#sen. Rick Scott

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The fate of the Senate filibuster is on the ballot in the 2024 election as Democrats rally around weakening the 60-vote threshold to pass major legislation like codifying abortion rights and bolstering federal voting rights.

If President Joe Biden is re-elected and Democrats control the Senate, they would probably have the votes to change the filibuster. The cause has become a litmus test in the party, backed by senators who will remain in office next year, as well as the party’s candidates in key races that’ll decide which party controls the majority.

Meanwhile, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who cast decisive votes in 2022 to block Democrats from weakening the filibuster, are retiring. Manchin said he has “grave concerns” the filibuster will survive after he leaves.

Under the current filibuster, 60 votes are needed to begin and end debate on most legislation, meaning 41 senators can effectively veto bills. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said he’s optimistic Democrats will have enough support for “reforming the filibuster and imposing a talking filibuster” in the next Congress, so a minority can’t block bills without continuously holding the floor and talking.

“Unfortunately, two folks decided to support the no-effort obstruction, as opposed to the talking filibuster,” Merkley told NBC News. “But I think everyone who’s staying is pretty supportive of going through the process of making the Senate work again.”

It would have far-reaching impacts in establishing majority rule in a chamber that has normalized requiring a supermajority to pass most bills over the last two decades, with a key exception for temporary changes to taxes and spending. Such a change would be celebrated by progressives, who call the modern filibuster an undemocratic chokepoint for popular legislation.

Proponents call the filibuster a rare tool to encourage bipartisanship and promote stability in lawmaking. But even moderate Democrats say the modern 60-vote threshold makes the Senate dysfunctional.

“I’ve been here just over three years, and I’ve never seen an organization with rules like the United States Senate,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a former astronaut. “If NASA had these rules, the rocket ship would never leave the launchpad. So as changes to the rules come up, I’ll evaluate it based on the merits.”

Many Republican senators insist they’d preserve the filibuster, even if they capture control of the White House and Congress. They include conservative Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who said he “absolutely” supports the 60-vote rule.

“We’re united in that. We realize the tables will turn, and if they had ultimate control, this country would be over,” Johnson said, calling it a bulwark against “socialist and radical left policies.” He said that if Donald Trump wins the presidency, he could use executive power to secure the border if Democrats filibuster immigration bills.

DEMOCRATS' PATH TO AN ANTI-FILIBUSTER MAJORITY

Changing the filibuster rules would require a simple majority in the Senate. If Democrats end up with 50 or more seats and have Vice President Kamala Harris to break a tie, they'd most likely have the votes.

With Manchin retiring, West Virginia’s open seat is all but certain to flip to the GOP this fall. But Democrats have a plausible — albeit difficult — path to hold their remaining 50 votes.

It requires holding seats in red-leaning Montana and Ohio, as well as in the purple states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and Arizona.

The likely Democratic nominee to replace Sinema in Arizona, Rep. Ruben Gallego, promises that if he is elected he would support “waiving the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade.”

Democratic candidates for open seats in California (Rep. Adam Schiff), Michigan (Rep. Elissa Slotkin), Delaware (Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester) and Maryland (county executive Angela Alsobrooks) have all called for eliminating the filibuster.

“I am, like, loud and proud on reforming the filibuster so we can vote on gun laws, voter access, women’s rights,” Slotkin told constituents in a video she posted on Instagram. “All those things could be voted on tomorrow if we only needed 51 instead of 60.”

Alsobrooks, who won the Democratic primary in Maryland on Tuesday, says on her website: “Angela firmly believes that the filibuster in the Senate should be eliminated.”

Her GOP opponent, former Gov. Larry Hogan, said he’s “a big supporter of the filibuster.”

Schiff said he’d prefer major swings in policy to the current gridlock, emphasizing that killing the filibuster is the only way to pass abortion rights, gun safety and voting rights measures and to mitigate climate change. He said he doesn’t worry about Republicans�� using a filibuster-free Senate to reverse liberal gains when they take power.

“The Republican policies are so reactionary, backward and unpopular that should they ever really be in a position to put them into effect, they’ll be voted out of office in a heartbeat,” he said.

And the Democrats running in the red-leaning states of Texas (Rep. Colin Allred) and Florida (former Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell) have also championed exceptions to the filibuster to establish federal abortion rights. The GOP is favored in those states, but Democrats can hold the majority without them.

Biden has said he supports carve-outs to the filibuster to pass voting rights and abortion rights legislation. The White House declined to comment beyond his public remarks and didn't say whether that would extend to other priorities, like gun legislation.

