#critical care congress 2023

[picturejasper20]

Wow... people having to identify themselves to a government because of they are part of a group that is seen as ¨other¨ or because they want to learn about a certain topic...where i have seen this before...

I don't know... maybe what it is considered one of the biggest red flags in steps of dehumanization of groups, mainly minorities?

Btw, this is what the people behind KOSA are trying to impose in all the United States of America.

[Image ID: News politcs article about USA politics that says ¨Kansas governor passes law requiring ID to view acts of 'homosexuality' online, vetoes anti-LGBTQ+ bill¨ /.End ID]

Link to the article: https://www.advocate.com/politics/kansas-veto-age-verification-gender-affirming-care-abortion

Edit: Since this gained more notes, for those who don't know KOSA is, it is a USA bill that was reintroduced on May 2023 (last year). It is called ¨Kids Online Safety Act¨ (KOSA for short). It has been introduced and reintroduced for a while now since 2022. It is meant with the intention to ¨protect kids¨ by restricting their use of internet by pushing age restrictions and people having to present their ID to use internet or access certain websites, quite similar to the Kansas state bill that got passed. Many groups and people have criticized this bill for the potential censorship it can come with it and do more harm to the kids than help them. Possible censorship that has been suggested this bill can bring is LGBT+ content, politics and news, mental health search, political and social opinions in general (adults included). What is more, it has been put into question the possible invasion of privacy for both minors and adults by having to share an identification to use certain websites. That people could get censored or doxxed by doing this.

As for the bill itself, there was a hearing earlier today in the Senate. ( April 17th-Wednesday). It could take a while before it gets voted and has to pass different stages. Then it would take months (18 months) to be implemented if it gets passed.

I'm not American myself, so i'm not sure how much i can do about this. What i do recommend is making calls to senators and people involved in pushing this bill to make clear your disapproval of it. Try sign petitions or just telling others about it.

Some sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_Online_Safety_Act https://www.stopkosa.com/ https://www.badinternetbills.com/ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/02/dont-fall-latest-changes-dangerous-kids-online-safety-act

Website to keep track of the KOSA bill movements and cosponsors of the bill:

[mollyjimbly]

🚨🚨ATTENTION🚨🚨

Another Disgusting anti-LGBT bill, planning to censor queer content online.

Yet again another law that infringes on privacy. and anonymity.

The bill is KOSA

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1409

KOSA is a threat to LGBTQ+ youth.

It allows right-wing AGs to censor LGBTQ+ content in the name of "protecting kids".

This doesn't protect kids. This actually hurts kids even more.

It will snuff out LGBTQ+ spaces and makes the internet more of a dangerous place for them, more or less...

"Of course, like so many of these “bipartisan” anti-internet bills that have bipartisan support, the support on each side of the aisle is based on a very different view of how the bill will be used in practice. We went through this last year with the AICOA antitrust bill. Democrats supported it (falsely) believing that it would magically increase competition, while Republicans were gleefully talking about how they were going to use it to force websites to host their propaganda."

"Now, with KOSA, again you have Democrats naively (and incorrectly) believing that because it’s called the “Kids Online Safety Bill” it will magically protect children, even though tons of experts have made it clear it will actually put them at greater risk."

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/05/24/heritage-foundation-says-that-of-course-gop-will-use-kosa-to-censor-lgbtq-content/

KOSA will also undermine privacy in the name of "protecting children".

"This bill would effectively place many internet services behind an age verification wall, prevent anonymous surfing, and would require all users – adults or teens – to verify their age before they can access information or content.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association supports the enactment of comprehensive privacy legislation at the federal level, but has concerns about KOSA’s duty of care, vague requirements that would prevent teens from accessing critical information, and compliance provisions that conflict with current trends toward data minimization."

https://ccianet.org/news/2023/05/ccia-statement-on-unintended-consequences-of-kosa-legislation-would-place-most-internet-services-behind-age-verification-wall/

Age verification technology is just not secure enough for usage at the moment, leaks are likely to happen, it will be especially dangerous if the leaked Age verification information has a government ID linked to it. That would mean that malicious individuals may get a hold of personal addresses, bank details, basically you'll get doxxed by the government...

You may be asking, "well is there anything to do about it?"

Of course there is, but we really need your help spreading awareness around, because the bill is most likely to pass this July!

This website was put together by Fight for the Future. It has everything, from petitions to calls scripts. It's very easy to understand and use and one of the best links to spread. I urge you to use this when calling your members of congress. All you need to do is put in your phone number once and read off the script provided and it does the rest for you.

https://www.badinternetbills.com/

Signable petitions and open letters;

If you live in the states, call your state representatives;

Joinable Discord server;

More information;

I have to say again and I am not exaggerating, this is URGENT the bill could be passed THIS MONTH!

I am begging you, please OPPOSE KOSA!!

[mariacallous]

In November, voters in at least 10 states will vote on ballot initiatives seeking to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions. Voters nationwide and in battleground states consider abortion to be one of the most important issues in this election.   

For this and other reasons, it is critical that the public be informed about the issue. Here are five myths about abortion in America, compared to the reality.   

MYTH #1: Many women are having abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy, including in the ninth month or later.  

REALITY: The vast majority of abortions (93%) occur in the first trimester of pregnancy, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). So-called “late-term abortions” performed at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy are extremely uncommon and represent less than 1% of all abortions in the U.S. They generally occur because of the discovery of a fatal condition affecting the fetus or serious risks to the life or health of the mother. The claim that abortions happen “moments before birth” or even “after birth” is false. In no state is it legal to kill a baby after it has been born.   

MYTH #2: The overturning of Roe v. Wade has led to fewer abortions. 

REALITY: The number of abortions that occurred in the U.S. increased by 11% in 2023, the first full year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, compared with 2020 levels. This increase was driven primarily by the greater availability of medication abortion pills and privately financed funds that supported women seeking abortions.  

MYTH #3: Because abortion totals have not declined, women cannot have been harmed by abortion bans and restrictions. 

REALITY: Although many women living in states with abortion bans have been able to circumvent those bans by traveling to another state or by obtaining medication abortion pills using telehealth and the mail, others have not been so lucky. So even though abortion rates have increased, on balance, it’s still the case that many women who wanted abortions have been unable to get them. 

In addition, abortion restrictions are putting women’s lives and health at risk. The same procedures used for terminating unintended pregnancies are also essential for addressing a number of other situations, including miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and severe fetal abnormalities.  

Federal authorities have documented dozens of cases where pregnant women have been refused emergency medical treatment because doctors in ban states fear criminal prosecution. This has resulted in women having miscarriages in public restrooms, bleeding out in their cars, or experiencing delays in receiving care that have led them to develop infections or sustain bodily harm.  

Already, a woman in Georgia named Amber Thurman has died from infection after doctors delayed performing a routine procedure out of fear of criminal liability under the state’s abortion ban. The state’s maternal mortality review committee called Thurman’s death “preventable” and said the delay in care had a “large” impact in causing her death. Other similarly tragic stories are sure to emerge once state review committees begin to publicize their findings, which operate with a lag.  

MYTH #4: Depending on who is elected, there will be a federal law either banning or legalizing abortion nationwide.

REALITY: It is highly unlikely the election will change the composition of Congress enough to give either party sufficient votes to pass a federal law either banning or legalizing abortion nationwide.

