Democrats vs. the Filibuster

 

Reason:  Will Democrats Really Nuke the Filibuster—and What Happens If They Do?   "The Senate, unlike the House, permits a minority of its members to block bills supported by a majority. Specifically, Rule 22 requires three-fifths of the Senate (60 senators) to vote to end a filibuster by invoking cloture on a bill. To end a filibuster of a proposal to change the Senate's rules, Rule 22 says you need even more votes: two thirds of the senators present and voting. (Normally that's 67 people.) In effect, Republicans can block a final vote on Democratic priorities because the Senate's rules require more votes to end debate on a bill than they do to approve it.

"A growing number of Biden's supporters want Senate Democrats to abolish the filibuster through another route: the so-called nuclear option. This is a procedural maneuver senators can use to ignore, circumvent, or otherwise change the Senate's standing rules by a simple majority vote in direct violation of those rules. Basically, they create a new precedent that is inconsistent with Rule 22 but nevertheless supersedes it." . . .

. . . "That said, the GOP's past behavior may undermine the credibility of McConnell's threat: Republicans did not retaliate when Democrats used the nuclear option in 2013, and they used it themselves in 2017 and 2019. The specific nature of McConnell's threat may also weaken its deterrent effect: By signaling that a Republican majority would be likely to go nuclear in the future, it could lead Democrats to discount the utility of adhering to the rules in the present." . . .

Biden Now Supports Ending Filibuster, Held Meeting On How ‘Big,’ ‘Fast’ He Can ‘Jam Through’ Agenda: Report   . . ."The push for Senate Democrats to eliminate the filibuster is reportedly being led by a massive far-left dark money group. The Free Beacon reports:

Fix Our Senate is steering a coalition of 60 progressive groups to pressure moderate Democrats to eliminate the filibuster, which requires a 60-vote supermajority to advance legislation. The group is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a nonprofit incubator managed by the D.C.-based consulting firm Arabella Advisors. Arabella’s network of funds is used by the nation’s wealthiest liberal donors to secretly bankroll a host of progressive initiatives.  …

Kamala Harris To Host Event On Empowering Women With Bill Clinton Despite Epstein Associations And #MeToo Accusations

 Daily Caller

. . . "Harris is set to speak with Clinton despite the former president having faced allegations of rape and sexual assault from multiple women spanning decades.

"Clinton was also close associates with convicted pedophile and sex-trafficking billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton has remained largely silent regarding the flights that he took on Epstein’s private jet, which reportedly offered passengers young girls for sex.

"In January 2020, the U.S. Sun published an article that showed a photo of Clinton standing on Epstein’s plane with a young girl, Chauntae Davies, who is mentioned by the Sun to have been Epstein’s “sex slave.” Additional photos of the president with Epstein’s victims, including one of Clinton receiving a shoulder rub, have since been leaked." . . .

Dept. of Homeland Security flirting with totalitarianism

Ben Garrison

Thomas Lifson  "Now that the Department of Justice and FBI are using the 1/6/21 Capitol incursion to demonize all who attended the massive rally that day, imputing “insurrection,” “white supremacy,” and “extremism” to them, massive political repression may be coming. Consider this from Politico:

The Department of Homeland Security is considering monitoring the travel of domestic extremists and expanding its use of the No Fly List, law enforcement sources told POLITICO.

The discussions are part of the Biden administration’s strategy of treating domestic terror as a national security threat, and not just a law enforcement problem. They're also part of broader conversations in government about how to use tools developed for the Global War on Terror to combat domestic extremism. And, if past is prologue, the approach could prove politically contentious.

"Don't forget that the head of the DHS, Alejandro Mayorkas, has shown himself to be a willing liar in service to the powers running the Biden regime." . . .

Looking at The American Rescue Plan Act

 

https://www.terrellaftermath.com/

Forbes: Breaking Down The Tax Provisions Of The American Rescue Plan Act

There's a lot more subtlety that you have to take into account right now. We can expect a lot of stimulus from this. But at some point the economy may get jammed up on capacity and the stimulus stops taking effect and the inflation takes over.  That's what people are concerned about.

