All purpose news and politics thread part VII: News & Politics Total Landscaping

[aja_christopher]

https://x.com/Acyn/status/1791278654036812264

Personal attacks against other members isn't allowed, so AOC requested a motion and asked for an apology which was blocked.

Rep. Crockett responded with:

“I’m just curious, just to better understand your ruling: If someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody’s bleach blonde bad built butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?”

[4saken1]

The twenty plus percent extra that folks are having to pay for basics versus pre-pandemic?

That twenty plus percent is money that they will not have to invest in the market.

(If they were lucky enough to be able to invest in the market to start with...)

How much have wages gone up versus pre-pandemic. How has U.S. inflation compared to other countries? Do you think these questions are pertinent to the point you are trying to make?

[shooshoomanjoe]

How much have wages gone up versus pre-pandemic. How has U.S. inflation compared to other countries? Do you think these questions are pertinent to the point you are trying to make?

Did your wages go up to support the inflation?

[Kirby101]

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...-inflation-us/

2020-2024
In this chart we see how both inflation has been curbed and how wage growth has passed inflation.



On must also remember that if not for two turncoat Democratic Senators, their would have been a raise in the minimum wage that Biden asked for. And low wage workers would be doing better.

[Mister Mets]

I think the moving to the center was much more because, back then, Democrats were still much more of a diverse party. Joe Manchin is an exception today, but remember Zel Miller? "Blue Dog" democrats would have stopped any version of the ACA to the left of what you got. I believe both of those presidents were too smart to believe they would get much out of Republicans.

"Blue dog" Democrats would stop legislation if Democrats to their left don't have a majority.

If there are 61 Democratic Senators, and 8 of them are blue dogs, the other Democrats don't need their votes.

If there are 52 Democratic Senators, and 5 of them are blue dogs, Democrats are probably happy that the blue dogs are responsible for the majority.

One argument is that blue dogs are okay in swing states, but not elsewhere (IE- It's one thing to have a blue dog in Florida or South Carolina, where Republicans frequently win, but someone in Delaware or Oregon should consistently vote the party line) although nationally that doesn't send an appealing message to swing voters.

A different view is that parties should vote consistently, so that voters know the agenda they're supporting, which might help in the swing states. Maybe if Joe Manchin isn't allowed to be so independent of the party, Democrats will lose the opportunity to be represented in the Senate in the most conservative states (until there's a major political change there) but it will help in the most competitive states. The problem is Biden won 25 states in 2020. He won Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by less than three points. To grow the Senate, Democrats need to win the states he won by less than five percent like Florida and North Carolina, or less Texas, Ohio and Iowa. I don't think a message that every Democrat is expected to vote in unison helps there.

[Catlady in training]

The president of Georgia vetoed the "Russian law" bill which the parliament passed earlier this week. The governing party is expected to override the veto, so I would not expect the situation there to get better any time soon.

Georgian president vetoes ‘foreign influence’ law

[Robotman]

The president of Georgia vetoed the "Russian law" bill which the parliament passed earlier this week. The governing party is expected to override the veto, so I would not expect the situation there to get better any time soon.

Georgian president vetoes ‘foreign influence’ law

Putin has weaponized propaganda and misinformation better than anyone in modern history. He’s caused so much disruption and chaos across the globe.

I guess that’s what you get when a former KGB agent takes power. A highly trained manipulator.

[Deathstroke]

I believe that is known as tearing someone a new asshole. But given how often everyone does that to Capitol Storming Barbie, it isn't like she'd notice being so completely owned like that.

[4saken1]

Did your wages go up to support the inflation?

The last contract at my work was in 2019 and expires this year. Negotiations are under way. Anecdotal evidence, though, is generally not a good barometer to accurately measure, well.......anything, really!

[4saken1]

On must also remember that if not for two turncoat Democratic Senators, their would have been a raise in the minimum wage that Biden asked for. And low wage workers would be doing better.

I think for you-know-who, this still qualifies as the Dem's fault.

[Wildling]

I believe that is known as tearing someone a new asshole. But given how often everyone does that to Capitol Storming Barbie, it isn't like she'd notice being so completely owned like that.

I think that's unfair to the Barbies. Marge is closer to a Miss Trunchbull, just like Kristi Noem is Cruella de Vil without the flair and great taste in cars.

[Kirby101]

And if anyone thinks a big percentage of price increases isn't due to pure corporate greed, I have a bridge to sell you.

[numberthirty]

I think for you-know-who, this still qualifies as the Dem's fault.

Really obvious question...

If someone wanted to set aside that the current President sold himself on being someone who could bring other politicians around?

They would still have to ask themselves what is stopping a President from talking about a higher minimum wage every single week..

Because to me?

A higher minimum wage went into whatever witness protection program that Card Check wound up in back in the day.


Somehow, Trump tells me about what he thinks is an issue no matter how hard I attempt to avoid listening to a single thing he has to say.

Which means that talking about the need for a higher minimum wage absolutely can be done. Just have to wonder why the current President hasn't done it.

[numberthirty]

From out in the weeds, not much of a surprise...

https://www.wtvq.com/rand-paul-joins...o-p-incumbent/

Rand Paul joins Utah Senator Mike Lee to stump for candidate Colby Jenkins against G.O.P. incumbent

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is dedicating significant time this week to campaigning in Utah, alongside his GOP counterpart Senator Mike Lee. Their focus is on supporting congressional candidate Colby Jenkins, who is vying to replace incumbent Celeste Maloy in the upcoming election next Tuesday.

Paul and Lee, known for their alignment on various issues, particularly their stance against allocating funds to foreign wars, have posted a video endorsing Jenkins. In the video, they criticize Maloy for introducing several bills aimed at sending billions of dollars to Ukraine and Israel.

Maloy, however, has garnered endorsements from prominent GOP figures such as Speaker Mike Johnson and Jim Jordan, underscoring Paul’s ongoing challenge against certain members of his own party. Paul’s active involvement in endorsing Jenkins reflects his commitment to shaping the future of the Republican Party.

[Tami]

Israel’s Wartime Government Frays as Frustration with Netanyahu Grows

Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s war cabinet, presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an ultimatum on Saturday, saying he would leave the government if it did not soon develop a plan for the future of the war in Gaza.

While Mr. Gantz’s departure would not topple the country’s emergency wartime government, the move would further strain a fragile coalition that has provided Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right government with a boost of international legitimacy, and it would make the prime minister even more reliant on his hard-line partners.

“If you choose the path of zealots, dragging the country into the abyss, we will be forced to leave the government,” Mr. Gantz said in a televised news conference. “We will turn to the people and build a government that will earn the people’s trust.”

Mr. Gantz, who leads the National Unity party, said he would give Mr. Netanyahu until June 8 — three weeks’ time — to develop a plan that would aim to secure the release of hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, address the future governance of the territory, return displaced Israelis to their homes and advance normalization with Saudi Arabia, among other issues.

Mr. Gantz’s ultimatum was the latest sign of pressure building on Mr. Netanyahu to develop a postwar plan. The prime minister is increasingly being squeezed — externally from Israel’s closest ally, the United States, and from within his own War Cabinet — to clarify a strategy for Gaza. Just days earlier, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, said the government was charting “a dangerous course” and demanded that Mr. Netanyahu immediately pledge not to establish an Israeli military government in Gaza.