Vice President Harris has consistently supported abortion rights over the course of her political career. As the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris has said she supports legislation that would restore the protections established by Roe v. Wade. She has not answered the question about whether she opposes any restrictions on abortion. Under Roe v. Wade, states could only restrict abortion after the point of fetal viability, or about 22 weeks of pregnancy, except in cases where abortions were necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.

Former President Trump’s position on a national abortion ban has wavered significantly over time. As president, Trump supported a 2018 bill that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy nationwide. Earlier this year, Trump signaled support for a 16-week and then a 15-week abortion ban. His current position is that the legality of abortion should be left to the states. During the presidential debate against Vice President Harris, Trump declined to say whether he would veto a national ban if he were reelected.

To enact legislation that would protect or ban abortion nationwide, the party that won the presidency would also need to secure majorities in both the House and Senate. All three are shaping up to be tight races. Because it is highly unlikely either party will secure sufficient support in this election, including the 60 votes needed to overcome the Senate filibuster, neither will be able to pass a federal law codifying abortion policy nationwide. This means those in favor of protecting reproductive rights need to do so through the kind of measures that will be on the ballot in many states. 

MYTH #5: Women living in states where abortion is legal will not be affected by the outcome of the 2024 election.

REALITY: Federal regulation, largely determined by executive agencies operating under the authority of the president, plays a major role in determining access to abortion.

In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made multiple revisions to its policy toward mifepristone (one of the two drugs used in medication abortion) that have made medication abortion far more accessible. These pills are now widely used, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all abortions nationwide.

If Trump were reelected, he could limit the use of these abortion pills by appointing a new head of the FDA or Health and Human Services (HHS) who could reverse the FDA’s revised policies toward mifepristone or override the agency’s approval of the drug completely.

Trump could also direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to enforce a 151-year-old federal law known as the Comstock Act that bans the shipment of abortion-related materials. In 2022, the DOJ under the Biden-Harris administration issued a legal opinion stating that the Comstock Act does not prohibit the mailing of abortion drugs even to recipients in states where abortion is banned. Trump could direct the DOJ to reverse this position to instead outlaw and prosecute the interstate shipment of abortion pills, or other materials related to abortion.

The Heritage Foundation, as part of its Project 2025 initiative, has called for a potential future Trump administration to end medication abortion and prosecute those who ship and transport abortion pills and supplies using these strategies. As Jonathan Mitchell, an anti-abortion advocate and key architect of Project 2025, said to the New York Times, “We don’t need a federal ban when we have Comstock on the books.” Trump has sought to distance himself from the Project 2025 plan whose authors include many former members of his administration.

When asked about these issues during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago in August, Trump said he was receptive to using his authority as president to revoke access to abortion pills. A couple of weeks later, Trump said that he “generally speaking would not” use the Comstock Act to outlaw the shipment of abortion pills.

[thatdiabolicalfeminist]

Noah Sheidlower, John L. Dorman

Medicaid may be on the chopping block as the Trump administration prepares its budget blueprint.

The House Budget Committee's budget draft included a goal of about $2 trillion in spending cuts and allowed for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts.

The blueprint draft called for at least $880 billion in spending cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee over the next decade. This would likely mean large Medicaid cuts, potentially leading many Americans to lose their benefits. A Ways and Means Committee document outlining reconciliation options reveals over $2 trillion in potential Medicaid cuts, though some could overlap.

President Donald Trump has said Social Security and Medicare, which are the largest federal government programs, wouldn't be cut. Elon Musk has also accused "federal entitlements" such as Social Security of fraud.

The draft directed the Committee on Agriculture to reduce the deficit by $230 billion, which would mean cutting nutritional programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. [Food stamps/EBT]

The most recent Medicaid enrollment data from October 2024 revealed over 72 million people were enrolled in Medicaid, while 7.25 million were enrolled in Children's Health Insurance Programs. Medicaid provides healthcare and long-term services coverage for lower-income Americans and is financed by both the federal government and states. In some states, over 30% of the population is covered by Medicaid. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid spending in 2023 was nearly $872 billion.

Some GOP leaders have proposed reducing Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, the amount the federal government pays to states based on factors such as a state's per-capita income. Others have proposed Medicaid per-capita caps, which an early House Budget Committee proposal said could save up to $900 billion. This shift would lead states to either cut back on Medicaid services or identify other methods for funding potentially billions in losses.

Figures such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have argued that Medicaid is ineffective, and some question whether it has improved people's health. Critics of the program have also said people relying on Medicaid could get insurance from other sources, such as their workplace. However, Medicaid expansions have been shown to improve care access, reduce mortality rates, and spark economic growth.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina in recent days had already moved ahead with his border security, military, and energy package, as Republicans in the upper chamber had been waiting for their House counterparts to offer their budget proposal.

Graham is aiming to pass a second budget resolution extending the 2017 tax cuts later this year.

Senate Republicans can pass a budget reconciliation bill with a simple majority, or 51 votes, as they wouldn't have to meet the normal 60-vote filibuster threshold. The party currently holds a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber.

House GOP leaders see their budget framework as one that could pave the way for passing a reconciliation bill through Congress with the priorities of Trump and top conservatives in mind. Republicans have a razor-thin 218-215 majority in the House, so every vote will be critical, and they're looking to pass one bill with Trump's signature policy desires.

Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday told reporters that Graham's plan was a "nonstarter."

"We all are trying to get to the same achievable objectives," the Louisiana Republican said. "And there's just, you know, different ideas on how to get there."

GOP leaders have recently pushed for Medicaid cuts, leading to debates over how much to cut services many Americans rely on.

Other major points from the House blueprint included increasing the debt limit by $4 trillion, reductions in education totaling $330 billion, and allocating up to $300 billion in additional border and defense spending.

The Senate's plan calls for $150 billion in additional defense spending and a $175 billion boost for border security.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Dean Obeidallah at The Dean's Report:

We must make our focus keeping the barbarians outside the gate, not figuring out how to lessen the damage once they are on the inside. That was my immediate thought Sunday when I read NY Times in-depth article, “The Resistance to a New Trump Administration Has Already Started.” The piece featured a wide network of Democratic officials, progressive activists and more who are engaged in “extraordinary steps to prepare for a potential second Trump presidency.”  Examples include Democratic Governor Washington State Jay Inslee’s efforts to make the state a safe haven for women seeking reproductive freedom to an organization hiring a new auditor in case a second term Trump directs the Internal Revenue Service to target them. On one hand, I truly applaud these officials and organizations for grasping that Donald Trump back in the White House poses a unique threat to our freedoms and democratic Republic. Far too many don’t understand this threat.

But on the other hand, the only certain way to prevent Trump from using the government to wage a campaign of retribution, ending civil service protections so that only Trump loyalists will be in key positions in the federal government--as well as ushering in a far right wing agenda being peddled by his allies--is to defeat him this November. Again, we must make our focus keeping the barbarians outside the gate, not figuring out how to lessen the damage once they are on the inside. Trump is telling all who will listen his dark goals for a second term—from mass deportations to building in essence concentration camps for migrants to expanding executive power. There’s also Trump’s deeply concerning vow to “liberate” America from those not loyal to him. We first heard this during his 2023 speech at the conservative gathering CPAC where he promised his supporters to be their “retribution.” He then alarmingly  vowed that if elected to target Democrats, “the fake news media,” Republicans in name only, the globalists and others who oppose him, bellowing, “we will liberate America from these villains and scoundrels once and for all.”

