Sports Question!! Since you're a fellow soccer nerd, do you see a way for promotion and relegation to be part of any pro sport in the US? I know, it's all about the owners and their money. But last weekend's "Richest Game in Sports" is such a great spectacle. And everything gets so much more interesting knowing that your small-town team could rise to the top level if they win, and even the big guys could get demoted if they are terrible. Sorry Oakland, off to Triple-A for you....
The House will need "moderate" Democratic Party votes to get the Debt Crisis bill passed, which will be a "win" for both parties.
(Actually a bi-partisan bill passed is a win for the American people.)
Those Dems in Republican-leaning districts will hold their noses and vote for what makes sense.
Then the "Lame Stream Media" search for "moderate" Republicans who may do so and land on such "serious" Legislative "movers and shakers,"as Nancy Mace (R-NC).
She claims that MyKevin's agreement with Biden is horrendous considering the president "...can't find his pants."
Instead of talking about the good for the country, she offers ad homin attacks at Uncle Joe.
Questions:
1. Are Republican House members serious about passing bills that are good for the nation regardless of party affiliation?
2. Please name those Republican House members who are serious about working across the aisle to do the people's work.
‐‐‐----------------------------------
BTW - it took Senator Todd Young 6 years into his role as Republican Senator to feel strong enough to slip the grasp of Trumpism work with Dems for useful domestic and foreign affairs legislation.
[Todd is moving into the Dick Lugar (R-IN) tradition from back in the day when meaningful legislation was passed by opposing parties.]
Chris W - to your Question 2: Theoretically, it's the 30 or so R members of the House problem solvers caucus (https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov) headed by Brian Fitzpatrick of PA and matched with 30 D's. An admirable idea, well-meaning bipartisan members with great intentions, but they don't seem to have accomplished diddly-squat.
Why did Biden negotiate with McCarthy instead of having Jefferies and the House Democrats do so? Did Biden "need" to do this? Did McCarthy "demand" it? Wouldn't there have been an advantage to Biden to have Jefferies do the "heavy lifting" and then show up for the photos? This might have been an opportunity for Jefferies to show that he could one day lead the party. I don't understand why things played out as it did.
How can the GOP writ large claim they are remotedly serious about the deficit when they rule out raising revenues with taxes, or at least revisiting some of Trump's tax cuts that targeted/benefitted the wealthy.
No action on the Carried Interest Loophole? Study after study says that the IRS is functionally unable to enforce or even audit tax laws that apply to the uber-wealthy.
I am paying a smaller percentage of my income in federal taxes than any time in my life, despite now having no dependents and TAKING THE STANDARD DEDUCTION!
Honest tax preparers and CPAs can't reach an IRS agent on the phone because of reductions made to the IRS in prior years by Congress (who used the IRS as their "whipping boy").
I have been dealing with the IRS for a 2002 discrepancy...less that $3,000...we were coming to a resolve when they finalized the amount owed and split the same amount to me and my wife.
Every other correspondence was as "Husband and Wife" filing together!!!
LESSON LEARNED...SEND EVERY CORRESPONDENCE VIA "RETURN RECIEPT".
Becuase their view of democracy and yours is entirely different.
Republican Party view:
White Males about to be surpassed by non-whites by 2040.
"Don't worry about the 'wimmin' folk, we'll make their minds right. But we need to prevent persons of color ( nigras and spics), Asians (slant-eyes), and young people who care about tomorrow from voting.
Democratic Party view:
Simple...let everyone vote in any way that is logical...over weeks, via voting stations like USPS drops, and legit absentee ballots.
Do you think the debt ceiling debate matters for the Republican base in terms of the 2024 Republican primary and also do you think they are watching it closely as political junkies?
Kevin McCarthy is releasing video footage from January 6 to conservative media and withholding it from conventional media. Is he the only person who has control of those tapes, or could Chuck Schumer as majority leader of a coequal legislative body more broadly release the same footage?
Hey Chris, Just about the numbers... if the GOP would lose the evangelicals and so-called pro-life votes (because they are mainly pro-gun) by wanting to reinstate abortion laws, how many moderates and women could be won over, opposed to the votes lost? Would it make a difference and could the pro-lifers be ignored??
The Senator Feinstein issue is the third time in the last 3 years that someone not wanting to step down has had real consequences for the Democrats (RBG and Biden are the other two). Given how polarized Washington is at this point, do you think this will force party leadership to take a more forceful look at encouraging retirements in the future? While older Senators and their ability to do work has been an issue for a while, it seems like Washington is a less forgiving place than it was even 10 years ago.
