden on a number of issues throughout his presidency, fared well in a number of districts during the midterms, emboldening the liberal lawmakers as the next Congress nears.

Theres no question that this will be the most progressive Democratic caucus in decades, Jayapal said after Election Day.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden calls veteran credited with taking down Club Q gunman

President Biden on Tuesday called Richard Fierro, an Army veteran who has been credited with taking down the gunman inside an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden personally thanked Fierro for his bravery and for his, just, instinct to act.

The president just moments ago spoke to Richard and his wife Jess. He offered his condolences to them and also his support and he talked through what its like to grieve, she said.

Additionally, Jean-Pierre noted that Thomas James has also been credited with confronting and stopping the gunman during the shooting on Saturday.

Richard and Thomas are heroes, and we are so grateful for their quick action, Jean-Pierre said.

Fierro said in an interview on Monday that he went into combat mode when the shooting began. He was watching a drag show at Club Q with his wife, daughter and friends when shots were fired.

Jean-Pierre opened the briefing on Tuesday by honoring the lives of the five victims of the shooting. She showed photographs of Daniel Aston, Raymond Green Vance, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh and Derrick Rump and spoke about each of them.

While we dont know yet for certain the motive of this attack, hate has no place in this country. And neither do military style assault rifles, which is why we will continue to push for an assault weapons ban, Jean-Pierre said.

When asked how Biden plans to reinstate an assault weapon ban with Republican leadership in the House and a slim Democratic majority in the Senate, she said the president is optimistic that we can get this done.

The presidents not going to stop until we ban assault weapons, she added.

Biden on Monday called Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) to discuss the deadly shooting at Club Q.

____________


Biden administration extends student loan payment pause to no later than June 2023

The Biden administration on Tuesday extended the pandemic-era federal student loan payment pause and interest accrual until no later than June 2023 while the administration faces legal challenges to its debt forgiveness plan.

Im confident that our student debt relief plan is legal. But its on hold because Republican officials want to block it, President Biden said in a statement. Thats why @SecCardona is extending the payment pause to no later than June 30, 2023, giving the Supreme Court time to hear the case in its current term.

The pause was set to expire on Dec. 31 after Biden extended it in August around the same time he announced the student loan forgiveness program. At the time, the White House called that extension one final time.

The latest extension into next year will give the Supreme Court time to decide whether it will rule on whether the program can continue.

The payment pause will end no later than June 30, 2023, Biden said, because payments will resume 60 days after the Education Department is permitted to implement the program or the litigation is resolved, which should come before the end of June, when the Supreme Court term typically concludes.

Loan payments were first put on hold in March 2020 under former President Trump at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to give individuals relief from paying their student loan bills. The freeze has since been extended six times.

Bidens long-awaited forgiveness program has stopped accepting applications after it was blocked by several court challenges.

The Biden administration on Friday urged the Supreme Court to clear one of the legal obstacles blocking its student debt relief program, as part of the administrations broader legal effort to have the policy reinstated.

The administration is currently fending off two separate rulings issued over the past two weeks that have effectively halted Bidens student loan forgiveness plan, which would give federal borrowers making less than $125,000 a year up to $10,000 in debt relief. 

That move came after a unanimous three-judge panel on the 8th Circuit halted Bidens massive debt relief plan, which had already been blocked nationwide by a separate court ruling.

In an earlier legal development, a Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas invalidated the program, saying the presidential action unlawfully encroached on Congresss power.

The administration has vowed to fight the challenges.

Were not going to back down though on our fight to give families breathing room, Biden said in his announcement. Thats why the Department of Justice is asking the Supreme Court of the United States to rule on the case. But it isnt fair to ask tens of millions of borrowers who are eligible to relief to resume their student debt payments while the courts consider the lawsuits.

More than 23 million people applied for student loan relief before the applications closed.

----------


## harrybarracuda

^ The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is.....


Oh.

----------


## S Landreth

Appeals court halts depositions of 3 Biden administration officials in social-media censorship suit

A federal appeals court has halted planned court-ordered depositions of three top Biden administration officials in a lawsuit the states of Missouri and Louisiana brought over alleged pressure on social-media companies to remove posts containing purported misinformation about the coronavirus, election security and other issues.

A panel of the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that a district court judge in Louisiana erred by approving the depositions for Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly and White House Director of Digital Strategy Rob Flaherty, without examining in detail whether there were other means of getting the information plaintiffs are seeking to prove their claims.

The suit filed in May by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana claims President Joe Biden and various officials used pressure on social-media firms to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights.

Before any of the depositions may go forward, the district court must analyze whether the information sought can be obtained through less intrusive, alternative means, such as further written discovery or depositions of lower-ranking officials, the appeals court declared in a five-page, unanimous order issued by Judges Edith Clement, Leslie Southwick and Stephen Higginson. It is not enough, as the district court found, that these officials may have personal knowledge about certain communications. That knowledge may be shared widely or have only marginal importance in comparison to the potential burden imposed on the deponent.

----------


## S Landreth

Thanksgiving turkeys get Biden pardon as president makes election joke

Biden pardons Thanksgiving turkeys, quips only red wave will be spilled cranberry sauce  not Republican election wins

President Joe Biden pardoned the official Thanksgiving turkeys on Monday  and in the process made a series of Dad jokes at the expense of Republicans for falling well short of expectations in the midterm elections.

The votes are in. Theyve been counted and verified. Theres been no ballot stuffing, theres been no fowl play, Biden punned at the White House as he granted presidential reprieves to the turkeys, named Chocolate and Chip.

The only red wave this season will be if our German shepherd Commander knocks over the cranberry sauce at our table, the Democratic president quipped.

Chocolate and Chip are guaranteed not to be eaten this holiday season due to what have become traditional annual presidential pardons for would-be Thanksgiving main courses.

The birds will live out their days back in their home state, at the Talley Turkey Education Unit at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.



 
____________


Biden's generation is ceding the stage as he plots his next act 

Days after his 80th birthday, President Joe Biden gathered loved ones on Nantucket to earnestly begin family discussions about his 2024 plans.

The talks come a week after the 82-year-old House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that she would be handing over her leadership role, declaring: The hour has come for a new generation to lead. Those words echoed Bidens own from the presidential campaign trail where he once declared himself a transition candidate who would restore stability to the White House before passing the torch to younger leaders.

But that was then. Now, it increasingly appears that Biden isnt ready to cede the stage just yet.

While there has been simmering tension within the Democratic Party about making a generational change, Bidens fate appears to be intrinsically linked to Donald Trump, whom he defeated in 2020 and has deemed a threat to American democracy.

Nancy Pelosi says she'll step down from Dem leadership, in 180 seconds

The former president has already declared his own 2024 campaign and Biden has privately made clear that he believes he might be the only Democrat who could vanquish Trump again. And while Pelosi had an established line of succession in the House, those close to Biden say the field to follow him is far more unsettled.

Why would he get out now? said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley. He has no clear successor and what matters here is Trump. Joe Biden is seen as the Donald Trump slayer and many Democrats think he can do it again.

In Washington, old age has become the norm.

Biden is the nations first octogenarian president and the oldest man ever to hold the office. And he has plenty of senior citizen peers populating the halls of power: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is 71, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is 80 and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer is 83, just to name a few. Plus, Trump himself is 76.

After Pelosis announcement, Hoyer also decided he would resign his leadership role, clearing the way for a slate of lawmakers decades younger. Pelosis expected successor as Democratic leader will be 52-year-old Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

But Pelosi is stepping down as her party shifts into the minority. Biden is all but assured of remaining his partys standard bearer in 2024 and would run for reelection on the backs of an enviable legislative record and midterm results that exceeded Democratic expectations.

The midterms reiterated the fact that competent and effective government is a priority of a majority of voters, above anything else, said Adrienne Elrod, a Democratic strategist who worked on Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign.

In 2020, Biden aides knew that the candidates age was an issue and briefly considered a pledge to serve only one term. That was dismissed. But Biden offered himself as a bridge to younger Democrats.

I view myself as a transition candidate, he said during one online fundraiser, suggesting hed help field the next generation of leaders. You got to get more people on the bench that are ready to go in  Put me in coach, Im ready to play. Well, theres a lot of people that are ready to play, women and men.

Trump announces 2024 run for president

But walking away from the White House is more difficult once it becomes home. And Biden has spent nearly half his life seeking the office, having launched his first presidential campaign back in 1988.

There are many reasons why those around Biden believe he will run again: he presided over a series of legislative wins, including a bipartisan infrastructure bill and measures that enshrined Democratic climate change and health care priorities; he continues to spearhead a Western response to Russias invasion of Ukraine; and the Democrats this month held onto the Senate and held off a Republican wave in the House.

And then there is Trump. Two years ago, the party coalesced around Biden as a safe choice  a candidate who did not generate the most excitement but who it believed had the best chance to beat Trump, especially as a pandemic erupted. And even as polls now show that many in the party are eager for him to step aside, scores of key Democrats believe Biden should stay the course.

He was not my first or second choice for president, but I am a convert, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash), told POLITICO recently. I never thought I would say this, but I believe he should run for another term and finish this agenda we laid out.

Jeffries, emblematic of the new vanguard in the House, also offered his backing: Im hopeful that President Biden will seek re-election and I look forward to supporting him.

If Biden opted against a run, few in Washington believe the field would clear for Vice President Kamala Harris, and that could create a bruising primary battle. But some Democrats welcome a change, even if messy.

Ohio Senate candidate Tim Ryan, who dodged the president during campaign events this year, explicitly called for Biden in recent months to step aside in the name of generational change. Other Democrats are less confident about Bidens chances against Republicans other than Trump.

But rarely do parties take on a sitting president, and when they do, the resulting primary challenges  like Ronald Reagan against Gerald Ford in 1976 and Ted Kennedy against Jimmy Carter four years later  almost always weaken the incumbent. It is also rare for presidents to forgo a reelection bid, with those who do stand down having usually been forced out by external crises, like Harry Truman by the Cold War/Korean War and Lyndon Johnson by the Vietnam War.

While Bidens poll numbers are middling, he leads Trump in hypothetical matchups. The threat posed by Trump looms large for Bidens family; first lady Jill Biden, said to be warming to the idea of a reelection bid, will play a pivotal role in the discussions. Though aides are taking steps to prepare for another run, a final decision on a campaign will likely not be made for months.

Chatter about Bidens age has been pervasive throughout the Beltway ever since he signaled he was launching his third presidential campaign back in 2019. He had visibly aged since his time as vice president. His stride had also shortened and slowed, not helped by the broken foot he suffered while playing with one of his dogs during the transition. He has always been prone to verbal gaffes and now tires more easily, according to those close to him.

Though known for his own rhetorical missteps, Trump already tried to make Bidens age an issue in their first matchup  dubbing his opponent Sleepy Joe and claiming he was no longer with it  to little impact. Republican attacks have only continued, with a persistent drumbeat that Biden is not fit to hold office.

Biden advisers believe the 2020 race dealt with the current presidents age  he would be 86 when leaving office if he served a full second term  and that voters have grown more comfortable with older people in positions of power, whether in politics or business. White House officials said he would undergo a routine physical in the coming months.

In his most recent exam, conducted last November, his doctor declared that Biden remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations.

----------


## S Landreth

Bidens speak with military members on Thanksgiving: Youre the best of America

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden spoke with members of the U.S. Armed Forces on Thursday afternoon, thanking them for their service on the Thanksgiving holiday.

You gave up your seat at the Thanksgiving table to defend us  and we owe you a debt of gratitude, Biden said in a tweet. Youre the best of America.

The Bidens mentioned their plans to chat with service members earlier in the day, when they called into the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Thanks to the firefighters, the police officers, first responders  they never take a break, President Biden told NBCs Dylan Dreyer during the parade. And God bless our troops, for sure, the first lady added.

Were going to be talking with some of our troops later today, both here and abroad  God bless our troops, for real, the president said.

President Biden and Jill Biden also paid a visit to a local fire department in Nantucket, Mass., where the first couple is spending the Thanksgiving holiday.

_____________


Biden Voices Support For Assault Weapons Ban During Lame-Duck Congress

President Joe Biden said Thursday that he was open to a last-ditch effort to ban assault-style weapons as the 117th Congress winds down and Republicans prepare to take over control of the House in January.

With Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress for just a few more weeks, Biden said he would start counting votes to see how much support there might be for such legislation.

Im going to try to get rid of assault weapons, he told reporters during a Thanksgiving Day visit to Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts.

Biden has said repeatedly he is determined to ban assault weapons in the U.S. again after successfully helping implement a ban on new sales of certain semiautomatic weapons and large capacity magazines in 1994.

Although the term assault weapon is often criticized by gun-rights advocates because its meaning is not well defined, it generally refers to semiautomatic rifles that are designed for rapid fire.

The idea we still allow semiautomatic weapons to be purchased is sick, its just sick, Biden said Thursday. It has no social redeeming value, zero, none. Not a single, solitary rationale for it.

The 1994 assault weapons ban was allowed to lapse after a decade, during the Bush administration.

____________


White House releases Bidens Thanksgiving Day menu

President Biden enjoyed all the Thanksgiving classics  turkey, stuffing, gravy, pies  and his favorite ice cream at the first familys holiday dinner in Nantucket, Mass., on Thursday.

The Bidenss menu, details of which were publicly released Thursday night, came complete with a thyme-roasted turkey, sherry gravy, classic stuffing, cranberry relish and sweet potatoes. The first family also enjoyed shrimp cocktails, seared scallops and roasted root vegetables.

The presidents Thanksgiving dessert consisted of three types of pie  apple, coconut cream and pumpkin  as well as his favorite flavor of ice cream, chocolate chip.

____________


Biden mulls 2024 plans as Democrats weigh generational shift


President Biden plans to use some time over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to decide whether he wants to run for reelection, surrounding himself with family as he assesses his political future while giving himself a deadline of early next year to officially announce.

Biden, who just turned 80, remains in many Democrats minds the partys best shot at retaining the White House in 2024. Still, hes weighing his next steps at a time when several contemporaries in the party have stepped down from top roles to make room for a new generation of leaders.

For Biden, coming off a stronger-than-expected midterm result for Democrats is sure to factor heavily in the decision, along with the potential for a rematch against former President Trump. And while the White House has insisted for months Biden plans to run again, the president has left the door open to making a final decision after discussing with family during the holidays.

He plans to run. He said himself  that hes going to have a private conversation with his family, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.

Im certainly not going to lay out what that conversation could look like or potentially be, she added. That is the presidents, clearly, prerogative to have that conversation with his family, to make that decision.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden, Family Attend Christmas Tree Lighting on Nantucket

The Biden family's tradition of eating lunch, shopping and watching a Christmas tree lighting in downtown Nantucket on Friday became mostly about keeping the president's 2-year-old grandson from having a meltdown.


 
There was President Joe Biden's daughter, Ashley, dancing and clapping with nephew Beau to "Jingle Bell Rock'' to keep him entertained as they waited with the crowd that had gathered for the 48th annual tree lighting ceremony on Main St. There was Beau perched on the shoulders of his dad, Hunter Biden. There was Beau being carried by his father, then not being carried by his father, then appearing to say things that suggested he wanted to get out of the cold and intermittent heavy rain. Beau's grandfather walked with him at various points. Every member of the family seemed to be doing whatever they could to keep blond-haired Beau, who is named after his late uncle, happy for a few hours until the tree was lit.

The Bidens have a more than 40-year tradition of spending Thanksgiving on Nantucket, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. The day after, they go out to lunch -- this year, they dined at the Brotherhood of Thieves restaurant.

Afterward, they hit Nantucket Bookworks, a nearby bookstore. The president emerged carrying his purchases in a reusable tote bag. They meandered along downtown Nantucket's cobblestone streets, going into some stores and window shopping at others.

The first lady and Ashley had gotten some of their shopping done earlier Friday, so the spree after lunch was mostly for the president. Biden spent time inside a leather goods store and a pet store, among other businesses. At one point, he looked through the window of a lingerie store but did not go inside.

"We're thankful for you,'' someone yelled to the president.

The tree lighting ceremony went off with a bit of a hitch. The red, green and blue lights on the tree failed to come on following a countdown from 10. The high school's acapella chorus came out to sing until the problem was solved and the tree was illuminated, ushering in the Christmas season in Nantucket.

----------


## helge

> "We're thankful for you,'' someone yelled to the president.
> Remember your laptop, Hunter another witty spectator shouted out loud


No manners  :Smile:

----------


## S Landreth

Biden on 2024 conversations: Were not having any, were celebrating

President Biden said while out shopping in Nantucket, Mass., on Saturday that he wasnt having any conversations about whether he will run for reelection.

Were not having any, were celebrating! Biden said when asked about his 2024 conversations as he exited a clothing store in downtown Nantucket while honoring Small Business Saturday.

Biden and White House aides have repeatedly indicated the president intends to run for reelection, but he has not yet made a formal announcement.

Biden had said he would use some time over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with his family to make a final decision.

He made the latest remark as he gathered in Nantucket with much of his family for the holiday weekend.

As Biden continued shopping on Saturday, he was asked about a dinner Trump had at his Mar-a-Lago property with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and white nationalist Nick Fuentes after Trump announced his campaign.

You dont want to hear what I think, Biden responded.

______________

The only other formidable contender


Newsom Told the White House He Wont Challenge Biden

Gov. Gavin Newsom has won three elections in five years in Americas largest state, is apoplectic about his partys messaging defects and follows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the right-wing media ecosystem with a zeal that would put some opposition researchers to shame.

But Newsom wants the word to go forth: Hes not going to challenge President Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2024.

Ive told everyone in the White House, from the chief of staff to the first lady, he recounted to me as we sat on the top floor of Californias now-ceremonial governors mansion on election night.

His message to Ron Klain and Jill Biden over the summer  when he visited Washington amid growing speculation, and considerable West Wing irritation, that he was plotting a primary challenge  was to count him as a firm supporter of Bidens reelection: Im all in, count me in, he said he told them.

Newsom relayed the same to Biden himself on election night.

After spending much of the evening with family, aides and supporters at the governors mansion watching the surprisingly strong returns for Democrats, the governor dashed over to a Sacramento hotel to briefly celebrate his own landslide reelection and trumpet the approval of a ballot measure enshrining abortion rights in Californias constitution.

We affirmed clearly with conviction that we are a true freedom state, Newsom told reporters. He contrasted California, and himself, with book and abortion banning governors in other states who also won reelection but remained nameless. Or at least they did explicitly so, until Newsom alluded to the one flying migrants to an island.

It would seem to have all the makings of classic political preview, a coming attraction as they would say 400 miles down the 5. Here was the freshly-reelected, next-generation Democrat of one mega-state standing with his young family and calling out the freshly-reelected, next-generation Republican of another mega-state a few hours after DeSantis claimed victory on stage with his young family.

