US Politics: Sorry, we do make the rules.

[James Arryn]

39 minutes ago, Castellan said:

I wonder what questions they fail?

I don't have faith in lie detectors nor do I have the knowledge to dismiss them entirely.

But I am wondering what they ask?  what would they ask? Have you lied on your application? Is this your real name? Have you stolen on the job?

Associates, recreational drug usage, financial concerns would seem to be the most pertinent. Saw a thing on the Mexican border smuggling…the gun one, going south, much higher volume than drugs coming north, no one talks about it…and it was stated that border smuggling isn’t 100% dependant on corruption, but pretty close. 

[Martell Spy]

Quote

But I am wondering what they ask?  what would they ask? Have you lied on your application? Is this your real name? Have you stolen on the job?

Are you a former drag queen in Brazil?

[ThinkerX]

A supposedly bipartisan group puts forth an interesting take on the debt ceiling issue. I can't quite tell at the moment if it would be beneficial or not...

US Lawmakers Eye Replacing Fixed Dollar Debt Ceiling With Percentage Of Economic Output (msn.com)

Abipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is reportedly readying a plan to solve the looming crisis over the debt ceiling by changing it from a fixed dollar amount to a percentage of national economic output.

U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, the Republican co-chair of the moderate Problem Solvers Caucus, said the proposal would replace the current federal debt ceiling, set at $31.4 trillion, with a rule that would instead limit debt to a share of national economic output, reported Reuters.

[ants]

Just get rid of the debt ceiling. Don't like the amount of debt? Raise taxes or cut spending. Don't pass budgets and then whine that you need to raise the debt ceiling to fund them. 

The proposal is silly because if the new percentage ceiling is going to be breached lawmakers would be back in the same position. And it would shrink when there is a recession, which if its a demand driven recession is the last time you should stop government spending. You want counter-cyclical spending then. So the idea is pretty idiotic. 

[TrackerNeil]

I'll bet Santos' drag name was "Liza Lotte."

[Gorn]

2 hours ago, ants said:

Just get rid of the debt ceiling. Don't like the amount of debt? Raise taxes or cut spending. Don't pass budgets and then whine that you need to raise the debt ceiling to fund them. 

The proposal is silly because if the new percentage ceiling is going to be breached lawmakers would be back in the same position. And it would shrink when there is a recession, which if its a demand driven recession is the last time you should stop government spending. You want counter-cyclical spending then. So the idea is pretty idiotic. 

It's a power play. Having the debt ceiling crisis on regular basis makes congresspeople feel important and relevant. That's why they didn't get rid of it even when Democrats had the majority.

[DMC]

13 minutes ago, Gorn said:

It's a power play. Having the debt ceiling crisis on regular basis makes congresspeople feel important and relevant. That's why they didn't get rid of it even when Democrats had the majority.

No.  The debt ceiling is a decidedly stupid thing and didn't become politicized issue until the Republicans made it one.  Indeed, even when Republicans controlled the presidency Democratic Congresses have passed it without engaging in such brinksmanship.  This is all on the GOP House, which already fucked up the global economy - twice - a decade ago.  And promise to again.  The blame is on them, pure and simple.

[Gorn]

14 minutes ago, DMC said:

No.  The debt ceiling is a decidedly stupid thing and didn't become politicized issue until the Republicans made it one.  Indeed, even when Republicans controlled the presidency Democratic Congresses have passed it without engaging in such brinksmanship.  This is all on the GOP House, which already fucked up the global economy - twice - a decade ago.  And promise to again.  The blame is on them, pure and simple.

Democratic House had a chance to repeal the debt ceiling while they had the trifecta, or at least to raise it to some high amount where we wouldn't have to deal with this for the conceivable future. They didn't take it.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

11 minutes ago, Gorn said:

Democratic House had a chance to repeal the debt ceiling while they had the trifecta, or at least to raise it to some high amount where we wouldn't have to deal with this for the conceivable future. They didn't take it.

Republicans made it clear if Democrats did either they'd freak out and make a mess, proving again they're not serious on the issue.

[DMC]

19 minutes ago, Gorn said:

Democratic House had a chance to repeal the debt ceiling while they had the trifecta, or at least to raise it to some high amount where we wouldn't have to deal with this for the conceivable future. They didn't take it.

Republicans - including McConnell - tried to extract concessions for raising the debt ceiling.  Which is a bunch of horseshit the Dems have never done. 

[DireWolfSpirit]

On 1/22/2023 at 8:49 AM, Martell Spy said:

At least 10 people died at the scene of the mass shooting

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/los-angeles-mass-shooting-01-22-2023/index.html

 

With 36 mass shootings in the first 3 weeks of 2023 the U.S. is on pace for about 620 for the year.

[ThinkerX]

Meanwhile, things continue to happen...

Manchin is floating increasing the SS payroll tax for top earners as a means of dodging the debt ceiling fight. I doubt it'll get much in the way of R support, though my hazy memory tells me this is a D solution.