Heard you on TK’s podcast telling the story of Ron DeSantis eating a cup of pudding with his fingers and was wondering if any other presidents had similar “quirks” (insert your Bill Clinton joke here).
Two-part question on 2024: If Trump is the nominee, for Veep does he go traditional conservative in the mold of a Scott or Haley, or do you think he'd be willing to try an MTG or someone else on the far right of spectrum?
At what point do you think we'll see candidates start to drop out, and do you think there will be a prisoner's dilemma like in 2016 where everyone thinks they can beat Trump and no one will quit until it's too late?
What is the process for changing the President’s term from 2 till 3 terms? I guess it has never happened, but if Trump gets back into the WH (hopefully not) he might well try and have his term extended.
Do you think a factor in Biden's decision to rerun was his assessment that VP Harris has been a disappointment and couldn't beat Trump or DeSantis? It seemed to me Biden's 2020 comment about "transitional figure" was a clear signal he intended his VP to run in 2024.
Your thoughts? From the cheap seats it looks like McCarthy basically got everything he wanted and Biden got bupkis (except for the debt ceiling, which isn't partisan). This happened because Republicans REALLY WERE prepared to explode their suicide vests at the kitchen table. And "default = recession = Trump victory". In that case, for once in his life the Don could tell the truth: "there were no defaults in my presidency, and there wouldn't be next time". In this negotiation, Biden was totally boxed in.
Hey Chris! Is there anything legitimate to this story of Ken Paxton suppressing 2.5 million mail-in ballots in Texas in 2020? Do you see a world in which Texas follows Georgia’s lead and flips in the near-future? I imagine without Texas it would be very difficult for any Republican to win a presidential election.
If you take the 2020 Election map and flip Texas Blue, the Republican candidate could steal Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, and still lose the election.
Sports Question!! Since you're a fellow soccer nerd, do you see a way for promotion and relegation to be part of any pro sport in the US? I know, it's all about the owners and their money. But last weekend's "Richest Game in Sports" is such a great spectacle. And everything gets so much more interesting knowing that your small-town team could rise to the top level if they win, and even the big guys could get demoted if they are terrible. Sorry Oakland, off to Triple-A for you....
I'm a Braves fan. Oakland's a juggernaut trust me
I like this question!
Cristo,
The House will need "moderate" Democratic Party votes to get the Debt Crisis bill passed, which will be a "win" for both parties.
(Actually a bi-partisan bill passed is a win for the American people.)
Those Dems in Republican-leaning districts will hold their noses and vote for what makes sense.
Then the "Lame Stream Media" search for "moderate" Republicans who may do so and land on such "serious" Legislative "movers and shakers,"as Nancy Mace (R-NC).
She claims that MyKevin's agreement with Biden is horrendous considering the president "...can't find his pants."
Instead of talking about the good for the country, she offers ad homin attacks at Uncle Joe.
Questions:
1. Are Republican House members serious about passing bills that are good for the nation regardless of party affiliation?
2. Please name those Republican House members who are serious about working across the aisle to do the people's work.
‐‐‐----------------------------------
BTW - it took Senator Todd Young 6 years into his role as Republican Senator to feel strong enough to slip the grasp of Trumpism work with Dems for useful domestic and foreign affairs legislation.
[Todd is moving into the Dick Lugar (R-IN) tradition from back in the day when meaningful legislation was passed by opposing parties.]
Chris W - to your Question 2: Theoretically, it's the 30 or so R members of the House problem solvers caucus (https://problemsolverscaucus.house.gov) headed by Brian Fitzpatrick of PA and matched with 30 D's. An admirable idea, well-meaning bipartisan members with great intentions, but they don't seem to have accomplished diddly-squat.
TOTALLY AGREE!!!
It's not about stats, it's about ideology.
50 years ago both parties had a broad diversity of ideology creating true "moderates".
Even die-hard Conservatives and Progressives then worked across the aisle in the interest of their constituents.
If one considers Republicans from relative Conservativism, there are members who don't believe Uncle Joe was legally election.
WTF --- that's what passes for "Moderate" Republican in the "Main Stream Media"...
PUUUULLLLEEEZE!
Why did Biden negotiate with McCarthy instead of having Jefferies and the House Democrats do so? Did Biden "need" to do this? Did McCarthy "demand" it? Wouldn't there have been an advantage to Biden to have Jefferies do the "heavy lifting" and then show up for the photos? This might have been an opportunity for Jefferies to show that he could one day lead the party. I don't understand why things played out as it did.