The 2024 showdown, it would seem, was on.

But this is Sacramento not Hollywood. And todays political culture, particularly among Democrats, isnt the stuff of Aaron Sorkin pictures.

So after addressing the cameras, Newsom found himself standing outside his motorcade on a chilly-for-California night, speaking on his cell phone and telling the soon-to-be-80-year-old president, worry not, he was on board.

Im all in; put me in coach, Newsom told Biden. We have your back.

____________

Democrats pine for Trump as GOP nominee

Former President Trump met a muted response from many Republicans when he launched his 2024 White House bid at Mar-A-Lago this month.

But his campaign is stirring excitement, and even some glee, from Democrats.

Members of President Bidens party are openly pining for Trump to become the 2024 Republican nominee, believing he is just too flawed to win a general election. 

They argue that the situation today is markedly different from 2016, not least because voters now know what they get with Trump in office. And Democrats are eager to have such a beatable opponent in an election that is likely to be challenging for their party.

I am hoping for Trumps nomination, cause I think hes the easiest candidate to beat, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) told The Briefing with Steve Scully on SiriusXM this week.

Dean, a presidential candidate in 2004 and subsequently the head of the Democratic National Committee, noted that he had warned his party in 2016 that Trump could win the presidency.

Now, he insisted: People are sick of this. Theyre tired of the inflammatory stuff, theyre tired of the divisiveness, theyre tired of the lies. If Trump gets the nomination, I think we have got a pretty good chance of turning over some more states than we did the last time.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told The New York Times recently that even though he thought a Trump candidacy would be an absolute horror show for the health of American democracy, it would be probably a good thing for those who want Republicans to lose in 2024.

Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh told this column that Trump is infinitely weaker than he was. 

You can always get burned by making some of these predictions, but I just think he seems a little bit of a spent force, Longabaugh said. There are a whole bunch of dynamics that are very different from 2016.

Even some on the right believe the Democrats have a point.

An editorial from The Wall Street Journal the day before Trumps campaign launch savaged his chances in 2024, lamenting that after the 2020 election, the country showed it wants to move on but Mr. Trump refuses  perhaps because he cant admit to himself that he was a loser.

The Journals editorial asserted that if Trump did press ahead with his campaign, Republican voters will have to decide if they want to nominate the man most likely to produce a GOP loss and total power for the progressive left.

Democrats and Trump-skeptical Republicans believe that the GOP has other candidates who could either be more persuasive to center-ground voters in a general election  or at least bring less baggage into the race than Trump.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is just as confrontational as Trump but not dogged by the same degree of indiscipline, nor by legal troubles  and he just won reelection in his usually competitive state by 19 points.   

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) was elected in a Democratic-leaning state in 2021, just a year after Biden had carried it by 10 points over Trump. 

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants and the leading female contender for the GOP in 2024, would offer a much more inclusive face of the party.

Of course, Democrats  and pundits  have underestimated Trump before, most notably in 2016.

His candidacy was treated as a self-promotional gambit or a joke in many places. The Huffington Post at one point ostentatiously announced it would move coverage of his bid to the Entertainment section of its website. Various Democrats pronounced that Trump had no chance of winning.

Everyone knows how that turned out.

Now, however, the argument that Trump is the weakest link has several new threads.

Firstly, even though the former president retains the fervent support of his base, he is unpopular with the public at large. 

An Economist-YouGov poll conducted from Nov. 13-15 found that Trump was viewed favorably by 77 percent of Republican voters but by only 41 percent of the overall population. Fifty-two percent of all adults had an unfavorable view of him  notably higher than the other potential GOP contenders the poll tested.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

^^
I thing he should not run again and enjoy being am ex-president for a while, because if he runs and wins he will bever get much of a chance to be a living ex-president IMO.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden to hold first state dinner for France's Macron, Jon Batiste to perform

Musician Jon Batiste is on tap to perform at President Joe Biden's first White House state dinner on Thursday that will highlight long-standing ties between the United States and France and honor President Emmanuel Macron.

"An artist who transcends generations, Jon Batiste's music inspires and brings people together," said Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden, whose office is overseeing dinner preparations.

"We're thrilled to have him perform at the White House for the first state dinner of the Biden-Harris administration," Valdivia said.

The black-tie dinner for Macron will be part of what is shaping up to be a busy social season at the White House. The Bidens' granddaughter Naomi was married on the South Lawn earlier this month. And first lady Jill Biden was set on Monday to unveil the White House decorations that will be viewed by thousands of holiday visitors over the next month.

The Bidens are returning Sunday from Nantucket, where they spent Thanksgiving with family.

Batiste will be adding White House entertainer to an already long list of roles, including recording artist, bandleader, musical director, film composer, museum creative director and scion of New Orleans musical royalty.

He won five Grammy Awards this year, including for album of the year for "We Are." During the awards show in April, Batiste ended his dance-filled performance of "Freedom" by jumping up on Billie Eilish's table.

Batiste, 36, most recently was bandleader and musical director of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," leaving the broadcast after a seven-year run.

Batiste composed music, consulted on and arranged songs for Pixar's animated film "Soul." He won a Golden Globe for the music alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. The trio also earned the Academy Award for best original score. For their work on "Soul," Batiste, Reznor and Ross won the Grammy for best score soundtrack for visual media.

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## S Landreth

Biden urges lawmakers to stop rail strike, avoid government shutdown

`The economy's at risk': Biden urges Congress to stop rail strike, fund government

Meeting for the first time with congressional leaders since the midterm elections, President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to intervene in a labor dispute between unions and operators of the nation's freight railroads and complete other items on a hefty to-do list before leaving town for the holidays.

"There's a lot to do, including resolving the train strike," Biden said in brief remarks before the news media was ushered out.* "*Its not an easy call but I think we have to do it. The economys at risk."

Biden wants lawmakers to adopt before a Dec. 9 strike deadline an agreement brokered by the White House in September between labor union leaders and rail operators. Four of the 12 rail unions have voted to reject the five-year agreement, leaving Congress as the last option to avert a system shutdown.

Lawmakers also face a Dec. 16 deadline to agree on a 2023 budget before the expiration of a temporary funding measure that would lead to a partial government shutdown.

Biden has asked Congress to include in the funding package more than $37 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine and $9.25 billion for a possible winter surge of COVID-19.

Were going to work together to fund, I hope, work together to fund the government, COVID and the war in Ukraine," he said.

It was the first meeting between Biden and congressional leaders since the mid-term elections. Democrats fared better than expected but the president must still contend next year with a GOP-run House intent on setting its own priorities and using its investigative authority to hold the administration accountable.

Still, Biden said the group could find "areas of common ground."

The American people want us to work together, he said.

There's bipartisan support for legislation to codify the right to gay and interracial marriage, a measure that could be sent to Biden's desk by the end of the week.

Democrats also hope to pass before the end of the year legislation to clarify how presidential Electoral College votes are tallied and challenged, aiming to prevent confusion that helped foment the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021.

___________


Jill Biden Unveils White House Christmas Decorations 2022

This years holiday theme at the White House is We the People.

 
The holiday season is in full swing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

First lady Dr. Jill Biden just revealed this years Christmas decorations at the White House, sharing photos of the festive decor on Instagram.

For this years holidays at the White House, we hope to capture the spirit embodied in the very idea of America: We the People, she wrote in her Instagram post.

As our country gathers for the holidays, traditions may vary, but our shared American values  a belief in possibility, optimism, and unity  endure each season, she continued. Room by room, visitors will be reminded of what brings us together during the holidays, and throughout the year.

Each decorated area of the White House offers a different take on the We the People theme.

The East Wing focuses on honor of remembrance and includes Christmas trees with gold stars engraved with the names of fallen service members.

The East Colonnade has a reflective, peaceful feel, lined with white winter trees and handmade animals that evoke the feelings of peace and tranquility after the first snowfall, the White House said in a release.

The Vermeil Room, meanwhile, explores the theme of Kindness & Gratitude and includes a tribute to the nonprofit organization Operation Gratitude, which delivers care packages to troops, first responders and military families.

Jill Bidens White House Christmas Decorations 2022: Photos  Hollywood Life

___________


Biden heading to Boston at the same time at William and Kate's visit: President will be in fundraiser while Prince and Princess of Wales attend star-studded awards bash - so will they meet?

President Joe Biden will reportedly be in Boston on Friday - the same day the Prince and Princess of Wales host their glitzy Earthshot Prize in that city.

The White House wouldn't say whether or not a meeting is on the agenda.

'I don't have anything to share on the President's travel,' press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at her press briefing on Monday.

William and Kate will be in Boston on Wednesday for a three-day trip that includes Friday's awards ceremony, which honors innovators who are addressing climate change and environmental concerns - a top issue for the Prince of Wales.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will be in Boston on Wednesday for a three-day trip - above the couple is seen together last month at a visit to an outdoor market in Belfast

Biden, too, has made climate issues at top domestic priority. One of his first acts as president was to return America to the Paris Climate Accords after Donald Trump removed the country from the environmental pact.

President Biden has met William and Kate before. He and first lady Jill Biden joined a reception with them and the rest of the royal family - including the late Queen and the then-Prince Charles in June 2021 when England hosted a G7 meeting.

The Boston trip is the first overseas trip for the Prince and Princess of Wales since the death of the Queen and since they were given their new titles.

Billie Eilish, Annie Lennox and actor Rami Malik will lead the line up for the awards ceremony, where five winners will be given $1. 2 million each in prize money.

Actresses Catherine O'Hara and Shailene Woodley also will present awards. BBC's Clara Amfo and actor Daniel Dae Kim will co-host.

It will take place at Boston's MGM Music Hall and include video narrated by naturalist David Attenborough and actress Cate Blanchett.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tes-visit.html

----------


## helge

> Meeting for the first time with congressional leaders since the midterm elections, President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to intervene in a labor dispute between unions and operators of the nation's freight railroads


Why ?

Those struggles has to be settled between the two parties.

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## S Landreth

Kind of obvious.

President Biden is trying to bring the two sides together.

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## helge

By writing an "agreement" into law ?

Workers have one way of getting their wishes/demands met.

Government intervention sabotages that

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## S Landreth

yep,......trying to bring the two sides together

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## S Landreth

> Why ?


Its what a good leader does.....

Lead


Congressional leaders vow to consider bill to avoid rail strike

Congress this week is poised to consider a bill to avert a national rail shutdown, Democratic and Republican lawmakers said Tuesday after a meeting at the White House.

*Driving the news:* "All four of us agreed we've got to resolve this rail shutdown as quickly as possible and that we would work together on doing it," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said after the meeting.


"Tomorrow morning, we will have a bill on the floor," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said after the meeting, which also included GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell."I dont like going against the ability of unions to strike, but weighing the equities, we must avoid a strike," Pelosi said."Leader McConnell and I agreed we'd try to get it done ASAP," Schumer added.

*The big picture:* President Biden on Monday called on Congress to pass legislation forcing railroad workers to accept the labor contract that the White House brokered in September "to avert a potentially crippling national rail shutdown."


"As a proud pro-labor President, I am reluctant to override the ratification procedures and the views of those who voted against the agreement," the president said in a statement."But in this case  where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families  I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal."

*Between the lines:* It increasingly seemed negotiations between the freight rail companies and their unions weren't moving. And if both sides don't reach a deal by Dec. 9, rail workers could strike  an economically devastating move that could cost an estimated $2 billion a day.


Previously, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said they would prefer both sides to work this out themselves, as the Washington Post reported.Congressional Democrats had been waiting on White House guidance before acting, WaPo also reported.Some rail workers had been lobbying members of Congress for a few days of paid sick leave, which isn't included in the Biden-brokered deal. The president shut down any ideas about that addition in his statement."Some in Congress want to modify the deal to either improve it for labor or for management. However well-intentioned, any changes would risk delay and a debilitating shutdown, " Biden said. "The agreement was reached in good faith by both sides."

*The other side:* Some progressive lawmakers signaled their opposition to the bill after the White House meeting on Tuesday, including Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).


"Every worker deserves paid sick leave," Bush wrote in a tweet."I will not support a deal that does not provide our rail workers with the paid sick leave they need and deserve," she said."Listen, I cant in good conscience vote for a bill that doesnt give rail workers the paid leave they deserve," Bowman also wrote on Twitter.

*The intrigue:* In his statement, Biden noted that he's been pushing for a federal paid leave policy for the past two years. "Every other developed country in the world has such protections for its workers," he said.

*Flashback:* Congress last stepped in to avoid a rail strike in 1992. Six senators voted against the move, including then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, a reporter at the White House briefing on Monday noted, because the dynamic favored workers.

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## S Landreth

Biden discusses jobs and manufacturing at Michigan computer chip plant



 

Biden in Michigan: US won't be 'held hostage' in chips supply

President Joe Biden visited a semiconductor chip manufacturer near Bay City on Tuesday afternoon, touting federal taxpayer investments in manufacturing to move supply chains to the United States and pursue an energy future with fewer carbon emissions.

Biden toured SK Siltron CSS, a U.S. subsidiary of the Korean SK Group conglomerate, which announced last year that it would invest more than $300 million in a new site in Bay County's Monitor Township to manufacture materials for semiconductors used in electric vehicles, creating an estimated 150 jobs. The project is also supported by nearly $6 million in state incentives.

The visit comes around four months after Biden approved the CHIPS and Science Act, which funds more than $52 billion in subsidies and $24 billion in tax credits for companies to make chips in the U.S., including $2 billion set aside for legacy chips used in vehicles.

Biden championed that legislation as reversing the country's past mistakes when U.S. plants closed and opened in other countries.

"We invented the chip in America, then we got lazy," Biden said. "Federal investment helped reduce the cost of creating the market and hired its entire industry that America led, as a result. ... Then something happened. American manufacturing, the backbone of our economy, got hollowed out. Companies began to move jobs overseas, instead of products overseas, because it was cheaper for them."

Hailing SK's investment in Michigan as a "game changer," Biden said investments by his administration will restore what was: "We're going to be the supply chain. The difference is going to be we're going to make that supply chain available to the rest of the world, but we're not going to be held hostage anymore."

The president visited SK Siltron with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and U.S. Reps. Dan Kildee of Flint Township and Elissa Slotkin of Lansing, Bay County Executive Jim Barcia, Saginaw Mayor Brenda Moore and Midland Mayor Maureen Donker.

__________


White House to host second democracy summit in March

The White House announced Tuesday it will host a second summit on democracy next year, following up on efforts to push back on authoritarianism and present a united front among democratic nations.

As President Biden has said, we know democracy remains the best tool humankind has to unleash our collective potential and deliver our security and prosperity for all, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One. Thats why hes made strengthening democracy a cornerstone of both his domestic and international agenda.

The second democracy summit will take place March 29 and March 30. Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Zambia and South Korea will act as co-hosts, Jean-Pierre said. Government leaders and private sector officials from many of the attending countries will take part in the summit.

Biden in December 2021 hosted the first Summit for Democracy, which focused on strengthening democracy, defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption and promoting human rights.

The first summit led to more than 700 commitments intended to strengthen and safeguard democracy.

Biden has made protecting democracy a running theme of his time in the White House as well as his 2016 campaign. He has given multiple speeches warning against election deniers within the U.S. and pushing back against former President Trumps baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen and fraudulent.

_____________


Progressives cool on finding an alternative to Biden 

Progressives have cooled on the idea of finding a new leader to seek the partys presidential nomination in 2024, marveling at the successes of the midterms and crediting President Biden for once again surpassing expectations.

The outcome is not perfect. Democrats will soon be in the House minority and will struggle to advance some of their legislative goals with the GOP in control.

But the strong performance in the Senate  where liberals gained an ally in Sen.-elect John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and kept their majority  and slim losses in the lower chamber have also restored their confidence in Bidens durability while quieting talk about a replacement.

I think what the midterms did accomplish is they silenced that, said Cooper Teboe, a progressive Democratic strategist and adviser to a pro-Biden political action committee. Even if Biden was running for reelection, I think we could have seen a few people run against him. But now, I think hes got a clear field.

Fears of a November wipeout had left progressives talking privately about who might replace Biden. Some had talked about a desire for a younger candidate than Biden, who is 80.

Prominent progressives, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with newer national possibilities like Californias Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D), were often discussed enthusiastically among those desiring a more liberal choice at the top of the ticket.

But after averting a red wave, some of the same figures who were previously antsy have lavished praise on Biden.

I dont know how he and his team have managed to do it, but during two years of the stress of the presidency, he actually seems more on it than he did during the campaign, Teboe said. He seems way more put together now.

Newsom explicitly has said he wont run for president in 2024, and Khanna, who has made useful connections in several early primary states, has given the president fresh credit for his achievements.

Sen. Ed Markey (Mass.), one of the most progressive Democratic senators, last week told WCVB5, a Boston-based ABC affiliate, that if Joe Biden wants to run, I think we should all rally behind him.

In the House, the leadership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus seems less willing to offer an alternative slate or even engage in speculation that Biden wont seek reelection.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the caucuss leader, admitted to being skeptical of Biden early on  even going as far as to say he wasnt her first or second choice during the 2020 Democratic primary. Shes now pledged to support his reelection campaign if he formally launches one, telling Politico: I believe he should run for another term and finish this agenda we laid out.

The statement was a clear indication of the mood change on the left, where leading up to Nov. 8, progressives were growing frustrated over the partys divided message focus. Now talk has shifted.

What you saw particularly from the Biden administration and the rest of the Democratic Party is that there was a great deal of enthusiasm to support progressive policies leading up to the midterm elections, said John Paul Mejia, national spokesman for the grassroots-led Sunrise Movement.

Regardless of whether Biden is the nominee in 2024 or not, he has a responsibility as the leader of this country, who recognizes that democracy is tanking and crippling right now, to be able to buy in social trust from young people who will be the protagonists of saving it, he said. And I think the way hes able to do that is by waging progressive policies.

The White House has taken a victory lap over what it views as ample accomplishments. Nearly every major legislative push from the Biden administration has had an economic component, aides and allies point out, which ultimately helped voters swing blue in many critical areas.

Despite the narrowest congressional majorities ever, President Biden and congressional Democrats have delivered the biggest climate change package in history, empowered Medicare to negotiate lower drug costs with Big Pharma, stopped multinational corporations from gaming the federal tax code to pay no income taxes, and brought manufacturing jobs back to America, and given economic opportunity to student borrowers, Andrew Bates, a White House spokesperson, told The Hill on Monday.

The American people affirmed that agenda when they voted this month, including through record youth turnout, Bates added.

