#Roger Wicker (R-MS)

[simply-ivanka]

Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN)

VOTE THESE PIECES OF SHIT OUT OF CONGRESS.

[reasonsforhope]

Yesterday [April 30, 2024], a bipartisan collection of US Senators introduced the Fans First Act, which would help address flaws in the current live event ticketing system by increasing transparency in ticket sales, and protecting consumers from fake or dramatically overpriced tickets.

Today, the artists and Congressmen allege, buying a ticket to a concert or sporting event requires negotiating a minefield of predatory practices, such as speculative ticket buying and the use of automated programs to buy large numbers of tickets for resale at inflated prices.

The legislation would ban such practices, and include provisions for guaranteed refunds in the event of a cancellation.

The political campaign organizers, calling themselves “Fix the Tix” write that included among the supporters of the legislation is a coalition of live event industry organizations and professionals, who have formed to advocate on behalf of concertgoers.

This includes a steering committee led by Eventbrite [Note: lol, I'm assuming Eventbrite just signed on to undermine Ticketmaster and for PR purposes] and the National Independent Value Association that’s supported by dozens of artistic unions, independent ticket sellers, and of course, over 250 artists and bands, including Billie Eilish, Dave Matthews, Cyndi Lauper, Lorde, Sia, Train, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, and hundreds more which you can read here.

“Buying a ticket to see your favorite artist or team is out of reach for too many Americans,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

“Bots, hidden fees, and predatory practices are hurting consumers whether they want to catch a home game, an up-and-coming artist, or a major headliner like Taylor Swift or Bad Bunny. From ensuring fans get refunds for canceled shows to banning speculative ticket sales, this bipartisan legislation will improve the ticketing experience.”

Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Peter Welch (D-VT) also signed on to the Fan First Act.

In the House, parallel legislation was just passed through committee 45-0.

[Note: That's a really good sign. That kind of bipartisan support is basically unheard of these days, and rare even before that. This is strong enough that it's half the reason I'm posting this article - normally I wait until bills are passed, but this plus parallel legislation with such bipartisan cosponsors in the senate makes me think there's a very real chance this will pass and become law by the end of 2024.]

“We would like to thank our colleagues, both on and off committee, for their collaboration. This bipartisan achievement is the result of months and years of hard work by Members on both sides of the aisle,” said the chairs and subchairs of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

“Our committee will continue to lead the way on this effort as we further our work to bring this solution to the House floor.”

“The relationship between artist and fan, which forms the backbone of the entire music industry, is severed,” the artists write. “When predatory resellers scoop up face value tickets in order to resell them at inflated prices on secondary markets, artists lose the ability to connect with their fans who can’t afford to attend.”

-via Good News Network, May 1, 2024

[idvoteforthatdaddy]

Roger Wicker (R-MS) United States Senator

[deanwasalwaysbi]

23 Republican Senators & 124 Congressmen signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court asking for a 50 state ban on mifepristone, a drug safer than tylenol that is standard treatment for abortion & miscarriages, "due to safety concerns". The brief DARES to argue that banning the life saving drug would save women from 'reproductive control'. (x) These 147 people would rather have women die of sepsis than let women control their own bodies. If your representatives are on this list, call them and tell their office you will be voting against them in the next election because they asked SCOTUS to throw the US medical drug system into chaos at the cost of American lives.

United States Senate

Lead Senator: Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS) John Barrasso (WY) Mike Braun (IN) Katie Britt (AL) Ted Budd (NC) Bill Cassidy (LA) Kevin Cramer (ND) Mike Crapo (ID) Ted Cruz (TX) Steve Daines (MT) Josh Hawley (MO) John Hoeven (ND) James Lankford (OK) Mike Lee (UT) Cynthia Lummis (WY) Roger Marshall (KS) Markwayne Mullin (OK) James Risch (ID) Marco Rubio (FL) Rich Scott (FL) John Thune (SD) Tommy Tuberville (AL) Roger Wicker (MS)