How can the GOP writ large claim they are remotedly serious about the deficit when they rule out raising revenues with taxes, or at least revisiting some of Trump's tax cuts that targeted/benefitted the wealthy.
No action on the Carried Interest Loophole? Study after study says that the IRS is functionally unable to enforce or even audit tax laws that apply to the uber-wealthy.
I am paying a smaller percentage of my income in federal taxes than any time in my life, despite now having no dependents and TAKING THE STANDARD DEDUCTION!
Honest tax preparers and CPAs can't reach an IRS agent on the phone because of reductions made to the IRS in prior years by Congress (who used the IRS as their "whipping boy").
What am I missing?
I have been dealing with the IRS for a 2002 discrepancy...less that $3,000...we were coming to a resolve when they finalized the amount owed and split the same amount to me and my wife.
Every other correspondence was as "Husband and Wife" filing together!!!
LESSON LEARNED...SEND EVERY CORRESPONDENCE VIA "RETURN RECIEPT".
Never trust they'll get your info.
Why don’t Republicans see what they are doing to democracy?!!!
Becuase their view of democracy and yours is entirely different.
Republican Party view:
White Males about to be surpassed by non-whites by 2040.
"Don't worry about the 'wimmin' folk, we'll make their minds right. But we need to prevent persons of color ( nigras and spics), Asians (slant-eyes), and young people who care about tomorrow from voting.
Democratic Party view:
Simple...let everyone vote in any way that is logical...over weeks, via voting stations like USPS drops, and legit absentee ballots.
Do you think the debt ceiling debate matters for the Republican base in terms of the 2024 Republican primary and also do you think they are watching it closely as political junkies?
Who wins the NBA championship?
Kevin McCarthy is releasing video footage from January 6 to conservative media and withholding it from conventional media. Is he the only person who has control of those tapes, or could Chuck Schumer as majority leader of a coequal legislative body more broadly release the same footage?
Hey Chris, Just about the numbers... if the GOP would lose the evangelicals and so-called pro-life votes (because they are mainly pro-gun) by wanting to reinstate abortion laws, how many moderates and women could be won over, opposed to the votes lost? Would it make a difference and could the pro-lifers be ignored??
This is a touchy topic but…
The Senator Feinstein issue is the third time in the last 3 years that someone not wanting to step down has had real consequences for the Democrats (RBG and Biden are the other two). Given how polarized Washington is at this point, do you think this will force party leadership to take a more forceful look at encouraging retirements in the future? While older Senators and their ability to do work has been an issue for a while, it seems like Washington is a less forgiving place than it was even 10 years ago.
Hey Lace!
Heard you on TK’s podcast telling the story of Ron DeSantis eating a cup of pudding with his fingers and was wondering if any other presidents had similar “quirks” (insert your Bill Clinton joke here).
Two-part question on 2024: If Trump is the nominee, for Veep does he go traditional conservative in the mold of a Scott or Haley, or do you think he'd be willing to try an MTG or someone else on the far right of spectrum?
At what point do you think we'll see candidates start to drop out, and do you think there will be a prisoner's dilemma like in 2016 where everyone thinks they can beat Trump and no one will quit until it's too late?
What is the process for changing the President’s term from 2 till 3 terms? I guess it has never happened, but if Trump gets back into the WH (hopefully not) he might well try and have his term extended.
Do you think a factor in Biden's decision to rerun was his assessment that VP Harris has been a disappointment and couldn't beat Trump or DeSantis? It seemed to me Biden's 2020 comment about "transitional figure" was a clear signal he intended his VP to run in 2024.
Your thoughts? From the cheap seats it looks like McCarthy basically got everything he wanted and Biden got bupkis (except for the debt ceiling, which isn't partisan). This happened because Republicans REALLY WERE prepared to explode their suicide vests at the kitchen table. And "default = recession = Trump victory". In that case, for once in his life the Don could tell the truth: "there were no defaults in my presidency, and there wouldn't be next time". In this negotiation, Biden was totally boxed in.
Hey Chris! Is there anything legitimate to this story of Ken Paxton suppressing 2.5 million mail-in ballots in Texas in 2020? Do you see a world in which Texas follows Georgia’s lead and flips in the near-future? I imagine without Texas it would be very difficult for any Republican to win a presidential election.
If you take the 2020 Election map and flip Texas Blue, the Republican candidate could steal Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, and still lose the election.