Yet Another MAGA Budget Crisis Due Friday

Good analysis of Mike Johnson by Jen Psaki (9 minutes)

Whether or not the impending budget crisis that was pushed off until November 17th has once again been temporarily averted I figured I would post this article because no one in their right mind could imagine that in the near future MAGA Mike and his minions will negotiate in good faith to do the right thing for this country. Nope.

MAGA Mike’s convictions are much important than operating a country. So he will not give up his convictions in order to keep the government running, no matter how many Americans will get hurt. Based on the Speaker’s first attempt at a funding bill his deepest seated conviction is that the wealthy shouldn’t pay taxes. That must be in the bible someplace because that is where MAGA Mike the Speaker gets all his deep seated beliefs, or so he says.

So if America runs into a wall next Friday and the US House headed by Speaker MAGA Mike Johnson have not come up with any plans for the country to keep operating, do not be surprised if the MAGA man has his nose buried deep in a bible looking for some budget advice. And with MAGA Mike budgeting advice may have to start at the most basic because he doesn’t even have a checking account nor a simple savings account, or so his financial disclosures claim.

What a time for America to have leadership that has its head up its ass and its mind focused not on the real world but the world of Jerusalem of 33 CE. Something that should give us all great comfort over Thanksgiving as we watch world crisis burn is that MAGA leadership is focused on homosexuality, stopping abortion, privatizing everything and their own salvation. 

Let us note that as the US careens to a Friday crisis, Speaker MAGA Mike sent the US House home for the weekend so he could go to Paris to speak to a a group of international Trump supporters in Paris. Johnson has no plan nor much concern about what happens to our country.

And if they do somehow avoid a shutdown, just like a street car there will be another one right behind this one manufactured by the extremist right MAGA Party.

I might suggest that while MAGA Mike is looking to his bible for guidance, maybe he could find a couple of passages where Jesus talks about everyone carrying a gun. 

Also remember that MAGA Mike has to take some time from his day to monitor his son’s porn habits, so he os not 100% devoted to solving this problem.

I wonder if the Iowa delegation gave ANY thought to this when they just voted for for Johnson or did they just do as they are told like usual?

I hope Iowans remember what little concern our congress members had for their country when they voted for Johnson.

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Sunday Funday: Who Can’t Remember What Edition

 

Randy Rainbow’s newest (3 minutes):

Perhaps the second most talked about topic of the political chattering class is President Biden’s age. And of course the corporate media is pushing it hard because they can’t come right out and say that the VP and Biden’s immediate successor is 1) a woman 2) black 3) Asian 4) super-duper smart – which is four HUGE negatives as far as their right wing viewers are concerned. 

So instead of saying those things right out loud they raise the specter of Biden being closer to death than most of us and we are supposed to infer that VP Harris could become president. In order to reinforce the issue if the President should have a slip of the tongue it will be played and replayed ad nauseam to make sure we get the message.

Yet based on his reported performance in court testimony last week plus posted clips online, I would posit that Donald Trump’s memory is pretty much nada. One report I heard said he uttered the words “I can’t remember” hundreds of times last week. For that matter apparently it appears that his kids also have a memory problems as they also uttered the same phrase hundreds of time. Often this phrase was uttered in response to questions on important financial documents.

I guess we are lucky that Donnie Trump doesn’t put his pants on first and then his underwear. Maybe we are lucky he remembers to put his pants and underwear on at all. If age is an issue, got to say Trump shows much worse signs of aging by far than Biden.

Oh what a week once more!

A) As the budget crisis looms at the end of this week, what decisive action did new Speaker of the House Johnson take?

B) According to what MAGA presidential candidate what other MAGA presidential candidate is “scum”?

C) Election night Tuesday was quite a night. Enshrining access to abortion in the state’s constitution passed by a large margin in what state?

D) This is Native American Heritage Month. How many federally recognized tribes are there in the US? 