Indeed, young voters helped Democrats win in a variety of close races, further bolstering the presidents credentials as a unifier of different constituencies. That pitch helped fuel Bidens first presidential bid and got cautious progressives on board.

Progressivism is coded in youth, said Mejia. The ability for Biden to mobilize young people was on those progressive impulses that he really acted upon in the weeks leading up to the midterms.

Who has the best ability to mobilize young people? Who will continue doing this? Who has shown a capability of doing this? Thats how Im reading some of the simmering noise.

Moderates who had embraced Biden more fully from the onset have expressed delight that the early chatter about progressive alternatives has subsided, at least for now.

Those calls died down because Bidenism proved to be a winning strategy during the midterms and he was the most successful president, legislatively, of our generation, said Jonathan Kott, who served as an adviser to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

I dont think those calls pick up again, because President Biden is the only Democrat who can win in 2024, he said.

Should he run again, Bidens message may sound strikingly similar to his first one. That is particularly likely now that former President Trump has announced a new presidential bid, a scenario that many in the party have publicly and privately hoped would materialize.

He beat Trump once and can do it again as affirmed by [the] 2022 election, said Larry Cohen, an activist leader and close ally of top congressional progressives, including Jayapal and Sanders.

Progressives, like other Democrats, are now watching the clock. If Biden announces, those who have entertained exploratory phases are likely to continue their work, but with a different focus. They could shift their efforts to aid his reelection bid or to build a longer-term foundation for future runs themselves.

I think they continue doing it, Teboe, the progressive Democratic strategist, said, referencing some of the early legwork. I think they just push their time horizon from 24 to 28.

The rosier-than-expected outcome has afforded Biden time, some in the party believe. Hes unlikely to announce a reelection campaign before the Georgia runoff election on Dec. 6, when Democrats could pick up another crucial Senate seat, further cementing their control of the upper chamber and allowing even more negotiating room on contentious legislation.

An additional Senate seat also would give Democrats a bigger boost in a swing state that Biden worked to flip blue in 2020, providing a case for the longevity of his personal brand and political strategy. 

I dont think hes in any rush to announce, Kott said. It turns out good governance is a winning message.

----------


## S Landreth

> Why?


Because hes a leader


House passes bill to avert rail strike

The House passed a bill on Wednesday to avert a railway strike, taking the first major step in avoiding a walkout of workers that would have drastic effects on the U.S. economy as it heads into the holiday season.

The chamber passed the resolution in a 290-137 vote, sending it to the Senate for consideration just over one week out from the Dec. 9 strike deadline. Seventy-nine Republicans supported the measure, and eight Democrats voted no.

Lawmakers are now set to vote on a separate measure that would give rail workers seven days of paid sick leave per year, addressing a chief concern unions and progressives had with the agreement.

President Biden on Monday called on Congress to intervene in the impasse that had union leaders and rail workers at odds and brought the U.S. closer and closer to a rail strike, which threatened to cripple the economy and ravage supply chains. 

He huddled with the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday in part to discuss how Congress could help avert the strike.

Shortly after Bidens plea, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the House would consider such a measure. Congress has the authority to intervene in rail labor disputes in accordance with a 1926 law, titled the Railway Labor Act, as a way to prevent disturbances in interstate commerce.

The resolution passed on Wednesday was a tentative agreement negotiated by the two largest rail unions in September with help from the Biden administration. It provides workers with 24 percent raises over five years and allows them to take time off for medical appointments without being penalized, a key sticking point.

During debate on the House floor Wednesday, Pelosi underscored the dangers that would come with a rail strike.

Let me be clear: A nationwide rail shutdown would be catastrophic, she said. A shutdown would grind our economy to a halt, and every family would feel the strain.

Time is of the essence. We must act now, she added.

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## S Landreth

Biden vows protections for Nevadas Spirit Mountain

President Biden on Wednesday committed his administration to protecting a Nevada mountain and the surrounding landscape, but stopped short of the national monument designation desired by advocates.

Avi Kwa Ame, or Spirit Mountain, is a sacred site to the Indigenous people of the Yuman language group, and environmentalists have also called for a national monument designation, which would prevent development on about 450,000 acres around the mountain.

Speaking at the White House Tribal Nations Summit Wednesday, Biden did not announce a formal designation, despite initial reports that he would make the second such announcement of his presidency. Formal protections for the area would make it the largest acreage protected under the Biden presidency so far.

When it comes to Spirit Mountain and the surrounding ridges and canyons in Southern Nevada, Im dedicated to protecting this sacred place thats crucial to the creation story of so many tribes that are here with us today, the president said. An Interior Department official confirmed to The Hill this did not constitute a designation.

Avi Kwa Ame holds deep spiritual and historic significance to the Native people who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial, said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Indigenous Cabinet secretary. I am thrilled that President Biden is committed to protecting this sacred place, and honor the many years of work of the Tribes and local community to safeguard the integrity of the historic and cultural landscape and the many objects of significance within it.

The push to protect Avi Kwa Ame has led to atypical friction between environmentalists and the renewable energy sector. Last December, the Bureau of Land Management signaled it will not authorize a proposed wind farm in the Mojave Desert that would have overlapped with the proposed monument.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is among the voices calling for a formal designation, saying in a statement Wednesday, The land within Avi Kwa Ame is sacred to 12 Tribal nations, includes critical habitat for a wide range of wildlife, provides world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, and contains some of the most stunning landscapes in Nevada. I look forward to celebrating the official designation of Nevadas next national monument.

In October, Biden named Colorados Camp Hale the first national monument of his presidency, after previously invoking the Antiquities Act to restore national monument status to three sites that saw their status rolled back under the Trump administration.

____________


National Christmas Tree blazes to life with Biden lighting

Five, four, three, two, one! and the towering National Christmas Tree blazed with bright color Wednesday evening as President Joe Biden marked a century-old American tradition leading the lighting near the White House.



 
The president, joined by first lady Jill Biden and host LL Cool J, led the festive crowd braving damp, chilly weather in a countdown before the tree was illuminated.

Biden delivered brief remarks on American unity and promise, concluding exuberantly as Jill Biden blew a kiss, From the Biden family to you, Merry Christmas, America!

The tradition dates back to 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge walked from the White House to the Ellipse to light a 48-foot fir tree decorated with 2,500 electric bulbs in red, white and green, as a local choir and a quartet from the U.S. Marine Band performed. The lighting ceremony has been carried out year after yeardrawing thousands to Washingtonwith a few exceptions during times of war and national tragedy.

_____________


Biden steps up the jabs against Trump

President Biden is taking on his former rival Donald Trump, seeking to frame the 2024 presidential election as a contest between them before he announces whether he will actually seek reelection. 

Since the midterm elections, when Democrats were able to hold off an expected Republican wave to retain the Senate, a more confident Biden has poked Trump and Republicans regularly.

The swipes have been particularly noteworthy in recent days as speculation mounts over whether Biden, bolstered by those midterm successes himself, will seek another term.

Trump-backed candidates lost in a number of races, and Democrats believe they benefit from Trumps influence on the GOP. 

It feels like one of the takeaways from the midterms is that creating a binary choice between he and Trump is beneficial for President Biden, said Democratic strategist Joel Payne. It appears that the White House is going to continue to be bullish whenever Trump creates an opportunity for contrast. 

I think any White House is going to become more proactive as they gear up for reelection, Payne said. Feels like its on schedule for this White House to adjust.

During the annual turkey pardon at the White Houses pre-Thanksgiving ceremony, Biden took on Trump and Republicans during lighthearted comments. 

Theres no ballot stuffing, theres no fowl play, Biden quipped. The only red wave this season is going to be if our German shepherd Commander knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table. 

The White House also proactively put out talking points for chatting with your uncle at Thanksgiving.

In those points, the White House dubbed Republicans in Congress EXTREME, pointing to laws banning abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and GOP calls to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act.

The White House has argued that the GOP-proposed repeal could mean Americans lose expanded health care benefits the law provides, while Republicans have been particularly critical of the laws increased funding to the IRS and the corporate tax increases.

The White House also took on Trump when aides launched a new webpage highlighting the Biden Harris record on the same night Trump announced he was running for reelection.  

Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright said the presidents latest tack against Trump and Republicans is smart.

I dont think its a bad thing for the current president to remind folks that Donald Trump, in all his ways, not only is he still the leader of the Republican Party, but the things that come along with Donald Trump, including cuddling and playing footsie with a white supremacist and white nationalists, is still reality and that continues to make him an ongoing and present danger to democracy as we know it, Seawright said. 

Bidens swipes, he continued, are also a friendly reminder to those who identify as independent voters or independent thinkers of what decision theyre going to have to make in the election if Donald Trump is the Republican nominee.

Its critically important for Democrats to continue to highlight who we will be up against, not just in the 2024 election, but in the everyday hustle and bustle of politics, he added. 

In a news conference following Election Day earlier this month, Biden discussed how the red wave didnt happen. He also talked about his aim to keep Trump from becoming president again when asked how other world leaders should view this moment for America.

We just have to demonstrate that he will not take power  if does run, Biden said. Im making sure he  under legitimate efforts of our Constitution  does not become the next president again.

While the White House typically doesnt weigh in on Trumps machinations even when pressed by the media to do so  White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did comment on Trumps meeting with white nationalist Nick Fuentes in Florida this past weekend.

Im not going to respond to everything that happens with the former president but this, this is something thats important that we speak very clearly about and we speak very forcefully about, Jean-Pierre said on Monday. 

When you say things like this, when you do not speak out against these kinds of poisonous and dangerous kind of remarks or representation, if you will, that is also incredibly dangerous within itself, she added.

Last weekend, Biden reacted to the Fuentes meeting with a slight jab at Trump.

You dont want to know what I think, he told reporters asking what he thought of the meeting.

The presidents uptick in jabs directed at Trump comes as the former president has lost some support and influence within the Republican Party, with lawmakers and officials holding off on endorsing his latest White House bid.

I think that President Biden understands that Trump is wounded and is facing a lot of pressure from inside of his own party, never mind the Democrats, a Biden ally said. When your enemy is flailing, let them flail and Biden understands that and I think is making sure that Democrats are paying attention.

Bidens jabs are politically motivated, the source argued, and are another way to energize the Democratic base and put the spotlight on Trumps recent issues.

Stirring the pot, keeping Democrats engaged and chuckling, and being amused by Trumps foibles and his challenges and his legal challenges particularI think those are politically intended, the ally said.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Another federal appeals court has rejected President Biden’s attempt to move forward with his student debt relief plan while lawsuits over the program inch toward the Supreme Court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit refused late Wednesday to lift a ruling from a Texas court that struck down the policy as illegal.

The decision offers more evidence the Supreme Court will have to weigh in on Mr. Biden’s plan, which offers $10,000 in relief to many federal student loan holders and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients.
Previously, the Biden administration asked the justices to reverse an order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit that blocked his plan.
The administration has begun notifying people who are approved for relief even though the program might not survive in court.
Critics of the plan say Mr. Biden usurped powers granted only to Congress, while some plaintiffs claim the relief would make their tax bills go up.
So far, roughly 16 million of 26 million applications have been approved.
Mr. Biden recently extended a pandemic-related pause on student loan payments while litigation plays out.
“I’m completely confident my plan is legal,” Mr. Biden said in a Twitter video. “But it isn’t fair to ask tens of millions of borrowers eligible for relief to resume their student debt payments while the courts consider the lawsuit.”

A second appeals court deals a blow to Biden's student debt relief plan - Washington Times

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden greets French President Macron

----------


## sabang

President Joe Biden's approval rating is sitting at 40% as the wait continues for the announcement on his plans for the 2024 election.

Biden has said it's his 'intention' to run for a second term but that he wouldn't make a final decision until the new year.

But his approval rating in this new Reuters/Ipsos poll is up 3 percentage points from 37% in a Nov. 21-22 poll. In this week's poll 55% disapprove of his presidency.

The president's approval rating has been all over the map during his two years in office as voters praised him for his handling of the COVID pandemic but then turned on him when record-high inflation increased the cost of living.

In this latest poll, Biden was boosted by greater approval from Democrats, who are celebrating the fact the party did better than expected in the 2022 midterm election.

Biden's approval rating recovers to 40% as he weighs 2024 plans

Wow, impressive.

----------


## S Landreth

^some better numbers below




>

----------


## S Landreth

Remarks by President Biden and President Emmanuel Macron of France at Arrival Ceremony

Biden:

As Allies in NATO, together with our European Union and the G7 and partners around the world, France and the United States are facing down Vladimir Putin’s grasping ambition for conquest and Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, which has once more shattered peace on the continent of Europe.

France and the United States are once again defending the democratic values and universal human rights which are the heart of both our nations.

Macron:

We are both honored and moved, Mr. President, to be here with you today at the White House — honored and moved, like you said, Mr. President, because our two nations are sisters in their fight for freedom.

France, from the beginnings of American independence, the inception of your country — and the United States in the life sacrifice from the trenches of the Somme to the beaches of Normandy.

Accordingly, we bear a duty to this shared history.  As war returns to the European soil following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and in light of the multiple crises our nations and our societies face, we need to become brothers in arms once more.

This spirit of fraternity must enable us to build an agenda of ambition and hope, as our two countries share the same faith in freedom, in democratic values, in empowerment through education and work, and in progress through science and knowledge.

Our democracies on both sides of the ocean are being shaken by the same doubts as to our ability to be sufficiently strong and effective when it comes to the challenges we share — those of the climate, geopolitics, and technology.  They’re in doubt in the face of relativism, hate speech, false information, and today’s fears.

United today by the same determination and the same strength of mind.  Together, we need to find a path to offer a possible future for our children — one of prosperity, justice, and ecology.

Together, we need to work to rebuild the unity of our societies through respect and recognition — the only means to eradicate hate.

Together, we need to frame new world balances to bring peace and build a renewed, more equitable partnership with the Global South.

Our new frontiers are there, and it is our shared responsibility to respond to this.  And to that effect, the United States and France — the strongest allies — are there, because our relationship is rooted in centuries.

It is our shared destiny to respond to those challenges together — true to our history, clear sighted of our world, and determined to generate hope.

Long live the friendship between the United States and France.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden Hosts a Joint Press Conference with President Emmanuel Macron of France







Biden, appearing with Macron, zeroes in on holding Russia accountable

President Biden vowed that the U.S. and France would work alongside their allies to hold Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine during a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.

*Why it matters:* This is the first state visit of the Biden administration and comes after last year's Australia-U.S.-UK (AUKUS) submarine deal left France blindsided, temporarily hurting relations between the two countries.


The war is stretching into its tenth month and persistent Russian missile strikes threaten to leave many Ukrainians without electricity, water and heat as winter approaches.

*What they're saying:* "We affirm that France and the United States, together with all our NATO allies and the European Union and G7, stand as strong as ever against Russia's brutal war against Ukraine," Biden said.


Biden called France "one of our strongest partners" and praised France's welcoming of Ukrainian refugees.Macron said they discussed initiatives “to keep supporting and strengthen our support to the Ukrainian troops and enable them to resist.”He added that they'd focus on building sustainable peace as well as food and energy security.

----------


## sabang

> praised France's welcoming of Ukrainian refugees.


It would be appreciated if the European nations could praise the USA for the same thing. Too preoccupied with selling guns n gas I suppose.

----------


## Switch

> It would be appreciated if the European nations could praise the USA for the same thing. Too preoccupied with selling guns n gas I suppose.


Macron is a no mark. Joe pats him gently on the head for being a good boy.

Biden may be lacking in the media presentation stakes, but tiny Macron can lick ass with the best of them. (What submarine deal)?  :rofl:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Macron is a no mark. Joe pats him gently on the head for being a good boy.


And he doesn't even have to lift his arm.

----------


## S Landreth

> It would be appreciated if the European nations could praise the USA for the same thing.


They might want to stay close to home. It’s not like they will not be going back after the Ukrainians push the Russians out.

----------


## pickel

> It would be appreciated if the European nations could praise the USA for the same thing. Too preoccupied with selling guns n gas I suppose.


The reason there are fewer refugees in the US during this war is because they want to stay closer to home. I would bet that there are more Ukrainian refugees in the US than Europe from the previous time that Russia had a special military operation in Ukraine.

----------


## Switch

> The reason there are fewer refugees in the US during this war is because they want to stay closer to home. I would bet that there are more Ukrainian refugees in the US than Europe from the previous time that Russia had a special military operation in Ukraine.


Do you mean the first 'war' when the Russians annexed the Crimea, or the current 'war' where they end up getting owned?

----------


## S Landreth

> Why?


Leaders lead.

Senate passes legislation to avert a rail shutdown

The Senate on Thursday passed legislation to avert a rail shutdown following a grave warning from President Joe Biden about the economic danger posed by a strike.

The House passed the tentative rail agreement on Wednesday. The measure can now be sent to the president to be signed into law. The vote came after pressure had mounted on lawmakers to act swiftly. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier on Thursday that the Senate “cannot leave until we get the job done.” The final vote in the Senate was 80 to 15.

Without congressional action, a rail strike could have become a reality as early as December 9, causing shortages, spiking prices and halting factory production. It could also have disrupted commuter rail services for up to seven million travelers a day and the transportation of 6,300 carloads of food and farm products a day, among other items, according to a collection of business groups.




 
Biden signs rail agreement into law, thwarting strike

----------


## helge

> Leaders lead.


 :Smile: 

They haven't got their sick leave.

He fucked them

That old puppet

----------


## pickel

> Do you mean the first 'war' when the Russians annexed the Crimea, or the current 'war' where they end up getting owned?


I was referring to the Holodomor mainly.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden honored French President Emmanuel Macron at White House state Dinner

Celebs and dignitaries meet at the White House for Biden's state dinner

 
Orchestrated in part by the first lady, President Biden hosted French President Emmanuel Macron and several hundred other guests at the White House Thursday evening for his first state dinner as commander in chief.

State dinners honoring foreign leaders are a White House tradition dating back to the 1800s, the first of which welcomed King Kalakaua of Hawaii, hosted by President Ulysses S. Grant on Dec. 22, 1874. The occasion is a show of hospitality to some of the most powerful people and a sign of friendship, attended by U.S. and foreign officials, as well as actors, musicians and other stars.

Biden's dinner extends an olive branch to Macron after the United States torpedoed a nuclear submarine deal between France — America's oldest ally — and Australia last summer. The two leaders have spent the past few days discussing shared interests, culminating in a glamorous black tie event Thursday evening.

A look at the guest list

More than 300 additional guests made their way to the White House for Biden's party. Among them were members of the French and American elite, including business magnates, movie stars, TV personalities, musical artists, dozens of state and federal officials, military leaders, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Kurt Russell, the 2022 teacher of the year.