Pelosi ‘Excited’ To Pass COVID Bill With $600 Million Bailout For San Francisco: ‘I Just Can’t Hide It’  ". . . The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan includes $600 million for San Francisco — where Pelosi’s district is located — $1.7 billion for Amtrak and $470 million for museums. Biden is reportedly set to sign the COVID relief bill into effect Friday."

Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey recently criticized the legislation’s wasteful spending, while House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy described the approximately 600-page bill as “The Pelosi Payoff.”

Latest Stimulus about Politics, not the Economy  . . . "The sad reality is that they, or someone else, will have to pay the bill in the future. The impact of this unrestrained borrowing and spending will eventually be realized in negative consequences for America, but as we have seen all too often, it will take a crisis to stop it."

Silly Democrats

 Duckworth threatens Biden nominees over lack of diversity  "Sen. Tammy Duckworth on Tuesday said the lack of Asian-American or Pacific Islander representation in President Joe Biden’s cabinet is “not acceptable” and threatened to withhold her vote on key nominations until the administration addresses the matter.

"Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, told reporters that she raised her concerns to White House officials earlier on Tuesday.

"Her threat to withhold support could complicate matters for Biden as moves forward with other high-level administration and judicial appointments that require Senate confirmation in an evenly divided Senate where Vice President Kamala Harris holds a tie-breaking vote." . . .

Kamala Harris’ Niece Like Most, Jumped To Conclusions And Assumed The Shooter
Was White…  “ 'V[i]olent white men are the greatest terrorist threat to our country,” she wrote." (Right)

Obama Blames ISIS Inspired Attack On “Disaffection, Racism & Misogyny”  Generated by the shooter, may we assume?

IT’S OFFICIAL: Barack Obama Is In Biden’s Ear – And The White House Just Confirmed It  . . . "During her press briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki admitted that the two men “consult and talk about a range of issues”.  

“President Obama is taking part in an event for the affordable care act in about an hour…The question is…has he visited the White House, or do you know how often he has spoken to President Biden?” the reporter asked

“ 'I will say, having a unique view of this question, they were not just President and Vice President. they are friends,” Psaki began.

“ 'They consult and talk about a range of issues and I would expect that continues through the course of President Biden’s presidency,” she added." . . .

Suspect in Boulder mass shooting identified as Ahmad Al-Issa

So much for "White Supremacy".

 The Post Millennial

"It was reported that, according to a White House source, Al-Issa "had "ISIS sympathies.' "

"This is a breaking story and will be updated." . . .

Police on Tuesday identified a 21-year-old Muslim man, Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, as the suspect in the killing of 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket.

Now we know why it took so long for them to identify him. Watch how fast this story disappears from the sharia-compliant media. Gee, I wonder what the motive was? Oh, that’s right, it will soon be dismissed as “mental issues.”

"The top prosecutor also said that Alissa appears to be the only suspect, and Harold added that he was not known to police prior to the slaughter." . . .

Colorado Shooter Planned To Target Trump Supporters – Spent Months Complaining Online About Trump…Immigrated From Syria?

David Hoffman

@atdavidhoffman

·

18h

I’ll bet anyone my salary right now that the shooter in Boulder is a right wing, MAGA, white male.

UK Mail: On Facebook, Alissa complained about not having a girlfriend. He also ranted against President Donald Trump's immigration policies

. . . Harrowing emergency radio obtained by the Colorado Sun revealed some of the initial moments as Officer Talley arrived to the scene. 

 ' 'Shooter is inside!' an officer frantically called out from inside the store. 'He just shot at us twice.' 

 "A few seconds later someone says over the radio: 'Officer down inside the building!'

"As the incident unfolded, officers from the Boulder Police Department warned locals to 'avoid the area'.

"One person was taken from the shooting scene to Foothills Hospital in Boulder, said Rich Sheehan, spokesman for Boulder Community Health, which operates the hospital. 

"However, they did not release the condition of the patient. 

"One video of the incident from YouTube shows two victims lying on the ground in the parking lot of the store. 

"At least one victim is seen lying on the floor inside the store just moments before more gunshots are heard. Local reports say one victim is a police officer. " . . . 

