The Biden Presidency - 2020

[cuervo72]

"Partisanship might have permanently changed how we grade presidents"

You don't say.

[Lathum]

yeah. No president in our lifetime will ever hit above 50%.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

"Partisanship might have permanently changed how we grade presidents"

You don't say.

I'm sure Lincoln has thoughts about this.

[miami_fan]

Since there are no details good or bad, all I can say is good on Kissinger. I am sure he didn't fly over to China via coach and have the issues the average American you have for such a trip. I also don't care if it is patriotism, ego, goodwill that made him go over there. I am pretty sure nothing short of the Chinese leader's finger hovering over the nuclear button would have gotten me on any vehicle to take me to China to for any talks a month plus after my 100th birthday. Some other diplomat has to have gotten friendly with China since 1971.

[Edward64]

Agree, I don't see how it could hurt. I was just curious as to why (and intent!). You'd think Joe asked him to go but they denied it. So either China asked him to come so he can convey a special message back to Joe (but then Yellen and Blinken were just there), or he decided to visit one last time himself (but then that is curious timing).

We'll find out soon enough.

Hope he has a great time there and get a chance to eat some authentic food (and maybe hallucinogenic mushrooms).

[RainMaker]

I hope he doesn't eat food over there that makes him violently ill and he dies a miserable death. Would truly hate to see that happen.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Agree, I don't see how it could hurt. I was just curious as to why (and intent!). You'd think Joe asked him to go but they denied it. So either China asked him to come so he can convey a special message back to Joe (but then Yellen and Blinken were just there), or he decided to visit one last time himself (but then that is curious timing).

We'll find out soon enough.

Hope he has a great time there and get a chance to eat some authentic food (and maybe hallucinogenic mushrooms).

I can definitely see how it could hurt. I think we could all see a world where a Republican diplomat (let's use Jim Jordan for this example) or an Democrat diplomat (AOC) goes to China without the authorization of the administration of the day who is not aligned with their party could be problematic. I am not going ascribe that scenario to Kissinger at this point. I hope he has gone there on behalf of the administration and not to just do his own thing. Either way, the idea that Henry Kissinger is still an option in U.S./China relations in 2023 is a problem IMO.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

I can definitely see how it could hurt. I think we could all see a world where a Republican diplomat (let's use Jim Jordan for this example) or an Democrat diplomat (AOC) goes to China without the authorization of the administration of the day who is not aligned with their party could be problematic. I am not going ascribe that scenario to Kissinger at this point. I hope he has gone there on behalf of the administration and not to just do his own thing. Either way, the idea that Henry Kissinger is still an option in U.S./China relations in 2023 is a problem IMO.

Biden admin has said they did not send Kissinger so I'll take them at their word.

But Miller stressed that Kissinger went to China as a private citizen.

“I will say he was there under his own volition, not acting on behalf of the United States government. And I don’t have any further updates on this trip,” he said during the department press briefing.

IMO Kissinger is pretty irrelevant in world politics stage now. Even if he was a closeted commie or MAGA, and started saying negative things about Joe or US, no one in the non-China sphere would pay much attention.

Best case is Xi asked Kissinger to come so he can be an trusted but informal messenger to Joe. Get a message to Joe, do it privately not publicly so Joe doesn't "lose face" or get attacked by MAGA.

But then Kissinger wanting a last hurrah, public adoration (and try the Yellen's mushrooms) is also possible.

It's just an interesting situation ...

[Edward64]

Don't know how successful it'll be for Joe, but I like it.

Opinion: Marjorie Taylor Greene gave Joe Biden an early Christas present | CNN

During a speech at the Turning Point Action Conference, the congresswoman tried to attack Biden by likening him to Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson. Seeking to depict Biden as a big-government liberal, she said, “Joe Biden had the largest public investment in social infrastructure and environmental programs, that is actually finishing what FDR started, that LBJ expanded on, and Joe Biden is attempting to complete.”

Biden’s team pounced on the speech, releasing a campaign ad that used her words to his advantage. The ad features images of Biden at work, with a voiceover of Greene’s comments as well as a snippet from another speech in which she explained the administration’s investments by saying, “Programs to address education, medical care, urban problems, rural poverty, transportation, Medicare, Medicaid labor unions, and he still is working on it,” Greene said.

Biden was happy to own those accomplishments, sharing the ad on Twitter in a post where he quipped, “I approve this message.”

Here's the tweet

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/...384435713?s=20

[Edward64]

For those that don't know, TSMC is the Taiwanese company that makes a bunch of semi-conductor chips. It's one of those companies that are strategically important to the US and if China ever invades Taiwan, a company that US (supposedly) threatened to bomb its manufacturing facilities so China doesn't get it. So very important.

Read below article and thought "great job Joe", bringing strategic manufacturing back to the US ... slowly but surely.

TSMC Postpones Mass Production at Arizona Fab to 2025 | Tom's Hardware

TSMC on Thursday stated that it would have to delay the start of large-scale production at its Fab 21 in Arizona to 2025. The setback comes as a result of an inability to set up all the necessary cleanroom tools in a timely manner, largely due to a shortage of qualified staff. To rectify this, TSMC is deploying approximately 500 of its Taiwanese personnel with hands-on experience in fab tools installation.

Heck, I don't know why the visa needs "ongoing negotiations". Joe just needs to say okay. We want a good chunk of the foundry here in Mexico, US or Canada.

Just last month, TSMC confirmed ongoing negotiations with the U.S. government aiming to secure non-immigrant visas for its Taiwanese specialists to work in the U.S. Based on a Nikkei report, TSMC was going to dispatch some 500 technicians who can set up fab tools as well as mechanical and electrical systems for fabs.

[GrantDawg]

So many things like this don't get highlighted enough.

[JPhillips]

AL legislators ignored a SCOTUS order to create a second majority black congressional district.

[Edward64]

I don't understand how this bill helps the conflict of interest. As I read this bill, it is (1) no stock trading at all and (2) no blind trust. Because I did not see any wording to the contrary (and I may have missed it) this implies its okay for our lawmakers to trade ETF/Mutual Funds.

Senators introduce bipartisan ban on stock ownership for executive and legislative branch office holders and their families | CNN Politics

New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley are introducing bipartisan legislation that would prevent members of the executive and legislative branches — as well as their spouses and children — from trading individual company stocks.

The legislation will also ban blind trusts, require increased filing transparency, and significantly increases penalties for violations, including fines of at least 10% of the value of the prohibited investments for members of Congress.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant. It is critical that the American people know that their elected leaders are putting the public first – not looking for ways to line their own pockets,” Gillibrand said in a statement.

Lawmakers can influence "sectors" like Tech, Financials, Real Estate etc. And there are ETF/Mutual Funds focused on those sectors. Sure they may not be able to trade individual stocks but they'll just now influence the "sectors".

The solution to me is Blind Trust. Essentially, when you are in office, you leave it to an impartial team at Fidelity, Vanguard, Charles Schwab etc. and say something like "I want you to conservatively/aggressively invest over a 5-10-15-20 year timeline".

This just seems like a hollow bill with gaping holes.

[Atocep]

I don't know where this should go, but the story is absolutely crazy.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/patrick...wburn-alabama/

Patrick Braxton, 57, is one of several plaintiffs named in Braxton et al v. Stokes et al. The other plaintiffs — James Ballard, Barbara Patrick, Janice Quarles and Wanda Scott — are people that Braxton hoped to name to the city council of Newburn after he was elected to office in 2020. However, Braxton said that the "minority White residents of (Newburn), long accustomed to exercising total control over the government, refused to accept this outcome." Haywood Stokes III, the acting mayor of Newburn, instead allegedly worked with acting town council members to hold a special election where he was re-appointed to the mayoral seat and keeping Braxton from taking office and carrying out mayoral duties.

Meanwhile, in August 2020, just weeks after his election, Stokes and his council members Gary Broussard, Jesse Donald Leverett, Voncille Brown Thomas and Willie Richard Tucker allegedly "met in secret to adopt a 'special' election ordinance." Notice of the meeting was not published, and the group set a special election for Oct. 6, 2020.

No notice of that election was ever published, according to the lawsuit. Because the election was not publicized, only Stokes and his council members qualified. They then "effectively reappointed themselves" to their positions, Braxton alleged, and "unlawfully assumed their new terms" and were sworn in in November, even as Braxton assembled his own town council.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Biden admin has said they did not send Kissinger so I'll take them at their word.
:
IMO Kissinger is pretty irrelevant in world politics stage now. Even if he was a closeted commie or MAGA, and started saying negative things about Joe or US, no one in the non-China sphere would pay much attention.

Best case is Xi asked Kissinger to come so he can be an trusted but informal messenger to Joe. Get a message to Joe, do it privately not publicly so Joe doesn't "lose face" or get attacked by MAGA.

But then Kissinger wanting a last hurrah, public adoration (and try the Yellen's mushrooms) is also possible.

It's just an interesting situation ...

Politico had good insight, opinion on why.

Why Kissinger Went to China — Again - POLITICO

Why the lovefest? Mostly because it was in both China’s and Kissinger’s mutual interests to play nice.

For China, it was an opportunity to suggest that they would respond better to U.S. policies that harkened back to Kissinger’s time.

For Kissinger, the visit represents an opportunity to do what he has been trying to do ever since he left public office: maintain his relevancy and influence.

No suggestion that US sent Kissinger. China sending a public (not secret) message sounds right. And it does sound like the 100 year old guy does want to continue to stroke his own ego. I googled and found net worth estimates ranging from $10-$50M. Doesn't seem that he needs to "work" anymore.

[GrantDawg]

Speaker McCarthy said on Fox News that they are preparing to start the Biden impeachment hearings soon. He said the charges are "something we haven't seen since Nixon."
I'm sure this will be the first and they will come up some reason for the second before the election to even the score with Trump.

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[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Speaker McCarthy said on Fox News that they are preparing to start the Biden impeachment hearings soon. He said the charges are "something we haven't seen since Nixon."
I'm sure this will be the first and they will come up some reason for the second before the election to even the score with Trump.

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Shit like this is why McConnel seems to have given up on taking full advantage of the 2024 senate map and only hopes they can squeeze out a majority.

BS impeachment hearings aren't going to sway voters to their side.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Speaker McCarthy said on Fox News that they are preparing to start the Biden impeachment hearings soon. He said the charges are "something we haven't seen since Nixon."
I'm sure this will be the first and they will come up some reason for the second before the election to even the score with Trump.

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So you think the accusations against Biden will be "trump-ed" up?

[JPhillips]

Conservatives are fighting against renewal of PEPFAR and now the one thing Bush did right is at risk of being killed. Conservatives for death strike again.

[GrantDawg]

The dude straight up had a mini-stroke while talking to reporters.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell begins his weekly press conference, freezes for 20 seconds, and then is escorted away by fellow Republicans. pic.twitter.com/mYdBaU0Acv

— The Recount (@therecount) July 26, 2023

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The dude straight up had a mini-stroke while talking to reporters.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell begins his weekly press conference, freezes for 20 seconds, and then is escorted away by fellow Republicans. pic.twitter.com/mYdBaU0Acv

— The Recount (@therecount) July 26, 2023

That's scary as hell. They led him away but then brought him back out a short time later. How they didn't take him straight to a hospital I don't understand.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Ryche

That's scary as hell. They led him away but then brought him back out a short time later. How they didn't take him straight to a hospital I don't understand.

They just needed to reboot him. I don't think a hospital was necessary.

[Edward64]

Sounds like a hiccup or two popped up. Article implies it was a sweetheart deal.

I'm sure he'll eventually get a deal. But no problem in making that idiot squirm a little more.

Judge declines to approve Hunter Biden plea deal for now - POLITICO

But early in the hearing, it became clear that Noreika, also a Trump appointee, found the deal concerning and abnormal, describing some of the provisions as “not standard” and “different from what I normally see.” It consisted of two parts: the plea agreement to resolve the tax charges, and the diversion agreement to resolve the gun charge. In the diversion agreement, however, the Justice Department committed not to bring charges against Biden for actions related to the tax plea deal.

The judge raised concerns about that, and said she couldn’t find another example of a diversion agreement so broad that it shielded the defendant from charges in a different case. Leo Wise, a prosecutor working for Weiss, told the judge he also was unaware of any such precedent.

[GrantDawg]

Send him to jail. Please.

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[Atocep]

I don't really care, whatever.

However, this whole thing appears to have started with his iCloud account getting hacked while he was in rehab. The data was put on a hard drive, sold to someone with GOP ties, who got it to Rudy who put the who threw the drive in a laptop and started the "hunter's laptop" story.

This was a ton of work, countless laws broken, and god knows how much money spent to get a guy on some relatively minor charges.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I don't really care, whatever.

However, this whole thing appears to have started with his iCloud account getting hacked while he was in rehab. The data was put on a hard drive, sold to someone with GOP ties, who got it to Rudy who put the who threw the drive in a laptop and started the "hunter's laptop" story.

This was a ton of work, countless laws broken, and god knows how much money spent to get a guy on some relatively minor charges.

There may be another laptop but the laptop with pics and emails was because he left it at a repair shop and didn't return to pick it up/pay for it within X date. The repair guy looked at the contents and eventually went to Giuliani.

I believe the "hacked" story was an early attempt to distance himself from the laptop. But I think most everyone concludes it was his laptop, those were his pics, and many, if not all, of those emails were his.

The drive to pursue was obviously wanting to get back at Joe. There's still a thread out there that Joe got some kickbacks but IMO highly unlikely. No doubt Hunter leveraged his connections (who wouldn't) but he's just a sleazy, piece of shit guy and that works against him (e.g. who would sleep with brother's widow less than 2 years after brother's death, and while still legally married). No problem if he is given a stiffer sentence than normal and sent to jail.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Ryche

That's scary as hell. They led him away but then brought him back out a short time later. How they didn't take him straight to a hospital I don't understand.

I don't think that it occurred to the founders that anyone would ever want to be doing these jobs into their 80s and beyond.

If it had, they might have set a mandatory retirement age of, like, 72 for federal judges, legislators, and the President.

If that had been in place from the beginning, no one would question it.

[Ksyrup]

The average life expectancy around 1800 was like 35.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

The average life expectancy around 1800 was like 35.

But that is misleading. The reason it was that low was because of very high infant and childhood mortality rates. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to alter that by determining what the expected life expectancy was after you hit the age of say 35.

[Ksyrup]

That's true. I see something on Wiki about life expectancy from the 12th to 19th centuries as being 50-55 years old if someone survives childhood. If that combines men and women, I believe men would be slightly higher and women lower.

[Brian Swartz]

From what I know that's about right. It wasn't that rare to live into your 70s or so, but it still wasn't common. Stuff like smallpox obv., any random infection or minor illness could very much potentially kill you. I think I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I read a book on Lewis & Clark some years back and it's interesting that in that timeframe people would lead off letters talking about their health. These days we assume if you're in the prime of life you are healthy if you don't say otherwhise; prior to modern medicine it was the opposite. There was much less confidence in making long-term plans for your life, and death was just ... more expected. I think that has a lot to do with how much less accepted war generally is in modern developed countries.

Talking about people like McConnell ... if you had a heart or brain issue you were just almost certainly going to die. At that age, something like bronchitis or pneumonia one winter and you're gone, and thankful you lasted as long as you did basically.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Ryche

That's scary as hell. They led him away but then brought him back out a short time later. How they didn't take him straight to a hospital I don't understand.

because they are republicans and don't believe in hospitals

[Edward64]

Nice, 91 years old and still working.

I assume her Chief of Staff is really the power behind her?

During a Senate Defense Appropriations Bill vote, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was named during roll call and began to give a speech. Chairwoman Sen. Pat Murray (D-WA) stopped Feinstein and told her to "just say aye."

[Ksyrup]

I don't know how many other states do this as well, but in 2021, knowing McConnell was obviously getting up there in years, the KY legislature passed a law requiring the governor to replace a US Senator with someone from the retiring (or dead) Senator's own party. Right now, of course, we have a Democrat Governor and everyone else in an elected position pretty much throughout the state except in Louisville is a Republican.

[Flasch186]

No big deal

Didn’t a state recently elect a person from one post and within a day or two of being sworn in they switched parties? Easy peasy

It’s just a label and meaningless because as we learned words and intentions don’t matter… only the legislation, I mean actions themselves, speak and nothing else.


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[JPhillips]

The KY Gov will have to pick from a list submitted by the KY GOP.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

No big deal

Didn’t a state recently elect a person from one post and within a day or two of being sworn in they switched parties? Easy peasy

It’s just a label and meaningless because as we learned words and intentions don’t matter… only the legislation, I mean actions themselves, speak and nothing else.


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Under the same law the GOP gets to submit 3 options for the governor to choose from in the event McConnel retires.

[Flasch186]

Well we can pick and choose which led to follow nowadays anyways.


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[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

The article is on Hunter's problems and possible impact on Joe. Nothing too surprising but below statement caught my eye.

Hunter is making child support payments (but maybe not consistently per the current lawsuit). I've read court order DNA has proven he is the father.

It seems out of character for Joe aka Grandpa Joe. Easy enough to acknowledge grandchild by saying something like ... "love Hunter, he and Lunden have to work it out in court of law, love to see my grand daughter if Lunden allows it etc.".

Congrats Joe. Finally, right thing to do.

I really don't know why you didn't do this earlier (DNA paternity was established in 2019) and can't help but feel you, in this specific matter, did a shitty job and didn't meet my expectations for what you'd be as a grandfather.

President Biden Speaks Out on Hunter's Child, 4, with Arkansas Woman (Exclusive)

President Joe Biden has offered his first statement on 4-year-old grandchild Navy Joan Roberts, the daughter of Hunter Biden and Lunden Roberts, an Arkansas woman who filed a paternity suit against the president's son in May 2019.

“Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward," President Biden said in a statement provided exclusively to PEOPLE.

Weak excuse. No possible rationale I can think of for not acknowledging her once paternity was established. Definitely stay outside of the legal stuff but send a nice birthday card & present, small things etc.

A source familiar with the situation tells PEOPLE that the recently resolved child support dispute between Hunter and Lunden has dictated how the relationship has played out so far.

"You have to remember there were some fairly contentious legal proceedings between Navy’s parents happening until just a few weeks ago. As grandparents, the Bidens are following Hunter’s lead," the source says, adding, "They are — and have been — giving Hunter and Lunden the space and time to figure things out."

[Edward64]

Some pretty good survey poll results from Pew as of Jun 5.

(Sorry, unlike other images, didn't see a way to make it smaller)

Among Top US Problems: Inflation, Health Costs, Partisan Cooperation | Pew Research Center



Misc musings:

1. Inflation. I would have thought it'd be closer. I definitely feel better about inflation now but would have been more with the Rep/Lean Rep 77% then.
2. Work together. Nice everyone is aligned but I'd hope it would have been higher than 62-63%
3. Federal Budget deficit. Wish they had also surveyed National Debt

[Edward64]

Misc musings:

1. Surprised at the big % for "Neither Party" category. Haven't looked at older Pew Polls but be interesting to see how each category changed in the past years
2. Foreign Policy. Seems weird people agree more with (I assume) Trump's FP than Joe's. I'd thought Joe would be the runaway winner here.

[Edward64]

Not pretty looking for Joe.



Misc musings:

1. Hispanics. I've known this but still surprises me that Hispanics significantly support Rep more than Dems.
2. Postgrad & College grad. I wouldn't have thought that big of a difference. Is it finding a good job in these times? or student debt failure?

[Ksyrup]

From what I understand of current GOP economic policy from their own words, it's defund the FBI and drag shows.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

From what I understand of current GOP economic policy from their own words, it's defund the FBI and drag shows.

Drag shows are bad because reasons.

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

From what I understand of current GOP economic policy from their own words, it's defund the FBI and drag shows.

J Edgar Hoover does not approve

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

From what I understand of current GOP economic policy from their own words, it's defund the FBI and drag shows.

No free or reduced lunch for school children either. Fucking freeloaders.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

J Edgar Hoover does not approve

Gold, Jerry, Gold.

[Edward64]

I'm more agreeable to this new version of student debt reduction/forgiveness.

Biden launches new student loan income-based repayment plan | CNN Politics

The SAVE plan, which applies to current and future federal student loan borrowers, will determine payments based on income and family size, and some monthly payments will be as small as $0. The income threshold to qualify for $0 payments has been increased from 150% to 225% of federal poverty guidelines, which translates to an annual income of $32,805 for a single borrower or $67,500 for a family of four. The Education Department estimates this means more than 1 million additional borrowers will qualify for $0 payments under the plan.

Letting individuals making $125K benefit in prior version didn't sit well with me. And certainly not family making $250K. The above $32K and $67K version is better measured.

Some borrowers could have their payments cut in half when the program is in full effect next year and see their remaining debt canceled after making at least 10 years of payments, a significant change from previous plans.

With the new plan, unpaid interest will not accrue if a borrower makes their full monthly payments.

Interest free loan. Sure.

The Education Department has created similar income-driven repayment plans in the past and has not faced a successful legal challenge, officials noted.

Wondering why they didn't go this route vs the initial approach leveraging the Covid pandemic.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

J Edgar Hoover does not approve

Outstanding post!

[Edward64]

I believe Joe participating in phone calls is a new disclosure? I don't remember reading about it and not the 20 times.

I get Joe may not have formally discussed business dealings (e.g. contractual details etc.) but participation in actual calls increases the odds that he did listen in and was a party to some details (and not just niceties as mentioned below).

Still not a smoking gun though (e.g. show me the money trail to Joe, show me the relevant text, emails etc. to Joe). Unless Joe received some $, this is still a nothing burger and, at best, a blind spot for his frakking son.

Devon Archer debate focuses on Hunter Biden ‘illusion of access’ | The Hill

“The witness indicated that Hunter spoke to his father every day, and approximately 20 times over the course of a 10-year relationship. Hunter may have put his father on the phone with any number of different people, and they never once spoke about any business dealings,” Goldman said.

“As he described it, it was all casual conversation, niceties, the weather, ‘What’s going on?’” Goldman said, adding that “there wasn’t a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had.”