Some notable star attendees included actress Jennifer Garner, R&B singer John Legend — who played at Biden's 2021 inauguration, comedian and TV host Stephen Colbert.

From the government, attendees included Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, along with senators, representatives, governors, mayors and other officials.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and his mother joined Biden and the Democrats for dinner.

And representing America's military were Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Medal of Honor recipient Army Cpt. Florent Groberg.

Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter Jon Batiste performed for Biden, Macron and guests after dinner concluded.

"We're thrilled to have him perform at the White House for the first state dinner of the Biden-Harris administration," said Vanessa Valdivia, spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden.

Dinner with a red, white and blue theme

The first lady said her red, white and blue design for Thursday's dinner was inspired by shared colors and values between France and the U.S.: liberty, democracy, equality and fellowship.

Tables set on the South Lawn of the White House displayed red roses, blue delphiniums and white irises, "...Which are the symbols of our nation's capital and of France — their intricate petals reflecting the interwoven history of our nations," the first lady said in a statement Wednesday.

As for the meal itself, the White House spared no expense. Lobsters were brought in from Maine and there was beef with shallot marmalade, prepared by White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford.

And for dessert, White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison presented the guests with orange chiffon cake, roasted pears topped off with crème fraiche ice cream, The Associated Press reported.

What the world leaders wore

Both presidents Biden and Macron sported classic black tuxedos for the evening, while their wives seized the opportunity to sport something more in tune with the event's color scheme. According to Vogue, Jill Biden wore a navy gown by Oscar de la Renta hanging off her shoulder neckline. It had long sleeves and a botanical lace pattern.

As for Brigitte Macron, she donned a white turtleneck dress with silver detailing at the waist and neckline.

Photos: Red, white, blue theme for French White House state dinner

Remarks by President Biden and President Macron of France in Joint Press Conference | The White House

----------


## helge

> Both presidents Biden and Macron sported classic black tuxedos for the evening, while their wives seized the opportunity to sport something more in tune with the event's color scheme. According to Vogue, Jill Biden wore a navy gown by Oscar de la Renta hanging off her shoulder neckline. It had long sleeves and a botanical lace pattern.
> 
> As for Brigitte Macron, she donned a white turtleneck dress with silver detailing at the waist and neckline.


 :Smile: 

No no

Nobody is to blame

I should know better than to open a thread where Landreth posts.

----------


## S Landreth

President Biden urges political leaders to call out antisemitism

American political leaders "should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides," President Biden tweeted Friday.

*Why it matters:* Biden made the comments the day after Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, praised Hitler in an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.


The comments also come after former President Trump dined with Ye and white nationalist Nick Fuentes last week.

*What he said:* "I just want to make a few things clear," Biden said. "The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure.


"And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides. Silence is complicity," Biden added.

----------


## S Landreth

White House to Trump: You cannot only love America when you win 

The White House on Saturday responded to Donald Trump calling for the suspension of the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election, saying in a statement, You cannot only love America when you win.

The Constitution brings the American people together  regardless of party  and elected leaders swear to uphold it, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said. Attacking the Constitution and all it stands for is anathema to the soul of our nation, and should be universally condemned.

Earlier, in a post on his Truth Social network, the former president had called for the termination of constitutional laws, while citing conspiracy theories about the presidential election he lost.


____________


Biden administration extends immigration protections for Haitians

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday extended immigration protections for Haitians in the United States, granting work permits and deferral from deportation to those who were in the country as of Nov. 6.

The extension and redesignation of temporary protected status (TPS) comes after immigration advocates, the Haitian diaspora and Democrats had called on the Biden administration to amplify protections for nationals of the beleaguered country.

We are providing much-needed humanitarian relief to Haitian nationals already present in the United States, said Mayorkas in a statement.

The conditions in Haiti, including socioeconomic challenges, political instability, and gang violence and crime  aggravated by environmental disaster  compelled the humanitarian relief we are providing today, he added.

The move was largely received as good news among Haiti advocates, who worried that repatriations to the Caribbean country would further aggravate conditions there.

This decision will save lives and is the type of compassionate response this moment demands, tweeted Rep. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), one of the Democrats leading the push asking for the TPS extension and redesignation.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> No no
> 
> Nobody is to blame
> 
> I should know better than to open a thread where Landreth posts.


There are usually some informative and entertaining comments if you just judiciously screen.   :Smile: 

I for one want to know how Biden can screw up things this trivial:




> Biden still has some 40 embassies without an ambassador, including five from Group of 20 countries, according to the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service.


How hard is it to appoint ambassadors?

----------


## S Landreth

The U.S. chip boom is just beginning

Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s decision to triple its investment in Arizona is part of a national rush to re-shore key inputs for the American economy.

*Driving the news:* President Biden traveled to TSMC's Arizona plant on Tuesday to bask in the glow of the announcement. The company — which by some measures manufactures over half the world's chips — said the three-fold increase would bring its investment to around $40 billion.


TSMC says the plants will create more than 10,000 high-paying tech jobs, including 4,500 directly at the plants themselves.*"*American manufacturing is back, folks," President Biden said, speaking at the TSMC facility.

*The big picture:* The last few years of economic disarray — broken global supply chains, high inflation, Russia's war on Ukraine, and growing trade and technology tensions with China — upended the system of globalization that emerged after the Cold War.


That global network required that people, commodities, capital and goods could — and would — always flow easily across borders.But the onset of COVID generated a series of global government scrambles for essentials — first masks and vaccines, then semiconductors, and now oil and gas — that at times blurred the line between economic security and national security.

*State of play:* The disorder also highlighted the importance of developing domestic production of cutting-edge semiconductors, now sourced from a Taiwan that finds itself increasingly imperiled by an aggressive China.


The $280 billion Chips and Science Act of 2022 — signed into law in August — includes $52 billion in subsidies to coax companies into building production plants in the U.S.Corporations have been receptive, in part because Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit this year "have really hammered home the fact that there is no guarantee of peace in the Taiwan Straits going forward," says Chris Miller, a Tufts University history professor and author of the new book "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology."

*Context:* TSMC's announcement is just the latest in a string of high-profile investment plans from computer chip companies.


In early 2022, Intel announced it would spend $20 billion on a new chip production facility near Columbus, Ohio, and has plans to spend a similar amount building out plants in Chandler, Arizona.Samsung Electronics has floated the possibility that it could follow a previously announced $17 billion investment in chip production in Austin, Texas, with up to $200 billion on 11 plants in the area, according to Bloomberg.

*What they're saying:* The U.S. and European focus on boosting chip manufacturing, along with China's simultaneous desire to lead global tech "all point to increased semiconductor capital expenditure in the coming decade," analysts with S&P Global wrote in a recent research report.

*The bottom line:* In the aggregate, the reshuffling of the global chip market along national lines could be inefficient and costly as countries around the world rush to build, or rebuild, their own local supply of chips.


But in the U.S., it will make for good politics, offering shovel-ready photo ops for politicians at plants that promise good-paying jobs that, by definition, won't be outsourced to China.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden strikes deal to free Brittney Griner from Russian custody

The White House has secured the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner, President Joe Biden announced Thursday, confirming that the U.S. sent arms trafficker Viktor Bout to Russia in exchange.

“Moments ago, standing together with her wife, Cherelle, in the Oval Office, I spoke with Brittney Griner,” the president said from the White House. “She’s safe, she’s on a plane, she’s on her way home after months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held under intolerable circumstances.”

----------


## russellsimpson

> shes on her way home after months of being unjustly detained in Russia


How so "unjustly"?

She knew the risks.

----------


## pickel

Biden is a shitty negotiator if all he got was Griner for Bout. Paul Whelan deserved freedom more than her.

----------


## russellsimpson

> Biden is a shitty negotiator if all he got was Griner for Bout. Paul Whelan deserved freedom more than her.



Absolutely. What bullshit.

----------


## helge

> being unjustly detained , held under intolerable circumstances.”


Ol Joe will be busy enough, when the natural consequence of his quest to free young fools, carrying banned, but unharmful substance, from draconic prison sentences in Russia, takes him home.

Gibt gas, Joseph !

----------


## happynz

> Paul Whelan deserved freedom more than her.


In Whelan's case it will have to be a team effort as he is a national of Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the US.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden did the right thing,.......

_A senior administration official said Thursday they believe the Russians are holding Whelan’s release to a higher bar than Griner’s because of the espionage charges.

“We as a government have sought to bring Paul Whelan home as well. We did so in good faith with the Russians and proposed multiple different options. Regrettably, due to the nature of the sham espionage charges Russia levied against Paul, the Russians have treated, continue to treat, his situation differently from Brittney’s and rejected each and every one of our proposals for his release.”

Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, released a statement following Griner’s release calling it the right decision by the administration to secure her freedom. He said he’d been in touch with the Biden administration prior to the public announcement, giving the family time to process the news that Paul Whelan would not be coming home at this time.

It is the second time this year the Whelan family has learned the U.S. had secured the release of an American wrongfully detained in Russia while Whelan remains imprisoned there._

and will continue to do so for the next 6 years.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden called gay marriage 'inevitable' and soon it'll be law



Vice President Joe Biden addresses a Freedom To Marry event in New York, July 9, 2015 
A decade ago, then-Vice President Joe Biden shocked the political world and preempted his boss by suddenly declaring his support for gay marriage — one of the country’s most contentious issues — on national television. But not everyone was surprised.

A small group had attended a private fundraiser with Biden weeks earlier in Los Angeles where he disclosed not only his approval but his firm conclusion about the future of same-sex marriage.

He predicted, “Things are changing so rapidly, it’s going to become a political liability in the near term for someone to say, ‘I oppose gay marriage.’”

“Mark my words. And my job — our job — is to keep this momentum rolling to the inevitable.”

The day that Biden envisioned may have arrived. He plans on Tuesday to sign legislation, passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress, to protect gay unions — even if the Supreme Court should revisit, as some fear or hope, its ruling supporting a nationwide right of same-sex couples to marry.

Biden’s signature will burnish his legacy as a champion of equality at a time when the LGBTQ community is anxious to safeguard legal changes from a backlash on the right that has used incendiary rhetoric, particularly against transgender people.

“It is a historic moment and a long time coming,” said Bruce Reed, the White House deputy chief of staff and a longtime adviser to Biden. “It’s all the more inspiring in light of what the country has been put through in recent years, and what courts have threatened of late.”

If there’s a feeling of anticlimax, it’s because the politics of marriage have shifted as dramatically as Biden predicted. Although the issue is not universally embraced — a majority of Republicans in the House and Senate voted against the legislation — it’s no longer considered a dangerous third rail.

----------


## Switch

> I was referring to the Holodomor mainly.


Had to google that. Soviet problems in Ukraine again?

----------


## S Landreth

Zelensky thanks Biden for unprecedented support in latest call

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday thanked President Biden for unprecedented support the U.S. has provided as the countrys fight against Russia enters the rough winter months.

I had a phone call with U.S. President Joseph Biden and thanked for the unprecedented defense and financial assistance that the U.S. provides to Ukraine, Zelensky said in a post on his Telegram account.

This not only helps succeed on the battlefield, but also maintains the stability of the Ukrainian economy.

The Ukrainian president also thanked the U.S. for aid to restore Ukraines battered energy system and emphasized the importance of shoring up Ukrainian air defense.

A readout of the call from the White House said Biden affirmed the U.S. is prioritizing support for the air defense and highlighted the latest $275 million in weapons, ammunition and other equipment the Pentagon has announced for Ukraine. 

Biden also reportedly drew attention to the $53 billion investment to support Ukraines energy system as Russia targets the countrys power grid.

The U.S. has now sent nearly $20 billion to aid Ukraine since the start of the war in February.

NBC News reported back in October that Biden lost his temper on a call with Zelensky, when Biden said the U.S. would send $1 billion in aid and the Ukrainian president responded with additional requests. Biden reportedly told Zelensky he could do to be more grateful for U.S. support. 

A fruitful conversation with @POTUS. I expressed gratitude for another security package, Zelensky said on Twitter after the latest call.

We discussed further defense cooperation, protection and maintenance of our energy sector. Coordinated positions on the eve of the #G7 online summit. Americas leadership remains steadfast!

----------


## S Landreth

"In a world where inflation is rising in double digits in many major economies around the world, inflation is coming down in America."



 
Biden Celebrates Easing Inflation Numbers, Defends His Economic Policies

President Joe Biden on Tuesday celebrated the positive consumer price index report that showed inflation easing in the United States ahead of the holiday season.

"We learned last month that the inflation rate came down, down more than experts expected," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "In a world where inflation is rising in double digits in many major economies around the world, inflation is coming down in America."

The core consumer price index, which excludes food and energy costs and which economists view as a primary indicator of inflation, rose only 0.2% in November. It's the smallest monthly increase in over a year. The report released by the Labor Department on Tuesday found core CPI costs up 6% from a year ago.

Overall CPI, which includes food and energy, rose 0.1% from the previous month and 7.1% over the last year.

The easing suggests the Federal Reserve's interest-rate increases could be working as intended and the Fed may be able to achieve the "soft landing" it wants, avoiding a large-scale economic recession.

The report is likely to be reassuring to the Fed and the central bank's Chair Jerome Powell. When it concludes its meeting on Wednesday, the Fed is expected to only increase interest rates by a half-point — as opposed to the three-quarter point hikes it has deployed throughout the year.

The report marks the fifth month in a row where the rate of inflation has declined in the United States, Biden said.

"I want to be clear it's going to take time to get inflation back to normal levels as we make the transition to a more stable and steady growth," Biden said.

Biden, standing beside Council of Economic Advisers Chair Cecilia Rouse and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese, said he hopes prices will return to normal by the end of next year, if not sooner. But he stressed he cannot make that prediction.

___________

In other news........

Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act on the South Lawn

----------


## S Landreth

Biden mocks Trumps major announcement of digital trading cards

President Biden on Thursday mocked former President Trump for teasing a major announcement that turned out to be a new line of digital Trump trading cards.

I had some MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS the last couple of weeks, too Biden tweeted from his personal account.

The president listed a consumer price report that showed inflation easing in recent weeks, the signing of legislation to protect same-sex marriage, a prisoner swap that brought home WNBA star Brittney Griner after months of being imprisoned in Russia and falling gas prices as notable achievements for the White House in recent days. https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1603455603606798378


 
_____________


U.S. is all in on Africas future, Biden assures leaders of the continent

President Joe Biden delivered a simple message Wednesday to a group of African leaders gathered for a high-stakes Washington summit: the United States hasnt forgotten about you.

Addressing the heads of state from nearly 50 African nations gathered for the three-day summit, Biden took steps to begin repairing the trust with a continent that has felt abandoned by the United States  with Russia and, in particular, China stepping in to fill the void.

Biden did not call out China by name, but much of his speech was squarely aimed at starting a continental competition with that other global superpower, which has invested billions upon billions in Africa. But Biden also tried to prove a U.S. commitment to help create sustainable success on a continent home to 1.3 billion people.

Were all in on Africas future, Biden told the crowd of officials and business leaders gathered at Washingtons sprawling convention center. African success and prosperity is essential for a better future for all of us, not just for Africa.

In one of many veiled nods toward China, Biden argued that for economic prosperity to take hold in Africa, democracy had to as well.

In a year that has seen elections across Africa, we have worked together with the African Union to strengthen democracy and the core values that unite our people, Biden said. Freedom, opportunity, transparency, good government.

White House aides have stressed that the U.S.-Africa summit, only the second ever held, acts as both evidence of the Biden administrations commitment to Africa, and the capstone to a year dedicated to foreign policy that also had the president host Western Hemisphere allies in Los Angeles and travel to Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

But as the 49 African leaders and their delegations descended on Washington this week, there was a sense of American opportunity lost.

The first such summit was in 2014. Then-President Barack Obama pledged a new era of relations between the United States and the continent. But while Obama made efforts to improve ties, he also cut funding to combat AIDS in Africa and reduced foreign aid to the region.

Then for four years, the Trump administration actively neglected Africa, with the former president declaring its nations as sthole countries. A presidential visit has long been viewed as a symbol of a commitment to a bilateral relationship and Trump, accordingly, never traveled to Africa. The last trip by an American president was Obamas July 2015 journey to Kenya and Ethiopia.

Biden plans to change that. The president  as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and other top officials  intend to travel to Africa in 2023, according to officials familiar with the plans but not authorized to discuss them ahead of an official statement.

----------


## 39TG

I think it's disrespectful that the POTUS very rarely visits Africa.  I'm surprised Sleepy Joe hasn't already visited Africa.  Another sign that he's a bit old for his job.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden administration approves Washington state request to offer health insurance to undocumented immigrants

The Biden administration has approved an application by Washington state to expand health insurance access for all residents regardless of immigration status by allowing it to forgo requirements set by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Department approved Washingtons application for a State Innovation Waiver, issued under Section 1332 of the ACA. The application for this waiver was submitted in May.

What is a 1332 waiver?

A state may apply for a 1332 request if it wishes to pursue innovative strategies for providing affordable health care while still retaining protections offered through the ACA.

The HHS secretary may approve a 1332 waiver request if they determine that the proposed plan will provide coverage that is at least as comprehensive as coverage provided without the waiver, which the Washington state plan was found to do.

The Evergreen States exception

Washington state specifically sought to be granted an exception from a part of the ACA that excluded people living in the U.S. illegally from being eligible for qualified health plans, which are plans certified by the federal government that meet requirements set by the ACA.

According to the two departments, this waiver will expand access to qualified health plans, stand-alone qualified dental plans and a state affordability program to Washington residents regardless of their immigration status.

The waiver will help Washington work towards its goals of improving health equity and reducing racial disparities by expanding access to coverage for the uninsured population through the state Exchange, all the while not increasing costs for those currently enrolled, the departments said in a statement.

The approval of this waiver is contingent on the state accepting specific terms and conditions. If these requirements are agreed on, then the waiver will go into effect from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2028.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden gets personal during victory lap on burn pits law

President Biden on Friday took a victory for legislation approved by Congress that expands benefits for millions of veterans who were exposed to toxins during service.

I made it real clear to the United States Congress, if they didnt pass this damn burn pit bill, I was going to go on holy war. Not a joke, Biden said. Its one of the most significant laws in our history to help millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service.

Biden made the remarks during a town hall at a National Guard/Reserve Center in New Castle, Del., that is named after his late son Beau Biden.

The younger Biden served in the Delaware National Guard and the president has suggested that his exposure to burn pits in Iraq could have been the cause of the brain cancer he died from in 2015.

Im no doctor but its pretty clear a lot of guys and women getting sick, Biden said. Many when they came home had gone the best trained, fittest warriors in the world and came home with headaches, numbness, dizziness, cancer.