United States House of Representatives

Lead Representative: August Pfluger (TX–11) Robert Aderholt (AL–04) Mark Alford (MO–04) Rick Allen (GA–12) Jodey Arrington (TX–19) Brian Babin (TX–36) Troy Balderson (OH–12) Jim Banks (IN–03) Aaron Bean (FL–04) Cliff Bentz (OR–02) Jack Bergman (MI–01) Andy Biggs (AZ–05) Gus Bilirakis (FL–12) Dan Bishop (NC–08) Lauren Boebert (CO–03) Mike Bost (IL–12) Josh Brecheen (OK–02) Ken Buck (CO–04) Tim Burchett (TN–02) Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX–26) Eric Burlison (MO–07) Kat Cammack (FL–03) Mike Carey (OH–15) Jerry Carl (AL–01) Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (GA–01) John Carter (TX–31) Ben Cline (VA–06) Michael Cloud (TX–27) Andrew Clyde (GA–09) Mike Collins (GA–10) Elijah Crane (AZ–02) Eric A. “Rick” Crawford (AR–01) John Curtis (UT–03) Warren Davidson (OH–08) Monica De La Cruz (TX–15) Jeff Duncan (SC–03) Jake Ellzey (TX–06) Ron Estes (KS–04) Mike Ezell (MS–04) Pat Fallon (TX–04) Randy Feenstra (IA–04) Brad Finstad (MN–01) Michelle Fischbach (MN–07) Scott Fitzgerald (WI–05) Mike Flood (NE–01) Virginia Foxx (NC–05) Scott Franklin (FL–18) Russell Fry (SC–07) Russ Fulcher (ID–01) Tony Gonzales (TX–23) Bob Good (VA–05) Paul Gosar (AZ–09) Garret Graves (LA–06) Mark Green (TN–07) Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA–14) H. Morgan Griffith (VA–09) Glenn Grothman (WI–06) Michael Guest (MS–03) Harriet Hageman (WY) Andy Harris, M.D. (MD–01) Diana Harshbarger (TN–01) Kevin Hern (OK–01) Clay Higgins (LA–03) Ashley Hinson (IA–02) Erin Houchin (IN–02) Richard Hudson (NC–09) Bill Huizenga (MI–04) Bill Johnson (OH–06) Mike Johnson (LA–04) Jim Jordan (OH–04) Mike Kelly (PA–16) Trent Kelly (MS–01) Doug LaMalfa (CA–01) Doug Lamborn (CO–05) Nicholas Langworthy (NY–23) Jake LaTurner (KS–02) Debbie Lesko (AZ–08) Barry Loudermilk (GA–11) Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO–03) Tracey Mann (KS–01) Lisa McClain (MI–09) Dr. Rich McCormick (GA–06) Patrick McHenry (NC–10) Carol Miller (WV–01) Mary Miller (IL–15) Max Miller (OH–07) Cory Mills (FL–07) John Moolenar (MI–02) Alex X. Mooney (WV–02) Barry Moore (AL–02) Blake Moore (UT–01) Gregory F. Murphy, M.D. (NC–03) Troy Nehls (TX–22) Ralph Norman (SC–05) Andy Ogles (TN–05) Gary Palmer (AL–06) Bill Posey (FL–08) Guy Reschenthaler (PA–14) Mike Rogers (AL–03) John Rose (TN–06) Matthew Rosendale, Sr. (MT–02) David Rouzer (NC–07) Steve Scalise (LA–01) Keith Self (TX–03) Pete Sessions (TX–17) Adrian Smith (NE–03) Christopher H. Smith (NJ–04) Lloyd Smucker (PA–11) Pete Stauber (MN–08) Elise Stefanik (NY–21) Dale Strong (AL–05) Claudia Tenney (NY–24) Glenn Thompson (PA–15) William Timmons, IV (SC–04) Beth Van Duyne (TX–24) Tim Walberg (MI–05) Michael Waltz (FL–05) Randy Weber, Sr. (TX–14) Daniel Webster (FL–11) Brad R. Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH–02) Bruce Westerman (AR–04) Roger Williams (TX–25) Joe Wilson (SC–02) Rudy Yakym (IN–02)

If your representatives are on this list, call them and tell their office you will be voting against them in the next election because they asked SCOTUS to throw the US medical drug system into chaos at the cost of American lives.

Help to patients who have to cross state lines to get medical care by donating to your local abortion fund here. (x)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Dave Whamond :: @DaveWhamond

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

January 28, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JAN 29, 2024

Today—last night U.S. time—three military personnel were killed and 34 more wounded in a drone attack on the living quarters at a U.S. base in Jordan, near the Iraq-Syria border. U.S. troops are stationed there to enable them to cross into Syria to help fight the Islamic State. There have been almost-daily drone and missile strikes on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the October 7 attack on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas. The U.S. has blamed Iran-backed militant groups for the attack, and while no one has officially claimed responsibility yet, three officials from such groups have said an Iran-backed militia in Iraq is responsible. 

President Joe Biden today called the act “despicable and wholly unjust,” and he praised the servicemembers, who he said “embodied the very best of our nation: Unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country—risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism.”

“And have no doubt,” he said, “we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner [of] our choosing.”

Republican war hawks have called for retaliation that includes “striking directly against Iranian targets and its leadership,” as Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) said, or by “Target[ing] Tehran,” as Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said. Republicans are blaming Biden for failing to “isolate the regime in [Iran], defeat Hamas, & support our strategic partners,” as Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) wrote on X, formerly Twitter, today. 

But there is, of course, a larger story here. The Biden administration has been very clear both about the right of nations to retaliate for attacks and about its determination to stop the war between Hamas and Israel from spreading. 

