Politics

[375 Ruger Fan]

I am guessing Zoom meetings don't count.........​

Russia reportedly considering mandatory 6-day workweek​

The Russian media machine has moved beyond punishing those who criticize the country's "special military operation" in Ukraine and is now rallying Russians to make sacrifices for the war effort, the British Defense Ministry says in it's latest assessment of the war. State-backed media and business groups have petitioned Russia's Economic Ministry to authorize a six-day week to combat economic demands of the war, apparently without additional pay, the assessment says. Last week, Russian media darling Margarita Simonyan, a fierce supporter of the war, suggested that Russians should work for two extra hours in munitions factories each day after their regular jobs.

"The evolving tone of the conversations clearly echoes a Soviet-style sense of societal compulsion," according to the assessment. "It also highlights how the leadership highly likely identifies economic performance as a decisive factor in winning the war."

 

[Brent in Az]

Yes and no. I know the right wing blogs are screaming about it, but what leverage did he actually have? He was trying to get concessions on matters that are already law. No responsible elected official is going to actually put the country in default - it has never happened before and no one with any sense is eager to see what would happen. It is somewhat remarkable that he was able to get anything.

The Freedom Caucus doesn't want a default either, but the deal likely will have enough support that they many of them can safely vote against it and do a lot of posturing.

Reintroducing some work requirements for social services, to include food stamps, could be the most important part of the bill.

The freeze on discretionary spending - including defense - during an inflationary period is not particularly good news from my perspective. A freeze is actually a cut due to inflation. The big bill payer will be defense. It will mean a number of modernization programs will have to be extended or canceled. The one adds costs - often enormous ones - and the other is throwing money away.

Frustrating. But it is not because republican representatives are somehow traitors. It is because they only own the house (barely) and the democrats have the senate and the presidency. Had my party been a little more careful in its candidate selections for senate, we would never have reached this point.

The deal only shaved 21 billion of the 80 billion dollars required for the 87,000 new IRS Storm Troopers.
An IRS goon squad, who will be coming after small business and the middle class with a vengeance.

 

[Red Leg]

The deal only shaved 21 billion of the 80 billion dollars required for the 87,000 new IRS Storm Troopers.
An IRS goon squad, who will be coming after small business and the middle class with a vengeance.

No one is arguing with you Brent. But you tell me what leverage the Republicans had? No sane person will allow a default. We have no idea what the worldwide economic impact would be, but virtually all economic analysts are way too frightened of default to ever want to experiment with it.

If the IRS is "coming after small businesses " to simply pay their actual taxes, I am not sure that is an altogether bad thing is it? And if you are correct, and the IRS really does become so intrusive as to be a problem for average Americans, then perhaps enough votes will be there to unravel some of the Biden legacy if and when we ever regain the presidency and the senate. I am also having a little difficulty imagining an accountant storm trooper.

I know Bannon is beside himself - nothing like having no responsibility should the economy slip into chaos - but even Breitbart - hardly a bastion of liberal thought and analysis - seems to be shifting its commentary.

I am most pleased with reestablishing some work requirements and am most concerned about defense in year two of the deal. But on the whole, I am surprised they managed what little they did.

Dems Acknowledge Defeat in Debt Negotiations, Urge Others to Vote 'Yes'

Some Democrat leaders have acknowledged some of the losses in the debt ceiling negotiations and have urged members to vote "yes" anyway.

www.breitbart.com

 

[Brent in Az]

McCarthy has plenty of leverage. That leverage has a name. "Hunter Biden".

Republicans need to learn how to play nasty.

 

[Red Leg]

McCarthy has plenty of leverage. That leverage has a name. "Hunter Biden".

Republicans need to learn how to play nasty.

How so? Serious question. The speaker has no leverage with DOJ. The House and Senate would through the budget, but that isn't an option because the Dems hold the senate. The House is already holding hearings. In this environment, that is all the power that the House has. Thus far, those hearings have generated virtually no interest in the MSM or the majority of the American people. Until House oversight (or the Delaware grand jury) comes up with evidence directly linking the President to a specific set of payments for a service provided, nothing will happen. The press conference on 10 May noting the $10 mil in payments to the the Biden family between 2015 and 2017 demonstrates unseemly behavior, even unethical behavior. But trading on Daddy's name is not the same as delivering a specific outcome for a payment. Until someone can demonstrate that, no law has been broken by the President.

