USA Politics (redux)

[Rinaldo]

Finally a moment that converges all things GMG into a single glorious piece of art. Make quarter tones great again!

https://www.youtube.com/v/AQ-O72WMRKo

[Herman]

I don't get it. A male quartet volunteered (digitally) to back up that fabulously awful singer at the CPAC, thus robbing her of her blissful awfulness?

[71 dB]

How many here still believe Biden and other corporate Dems REALLY wanted $15 living wage?

Kamala Harris is Biden's VP. Biden could tell Harris to fire the Parlamentarian and get a new one who says including the $15 liviving wage into the relief package is ok, or Harris could just ignore the Parlamentarian, because the Parlamentarian doesn't have real political power. However, the Dems don't want to do anything, because they don't really want living wage. They are corrupt and economically super right-wing. Trump delivered more Covid-19 relief to people than Dems are even planning to do at this point. Biden has done some good moves so far, especially in bringing the US back into the international tables, but otherwise this has been really weak. Bombing Syria before Covid relief checks? WTF? The Dems promised $2000 checks immediately. Now it's March, people don't have checks and it's now $1400. Dems also RUN on $15 living wage and now they seem to be doing all the tricks in the book to kill it.  The mid-term elections will be a blood-bath for the Dems. 

George W. Bush was the last president to increase the minimum wage. Meanwhile the net worth of the richest people have more than doubled. Somehow I'm beginning to feel the poor people in the US actually do better when the Republicans are in power... ...however, Biden and other Dems can prove me wrong. I'm waiting. $15 living wage would be a good start.

[Karl Henning]

How many here still believe Biden and other corporate Dems REALLY wanted $15 living wage?

I do.  Notwithstanding your largely irrelevant and partly absurd sequel, the minimum wage issue does not die on this hill.  It isn't a question of "this bill, or never."

[DavidW]

aren't there much worse ones?

Yes there are which I won't post here but can be found on the NYTimes article.  I don't agree that this is "cancel culture" because regardless of reason publishers do NOT have an obligation to the public to keep something in print in perpetuity.  If libraries were pulling these books or governments were banning that would be a completely different story.

Now I do feel that something is lost when these books go out of print due to their significance as first works of such an influential writer.  But eventually I'm sure they will end up in the public domain.

[DavidW]

I do.  Notwithstanding your largely irrelevant and partly absurd sequel, the minimum wage issue does not die on this hill.  It isn't a question of "this bill, or never."

I do too.  But I never thought it should have been lumped in with covid relief since it is a long term economic plan and not immediate stimulus.

[Karl Henning]

I do too.  But I never thought it should have been lumped in with covid relief since it is a long term economic plan and not immediate stimulus.

Exactly.

[milk]

Yes there are which I won't post here but can be found on the NYTimes article.  I don't agree that this is "cancel culture" because regardless of reason publishers do NOT have an obligation to the public to keep something in print in perpetuity.  If libraries were pulling these books or governments were banning that would be a completely different story.

Now I do feel that something is lost when these books go out of print due to their significance as first works of such an influential writer.  But eventually I'm sure they will end up in the public domain.

I agree with you. Cancel Culture is a real thing and this ain't it as far as I can see. However, I do wonder about whether more is to come. I also hope they're not misrepresenting who Geisel was as a person. As Far as I understand it, he was a liberal democrat who evolved his views during his life.

[71 dB]

I do.

Your wide-eyedness would be cute if it wasn't depressing Karl.

...., the minimum wage issue does not die on this hill.  It isn't a question of "this bill, or never."

I wonder when we get to the hill where it IS "this bill." The left is joking the US gets $15 living wage when inflation has made it worth $6. The Dems are controlling the house, senate and white house. About 80 % of Americans are in favour of minimum wage increase. Why is this so hard then? It's hard, because the political will is weak and it's weak because of corruption. That's why tax cuts for the rich are so easy, while anything that would help the poor and regular people is so hard.

[T. D.]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/05/gop-groups-quiet-as-donor-accused-of-running-biggest-tax-fraud-scheme-ever.html

[Daverz]

This is an amazing exchange:

REPORTER: Americans are saying immigrant surges are happening under President Biden's watch

PSAKI: Who are the Americans?

REPORTER: The former president

PSAKI: Former President Trump?

REPORTER: Yes

PSAKI: We don't take our advice or counsel from former President Trump

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1367912011787567107

The reporter is from CBS, not some right wing blog.

[BWV 1080]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/05/gop-groups-quiet-as-donor-accused-of-running-biggest-tax-fraud-scheme-ever.html

He may be a billionaire, but hardly a big donor - according to the article made a few one-comma donations back in 2017

[71 dB]

Now we know the eight "closet Republicans" in the senate who are against $15 living wage. The left may lose the votes, but forcing votes is a way to expose these bullshitters who say one thing and do another thing. Voters know now who to vote OUT.

Also, if you still think Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are really for $15 living wage you are a simpleton. They work for the Chamber of commerce. Biden is a status quo manager for the oligarchs. Chamber of commerce doesn't want $15 living wage. 4/5 of Democratic voters and 2/3 of all Americans support $15 living wage. However, Biden is not the president of the Dems or all Americans. He is the president of the oligarchs. That's the reason why bombing Syria was so easy for him while getting $15 living wage passed seems impossible.