Iran would like that war to spread. It is eager to stop the normalization of relations between Arab states and Israel, and is backing Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hezbollah in Lebanon—all nonstate militias—to try to stop that normalization.  

They are trying to stop what Patrick Kingsley and Edward Wong outlined in the New York Times yesterday: a new deal in the Middle East that would end the war between Hamas and Israel and establish a Palestinian state. The constant round of phone calls and visits of Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken with at least ten different countries is designed to hammer out deals on a number of fronts. 

The first is for a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, which would require the exchange of more than 100 Israeli hostages taken on October 7 for thousands of Palestinians held by the Israelis. The second is for a new, nonpartisan Palestinian Authority to take control of Gaza and the West Bank. The third is for international recognition of a Palestinian state, which would be eased by Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel. If that recognition occurs, Arab states have pledged significant funds to rebuild Gaza. 

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected this proposal, but his popularity is so low people are talking openly about who can replace him. Hamas and Iran also reject this proposal, which promises to isolate Iran and the militias from stable states in the Middle East.   

Behind this story is an even larger geopolitical story involving Iran’s ally Russia. As Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg retorted when Senator Wicker called on Biden to respond to the attack that killed three Americans “swiftly and decisively for the whole world to see”: “Wasn’t funding Ukraine and Israel the first, critical step in deterring Iran? We are in this place now due to the Russian fifth columnists in the Republican Party including Trump who slavishly do Putin’s bidding.”  

Rosenberg was referring to the fact that Iran is allied with Russia, and Russia is desperate to stop the United States from supporting Ukraine. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, apparently thought his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine would establish control of the eastern parts of that country in a matter of days. Instead, the invasion has turned into an expensive and destabilizing two-year war that has badly weakened Russia and that threatens to stretch on.

In the United States, today marks the 100th day that extremist Republicans have refused to provide supplemental funding for Ukraine or Israel arguing that funding to protect the U.S. border must be addressed first. On October 20, 2023, as David Frum pointed out today, Biden asked Congress for “$106 billion to aid Ukraine and Israel against attack by Russia, Iran, and their proxies.” That funding has bipartisan support, but “[f]or 100 days, House Republicans have said NO,” Frum said. “Today, Iranian proxies have killed Americans.”

Republicans’ insistence that they want border funding has proved to be a lie, as Democratic and Republican senators have hammered out a strong agreement that extremist Republicans now reject. Former president Trump has made it clear he wants to run on the idea that the border is overwhelmed, so has demanded his supporters prevent any solution. Today, on the Fox News Channel, when asked why Republicans should let Biden “take a victory lap” with a border deal, Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who has been part of the border deal negotiation team, responded with some heat: 

“Republicans four months ago would not give funding for Ukraine, for Israel, and for our southern border because we demanded changes in policy. So we actually locked arms together and said we’re not going to give you money for this, we want a change in law. And now it’s interesting, a few months later, when we’re finally getting to the end they’re like, ‘Oh, just kidding, I actually don’t want a change in law because [it’s] a presidential election year.’ We all have an oath to the Constitution, and we have a commitment to say we’re going to do whatever we can to be able to secure the border."

MAGA Republicans in charge of the Oklahoma Republican Party showed where Trump Republicans stand when they voted on Saturday to “strongly condemn” Lankford for “playing fast and loose with Democrats on our border policy.” They said “that until Senator Lankford ceases from these actions the Oklahoma Republican Party will cease all support for him.” 

In The Atlantic, Frum noted that “vital aid to Israel and Ukraine must be delayed and put in further doubt because of a rejected president’s spite and his party’s calculation of electoral advantage. The true outcome of the fiasco in Congress will be the collapse of U.S. credibility all over the world. American allies will seek protection from more trustworthy partners, and America itself will be isolated and weakened.”

Rosenberg wrote: “If you are unhappy with Iran today, first thing you should do is come out for funding Ukraine fully. Nothing will embolden Iran more than a Russian victory in Europe.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[sage-nebula]

Unsurprisingly, this is a move made by Republicans. The specific bill is named "No Bailouts for Campus Criminals Act" and was introduced by Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas. It targets anyone labeled as a "pro-Hamas" protester on a college campus who has been convicted of any crime, making them ineligible for any loan relief in the future.

Here is a list of senators I've found so far who have backed the bill:

Tom Cotton (R -AR)

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Katie Britt (R-AL)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Steve Daines (R-MT)

Deb Fischer (R-NE)

Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Josh Hawley (R-MO)

Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS)

Roger Marshall (R-KS)

James Risch (R-ID)

Mitt Romney (R-UT)

Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Tim Scott (R-SC)

Thom Tills (R-NC)

Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

J.D. Vance (R-OH)

Roger Wicker (R-MI)

Senator Cotton is on record defending the bill saying, "Americans who never went to college or responsibly paid off their debts shouldn't have to pay off other people's loans." He then went on to yammer about "Hamas sympathizers" like piece of mold he is.