E) Thanks to a huge amount of amendments submitted by MAGA senators, what two alleged corrupters of SCOTUS justices were not subpoenaed by the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday?

F) Much press generated in Iowa Monday as Iowa’s MAGA governor endorsed who for president?

G) The Biden Administration has begun a crackdown on questionable advertising for what insurance products?

H) In a much followed story concerning Iowa hospitals, what entity was declared the new owner of Iowa City’s Mercy Hospital?

I) Also in Iowa news, who announced his candidacy to challenge current 3rd district congress member Zach Nunn Thursday?

J) Native American Heritage: The Trail Of Tears is associated with what Native American tribe?

K) Speaking environmentally, the last 12 months have been the “what-est” in recorded history?

L) In England, four men were arrested for the September 2019 theft of what from Winston Churchill’s ancestral home?

M) A small faint object recently appeared in the night sky in front of the ISS. What is it?

N) In a strange revelation from the new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, he and his son monitor each others what kind of activity on the internet?

O) In Iowa what two tribes are considered the ancestral ancient tribes?

P) President Biden announced federal investments into what quasi-public industry even as the US House voted on a bill to defund that same industry?

Q) Christmas 1968 and the world receives a Christmas message from what recently deceased commander of Apollo 8 as it orbits the moon?

R) Astronomical scientists reported the discovery of a super massive black hole estimated to be about how old?

S) The political world reacted very skeptically Thursday when what sitting senator announced he would not run for re-election this year?

T) Pushing their bogus impeachment hearings against President Biden the House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for what people Wednesday?

Republicans sure do hate Chinese communism. But they sure do love that cheap Chinese Communist labor. 

Likewise they surely do hate Mexican immigrants, but goddamn do they love that cheap Mexican labor. What they DON’T love is paying an American a living wage. – Stonekettle

Tip of the hat to EarlG on democraticunderground.com

Answers:

A) Sent the House home til Monday and went to Paris for an extremist right meeting

B) Nikki Haley called Vivek Ramaswamy “scum” during the MAGA debate Wednesday

C) Ohio. MAGA legislators in Ohio say they will block the amendment

D)  565

E) Leonard Leo an Harlan Crow. Grassley among those taking place in this action.

F) Ron DeSantis. She may make the new Trump enemies list

G) Medicare Advantage

H) University of Iowa Hospitals

I) Lanon Baccam

J) Cherokee

K) hottest 12 consecutive month period in recorded history for the world

L) a $6 million gold toilet

M) A tool bag lost by one of the astronauts during a maintenance excursion

N) Porn

O) the Iowa and the Sioux in northwest Iowa

P) Amtrak

Q) Frank Boorman who died this week at age 95

R) 13.2 billion years or nearly as old as the universe itself

S) Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Many suspect Manchin will run for president on a “no labels” ticket to try to wreck President Biden’s re-election

T) Biden’s brother. James and Biden’s son Hunter

How’s that culture war working out for y’all Republicans? You’re losing big chunks of women voters because you forgot that at some point all of this becomes a fundamental question of individual liberty. – Rick Wilson

And the Hawkeye women won a big basketball game Thursday.

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Revenge!

Tip of the hat to EarlG on democraticunderground.com

Just in case you missed it – and the corporate media is doing all it can to make sure that you did – late last week the Washington Post ran a story that detailed plans that were being formulated for a second Trump presidency. Sadly this revelation seems to have then been consigned to the edges of the internet and the chattering class while the corporate media focuses on Hamas and Israel and how old President Biden is.

What the Washington Post reported was absolutely frightening as it basically laid out Trump’s plan to end our democracy with a huge upshift in centralized executive power. While I do not spend 24 hours a day plugged into news sources, I do usually listen to some a fair amount of NPR news daily and scan some local internet news sources. This story barely got a mention.