He recalled when Beau Biden came home from Iraq and called him saying he collapsed from a run.

Its not unique to me and my family. So many are here today and around the country, the president said.

The Delaware event is one of over 90 events on Friday occurring across the U.S. to encourage veterans to sign up for health care, get screened for toxic exposure, and submit a claim if they are experiencing a toxic exposure related condition, according to the White House.

Theres no place Id rather be today to get the message out about the PACT Act than home here and here in this particular facility, he said, referring to the legislation which stands for Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics.

Biden signed the legislation into law in August.

Biden thanked comedian Jon Stewart for his work on the toxic burn pits bill, after the former Daily Show host had advocated for helping veterans with illnesses related to their service.

Biden called passing the PACT Act the first step of being, make sure that we leave no one behind.

_____________


JFK files: Classified files on president's assassination released

Once-classified files on JFK's assassination released by Biden.

President Joe Biden on Thursday released a cache of once-classified documents expected to shed light on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy nearly 60 years ago.

"This has been a commitment of the president," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "President Biden believes all information related to President Kennedy's assassination should be released to the greatest extent possible, consistent with national security."

Jean-Pierre said 97% of the Kennedy collection is available to the public following the release of 12,879 documents Thursday by the National Archives and 1,491 documents a year ago today.

An additional 515 documents have been withheld by the archives in full and 2,545 documents partially withheld.

Biden has ordered the acting archivist, Debra Steidel Wall, to conduct a six-month review "of a subset of the remaining redacted records" to ensure they are also disclosed "to the greatest extent possible," Jean-Pierre said. 

__________


Senate sends $858 billion defense bill to Bidens desk

The Senate on Thursday passed the annual defense authorization bill, sending the $858 billion measure to President Bidens desk for signature just before the year-end deadline.

The measure, formally known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, 83-11.

It provides $45 billion more for defense than called for in Bidens budget, including allocating $817 billion to the Department of Defense and $30 billion to the Department of Energy.

Thursdays vote caps weeks of wrangling over floor timing and controversial policy changes, such as language demanded by conservative Republicans to end the militarys COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which has been in place since August of 2021.

It marks the 61st year in a row that Congress has passed the defense bill on time, a notable achievement given the legislative gridlock that has reigned on Capitol Hill in recent years.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) cheered the passage of the bill after months of negotiation, calling it the most significant vote of the year.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden attends private church mass on anniversary of wife, child deaths

President Biden on Sunday attended a private church mass with his family to mark the 50th anniversary of the deaths of his first wife and daughter. 

The White House said the president and first lady Jill Biden attended a private memorial mass with family at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Greenville, Del.

On this day in 1972, 30-year-old Neilia Biden and baby daughter Naomi Biden died in a car crash as they set out to buy a Christmas tree with the couples three children.

Sons Hunter and Beau Biden suffered injuries but survived the crash, which occurred shortly after President Biden had been elected to the Senate and nearly curtailed his political career.

Biden remarried five years later, in 1977, and together he and Jill Biden had daughter Ashley Biden.

Hunter Biden, Ashley Biden and several of the presidents grandchildren were also in attendance during the mass and a visit to the familys gravesites, per the White House pool report.

Beau Biden died of brain cancer in 2015, at age 46, during President Bidens tenure as vice president. The death reportedly contributed to his decision not run for the White House as the Obama administration ended.

The president has discussed his personal experience with grief throughout his political career and has been open about his losses.

__________


Biden addresses rise in antisemitism during White House Hanukkah reception

President Biden on Monday condemned a rise in antisemitism as vile and venom during a Hanukkah holiday reception at the White House.

This years Hanukkah arrives in the midst of rising and emboldened of antisemitism  at home and, quite frankly, around the world. I recognize your fear, your hurt, your worry that this vile and venom is becoming too normal, Biden said in the Grand Foyer of the White House. 

As your president, I want to make this clear.  Silence is complicity. We must not remain silent. And I made no bones about it from the very beginning: I will not be silent. America will not be silent, Biden said. 

Biden spoke to the gathered crowd from a podium between a Christmas tree and a new menorah, which first lady Jill Biden introduced as the first permanent White House menorah and the first Jewish artifact added permanently to the presidential collection. 

The holiday festivities also included a blessing and a menorah lighting, according to a pool report.

Bidens remarks come as lawmakers and the administration draw attention to an uptick in hateful rhetoric and violence directed at the Jewish community. 

Former President Trump last month came under fire for hosting white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes at his Mar-a-Lago residence for a controversial dinner with rapper Ye, who has also made recent antisemitic comments and said he sees good things about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Biden also condemned the dinner.

The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure. And instead of giving it a platform, our political leaders should be calling out and rejecting antisemitism wherever it hides, Biden wrote on Twitter after the dinner.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, hosted a roundtable of Jewish leaders at the White House earlier this month to discuss antisemitism. 

And last week, the Biden administration announced plans to set up an interagency task force to work on developing a national strategy to combat the issue.

__________


Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to meet with Biden, address Congress

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress Wednesday in his first trip outside his country since Russia began its violent invasion of Ukraine in February.

Biden invited Zelenskyy to Washington to reinforce the U.S. "stands with Ukraine for as long as it takes," according to a senior Biden administration official who discussed the trip on the condition of anonymity.

During their meeting, Biden will commit $2 billion in additional U.S. security assistance to send Patriot antimissile batteries to Ukraine amid the bombardment of cities by Russian missiles and drones.

Zelenskyy's joint address to Congress, set for later in the evening, comes as lawmakers prepare to vote on an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided about $68 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since violence between it and Russia renewed.

Zelenskyy's visit will mark the 300th day since Russia invaded Ukraine. In a letter, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested lawmakers should travel to Washington Wednesday for a "very special focus on democracy" that night.

To have a complete and total hero in the Congress of the United States, fighting for democracy, leading people who are fighting for democracy, would bring honor to the Congress of the United States, Pelosi told reporters.

----------


## bsnub

Going to a big day. Yesterday and today are huge news days. Sadly underreported on TD. Zelensky visiting the front and the speeches he gave were monumental. He stands with great men.

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## S Landreth

^Hopefully Zelenskyy will be able to convince the handful of new idiots in Congress why it’s so important to keep aid coming from the states.

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## S Landreth

Zelensky arrives in D.C.. for first trip since Russia invasion began



 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington on Wednesday for his first international trip since Russia invaded his country 300 days ago.

*Driving the news:* Zelensky and President Biden will have an "in-depth, strategic discussion" at the White House about the war, additional U.S. military aid and tightening sanctions on Russia, a senior U.S. official told reporters. The two will then hold a press conference before Zelensky visits Capitol Hill for meetings and to address a joint session of Congress.


During his D.C. visit — which will last just "a few short hours," per the U.S. official — Biden announced close to $2 billion in additional U.S. military aid including, for the first time, the Patriot missile defense system.Congress is poised to pass $45 billion in additional military and economic aid to Ukraine this week as part of its $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill, bringing total U.S. assistance to over $100 billion.

*Yes, but:* Some members of the incoming House Republican majority have expressed deep reservations about continuing to send aid to Ukraine.


Meanwhile, the Biden administration has also been reluctant to approve shipments of certain weapons Zelensky has requested, such as longer-range missiles, out of concern that could lead to escalation with Russia.The visit will be an opportunity for the Ukrainian president to make his case in person that increased support is needed.

*The latest:* Prior to their meeting, Zelensky presented Biden with a military commendation that he said had come from a "real hero" — a captain in the Ukrainian military who operates a U.S.-provided HIMARS rocket launcher.


Zelensky said he had presented the commendation to the captain during his visit Tuesday to the town of Bakhmut on the front lines, but the captain said it should go to Biden for his support.

__________

President Biden Hosts a Joint Press Conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine

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## Loy Toy

Zelensky  looks like he has aged 20 years over the last 9 months.

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## S Landreth

Biden delivers 'Christmas address' from White House: 'We have become too divided'

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## S Landreth

Biden signs defense authorization bill days before deadline

President Biden on Friday signed the $858 billion annual defense authorization bill after Congress passed the legislation just before the year-end deadline.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate last week with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, 83-11. The bill has been named the “James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023” after retiring Sen. James Inhofe (Okla.), the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“The Act provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense, foreign affairs, and homeland security,” Biden said in a statement on Friday.

The measure provides $45 billion more for defense than called for in Biden’s budget, including allocating $817 billion to the Department of Defense and $30 billion to the Department of Energy. It includes language demanded by conservative Republicans to end the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which has been in place since August 2021.

__________

House sends Biden $1.7 trillion government funding bill

The House passed the nearly $1.7 trillion long-term, government funding bill 225-201 on Friday ahead of a looming deadline. One member voted "present."

*Why it matters:* The legislation will fund the government through next September — preventing the new Congress from being thrust into yet another spending fight when Republicans take control of the House in January.

*Between the lines:* Nine Republicans in the House voted for the bill, including Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

*Key provisions:
*

*Roughly $45 billion* *in aid to Ukraine's* war effort and NATO allies.*A bipartisan deal to end a COVID-era Medicaid policy* on April 1, 2023, phasing out the requirements that prevented states from dropping individuals from federally funded insurance.*Passage of the Electoral Count Act,* which clarifies the vice president's role in certifying Electoral College votes in a presidential election. The bipartisan bill was drafted in an effort to help prevent another Jan. 6-style attack on democracy.*More than $38 billion in emergency disaster assistance* for Americans in the West and Southeast affected by recent natural disasters — including hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires.*$2.6 billion in funding for Jan. 6 legal efforts,* including assistance "to further support prosecutions related to the January 6 attack on the Capitol and domestic terrorism cases." It also includes $11.3 billion for the FBI's efforts to curb extremist violence and domestic terrorism.*Tax provisions* aimed at preventing fraudulent tax breaks arising from land conservation deals and legislation to boost retirement savings in tax-advantaged accounts. The additions of both provisions follow uncertainty over whether there would be any tax title in the government funding bill at all.*A 4.6% pay raise for military troops* and a 22.4% increase in support for Veteran Administration medical care. It also includes roughly $55.7 billion to combat inflation and support critical services and housing assistance for veterans and their families, as well as $5 billion for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund.*Banning* TikTok on federal devices.*Directs U.S. Capitol Police to consider extending security* for former House speakers for a year after they leave office. It also provides $2.5 million for a “residential security system program” for senators.

*An additional $25 million for the National Labor Relations Board's budget* — a top priority for unions that brings their funding to more than $299 million.*More funding for children's mental health and for substance abuse,* as well as additional funds to target the opioid epidemic.*$576 million for the Environmental Protection Agency,* bringing its funding up to $10.1 billion, and it boosts the National Park Service's funding by 6.4% to help the agency with an increase in visitation.*$8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant*, a 30% increase in funding. The grant offers financial assistance to low-income families to afford child care.

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## S Landreth

Wonderful Christmas day news.......


Five signs Biden is definitely running for another term

President Biden is expected to announce another bid for the presidency sometime in the early months of the new year. 

*The Democratic field is quiet* 

Theres not much talk of any Democrat other than Biden jumping into the 2024 fray.  

*Biden has told allies hes in* 

Biden in recent months has told everyone from former President Obama to close aides and allies that while hes a great believer in fate, as he often puts it, he fully expects to run for the White House again.  

*Details of a Biden campaign are beginning to surface* 

A presidential campaign takes considerable work and help, and there are some signs that Biden is already preparing by sounding out candidates for key positions and considering where to locate his campaign headquarters.  

*The White House has a campaign message* 

When Biden hit the road for the midterms, he was test driving a message, one that White House allies suggest hell likely use for his own reelection bid. 

*First lady* *Jill Biden* *says theyre ready* 

Anyone looking for clues about a Biden run was surely intrigued by the reports of the first ladys conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month at the White House State Dinner.

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## S Landreth

Joe Biden to spend New Year's holiday with family in U.S. Virgin Islands

President Joe Biden will be ringing in the new year in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden departed Tuesday for St. Croix, where they will spend several days with family. The Bidens have vacationed in the Caribbean territory several times  they welcomed the new year there in 2015 and 2016  but this is Bidens first visit as president.

Biden becomes the first sitting president to visit the Virgin Islands since Harry Truman delivered a speech in Christiansted on St. Croix in 1948.

Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also visited the Virgin Islands, but not while they were president.

The White House has said Biden and his family plan to use the holiday break to discuss whether he should run for a second term in 2024. Biden has said he intends to run, but no formal decision has been made.

While departing the White House Tuesday, Biden did not respond to questions about whether he would discuss running for re-election in 2024 while in St. Croix.

The Bidens are scheduled to return to Washington on Jan. 2.

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## S Landreth

Biden arrives in US Virgin Islands to relax between holidays

President Joe Biden on Tuesday traveled to a place very familiar to him — the U.S. Virgin Islands — to enjoy some downtime and warmer weather and to ring in a new year with family.

The president and his wife, first lady Jill Biden, flew from Washington on Tuesday to St. Croix, one of three islands that make up the U.S. territory in the Caribbean. St. John and St. Thomas are the other two islands. The Bidens were joined by their daughter Ashley and her husband, Howard Krein, as well as grandchildren Natalie and Hunter, whose father was the president’s late son, Beau.

St. Croix is a tropical getaway that Biden has been getting away to at least since he was vice president, from 2009 to 2017.

“We've missed him the last couple of years,” Beth Moss Mahar, a retired attorney and island resident for nearly three decades, said in a telephone interview.

Biden spent the holidays at his home in Delaware in 2020 and 2021, mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week's visit to St. Croix will be his first as president to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“We're tremendously honored,” Del. Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat who represents the Virgin Islands in Congress, said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

“In the past, when he and his family have come, of course sightings of President Biden were almost a thing of legend,” she said.

Any sightings will now be altered by the fact that Biden is regarded as one of the world's most powerful men. As such, he now travels with a significantly bigger footprint than when he was vice president, including a large contingent of U.S. Secret Service agents, White House staff and journalists covering the trip.

Biden and his wife enjoy spending the week between Christmas and New Year's Day in a warmer climate, and Jill Biden likes a beach, aides said.

“We always look forward to his coming and we really understand that this is a place of relaxation for him and Jill and whatever other family he may bring with him and so we leave him alone and let him just relax,” said Donna Christensen, who was Plaskett's predecessor in Congress.

“He usually says, 'In my next life, I'm living in St. Croix,'" she said in a telephone interview.

Both Plaskett and Christensen expressed hope that attention paid to where Biden spends his year-end vacation will amplify challenges facing the U.S. Virgin Islands and other U.S. territories, such as threats from climate change, including more powerful hurricanes and rising sea levels, as well as problems these governments have coping with aging infrastructure.

Biden was scheduled to return to Washington on Jan. 2. That's the day before the president's Democratic Party cedes control of the House of Representatives to the Republican Party following the November midterm elections, potentially complicating Biden's legislative agenda for the remaining two years of his term.

Democrats will continue to control the Senate in the Congress that will be seated on Jan. 3.

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## harrybarracuda

> Zelensky  looks like he has aged 20 years over the last 9 months.



Biden sounds like he has.

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## S Landreth

New Biden administration guidance closes ghost guns loophole in federal rule

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued an open letter to federal firearms dealers on Tuesday saying a rule that went into effect in August applies to certain partially completed pistol frames and parts kits, subjecting them to regulation.

The August rule from the Department of Justice subjected gun kits to regulation and provided regulatory definitions for terms such as complete weapon and readily.

Tuesdays letter stated that the definition of readily applies to each and every classification of a partially complete frame or receiver under this Rule, whether sold alone or as part of a kit. Therefore, even without any associated templates, jigs, molds, equipment, tools, instructions, guides, or marketing materials, these partially complete pistol frames are frames and also firearms as defined in the GCA [Gun Control Act] and its implementing regulations.

The rule requires the relevant firearm frames to have serial numbers and to be sold by licensed dealers who run background checks.

Todays open letter is another important step in implementing the crucial public safety rule regarding privately made firearms, or Ghost Guns, ATF Director Steven Dettelbach said in an ATF news release. Ghost Guns can kill like other firearms if they are in the wrong hands, so they are treated as firearms under the law.

In October, 14 Democratic senators sent a letter to the Justice Department and ATF requesting they issue enforcement guidance for the August rule, saying that companies selling near-complete frames and receivers without tools or instructions for completion were considering their products outside the scope of the new rule.

According to the August rule, from the beginning of 2016 to the end of 2021, there were approximately 45,240 suspected PMFs [privately made firearms] reported to ATF as having been recovered by law enforcement from potential crime scenes, including 692 homicides or attempted homicides (not including suicides), and which ATF attempted to trace.

Congress passed major gun legislation in 2022 as well. In June, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which expanded background checks for people under 21, addressed the boyfriend loophole with a provision barring firearm possession for at least five years for those convicted of misdemeanor violent crimes against romantic partners and included funding for mental health treatment and the administration of red flag laws.

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## S Landreth

Democracy Docket - NEW: President Joe Biden signs the omnibus spending bill, which includes the Electoral Count Reform Act, into law. The law updates the process by which Congress counts Electoral College votes to avoid a repeat of the events of Jan. 6, 2021. https://twitter.com/DemocracyDocket/...09198828580865

 _____

President Biden - Today, I signed the bipartisan omnibus bill, ending a year of historic progress.

It'll invest in medical research, safety, veteran health care, disaster recovery, VAWA funding – and gets crucial assistance to Ukraine.

Looking forward to more in 2023. https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1608603506470010882

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## Little Chuchok

> Biden sounds like he has.


Hopefully, the old fool will not go for a second term.

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## S Landreth

if he runs, he wins


Biden pardons six who served sentences for drug, alcohol crimes

President Biden on Friday granted six full pardons to people who had served their sentences and went on to give back to their communities.

*Driving the news:* Its the latest action Biden has taken to offer a clean slate to people convicted of past crimes.

*Details*: Biden granted clemency to the following people:


*Gary Parks Davis*, 66, of Yuma, Arizona, who served a six-month sentence for using a phone to facilitate a drug deal in 1981.*Edward Lincoln* De Coito III, 50, of Dublin, California, who served a prison sentence from March 1999 to December 2000 for his role in a marijuana distribution conspiracy when he was 23. Prior to his conviction, he had served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves and received several honors.*Vincente Ray Flores*, 37, of Winters, California, who served a sentence for consuming ecstasy and alcohol while serving in the military at the age of 19.*Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas*, 80, of Columbus, Ohio, who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her husband when she was 33. She testified at the time of the incident that she had been physically and verbally abused and acted in self-defense.*Charlie Byrnes Jackson*, 77 of, Swansea, South Carolina who pleaded guilty to one count of possession and sale of distilled spirits without tax stamps in 1964 when he was 18. He completed five years of probation stemming from the offense.*John Dix Nock III*, 72, of St. Augustine, Florida who pleaded guilty to one count of renting and making for use a place for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana plants. In 1996, he was sentenced to six months community confinement and three years of supervised release, which he completed in 2000.