It's the same rhetoric it always is, acting like student debt relief is a crime to the taxpayer, when in fact it is not. Regardless, the list above is what I've found so far of the specific senators backing this bill. Those are the ones whose offices you want to spam if you are their constituents.

In the meantime, also be aware of what options still are available to you now. If you work for a nonprofit (which includes working for many universities!) or state/federal government, look into the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), which wipes out your debt after ten years of service. Thanks to the Biden Administration, they now take into account the years you worked prior to signing up for the program. There is also all the student debt that the current administration has been eliminating as well . . . I know that I haven't qualified for it, but you might. It's worth looking into now, before something like this has a chance to pass and before the very real possibility Donald "I swear I'll only be a dictator for just the first couple of days" Trump gets reelected in November. Do it now, before it's too late.

Oh my god???????

[politicalmojonews]

Battleground Senate Democrats Shoot Down Inspector General for Ukraine Aid Amendment

Battleground Senate Democrats shot down an amendment that would have established an inspector general to oversee the more than $113 billion in aid given to Ukraine by the U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, sponsored an amendment alongside Sens. James Risch (R-ID), John Kennedy (R-LA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Mike Lee (R-UT)…

[pashterlengkap]

21 GOP senators tell colleagues to oppose same-sex marriage bill unless it allows discrimination

A group of 21 Republican senators has signed a letter urging their Republican colleagues to support an amendment that would help gut anti-discrimination protections in a bill requiring states to recognize same-sex marriages. Earlier this month, 12 Republican senators voted to advance The Respect for Marriage Act. If the bill goes to a Senate floor vote, those senators would help ensure that it passes the filibuster and gets signed into law. The bill would officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that forbade the federal government from legally recognizing same-sex marriages. In its place, the act would require the federal and state governments to recognize same-sex marriages as long as they occur in states where they are legal. If any state refuses to recognize such marriages, the act says, the spouses can sue. However, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced an amendment that would “ensure that federal bureaucrats do not take discriminatory actions against individuals, organizations, nonprofits, and other entities based on their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions about marriage by prohibiting the denial or revocation of tax exempt status, licenses, contracts, benefits, etc.” In short, the amendment wants to allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination against queer couples and to restrain government officials from intervening to stop it. In a letter addressed to the 12 Republican senators who supported the bill, 21 of their colleagues wrote, “[We] ask that you oppose cloture on the Respect for Marriage Act unless the Lee amendment is added… The free exercise of religion is absolutely essential to the health of our Republic. We must have the courage to protect it.” The letter neglects to mention that religious people of numerous faiths support the freedom to solemnize and recognize same-sex marriages. We still have time to protect religious liberty. We’re asking our colleagues to support my amendment. pic.twitter.com/y7JXkxNXTZ — Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) November 19, 2022 The letter was signed 21 Republican Senators, including Lee, Mike Braun (IN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS), John Cornyn (TX), Rand Paul (KY), Marco Rubio (FL), John Thune (SD), Ron Johnson (WI), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Tommy Tuberville (AL), Kevin Cramer (ND), Rick Scott (FL), John Boozman (AR), Roger Marshall (KS), Roger Wicker (MS), Tim Scott (SC), James Risch (ID), Tom Cotton (AR), Lindsay Graham (SC), Josh Hawley (MO), and Ted Cruz (TX). Despite these senator’s worries, a revised version of the bill submitted earlier this month guarantees to uphold all “religious liberty and conscience protections” currently defined by federal law. It states that no individual or group will be forced to “solemnize” same-sex marriages and that the legislation will threaten no individual or group’s tax-exempt status. The bill is expected to receive a vote after the Thanksgiving holiday. http://dlvr.it/SdPCFv

[tumsozluk]

Press Release | Press Releases | Newsroom

Press Release | Press Releases | Newsroom

11.15.22 Senators say study abroad prepares U.S. college graduates to compete globally WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), along with U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) and John Katko (R-NY-24) who recently introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, today introduced the bipartisan Senator Paul Simon…

[skies-diary]

Today (Feburary 9, 2021), the Senate voted to proceed with the conviction of Former United States President Donald Trump with a total of 44 nays and 56 yeas. Donald Trump was (and still is, particularly if the trial ends with an innocent verdict) a very real threat to our country and to the American people. Anyone who supports him and attempts to hold him above the law has no place in our government.

Therefore, I've put together a list of every senator who voted today to keep the trial from moving forward, and therefore keep Donald Trump from being held accountable for inciting an attempted coup that killed seven people and permanently scarred many others (including officers who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and have lost fingers). I've also included their Twitter handles so you can message them if you would like to.