 

[Josh P]

We're still pushing stuff pointing to involvement in the Kennedy assassination to the back burner. The cynical part of me has little hope for a sitting president to be held accountable. (It's probably a good thing the cyclical part of me is not in the driver's seat, for a gloomy drive that would be!)

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[Brent in Az]

Commie Joe & his goon squad, are trying to silence the whistleblowers.

 

[Brent in Az]

87,000 IRS agents are going to be looking under our mattresses for money, but the elites receive a free pass.

 

[Red Leg]

87,000 IRS agents are going to be looking under our mattresses for money, but the elites receive a free pass.

OK, Let's say none of this is hyperbole to appeal to Fox viewers. I will note that MSNBC and CNN do the same for their primary viewership, but I digress. I agree the little sod probably deserves to be in jail - but not for influence peddling - unless there is a provable quid pro quo. But what could Kevin McCarthy do with any of this with respect to the budget negotiations? It is, as you have pointed out, already out there. Name me a single action he could take that republican led committees aren't already doing that would be of any value in those negotiations.

Sometimes in our righteous, if polarized anger, we forget that power matters. Right now we do not have it.

I am also very concerned that we are on a trajectory to nominate a candidate who is unelectable and who will sink enough down ticket candidates to put both houses at risk as well as the presidency.

 

[Red Leg]

Also from our friends at Fox.

Republicans win on the debt ceiling: Here's why House GOP should support deal

The debt ceiling agreement is a step toward creating a smaller government, lower taxes, less regulation, economic growth, prosperity, and more take home pay.

www.foxnews.com

 

[Scott CWO]

OK, Let's say none of this is hyperbole to appeal to Fox viewers. I will note that MSNBC and CNN do the same for their primary viewership, but I digress. I agree the little sod probably deserves to be in jail - but not for influence peddling - unless there is a provable quid pro quo. But what could Kevin McCarthy do with any of this with respect to the budget negotiations? It is, as you have pointed out, already out there. Name me a single action he could take that republican led committees aren't already doing that would be of any value in those negotiations.

Sometimes in our righteous, if polarized anger, we forget that power matters. Right now we do not have it.

I am also very concerned that we are on a trajectory to nominate a candidate who is unelectable and who will sink enough down ticket candidates to put both houses at risk as well as the presidency.

Unfortunately, as you said, McCarthy has limited power. Some people just don’t want to hear facts because it doesn’t fit their narrative. I am actually pleasantly surprised McCarthy got as much as he did. I would have loved to see more but not possible.

It’s time for Republicans to talk to their kids, friends and family to explain why we need them to vote for Republicans in the next election instead of just complaining all the time.

 

[Brent in Az]

Only once in the last half century, has the federal government achieved a balanced budget.
That was under slick Willy in the late 1990's.

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[Scott CWO]

Only once in the last half century, has the federal government achieved a balanced budget.
That was under slick Willy in the late 1990's.

Yes and Republicans controlled the House and Senate. Just the President or just one part of Congress cannot get much done.

 

[WillMFerguson]

 

[Red Leg]

Only once in the last half century, has the federal government achieved a balanced budget.
That was under slick Willy in the late 1990's.

I would give Newt a lot of credit for that - along with majorities in both houses as @Scott CWO notes.

 

[Brent in Az]

I would give Newt a lot of credit for that - along with majorities in both houses as @Scott CWO notes.

Both parties are just different sides of the same worthless coin.

 

[Scott CWO]

Both parties are just different sides of the same worthless coin.

I would respectfully disagree. As a Republican, I doubt I agree with the vast majority of the views of a congressional Democrat or any current Democrat.

 

[Red Leg]

Both parties are just different sides of the same worthless coin.

Breitbart again. As I noted earlier, hardly a left wing rag. Of course it doesn't fit the Rhino narrative so it must not be true? My personal philosophy is not to be played by any side. In keeping with what you said, all of them are trying to do so. To include Trump.

12ft