This Social Security change would be ‘easiest and quickest,’ Manchin says. What debt ceiling negotiations may mean for benefits (msn.com)

Now that the U.S. has hit the debt ceiling, lawmakers need to revisit the federal budget and find ways to make cuts, Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat representing West Virginia, said in interviews this weekend.

But that should not include cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits, he said.

"I've got 60% of my population that that's all they have is Medicare and Social Security," Manchin told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

"You think I'm going to go down that path and put them in jeopardy? No," he said.

In a separate interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Manchin called for a key change to help shore up Social Security's ailing funds — raising the cap on payroll taxes that are used to fund the program.

"The easiest and quickest thing that we can do is raise the cap," he said, while also curbing "wasteful spending."

 

Next up, a rather draconian R Immigration bill in the House is running into severe problems...with the R's. 

House Republicans delay action on immigration bill as cracks form in GOP (msn.com)

House Republicans will delay action on a border security bill after some centrist members of the party voiced concerns about the scope of the legislation.

Republicans initially sought to bring H.R. 29 to the floor for a vote sometime this week, following through with a pledge from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to usher in tougher immigration policies quickly. However, the legislation was met with some backlash from centrist lawmakers who argued the bill’s language would threaten the United States’s practice of providing asylum.

ARIZONA GOV. KATIE HOBBS SAYS SHE’LL CONTINUE TRANSPORTING MIGRANTS OUT OF STATE

The bill, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), seeks to control the surge of immigration at the southern border further by giving the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security control to bar autonomously immigrants from coming into the country at any point of entry as a way to “achieve operational control” over the border. Under the legislation, that decision could be made whenever the secretary determines at their own discretion.

 

And then there is a procedural matter unfolding in the House - rank and file members of both parties being permitted to offer amendments to legislation. I am inclined to see this as a positive - the prior means seemed almost dictatorial with ordinary members not getting much say on anything unless they formed blocs like the Squad or Freedom Caucus.

House GOP gives lawmakers a chance to amend legislation for the first time in nearly 7 years (msn.com)

"The House Republican majority is committed to allowing all members to participate in the legislative process," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., wrote to members of the House late last week.

Scalise’s letter outlined the process for allowing what is known as a "modified-open amendment process" for a bill up this week that would require the government to develop a plan for oil and gas development on federal land before any withdrawals from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are made.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Under this process, the House will allow consideration of any amendment offered by a House lawmaker from either party that is submitted and printed in the Congressional Record by Tuesday. When the bill comes up for debate on Wednesday, lawmakers will debate and vote on any of those amendments that are offered.

 

[Which Tyler]

39 mass shootings in 24 days (and counting - the chances are that will have increased by the end of today).
1214 dead by gunshot (excl suicide) in 24 days.

"There's nothing can be done" says the only country in the world with this problem

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/24/tragedy-upon-tragedy-why-39-us-mass-shootings-already-this-year-is-just-the-start

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

4 minutes ago, Which Tyler said:

24 days, 39 mass shootings... and counting

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/24/tragedy-upon-tragedy-why-39-us-mass-shootings-already-this-year-is-just-the-start

Don't forget all the ones that don't qualify as mass shootings! 

 

Also, Pence now has admitted to having classified docs at his house. 

[Which Tyler]

Have I got this right?

 

You ARE allowed to openly carry a gun

You ARE NOT allowed to openly carry a can of beer?

 

You ARE allowed to choose where to take your gun

You ARE NOT allowed to choose where you cross the street?

[LongRider]

58 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Also, Pence now has admitted to having classified docs at his house

All the cool kids have classified docs at home!

 

[Kalbear]

1 hour ago, Which Tyler said:

Have I got this right?

 

You ARE allowed to openly carry a gun

You ARE NOT allowed to openly carry a can of beer?

 

You ARE allowed to choose where to take your gun

You ARE NOT allowed to choose where you cross the street?

Correct, because there are no constitutional mandates around drinking beer or crossing the street. 

[Fragile Bird]

1 hour ago, Which Tyler said:

Have I got this right?

 

You ARE allowed to openly carry a gun

You ARE NOT allowed to openly carry a can of beer?

 

You ARE allowed to choose where to take your gun

You ARE NOT allowed to choose where you cross the street?

Hey, let’s play “add to this list!”

In many states you are allowed to shoot and kill someone even if you don’t have reasonable grounds to think they mean you harm under both the “Castle” doctrine and the “Stand your ground” doctrine.

In many states even if your medical team is almost 100% certain that you will die unless you have an abortion, you will not receive that abortion because they may lose their jobs, their license, and go to prison if they provide it.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

11 minutes ago, LongRider said:

All the cool kids have classified docs at home!

You know Nancy keeps them under the ice cream! 

4 minutes ago, Kalnestk Oblast said:

Correct, because there are no constitutional mandates around drinking beer or crossing the street. 

But when you have your gat you can do both at the same time!

[LongRider]

2 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

You know Nancy keeps them under the ice cream! 

That's not safe!  Everybody loves ice cream.