The main reason of this list, however, is so we know who to vote out. Do not let these people have another term. Their actions today show they do not care about America, it's people, or our democracy. The only thing they care about is Trump.

Remember their names.

Vote them out.

Senators who voted "Nay":

Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) @SenJohnBarrasso

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) @MarshaBlackburn

Senator Blunt (R-MO) @RoyBlunt

Senator John Boozman (R-AR) @Boozman4AR

Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) @SenatorBraun

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) @SenatorBurr *Senator Richard Burr is not seeking re-election in 2022*

Senator Shelley Capito (R-WV) @SenCapito

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) @JohnCornyn

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) @SenTomCotton

Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) @SenKevinCramer

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) @MikeCrapo

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) @SenTedCruz

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) @SteveDaines

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) @SenJoniErnst

Senator Deb Fisher (R-NE) @SenatorFischer

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) @LindseyGrahamSC

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) @ChuckGrassley

Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) @BillHagertyTN

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) @HawleyMO

Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) @SenJohnHoeven

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) @cindyhydesmith

Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) @JimInhofe

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) @SenRonJohnson

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) @SenJohnKennedy

Senator James Lankford (R-OK) @SenatorLankford

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) @SenMikeLee

Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) @CynthiaMLummis

Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) @RogerMarshallMD

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) @McConnellPress

Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) @JerryMoran

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) @RandPaul

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) @senrobportman *Senator Rob Portman is not seeking re-election in 2022*

Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) @SenatorRisch

Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) @SenatorRounds

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) @marcorubio

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) @SenRickScott

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) @SenatorTimScott

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) @SenShelby *Senator Richard Shelby is not seeking re-election in 2022*

Senator Daniel Sullivan (R-AK) @SenDanSullivan

Senator John Thune (R-SD) @SenJohnThune

Senator Thomas Tillis (R-NC) @SenThomTillis

Senator Thomas Tuberville (R-AL) @TTuberville

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) @SenatorWicker

Senator Todd Young (R-IN) @SenToddYoung

[freeindependentnews]

Among those he’s put on blast are Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

On Monday it was Sen. Jim Risch’s (R-ID) turn.

How do people like this get elected in Republican primaries?

Carlson went on to note some of Risch’s donors include Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman. The host described them as “the war lobby.”

[whatthehelloh]

Here is the list of Senators, along with their public office contact information, who voted in favor of acquittal.

Barrasso, John - (R -WY) (202) 224-6441 Contact: www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form Blackburn, Marsha - (R - TN)Class I (202) 224-3344 Contact: www.blackburn.senate.gov/email-me Blunt, Roy - (R - MO)Class III (202) 224-5721 Contact: www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-roy Boozman, John - (R - AR)Class III (202) 224-4843 Contact: www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Braun, Mike - (R - IN)Class I (202) 224-4814 Contact: www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike Capito, Shelley Moore - (R - WV)Class II (202) 224-6472 Contact: www.capito.senate.gov/contact/contact-shelley Cornyn, John - (R - TX)Class II (202) 224-2934 Contact: www.cornyn.senate.gov/contact Cotton, Tom - (R - AR)Class II (202) 224-2353 Contact: www.cotton.senate.gov/contact/contact-tom Cramer, Kevin - (R - ND)Class I (202) 224-2043 Contact: www.cramer.senate.gov/contact/contact-kevin Crapo, Mike - (R - ID)Class III (202) 224-6142 Contact: www.crapo.senate.gov/contact Cruz, Ted - (R - TX)Class I (202) 224-5922 Contact: www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=form&id=16 Daines, Steve - (R - MT)Class II (202) 224-2651 Contact: www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve Ernst, Joni - (R - IA)Class II (202) 224-3254 Contact: www.ernst.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Fischer, Deb - (R - NE)Class I (202) 224-6551 Contact: www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC)Class II (202) 224-5972 Contact: www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-senator-gr... Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA)Class III (202) 224-3744 Contact: www.grassley.senate.gov/contact Hagerty, Bill - (R - TN)Class II (202) 224-4944 Contact: www.hagerty.senate.gov Hawley, Josh - (R - MO)Class I (202) 224-6154 Contact: www.hawley.senate.gov/contact-senator-hawley Hoeven, John - (R - ND)Class III (202) 224-2551 Contact: www.hoeven.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-the-senator Hyde-Smith, Cindy - (R - MS)Class II (202) 224-5054 Contact: www.hydesmith.senate.gov/content/contact-senator Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK)Class II (202) 224-4721 Contact: www.inhofe.senate.gov/contact Johnson, Ron - (R - WI)Class III (202) 224-5323 Contact: www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-the-sena... Kennedy, John - (R - LA)Class III (202) 224-4623 Contact: www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/email-me Lankford, James - (R - OK)Class III (202) 224-5754 Contact: www.lankford.senate.gov/contact/email Lee, Mike - (R - UT)Class III (202) 224-5444 Contact: www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Lummis, Cynthia M. - (R - WY)Class II (202) 224-3424 Contact: www.lummis.senate.gov Marshall, Roger - (R - KS)Class II (202) 224-4774 Contact: www.marshall.senate.gov McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY)Class II (202) 224-2541 Contact: www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact Moran, Jerry - (R - KS)Class III (202) 224-6521 Contact: www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-jerry Paul, Rand - (R - KY)Class III (202) 224-4343 Contact: www.paul.senate.gov/connect/email-rand Portman, Rob - (R - OH)Class III (202) 224-3353 Contact: www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=contact... Risch, James E. - (R - ID)Class II (202) 224-2752 Contact: www.risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email Rounds, Mike - (R - SD)Class II (202) 224-5842 Contact: www.rounds.senate.gov/contact/email-mike Rubio, Marco - (R - FL)Class III (202) 224-3041 Contact: www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Scott, Rick - (R - FL)Class I (202) 224-5274 Contact: www.rickscott.senate.gov/contact_rick Scott, Tim - (R - SC)Class III (202) 224-6121 Contact: www.scott.senate.gov/contact/email-me Shelby, Richard C. - (R - AL)Class III (202) 224-5744 Contact: www.shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailsenatorshelby Sullivan, Dan - (R - AK)Class II (202) 224-3004 Contact: www.sullivan.senate.gov/contact/email Thune, John - (R - SD)Class III (202) 224-2321 Contact: www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Tillis, Thom - (R - NC)Class II (202) 224-6342 Contact: www.tillis.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me Tuberville, Tommy - (R - AL)Class II (202) 224-4124 Contact: www.tuberville.senate.gov Wicker, Roger F. - (R - MS)Class I (202) 224-6253 Contact: www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Young, Todd - (R - IN)Class III (202) 224-5623 Contact: www.young.senate.gov/contact