When this story has been reported, it is usually in the mode of “Well there goes crazy Uncle Donnie again” or “Boy that Trump sure says a lot of crazy stuff.” They are not taking it seriously. The kind of thing that Trump has said he will do are things like:     

It’s now clearer than ever that Trump, if elected, will use the federal government to go after his political rivals and critics, even deploying the military toward that end. His allies are hatching plans to invoke the Insurrection Act on day one.

The US then “would resemble a banana republic”, a University of Virginia law professor told the Washington Post when it revealed these schemes. Almost as troubling, two New York Times stories outlined Trump’s autocratic plans to put loyal lawyers in key posts and limit the independence of federal agencies.

The synopsis of the Washington Post article on the Google search gives us this very scary bit:

5 ways Trump and allies plan for a more authoritarian second term

  • 1Use the Justice Department for political purposes.

  • 2Purge the government and install loyalists.

  • 3Consolidate power in the presidency.

  • 4Pardon Jan. 6 insurrectionists.

  • 5Crack down on immigrants harder, with extraordinary tools.

That first one by itself should scare the bejeebers out of any rational American. The second and third items are in a nutshell the plan to end our democracy – that is to grab power and consolidate it all in the presidency. Bye, bye elections.

The Washington Post article puts some flesh on these five points:

The Post reported Sunday that Trump and his allies have mapped out specific plans to use the federal government to target his enemies. They have signaled a desire to pursue not only President Biden but also high-profile former allies who have turned critical of Trump.

Those former allies include ex-attorney general William P. Barr, ex-Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley, ex-White House chief of staff John F. Kelly and ex-Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb. Just to emphasize, that’s the incumbent president as well as the nation’s former top law enforcement officer, top military official and top White House staffer.

{Editor’s note: did Iowa’s Kim Reynolds elevate herself to a spot on Trump’s list with her endorsement of DeSantis last week?}

On the second point of Purging the government the Post says this:

Jonathan Swan reported for Axios last year that Trump allies were considering reclassifying as many as 50,000 federal employees so that they would lose employment protections and could more easily be replaced.

That’s a fraction of the federal workforce, but the effort could focus on career nonpartisan officials who have significant sway over policy. Presidents usually get to replace only about 4,000 political appointees.

Trump could theoretically use this to recast the ranks of those in charge of national security, intelligence, the State Department, law enforcement and the military. He has frequently singled out all of these areas as being rife with officials insufficiently aligned with him.

What is that Maya Angelou meme that is always brought up at a time like this?  “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Trump is telling us he will end our democracy. Believe him!

We are now two months out from the Iowa caucuses and the man who will end democracy is light years ahead of his opponents in Iowa. That is truly sad and scary. Iowans would easily sell out their country to a tin horn con man.

Unfortunately now that Trump has openly breached the line of ending democracy, none of his rivals are calling for him (Trump) to step down nor are they defending democracy. You can bet that that Trump’s plans to end democracy are being scrutinized for their own use by his opponents. 

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STATEMENT: Honoring Iowa’s Veterans

Veterans for Peace

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2023

CONTACT

Sarah Bell | sarah@progressiowa.org

STATEMENT: Honoring Iowa’s Veterans

Des Moines, Iowa — Progress Iowa executive director Matt Sinovic issued the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day:

“Iowa veterans and servicemembers deserve our thanks, our support, and to be recognized for their service. That support needs to include more than just words. It requires adequate representation at both the state and federal level. Unfortunately, there are too many politicians who make promises about funding vital programs and services for veterans, then vote to slash funding – which would make these services less accessible and affordable, particularly for those in rural communities.”

This year marks the 105th Veterans Day celebrated across the nation – honoring the service members who fought for our constitutional rights and freedoms. With 174,000 veterans living in Iowa, it’s vital our state and federal government provide veterans with affordable and quality healthcare and access to the myriad of other VA services and benefits.