He has repeated this pledge to “liberate” our nation from those who oppose him, including at a rally last month in Wisconsin.  When have you ever heard an American political figure speak about “liberating” America from those who politically oppose him or her?! You can’t find it because we never had an aspiring fascist—who has pledged to be a dictator on “day one”— lead one of the two main political parties. To be blunt, the forms of resistance utilized to stymie some of Trump’s agenda in the first term are unlikely to work against this bitter, angry convicted felon who is hellbent on retribution and purging America from those who won’t bend a knee to him.

[...]

From a legislative point of view, If Trump were able to win and his MAGA GOP were able to also take control of the House and Senate, we can expect him deliver for them on a laundry list of right-wing policy dreams from national abortion and birth control bans to further weakening civil rights protections for LGBTQ and Black Americans and worse. This won’t be like Trump’s first term when some Republicans stood up to him to block his radical agenda—with the most famous example being the late Senator John McCain preventing Trump from repealing the Affordable Care Act with his vote.  The Republicans who have dared to stand up to Trump are almost all out of Congress or now capitulated to his undemocratic goals. Of the ten House Republicans who voted in  January 2021 to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection, only two remain in the House. Senator Mitt Romney--a vocal critics of Trump--will be leaving office  this January. Even GOP Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell who slammed Trump on the Senate floor after the Jan. 6 attack with the words, “There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day,” last week met with Trump and dubbed  it “entirely positive.”

[...] If Trump wins, there are few things that can rein him in. That is why diverting efforts at this point to second term resistance strategies is dangerous given the threat Trump poses. Rather, the top and only priority must be utilizing all resources to defeat him. Nothing else matters.

Dean Obeidallah dropping truth nuggets in his latest Dean's Report post on why defeating fascist felon Donald Trump is imperative to save our nation.

See Also:

CNN: Opinion: Don’t focus on bracing for a Trump win

[beardedmrbean]

Delaware responsibly managed most of the more than $4.2 billion it received in federal funds during the 2024 fiscal year, according to a newly released audit from Delaware State Auditor Lydia E. York. The findings are part of the state's annual Delaware Uniform Guidance Single Audit.

However, while the audit found widespread compliance, it also uncovered serious issues and violations in several major programs.

The State Auditor’s Office described the audit as a key tool for promoting transparency in how federal funds are used to deliver essential public services, especially in areas like public health, education and social welfare.

The audit examined how state agencies handled federal funding streams across 17 major federal programs, including Medicaid, food assistance, disaster relief and public health efforts. Funding from these programs covers a broad range of areas, such as education, affordable housing, clean water, child care and pandemic recovery.

Agencies included in the review were the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Social Services, Delaware Emergency Management Agency and the Office of the Governor. Some entities, such as the Delaware State Housing Authority and Delaware State University, were not part of this audit because they are subject to separate evaluations under the same federal guidelines.

Key programs showed compliance gaps and financial risks

Despite overall compliance, auditors flagged material weaknesses, significant deficiencies and compliance-related issues in five key programs.

The five programs with notable findings include:

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cluster

Unemployment insurance

Coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds

Coronavirus capital projects fund

Activities to support state, tribal, local and territorial health department response to public health or health care crises

A total of nine programs were found to be out of compliance with federal audit standards, including major services such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, and Medicaid. The findings come as Congress debates possible budget cuts and legal battles continue over the future of federal aid programs.

In a statement, York defended the federal funding supporting these programs, emphasizing that the required audit is meant to promote service improvement, rather than drastic reductions to vital public services and jobs.

Delaware labor secretary pledges unemployment insurance reform

One of the most critical findings involved the state’s Unemployment Insurance program. Auditors were unable to verify how funds from the Unemployment Trust Fund were spent, due to a lack of documentation from the Delaware Department of Labor.

As previously reported, former unemployment insurance administrator Michael Brittingham was found to have embezzled more than $181,000 from the trust fund, in 2023. He died by suicide shortly after an internal criminal investigation began in April of that year.

[ivygorgon]

AN OPEN LETTER to THE U.S. CONGRESS

Put the Good Jobs for Good Airports standards in the FAA reauthorization bill!

104 so far! Help us get to 250 signers!

I��m calling on you to stand with working people, passengers and our communities by supporting Good Jobs for Good Airports standards (GJGA) in the FAA reauthorization bill. Airports should and can be strong, vibrant drivers of good jobs in every part of our country. The Good Jobs for Good Airports standards are central to that mission and our nation’s future prosperity. Billions of our public dollars are invested in our nation’s aviation system every year, and we must ensure that our public resources serve the public good. That includes ensuring airports better serve the needs of our families, our passengers, our communities and the airport service workers who make it all possible.

It is evident that our air travel industry is in crisis. From record flight cancellations during summer travel peaks to mountains of lost luggage during the holiday travel season. Airports are critical publicly-funded infrastructure vital to the health of our local communities and global economy, but right now airports aren't working the way they should for travelers or airport service workers — a largely Black, brown, multiracial and immigrant service workforce. These working people, including cleaners, wheelchair agents, baggage handlers, concessionaires and ramp workers, keep airports safe and running smoothly even through a global pandemic, climate disasters and busy travel seasons. Yet many are underpaid and underprotected--even as some major airlines rake in record profit and billions of our tax dollars are invested in our national air travel system.

Domestic passenger numbers increased by 80% between 2020 and 2021, total industry employment fell by nearly 14%, leaving airport service workers to sometimes clean entire airplanes in as little as five minutes as many take on additional responsibilities outside of their typical job duties. Meanwhile, wages have barely budged for airport service workers in 20 years. The Good Jobs for Good Airports standards has the power to transform workers’ lives by ensuring airport service workers have the pay and benefits they need to care for their families.

The Good Jobs for Good Airports standards would help build a stronger, safer, more resilient air travel industry by making airport service jobs good jobs with living wages and benefits like affordable healthcare for all airport workers. Airport service workers at more than 130 covered airports would be supported through established wage and benefit standards, putting money back into hundreds of local economies and helping families thrive. If passed over 73% of wage increases will go to workers making $20 or less, estimates show.

I urge you to include the Good Jobs for Good Airports standards in the FAA reauthorization bill, and help ensure our public money serves the public good.

▶ Created on September 20, 2023 by Jess Craven

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[demgraphics]

Republicans complain about "cancel culture" while attempting to ban anything and everything they don't like.

A likely response to this graphic is disbelief, so here is some supporting documentation to help with any discussions:

Abortion:

https://truthout.org/articles/senator-republicans-will-100-percent-pass-abortion-ban-if-they-win-congress/

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-privately-favors-16-week-national-abortion-ban-new-york-times-reports-2024-02-16/

Affordable Healthcare:

https://apnews.com/article/trump-obamacare-health-care-biden-c2b1f5776310870deed2fb997b07fc2c

https://ballotpedia.org/Republican_and_conservative_proposals_to_repeal_the_Affordable_Care_Act_(Obamacare)

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/02/28/fact-sheet-the-congressional-republican-agenda-repealing-the-affordable-care-act-and-slashing-medicaid/

Gay Marriage:

https://www.vox.com/23274491/senate-republicans-same-sex-marriage-bill-respect-for-marriage-act

https://time.com/6240497/same-sex-marriage-rights-us-obergefell/

Birth Control:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/04/birth-control-is-next-republicans-abortion.html

Books:

https://newrepublic.com/article/175372/banned-books-republican-right-wing-war

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-04-22/book-bans-soaring-schools-new-laws-republican-states