[spacedustpan]

An Update:

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a video press conference to announce her bipartisan legislation to renew the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal program that provides financial assistance to low-income households to help them afford high-speed internet.

The program ran out of funding in May, and as a result, over 23 million American households – including over 1.7 million in New York — have since lost access to this critical benefit, which helped them afford the broadband services they need to work remotely, complete online coursework, attend telehealth appointments, and more. The Secure and Affordable Broadband Extension Act would provide $6 billion for the ACP and continue providing this discount to families in need.

“The Affordable Connectivity Program provided a lifeline for millions of Americans. By slashing the cost of an internet connection, it connected rural Americans, seniors, and low-income households to job boards, remote work opportunities, online classes, telehealth appointments, and so much more,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Now that the program has expired, these Americans are forced to pay full price for internet – an unaffordable option for many – or lose access to broadband services entirely. I’m fighting to pass the Secure and Affordable Broadband Extension Act to provide $6 billion for this critical program that nearly 2 million New York households rely on. This bill has broad bipartisan support and I look forward to working with my colleagues across the aisle to get it passed as soon as possible.” 

The Secure and Affordable Broadband Extension Act would provide eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 per month off the cost of internet service. On qualifying Tribal lands, the monthly discount may be up to $75 per month.

Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Fetterman (R-PA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Angus King (I-ME), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Jim Risch (R-ID) cosponsor this legislation. 

To be clear - I am not Endorsing Gillibrand as a candidate and I am not Endorsing or excusing her Pro-Isreal statements.

I just saw the info about the bill and thought it was important information to include since congress is working on a way to restore it.

"Dozens of people joined Biden administration officials, advocates and U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, a Democrat from Vermont, at a Washington public library on Tuesday to make a last-ditch plea to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program, a subsidy created by Congress and touted by President Joe Biden as part of his push to bring internet access to every U.S. household. The program, which is set to expire at the end of May, helps people with limited means pay their broadband bills.

“They need access to high-speed internet just like they need access to electricity,” Sen. Welch told the gathering. “This is what is required in a modern economy.”"

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[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) led a bipartisan majority of Senators in calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to continue to use America’s influence to push back against the International Criminal Courts’ recent politically motivated decision to illegally and unfairly pursue alleged war crimes investigations against the State of Israel.

The letter states in part:

“The ICC does not have legitimate territorial jurisdiction in this case. As articulated by State Department Spokesman Ned Price in response to this ICC decision, ‘the United States has always taken the position that the court’s jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it, or that are referred by the U.N. Security Council.’ Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, and therefore has not consented to the ICC’s jurisdiction. Furthermore, ICC rules prohibit it from prosecuting cases against the citizens of a country with a robust judicial system willing and able to prosecute atrocity crimes committed by its personnel and officials. The ICC’s mandate should not supersede Israel’s robust judicial system, including its military justice system.”  