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## S Landreth

President Biden - Wrapping up one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent history with one or two… or sixty five final bills to sign.

Thanks to my friends in Congress for making it possible. https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1607874309065969664

 
______

President Biden - At the end of a historic, productive session of Congress full of bipartisan results, I still have a few bills left to sign.

Take a guess how long it took me to sign a stack of 65 of them. https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1608529153225113601

65 files just 10:47 minutes

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## S Landreth

Biden pays tribute to ‘renowned theologian’ Pope Benedict

President Biden paid tribute to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as a “renowned theologian” following his death at the age of 95 on Saturday.

Biden said in a statement that he spent time with Benedict in Vatican City in 2011 and will always remember his generosity and their “meaningful” conversation.

“He will be remembered as a renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith,” Biden said. “As he remarked during his 2008 visit to the White House, ‘the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity.’”

He said Benedict’s focus on charity should continue to be an inspiration to everyone.

Biden joined numerous world leaders, including Irish President Michael Higgins and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in mourning Benedict’s death and praising his service to the Catholic Church.

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## sabang

*A*s we approach the halfway point of President Joe Biden’s first term, it’s probably a good time to talk about all the wonderful things he has done for the world and remind ourselves how bad it would have been if the election results had turned out differently in November 2020.

Here are the top seven reasons why I’m very glad Joe Biden won that election instead of the evil, sinister Donald Trump.


*1. Trump would have continued abusing immigrants and keeping kids in cages.

*Thank goodness that’s over now!


*2. Trump was normalizing and whitewashing neo-Nazis.

*Neo-Nazis! Can you believe it? Actual neo-Nazis! Why’d we even fight a world war only to turn around and start getting cuddly with Nazis?


*3. If Trump had won, the war in Yemen would still be underway.

*I’m so grateful Joe Biden won so that he could fulfill his campaign promise and end the worst mass atrocity in the world.


*4. Without President Biden, the Iran nuclear deal would still be dead.

*One of the most dangerous things Trump did during his presidency was inflame tensions in the Middle East by tearing up the JCPOA. Thank goodness he didn’t win, otherwise Biden wouldn’t have been able to set things right and restore the deal so that tensions can begin to de-escalate.


*5. Trump would have kept inflating America’s already bloated military budget.

*Luckily, we’ve got President Biden in charge, who understands that militarism only leads to more war and all those hundreds of billions can better serve the American people at home.


*6. Roe v Wade would be dead if Trump had gotten another term.

*Fortunately, the American people heeded the Democratic Party’s warnings and prevented the U.S. from turning into an embarrassing backwards Puritanical theocracy where women are forced to carry pregnancies to term.


*7. Trump would probably have us on the brink of World War III by now.
*
That crazy guy would probably have us staring down the barrel of nuclear Armageddon if he’d won re-election.

Thank God he didn’t win!


Full Article (w/piccies)-   Caitlin Johnstone: Good Thing Biden Beat Trump


O'oooh Catty!  ::chitown::

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## S Landreth

^ :Smile: 


 
To counter the authors cherry picking

Biden begins 2023 with a stronger hand to play and an inclination to play it

_________


Biden Builds Judicial Legacy With Diversified Federal Courts

President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are transforming the federal courts at a blistering pace and creating an unrivaled legacy of diversity that will redefine the federal bench for a generation.

Of the 97 judges confirmed by the Senate in the last two years, three quarters of them are women, and nearly half of the appointees  including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  are women of color.

And while most presidents pick from a pool of existing judges, government attorneys and lawyers in private practice, Biden has cast a wider net. About one-third of Bidens confirmed judges have experience as public defenders and a dozen are former civil rights lawyers, according to the liberal group Alliance for Justice.

That means that there are more federal judges who have seen the challenges in the court system for people with low incomes or who have experienced civil-rights or voting-rights violations, said Lisa Cylar Barrett, director of policy at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Its a perspective that has been sorely lacking and is much needed on the federal judiciary, Barrett said.

By the Numbers

The 97 judges confirmed by the Senate in the last two years surpasses the 83 confirmed by this point in former President Donald Trumps term. It nearly matches the 100 judges confirmed during President George W. Bushs first two years in the Oval Office.

So far, the Senate has confirmed Jackson, as well as 28 appellate court justices and 68 district court judges during Bidens presidency.

Just five of Bidens appellate and district court judges are White men  5% of the total so far. By comparison, 147 of Trumps nominees over his full four years in office were White males, or 64% of those he elevated.

Whats most striking to me is the paucity of white males, said Russell Wheeler, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has long tracked federal court confirmations. The number of White males could be counted on one hand, which is so different than all the other presidents.

Aside from Jacksons historic ascension to the Supreme Court, another 11 Black women have moved onto the appellate courts. Up until the Biden administration, only eight Black women have ever served on the circuit courts.

Outright Majority

The drive to reshape the judiciary will take on more urgency in the next session of Congress, when Republicans take power in the House and legislation gets gridlocked.

Senate Democrats now have a 50-50 majority but that shifts to 51-49 in January, giving them an outright majority on committees, enabling Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin to move nominees to the floor with more haste.

Democrats will continue to benefit from a rule change under former Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, who unilaterally reduced the number of votes needed to advance appellate and district court nominees to 51 votes instead of 60. In 2017, then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lowered the threshold for Supreme Court nominees to 51.

Mike Davis, founder and president of the conservative Article III Project, said Democrats and their allies are less interested in bringing more diversity to the courts than they are in selecting jurists who they believe will issue rulings more in line with their values.

When Democrats crow about diversity, thats code for liberal judicial activists, Davis said. He said Democrats have been quick to oppose female and minority judicial nominees of GOP presidents if they think they could issue conservative opinions.

Biden Builds Judicial Legacy With Diversified Federal Courts

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## harrybarracuda

> O'oooh Catty!


Can't help but laugh at a bitch so fucking dumb she openly advertises that she doesn't have a fucking clue how the three branches of government work.


 :smiley laughing:

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## S Landreth

Biden signs bill to remove bust of Dred Scott decision author from Capitol

President Biden signed a bill on Tuesday that removes the bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney, who authored the courts Dred Scott decision, from the Capitol Building.

The bill, which passed the House and Senate by voice vote earlier this month, also directs the bust to be replaced with one of Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice who was known for his civil rights work.

Democrats had pushed for the removal for multiple years. The House previously passed a bill to remove Taneys bust in a 285-120 vote in June 2021, but the Senate did not take up the legislation.

Taney authored the Supreme Courts 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, which ruled that people of African descent were not citizens and consequently could not sue in federal court.

The decision also deemed the Missouri Constitution unconstitutional, ruling that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.

Taneys opinion was later effectively overturned with the passage of the 13th and 14th Amendments, which outlawed slavery and guaranteed citizenship for all people born or naturalized in the U.S., respectively.

As a fellow Baltimore native, I am particularly proud that Justice Marshall, a deeply admired jurist and a trailblazing champion of civil rights, will soon take his place amid the Capitols pantheon of great American patriots, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement upon the House passing the bill.

The bill directs the Congressional Joint Committee on the Library to remove the Taney bust, which is located in the Old Supreme Court Chamber within the Capitol Building, and to obtain a bust of Marshall for installation in the Capitol or on the Capitol Grounds.

Biden signed the legislation alongside a host of other bills on Tuesday before he left for the Virgin Islands for a vacation during the New Years holiday.

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## S Landreth

Biden visits Kentucky to speak about Brent Spence Bridge project

President Joe Biden visited Kentucky on Wednesday to tout spending more than $1 billion in federal grants to improve congestion on the aging Brent Spence Bridge.

Air Force One arrived Wednesday with President Biden at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport around 11:30 a.m. The president then held a news conference near the bridge, making a rare joint appearance with Senate Republican Majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Other elected officials at the event were Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, former Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican.

The Brent Spence Bridge links Covington and downtown Cincinnati over the Ohio River along Interstate 75, one of the busiest trucking routes in America.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced last week it would award $1.635 billion for the construction of a companion bridge to help unclog bridge traffic by separating truck traffic from local vehicles. This is from an infrastructure law Congress passed in late 2021 to help repair or rebuild 10 of the most economically significant bridges in the country.

“The grant to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will fund improvements to the Brent Spence Bridge, which is currently the second worst truck bottleneck in the nation and carries more than $400 billion in freight per year over the Ohio River,” reads a news release Wednesday from DOT.

The project also will improve “delays in the movement of freight that currently raise costs for American families.”

The Brent Spence Bridge was declared functionally obsolete by the Federal Highway Administration in the 1990s. More recently, it has become a symbol of the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

Starts at 34:30 into the video

----------


## S Landreth

Biden marks the Jan. 6 Capitol attack by awarding Presidential Citizens Medals

Biden honors police officers and election workers 2 years after the Capitol attack

President Biden awarded 14 individuals with the Presidential Citizens Medal on Friday afternoon for their work protecting the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection and for overseeing the 2020 election process despite efforts to overturn the results.

The medal recipients were both public safety officers who were on duty during the riot as well as state and local election officials.

Here are those who were honored

*Brian Sicknick* died on Jan. 7, 2021 after being hospitalized following the events at the Capitol. Sicknick reportedly suffered two strokes and died of natural causes, according to the District of Columbia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. In response, the Capitol Police issued a statement saying that the finding "does not change the fact Officer Sicknick died in the line of duty, courageously defending Congress and the Capitol."

*Howard Liebengood* was a Capitol Police officer who died just days after protecting the Capitol during the insurrection. Liebengood spent 15 years as a member of the Capitol Police. The cause of his death was ruled to be suicide, according to a statement from representatives for his family.

*Jeffrey L. Smith* was a Metropolitan Police Department Officer who died by suicide following the events of Jan 6. Smith was injured by the mob of rioters while defending the Capitol, suffering head injuries, according to the White House.

*Harry Dunn* is a Capitol Police officer who was on duty during the attack on the Capitol. Dunn testified in front of the House committee that rioters directed racist slurs at him while he was on duty. Dunn has been a member of the Capitol Police for over 15 years, according to the White House.

*Caroline Edwards* is a Capitol Police officer who suffered a traumatic brain injury defending the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6. Edwards was the first member of law enforcement to be injured during the attack, according to the House committee.

In live testimony to the panel, Edwards offered vivid and sobering details from the day. "I saw friends with blood all over their faces, I was slipping in people's blood. I was catching people as they fell. It was carnage, it was chaos. I can't even describe what I saw," she said.

*Aquilino Gonell* is a Capitol Police Sergeant who also was on duty that day and suffered injuries as a result of the violence. "I could feel myself losing oxygen and recall thinking to myself, 'This is how I'm going to die, trampled defending this entrance,' " Gonell told the House committee during a live hearing. Gonell is a U.S. army veteran, having served in Iraq. He is an emigrant from the Dominican Republic.

*Eugene Goodman* is a Capitol Police officer who fought off rioters a short distance away from the Senate chamber on Jan. 6. Footage from the day shows Goodman distracting rioters and leading them away from the chamber. Additional video released after the insurrection shows Goodman seeing Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, in the hallway and directing him in the opposite direction of the approaching rioters.

Goodman, who's also a U.S. Army veteran, received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service on Jan. 6. Following the insurrection, Goodman served as Acting Deputy Sergeant at Arms of the U.S. Senate from late Jan. through early March of 2021.

Tim Hooks - U.S. Capitol Officer Eugene Goodman very well may have saved lives on January 6, 2021 as he led Trumps angry mob away from Congressional members. His quick thinking and bravery must never be forgotten.

Officer Goodman was the very definition of a hero on this day 2 years ago. https://twitter.com/LincolnWatchman/...35699143458817 - https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1611471804924678144

 
 
*
Michael Fanone* served as a Metropolitan Police Department Officer during the insurrection. Fanone, who sustained injuries during the attack, testified publicly in front of the committee. Fanone spent two decades with the Metropolitan Police Department before resigning in Dec. of 2021.

*Daniel Hodges* is a Metropolitan Police Department Officer who was also violently attacked by rioters, including getting crushed between doors within the building.

"I had conspiracy theorists and everyone you could think of yelling at me, saying, 'Why are you doing this, you're the traitor,' " Hodges told WAMU in the days following the insurrection. "We're not the traitors. We're the ones who saved Congress that day, and we'll do it as many times as necessary."

*Jocelyn Benson* oversaw Michigan's election system as secretary of state during the 2020 election. In the aftermath of the race, Benson received death threats over her continued backing of the results, and in Dec. of 2021, dozens of armed individuals protested outside her home over the issue. Since then, Benson won reelection last November, beating Republican Kristina Karamo, who parroted false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.

Jocelyn Benson - Thank you @POTUS for this incredible honor.

 
*Rusty Bowers* previously served as the speaker of the Arizona state House. Bowers, a Republican, testified publicly in front of the House committee investigating Jan. 6 that Trump and his aides pressured him to recall the Arizona electors and investigate the results without cause. Bowers refused calls from Trump and stood by the state results.

*Shaye Moss* is a former elections worker in Fulton County, Ga. Moss and her colleagues were targets of a conspiracy theory, amplified by the former president and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, alleging fraudulent activity related to ballot processing. Moss received violent threats because of the false claims, which led her to go into hiding and leave her job. She testified publicly during one of the live hearings held by the Jan. 6 committee that the harassment turned her life "upside down."

*Ruby Freeman* was an election worker in Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 election. Freeman, who is the mother of Shaye Moss, said she was also harassed as a result of false claims pushed by Trump and Giuliani. Freeman cooperated with the House committee investigation, and parts of her testimony were broadcast during the hearing where Moss.

*Al Schmidt* served as Philadelphia City Commissioner during the 2020 election. Following the election, Schmidt, a Republican, received death threats and online harassment because he oversaw the city's race results. He also publicly testified during the House committee hearings.

Schmidt was recently chosen by Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro to serve as the state's secretary of the commonwealth.

----------


## S Landreth

December jobs report: Payrolls rise by 223,000, unemployment rate falls to 3.5%

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 223,000 in the last month of the year, according to the latest from the BLS published Friday. The unemployment rate in December fell to 3.5%, and on an unrounded basis, the unemployment rate came in at 3.468%, the lowest since 1969.

_________


Statement by President Joe Biden on the December Jobs Report

Todays report is great news for our economy and more evidence that my economic plan is working.  The unemployment rate is the lowest in 50 years.  We have just finished the two strongest years of job growth in history.  And we are seeing a transition to steady and stable growth that I have been talking about for months.  We still have work to do to bring down inflation, and help American families feeling the cost-of-living squeeze.  But we are moving in the right direction.

The first two years of my presidency  2021 and 2022  were the two strongest years of job growth on record. And in December, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in the last 50 years.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden visits El Paso in first trip to southern border as president

President Biden arrived in El Paso Texas on Sunday as part of his first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border as president amid a major influx of migrants and asylum seekers arriving at the border.

*Why it matters:* Republicans, who made border security one of their top campaign issues in the 2022 midterms, have argued that Biden's lack of a visit is evidence the president is unserious about addressing illegal immigration across the southern border.


Biden, after announcing the El Paso visit, unveiled a new policy last week to curb illegal border crossings, telling migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti in a rare public address dedicated to the border issue to "not just show up at the border," Axios' Stef Kight reports.

*The big picture:* During his visit, Biden met with local officials, faith leaders and non-governmental groups who've supported migrants fleeing political oppression and economic collapse in their home countries at the El Paso County Migrant Services Center.


"If I could wave the wand, what should I do?" Biden asked aid workers there, per a pool report.Biden also inspected the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry, the busiest port in El Paso, with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, members of Congress, and local officials and law enforcement.He was joined by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, several Democratic members of Congress, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser and El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego.

*The other side:* After the president departed Air Force One at El Paso International Airport, Biden briefly spoke to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), whose office said Abbott gave Biden a letter containing five actions the governor would like the president to carry out to secure the border.


Among the steps mentioned in the letter was to continue enforcing the pandemic-era border policy called Title 42, which the Supreme Court last month allowed to remain in force as legal challenges against it unfold.Abbott also demanded that Biden resume construction of a border wall along Texas' portion of the border.

*What he's saying:* Asked about the letter, Biden told reporters that he hadn't read it yet, according to a pool report.


Asked what he's learned from his border visit, he replied: "They need a lot of resources. We're going to get it for them."

*Details:* El Paso has been seeing a soaring number of migrants come through the border for several months, but the situation escalated last month when thousands of migrants and asylum seekers arrived, leaving shelters and city resources strapped.


Many migrants slept on the streets even as temperatures dipped below freezing.Agents began detaining dozens of migrants sleeping downtown last week, according to a report by El Paso Matters.

*Yes, but:* Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that it has increased the number of agents patrolling in El Paso in response to “migrants evading apprehension” and that it was conducting increased patrols before the president announced his visit.


A report by NBC News captured agents detaining migrants in other areas of El Paso last week.The El Paso Times reported dozens of migrants who had not yet been processed by the Border Patrol were detained this week.

*What's next:* After the El Paso visit, Biden headed to Mexico for the North American Leaders' Summit with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday and Tuesday.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden in Mexico for meeting with President Lopez Obrador

Biden’s Mexico visit comes amid tension on immigration, fentanyl, energy

In the first visit to Mexico by a U.S. leader in almost a decade, President Biden met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Monday to discuss trade, the drug war and record levels of illicit immigration in a wide-ranging conversation that was mostly cordial but at one point turned testy as the Mexican leader demanded his U.S. counterpart do more to help the region.

“End with this forgetfulness, this abandonment, this disdain toward Latin America and the Caribbean,” López Obrador told Biden in a meeting at the National Palace in Mexico City. López Obrador said Biden was uniquely poised to improve life across a region beset by inequality, telling him that “you hold the key in your hand.”

Biden responded by saying that the United States had invested “tens of billions of dollars” in Latin America in the last 15 years, while also donating more than any other country globally to causes worldwide.

The U.S. “responsibility,” Biden said pointedly, extends well beyond the Western Hemisphere.

The sharp exchange, as TV cameras rolled, dramatized some of the daunting challenges facing the two nations at what Biden referred to as an “inflection” point that would “determine what the world looks like” in coming decades.

The two countries are under pressure to work together on issues including drug smuggling and immigration even though they have sometimes starkly divergent views on those and other topics, including foreign policy, energy and climate change.

Biden and the leftist Mexican leader will meet on Tuesday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, bringing together the leaders of the three nations that represent about a third of global economic output.

