All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[Tami]

Make no mistake. The only person keeping Trump in office right now is Mitch McConnell.

That I agree with. Without McConnell, all of Trump's other sycophants wouldn't have made it through Congress. WIthout McConnel, there would have been more hearings, more investigations, more oversight. Without McConnell, many of the items on Trump's 'Wish List' wouldn't have gotten to his desk for signing. Without McConnell, the Mueller investigation wouldmn't have been cut short. Without McConnell, Trump might have been kicked out of office soon after the Impeachment.

[Gray Lensman]

That I agree with. Without McConnell, all of Trump's other sycophants wouldn't have made it through Congress. WIthout McConnel, there would have been more hearings, more investigations, more oversight. Without McConnell, many of the items on Trump's 'Wish List' wouldn't have gotten to his desk for signing. Without McConnell, the Mueller investigation wouldmn't have been cut short. Without McConnell, Trump might have been kicked out of office soon after the Impeachment.

I'm pretty sure McQuisling would prefer someone who doesn't say the quiet part out loud as often as Trump does. However, the alternative right now is worse for his agenda. Pence can't rally the base anywhere near as good as the Mussoliniest president can.

[Tami]

It’s not Alabama’s State House that needs replacing

The federal government gave Alabama a blank check for $1.8 billion.

It should have known better.

That money was supposed to help Alabama protect its citizens from COVID-19 and cover the costs and losses the state has incurred dealing with the disease. There are so many things those funds could pay for, so many ways to put that money to good use.

But Alabama Senate leaders want to use $200 million of that money to build a new State House.

And that’s just the beginning of a long shopping list of things they want to buy, few of which have anything to do with public health or the coronavirus. This wish list Senate leaders gave to Gov. Kay Ivey would turn those federal dollars into state government pork.

There’s $25 million in there for the Alabama Robotics Technology Park.

Are we going to fight coronavirus with robots?

Tied by the thinnest threads to coronavirus mitigation, each item on the lawmakers’ list came with a rationalization for using the federal funds.

Their reason for replacing the State House? The old one is “unhealthy,” they said. That happens to be true, and Alabama really does need a new State House.

But this is not how to pay for it and now is not the time, and the fact that some lawmakers think it is tells you what you need to know about the Legislature’s priorities.

Gov. Ivey has been struggling with lawmakers over who will control these federal funds. Alabama’s constitution gives the Legislature much more power and it was unlikely she would win. But on Thursday, Ivey deftly turned defeat into a victory.

After lawmakers tried to limit her spending power to $100 million of the $1.8 billion, the governor promised to give them all of it — with a catch.

In a statement blasted to the press as lawmakers were meeting to strip the governor of her spending powers, Ivey said she would gladly give lawmakers those funds to spend — and with them the responsibility for accounting for every dollar.

“I have never desired to control a single penny of this money and if the Legislature feels so strongly that they should have that authority, I yield to them both the money and the responsibility to make good decision — in the light of day where the people of Alabama know what is happening,” Ivey said

Ivey said she would be forwarding invoices for PPE, tests and other expenses to the Legislature for it to pay. And she said lawmakers’ wish list featuring a new State House was unacceptable.

On Thursday, Alabama House Speaker Mac McCutcheon disavowed the wish list, saying he and other House members had nothing to do with it. That appears to be true.

This list came from Senate leadership, where Pro Tem Del Marsh has led lawmakers into one trap after another.

[Gray Lensman]

It’s not Alabama’s State House that needs replacing

Looks like it's the contents of the State House that need replacing more than anything else.

[Tami]

Coronavirus updates: Most White House officials will be asked to wear masks, but directive will not apply to Trump

Most White House officials will be asked to wear masks or face coverings in public spaces on complex grounds, a move to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading further inside the presidential compound, according to three administration officials with knowledge of a directive to be issued Monday.

The request does not apply to offices, however, and President Trump is still unlikely to wear a mask or face covering, aides say.

[Kirby101]

Trump in a mask.

[kidfresh512]

It’s not Alabama’s State House that needs replacing

I guarantee you these same GOP lawmakers that proposed this **** will be the same ones talking about providing more funding to actual people who are unemployed will make them not want to work. Yet people vote for these assholes time and time again.

This is exactly why you don't do open checkbooks and every penny of the trillions allocated should be able to be pursued by Congressional committees. Which this administration actively blocks testimony from officials because they don't believe in oversight.

Giving money directly to the actual taxpayers is less corrupt than this ****

[Tami]

Phil Rucker: "What crime exactly are you accusing Obama of committing and do you believe the DOJ should prosecute him?"
Trump: "Obamagate. It's been going for a long time."
...
Rucker: "What is the crime exactly that you're accusing him of?"
Trump: "You know what the crime is."

Twitter Link

[Tami]

Trump throws a fit when @kaitlancollins
of CNN tries to ask him a question and abruptly ends the press conference

Twitter Link with Video

[The Cool Thatguy]

Twitter Link

Trump has a way with words, no?

[Wildling]

Twitter Link

Serial Obumming?

[wjowski]

Trump in a mask.

At least Joe never dodged military service.

[Malvolio]

Twitter Link

Trump really is such a child.

[Gray Lensman]

Trump really is such a child.

Another tantrump.

[Tami]

President Concerned That Coronavirus In White House Undermines His Case For Reopening The Economy

The President is right to be worried, as his messages are part of a tug of war between a White House prioritizing the economy and public health officials who are focusing on the country’s lack of capacity for testing and contact tracing. The trouble is that the President’s messages feature biased projections and distorted framing.

The White House certainly understands that reopening the economy will likely result in higher deaths, having projected that daily death rates from COVID-19 in the U.S. will climb from approximately 1,750 per day at the beginning of May to about 3,000 per day at the beginning of June.

The Trump Snake

COVID-19 ---- > People Dying ---- > Trump Acts Like It's Not Real/Doesn't Matter --- > Economy Shuts Down ---- > Trump Panics --- > Trump Tries to Force the Economy to Reopen --- > People Dying ---- > Trump Acts Like It's Not Real/Doesn't Matter --- > COVID-19 in WH --- > Trump Panics

It keeps going in a circle, and eventually biting him on the a**, meanwhile people are dying.