After sending the letter, Senators Portman and Cardin released the following statement: “We are again pleased that so many of our Senate colleagues joined us on this important effort to push back against the politically motivated persecution of Israel. We commend Secretary Blinken’s statements condemning the ICC’s decision and we urge the Biden Administration to partner with Congress to work together in this effort. The ICC has no jurisdiction over disputed territories and this decision creates a dangerous precedent that undermines the purposes for which the court was founded. This effort is discriminatory against Israel and will serve to make a lasting solution, based on direct negotiations between the two parties, more difficult to achieve.”

Joining Portman and Cardin in the letter to Blinken are: Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jerry Moran (R-KS), James Lankford (R-OK), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), James E. Risch (R-ID), Joe Manchin III (D-WV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Krysten Sinema (D-AZ), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), John Thune (R-SD), Robert P. Casey Jr. (D-PA), Michael S. Lee (R-UT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Scott (R-SC), Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Mark Warner (D-VA), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Boozman (R-AR), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), John Hoven (R-ND), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Todd Young (R-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Charles E. Grassley (R-IA).

The full text is available below and here.  

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

May 10, 2021

Heather Cox Richardson

A poll today by the Associated Press (AP) and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) shows that President Joe Biden’s administration is gaining positive traction. Sixty-three percent of Americans approve of how he is handling his job as president. Seventy-one percent approve of how he is handling the coronavirus pandemic; 62% percent approve of how he is handling health care. Fifty-seven percent approve of how he is handling the economy; 54% approve of how he is handling foreign affairs.

Fifty-four percent of Americans think the country is going in the right direction. This is the highest number since 2017, but it is split by party: 84% of Democrats like the country’s direction, while only 20% of Republicans do.

Biden’s weak spots are in immigration, where 43% approve and 54% disapprove, and gun policy, where 48% approve and 49% disapprove.

And yet, Biden’s people have been working to address the influx of migrant children; White House Secretary Jen Psaki noted last week that “At the end of March, there were more than 5,000 children in Customs and Border Protection Patrol stations. Today, that number is approximately 600…. The amount of time children spend in CBP facilities is down by 75 percent — from 131 hours at the end of March to under 30 hours now.”

The administration has backed that short-term work with a long-term initiative. Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris met virtually with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the leader of the left of center populist nationalist coalition party MORENA, to talk about finding ways to promote economic development to address the root causes prompting the flight of refugees from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and southern Mexico. They also talked about working together to protect human rights and dismantle the criminal networks that smuggle migrants. She will travel to Guatemala and Mexico in June, where she will meet with their leaders.

Disapproval of Biden’s gun policies might well reflect a desire for a stronger stance. In April, a Morning Consult/Politico poll showed that 64% of registered voters supported stricter gun control laws. We have had an average of ten mass shootings a week in 2021, 194 in all. (A mass shooting is one in which four people are killed or wounded.)

This week, Biden will be meeting with bipartisan groups of leaders, including Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), to begin to hammer out an infrastructure measure based on his American Jobs Plan. He will also meet with Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), who have proposed their own $568 billion proposal without corporate tax hikes.

As the good news from the administration is starting to filter into the media, bad news from the Trump wing of the Republican Party is also starting to get traction. On Saturday, we learned that at retreats in March and April, staff for the National Republican Congressional Committee refused to tell lawmakers how badly Trump is polling in core battleground districts, where 54% see Biden favorably while only 41% still favor Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, and the $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan are all more popular in those districts than the former president.

Indeed, it is more than a little odd that party leaders are bending over backward to tie their party to a former president who, after all, never broke 50% favorability ratings—the first time in polling history that had happened—and who lost both the White House and Congress.

Another set of data from Catalist, a voter database company in Washington, D.C., shows that the 2020 election was the most diverse ever, with Latino and Asian voters turning out in bigger numbers than ever before. Black voting increased substantially, while Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters had a decisive increase in turnout. The electorate was 72% white, down 2% from 2016 and 5% from 2008. Thirty-nine percent of Biden-Harris voters were people of color (61% were white); only 15% of Trump-Pence voters were POC (85% were white).

This demographic trend is behind the new voter suppression bills in Republican states. But the racial breakdown of the 2020 vote is not the only problem for the current Republican Party. The biggest turnout gains in 2020 were among young voters, 18 to 40 years old, who now make up 31% of voters, while those over 55 have dropped to only 44% of the electorate. Younger voters skew heavily toward the Democrats. Also notable was that women break heavily toward Democrats by a 10 point gap—79% of women of color support Democrats; 58% of white women voted for Biden-Harris—and women make up 54% of the electorate overall.