Republican members of Congress like Rep. Zach Nunn have promised more funding for these vital, and sometimes life-saving services. Unfortunately they have broken their promises and cast votes that would threaten access to health care. Thankfully, the Biden administration continues to provide historic funding to VA programs and consistently supports these life-saving services.

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Progress Iowa is the state’s progressive communications hub with a network that reaches nearly 100,000. We conduct research, develop winning messages, communicate with Iowans about critical policy issues, and empower people who want to improve our state.

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Comment: We concur with Progress Iowa’s message – Thank you, Veterans.

We also wish to remind you that Veterans For Peace will be holding an Armistice Remembrance beginning at 10:30 AM at the ped mall in Iowa City. Details are here.

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Democrat Lanon Baccam Running for Congress in IA-03

Lanon Baccam for Congress IA-03

https://lanonbaccam.com/

https://www.facebook.com/baccamforcongress

Donate

From the campaign website:

“Lanon Baccam is a combat veteran, public servant and son of rural Iowa.

In 1980, Lanon’s parents came to Iowa from Laos and worked at the Mackay Envelope factory. Lanon was born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, and at age 17, enlisted in the Iowa National Guard to give back to the state and country that gave him so much.

In the wake of 9/11, Lanon answered the call to serve his country. As an Iowa National Guardsman, Lanon was activated and deployed to Afghanistan in 2004 as a combat engineer, focusing on explosive demolitions and force protection in and around Kandahar.

Following his service in the Army, Lanon used the GI bill to attend Drake University, and later served in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. There, he worked to support veterans, expand pathways to jobs in the agriculture industry and promote training and entrepreneurship opportunities for Veterans transitioning to careers in agriculture.

Most recently at the USDA, Lanon helped implement historic bipartisan investments, like expanding access to high-speed internet throughout rural America, leading to good-paying jobs and lower costs for American families.

Lanon is running for Congress because he believes all Iowans should have the opportunities afforded to him and his family: access to good-paying jobs, affordable health care, the ability to retire with dignity and protection of women’s reproductive freedoms. As a Veteran, public servant and father, Lanon will go to Washington to get things done for Iowans – regardless of party and background.”

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The Return of The Democrats

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Iowans Trust Teachers, Public Schools & Reject Book Bans, Vouchers
Americans Voted for Reproductive Freedom
Blue Statehouse Alert Live on November 21

IOWANS TRUST TEACHERS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS & REJECT BOOK BANS, VOUCHERS

Iowans sent a strong message last night: enough is enough. They trust teachers and they value strong public schools. They soundly rejected extremism, book bans, and vouchers.

And it happened everywhere – rural, urban, and suburban.

Moms for Liberty is the latest radical, right-winged organization attacking public education across the country. From promoting book bans, demonizing educators, and spreading misinformation about curriculum, this extremist sect of polarizing individuals has pushed their politics in our classrooms right here in Iowa. Moms for Liberty chapters across Iowa endorsed 13 candidates in the 2023 school board races. Out of the 13, a single candidate won in the I35 school district; a rural district with fewer than 1000 students.

Here are just a few of the big wins on election night from around Iowa:

Carroll – The candidates endorsed by Moms for Liberty in this Western Iowa community all lost.

Johnston – After winning approval of their voucher scheme last session, the Family Leader and Bob Vander Plaats spent thousands trying to get their candidates elected to the school board. Every single one of them lost.

Linn-Mar (Marion) – Linn-Mar became the epicenter of the right wing’s anti-LGBTQ+ agenda when Gov. Reynolds and Congresswomen Ashley Hinson targeted the school district because the school tried to make sure every kid was safe and supported. Despite the national spotlight and relentless pressure from GOP politicians, voters stood strong for public schools and their kids.

Our thanks to all the Iowans who showed up on Tuesday and supported teachers, students, and our public schools.

AMERICANS VOTED FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM

Also last night, reproductive freedom was on the ballot in Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia. It won everywhere.