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/09/republican-book-bans-censorship-free-speech

Minorities Voting:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_efforts_to_restrict_voting_following_the_2020_presidential_election

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/23/659784277/republican-voter-suppression-efforts-are-targeting-minorities-journalist-says

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-01-19/republicans-block-voting-rights-bill-again-triggering-action-on-filibuster-reform

Muslims:

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/donald-trump-muslim-ban-immigration-2024-1234730150/

Protests:

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/25/990710251/republicans-push-wave-of-anti-protest-bills-in-alternative-universe-backlash

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/04/gop-anti-protest-bills

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tennessee-republicans-trying-expel-democratic-lawmakers-supported-gun-rcna78103

Refugees:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-republicans-asylum-limits-funding-bill/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/house-republicans-pass-new-asylum-seeker-restrictions-as-title-42-ends-biden-promises-veto

Trans People:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-republican-transgender-laws-pile-up-setting-2024-battle-lines-2023-05-18/

https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-republican-legislatures-5d98832c0234de079263672c738e0631

Unions:

https://truthout.org/articles/republicans-say-theyll-go-after-labor-movement-if-they-take-control-of-house/

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/22/new-senate-bill-targets-national-labor-law-and-port-union-workers.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/collective-bargaining-ban-in-wisconsin-under-attack-by-unions-after-supreme-court-majority-flips/

Words:

https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-dont-say-gay-ban-684ed25a303f83208a89c556543183cb

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a37804650/wisconsin-legislature-police-speech-schools-critical-race-theory/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/11/republican-new-climate-change-strategy-ban-words-climate-change

https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/heres-the-long-list-of-topics-republicans-want-banned-from-the-classroom/2022/02

https://apnews.com/article/sarah-huckabee-sanders-politics-united-states-government-arkansas-hispanics-4f23386e609acd8206d2396719c17cab

[bopinion]

2023 / 45

Aperçu of the Week:

"Conflicts come and go. Money stays."

(Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, ex-President of the Russian Federation)

Bad News of the Week:

It was feared for a long time, now it's happening: the Ukraine war may not be losing its horror, but it is losing its attention. As happened with Syria. And with Yemen. How is Iraq actually doing? Or Libya? New times bring new headlines. People's attention span is limited. And people's empathy too. It is not only in the US Congress that voices are getting louder questioning support for Ukraine. It would be a bottomless pit anyway. And you can't take care of everything.

In this country too, people are now taking to the streets for or against Palestine, for or against Israel. The aggression of Hamas or the Netanyahu government is obviously closer to us than the aggression of Putin. At least now. But perhaps also in Europe in general, to which Israel is often counted. France has a not only flattering history in the region and a large Arab population, Germany's special relationship with the Jewish people ("reason of state") need not even to be mentioned.

And now there is growing evidence that Ukraine does not always wear white shirts either. Research by the Washington Post, among others, into the background to the explosives attacks on the North Stream pipelines leads to Ukraine. Former intelligence officer and special forces commander Roman Chervynsky is described in security circles as the "coordinator" of these attacks, responsible for the logistics of the sabotage commando. If Ukraine is now behind the biggest act of sabotage of all time, no German, whose energy prices have tripled as a result, will be pleased. If, at the same time, direct military aid is doubled to 8 billion euros, the purse strings will be tight. In real terms, but above all in terms of feeling.

I very much hope that the solidarity that has united us Europeans up to now will only crumble and not collapse. Because it is still true that European values are being defended in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to win. But I am increasingly worried that his calculations could work out. Time is clearly working in his favor. Sidenote: the Russian economy is currently doing better than the German.

Good News of the Week:

Jeff Bezoz and Elon Musk are known as negative examples of capitalism. Attacking competitors, exploiting employees and paying as little tax as possible. Virtually all investors and almost every multinational corporation try to structure their balance sheets in such a way that as little as possible goes to the state(s). Even though those depend on tax revenues for their public welfare tasks. Tax evasion is how all our companies work.

The problem is, on the one hand, the well-known tax havens such as Cayman Island and, on the other hand, competition between nations as to where which company with which activity sets up shop. Because of jobs and because of taxes. I have remembered a creative example of tax avoidance in Europe from recent years: the sporting goods manufacturer Nike.

Its German business - the largest market on the continent for Nike despite its domestic competitors Adidas and Puma - generates enormous sales, but strangely enough no profit, which would be relatively highly taxed in this country. The trick: for every pair of sneakers etc., Nike Germany pays a license fee for patents, design, brand use etc. to Nike Ireland, where the tax rates are significantly lower. And strangely enough, always in the exact amount so that nothing is left over. Thank you very much.

My criticism is less directed at the company, whose nature it is to generate as much profit as possible. But rather to Ireland, which allows tax evasion at the expense of its European colleagues. But this will soon come to an end. Because the global minimum tax is just around the corner. The German tax office calls it "one of the biggest reforms in the international taxation of companies".

Until now, the taxation of multinational corporate groups has largely been organized on a national basis. A group only has to pay taxes on its profits in the countries in which it has a physical presence. This is becoming less and less important in the increasingly cross-border movement of goods and in the digital economy in general. And even within Europe, tax rates vary greatly: from 9% to 35% according to the OECD.

Now 138 countries around the world, including all G20 states, have committed to a global minimum tax of 15%. Experts call its introduction a "game changer" in the fight against decades of tax dumping by large corporations. Estimates are based on this. The global minimum tax will generate an additional 200 billion euros a year for the international community. This will finance their commonwealth, from which all citizens will benefit. And not just the investors on the stock markets and the shareholders of companies.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Senta Berger. One of our greatest actresses. As a young woman in the 60s and now, at 82, she still is. I have always admired her. For her artistic work and for her humanity. She fights for the protection of wildlife and against leukemia. And admitted to having an abortion in 1971 (!). She was and is a great woman. I bumped into her in the elevator today. And told her exactly that. She said I made her day. And she made mine.

I couldn't care less...

...for the carnival. On 11.11. at 11h11 on the dot, tens of thousands of "Jecken" celebrated the start of the Rhineland carnival and the foolish season in Cologne. As if the time before had been normal in any way.

As I write this...

...I'm fighting a nascent cold. And a stomach virus. And muscle tension. And tiredness. It's November. But maybe I'm just getting old.

Post Scriptum

Nikki Haley could become a serious challenger to Donald Trump in the Republican primaries. Last you heard from Ron DeSantis? Exactly.