TRUMP HAS PUSHED TO NUKE THE FILIBUSTER

If Trump and Republicans sweep the election, GOP senators would probably face pressure from Trump to do away with the filibuster. He repeatedly demanded that they nuke the 60-vote rule during his term as president. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., refused in 2017 and 2018. Although McConnell is stepping down as GOP leader, it's unclear whether Trump would be more successful this time.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he expects a push to kill the filibuster to toughen immigration laws if the GOP wins in November.

“Quite honestly, if we run the table politically in November and we have control of both chambers and President Trump has the White House, it wouldn’t surprise me if getting additional tools to get the border under control would be used as an argument for nuking the filibuster,” Tillis told reporters.

But he said he would adamantly oppose that.

“The day Republicans vote to nuke it is the day I resign,” Tillis said, arguing that it would “destroy the Senate.”

Trump campaign spokespeople didn’t reply to requests for comment.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he’s open to potential changes.

“Never say never, but I can’t think of anything that comes to mind immediately,” he said. “The filibuster has meant different things over time. And there are different ways to implement it. So we could talk about how the filibuster is structured. Do you have to hold the floor or not, etc. We could probably have a conversation on that.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who faces a competitive re-election bid, said he’s committed to preserving the 60-vote rule even if his party sweeps the election and Democrats use it to stymie legislation.

“Yes,” he replied when asked.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who also faces re-election this fall, said, “I believe in the filibuster.”

Even if Republicans have control and it threatens their agenda?

“I believe in the filibuster,” he repeated.

[muddypolitics]

(via McConnell Can’t Stop Rick Scott’s Self-destructive Spree)

this guy is embarrassing to himself, his party and his country

a new level of MAGA-stupid

[progressivepower]

Florida Democrat Blasts Republican Sen. Rick Scott Over State's Home Insurance Crisis https://www.huffpost.com/entry/florida-home-insurance-rick-scott-debbie-murcarsel-powell-climate-change_n_671bfc03e4b0fdf4fef462e7?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kevin Robillard and Arthur Delaney at HuffPost:

CHICAGO ― Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stood on stage at the Democratic National Convention and made a very bold prediction. “We’re going to hold the Senate again, and we’re poised to pick up seats,” he told the delegates in the United Center. The fact Schumer feels confident in his prediction reflects the remarkable strength of most Democratic incumbents in swing states. But it also flies in the face of a tough reality for Democrats: Even if they win every swing state race, it might not be enough to get them control of the U.S. Senate. To keep the word “majority” in Schumer’s title, Democrats will need to win at least one of three states where Republican nominee Donald Trump is a significant favorite in November: Texas, Florida or Montana. Each of the three states presents distinct challenges for the party, and it’s difficult to describe them as favored in any of the three.

It’s the culmination of a long-standing problem for the party: The Senate’s bias toward rural states advantages the GOP’s political coalition, forcing Democrats to repeatedly pitch the political equivalent of perfect games to stay in control of Congress’ upper chamber. Republicans clearly believe the social conservatism of those voters will be more than enough for them to flip the Senate, with a win in West Virginia essentially guaranteed following the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W. Va.). Democrats currently have a 50-49 edge in the chamber.

“Securing the border is top of mind for voters, and Senate Democrats are delusional if they think they’re going to win with candidates like Colin Allred, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Sen. Jon Tester, who have long records of opposing border security,” said Torunn Sinclair, the communications director for Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC controlled by allies of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In Montana, Democrats have the advantage of incumbency, but it might not be enough for Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to overcome a challenge from Republican Tim Sheehy. In Texas and Florida, Democrats are running against unpopular GOP incumbents Ted Cruz and Rick Scott, but are also on long-standing statewide losing streaks.

The road for the Democrats to retain even a 50+VP majority, let alone an outright one, in the Senate will be a very tough one, as West Virginia is assured of flipping Republican.

For the Donkeys to keep control, they need to either have Kamala Harris/Tim Walz win the Presidency and no other Democratic candidate lose (50+VP scenario), or flip either Texas and/or Florida and keep what they got.

[youthkenworld]

holly@hollytx

5m··We Love Trump!

