It is sad that a young girl like Aerin has to learn about the ruthless nature of corporations like this. Thanks for another unique essay.
If you can’t win on your merits, gerrymander. And if someone else wins, block them from representing their constituents. Why are members of the house even being paid and still have insurance coverage?
“The House has not voted since Sept. 19, and Speaker Mike Johnson won’t call members back. He has refused to seat a new Democratic member from Arizona one month after her election victory.”
My “Schmur politics > Johnson politics” jab isn’t team-cheerleading; it’s about style, not stripe. Both parties bungled the basics of governance. The difference is, Schmur’s crew has turned gridlock into a governing philosophy.
The Senate’s version of “leadership” has become performative resistance — governing by soundbite. Johnson’s house may be a circus, but Schmur’s tent is full of ringmasters with no ring.
“Schmur politics” - the endless delay, the smug grandstanding, the “we’ll wait till you fold” routine - is every bit as corrosive as Johnson’s factional squabbling. At least Johnson’s mess is honest chaos; Schmur’s is deliberate inertia.
So yeah, Schmur politics > Johnson politics, because weaponized stagnation beats amateur brinkmanship any day. Both stink, but one’s perfumed in sanctimony.
Dysfunction? Yes. Disingenuous? Hmm. If you recall, McDonnell revitalized gridlock when Obama was in office. Their strategy was to block everything, even in a time of major crisis.
From the NYT, March 16, 2010
“Before the health care fight, before the economic stimulus package, before President Obama even took office, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, had a strategy for his party: use his extensive knowledge of Senate procedure to slow things down, take advantage of the difficulties Democrats would have in governing and deny Democrats any Republican support on big legislation.
Republicans embraced it. Democrats denounced it as rank obstructionism. Either way, it has led the two parties, as much as any other factor, to where they are right now. Republicans are monolithically against the health care legislation, leaving the president and his party executing parliamentary back flips to get it passed, conservatives revived, liberals wondering what happened.
In the process, Mr. McConnell, 68, a Kentuckian more at home plotting tactics in the cloakroom than writing legislation in a committee room or exhorting crowds on the campaign trail, has come to embody a kind of oppositional politics that critics say has left voters cynical about Washington, the Senate all but dysfunctional and the Republican Party without a positive agenda or message.”
Right now Schumer is trying to save medical coverage for millions of Americans while Johnson has nothing better to offer. I’d say Johnson is the one being disingenuous.
And that is why I will stand by my original comment.
Darrell, you’re right about one thing: dysfunction isn’t new. Mitch McConnell (not a fan of his) weaponized the filibuster long before most people could spell 'continuing resolution.' I’ll concede your NYT quote -- he institutionalized obstruction during the Obama years. That’s history, not mythology.
But here’s where your argument breaks down: invoking McConnell as the original sin doesn’t cleanse today’s politics of its own hypocrisy. That’s textbook whataboutism... “they did it first” doesn’t make “we’re doing it now” noble. If the GOP invented gridlock, Schumer and company have turned it into performance art.
Spare me the halo effect for Chuckles. If protecting healthcare were the pure motive, you could pass a clean stopgap, keep the government funded, then duke it out on policy details. But the current shutdown drama is less about patients and more about posturing.
Since you brought up that era of the '10s - let’s be honest about the legacy of Der Leader. The ACA rollout was a bureaucratic train wreck for months...“if you like your plan, you can keep it” aged about as well as a Blockbuster card.
Those weren’t McConnell’s doing. That was the Obama-era arrogance of “we know what’s best for you.” So forgive me if I don’t like vertigo, which I would get from being on his high moral ground.
In short: McConnell built the machine. Obama oiled it. Schumer runs it. And the rest of us keep footing the bill.
They all run the machine. Their only purpose is to stay in office. That’s why the vast majority of republicans cow tow to trump. It is also why they only care about the votes of big business. We have no representation in the house or the senate and SCOTUS has given trump a free pass.
The only position I have in this discussion is that the GOP does nothing but block legislation. I don’t care about Schumer’s motivation, just the legislation. People need affordable medical coverage (it should be a basic right like education) and the GOP is offering no replacement for the ACA other than bleach injections, ivermectin and ultraviolet rays up your butt. I doubt we would be in this position were it both for the 2025 plan which I loathe as much as it’s face in trump.
At least - so far - the pendulum continues it’s path. I hope that continues to be something we can count on.
I am quoting 2010 to Danny as part of that conversation.
If you read for understanding you would see that I was supporting the point that the GOP only blacks legislation rather than actually coming up with new ideas. Stick with the context….you are better than that.
Schumer is trying to save the ACA subsidies that many people - particularly people in red states - rely on that have nothing, zero, zip, nada to do with being unqualified. It is all simple math. The GOP wants to kill the ACA because Obama developed it but they have no replacement. Trump has been bragging since his first term about a new plan, but so far that only includes injecting bleach and shining heat lamps up your butt.
I used the subsidies myself when I retired at 62 while waiting for the Medicare I paid into. I was perfectly qualified.
As for the Starbucks story, it is an interesting phenomenon but one has to wonder now how it will hold especially in light of the latest corporate moves and the ever rising cost of coffee prices in the US. Kind of makes me glad I’m living where I am at the moment. No tariffs on a local product.
Right now I’m in Panama City because of some health issues that have been bugging me lately. In light of all the mess happening with the House and insurance premium issues on the horizon, I’m going to give you an idea of what I’m privately paying for today at the premier health care facility in the city that is affiliated with John’s Hopkins in the US. For my very comprehensive physical, $80.00. My full lab work up, $186.57 and my MRI tomorrow will be $850.00 complete. When I get home, I’ll file with my US insurance for reimbursement.
As for my former home state and what they’ve just pulled, I hope they all end up choking on their greed.
CNN has so besmirched its initials, who cares?
China should just head to the core. Reading about what they find during and after they drill will be the interesting story.
So will the Democrats then go back and redraw the map when they get a majority? There should be something bigger than a party-led legislature with the ability to redraw boundaries. And the White House? How sad that an egomaniac is allowed to destroy such a beautiful building with a long history. The new ballroom is sure to be some gaudy thing.
Never been a fan of Starbucks, find their coffee to be bitter and expensive. And I don’t feel the need to stand in line for 5 minutes just to get some froufrou drink that isn’t really even coffee.
I love how all the lefties are freaking out about Trump putting a ballroom on the White House.
First of all, the current situation has temporary tents put up whenever there is an event that requires seating for more than the official dining room can hold. Foreign dignitaries are entertained in a tent. Leaders of foreign countries, both friend and foe, eat in a tent. No one else has a problem with that?
Second, not one tax dollar is being used for this new construction. It's all funded by corporate and private donations, and out of Trump's own pocket. No tax dollars. Zero. Someone please let Jen Psaki know, for the love of God.
Third, I don't remember people freaking out when Obama used over $300 million of our tax dollars to build a basketball court. On what planet should a basketball court cost that much?? Where was the outrage?
It's time logical heads prevail. The constant fire drills over everything Trump does are old and no one is listening anymore. It's always people running around with their purple hair on fire crying, "oh the humanity!" over the most non-emergent things. It's ok to despise the guy, but get a grip. There are more important things going on it the country and this is the sword the left is choosing to die on this week. SMH.
It is sad that a young girl like Aerin has to learn about the ruthless nature of corporations like this. Thanks for another unique essay.
If you can’t win on your merits, gerrymander. And if someone else wins, block them from representing their constituents. Why are members of the house even being paid and still have insurance coverage?
“The House has not voted since Sept. 19, and Speaker Mike Johnson won’t call members back. He has refused to seat a new Democratic member from Arizona one month after her election victory.”
Schumer Politics > Johnson Politics.
Please elaborate.
My “Schmur politics > Johnson politics” jab isn’t team-cheerleading; it’s about style, not stripe. Both parties bungled the basics of governance. The difference is, Schmur’s crew has turned gridlock into a governing philosophy.
The Senate’s version of “leadership” has become performative resistance — governing by soundbite. Johnson’s house may be a circus, but Schmur’s tent is full of ringmasters with no ring.
“Schmur politics” - the endless delay, the smug grandstanding, the “we’ll wait till you fold” routine - is every bit as corrosive as Johnson’s factional squabbling. At least Johnson’s mess is honest chaos; Schmur’s is deliberate inertia.
So yeah, Schmur politics > Johnson politics, because weaponized stagnation beats amateur brinkmanship any day. Both stink, but one’s perfumed in sanctimony.
I’ll take dysfunction over disingenuous any day.
Dysfunction? Yes. Disingenuous? Hmm. If you recall, McDonnell revitalized gridlock when Obama was in office. Their strategy was to block everything, even in a time of major crisis.
From the NYT, March 16, 2010
“Before the health care fight, before the economic stimulus package, before President Obama even took office, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader, had a strategy for his party: use his extensive knowledge of Senate procedure to slow things down, take advantage of the difficulties Democrats would have in governing and deny Democrats any Republican support on big legislation.
Republicans embraced it. Democrats denounced it as rank obstructionism. Either way, it has led the two parties, as much as any other factor, to where they are right now. Republicans are monolithically against the health care legislation, leaving the president and his party executing parliamentary back flips to get it passed, conservatives revived, liberals wondering what happened.
In the process, Mr. McConnell, 68, a Kentuckian more at home plotting tactics in the cloakroom than writing legislation in a committee room or exhorting crowds on the campaign trail, has come to embody a kind of oppositional politics that critics say has left voters cynical about Washington, the Senate all but dysfunctional and the Republican Party without a positive agenda or message.”
Right now Schumer is trying to save medical coverage for millions of Americans while Johnson has nothing better to offer. I’d say Johnson is the one being disingenuous.
And that is why I will stand by my original comment.