[libertariantaoist]

News Roundup 11/15/2023 | The Libertarian Institute

Here is your daily roundup of today's news:

News Roundup 11/15/2023

by Kyle Anzalone

Russia

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have been trained across Europe for the war with Russia. French trainers say they are careful not to get close to the Ukrainian cadets over fears they will be killed on the frozen front lines. The AP reported that Ukrainian soldiers preparing for deployment have resigned themselves to the “grimness of the future.” The Institute 

A facility to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets was officially opened in Romania on Monday as NATO countries are working to get the US-made warplanes to the battlefield in Ukraine. AWC

China

Biden Hopes Normal Coorspondace Between Washington and Beijing Can Be Reestablished During Meeting with Xi. X

Expectations are low for the meeting between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping that will take place Wednesday in San Francisco during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. AWC

Israel

The UN says 100 of its staff have been killed in Gaza. X

A group of US-based aid, advocacy, and religious groups sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging the Pentagon to scrap plans to provide Israel with 155mm artillery rounds due to the massive civilian casualty rate in Israel’s war on Gaza. AWC

A State Department dissent memo obtained by Axios slams President Biden’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza, saying the US is backing Israeli “war crimes.” AWC

Dozens of State Department Employees Have Signed Dissent Cables Slamming Biden’s Support for Israel. X

More than 400 US officials from 40 government agencies have sent a letter to President Biden criticizing his unconditional support for Israel’s war in Gaza in the latest example of dissent from within the US government. AWC

Hamas’s armed wing said Monday that it discussed with Qatari mediators a deal to free up to 70 Israeli hostages in exchange for a five-day ceasefire and the release of some Palestinian prisoners. AWC

Doctors at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital are pleading for help as the medical facility has ceased functioning after its power failed over the weekend amid an Israeli siege. The medical staff has refused to evacuate the hospital due to fears that the approximately 700 hundred patients they would leave behind will die. AWC

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is expected this week to introduce a bill to block an arms transfer to Israel, which will mark the first piece of legislation aimed at reining in President Biden’s strong support of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza. AWC

Two members of the Israeli Knesset wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal arguing for Western countries to take in refugees from Gaza as Israeli officials continue to call for Palestinians to be pushed out of the enclave. AWC

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other members of Congress spoke at a pro-Israel rally at the National Mall in Washington DC on Tuesday, where demonstrators made clear their opposition to a ceasefire in Gaza. AWC

Dutch Defense official in Israel says violates “international treaties and laws of war” and increases the chance of regional escalation. X

Around 180 decomposing bodies at the al-Shifa hospital will be buried in a mass grave at the hospital. X

Middle East

US Forces in Iraq and Syria Targeted at least Four Times After US Airstrikes on Sunday. XAWC

A US official told Reuters on Tuesday that up to seven people were killed in the US airstrikes in eastern Syria on Sunday that targeted Shia militias. AWC

Read More

[that-fema-corps-blog]

Day 329

June 27, 2023

Spent the morning cleaning data and doing laundry. We had a midsite meeting with the (new?) assistant unit leader to discuss our thoughts on the project and the overall program. The team leaders were told to leave partway through so Corps members could more comfortably criticize them, but we mostly ended up airing grievances about FEMA Corps in general (things in parentheses are things I have personally seen/experienced):

Lack of communication from FEMA Corps. Not knowing where we’d be sent. Having sudden team member swaps with little explanation, sometimes after being told nothing should change. Sharing constructive criticism only to never hear anything back. Not getting feedback on performance from team leaders’ end-of-round member evaluations (every round).

Not feeling as if AmeriCorps staff care about Corps members. Staff reaching out to team leaders but expecting Corps members to initiate almost any interaction. Team leaders having much longer feedback meetings with staff while Corps members’ feedback sessions are cut short. Chain of command and not knowing staff well enough to feel comfortable asking for help (round 2 especially). Very high turnover in AmeriCorps with little opportunity to get familiar with new staff. Notifying staff of dangerous driving behavior of members and nothing being done (a couple instances).

Team leaders not being properly vetted. Past team leaders getting multiple complaints but not being removed until months later. Completely unqualified team leaders being given a team; some past teams would have had a much easier time without a leader (end of round 2). So much tea.

Low stipends for Corps members. Team leaders making around three times our pay for not much extra work… We should get more than $11 or $12/day when our work is to a similar level as that of many FEMA reservists. Non-disaster food stipends of $6/day can be difficult in some higher cost-of-living areas. Congress sets the budget, so there’s not a ton we can do about that.

Lack of health care. Having to change virtual therapists/councilors every time a team moves to a different state. Going without mental health support because it is too much effort to find on one’s own. Not having mental health support back on campus. Not being able to access Teledoc in Puerto Rico (round 1/2).

Not having enough work. Being sent to a project only to find they have little plan for what FEMA Corps is going to do for them (this round is an exception). FEMA staff not seeing us as capable and leaving us with little to do, even when there is work that needs doing. Being given work that is inefficient or does not appear to accomplish much (round 1/2 PR).

Working without proper support. Lack of training upon arrival to new project (round 1 PR). Having to teach some paid FEMA reservists and tell contractors how to do their jobs. Having to advocate for oneself because staff are not regularly checking in.

Hurry up and wait. Being told to pack everything and get ready to move, only to be delayed for several days (round 1, DC->PR). Deploying to a new location, just to have no work or workstations to begin with (round 1 DC/round 3). Getting assigned a project and having to wait weeks to get access to certain files and permissions (round 1 DC).

Deploying the wrong teams. Sending people to Puerto Rico who do not speak Spanish and cannot do much useful work (round 1/2). Deploying a team that is occupied to a disaster project when there are teams with very little work who have to stay; disaster projects having priority even when little work is being accomplished at some of those project locations.

Nonsensical project transitions. Teams having to travel multiple days to spend a week on campus, only to drive straight back (transition 2). Having some of the same trainings as we recieved during onboarding, yet not receiving much information/preparation for life after AmeriCorps (transition 2). COVID restrictions shutting down campus gyms and socialization areas while multiple people from different teams are crammed in the same dorm rooms (transition 2/3). Virtual transitions worked well (transition 1).

Dealing with AmeriCorps operations on campus. Members being accused of stealing dishes on campus. Arriving for transition to find most washing machines are broken (transition 3). Vans not being automatically taken to the shop for checks and tune-ups (transition 2). Dorms missing blinds (onboarding/transition 2). Dorms having mold upon arrival. Being expected to clean to a higher standard than things were when we arrived (transition 2).

Isolation from both FEMA and AmeriCorps. Sometimes unclear who to reach out to when there is an issue or question; asking for help and being told to go to someone else, sometimes until arriving back where one started. Not being connected with / told about other AmeriCorps teams in the area; could be a good opportunity for independent service projects when work is slow.

The assistant unit leader does not have the power to do much at the moment, but it is nice to feel like we’re actually being listened to. That being said, I’ll believe it when I see it. We were told that most of the changes going forward will be for the upcoming class, since our class only has a month left (understandable). Both teams met for dinner along with the assistant unit leader.

[newstfionline]

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Jimmy Carter, 6 Months Into Hospice, Is Still ‘Very Much’ Himself, Grandson Says (NYT) Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn Carter, are still holding hands and making memories together in their Georgia home six months after he entered hospice care there, one of the couple’s grandsons said on Monday. The former president, 98, is “still very much Jimmy Carter,” his grandson Josh Carter said in a telephone interview. “He’s still opinionated, he’s still strong-willed, he’s still him. And that’s great to see.” The former president, an avid outdoorsman who now uses a wheelchair, and Mrs. Carter, who uses a walker, try to get outdoors every day around the ranch-style home they built in the 1960s, their grandson said. His family is making plans for his 99th birthday on Oct. 1, and are “surprised and thankful” that it appears they will have the chance to celebrate it, Josh Carter said.

On Ukraine, Republicans grapple with real political divisions (Washington Post) One potentially interesting point of contention during Wednesday’s night Republican presidential debate may be the war in Ukraine, the most significant foreign policy issue to be discussed during the debate. Trump’s skepticism of the Biden administration’s support for Kyiv, and desire to curtail military aid, is well-known. He has insisted that it’s more the responsibility of Europe than the United States to help the Ukrainians repel the Russian invasion. He’s touted his special rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a CNN town hall while urging Ukraine to sue for peace. The Biden administration has committed more than $60 billion in aid for Ukraine and coordinated an unprecedented NATO-led effort in bolstering Ukraine’s resistance to Russia. Trump’s apparent opposition to maintaining this flow of arms to Kyiv, while anathema to many lawmakers and diplomats in Washington, is hardly out of step with the American public. Among GOP voters, 71 percent think Congress should not authorize new funding, and 59 percent say the United States has done enough to help Ukraine, according to a recent CNN/SSRS poll. For that reason, some other presidential contenders have argued for a ramp down in support for Ukraine and the pursuit of an immediate cease-fire. Others, like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, have framed the conflict as a distraction from the United States’s real strategic concerns in Asia. And another camp, which includes former vice president Mike Pence, openly reject Trump’s position on Ukraine and argue the Biden administration should be doing much more for Kyiv.

At Risk of Invasion or Lovely to Visit: Two Views of a Polish Border Area (NYT) After a day of kayaking last month along Poland’s northeastern border with Belarus, the chief editor of a news portal covering events in a strip of farmland and forest known as the Suwalki Gap watched the news in dismay as the Polish prime minister warned about Russian mercenary fighters advancing on the region from Belarus. More than three weeks on, there is no sign of the mercenaries from the Wagner paramilitary group moving anywhere, except perhaps back to Russia. And the only real danger that the editor, Wojciech Drazba, sees comes from the “parallel world” of Polish leaders “spewing fear” about the Suwalki Gap as they pose as muscular defenders of Poland’s borders ahead of a critical national election. “The sun is shining, the scenery is beautiful and absolutely nothing is happening,” Mr. Drazba said last week in Suwalki, the sleepy town that serves as the administrative center of a border area that Polish state television, recycling overwrought foreign media reports, describes as the “most dangerous place on earth.”

A ‘Plague’ Of Beer-Drinking Raccoons in Germany (Telegraph) Invasive raccoons are proving to be quite a problem for the people of Germany, as they have developed a liking for German beer and now spend their time breaking into people’s homes. As The Telegraph reported, Germany’s raccoon population has gotten out of control. The country’s National Hunting Association (DJV) has said it killed a record 200,000 raccoons in 2022 in an attempt to control the population. The problem, scientists said, is that the raccoon is an “unbelievably adaptable animal”—and hunting efforts have only seemingly made things worse, as the raccoons are reproducing faster than ever before. The population has grown so out of control that local media called it a “plague.” Homeowners have reported raccoons entering their houses in the middle of the night and eating pet rabbits and fish—and reportedly drinking beer. Berthold Langenhorst of the nature organization NABU said the “raccoons are funny and clever… and they like beer.” Langenhorst himself had seen raccoons along a lakeside knocking over beer bottles to drink the liquid inside.

Wildfire near Athens rages (Reuters) Greek firefighters supported by aircraft battled a raging wildfire next to Athens for a second day on Wednesday, as the authorities said heat and strong winds could spark more blazes in a country where 20 people have already been killed. Hundreds of people have evacuated their homes across the country since fires erupted in northern Greece on Saturday, fanned by high winds in the summer’s second major outbreak.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin presumed dead after Russia plane crash (BBC) Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list of a jet which crashed killing all on board, Russia's civil aviation authority has said. Earlier, Wagner-linked Telegram channel Grey Zone reported that the private plane, which belonged to the 62-year-old, was shot down by air defences. Prigozhin led a failed mutiny against the Russian armed forces in June. The crash comes on the same day that senior Russian general Sergei Surovikin was reportedly sacked as air force chief. Gen Surovikin was known to have good relations with Prigozhin and had not been seen in public since the mutiny.

Booming Trade With China Helps Boost Russia’s War Effort (WSJ) China is playing an increasingly important role in propping up Russia’s economy and helping boost its war effort. China’s total trade with Russia in the first seven months of this year jumped 36% from the same period a year earlier to $134 billion. China has become the principal source of many of the goods and components Russia’s sanctions-hit economy needs—including goods with potential military applications such as microchips and trench-digging excavators—while also giving Moscow a buyer for its oil and gas.

In Latest Moon Race, India Lands First in Southern Polar Region (NYT) Two visitors from India—a lander named Vikram and a rover named Pragyan—landed in the southern polar region of the moon on Wednesday. The two robots, from a mission named Chandrayaan-3, make India the first country to ever reach this part of the lunar surface in one piece—and only the fourth country ever to land on the moon. The Indian public already takes great pride in the accomplishments of the nation’s space program, which has orbited the moon and Mars and routinely launches satellites above the Earth with far fewer financial resources than other nations. But the achievement of Chandrayaan-3 may be even sweeter. “We have achieved soft landing on the moon,” S. Somanath, the director of the Indian Space Research Organization, said after a roar ripped across the ISRO compound just past 6 p.m. local time. “India is on the moon.”

Teenager rescued with 7 others from a broken cable car over a Pakistan gorge says it was a miracle (AP) The rescue of six school children and two adults who were plucked from a broken cable car that was dangling precariously hundreds of meters (yards) above a steep gorge was a miracle, a survivor said Wednesday. The teenager said he and the others felt repeatedly that death was imminent during the 16-hour ordeal. The eight passengers were pulled from the cable car in several rescue attempts Tuesday. One of the youngest children was grabbed by a commando attached to a helicopter by rope. Because helicopters could not fly after sunset, rescuers constructed a makeshift chairlift from a wooden bed frame and ropes and approached the cable car using the one cable that was still intact. In the final stage of the risky operation, just before midnight Tuesday, rescuers and volunteers pulled a rope to lower the chairlift to the ground. Joyful shouts of “God is great” erupted as the chairlift came into view, carrying two boys in traditional white robes. “I had heard stories about miracles, but I saw a miraculous rescue happening with my own eyes,” said 15-year-old Osama Sharif, one of the six boys who were in the cable car.

Man flees China by riding jet ski hundreds of miles to South Korea (NBC News) A jet ski rider who has been detained since washing up on South Korea’s coast is believed to be a Chinese dissident who feared for his safety and fled by crossing 200 miles of sea, trailing barrels of fuel behind him. The coast guard quoted the man as saying that he left China on his own jet ski, wearing a life vest and a helmet, and carrying a navigator and binoculars. The man also carried five fuel containers, weighing 25 liters (about 6.6 gallons) each, according to the statement, tying them to the jet ski to make sure he had enough fuel to reach South Korea. Lee Dae-seon, a pro-democracy activist based in South Korea, identified the man as a Chinese dissident called Kwon Pyong. He told NBC News that Kwon had been trying to leave China ever since the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Kwon served an 18-month prison term for “inciting subversion of state power” and was released in 2018.

Philippine supply boats breach a Chinese coast guard blockade in the hotly contested South China Sea (AP) As a United States Navy plane circled overhead, two small Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in a dangerous confrontation Tuesday in the disputed South China Sea to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal. Two Philippine coast guard vessels escorting the supply boats, however, were blocked by at least four Chinese coast guard ships for about five hours in the tense standoff near Second Thomas Shoal. The dangerous encounter is the latest flare-up from the long-seething territorial disputes in the busy sea that involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. It’s regarded as an Asian flashpoint and has become a delicate fault line in the U.S.-China rivalry.