News out of the private “recount” in Arizona by Cyber Ninjas, a company without experience in election recounts and whose owner has already gone on record as believing that rigged voting machines in Arizona cost Trump victory, continues to be embarrassing as well. Although the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which has a Republican majority, said the count was fair and opposed a recount, sixteen Republicans in the state senate voted to give the ballots for Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, to the company for a private recount. The count has been plagued by conspiracy theories—one observer claimed they are examining the ballots for signs of bamboo in the paper to show that tens of thousands of ballots were flown in from Asia—and it turned out that one of the people recounting the ballots had been at the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Now the “recount” is running so far behind it appears it won’t be done until August, rather than May 14 as the company promised.

State senator Paul Boyer, who voted for the “audit,” told New York Times reporter Michael Wines: “It makes us look like idiots…. Looking back, I didn’t think it would be this ridiculous. It’s embarrassing to be a state senator at this point.”

And then, this morning, the Washington Post dropped a long, investigative story by reporters Emma Brown, Aaron C. Davis, Jon Swaine, and Josh Dawsey revealing that the arguments former president Trump has grabbed to “prove” the election was stolen from him were part of a long conspiracy theory hatched in 2018 by Russell J. Ramsland, Jr., “a Republican businessman who has sold everything from Tex-Mex food in London to a wellness technology that beams light into the human bloodstream.” The story follows how Ramsland’s theories, which were debunked as “bat-s**t insane” by White House lawyers, got pumped into the media by Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, among others, and how Trump came to embrace them.

While Republican leaders are still standing behind those theories, and the former president, opponents of the party’s direction are pushing back not just against Trump but also against those leaders supporting him. Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) tweeted this morning: “A few days before Jan 6, our GOP members had a conference call. I told Kevin [McCarthy] that his words and our party’s actions would lead to violence on January 6th. Kevin dismissively responded with ‘ok Adam, operator next question.’ And we got violence.”

Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) has narrated a video distributed by the Republican Accountability Project recalling the violence of January 6, blaming Trump for spreading lies about the election, and reminding viewers that more than 60 lawsuits disproved his claims that the election was stolen. The video says “we are the party of Lincoln. We are not the party of QAnon” (showing an image of Jacob Chansley, the so-called “QAnon Shaman,” who wore a horned headdress during the Capitol insurrection) “or white supremacy” (showing an image of Fox News Channel personality Tucker Carlson). “We cannot embrace insurrection” (showing a picture of Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene). “President Trump provoked an attack on the United States Capitol which resulted in five people dying. That is a person who does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward.” The video features an image of McCarthy standing with Trump. Cheney made it clear she was not about to shut up.

This afternoon, McCarthy released a statement calling for Cheney’s ouster as conference chair, featuring the line: “[u]nlike the left, we embrace free thought and debate.” (References to George Orwell, who famously wrote about how fascists used language to rewrite history, were all over Twitter.) McCarthy and other Trump loyalists have suggested that Cheney needs to go because she keeps talking about the past, but Allan Smith of NBC News points out that Trump himself seems to be the one who cannot stop talking about the past.

—-

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[tomorrowusa]

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08) on Twitter reminding everybody that Democrats and Republicans aren’t alike.

Not one GOP member of the US House or Senate wanted you to get that $1,400. By contrast, all 51 voting Republican senators and 94.9% of all Republican House members voted to give massive tax breaks to the filthy rich in December of 2017. With Republicans, it’s perfectly fine to increase the deficit – as long as it helps their billionaire masters who then show gratitude by contributing more to GOP campaigns. 

In a bizarre twist to the unanimous GOP opposition to the stimulus, Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi tried to take credit for the stimulus even though he voted against it.

GOP Senator Absurdly Tries to Claim Credit for Stimulus That He Voted Against

Speaker Nancy Pelosi was having none of Sen. Wicker‘s or any other Republican’s hypocrisy. It was classic Pelosi.

Pelosi Slams Republicans Who ‘Vote No And Take The Dough’ On COVID Relief Package

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been preemptively peeved for days that Republicans, every single one of whom voted against the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, would take credit for its popular provisions anyway.

“All of it is an opportunity for us to grow the economy by investing in the people for the people,” Pelosi said of the package on Tuesday. “And I might say for our Republican colleagues who — they say no to the vote, and they show up at the ribbon-cuttings or the presentations.”

She later added that some of them will go home and take credit for it in their districts, despite working to sink it.

These warnings turned out to be more prescient than perhaps even she would’ve guessed. On Wednesday, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) touted a provision in the package — conveniently opting not to mention that he voted against it.

[ ... ]

“Unfortunately, Republicans, as I say, vote no and take the dough,” she said. “You see already some of them claiming, ‘oh, this is a good thing,’ or ‘that’s a good thing.’ But they couldn’t give it a vote. Anyway, enough of them.”

Republicans are generally not reality-based. Donald Trump told 30,573 lies while in office. Somewhere in Sen. Wicker’s scrambled brain he thinks that voting against a bill helps get it passed.