It is the second so-called Three Amigos summit, as the trilateral meetings are informally known, to be held after a several year hiatus during the presidency of Donald Trump, who eschewed many diplomatic traditions.

Trump never came to Mexico while in office, though he developed a friendly relationship with its leader, despite López Obrador’s leftist pedigree and Trump’s frequent rhetorical broadsides targeting Mexico and Mexican immigrants.

López Obrador’s relationship with Biden has been cooler. He waited more than a month to congratulate Biden after he beat Trump in the 2020 election, and last year he boycotted a major regional summit in Los Angeles because Biden didn’t invite the authoritarian regimes of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

TOPSHOT - Migrants travelling in a caravan of more than a thousand people from countries such as Nicaragua, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic cross the Rio Bravo river (or Rio Grande river, as it is called in the US) to ask for political asylum in the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico, on December 11, 2022. (Photo by HERIKA MARTINEZ / AFP) (Photo by HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Despite the tensions on display Monday, analysts generally viewed the summit and its promise of dialogue as a positive step among strategic and economic allies.

The trilateral summit, said Tony Payan, director of the Mexico Center at Rice University’s Baker Institute, “shows that Biden is very serious about engaging both Canada and Mexico again, leaving the relative isolationism of the Trump administration behind.”

The trip began amicably late Sunday, when López Obrador met Biden at the new Felipe Angeles International Airport, a prized infrastructure project of the Mexican president, and rode with him into the capital in Biden’s limousine; the next day, López Obrador described the encounter as “very pleasant” and called Biden “a friendly person.”

The Mexican and U.S. presidents and their teams met Monday at Mexico’s National Palace

On the agenda were topics that have come to define the bilateral relationship, including immigration and the drug trade.

Biden “is looking to dive deep on a set of issues that are priorities for his administration,” U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters in Mexico City. Those concerns, Sullivan said, include the smuggling from Mexico of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid blamed for the deaths of tens of thousands of people in the United States.

U.S. authorities would like to see Mexico do more to target clandestine drug labs and clamp down on smuggling of the substance.

Mexican officials, meantime, have long called on Washington to cut down on the illicit trafficking of weapons — including assault rifles — from the United States to Mexico. The arms often end up in the hands of organized crime groups that hold wide sway through much of Mexico.

How best to tackle smuggling and organized crime has been a point of contention between the two countries since López Obrador took office. The countries’ long-standing security partnership nearly crumbled in 2020, when the U.S. arrested retired Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos — Mexico’s defense minister from 2012 to 2018 — at Los Angeles International Airport, accusing him of conspiring with drug traffickers. The Mexican military was outraged, and López Obrador threatened to withhold future security cooperation with the U.S. unless Cienfuegos was freed.

The U.S. dropped the charges against Cienfuegos and he was returned to Mexico, where he went free. López Obrador angered U.S. law enforcement when he accused the Drug Enforcement Administration of trying to frame Cienfuegos, calling the charges “garbage.”

But U.S. officials privately say that tensions have diminished recently and López Obrador’s administration has delivered repeatedly on one key U.S. priority: the arrest of high-profile drug kingpins.

Days after López Obrador met with Biden at the White House in July 2021, Mexican forces captured Rafael Caro Quintero, a cartel member believed to be behind the killing of U.S. Drug Enforcement agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.

Many here have speculated that the Mexican government’s recapture last week of Ovidio Guzmán, son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, may have been another “gift” to Washington ahead of Biden’s visit.

Immigration, too, has been a source of bilateral tension — and in recent months of joint cooperation.

U.S. authorities recorded more than 2 million detentions of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, a record, during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

Days before Biden arrived in Mexico City, his administration announced a controversial shift in immigration policy that appeared to have Mexico’s blessing.

In recent years, even as hundreds of thousands of migrants from Mexico, Central America and elsewhere were swiftly expelled under Title 42, a public-health rule invoked by Trump, migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and some other countries were generally allowed to enter the U.S. and pursue asylum hearings. That is partly because their home countries were too unstable or too politically at odds with Washington for officials to coordinate large-scale returns, and partly because Mexican officials at the border refused to accept returnees from those countries after they were detained in the United States.

In October, as the number of Venezuelan migrants increased, U.S. and Mexican authorities announced that Venezuelans arriving at the border without authorization would rapidly be returned to Mexico.

Under the new guidelines, the border expulsion policy has expanded further: Migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti who cross into the U.S. without authorization will also immediately be sent back to Mexico, even if they are seeking asylum, officials say. Mexico has agreed to accept a total of up to 30,000 deportees from the four countries each month. López Obrador said on Monday that Mexico might be willing to accept even more deported migrants.

Immigrant advocates have denounced the plan as a human rights violation that denies people the fundamental right to file claims for refuge in the United States.

While the leaders have attempted to portray themselves as a united front on immigration and fighting crime, they are openly at odds over López Obrador’s nationalist energy policies.

Since taking office in 2018, the Mexican president has attempted to roll back a constitutional reform instituted in 2013 by his predecessor that opened the door to more foreign involvement in the energy sector. The U.S. and Canada argue that those efforts discriminate against U.S. and Canadian companies and favor Mexico’s state oil company and its national electricity utility.

In July, the U.S. and Canada filed a formal complaint against Mexico under the countries’ joint trade deal, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

One likely point of contention between Biden and López Obrador is climate change, a priority issue for the Biden administration, but not one as openly embraced by the Mexican president.

López Obrador has reactivated coal plants, halted new renewable energy projects, spent billions building a state-owned oil refinery and has pushed legislation that would require Mexico’s electric company to take more power from state-run plants, which are fueled largely by crude oil and coal.

His policies, said Payan of Rice University, couldn’t be more different from those of Biden, who has pushed for historic investments in clean energy and is seeking to wean the nation and world off fossil fuels.

“The Biden administration is very committed to combating climate change,” Payan said. “ And I think Mexico has to be part of it.”

_________

If the article above wasn’t enough, here’s a little more….


Biden, Lopez Obrador open Mexico meetings with brusque talk

_________

*Extra.*

Justice Department is examining 'small number' of classified documents found at Biden think tank

----------


## helge

Anyone mentioned Biden and classified documents, yet ?

 :Smile: 

Was found on the 2. november, before the election,but the news hasn't surfaced till now, after the election.


Well done




(thought I'd bury it here, or someone might notice)

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Anyone mentioned Biden and classified documents, yet ?
> 
> 
> 
> Was found on the 2. november, before the election,but the news hasn't surfaced till now, after the election.
> 
> 
> Well done
> 
> ...


Saw that:




> The source told CNN that a personal lawyer for Biden was closing out the downtown DC office that Biden used as part his work with the University of Pennsylvania. The lawyer saw a manila folder that was labeled “personal,” opened the envelope and noticed there were classified documents inside. The lawyer closed the envelope and called NARA, the source said.


No doubt baldy will be squealing as to why the FBI didn't raid the office....

----------


## S Landreth

Starts at about 1 32 00



 
Biden in Mexico

Were True Partners, Biden Says, After Meeting With Leaders of U.S. Neighbors

President Biden and the leaders of Canada and Mexico said they had strengthened a regional partnership after a three-way summit in Mexico City on Tuesday on issues that included economic cooperation, climate change and the movement of people and drugs across the southern U.S. border.

Mr. Biden met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico, capping two days of bilateral meetings during the North American Leaders Summit.

Were true partners, the three of us, President Biden said at a news conference after a roughly two-hour meeting at Mexicos National Palace.

He added, There can no longer be any question, none, in todays interconnected world; we cannot wall ourselves off from shared problems.

Mr. López Obrador, the host of the summit, also stressed the value of their cooperation.

I want to thank you sincerely for maintaining with Mexico a relationship of cooperation, of friendship  sincere friendship, he said as he addressed Mr. Biden.

Mr. Trudeau emphasized economic cooperation on the continent, saying the three are all dedicated to driving economic growth that supports the middle class and those working hard to join it.

The agenda for the meeting was wide ranging, but aides to Mr. Biden had said that the broad challenge of how to secure the border was his top priority at the summit.

Migration levels are putting real strain on the communities in both Mexico and the United States, Mr. Biden said after the summit meeting. Were working together to address this challenge in a way that upholds our nations laws and protects the human rights of migrants facing desperate circumstances.

A record-breaking flow of migrants throughout the region has strained both the United States and Mexico. Even before the meeting, White House officials said that the three leaders had agreed to continue working together toward safe, orderly and humane migration.

Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Biden and Mr. Trudeau discussed the close relationship between their countries as they continue to deal with what Mr. Trudeau called very real challenges such as support for democracy around the world and climate change.

White House officials said that the three leaders had agreed to some new climate targets, including a pledge to reduce methane emissions from the solid waste and wastewater sector by at least 15 percent by 2030 from 2020 levels. They will also work to develop a plan to cut down on food waste and another for coordinating electric vehicle charging stations along their borders, White House officials said.

Other issues on Tuesdays agenda included renewed efforts to combat the trafficking of drugs and weapons in North America. Biden administration officials have been frustrated over the last two years with what they say is a lack of Mexican cooperation in drug investigations.

----------


## harrybarracuda

Oh dear....  I'm sure McCarthy and the MAGA twats will be all over this like a cheap suit.




> WASHINGTON — Aides to President Joe Biden have discovered at least one additional batch of classified documents in a location separate from the Washington office he used after leaving the Obama administration, according to a person familiar with the matter.
> Since November, after the discovery of documents with classified markings in his former office, Biden aides have been searching for any additional classified materials that might be in other locations he used, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details about the ongoing inquiry.
> Biden aides find second batch of classified documents at new location

----------


## HermantheGerman

> Anyone mentioned Biden and classified documents, yet ?


Russians are dumb as shit! Why do they need a FSB (Foreign Intelligence Service) or spies to snoop around.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

All they need is a U-Haul rental truck, a driver, and two Mexicans (someone needs to do the labor and less conspicuous  :Smile: ).  Just drive around in the U.S. and pick up confidential documents (some with the highest level of classification) in residential areas. The addresses shouldn't be to hard to figure out.

According to CNN, these include papers from the US secret service on other countries such as Ukraine, meaning those idiots could have avoided a war.  :smiley laughing: 
Uuuups....I mean "Special Operation".

----------


## Norton

> I'm sure McCarthy and the MAGA twats will be all over this like a cheap suit.


They will and the FBI should also investigate. How did they get there, who brought them there and who had access to them, etc?

So far little has been made public excepi they were found and docs returned to archives.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> They will and the FBI should also investigate. How did they get there, who brought them there and who had access to them, etc?
> 
> So far little has been made public except they were found and docs returned to archives.


The difference between the secret document situation of trump and the secret document situation of Biden is like comparing apples and oranges. Actually more like comparing apples and a steaming pile of shit.

As far as the FBI investigating , sure why not. But I will save them some money and trouble
"*How did they get there* " : in the normal process that secret document are delivered to the offices of the VP
"*who brought them there*": people authored to transport such documents
"*who had access to them*" : The VP and those employees of the office with the proper clearance . 
As far as we know so far, someone in the office failed to retune them.The discrepancy was discovered by Biden employees 
and the transgression was rectified.  

They were not just "found" they were found by:
"  _They were discovered by the president’s personal lawyers, who were packing up the office space he used periodically from mid-2017, after he served as vice-president, until he launched his presidential campaign in 2020._"

Classified Documents Found in Old Biden Office: What We Know

----------


## malmomike77

> They will and the FBI should also investigate. How did they get there, who brought them there and who had access to them, etc?


the thing that strikes me is that secret docs in the UK have to get signed out on a register, that register is monitored to see if they have been signed back in and if not then its chased up - it seems anyone in power in the US just walks out with what they like?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The difference between the secret document situation of trump and the secret document situation of Biden is like comparing apples and oranges. Actually more like comparing apples and a steaming pile of shit.
> 
> As far as the FBI investigating , sure why not. But I will save them some money and trouble
> "*How did they get there* " : in the normal process that secret document are delivered to the offices of the VP
> "*who brought them there*": people authored to transport such documents
> "*who had access to them*" : The VP and those employees of the office with the proper clearance . 
> As far as we know so far, someone in the office failed to retune them.The discrepancy was discovered by Biden employees 
> and the transgression was rectified.  
> 
> ...


That's all great and that, but even not being a MAGA republican, I'd find some of those answers to be a little too convenient.

Or to phrase it better, "bullshit".

Also, they don't answer the questions about the second batch, and more importantly, who HAS HAD access to them in the intervening years?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> the thing that strikes me is that secret docs in the UK have to get signed out on a register, that register is monitored to see if they have been signed back in and if not then its chased up - it seems anyone in power in the US just walks out with what they like?


I agree. You would think if something is classified, they would want to keep track of it at all times.

----------


## HermantheGerman

News Flash

U-Haul truck spotted at Mike Pence former office. 
Obama and wife seem to be doing an early spring cleaning, moving boxes out of their house.
G.W. Bush: "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Guess good ole George wasn't that dumb after all.

----------


## helge

> Also, they don't answer the questions about the second batch, and more importantly, who HAS HAD access to them in the intervening years?


The second batch ?

Anyone with access to Joe Biden's garage

----------


## harrybarracuda

It basically blows any jail time for baldy orange cunto on these charges out of the window.

Fox et al will claim that it's politically motivated - Trumpanzees won't read (and even if they do, they won't understand) the details.

Biden will be quietly pressuring the DoJ to make it go away.

----------


## S Landreth

Biden uses inflation report to hit GOP on economy

President Biden says Thursday’s positive inflation report, which showed prices cooling in December, supports his stewardship of the economy and should make House Republicans reconsider their agenda.

Biden spoke to reporters shortly after data from the consumer price index showed the annual inflation rate fell from 7.1 percent in November 2022 to 6.5 percent in December. The report indicated prices fell 0.1 percent overall last month after rising 0.1 percent in November.

While some costs, such as shelter, increased last month, the report overall was welcome news for Biden as he projected confidence that inflation is cooling and a recession can be avoided.

“Today’s inflation numbers are good news, good news about our economy,” he said. “We have more work to do, but we’re on the right track. We’re seeing bright spots across the country where great things are happening.”

The president argued that his economic plan and Democratic legislation that included tax credits for certain environmentally friendly purchases, caps on insulin costs for seniors on Medicare and investments in manufacturing is paying off.

“These were all pieces of that big law that we passed last year,” Biden said, referring to the Inflation Reduction Act. “Now they’re kicking in and Americans are starting to feel the benefits.”

__________

In other news.....

Garland appoints special counsel for Biden classified documents probe

----------


## Norton

> it seems anyone in power in the US just walks out with what they like?


For those in "power" the process in the US is definately flawed or perhaps more accurately not enforced. I had access to a lot of classified material and for me and others not "powerful" the process was clear and followed. All classified materials were kept in a secure room or in the case of a ship a secure compartment. If one had the appropriate clearance they could access materials but doing so would be noted in a register, ie my name and document name. Docs could be moved to individual work space but when not in my hands must be locked in a safe. Taking a document home or anywhere outside a controlled area was not allowed and if discovered a stint in the brig would follow.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Also, they don't answer the questions about the second batch, and more importantly, who HAS HAD access to them in the intervening years?


No doubt rules and regulations pertaining the custody record were not adhered to and the responsible entity should be held accountable. But there is no reason (that I know of) to believe that anyone had access to them. 
First one needs to understand that these documents were not discovered by an outside entity, they were discovered by Biden's stuff,  which leads me to believe that they did not know that they had not been returned until discovered. 
At no point had anyone claimed that Biden's office (Not Biden personally) had position of such documents, or that  Biden's office did not cooperate in the location and return of such document.
 Furthermore, none of these documents (as far as I know) were removed from the office to a private location as trump's documents were. 
And when these document were found by Biden's stuff , Biden did not claim that they were his  personal property and had every right not to return them. 
Do you know what "Bullshit" Is?  Bulshit is calling something "bulshit" without explaining how it is "Bulshit"

----------


## CalEden



----------


## helge

> Furthermore, none of these documents (as far as I know) were removed from the office to a private location as trump's documents were.


I'd say that Biden's garage is kinda private  :Smile: 

2 problems as I see it:

Did the old man forget about the documents due to his ...age or did he just break the law ?

And: It's embarrasing that Trump just had an assfull of criticisme for something similar.


I find it entertaining  :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Do you know what "Bullshit" Is?  Bulshit is calling something "bulshit" without explaining how it is "Bulshit"


If you believe that "Biden's Personal Lawyers discovered classified documents while clearing a locked closet and immediately cleared the office before contacting the National Archives", I have a fucking bridge to sell you.

More like "shat a brick and phoned the White House lawyer in a panic".

 :Smile:

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Did the old man forget about the documents due to his ...age or did he just break the law ?


I'm sure a two-year House investigation will sort that out...

 ::chitown::

----------


## HuangLao

I'm finding more curious and quite coincidental [whoops] that the fist batch of docs where "accidentally" found on 4 Nov, yet info to the fact was just released publicly a couple of days ago.......and then outta the blue more that were discovered were revealed yesterday. This second batch - found yesterday or around the first week in November as well?

----------


## S Landreth

fvck off jeff

----------


## helge

> fvck off jeff


Jeff, meet a democratic party soldier under pressure

Landreth, why don't you fuck off yourself ?

----------


## harrybarracuda

> I'm finding more curious and quite coincidental [whoops] that the fist batch of docs where "accidentally" found on 4 Nov, yet info to the fact was just released publicly a couple of days ago.......and then outta the blue more that were discovered were revealed yesterday. This second batch - found yesterday or around the first week in November as well?


I'm sure the Republican-run House will find it curious as well.

 :Smile: 




> The 2022 United States elections were held on November 8, 2022

----------


## Norton

> I'm finding more curious and quite coincidental [whoops] that the fist batch of docs where "accidentally" found on 4 Nov, yet info to the fact was just released publicly a couple of days ago.......and then outta the blue more that were discovered were revealed yesterday. This second batch - found yesterday or around the first week in November as well?


Yep. Some shenanigans in play here.

----------


## harrybarracuda



----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> If you believe that "Biden's Personal Lawyers discovered classified documents while clearing a locked closet and immediately cleared the office before contacting the National Archives", I have a fucking bridge to sell you.


Nooo. I already have a bridge. do you have a tunnel?  :Razz: 

That's what I read reported in all the papers. Do you have contradicting information?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Did the old man forget about the documents due to his ...age or did he just break the law ?


You are assuming that he was the one who checked the documents out and/or was responsible for returning them. 



> It's embarrasing that Trump just had an assfull of criticisme for something similar.