Four years into crisis, Lebanon’s leaders continue to stall (AP) Four years into its historic economic meltdown, Lebanon’s political elites, masters at survival, are pushing for a recovery that would sidestep tough reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund. Economic experts and former officials involved in designing Lebanon’s original IMF-approved recovery plan in 2020 say the political leadership and associates in the banking sector are deliberately implementing a “shadow plan” to torpedo the deal and place the burden of bailing out the financial system on ordinary Lebanese who are already impoverished by the crisis. Carrying out the IMF reforms, which include audits of Lebanon’s long secretive central bank and other banks, would not just force the elites to bear much of the cost of repairing the financial meltdown. It would also threaten the networks of corruption, patronage and waste that allowed them to milk the system for years, experts say.

More Screen Time Linked to Delayed Development in Babies, Study Finds (NYT) One-year-olds exposed to more than four hours of screen time a day experienced developmental delays in communication and problem-solving skills at ages 2 and 4, according to a study published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. The research also found that 1-year-olds who were exposed to more screen time than their peers showed delays at age 2 in the development of fine motor and personal and social skills. But these delays appeared to dissipate by age 4. David J. Lewkowicz, a developmental psychologist at the Yale Child Study Center, said that face-to-face interaction between parent and child is crucial in giving babies a rich set of information, including about how facial expressions, words, tone of voice and physical feedback all combine to convey language and meaning. “It doesn’t happen when you’re watching the screen,” he said.

[mariacallous]

The GOP-controlled House approved its rules package on Friday evening, including provisions targeting transgender and immigrant rights, but notably did not include the trans bathroom ban Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) had proposed.

The Republican introduced her controversial ban in November to restrict access to all “single-sex facilit[ies] on Federal property” based on “biological sex.” She admitted to HuffPost the ban specifically targeted incoming Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first transgender woman to be elected to Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who narrowly won reelection to the chamber’s top job earlier on Friday, had reportedly assured Mace that her bathroom ban would be included in the package.

Mace congratulated Johnson on his reelection and did not make any mention of the bathroom ban’s absence from the rules package.

“Speaker Mike Johnson has rightfully been reelected to lead the People’s House once again. His leadership offers a clear path forward to restore safety, security, and accountability in our nation,” she said in a statement.

“We have a mandate to secure our borders, rebuild the economy, and hold Washington accountable. Speaker Johnson understands this, and with President Trump’s leadership, we are ready to fulfill those promises and deliver on the America First agenda.”

Mace spent much of the last weeks of 2024 drumming up support for the ban while using anti-trans slurs and engaging in anti-trans theatrics. After protesters were arrested for staging a sit-in at a U.S. Capitol restroom, Mace loudly read their Miranda rights through a bullhorn at the jail where they were held.

Mace also introduced legislation in September to ban medical providers from offering gender-affirming care for minors. Twenty-five states have passed similar bans, with the Supreme Court set to decide this summer whether such bans are constitutional, determining the future of health care for trans youth.

Mace and McBride did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The rules package, passed at the beginning of each congressional session, sets the rules for the next two years in the House of Representatives. Most of its provisions are uncontroversial.

Notably, this Congress’ package raises the threshold for a “motion to vacate,” the tactic conservatives used to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023. While previously just a single member could introduce such a motion, now nine members of the majority party need to agree.

While Friday’s rules package does not mention restricting access to sex-segregated government facilities, it does take several swings at the rights of transgender people, immigrants and people seeking abortions.

One item in the package would fast-track a bill to amend Title IX, a federal law that bars sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal funding. The new bill would restrict school sports based on one’s sex assigned at birth, undoing Biden’s Title IX guidance that expanded protections for LGBTQ+ students.

The amendment, introduced by Rep. Gregory Steube (R-Fla.) and cosponsored by Mace, would recognize sex as defined “solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” The language mirrors that of dozens of state laws that currently bar transgender students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity and other policies that restrict trans people of all ages from updating their sex marker on government IDs.

The package also fast-tracks legislation that would target abortion providers, prevent sanctuary cities from being able to provide benefits to undocumented immigrants, and bar immigrants convicted of certain crimes from being admitted to the United States.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) criticized the rules package for fast-tracking a dozen bills that target vulnerable communities ahead of the vote on Friday evening.

“This package tries to fool the American people by scapegoating immigrants and trans people in the hopes that it will distract you from the fact that the first move from Republicans in the 119th Congress is to do absolutely nothing to help you and your family build a better life,” Jayapal said.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Adrian Carrasquillo at The Bulwark:

EMPLOYEES AT THE SPANISH-LANGUAGE cable mainstay Univision were left distraught earlier this month after the network’s brass decided to run Department of Homeland Security ads warning immigrants that the government will find and deport them. The ads, which are part of a new $200 million campaign Homeland Security unveiled in February, have rankled immigrant-rights groups, who view them as a blunt attempt at fearmongering on the taxpayer dime. Univision itself has covered the ads critically on air. “‘If you don’t leave, we’ll find you and deport you,’—that’s how radical the ad from the DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is,” anchor Andrea Linares said in a February 18 segment. Yet Univision has joined English-language networks in choosing to run the ads on its airwaves. That decision has left journalists inside the network frustrated. It has also increased internal tensions over how Univision has chosen to cover Trump, according to current and former employees. One Univision newsroom leader, who was so upset about the ad airing that they had to be calmed down by a former colleague, argued that the network has changed under the ownership of Televisa, the Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. The leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recalled that Televisa executives—along with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner—had a hand in organizing the November 2023 interview of Trump by veteran journalist Enrique Acevedo, who was widely criticized for the gentleness and deference he seemed to offer his divisive subject. “We previously didn’t care what Televisa said, but the Trump interview with Acevedo was coordinated by Televisa, there were Televisa corporate people at that interview,” the Univision source said. “I’ve only known journalism in the States, I haven’t done journalism in Mexico—they take care of whoever is in political power in Mexico—so I just feel that is trickling down in the States.” (After their $4.8 billion merger went through in 2022, the company became TelevisaUnivision, though the network Hispanics have known for decades remains known as Univision.) Acevedo himself works for Televisa, not Univision, which made his selection to conduct the interview more conspicuous to Univision employees. Later in the campaign, as the network moved to soothe ruffled feathers, Acevedo also interviewed President Biden. Local Univision staffers were notified ahead of Trump’s joint speech to Congress on March 4 that the network would be airing the DHS ads that night. Later, some learned the ads had begun airing the day before. Media buyers in touch with Univision told The Bulwark that the DHS ad orders were for English copy with Spanish subtitles and that they are only slated to run through March, at this point. The ads have aired in major TV media markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Phoenix, Austin, Houston, and Dallas, as well as on radio and digital streaming platforms.

[...] Joaquin Blaya, who helped found the Univision network, served as its president, and hired its most famous anchor, Jorge Ramos, likened the DHS ad campaign to the sort of propaganda official government newspapers would have run in the Soviet Union and other authoritarian states. “I told my wife, this is Pravda, ‘dear leader’ type of stuff,” Blaya told The Bulwark. “I know these are different times, I know they are trying to be more accommodating. But suffice to say, under our leadership, the ad would not have run,” he said. “This is not about being a network to promote breaking laws and regulations—that’s not the point. It’s a network to let Hispanics know their rights within the legal structure of the United States. It’s about knowing your rights and standing up for them.” Univision was not the only Spanish-language network to air the DHS ad. Telemundo did as well. But the reaction at that network was somewhat more muted. That may be because, internally, Telemundo’s coverage of the Trump administration has been perceived in the Spanish-language community as tough but fair, and the network has also traditionally been viewed as an advocate for the Latino community. On February 23, Noticias Telemundo aired a one-hour news special featuring legal, law-enforcement, and immigration experts discussing the changes in federal immigration policy and answering audience questions.