John Cleese hits out at ‘stifling’ political correctness: ‘Can you tell me a woke joke?’

UK Metro

"Monty Python icon John Cleese has criticised the ‘stifling’ nature of political correctness, wondering whether such a thing as a ‘woke joke’ exists.

" The 80-year-old star mused that ‘affectionate teasing’ is a bonding mechanism, and dismissed the notion that societies should be driven by the ‘most easily upset’.

"Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday, he said: ‘PC stuff started out as a good idea, which is, “Let’s not be mean to people”, and I’m in favour of that, believe it or not, despite my age. I think Jesus Christ would have agreed. 

" ‘The main thing is to try to be kind.’ 

"Supporting Nick Cave’s comments on cancel culture, he went on: ‘But that then becomes a sort of indulgence of the most over-sensitive people in your culture, the people who are most easily upset. 

" ‘I don’t think we should organise a society around the sensibilities of the most easily upset people because then you have a very neurotic society.’ The Fawlty Towers star added: ‘From the point of creativity, if you have to keep thinking which words you can use and which you can’t, then that will stifle creativity. I entirely agree with those thoughts.’ "  More...

The Death of Escapism - Warner Brothers Wants to Create More Woke TV Programming

 Brad Slager

"You will bow to social activism, one way or another.

"We have almost become conditioned to it by now — or at the very least we have learned to recognize and avoid when a new activist product is coming our way in the entertainment realm. The ongoing insurgence of earnest messages, community awareness, and/or social lectures being injected into our cultural diversions is only going to get broader. 

"A major studio has just announced it intends to do more than slip in the occasional storyline or populate the cast with a character from a proper interest group. Warners is teaming up with a Yale professor, Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff, to create content from scratch based on social activism. They intend to create entire products rooted in and concerning social justice.

"What this specifically entails is difficult to state, given that they are strictly in the creative phase right now, but also because the descriptions of their intentions are full of vague word-salad proclamations. Goff is the CEO of the Center for Policing Equity, as well as having a creative team entitled JuticeRx. They will be creating entertainment that will ‘’help people get free’’. Who they are referring to who is not free is not explained.

"According to Goff these new projects will serve as important touchstones for social improvement." . . .

Even a favorite show of my family, "When Calls the Heart" is woke in its portrayal of men and women. Most episodes can have several incidents of clueless men being put in their place by wiser, more 21st century-aware women. But at least we have not seen women beating up men like a cop show would. TD 

Donald Trump Blows Up the Last, Great Hope for Democrats in 2022

Red State 

 "While the last election is still fresh in the minds of most Americans, the next one is going to become an issue a lot sooner than most people think.

"Republicans are poised to retake the House due to redistricting alone. That and the historical fact that the first midterm for a newly minted president is almost always a bloodbath has Democrats dreading what looks to be coming. That’s why you see such a push to get rid of the filibuster now. Democrats know they are on borrowed time, and they want to push through what they can now.

"There has been one thing that the left have been hoping will save them, though. Namely, that a civil war within the Republican party leads to a suppression of victories come 2022. For that to happen, Democrats were banking on Donald Trump just going scorched earth, with no care for whether the GOP takes back the majority or not.

"Well, the former president just blew that notion up, and that sound you hear is millions of liberals crying out in agony.

"This is Trump saying that he’ll be prioritizing policy over petty politics in the mid-terms, and honestly, good for him. That essentially defuses any major in-fighting within the party and sets the GOP up for success. The fundamentals already heavily favored them. Now, without another variable to gum up the works, Trump can be a positive force toward sending Nancy Pelosi into retirement, and that benefits him in the long term as well." . . .

EXCLUSIVE: 'People are the new dope.' Mexican cartels are seizing on Biden's lax border policies to run multimillion-dollar human trafficking scheme and are using families as DECOYS to smuggle single adults and drugs from elsewhere

 

The shameful inhumanity of Joe Biden's border policies  "A lot of people have wondered why the Biden administration hasn't taken the communist Chinese to task for the way they are treating the Uighur population.  Now that photographs are emerging from the facilities on our southern border, where the Biden administration is collecting illegal aliens, the reason for Biden's silence is obvious: you can't scold the Chinese for civilian concentration camps when you've set up your own inhumane concentration camps on American soil." . . .