Darrell, you’re right about one thing: dysfunction isn’t new. Mitch McConnell (not a fan of his) weaponized the filibuster long before most people could spell 'continuing resolution.' I’ll concede your NYT quote -- he institutionalized obstruction during the Obama years. That’s history, not mythology.
But here’s where your argument breaks down: invoking McConnell as the original sin doesn’t cleanse today’s politics of its own hypocrisy. That’s textbook whataboutism... “they did it first” doesn’t make “we’re doing it now” noble. If the GOP invented gridlock, Schumer and company have turned it into performance art.
Spare me the halo effect for Chuckles. If protecting healthcare were the pure motive, you could pass a clean stopgap, keep the government funded, then duke it out on policy details. But the current shutdown drama is less about patients and more about posturing.
Since you brought up that era of the '10s - let’s be honest about the legacy of Der Leader. The ACA rollout was a bureaucratic train wreck for months...“if you like your plan, you can keep it” aged about as well as a Blockbuster card.
Those weren’t McConnell’s doing. That was the Obama-era arrogance of “we know what’s best for you.” So forgive me if I don’t like vertigo, which I would get from being on his high moral ground.
In short: McConnell built the machine. Obama oiled it. Schumer runs it. And the rest of us keep footing the bill.
They all run the machine. Their only purpose is to stay in office. That’s why the vast majority of republicans cow tow to trump. It is also why they only care about the votes of big business. We have no representation in the house or the senate and SCOTUS has given trump a free pass.
The only position I have in this discussion is that the GOP does nothing but block legislation. I don’t care about Schumer’s motivation, just the legislation. People need affordable medical coverage (it should be a basic right like education) and the GOP is offering no replacement for the ACA other than bleach injections, ivermectin and ultraviolet rays up your butt. I doubt we would be in this position were it both for the 2025 plan which I loathe as much as it’s face in trump.
At least - so far - the pendulum continues it’s path. I hope that continues to be something we can count on.
You're quoting 2010.
Schumer is trying to save medical coverages for people who do not qualify. You forgot that part.
I am quoting 2010 to Danny as part of that conversation.
If you read for understanding you would see that I was supporting the point that the GOP only blacks legislation rather than actually coming up with new ideas. Stick with the context….you are better than that.
Schumer is trying to save the ACA subsidies that many people - particularly people in red states - rely on that have nothing, zero, zip, nada to do with being unqualified. It is all simple math. The GOP wants to kill the ACA because Obama developed it but they have no replacement. Trump has been bragging since his first term about a new plan, but so far that only includes injecting bleach and shining heat lamps up your butt.
I used the subsidies myself when I retired at 62 while waiting for the Medicare I paid into. I was perfectly qualified.
Latest on the erstwhile East Wing.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-east-wing-white-house_n_68fa5f37e4b071f32a2744b9
Positively and utterly disgusting!
As for the Starbucks story, it is an interesting phenomenon but one has to wonder now how it will hold especially in light of the latest corporate moves and the ever rising cost of coffee prices in the US. Kind of makes me glad I’m living where I am at the moment. No tariffs on a local product.
Right now I’m in Panama City because of some health issues that have been bugging me lately. In light of all the mess happening with the House and insurance premium issues on the horizon, I’m going to give you an idea of what I’m privately paying for today at the premier health care facility in the city that is affiliated with John’s Hopkins in the US. For my very comprehensive physical, $80.00. My full lab work up, $186.57 and my MRI tomorrow will be $850.00 complete. When I get home, I’ll file with my US insurance for reimbursement.
As for my former home state and what they’ve just pulled, I hope they all end up choking on their greed.
CNN has so besmirched its initials, who cares?
China should just head to the core. Reading about what they find during and after they drill will be the interesting story.
So will the Democrats then go back and redraw the map when they get a majority? There should be something bigger than a party-led legislature with the ability to redraw boundaries. And the White House? How sad that an egomaniac is allowed to destroy such a beautiful building with a long history. The new ballroom is sure to be some gaudy thing.
Never been a fan of Starbucks, find their coffee to be bitter and expensive. And I don’t feel the need to stand in line for 5 minutes just to get some froufrou drink that isn’t really even coffee.
I love how all the lefties are freaking out about Trump putting a ballroom on the White House.
First of all, the current situation has temporary tents put up whenever there is an event that requires seating for more than the official dining room can hold. Foreign dignitaries are entertained in a tent. Leaders of foreign countries, both friend and foe, eat in a tent. No one else has a problem with that?
Second, not one tax dollar is being used for this new construction. It's all funded by corporate and private donations, and out of Trump's own pocket. No tax dollars. Zero. Someone please let Jen Psaki know, for the love of God.
Third, I don't remember people freaking out when Obama used over $300 million of our tax dollars to build a basketball court. On what planet should a basketball court cost that much?? Where was the outrage?
It's time logical heads prevail. The constant fire drills over everything Trump does are old and no one is listening anymore. It's always people running around with their purple hair on fire crying, "oh the humanity!" over the most non-emergent things. It's ok to despise the guy, but get a grip. There are more important things going on it the country and this is the sword the left is choosing to die on this week. SMH.