[...] The controversy over the decision to run the DHS ads comes at a difficult time for Spanish-language media companies, which, like their English-language counterparts, have suffered from mass layoffs and a contracting industry—all while facing a retribution-minded Trump administration. There is concern within the networks that Trump could soon go after them more aggressively. The Telemundo news division source worried that the president’s executive order designating English as the country’s official language could lead to Spanish-language networks being targeted for fines, restrictions, or worse if they continue to broadcast in the preferred language of their audience, particularly as Trump uses the FEC as sword and shield against media companies. When the White House held the traditional off-the-record meeting with journalists before Trump’s joint speech to Congress last week, members from both Spanish-language networks were excluded, sparking additional concerns. The exclusion was a break from past years, when those sessions were opened to anchors and White House correspondents from Telemundo and Univision. “He’s degraded the Spanish language,” the Telemundo news division source said. “What does it mean to not be part of an official language in this country? How far can they go? Who are we to say we won’t wake up one day to a pronouncement from the administration that these Spanish-language stations are catering to DEI? Where does he draw the line?”

Univision should be ashamed of themselves for airing this MAGA propaganda ad from DHS, especially with the channel making more Trump-like overtures.. Telemundo also aired the ad, but there is lot less outcry over there.

[jamalahmad]

Exposing the corruption black hole of USAID: Where the $100 billion went remains a mystery  #USAID 

In recent years, the annual budget of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the world's largest aid agencies, has soared to more than $40 billion, accounting for nearly 60% of the total amount of international aid the United States spends each year. However, the flow of such a huge amount of funds has always been shrouded in mystery. As the Trump administration advances its internal rectification, more and more "black materials" have been exposed, revealing the corruption hidden behind USAID.

Where did the huge amount of aid go?

Take Ukraine as an example. Ukrainian President Zelensky once publicly stated that the hundreds of billions of dollars in aid promised by the United States to Ukraine are missing, and Ukraine has actually received only a small part of it - less than $760 million, and most of it is aid delivered in the form of weapons. According to data from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under the U.S. Congress, as of April last year, the U.S. Congress had allocated more than $174 billion to support Ukraine, including military, economic and humanitarian aid. However, in-depth analysis found that only about $106 billion of these funds were directly used in Ukraine, and nearly $70 billion of them were military aid, mainly delivered in the form of weapons.

So where did the remaining tens of billions of dollars go? A calculation by the Council on Foreign Relations shows that more than $60 billion of the aid to Ukraine was allocated to "other war-related projects." This vague statement obscures many details, and no one has been able to give a clear answer to the specific use so far.

90% of the aid was spent in the United States

Shockingly, former US Secretary of State Blinken once admitted in public: "In fact, 90% of our aid to Ukraine is spent in the United States." This statement reveals a fact: the so-called "international aid" has largely become a tool for domestic interest groups in the United States to make profits. By providing weapons and other supplies to Ukraine, the US military-industrial complex has made huge profits from it, while further consolidating its dominant position in the global arms market.

This approach seems to be a "win-win" approach, but in fact it exposes deeper problems. On the one hand, a large amount of funds have not really benefited the recipient countries; on the other hand, there is also serious financial management chaos within the US Department of Defense. Last November, the US Department of Defense failed to pass the annual budget audit for the seventh consecutive year because it could not fully explain the specific expenditure of the defense budget for fiscal year 2024. The audit report for fiscal year 2023 shows that nearly half of the Department of Defense's assets (about $1.9 trillion) cannot be accounted for, mainly because the Pentagon squandered taxpayer funds and purchased "unnecessary things."

Defense procurement loopholes are shocking

Since 1981, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has repeatedly pointed out serious problems in defense procurement, but these problems have not been effectively resolved. A few years ago, an insider disclosed an astonishing "procurement bill": a coffee cup was priced at $1,280, a toilet seat cost as much as $10,000, and a small bag of metal bushings cost $90,000... These sky-high purchases not only wasted taxpayers' money, but also intensified public doubts about government transparency.

USAID's "apple" has been eroded by termites

Musk once described in his criticism of USAID: "We are not facing a 'wormy apple', but an apple made of termites." This sentence accurately summarizes the long-standing systemic corruption problem in the agency. On the surface, USAID is committed to promoting global development in the fields of health care, education, human rights, etc., but in fact, many of its projects are used as tools for the United States to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. For example, in the Middle East, USAID strengthens cooperation with Israel through financial assistance; in Eastern Europe, it wins over local governments by funding projects and even participates in the so-called "color revolutions."

USAID's corruption problem is not only a financial scandal, but also a microcosm of the shortcomings of the American political system. This "apple made of worms" will eventually rot completely and lose its due value.

[katbery]

if we are talking specifically about voting trump vrs biden its important to take into consideration the NUMBER of non-voters would easily over take the trump votes. Republican votes are barely winning. its not just about the federal vote, many of these backwards law changes are happening at the state level. for example, if ~600,000 extra people had voted in 2022, Greg Abbott wouldn't be governor of Texas, thats a quarter of the unvoted democrat voters there. moreover that number is just registered democrats and doesn't include unregistered voters. SHOW UP AND VOTE OFTEN. also almost all of the democrat party doesn't support Biden decisions in Israel, he needs congress approval and guess who decides who is in congress, YOUR VOTE.

There's between 15-40% of eligible voters who don't vote

Its not one little lever. Its one BIG lever with a long tug-a-war rope on it. And YOU NEED TO SHOW UP & GRAB THE ROPE.

We need to show up and react to the situation at hand, then dismantle the track. Many problems look binary or are purposely presented that way to be deceptive, but often the real answer is we need to do both the short-term fix and the long-term fix. (insert el dorado both is good meme here) I respect people's response of "no there must be another option" because its a critical response to bad faith binary questions. which are a tool used by hate groups to bend your thinking and good on you for detecting that bullshit. But this isnt a hypothetical scenario its happening right now and we need to act.

You can do it, each and every one of you can vote. It will require some diligence. get registered, stay registered. put it on your calendar. Republicans are winning right now because they are playing the system and spreading bullshit. They are betting on your apathy. Don't let their underhanded tactics win, show them you give a fuck.

Vote out of SPITE

Vote for CHANGE

Vote because you CARE

Resources below the cut

a more in depth look at the numbers:

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2023/07/12/voter-turnout-2018-2022/

a website to help find voting info in your area: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/

or search for your county and election commission. Look for early voting and absentee voting as laws in your state have likely changed recently.

also, also, post-covid most elections are woefully short staffed and they pay. volunteer to work a poll location. there may also be work at the election HQ to count ballots or run phones lines (each poll location has to call in their numbers through out the day) There are likely non-party voting advocacy groups in your area, like the league of women voters, the NACCP or many lgbt+ voting groups, who will help you vote or you can volunteer with.

You know I used to think "tumblr's absolute refusal to actually engage with the Trolley Problem in favor of insisting that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is just a short-sighted idiot is really fucking annoying, but I guess it's not actually doing any harm".

Anyway that was before we asked tumblr at large to decide between "guy aiding a genocide but making progress elsewhere" and "guy who would actively and enthusiastically participate in a genocide and would also make everything else much, much worse for everyone elsewhere" and the response was that there must be a third, morally pure option that doesn't require them to make a hard decision and that anyone who asks them to make a binary choice is a short-sighted idiot.