The challenges ahead (Biden's America)

[N.E. Brigand]

Over the past few months and even just in the past several weeks, a number of Senate Republicans were saying that President Biden and the Democrats should compromise on the infrastructure package with Republicans, because if Democrats couldn't get everything they originally wanted and had to make some concessions to Republican priorities, then Democrats could follow up with a separate bill passed via reconciliation, which only requires 50 votes not 60 votes to move forward. One Republican senator, Roy Blunt of Missouri, even said this on Fox News's Sunday morning show.

So yesterday it was announced that ten or more Republicans had reached at least the framework of a deal with Democrats on infrastructure. The plan would fund less than half of what the original Democratic infrastructure bill included.

Accordingly, Pres. Biden, along with House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Schumer, said that this bipartisan infrastructure bill *and* a separate spending bill subject to reconciliation would move forward through Congress at the same time, and Biden specifically added that if he only got the first bill without the second, he would veto it. He was taking moderate Republicans at their word that they understood that a compromise infrastructure bill would be accompanied by another bill that had less or no Republican votes.

But now today, two of those Republicans said that they'll withdraw their support for the bipartisan bill unless Senate Democrats agree to kill the separate reconciliation bill.

Lucy with the football once again.

[N.E. Brigand]

This week, the U.S. Farm Bureau issued an annual report about the cost of a July 4th cookout. It's down sixteen cents from last year. A non-story, really. But 862 local U.S. news outlets did a piece about that news, and apparently thanks to a CNN story that was initially in error that many of these local stations picked up, 700 of them reported the news backwards, claiming that the cost of a cookout had gone up. CNN later corrected the story, but it doesn't appear that those hundreds of local news stations followed up with that fix.

This I think represents not the media's usual anti-Democrat bias but rather a bias in favor of bad news.

[N.E. Brigand]

Is this evidence that violent crime is declining? Last year, 160 Americans were shot and killed over the July 4 holiday weekend. This year that number dropped to 150. Still horrible and far too many, of course. And one weekend does not a trend make. But I will hope that it's not just a blip.

[N.E. Brigand]

Hunter Biden sure seems to like to make his father's life difficult, and I agree with Walter Schaub that the method the White House arranged to try to eliminate the ethical concerns won't work. The plan is that Hunter's paintings will be sold through a dealer who will keep the buyers' identities secret, so that neither Hunter nor President Biden will know who is spending such high prices for them. But what's to stop those buyers from talking? Better that their identities be known, I think. Mind you, there is no legal way to require that, but surely it would happen if President Biden demanded that his son disclose his customers' identities.

I personally don't think President Biden will make decisions based on who is paying his son hundreds of thousands of dollars. But this just looks bad, even if it's as nothing in kind or scale compared to what was happening in the Trump administration.

[N.E. Brigand]

I would be very skeptical of a determination that the clearing of the park had nothing to do with Trump's photo op at the church.

A federal judge today ruled that Trump, Barr, and oher federal officials can't be sued for violating protesters' rights while violently clearing Lafayette Park, but that Arlington County and District of Columbia officials who helpd Trump, Barr, et al. violently clear the park can be sued for violating protesters' rights.

Apparently due to some bad Supreme Court precedent.

Seems like an "I was just issuing orders" rule that protects the evil masterminds while throwing the book at their henchmen.

In Michael Bender's new book on the Trump presidency, he reports that after protesters were violently removed from the park, "Inside the outer Oval, aides erupted in high-fives."

I'd like the judge who ruled that Trump and Barr can't be sued to address that, please.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

How, from a legal point of view, is that relevant?

ETA: Even assuming it is true, which I am not convinced is the case, since like with so many of these books I don't believe Bender cites specific sources.

[River]

I personally don't think President Biden will make decisions based on who is paying his son hundreds of thousands of dollars. But this just looks bad, even if it's as nothing in kind or scale compared to what was happening in the Trump administration.

I have a hard time caring about what Presidents' kids do if said kids aren't working in the federal government. Children are not their parents, no matter how much parents or the public might wish otherwise, and adult children have no obligation to obey their parents or even seek their counsel. Though since clearly a lot of other people find Hunter Biden's artistic pursuits Very Important and Scandalous, it would perhaps be wiser for Hunter Biden to produce his work under the equivalent of a pen name.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

What really amazes me is how much we talk about Hunter Biden when the last guy literally made his completely incompetent and unqualified son in law in charge of almost everything [eta: despite not even qualifying for a security clearance!), and also made his equally incompetent and unqualified daughter a senior White House advisor.

[N.E. Brigand]

Republican Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona has a complaint about the Biden administration:

"Under Joe Biden, enough fentanyl to kill 238 million Americans was seized at the southern border last month. Where's the outrage in the media?"

Biggs has a point. There should definitely be lots of new stories about all the drugs that the Biden administration is stopping at the border.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And about the previous administration"s failure to do so.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

This is definitely an example of the challenges facing the Biden administration.

Ted Cruz is blocking diplomats from being confirmed, and it has nothing to do with their qualifications

[N.E. Brigand]

President Biden flips the script. I appreciated that. (Warning: language.)

[River]

Sometimes he really leans into that whole "I'm old and completely out of f*cks you $)%(*@#_ clowns" thing and it's kinda awesome when it happens.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Andrew Cuomo will (and should) be resigning at some point in the not too distant future. And yes, I understand that it is likely that a different standard will be applied to him as Democrat than to Trump or some other Republicans. Nonetheless, he will (and should) be resigning at some point in the not too distant future.

New York Times: Third woman accuses Cuomo of unwanted advances in 2019 as crisis deepens

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, state attorney general report says

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I'm listening to him talk now. He is still trying to brazen through it, and claims he is the one who is the victim. What an ass.

[Inanna]

Asshole.

[N.E. Brigand]

The Albany County District Attorney's office issued a statement which says they are requesting that the New York Attorney General's office provide them with the investigative materials underlying today's report about Governor Cuomo. The Albany Co. D.A. also referred to an "ongoing criminal investigation."

- - - - - - - - - -
A few months ago, New York's two senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both called for Cuomo to resign. They repeated that in a joint statement today. Also in the spring, President Biden has said that if the investigation found the claims of sexual harrssment to be credible, then Cuomo should resign and could possibly face state prosecution. And today, most of the Democrats representing New York in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Jerry Nadler and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, issued a letter calling for Cuomo's resignation.

[Dave_LF]

Barely even registers on the scandal-o-meter after recalibrating it to accommodate the actions of the 95-year-old queen

[Voronwë the Faithful]

The Attorney General's office is also providing the investigative materials to the State Assembly Judiciary Committee, which has already instigated impeachment proceedings.

[N.E. Brigand]

A few months ago, New York's two senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both called for Cuomo to resign. They repeated that in a joint statement today. Also in the spring, President Biden has said that if the investigation found the claims of sexual harrssment to be credible, then Cuomo should resign and could possibly face state prosecution. And today, most of the Democrats representing New York in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Jerry Nadler and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, issued a letter calling for Cuomo's resignation.

And now President Biden has said this about Governor Cuomo: "I think he should resign."