Voters in Ohio overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom. They stood with the majority of Americans who believe that politicians should not interfere with a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. Women enjoy having human rights, and we vote. Iowa is no different.

In Kentucky, a red state President Biden lost by 26 points, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear was re-elected to another term. Abortion was a key issue and Republicans tried to win this race with culture wars.

In Virginia, the Republican Governor spent millions to gain control of the legislature, but Democrats kept the State Senate and even won back the State House. Those wins guarantee reproductive freedom for millions of people.

All over the country, Americans are rejecting MAGA and abortion bans.

In July, Iowa Republicans passed one of the most aggressive 6-week abortion bans in the country with little-to-no exceptions for rape or incest. It’s now held up in the courts but we imagine they will stop at nothing to resist the voices of the majority of Iowans and keep pushing an out-of-touch agenda.

It’s time for us to keep fighting right here in Iowa.

BLUE STATEHOUSE ALERT LIVE ON NOV. 21

We will back for the Blue Alert Live on Facebook on Tuesday, November 21. Join House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst for an update from the Iowa House.

Hope to see you on Facebook or Zoom!

Register for the discussion on ZOOM.

Watch live on Facebook.

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Local Veterans For Peace Keeping Spirit Of Armistice Alive

Veterans for Peace. Pictured Paul Deaton and Ed Flaherty

Veterans For Peace invite you to join us to reclaim the spirit of the Armistice and welcome our honored guest David Swanson, Saturday, November 11.

We gather at 10:30 AM at the Weatherdance Fountain Stage on the Iowa City Ped Mall.  Bugler Roscoe Porch will sound Assembly prior to the start and sound Taps after the bell ringing at 11:00, then David Swanson will talk about how “The World Needs an Armistice Day.”

Refreshments and pizza immediately following at the Iowa City Public Library where Swanson will deliver his main address: “A Global Monroe Doctrine Needs a Global Armistice.”

Also, the film “The Most Dangerous Man in America” (Daniel Ellsberg) will be showing at IC Film Scene, Chauncy, at 3PM that afternoon.

Peace (boy, do we need it), Ed F.

This event is Free and open to the Public.

David Swanson is a U. S. anti-war activist, blogger and author. He currently resides in Virginia and is the Executive Director of World BEYOND War and the Campaign Coordinator of RootsAction.org. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org and hosts Talk World Radio. He is a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and also serves on the advisory board of Veterans For Peace.

His appearance is made possible by a gift from the estate of Tom Baldridge.

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Kim Reynolds America’s Most Unpopular Governor

progressiowa.org/

Least Popular Governor In America To Endorse DeSantis

Reynolds trades Trump’s clown shoes for DeSantis lifts in apparent attempt to boost her plummeting approval rating

Des Moines, Iowa — Progress Iowa executive director Matt Sinovic issued the following statement in response to Governor Kim Reynolds endorsing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for President – just days after discovering she is the least popular Governor in America:

“Iowans want their leaders to solve real problems, not play political games. Kim Reynolds endorsing Ron DeSantis today proves she just doesn’t get it. It’s no wonder the latest polling proves she’s the least popular Governor in America.”

“DeSantis has the same MAGA track record as Donald Trump, which is completely out of step with Iowans. DeSantis has signed unconstitutional laws costing taxpayers millions of dollars in legal fees, he’s sold out to corporations while driving up costs for Florida families, and ripped away the freedom to access abortion.”

“Governor Reynolds is clearly trying to boost her floundering approval ratings with this endorsement. But the only thing lifted at the DeSantis rally today will be his boots.”

Earlier this year, Progress Iowa hosted an event with DeSantis Watch, featuring Iowans and officials from Florida to educate the public about Governor DeSantis and his policies. Progress Iowa also published The 4 Things Iowans Need To Know About Ron DeSantis. Below are quotes from the event earlier this year about Governors DeSantis and Reynolds.