Florida Dem Who Wants Her Student Loans Canceled Owns a $3 Million House

The Democratic Party’s pick to unseat Florida Sen. Rick Scott (R.) wants taxpayers to cancel her thousands of dollars of student debt. She and her husband own a $3 million house.Washington Free Beacon

[nodynasty4us]

From the April 2, 2024 story:

It would be hard to design a setup more amenable to Democratic turnout. Women will presumably show up to the polls in droves to register their opinion on abortion. Young people will turn out to support marijuana legalization AND abortion access. And because 60% is the bar, it will be an all-hands-on-deck sort of election. Nobody who cares about either issue can tell themselves "Ah, I'll stay home. My vote's not needed." Meanwhile, even if the pro-choice and/or pro-marijuana forces can't get to 60%, there are lots of important races that are determined by a simple majority, or, in the absence of a majority, a plurality. The state's electoral votes. The U.S. Senate race, featuring the never-won-any-election-by-more-than-2% Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). The various House races, which could return a Congress that protects abortion access nationwide. The state legislative races, which could seat a legislature that overturns the 6-week ban. Yes, there are certainly some anti-choice and/or anti-marijuana folks who will get themselves to the polls. But the zealots were already voting, and non-zealots tend to be less motivated when the status quo is already acceptable and/or when their side only needs to get to 40%. It's nearly inconceivable that yesterday's [state supreme court] decisions could drive Republican turnout more than they drive Democratic turnout. And, as a reminder, Donald Trump won the state by 3 points in 2020 and by 1 point in 2016, while Scott won election to the Senate by 0.13% in 2018. It won't take all that much of a Democratic surge to produce very different results in 2024.

[trukker94gurl]

Sen. Rick Scott Demands Answers From Mayorkas Over Policy on Illegal Aliens Boarding Flights Without IDs

Sen. Rick Scott Demands Answers From Mayorkas Over Policy on Illegal Aliens Boarding Flights Without IDs https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/us/sen-rick-scott-demands-answers-from-mayorkas-over-policy-on-illegal-aliens-boarding-flights-without-ids-5607255?utm_source=andshare

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

“In her presence, the world seemed to shimmer with radiance and joy.”

Melania Trump remembers her mother as ‘a ray of light in the darkest days’

In her eulogy, the Slovenian-born former first lady paid tribute to her mother’s “nurturing spirit” and “unparalleled affection.” “She embodied the best mother, wife, grandmother, mother-in-law — a true beacon of love and luxury in our lives,” Melania Trump said. “She’s a true inspiration, a role model to me, and to so many.”

'Her nurturing spirit had no limits, creating a legacy that will last for generations,' 'With her beauty and impeccable sense of style she turned heads. But it was her unwavering dedication and hard work that made her exceptional.'

Melania Trump's Amazing Grace by Sundance

"There is a particular type of grace that surfaces when a daughter grows stronger as a direct result of a closely bonded mother’s guiding wisdom.  Historically and generationally, women of eastern Europe are known for a particular style of strength.  Always prepared to be left alone due to conflict, war, or the loss of hardened warriors, an internal fortitude is created blending femininity with a deliberate, cold and pragmatic approach at life.  The daughters of these quiet but strong-willed generational women, learn skills of emotional control, loyalty, deliberateness and fortitude that turn the finest silks into fabrics stronger than titanium.  It is transparently obvious that Melania learned well from Amalija.

Paying tribute to the guiding hand upon her life, to her mentor, counselor, friend and beloved mother, First Lady Melania Trump delivers a farewell eulogy to her guide.  If you have ever wondered where the centered strength of Melania Trump originated, listen carefully and you can hear the heartbeat of Amalija Knavs in this delivery."  WATCH:

Terry Spencer Associated Press January 18, 2024

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday remembered her mother as “a ray of light in the darkest of days” during a funeral service at a church not far from the family’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

The former first lady said she always found peace in the presence of her mother, Amalija Knavs, 78, and that her mother was always there to listen.

“In her presence, the world seemed to shimmer with radiance and joy,” Melania Trump said during a eulogy as her husband, former President Donald Trump, sat nearby. “Our bond was unbreakable.”

The former first lady said her mother celebrated her family’s triumphs and supported them during difficult times. She said she would remember the laughter that accompanied travels with her mother, father and sister and “conversations that flowed effortlessly with grace and charm.”

“Rest in peace my beloved mother,” Melania Trump said before stepping down from the pulpit.

She then stood in front of her mother’s casket, touched her fingers to her lips and placed them on the casket.

Among the guests who arrived before the start of the private service for Knavs at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea were two of Donald Trump‘s children from previous marriages, Tiffany Trump and Ivanka Trump; Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner; and Republican U.S. Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

The church is where Trump and his wife were married in 2005. Knavs died Jan. 9 in Miami after an undisclosed illness.

At midmorning, a hearse pulled up in front of the church followed by an SUV carrying the former president and first lady and two other vehicles with their Secret Service detail. Wearing a black dress and sunglasses, Melania Trump and her father, Viktor Knavs, led a procession up to the church, followed by the former president and their son, Barron.

They then waited on the steps of the church as the coffin was lifted from the hearse and taken into the church.

After the service, a priest waved an urn of incense and a man held up a cross as the coffin was carried out of the church, followed by Melania Trump and her father, and then Donald Trump and their son, Barron.

After the coffin was placed in the hearse, the former president and first lady exchanged pleasantries with the priest. Donald Trump led his wife to an SUV with her father, and then he got into a separate vehicle.

During the Trump presidency, the first lady’s mother lived in New York along with her father and occasionally appeared at the White House. Amalija Knavs was at a 2018 ceremony where the first lady debuted her “Be Best” public awareness campaign to help children.

The Knavses raised Melania, born Melanija, and her older sister, Ines, in the rural industrial town of Sevnica while Slovenia was under Communist rule as part of Yugoslavia. Amalija Knavs was a textile worker and homemaker, while her husband worked as chauffeur before becoming a car dealer.

The former first lady, 53, attended high school in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, and changed her name to Melania Knauss when she started modeling. She settled in New York in 1996 and met Trump in 1998.

She sponsored her parents’ immigration to the United States, and they became citizens at a New York City courthouse in 2018, while Trump was president.

Their lawyer said at the time that they applied for citizenship on their own and didn’t get any special treatment.

In her eulogy, the Slovenian-born former first lady paid tribute to her mother’s “nurturing spirit” and “unparalleled affection.”

“She embodied the best mother, wife, grandmother, mother-in-law — a true beacon of love and luxury in our lives,” Melania Trump said. “She’s a true inspiration, a role model to me, and to so many.”

Trump likewise paid tribute to Knavs during his victory speech at the Iowa caucuses, saying, “She’s up there, way up there. She’s looking down and she’s so proud of us. And I just want to say to Amalija, you are special, one of the most special people I’ve ever known.”

Trump’s adult children from his previous two marriages also attended the service for Melania Trump’s mother: daughters Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump and their husbands, Jared Kushner and Michael Boulos, and sons, Don Jr. and Eric, and their partners, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump.

Trump’s in-laws remained in their native Slovenia after Melania Trump moved to New York City to become a model in 1996 and after she married Trump in 2005. They moved to the United States when Trump was president, and Melania Trump sponsored their bid to become citizens in 2018. After Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, he, Melania and Barron re-located to Mar-a-Lago. Amalija and Viktor Knavs joined them at the resort, “living it up as well-heeled retirees” and spending a great deal of time with their daughter and grandson, as the New York Post reported.

Meanwhile, Trump has reportedly been able to spend more time with his youngest son since leaving the White House and moving to Mar-a-Lago. In a 2015 People interview, Melania Trump admitted to being the more hands-on parent due to her husband’s first presidential campaign. But free from running the country or a real estate empire at Mar-a-Lago, Trump sometimes plays golf with his son or enjoys a one-on-one dinner with him, TheThings.com reported. Melania Trump told People about the “beautiful respect and admiration” that exists between father and son, and that “Barron loves to be one-on-one with Dad.”

Barron’s natural athleticism and height also makes Trump proud, according to reports. At a 2020 campaign rally, Trump called him out, proclaiming, “My Barron. My tall Barron. My beautiful Barron. Handsome. He is handsome.”"

Donald Trump's youngest son Barron is now comfortably the tallest in the family, towering over his father at his grandmother's funeral.

Father and son stood next to each other as they mourned Melania Trump's mother Amalija Knavs, who died on January 9 aged 78.

Barron, now 17, stands at 6ft, 7 inches - taller even than his ex-president father who at 6ft, 3 inches is a towering figure himself.

The teenager stood beside Donald Trump, Melania, and Knavs' widower Viktor, dwarfing all three as they waited for the coffin to arrive on Thursday morning.

Knavs was farewelled by about 100 mourners at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida, where Melania gave a moving eulogy.

Barron's four-inch height advantage over his father was obvious from the moment they got out of the car together, as the boy put a guiding hand on Trump's arm.

Melania in her eulogy gushed about her mother's love for her grandson Barron, whom she 'showered with affection, illuminating his world with love, tender care and unwavering devotion'. 

Trump credited his son's impressive growth to Knavs' traditional Slovenian cooking at a campaign event before the Iowa Republican caucuses.

'That's how he got so tall, he only ate her food,' he joked to the crowd of supporters.

'I said you're gonna be a basketball player. He said, "well, I like soccer dad, actually". But you can't talk them into everything! Barron was a special boy.'

Barron is said to have a close bond with his grandmother, who along with Viktor taught him to speak Slovenian as he grew up.

Bojan Pozar wrote in his book 'Melania Trump - The Inside Story: The Potential First Lady' that Barron 'almost certainly speaks Slovenian with... Ines, his aunt, who also lives in New York'.

'Ines Knavs was the one who took care of all the paperwork at the Slovenia consulate in New York so that Barron could formally acquire Slovenian citizenship,' he added.

Barron is believed to be the first son of a president to have dual citizenship.

Barron has grown dramatically since his father's inauguration in January 2017 when he was just 10

Barron Trump, 6.7 towers over his father at grandmother's funeral

The teenager stood beside Donald Trump, Melania, and Knavs' widower Viktor (left), dwarfing all three as they waited for the coffin to arrive on Thursday morning

They walked slowly towards the church as a foursome, in complete silence, dozens of agents looking on, the three men wearing black suits and ties and Melania in a black suit jacket, black skirt and a silver cross around her neck

Other photos from the funeral show Barron next to his grandfather Viktor and various other mourners - and being far taller than all of them. 

Mourners joined Melania and her father Viktor Thursday morning at the same picturesque Palm Beach church where she married Trump nearly two decades earlier.

The former president flew into Florida in the early hours to be at his wife's side, the pair following closely behind the hearse in one of around a dozen black SUVs, arriving just after 10am.

Melania and Trump were accompanied by Barron while Knavs' widower Viktor looked visibly upset but paused to compose himself before joining the others.

They walked slowly towards the church as a foursome, in complete silence, dozens of agents looking on, the three men wearing black suits and ties and Melania in a black suit jacket, black skirt and a silver cross around her neck.

Reverend Tim Schenck, who joined Bethesda as rector in 2022, stood at the church entrance waiting to greet them with a somber nod of the head and some brief words of comfort.

Melania remained stoic and expressionless behind her black jumbo sunglasses as all four turned in unison to watch as Knavs' coffins, bedecked with a dazzling display of white roses, orchids and lillies was carried from the street to the church.

Finally they all turned to go inside, the coffin entering behind them, passing another huge pink and white floral display comprised of roses, carnations and daisies.

All four emerged from the church just behind the coffin, which was carried by six pallbearers

Melania maintained her steely composure as she emerged from church, watching in silence as the coffin was carried outside, flanked by pallbearers and clergy

Melania Trump delivered a touching eulogy for her mother Amalija Knavs, who died January 9, aged 78

Barron is spotted towering over his mother and father as they left the funeral of his grandmother

Inside as she gave the eulogy, Melania's voiced cracked from the podium as she said, 'Rest in peace, my beloved mother'.

'Her nurturing spirit had no limits, creating a legacy that will last for generations,' she said.

'With her beauty and impeccable sense of style she turned heads. But it was her unwavering dedication and hard work that made her exceptional.'

Melania maintained her steely composure as she emerged from church, watching in silence as the coffin was carried outside, flanked by pallbearers and clergy.

As the procession reached the road and she watched her mom being loaded back into the hearse, Trump reached out and tenderly squeezed his wife's hand.

She left in the same vehicle as her dad while Trump followed in another SUV, giving a nod of gratitude to Secret Service agents who closed the road to ensure a smooth getaway for mourners.

Melania's mother Amalija Knavs (center, pictured in June 2018) was laid to rest on Thursday at the same picturesque Palm Beach church where her daughter married Donald Trump nearly two decades earlier

The Trumps have been regulars at the 125-year-old chapel since Melania wed then-real estate mogul Donald there in 2005 in front of VIP guests including Hillary and Bill Clinton.

A year later, Barron was christened at the Gothic-Revival style venue, which is less than three miles from Trump's swish Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.

The Trumps also attended several Christmas services there throughout his Presidency.

Former First Lady Melania Trump 's mother Amalija Knavs, 78, died after being hospitalized in Miami, Florida, over the holidays

It was unclear if Donald Trump would make it after a heated exchange with a New York federal judge overseeing E Jean Carroll's defamation case against him. The judge denied an application to delay the trial.

At the funeral Thursday, Trump seemed to put aside his anger and his need to be the center of attention. He wore a solemn expression as he let Melania Trump lead the proceedings. He walked to the side of her, her father, Viktor Knavs, and Barron as the four entered the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, not far from his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Judge Lewis Kaplan noted that the former president was not legally obliged to be court in person anyway.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12980173/barron-trump-donald-melania-mother-funeral-florida.html?ito=native_share_article-bottom

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Adam Kredo

Lawmakers like Budd, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have taken a great interest in the Palestine Chronicle and its nonprofit parent company, the People Media Project, since the Free Beacon first reported on Monday about its links to Iranian regime-controlled propaganda sites. The outlet’s editor in chief, Ramzy Baroud, wrote for two now-defunct websites that the U.S. government seized in 2020 for being part of a propaganda network controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC). At least six of the outlet’s writers also wrote for these IRGC-controlled sites.

Following Aljamal’s death during an Israeli raid in Gaza to free the hostages, the Palestine Chronicle published a glowing obituary, claiming its writer was just an innocent civilian trying to perform journalism. As Budd and his colleagues note in their letter, however, Aljamal "previously served as a spokesman for the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Labor in Gaza."

"While Aljamal may have played a journalist by day, the evidence clearly suggests he was, at a minimum, a Hamas collaborator, if not a full-time terror operative, responsible for keeping hostages captive," according to the letter, which is also backed by Sens. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), Rick Scott (R., Fla.), Pete Ricketts (R., Neb.), and Roger Wicker (R., Miss.), the ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

With questions now swirling about the Palestine Chronicle and its editor Baroud, the senators say a multi-pronged federal investigation is necessary to determine if the outlet and its parent company were "actively employing an individual with apparent ties to and support for Hamas." The Palestine Chronicle downplayed its ties to Aljamal in a Monday piece, saying Aljamal "was a freelance writer who contributed articles to the Palestine Chronicle on a voluntary basis, mostly since the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza."

"It is possible that this tax-exempt media outlet had no knowledge of its correspondent’s Hamas affiliation; however, given the organization’s recent attempts to cover up evidence of its ties to Aljamal, this seems unlikely, making them complicit in supporting terrorist propaganda on their platform," the senators wrote.

The lawmakers also instructed the IRS to "prepare a report on the findings of this investigation for the [Senate] Finance Committee to review in the appropriate venue."

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

On Thursday, the Social Security Administration announced its largest cost of living adjustment for beneficiaries in four decades, an inflation-driven raise of 8.7% that will take effect in January 2023. That increase matches the average annual COLA from 1975 through 1982, an era of recessions and high inflation. Annual Social Security raises declined after that year. From 1996 through 2021, they averaged 2.3%, and were zero in some years. The 2021 raise was substantially higher: 5.9%.

The new increase in benefits will be pricey. On the other hand, the cost to taxpayers of the entire Social Security program pales in comparison with the cost of federal subsidies for rich Americans enrolled in private or supplemental retirement plans, such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs). According to Federal Reserve data from 2019, only 31% of households from the poorest half of the wealth spectrum contributed to such a plan, while 91% of households in the top wealth decile did.

This suggests that low-wealth retirees rely heavily or exclusively on Social Security, but all US workers get to collect benefits starting at age 62. As of last month, nearly 66 million Americans, rich and poor alike, were getting monthly checks. Most are retirees, but there are also spouses, disabled workers, survivors of deceased workers, and dependent children. The largest and best-compensated group, the retired workers, averaged $1,674 a month, or about $20,000 per year.

The SSA now pays out about $1.2 trillion a year in benefits all told, but those outlays are largely funded by payroll taxes paid by workers who will later reap the benefits. In 2021, the price tag of the entire program—benefits plus administrative costs—totaled $1.14 trillion, of which $1.09 trillion was covered by payroll taxes, income taxes on benefits, and interest. In other words, the federal Social Security subsidy was only about $50 billion.

Compare that with subsidies for private plans and IRAs, which cost the government nearly eight times as much—about $380 billion a year, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. And unlike Social Security subsidies, these subsidies skew heavily toward the highest earners.

There’s a reason I noted the year 1996 above. Before then, as I point out in this earlier exposé about America’s retirement system, private retirement accounts were strictly regulated and not heavily subsidized. Starting that year, federal lawmakers—led by then Reps. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), began introducing bipartisan retirement “reform” packages that pumped more and more federal dollars into bolstering private retirement savings, mainly to the benefit of high-income workers and Wall Street.

University of Virginia law professor Michael Doran, who dug deep into the subject for a January 2022 paper titled, “The Great American Retirement Fraud,” suggested that lawmakers, rather than helping rich Americans shuffle even more of their money into tax-­deferred or tax-exempt retirement funds, could instead pass laws to benefit Americans who actually need help in retirement. That might include simply beefing up Social Security, he wrote.

Instead, yet another bill that benefits wealthy savers sailed through Congress. And Republican Rick Scott released a set of aspirations for his own party—an 11-point “Plan for America,” of which one provision would let all federal laws “sunset” every five years—including laws governing Social Security and Medicare.

[darkeagleruins]

ELECTION INTEGRITY: Democrats may shutdown the government to block bill that would ban non-citizens from voting.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) stated that if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blocks a vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, a potential government shutdown would be Schumer's fault. Scott noted that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is considering attaching the SAVE Act to a stopgap spending measure needed by September 30 to avoid the shutdown.

Scott also suggested that if Democrats allow the shutdown over the issue of non-citizens voting, they would face the political consequences. He criticized his Democratic Senate opponent, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, for not opposing illegal aliens voting and for remaining silent on issues like the border and antisemitism. Scott further discussed the situation in Israel, expressing confidence that Prime Minister Netanyahu is doing all he can to free hostages, contrary to President Biden's recent statements.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Mark Sumner at Daily Kos:

President Joe Biden loves bipartisanship. He loves it in ways that have long frustrated his progressive supporters. His 35 years in the Senate gave him an enormous fondness for the cut and thrust of beating out a compromise and a lasting image of the chamber as the final stronghold of maintaining political comity in the face of disagreement. 

The Senate as Biden likes to envision it doesn’t exist. It likely never did. However, even when only a handful of Republicans have signed on, Biden has still insisted on calling his infrastructure and CHIPS bills “bipartisan legislation.” And when it came to providing the funding that kept supplies flowing to Ukraine in the face of an illegal Russian invasion, Biden got a genuine bipartisan majority in the Senate. Americans in and out of government say they want more bipartisanship. Biden wants to give it to them, even now. But as Republicans scramble to pick a replacement for outgoing Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, there are three big demands on the table: get rid of the seniority system for committee assignments, impose a term limit on leadership positions, and never, ever compromise. The death of bipartisanship is a base requirement.

When future histories are written, assuming that they are, it’s safe to say that McConnell will not be remembered fondly. Whether it’s his cowardice in failing to hold Donald Trump to account, or his work in destroying democracy in general and the judiciary in particular, with his spectacular double betrayal of tradition that gave Trump two undeserved additional seats on the Supreme Court.  Just like Trump, McConnell’s political history has largely involved showing that even when he seems to have found the bottom, there is always something lower.  But even McConnell could occasionally be found on the right side of history—like on that Ukraine bill. The guy who has proudly called himself the “grim reaper” of bills, the one most responsible for converting the Senate into the palace of eternal filibuster, where nothing moves without 60 votes, is now seen as too accommodating. 

If the growing MAGA faction gets its way, any McConnell replacement will be 0% compromise 100% of the time. As Politico reports, three candidates are vying for McConnell’s job: John Cornyn, Rick Scott, and John Thune. 

Mitch McConnell’s replacement as Republican Senate leader will likely be more in tune with the MAGA movement, especially if Rick Scott is the one chosen.

[mariacallous]

Qatar, the small emirate on the Persian Gulf, has long enjoyed unmatched influence over Hamas, the ruling power in Gaza. It is now threatening to withdraw its services as a mediator between Hamas and Israel unless Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ceases what Doha considers to be a smear campaign against it. The fate of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza could now hang in the balance of this new diplomatic dispute.

Last week, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that the mediation process had been abused for “narrow political interests,” and that Qatar will make “the appropriate decision at the right time.” It was a message intended for Netanyahu, according to an Arab official who spoke to Foreign Policy.

Qatari officials reportedly believe that Netanyahu is deliberately delaying a possible release of hostages to prolong the war and stay in power. By threatening to walk away from the negotiations, they believe they can pressure Netanyahu into clarifying whether negotiating a hostage release is a priority for him at all. “We only negotiate when both sides want us to,” said a Qatari official who spoke to Foreign Policy on the condition of anonymity considering the sensitivity of the matter.

Netanyahu knows Qatar is necessary to the negotiations owing to the leverage that it gained over Hamas in the years prior to the current war. Qatar sent $1.3 billion in aid to Gaza between 2012 and 2021, at a time when Israel had otherwise largely cut off the territory, and it lent Hamas international credibility by giving its representatives airtime on Al Jazeera.

Qatar is well aware of its unique diplomatic position and is enjoying the limelight on the global stage. And yet there have been valid questions around Qatar’s intentions. There is strong suspicion in Israel and in parts of the U.S. government that it is biased in Hamas’s favor and pushing for its agenda. Doha, they say, could more effectively compel Hamas if it threatened those of its leaders who have taken residence in Qatar with expulsion, or with extradition to a country that lists Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Qatar started to host Hamas in 2012 after the group ran afoul of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and claims to have opened its doors at the behest of then-U.S. President Barack Obama. But Foreign Policy has learned from the aforementioned Arab official who is aware of the negotiations that despite bipartisan pressure from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, Qatar has not yet asked Hamas to relocate.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer accused Qatar of blocking negotiations, essentially abusing its role as a mediator. He was the fifth lawmaker to urge Congress to scrap Qatar’s status as a major non-NATO ally granted to the Arab nation in 2022 for supporting evacuations from Afghanistan. Any such demotion would not only be a global embarrassment for Qatar but would relegate it below Egypt and other competitors in the neighborhood who also hold the same designation.

“Qatar needs to make it clear to Hamas that there will be repercussions,” Hoyer said in a statement. Earlier this month, Republican Sens. Ted Budd, Joni Ernst, and Rick Scott introduced a bill that would require the United States to conduct a review to “terminate the designation” if Qatar didn’t expel or extradite Hamas’s leadership, “including Ismail Haniyeh, Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Mashal,” its biggest leaders.

Orly Gilboa—the mother of 19-year-old Daniella Gilboa, who has been held hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023—said that the United States’ pressure on Qatar could work. “Qatar supports Hamas, but they want good relations with the U.S., so they will do what the U.S. wants them to do,” she told Foreign Policy over Zoom.

But some U.S. lawmakers said the move to scrap the status was premature and unwarranted. That has encouraged Doha to stay the course. But the Arab official believes that those who asked to strip Qatar of the designation are perhaps pro-Netanyahu lawmakers and do not speak for the Oval Office.

Budd’s legislation argues that if Hamas is refusing “reasonable” negotiations, then there is no reason for Qatar to continue hosting Hamas’s political office or members, parroting the viewpoint of many in Israel’s security community. But “reasonable” is being defined differently by the various parties concerned.

While Israel expects Qatar to convince Hamas to release hostages and then intends to resume the war to eliminate the group entirely from Gaza, Qatar finds merit in Hamas’s demand of a permanent cease-fire. This is the crux of the disagreement between Qatar and Israel.

“I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request,” said an Arab official familiar with the negotiations. “If they release all hostages, they want an end to the war.”

However, the Israeli security community suspects that’s not all Hamas wants. They argue it could have achieved an end to the war had it agreed to disarm and leave Gaza. Israelis fear that Hamas wants to return to Gaza, victorious, and carry out more attacks that match the cruelty of Oct. 7.

“We can’t hand Hamas a victory,” said Eran Lerman, a former Israeli deputy national security advisor. “After what they have done, we refuse to live with Hamas as our neighbors. And it’s not just Netanyahu, but there is wide support for the policy to eradicate Hamas.” Israel is ready to offer only a temporary truce until Hamas has been vanquished.

Doha makes the case that since the war has limited its ability to send aid to Gaza, it simply doesn’t have the kind of leverage it once did over Hamas’s leaders holding the hostages inside Gaza.

“Sinwar will rather die inside Gaza than agree to a deal to leave,” said an Arab official aware of the negotiations, referring to Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader within Gaza who was behind the Oct. 7 attack. “This is the mistake—this is what Israelis are not understanding.”

He said that threatening to kick out Hamas’s political leaders from Qatar will not bring the desired pressure on Hamas. Sinwar, who is making the final decisions about the hostage negotiations, doesn’t care about his group’s political representatives or where they live, “whether in Qatar, Turkey, Oman, or Iran.”

Israel also doesn’t care where Hamas’s leaders reside and has already declared that it will hunt them down wherever they may choose to hide. But Israeli leaders say that in the short term, they are focused on bringing back the hostages and eliminating Hamas.

Lerman said that Egypt has already been partly involved in negotiations, noting that it could become a single point of communication with Hamas if Qatar doesn’t succeed in mediating the release of the hostages in exchange for a temporary truce not a permanent cease-fire. “It’s not like we won’t be left with a channel of communication,” he said. “If Qatar cannot live up to its claim, that it has leverage over Hamas, then what’s the point?”

Some in the Israeli security community believe that once the long-expected Rafah operation has been successfully carried out and all of Gaza brought under Israeli occupation, Hamas’s leaders and members would be in for a run for their lives and more inclined to accept a deal on Israeli terms.

“Hamas will feel a very different kind of threat than they feel now—that will change their minds,” Lerman said.

It’s a tricky gamble. If Qatar walks out, Israel risks losing a mediator with more influence over Hamas than any other Arab state, and if Doha fails in ensuring safe hostage release, it may damage its ties with the United States. Thus far, neither side is willing to concede, and negotiations will likely go down the wire, further procrastinating the homecoming of the more than 130 Israelis believed to remain in Gaza.

Families of hostages have said that they want their loved ones released “despite the difficult price,” but they also don’t want Hamas to live next door, preferably.

“I prefer if there is a solution,” Gilboa said. “Maybe Hamas’s leaders can move to Qatar and live there.”