The progressives in Congress need to learn how to use all the leverage they have or otherwise they will never get anything done. They need to understand corporate Dems are just as much their enemies as are the Republicans. What do you do with your enemies? You fight and use all the power you have against them. That's how politics is played.

[Fëanor]

Now we know the eight "closet Republicans" in the senate who are against $15 living wage. The left may lose the votes, but forcing votes is a way to expose these bullshitters who say one thing and do another thing. Voters know now who to vote OUT.

Also, if you still think Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are really for $15 living wage you are a simpleton. They work for the Chamber of commerce. Biden is a status quo manager for the oligarchs. Chamber of commerce doesn't want $15 living wage. 4/5 of Democratic voters and 2/3 of all Americans support $15 living wage. However, Biden is not the president of the Dems or all Americans. He is the president of the oligarchs. That's the reason why bombing Syria was so easy for him while getting $15 living wage passed seems impossible.

The progressives in Congress need to learn how to use all the leverage they have or otherwise they will never get anything done. They need to understand corporate Dems are just as much their enemies as are the Republicans. What do you do with your enemies? You fight and use all the power you have against them. That's how politics is played.

Were the USA a thorough democracy there would plenty of progressives in Congress including in the Senate.

Perhaps the greatest travesty is the control states have of the Federal electoral process. Partisan state control over district definition ensures gerrymandering in favor of Republicans;  same for voter registration and location of polls and the like.  In real federal democracies, federal districts, registration, and election-day practices are control by non-partisan, federal commissions.

But then the "founding fathers" didn't believe in fundamental democracy but, in fact, in oligarchy, so the Constitution was written the way it was, so ...

[DavidW]

Now we know the eight "closet Republicans" in the senate who are against $15 living wage. The left may lose the votes, but forcing votes is a way to expose these bullshitters who say one thing and do another thing. Voters know now who to vote OUT.

Your view is overly simplistic.  Most of them are representing states with a much lower cost of living and there would be far more job losses than raising people out of poverty if the minimum wage was overly increased.  You must understand that what is considered a living wave is variable from state to state.

Now I support increasing minimum wage.  But let's not demonize these democrats.  Instead of labeling them as corporate shills you have to least try to uncover the underlying motivation.

[71 dB]

Your view is overly simplistic.  Most of them are representing states with a much lower cost of living and there would be far more job losses than raising people out of poverty if the minimum wage was overly increased.  You must understand that what is considered a living wave is variable from state to state.

Now I support increasing minimum wage.  But let's not demonize these democrats.  Instead of labeling them as corporate shills you have to least try to uncover the underlying motivation.

Job loss due to higher wages is largely a (right-wing) myth. Sure, there would be job losses, but on the other hand people would not have to have 2 or even 3 jobs to survive so that would help. Jobs that can only exist because of wage slavery aren't real jobs. Real jobs pay living wage. Mom-and-pop stores can be subscidized if needed.

Yes, living wage varies from place to place and it doesn't have to be $15 everywhere, but $7.25 is not living wage anywhere. Also, Dems campaigned on $15. If Biden thinks it should be $12 in Alabama and $18 in California why doesn't he say so?

Underlying motivation? Is it unclear to you? Hint: Starts with M and ends with y. Five letters.

[JBS]

Your view is overly simplistic.  Most of them are representing states with a much lower cost of living and there would be far more job losses than raising people out of poverty if the minimum wage was overly increased.  You must understand that what is considered a living wave is variable from state to state.

Now I support increasing minimum wage.  But let's not demonize these democrats.  Instead of labeling them as corporate shills you have to least try to uncover the underlying motivation.

The main reason they voted against it is that it doesn't qualify as something that can be included in a budget resolution.  It would be challenged in court and thrown out.
It needs to be done as part of a regular bill. Everyone in the chamber knew or should have known that.  Including Bernie.

[drogulus]

The main reason they voted against it is that it doesn't qualify as something that can be included in a budget resolution.  It would be challenged in court and thrown out.
It needs to be done as part of a regular bill. Everyone in the chamber knew or should have known that.  Including Bernie.

     They could overrule the Senate parliamentarian if they wanted to. It's happened before. The Senate can change its rules on what qualifies in the reconciliation process if they can get a majority vote to do so. They don't need a reconciliation or a filibuster supermajority (which used to require 67 votes before they changed it).

     Anti-majority rules are more likely to prevent bipartisanship than promote it, if such a thing matters. Majorities used to pass legislation of all kinds and filibusters were mostly used for traditional white supremacy Lost Cause stuff. Repubs can avoid the bipartisan taint by hiding behind the filibuster. Without it they'd have to bargain for what they want, and they would also be exposed to the horror of wanting things for their constituents.

     

[Karl Henning]

Also, if you still think Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are really for $15 living wage you are a simpleton.

Your opinion is noted.

[71 dB]

It needs to be done as part of a regular bill. Everyone in the chamber knew or should have known that.  Including Bernie.

Yeah, but Republicans will filibuster it to dead. Good luck having less than 40 Republican senators elected.