Debra Zupke, a parent who lives in Bettendorf, Iowa:

“I’m tired. As a mom with politicians telling me how to parent, I’m tired. As a person with a uterus with politicians telling me what I can and cannot do with my body, I’m tired. I’m tired of politicians like Kim Reynolds and Ron DeSantis micromanaging and underfunding our schools and attacking kids because of what gender they are or who they love. Governor Reynolds continues to use Florida as an example for creating our laws, and I’m tired of the problems she has caused as a result. We need to stop following the DeSantis playbook.”

Sean Shaw, a former Florida legislator:

“Ron DeSantis does not believe in true freedom and with him in office Florida is anything but free. There is no such thing as the free state of Florida unless you believe in every single thing Ron DeSantis believes in. DeSantis wants to ban books, ban honest education, and he constantly uses dog whistle politics while he assaults our diversity and equity. Under DeSantis Florida has gone backward, and his blueprint for America would mean we are less healthy, less safe, and that we would pander to the lowest common denominator in our country.”

Alex Sink, who served as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer:

“I want the people of Iowa and the nation at large to know who the real Ron DeSantis is and how his policies are damaging the lives of everyday Floridians. We too believe that we deserve freedom and we deserve the freedom to live prosperous and healthy lives. Florida has one of the worst housing crises in the country, and DeSantis has done nothing to address it. In fact, he has used money to bail out the insurance industry. DeSantis has taken away our reproductive freedom, our freedom to live healthy lives, and we are shamefully one of the few states left in the country that refuses to expand Medicaid.”

For additional information, visit DeSantisWatch.org and read The 4 Things Iowans Need To Know About Ron DeSantis.

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Progress Iowa is the state’s progressive communications hub with a network that reaches nearly 100,000. We conduct research, develop winning messages, communicate with Iowans about critical policy issues, and empower people who want to improve our state.
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Iowa Press: Iowa’s Worsening Water Quality and Supply

Thank you Iowa Press for not inviting someone on this program to represent the “other side” who would only have disrupted and polluted the dialogue with partisan talking points and mistruths. It was nice to be able to just listen and learn from experts.

Ted Corrigan, CEO and general manager of Des Moines Water Works, and David Cwiertny, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Center of Health Effects of Environmental Contamination [CHEEC] at the University of Iowa discuss water quality and water supply issues with Kay Henderson, Erin Murphy, Des Moines bureau chief for The Gazette and Clay Masters, lead political reporter and host for Iowa Public Radio.

Rating:  Safe to watch

Posted in Blog for Iowa | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pelosi Calls Out “No Labels”

(1 minute)

From Teagan Goddard’s  Political Wire (Thursday)

Pelosi Launches All-Out Attack on No Labels

November 2, 2023 at 3:29 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 52 Comments

“Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi on Thursday became one of the highest-profile elected Democrats to go public with her concerns about the centrist group No Labels’ third-party presidential bid,” Politico reports.

Said Pelosi: “No Labels is perilous to our democracy. I hesitate to say No Labels because they do have labels. They’re called no taxes for the rich. No child tax credit for children. They’re called let’s undo the Affordable Care Act.”

She added: “When they jeopardize the reelection of Joe Biden as president of the United States, I can no longer remain silent on that.”

Let me add that the recent candidacy of Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips also has an air of dead fish left on the lake shore. It smells like some very rich people trolled for a money hungry politician and caught one. Hopefully the Minnesota press will dig out who owns Phillips these days.

“No Labels” and RFK, jr. and Cornell West and Dean Phillips are playing a game that MAGAs can really get behind. I hope selling out their country is worth it to them. We need a Rod Serling “Twilight Zone” to explain the consequences of their actions. (“Imagine if you will ………”)

Just think – in a couple of months Iowa’s MAGAs will lay the first brick in building the campaign for America’s first felon president and the end of whatever was left of a society based on laws. Take a bow, Iowa MAGAs 

Posted in #nevertrump, #trumpresistance, 2024 election | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments