The Biden Presidency - 2020

[JPhillips]

And this fucking guy was National Security Adviser.

Michael Flynn tonight: “If we are going to have one nation under God, which we must, we have to have one religion. One nation under God, and one religion under God.”

[Ksyrup]

Everyone keeps pointing out all of these insane people who WERE X or Y during the first Trump administration and I'm sitting over here thinking about what they WILL BE starting in 2025.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Everyone keeps pointing out all of these insane people who WERE X or Y during the first Trump administration and I'm sitting over here thinking about what they WILL BE starting in 2025.

Flynn is probably Secretary of Defense, State, or Vice President.

[Edward64]

FWIW some stats on Alzheimer's

An estimated 6.2 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer's disease in 2021. More than 1 in 9 people (11.3%) age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease

[Edward64]

Long story short, not all is well between Biden & Kamala (or at least not between their staffs). Long article with fingerpointing on both sides.

Probably truth on both sides and Biden and Kamala just need to meet, come to some sort of agreement, and tell their staffs to shut up.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/14/polit...ent/index.html

Defenders and people who care for Harris are getting frantic. When they're annoyed, some pass around a recent Onion story mocking her lack of more substantive work, one with the headline, "White House Urges Kamala Harris To Sit At Computer All Day In Case Emails Come Through." When they're depressed, they bat down the Aaron Sorkin-style rumor that Biden might try to replace her by nominating her to a Supreme Court vacancy. That chatter has already reached top levels of the Biden orbit, according to one person who's heard it.

She's perceived to be in such a weak position that top Democrats in and outside of Washington have begun to speculate privately, asking each other why the White House has allowed her to become so hobbled in the public consciousness, at least as they see it.

Biden aides have repeatedly told Harris aides that they'd love to have her doing more and asked the vice president's office to come up with plans for how to get her involved, according to people familiar with the conversations. Though the staffs are on multiple calls per week, West Wing aides are often left wondering why there's not more follow through.

[JPhillips]

We forget that most of the time the VP doesn't do anything. For various reasons, that hasn't been true since 2000, but prior to that this was normal. GHWB was damned near invisible as Reagan's VP and he came to the job more experienced than almost anyone. I'm sure there's something Harris could do, but Biden is the first President since GHWB that came to the job with a wealth of experience.

[JPhillips]

dola

More from the sewer that is the Ohio GOP primary. After Flynn's call for a single national religion, Mandel tweeted, We stand with General Flynn. I guess that's one way to fight a primary opponent that wants voters to know you're Jewish.

[NobodyHere]

The solution to inflation?

Moar spending!

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Flynn is probably Secretary of Defense, State, or Vice President.

Would be a good way for a Republican nominee to do the impossible and lose Utah.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The solution to inflation?

Moar spending!

Powell is going to have to carefully craft a response to the inevitable question.

[RainMaker]

If you want to know the going rate for buying a US Senator.

NEW: Kyrsten Sinema raked in nearly $180,000 from a curious special interest last quarter—crypto. The industry was lobbying her to change tax language in an infrastructure bill amendment she'd co-sponsored. And guess what? She changed her mind. Here's a mini report, with receipts

— Roger Sollenberger found true love, suckers (@SollenbergerRC) November 15, 2021

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Powell is going to have to carefully craft a response to the inevitable question.

Can't invest money in the country when things are good because the stock market is doing great and profit must reign.

Can't invest money in the country when things are bad because debt spending is very bad.

Can't invest money in the country at all, because it doesn't make any monies!!

Can't invest money period, because the right people are getting the right payoff.

[PilotMan]

Not sure if anyone saw this particular article in the Post today.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world.../2021/11/12/94

If there's any doubt as to the power of conspiracy theories, false news, the control of education this should be a first hand reminder of the possibilities of things in the US.

Here's the post I shared on my FB page today.

What happens when kids grow up only having been told revisionist history (you know, things on the level of stolen elections, conspiracy theories and that 9/11 was either an inside job or was a false flag)?

Lots of parallels here. There is a whole lot of takeaway and the importance of getting the facts right. You can look at this nearly 20 year look back and see the effects this sort of thing can have, and how effective it is. It's critical that the standards we hold up are solid or else, we're going to have a world of uneducated fighters living in the US, who only want to use their guns and fight the people they have been told to hate.

He not only refused to believe that al-Qaeda and bin Laden orchestrated them, but he questioned whether the attacks even happened. “It was not true,” said Shakir. “The Americans invaded Afghanistan on the pretext of 9/11, but the real motive was that they were against the true Islamic rule in Afghanistan.”
...
“Let the Americans show us proof that a single al-Qaeda member was either killed or captured in Afghanistan,” Karim continued.
...
Other young Taliban fighters still see enemies everywhere and refuse to put down their weapons. They have no choice. Most have grown up with no education and no skills.
...
“I will not find a job,” he added. “We will remain with our guns.”
...
He, too, said that Osama bin Laden was a hero.

[PilotMan]

I guess the Republican Party of Wyoming has no issue 'cancelling' Cheney as they vote to no longer recognize her as a Republican.

[RainMaker]

In fairness to Shakir, Bush flat out called it a modern-day crusade. The pretext was 9/11, but it clearly moved into a war against Islam at some point.

And while the rest of the stuff is bonkers, the US has had a foreign policy that lies so incessantly that it is hard to imagine why any foreigner would believe a word coming out of it. If you want people to trust you, you have to become a trustworthy source.

[Edward64]

A tennis player speaking out against rape against a top official, and then "detained" is infuriating.

If this isn't resolved soon, the West should publicly explore not participating in the Winter Olympics.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/tenni...hnk/index.html

The head of the Women's Tennis Association has cast doubt on an email claiming to be from Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, saying it only raises further concerns for her safety.

China's state-owned television broadcaster CGTN released the email, purportedly from Peng, in the early hours of Wednesday morning local time, amid growing international concern for her whereabouts.

The email -- which has not been verified by CNN -- claimed Peng is fine and appears to walk back her sexual allegations against a former top Communist Party leader. It was sent to the WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon, CGTN reported.

Simon has said he doubts the email is authentic.

"The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts," Simon said in a statement, "I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her."

[Edward64]

CBO analysis supposedly this Fri and possible vote next week. My guess is CBO results will put up some roadblocks which will need to be resolved, so vote in Dec.

It's been relatively quiet on MSM on BBB bill. No idea what that means but get ready for a flood of pundits, analysis etc. after Fri. Looking forward to it and understanding the $.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/polit...lay/index.html

As they approach the end of the week and the much-anticipated Congressional Budget Committee analysis, Democratic members and aides remain confident that things are -- mostly -- on track to pass the Build Back Better plan before the House recesses for Thanksgiving.
:
As CNN reported Tuesday, the CBO analysis due out by the end of the day Friday is important to many members, but even as the score may come up short, the White House has been preparing for members for discrepancies between their analysis and the CBO's for weeks.

"I think it is OK," Rep. Kurt Schrader, a Blue Dog Democrat from Oregon, said of any difference between expected CBO and White House analyses. He called it a "legitimate difference of opinion" that would "not dissuade me" from voting for the bill.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, told reporters Tuesday that expectation setting is important when it comes to CBO and he feels like the White House has done that. He's not speaking for every moderate here, but Gottheimer is a leader in that caucus and his opinion, his buy-in matters here.

[RainMaker]

I think the goal by a lot of Dems was have the CBO crush any momentum the bill may have had. They gutted all the revenue options because it would make billionaires pay taxes, so I don't think it will score well.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think the goal by a lot of Dems was have the CBO crush any momentum the bill may have had. They gutted all the revenue options because it would make billionaires pay taxes, so I don't think it will score well.

Well we should just ignore the score anyways, according to Larry Summers

Larry Summers: IRS proposal will generate more revenue than CBO estimate | TheHill

[PilotMan]

Since when did the CBO matter anymore? Once the trump tax overhaul happened and the CBO was like, it'll be a trillion dollar a year shortage, and their response was "so, it'll be great anyway," should it really matter anymore?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Since when did the CBO matter anymore? Once the trump tax overhaul happened and the CBO was like, it'll be a trillion dollar a year shortage, and their response was "so, it'll be great anyway," should it really matter anymore?

The rule is that if the bill helps incredibly wealthy people, the CBO does not matter. If it helps everyone else, it matters a lot.

Also defense budget doesn't count either for reasons.

[I. J. Reilly]

The rule is if you have more than 50 Senators who don’t care about the CBO then it doesn’t matter, if you don’t it does.

[GrantDawg]

CBO is in, the final bill is heading to the floor of the House soon.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Well we should just ignore the score anyways, according to Larry Summers

Larry Summers: IRS proposal will generate more revenue than CBO estimate | TheHill

Larry Summers was actually spot on the CBO considering their score didn't account for increased IRS enforcement.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

CBO analysis supposedly this Fri and possible vote next week. My guess is CBO results will put up some roadblocks which will need to be resolved, so vote in Dec.

Guess I was wrong. House vote tonight apparently.

CBO estimates spending bill will add $367 billion to deficit over a decade

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

A tennis player speaking out against rape against a top official, and then "detained" is infuriating.

If this isn't resolved soon, the West should publicly explore not participating in the Winter Olympics.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/tenni...hnk/index.html

Give me some more of that Spice. I'm prescient.

US President Joe Biden has said that he is weighing a US diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic games due to be held in Beijing, China.

"That is something we are considering," he told reporters ahead of talks with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.

A diplomatic boycott would mean that no US officials are sent to attend the games. The decision comes amid rising tension in the US-China relationship.

On Monday, Mr Biden held his first direct talks with China's Xi Jinping.

At the White House, Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the US and China leaders did not discuss the Olympics during their three-hour virtual meeting on Monday.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for a diplomatic boycott as a means to protest against Chinese human rights abuses.

[JPhillips]

A diplomatic boycott is entirely useless, but I guess we can all pretend it's meaningful. The athletes will still attend and the media will still cover the games.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

A tennis player speaking out against rape against a top official, and then "detained" is infuriating.

If this isn't resolved soon, the West should publicly explore not participating in the Winter Olympics.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/tenni...hnk/index.html

This is infuriating. But our gymnastics program was a legalized pedophile ring for decades and we routinely lock up or threaten whistleblowers. We aren't exactly coming from the high ground on this one.

[Edward64]

Article summarizing the in-and-out of the bill and how it'll be paid for. Other than for Obamacare subsidies (and wish it lowered Medicare eligibility), I'm not particularly impacted but I'm not the target market which is okay. I can see this helping a lot of other people.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/12/polit...ner/index.html

The bill would transform the nation's social safety net despite being whittled down to roughly half its original size amid infighting between the party's moderate and progressive wings. It would create a universal pre-K program, assist families with child care and send them the enhanced child tax credit for another year. It would also provide beefed-up subsidies on the Affordable Care Act exchanges through 2025 and offer federal help to those who fall below the poverty line.

It would funnel nearly $570 billion into climate measures, attempt to address affordable housing shortfalls and provide money to parents to buy their kids food over the summer.

Once it gets through the House, the legislation would still have to be approved in the Senate, where Democrats can't afford to lose a single vote in the reconciliation process.

I do like this but assume it'll be renewed in 2025 as it'll be ingrained into voter's expectations by then.

Affordable Care Act subsidies: The enhanced federal premium subsidies would be extended through 2025 under the bill. It would reduce the cost of coverage on the Obamacare exchanges, particularly for moderate-income and middle-class Americans. The boost, also part of the Democrats' relief package, is currently set to expire after 2022.

This I really support. Like the summer and unsure if it includes dinner/late afternoon meal, but I'm all for that also.

Children's nutrition: The bill would expand free school meals to nearly 9 million children during the school year and provide the parents of 29 million kids a $65 per child per month benefit to purchase food during the summer.

I like the tax credits (e.g. solar rooftops or buy electric vehicles) but unsure if the Civilian Climate Corps is really needed. But it creates jobs so I lean towards good.

Climate change: The bill would deliver nearly $570 billion in tax credits and investments aimed at combating climate change. It would offer tax credits to families that install solar rooftops or buy electric vehicles, for example. The investments are aimed at providing incentives to grow domestic supply chains in solar and wind industries.

The legislation also calls for creating 300,000 jobs by establishing a Civilian Climate Corps that works to conserve public lands and bolster community resiliency.

I'll believe it when I see it but per the article, prob not this round but another separate bill.

Immigration: The President has called for a $100 billion investment to reform the nation's immigration system, as well as reduce backlogs, expand legal representation and make changes to the asylum system and border processing.

But the Senate parliamentarian, who has the final say on whether the legislation adheres to procedural rules, has ruled twice against arguments from Democrats to include an immigration provision in the economic bill. Still, some Democrats are continuing to push to include protections for undocumented immigrants in the bill and plan to present another plan to the parliamentarian later this month. The cost of the immigration provision is not currently included in the total cost of the legislation.

I like the Medicare drug negotiation but seems really limited. Would it really make a dent? Good first step I guess.

The Health and Human Services Secretary would negotiate up to 10 drugs in 2025. The number would rise to up to 20 medications starting in 2028.

In addition to Immigration reform, below 2 are out. I guess the college debt forgiveness didn't make it either and planned for a future proposal?

Free community college: Biden initially called for making tuition free for two years at community colleges, but it's been dropped entirely from the bill.

Medicare dental and vision benefits: The bill does not include expanding Medicare to include vision and dental coverage, both longtime goals of Sanders. Dental coverage, in particular, would have been costly.

[GrantDawg]

They did include hearing coverage for Medicare, though. That is massive.

[NobodyHere]

So Biden will be unconscious today as he undergoes a colonoscopy.

Does this make Harris officially the first female president?

[GrantDawg]

I will get to tell my kids "I remember well the Kamala Harris presidency."
Will she get a library?

[Edward64]

Clean bill of physical health.

It won't happen but interesting to know if there are cognitive tests given and the results. Create a baseline in first year of office, then compare it to years 2-4 (or something like that).

I can see this being a national security issue so even if done, the detailed results will never be released for scrutiny.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/polit...xam/index.html

Afterward, his physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in a memo Biden "remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations."

The doctor, who has been with the President since he served as vice president, singled out two areas of "observation" he set aside for detailed investigation: an "increasing frequency and severity of 'throat clearing' and coughing during speaking engagements" and the President's ambulatory gait, or walking abnormality, which O'Connor said was "perceptibly stiffer and less fluid than it was a year or so ago."

Both have been noticeable elements of Biden's public appearances since taking office.

In a detailed, six-page summary of Biden's health, O'Connor said X-rays showed Biden has arthritis of his spine and normal wear and tear damage for someone of his age.

The doctor characterized that damage as moderate to severe, but said it was not severe enough to warrant any specific treatment. He wrote it would help account for some of Biden's recent stiffness and clumsy gait. An "extremely detailed neurologic exam" was "reassuring," O'Connor wrote, and showed no evidence of a stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's.

Biden also has a condition known as hiatal hernia, which causes him to have reflux -- something O'Connor said could account for his more frequent throat clearing.

[BYU 14]

Those are very normal findings for someone of his age. I have arthritis throughout my joints, back and neck and at 58 still workout twice a day, weights and cardio 5 times a week. Doing so actually mitigates the severity of how it affects me, but by 78 I will look rickety as hell moving around.

And pretty sure a cognitive test is in there, since Trump bragged about his.

[sterlingice]

Once, again, a reminder of just how different this Presidency is from the last one. I'm 99.9% certain, we will not be see Biden on TV this week, bragging he got right a test about "man", "woman", "camera", "toilet", "moron" and that we'll spend the next week with half the country questioning how fit for office a moron is that would go on TV and say that and the other half saying "SEE? HE'S PERFECTLY SANE"

SI

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

And pretty sure a cognitive test is in there, since Trump bragged about his.

Apparently not. That'll get 'em talking.

Joe Biden, Unlike Trump, Didn't Take Cognitive Test in Annual Exam, Sanjay Gupta Says

Additionally, the president, unlike his immediate predecessor, did not undergo a test of his cognitive abilities, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta said.

During an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Anderson Cooper 360, Gupta was asked if Biden had taken any type of exam to measure his mental state.

"There's been a lot of focus on his cognitive abilities, questions raised by opponents and others, and in 2018 the former president [Donald Trump] had a test that measured mental acuity, was that part of today's test?" Cooper asked Gupta.

"It doesn't seem like it," Gupta replied. "I read pretty carefully through the doctor's report and they mention neurological exam, but that was more in terms of testing motor strength and sensation and things like that."

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Apparently not. That'll get 'em talking.

Joe Biden, Unlike Trump, Didn't Take Cognitive Test in Annual Exam, Sanjay Gupta Says

That is bad optics to say the least.

But I do have to ask to get a baseline:

How often to presidents get a cognitive test and is there a test to see if you should get the test?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

That is bad optics to say the least.

But I do have to ask to get a baseline:

How often to presidents get a cognitive test and is there a test to see if you should get the test?

No one knew about cognitive tests and Presidents until the previous moron bragged about his to get attention and/or bury some other shady crap his administration was doing

SI

[GrantDawg]

Which they gave you him because I believe he had a minor stroke at one point that they covered up.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

No one knew about cognitive tests and Presidents until the previous moron bragged about his to get attention and/or bury some other shady crap his administration was doing

SI

Do we even know if Trump had a cognitive test? Wasn't his doctor some crank who is now fully enveloped in right wing politics calling for an end to democracy?

All we have to go on is a pathological liar and his fascist doctor.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

No one knew about cognitive tests and Presidents until the previous moron bragged about his to get attention and/or bury some other shady crap his administration was doing

SI

Then the stable genius talked about how difficult the test was.

[NobodyHere]

I feel obligated to post this again because I'm a Futurama fan

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

That is bad optics to say the least.

Absolutely. Psaki better be prepared to answer that inevitable question.

Conspiracist in me can easily believe Biden was given one and had questionable/concerning results. But if so, Biden surely would have had enough muscle to change the results anyway.

So my guess is Biden didn't think it was necessary. However, the Trumpsters will play with this and Biden will eventually get one done to silence them if/when he is running in 2024.

[Edward64]

Decision on Fed chair by Thanksgiving supposedly.

I think I lean towards Powell just not to upset the apple cart and have predictability. He did well in 2020 and so far in 2021. I think he failed in predicting inflation being transitory, it's looking like it'll be with us for a while. But the markets are humming, the economy is recovering etc.

Sources close to the process say the president is still deciding between reappointing Powell, a Republican elevated to the role by former President Donald Trump, or putting his own stamp on the Fed by going with Brainard. Most members of Biden’s economic team and lawmakers in both parties have pushed for a Powell second term. But some progressive Democrats, who speak frequently to White House chief of staff Ron Klain, have resisted, declaring they want a Fed leader more committed to toughening financial regulation and addressing climate change.

Biden has continued to let the argument play out, according to three administration officials not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations. Among his considerations: how a choice could complicate the passage of his $1.75 trillion social services package, the officials said. A change atop the fiscal team could cause some senators to pump the brakes on signing off the bill for fear that it could flood the economy with more government cash amid the inflation fears.
:
“What I can say is that the president will likely make a decision before Thanksgiving and he continues to engage with his senior economic team,” deputy White House press secretary Chris Meagher said while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Michigan on Wednesday.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Absolutely. Psaki better be prepared to answer that inevitable question.

Conspiracist in me can easily believe Biden was given one and had questionable/concerning results. But if so, Biden surely would have had enough muscle to change the results anyway.

So my guess is Biden didn't think it was necessary. However, the Trumpsters will play with this and Biden will eventually get one done to silence them if/when he is running in 2024.

Do you honestly think if he did get one, said he did, and passed with flying colors it would make an ounce of difference with the Trumpsters? They would just claim it was rigged or he is flat out lying.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Do you honestly think if he did get one, said he did, and passed with flying colors it would make an ounce of difference with the Trumpsters? They would just claim it was rigged or he is flat out lying.

No, not the Trumpsters. But it would make the independent minded feel a little better.

[GrantDawg]

The rumor all over twitter is Biden's people are getting people ready for the fact he is run going to run again in 2024. *sigh*

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

The rumor all over twitter is Biden's people are getting people ready for the fact he is run going to run again in 2024. *sigh*

If there is no-little cognitive decline and the economy is humming, I'm all for it. Biden has successfully negotiated (and compromised) on 2 significant bills with internal warfare. This is what I had hoped for when I voted for him. But fair chance that 2022 elections is going to be a disaster for the Dems so it does also depend on how well he navigates through that.

TBH Kamala hasn't shown me much so I would take Biden over her right now.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

If there is no-little cognitive decline and the economy is humming, I'm all for it. Biden has successfully negotiated (and compromised) on 2 significant bills with internal warfare. This is what I had hoped for when I voted for him. But fair chance that 2022 elections is going to be a disaster for the Dems so it does also depend on how well he navigates through that.

TBH Kamala hasn't shown me much so I would take Biden over her right now.

I am not at all crazy about a president well into his 80's. I also don't think Kamala is the answer either. I am still hoping for a true leader to come out of the Democratic pack. I just don't know if it will ever happen.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I am not at all crazy about a president well into his 80's. I also don't think Kamala is the answer either. I am still hoping for a true leader to come out of the Democratic pack. I just don't know if it will ever happen.

What about Gavin Newsome? I know another white guy, who I am sure doesn’t meet Rainmaker’s progressive purity test but who else is there?