Biden’s HHS turns San Diego’s famed Convention Center into shelter for “unaccompanied migrant children”

. . . "The facility is in the heart of a once-thriving downtown area. The Convention Center is also near PetCo Park, which is due to being its Opening Day of baseball season on April 1. A surge in crime and disease will certainly put a [d]amper on businesses trying to recover from the prolonged pandemic restrictions" . . .

EXCLUSIVE: 'People are the new dope.' Mexican cartels are seizing on Biden's lax border policies to run multimillion-dollar human trafficking scheme and are using families as DECOYS to smuggle single adults and drugs from elsewhere   "Ruthless Mexican cartels are exploiting Joe Biden's relaxed immigration stance to turn people trafficking into a billion-dollar racket 'worth more than dope', a DailyMail.com investigation can reveal.

"The president tore up hardline Trump policies after taking office but denies sparking a crisis along the southern border where authorities are struggling to deal with a surge in migrant families and unaccompanied kids crossing illegally.

"A slew of experts and well-placed law enforcement sources have told DailyMail.com, however, that notorious drug gangs including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas are seizing upon the reforms to ratchet up human trafficking operations.

"As one source told us: 'The cartels have realized that under Biden there is serious money to be made from people trafficking without any of the distribution issues you face with narcotics. People are the new dope.' " .  .  . 

Biden Accidentally Admits He Will Re-Establish TRUMP Border Policy As Crisis Spirals Out Of Control   "After Joe Biden was installed in the White House in January, he immediately began to lay waste to dozens of Trump-era policies that put America first.

"One of the effective policies he axed was Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy, which required migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims were processed. Now, just two months later, Biden is realizing how badly he screwed up.

"While quickly speaking to reporters on Sunday, Biden said he would “re-establish what existed before”, which was this exact “Remain In Mexico” policy that worked so well under Trump.

“ 'Why do you think the message to the migrants, telling them to stay home, don’t come now, why do you think that hasn’t resonated yet? What more can be done sir?” a reporter asked." . . .

CONTENT WARNING: John Kennedy asks explicit questions about Equality Act

Youtube   James Crocker "The woman actually seems dumbfounded that these questions are being asked. It’s quite sad that we have people in charge that are this delusional."

William Lancaster   "We here in the US have some sick leaders to even propose such a bill - What is this country coming to?"

No wonder China has little respect for this nation!

"In this case, a win for the cancellation artists would validate the dark prophesies one often finds in conservative writing, including on Substack..."

Ann Althouse; quoting Megan McArdle in "The Substack controversy’s bigger story" (WaPo).   What is Substack?
"... a future where 'woke capital,' in thrall to left-wing activists, makes it effectively impossible to hold a professional-class job without enthusiastically embracing progressive orthodoxy — especially on issues of identity. That world already seems uncomfortably close for journalists and academics, given that most of their institutions lean left. But self-publishing? It ought to be immune from cancellation unless the mob can somehow convince you to fire yourself. That changes, however, if activists can enforce a secondary boycott on the
newsletter services, payment processors or web hosts that writers use. If that happens, it’s hard to see where viewpoint diversity could survive for long, except possibly in conservative outlets big enough to run their own technology and thereby survive the purge.... [E]conomist Cameron Harwick suggested... We actually are witnessing woke capital do what capital normally does, if the capitalist controls a monopoly. That is, extracting excess returns from the market — what economists call 'rents.'... And woke capital, Harwick argues, is actually the creation of a labor cartel: the highly progressive monoculture of professional workers. To keep them happy, institutions that employ a lot of professionals have been pressured toward a narrow ideological consensus, corresponding to the views of roughly the left-most 8 percent of the American electorate. It’s a hidden fringe benefit that Harwick dubs 'ideological rents.' If Harwick is right, then cancel culture can’t be defeated by Republican senators hassling Facebook or Twitter, because that doesn’t touch the monoculture...."

Continue on into the very intelligent comments. Mostly a very enlightening discussion. TD