Not similar at all. trump had removed the documents to his place of residence.(Just there he is in violation of US law and liable for persecutions and imprisonment).  It was requested that he return them, and  delayed, try to hide them, then claimed that they were his private property.
Other than the fact that they were both classified documents, how are the to similar?

----------


## HermantheGerman

> 



Papa Joe is marbleless  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

I hate when he walks and tries to pick up speed so he doesn't look like an old hog.

----------


## helge

> You are assuming that he was the one who checked the documents out and/or was responsible for returning them.


He had the documents stored in his garage, man !

Who was supposed to return them if not him ?

His mom ?



> Not similar at all. trump had removed the documents to his place of residence


You're right

He didn't store them in his garage



> (Just there he is in violation of US law and liable for persecutions and imprisonment)


Lock him up !


Don't tell me, that you are one more of these biased democrats

I had high hopes for you  :Smile:

----------


## pickel

> He had the documents stored in his garage, man !
> 
> Who was supposed to return them if not him ?
> 
> His mom ?


Hunter?

Seriously though, what a colossal fuckup by sleepy Joe. Way to go Brandon.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> He had the documents stored in his garage, man !
> 
> Who was supposed to return them if not him ?
> 
> His mom ?


What I had read so far was that documents were found by his lawyers in the office they used. This garage  is new information to me. 
I am not sure what the law is concerning about that , but I think that taking classified document to his residence is against the law.
If that is true and it seems like it is, then his 2024 bid is effectively over. Welcome news to me. :Smile: 





> Don't tell me, that you are one more of these biased democrats
> 
> I had high hopes for you


Sorry to dash your hopes. I will try to make it up to you :Smile: .
Like everyone else Biden is not above the law.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

This is what is reported by Peuters 
" HOW DO THE TWO CASES DIFFER?Legal experts say there are stark contrasts between the two cases.


In Trump's case, the National Archives tried for more than a year after Trump left office to retrieve all of the records he retained, without success. When Trump finally returned 15 boxes of documents in January 2022, Archives officials discovered they contained classified materials.


The matter was referred to the Justice Department, which issued a grand jury subpoena last May seeking the return of all classified records. Investigators then visited Trump's home, where his attorneys handed over more material and asserted there were no more documents on the premises.


That turned out to be false. Additional evidence collected by the FBI, including surveillance footage from the Mar-a-Lago estate, prompted agents to seek court approval to execute a search warrant on Aug. 8 amid concerns over possible obstruction.


The FBI recovered an additional 13,000 documents, about 100 of which were marked as classified.


In Biden's case, Garland said the president's attorneys informed the Archives and the Justice Department in November that they had discovered fewer than a dozen classified files inside a closet at the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington D.C. earlier that month.


After the discovery, the attorneys continued to conduct additional searches at Biden's homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where more documents were found in both December and this month. All were turned over to the authorities.


WHAT LEGAL PERIL DO BIDEN AND TRUMP FACE?
It is a crime only if the retention and removal of classified records is intentional.


Prosecutors typically won't pursue charges for the accidental retention of classified records, but if there is evidence of possible obstruction of justice, that could change things.


For that reason, legal experts say, Trump faces considerably more legal peril than Biden.


To date, there has been no suggestion by the Justice Department that Biden knowingly retained the records or refused to return them to the government.


Also, as president, Biden is unlikely to face prosecution. The Justice Department has not changed its long-standing policy that a sitting president cannot be indicted.


The same policy helped insulate Trump when he was president and under investigation by then-Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In that case, Mueller declined to determine whether Trump had obstructed his investigation into possible ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 election campaign because of the department's policy."
Explainer: Biden vs. Trump: What is the difference between the two classified records cases? | Reuters

----------


## malmomike77

> In Biden's case, Garland said the president's attorneys informed the Archives and the Justice Department in November that they had discovered fewer than a dozen classified files inside a closet at the Penn Biden Center think tank in Washington D.C. earlier that month.
> 
> 
> After the discovery, the attorneys continued to conduct additional searches at Biden's homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where more documents were found in both December and this month. All were turned over to the authorities.


the point you seem to be missing is that the numbers don't matter, its the fact these classified documents, however many they are are just floating around in unsecure places where they have no business being, seemingly with their whereabouts unrecorded.

Of course the great American tradition of Lawyerly semantics will kick in and argue over minutiae ad nauseum until a scape goat is found and Joe will get out of this scot free.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Not similar at all. trump had removed the documents to his place of residence.(Just there he is in violation of US law and liable for persecutions and imprisonment).


OK so you're saying Biden is in violation of US law and liable for "persecutions" (and perhaps even prosecutions) and imprisonment.

Alrighty then.




> President Biden's lawyers have found additional classified documents at his Wilmington, Del., residence, according to his counsel Richard Sauber, who said "all but one" of the new documents were found in storage in Biden's garage, and one document was in stored materials in "an adjacent room."

----------


## harrybarracuda

> the point you seem to be missing is that the numbers don't matter


Absolutely they don't.

In the eyes of most Americans, they can't throw the book at baldy orange cunto and let Biden off scot free for essentially the same crime.

Of course, maybe Joe could declassify them with his mind  :Smile:

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> OK so you're saying Biden is in violation of US law and liable for "persecutions" (and perhaps even prosecutions) and imprisonment.


Conviction requires an additional element. Intent.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Conviction requires an additional element. Intent.


So you don't think Joe *intended* to take them home and put them in his garage?

----------


## Norton

> So you don't think Joe *intended* to take them home and put them in his garage?


If Joe was the person who put them there, obviously there is intent.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> So you don't think Joe *intended* to take them home and put them in his garage?


Intent with in the legal framework is not the action but rather the reason behind the action.

----------


## HuangLao

> Yep. Some shenanigans in play here.


Shenanigans.
It's what they do. 
By their very nature.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Intent with in the legal framework is not the action but rather the reason behind the action.



You sound like you're really trying hard to convince yourself that Biden hasn't fucked the whole baldy orange cunto classified documents scandal.

----------


## S Landreth

> If that is true and it seems like it is, then his 2024 bid is effectively over.


hardly

----------


## S Landreth

And it should

Schumer backs special counsel in Biden documents case: Let it play out

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday expressed his support of Attorney General Merrick Garlands appointment of a special counsel to investigate President Bidens potential mishandling of classified documents from his time as vice president.

We now have special prosecutors on for both of these situations, very serious people, Schumer said in an appearance on CNN, discussing both the Biden documents case and that of former President Trump.

We should let it play out, he added. We dont have to push them in any direction or try to influence them. Thats all Im going to say. Let the special prosecutors do their job.

I think President Biden has handled this correctly, he told CNN. Hes fully cooperated with the prosecutors. When the documents were found, he notified the Archives. Its a total contrast to President Trump, who stonewalled for a whole year.

----------


## CalEden

Biden has outlived his usefulness to the Democratic Party by announcing his intent to run again. NBC (Democratic friendly Media) first broke/leaked the story of classified documents found/coverup (found November 2, 2022, prior to midterm election) at the Penn Biden Center Think Tank in Washington DC. The Penn Biden Center is a black money haven heavily funded by the Chinese, with data links on Hunter's laptop.

----------


## Norton

> “We should let it play out,” he added. “We don’t have to push them in any direction or try to influence them. That’s all I’m going to say. Let the special prosecutors do their job.”


Amen brother.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Biden has outlived his usefulness to the Democratic Party by announcing his intent to run again. NBC (Democratic friendly Media) first broke/leaked the story of classified documents found/coverup (found November 2, 2022, prior to midterm election) at the Penn Biden Center Think Tank in Washington DC. The Penn Biden Center is a black money haven heavily funded by the Chinese, with data links on Hunter's laptop.


Don't forget to renew your QAnon membership.

----------


## S Landreth

> Amen brother.


Should go well with Hur who is a Trump appointee.

Oh wait, maybe not  :Smile: 


________



 

Japan sells Tokyo as US linchpin of security against China, Russia

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas visit with President Biden is aimed at selling Tokyo as the linchpin of eastern security and a bulwark against Chinese and North Korean aggression. 

Its part of a historic shift for the island nation, which has committed to growing its military and shirking off its pacifist policy that was self-imposed in the aftermath of World War II.

Japan has also joined sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war, though it has not provided lethal aid to Kyiv.

Japan has really broken out of the kind of postwar mold, if youd like, of hesitancy about its military, said Sheila Smith, senior fellow for Asia-Pacific studies at the Council on Foreign Relations

So we have a new Japan on the world stage, in some ways, that is less hesitant about the need for military power as one of the arrows in the quiver of its statecraft.

Meeting in the Oval office on Friday, Biden described Kishidas Washington visit as a remarkable moment for the U.S. and Japan alliance.  

I dont think theres ever been a time when we were closer, the president said.

Let me be crystal clear: The United States is fully, thoroughly, completely committed to the alliance and, more importantly, to the defense of Japan.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

[QUOTE=harrybarracuda;4470287]You sound like you're really trying hard to convince yourself that Biden hasn't fucked the whole baldy orange cunto classified documents scandal.[/QUOTE
Not at all, in fact I said : "*If that is true and it seems like it is, then his 2024 bid is effectively over.*"
Then I continued to say: "*Welcome news to me* "
What Biden has "Fucked" IMO are the optics that would be used to bludgeon him over the head with if he decides to run. In fact , even his defence , that it was a mistake, or he forgot, will play int the narrative that he is too old, which IMO he is. 
But legally  regardless of what we think or say, both cases will proceed or be dismissed on their merits.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

^ remember that the rationale behind him running for a second term despite his advanced age was  his ability to beat trump. Well, that ability has no been significantly reduced

----------


## CalEden

> Don't forget to renew your QAnon membership.


Name calling and fake accusations doesn't persuade anyone but the ignorant.  





> Not similar at all. trump had removed the documents to his place of residence.(Just there he is in violation of US law and liable for persecutions and imprisonment).  It was requested that he return them, and  delayed, try to hide them, then claimed that they were his private property.
> Other than the fact that they were both classified documents, how are the to similar?


Nothing more needs to be said!

----------


## S Landreth

Biden's 2023 State of the Union speech scheduled for Feb. 7

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Friday invited President Biden  who promptly accepted  to deliver his annual State of the Union address on Feb. 7.

*What hes saying:* It is my solemn obligation to invite you to speak before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, so that you may fulfill your duty under the Constitution to report on the state of the union, McCarthy wrote in a letter posted to Twitter.

________


Biden admin touts coverage gains ahead of ObamaCare deadline

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday reported significant gains in health insurance coverage across numerous demographics in 2021, two days before the enrollment deadline for ObamaCare.

The report issued by the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation found that the national rate of uninsured people under the age of 65 fell from 11.1 percent in 2019 to 10.5 percent in 2021, with larger gains made in demographics that have historically had higher rate of uninsured individuals.

Non-English speaking adults, people between the ages of 19 and 49, Latino individuals and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals all saw gains in coverage of about 1 percent or higher.

The report noted the gains in health care coverage were highest among people in households with incomes between 100 and 250 percent of the federal poverty level.

At the state level, Maine saw the greatest decrease in its uninsured rate between 2019 and 2021, with coverage increasing by 3.2 percent. In that same time frame, Alabama saw the greatest increase in its rate of uninsured individuals, with this proportion increasing by 0.4 percent.

We know that access to quality, affordable health care is key to healthier lives, economic security, and peace of mind, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.

As we move forward, the Department of Health and Human Services will continue to do everything we can to protect, expand, and strengthen the programs that provide the quality, affordable health care Americans rely on and deserve, he continued.

According to a release from HHS earlier this week, roughly 16 million people so far have selected a health care plan through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, representing a 13 percent increase compared to last year.

__________


Biden taps problem-solver Bob Bauer as personal lawyer in document probe

President Joe Biden is turning to a longtime Democratic problem-solver, lawyer Bob Bauer, to manage his response to a U.S. special counsel's investigation into his handling of classified material after the discovery of documents at his private office and home.

Bauer will serve as Biden's personal lawyer during a probe by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Hur, a former U.S. attorney in Maryland who was tapped by Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday to examine whether classified documents had been improperly removed or retained.

A spokesperson for Bauer confirmed that he is representing Biden but declined further comment. The White House has said the documents were "inadvertently misplaced" and that it is cooperating fully but has declined to respond to detailed questions on the investigation.

The pick shows Biden circling the wagons, relying on a trusted inner circle that has guided much of his recent political career to beat back political and legal fallout from the investigation, which comes as he weighs running for re-election in 2024.

Republicans, who now control the House of Representatives, are eager to paint Biden's administration as scandal-plagued as former President Donald Trump, who has announced his 2024 candidacy, faces investigations and lawsuits over classified documents, election fraud and tax payment.

Biden had turned to Bauer, now a law professor at New York University, for help in deciding whether to seek the presidency in 2020. Bauer subsequently served as a senior adviser to Biden's campaign, leading an army of lawyers who monitored voting access and fought off legal challenges from Trump, Biden's Republican opponent. Bauer also played the role of Trump in Biden's debate preparation.


Bauer won praise for managing the rocky period from the election to the announcement of a victor four days later and then through the presidential transition, when Trump refused to concede defeat and pursued novel and unsuccessful legal challenges to prevent Biden from taking office.

Bauer has long been a fixture in Democratic legal circles, representing both of President Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and serving as Obama's White House counsel from 2009 to 2011. While working as the Obama campaign's general counsel in 2008, Bauer helped vet Biden as Obama's pick for vice president.

In those years, he also became close with Biden and supported his efforts to consider a 2016 bid for the presidency even as others in the administration favored former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the eventual Democratic nominee.

Biden, grieving the 2015 death of his son Beau, ultimately declined to run in 2016 after consultation with a small group including Bauer. Clinton lost to Trump, and Biden mounted a bid four years later.

Gray-bearded and scholarly in mien, Bauer spent nearly his entire career at the law firm Perkins Coie, starting the firm's influential political law practice. Firms like Perkins collect millions of dollars in billable hours from the warring U.S. political parties during election season.

"He looks and has the temperament of the college professor and he's a hard-as-nails litigator and strategist," NYU law professor Samuel Issacharoff, who worked under Bauer on both Obama campaigns, told Reuters in 2020.

Bauer retired from Perkins Coie in 2018 to focus on his teaching, but continued representing some clients in an individual capacity.

He is married to Anita Dunn, another Biden confidant and senior White House adviser. Dunn is a key architect of Biden's communications strategy who has helped with personnel decisions and crafting a message to counter Republican opponents.

Bauer will now work with White House lawyers as Biden responds to the special counsel's investigation. Documents with classified markings were found both at Biden's personal office at a Washington think tank and in a garage at his Delaware home in recent months.

----------


## helge

More documents found  :Smile:

----------


## Hugh Cow

Cant see a great problem. No attempt to cover up and authorities notified when found. To top off a bad week for joe, his wifes ex husband has been quoted in an article disputing when his ex met Joe and suggested her and Joe having an affair was the reason he divorced her. TDI missed that one. Lift your game.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Cant see a great problem. No attempt to cover up and authorities notified when found. To top off a bad week for joe, .


I agree, 
Bad document custody practices in the course of doing his job, but no nefarious intent alleged. If anything it shows that Biden  worked even at home.

----------


## Norton

Frankly this whole thing is red meat for the press rather than any serious criminal consequences to either Biden or Trump. Of course, political consequences for both.  :Wink:

----------


## helge

> No attempt to cover up


 :Smile: 

For two months !

Wouldn't be covenient to have this out before the election





> If anything it shows that Biden worked even at home.


At Hunter's home ?

 I saw someone claim that the house is registered to Hunter Biden

Wouldn't surprise me if the documents was handled by the druggie


Wouldn't it be the right thing to do for the democrats, who criticised Trump to do the same with Biden ?

And for the republicans who defended Trump to likewise defend Biden ?


 :smiley laughing: 
Fucking hell; I'm so naive

----------


## harrybarracuda

> Cant see a great problem. No attempt to cover up and authorities notified when found. To top off a bad week for joe, his wifes ex husband has been quoted in an article disputing when his ex met Joe and suggested her and Joe having an affair was the reason he divorced her. TDI missed that one. Lift your game.


It very much was covered up for fear of the effect on the mid-terms.

Anything that enrages the trumpanzees gets them out to vote, and they knew it.

----------


## harrybarracuda

More documents discovered at Wilmington by the way.

----------


## helge

Documents include:

Top secret files
US Intelligence Memos
Briefing materials on :

UK
IRAN
and



Ukraine :Smile: 

(I smell a rat )

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> At Hunter's home ?
> 
> I saw someone claim that the house is registered to Hunter Biden


I saw someone claim that reptilian aliens were controlling the world .  :rofl:

----------


## helge

> I saw someone claim that reptilian aliens were controlling the world


Did they have proof ?

The one I saw claiming it , had a copy of the deed in his hand.


Playing the good democrat, BB ?

Hats off for that, but you'll get hurt  :Smile: 

Is it worth it ?

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> Did they have proof ?
> 
> The one I saw claiming it , had a copy of the deed in his hand.
> 
> 
> Playing the good democrat, BB ?
> 
> Hats off for that, but you'll get hurt 
> 
> Is it worth it ?


I am a registered independent but a committed pragmatist. 
So what. plenty of people put the deed to their house on their child's name to prevent estate issues when they pass. How does that have to do anything with the price of tea in China?

----------


## Switch

The sooner both candidates withdraw from the 2024 Presidential race, the better off America will become.

----------


## harrybarracuda

> The sooner both candidates withdraw from the 2024 Presidential race, the better off America will become.


Agreed.

----------


## S Landreth

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves California Disaster Declaration

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on December 27, 2022, and continuing.

The Presidents action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz.

Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Andrew F. Grant as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and additional areas may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at Home | disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.

__________

In other news.....

'I have done nothing wrong!'

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> The sooner both candidates withdraw from the 2024 Presidential race, the better off America will become.


I second it.
332 million people and we can not find a better candidate?

----------


## HuangLao

> Documents include:
> 
> Top secret files
> US Intelligence Memos
> Briefing materials on :
> 
> UK
> IRAN
> and
> ...



....and all leads back to the Hunter coverup. 
The fact that Hunter listed that particular house/property as his primary residence and had lived there for years should shed a red flag. 

All of this aside, Old Joe has a very nasty history - going way back to his Senatorial days leading up to his VP and Prez positions.

----------


## Buckaroo Banzai

> ....and all leads back to the Hunter coverup. 
> The fact that Hunter listed that particular house/property as his primary residence and had lived there for years should shed a red flag. 
> 
> All of this aside, Old Joe has a very nasty history - going way back to his Senatorial days leading up to his VP and Prez positions.


I agree, any child that lists his/hers parents hone as his/hers residence, and has lived there,  should certainly raise serious concerns  :rofl:

----------

