American Politics IV: 1400 Reasons Why(A Stimulus Serial)

[Kowani]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

The first annual international presidential debate between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, live on NBC.

[Major-Tom]

Or if you really want a voter ID system (but I agree it doesn't seem to be necessary since there is absolutely no evidence of significant fraud that would require them), do it like we do here, with an ID card given to every citizen for no fee and very little paperwork.

I’m not opposed to that.

I might need to be corrected here, but I know some countries (see Canada) have an automatic voter registration system, wherein taxpaying citizens merely check off that they'd like to stay on the voter rolls when they're filing their annual income taxes.

We could really simplify the process in the US if we went for a simple, transparent national system of voter registration. The convolution between states on how they register voters only further complicates things and allows states like AZ or GA to systematically try to purge minority and Dem voters. Hell, even the Supreme Court might rule in a few days that Section 2 of the VRA is no longer a valid reason to overturn a discriminatory voting policy. Madness.

[Kilobugya]

I might need to be corrected here, but I know some countries (see Canada) have an automatic voter registration system, wherein taxpaying citizens merely check off that they'd like to stay on the voter rolls when they're filing their annual income taxes.

Here in France you get automatically registered as a voter when you turn 18. The only paperwork you ever have to do is if you move to another town to be transferred there, if not you'll have to go to your previous place to vote.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

Fucking please do it. I need some entertainment.

[Celritannia]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

Fucking please do it. I need some entertainment.

Only if the Swiss mediate

[Eahland]

ASOT is letting Sanders live rent free in his head. I swear to God the amount of smugness and yet also bitterness he has toward Bernie Sanders and "Bernie bros" is unbelievable. I guess no one learned from 2016. Disrespecting the left of the democratic party and calling right wingers dipshits does not win elections. You can thank the smugness of Hillary and her fans for the last 4 years we went through because if she actually made more attempts to reach out to the "Bernie bros" and actually visited the Midwest more instead of assuming she was guaranteed to win, we wouldn't have had Trump as the president.

Honestly, I don't think there was any way Hillary could have won that election. The actual problems started decades before her campaign did. When the DNC decided to anoint her queen, they were dramatically underestimating how much hate there is for Hillary Clinton specifically, due in large part to the hatchet job Republican propaganda organs have been doing on her since she was merely a candidate for First Lady, particularly among the middle-aged blue-collar men we need to carry the Rust Belt. But they foisted her on us anyway, and, surprise surprise, we lost the Rust Belt.

I voted for Obama over Clinton in 2008, and got a lot of shit for it from Clintonistas who insisted that it had to be the omgsexism. You couldn't fit a sheet of paper between them policy-wise, and Obama was a complete unknown at the time. (Though I was previously familiar with him, because I had a friend - the guy who introduced me to NationStates, actually - who worked on his Senate campaign.)

But in actuality, part of it was that I was really not okay with having 4–8 years of Clinton right on the heels of 8 years of Bush, after 8 years of Clinton, after 4 years of Bush (and another 8 with Bush as VP). We are not a hereditary monarchy, and we need to stop fucking acting like one.

But mostly it was because I foresaw that if Hillary Clinton got the nomination, we'd get... well, 2016. (And I was really not pleased to be vindicated on this when actual 2016 rolled around. I sometimes wonder how things would've fallen out, and how much better off we'd be now if Clinton had won the 2008 nomination and had gotten her Presidential aspirations crushed by McCain then instead of Trump in 2016. This also averts the rise of birtherism and similar racist conspiracy theories, and Trump probably never even runs.) And then her entitled reaction to losing to Obama guaranteed that I'd never willingly vote for her again. (I still did in the 2016 general, because I would have voted for literally anyone short of Benito Mussolini if they had a chance of beating Trump. But I held my nose while I did it.)

[Borderlands of Rojava]

ASOT is letting Sanders live rent free in his head. I swear to God the amount of smugness and yet also bitterness he has toward Bernie Sanders and "Bernie bros" is unbelievable. I guess no one learned from 2016. Disrespecting the left of the democratic party and calling right wingers dipshits does not win elections. You can thank the smugness of Hillary and her fans for the last 4 years we went through because if she actually made more attempts to reach out to the "Bernie bros" and actually visited the Midwest more instead of assuming she was guaranteed to win, we wouldn't have had Trump as the president.

Honestly, I don't think there was any way Hillary could have won that election. The actual problems started decades before her campaign did. When the DNC decided to anoint her queen, they were dramatically underestimating how much hate there is for Hillary Clinton specifically, due in large part to the hatchet job Republican propaganda organs have been doing on her since she was merely a candidate for First Lady, particularly among the middle-aged blue-collar men we need to carry the Rust Belt. But they foisted her on us anyway, and, surprise surprise, we lost the Rust Belt.

I voted for Obama over Clinton in 2008, and got a lot of shit for it from Clintonistas who insisted that it had to be the omgsexism. You couldn't fit a sheet of paper between them policy-wise, and Obama was a complete unknown at the time. (Though I was previously familiar with him, because I had a friend - the guy who introduced me to NationStates, actually - who worked on his Senate campaign.)

But in actuality, part of it was that I was really not okay with having 4–8 years of Clinton right on the heels of 8 years of Bush, after 8 years of Clinton, after 4 years of Bush (and another 8 with Bush as VP). We are not a hereditary monarchy, and we need to stop fucking acting like one.

But mostly it was because I foresaw that if Hillary Clinton got the nomination, we'd get... well, 2016. (And I was really not pleased to be vindicated on this when actual 2016 rolled around. I sometimes wonder how things would've fallen out, and how much better off we'd be now if Clinton had won the 2008 nomination and had gotten her Presidential aspirations crushed by McCain then instead of Trump in 2016. This also averts the rise of birtherism and similar racist conspiracy theories, and Trump probably never even runs.) And then her entitled reaction to losing to Obama guaranteed that I'd never willingly vote for her again. (I still did in the 2016 general, because I would have voted for literally anyone short of Benito Mussolini if they had a chance of beating Trump. But I held my nose while I did it.)

Hillary Clinton went to the trouble of writing a book called What Happened, as if Russian interference, sexism and racism were the only causes of her losing. Like Trump in 2020, she really was so out of touch with reality that she thought it couldn't be that people don't like her.

[Ifreann]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

"Debate me!" - Vladimir Putin

[Rusozak]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

Don't drink the tea, Joe! DON'T DRINK THE TEA!

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

"Debate me!" - Vladimir Putin

"I have announcement to make," Mr. Putin said, briefly switching to English only long enough to reveal his surprise to Joseph Biden. "I have new Vice President. Is very good man who make better America again. His name Donald Trump." As the crowd gasped in shock and horror, the former president appeared onstage next to Mr. Putin. "Pool stick all in your ass, take that," said Mr. Trump. "You all thought I was gone but now I'm the vice president of Russia. I have like 100 beautiful Russian bitches alongside my wife, which means I got 102 beautiful Russian females all wrapped around me." "Wait, that's wrong in so many-" "shut your mouth you damn cissy," said Donald to president Biden. "I'm like basically general of the Russian army now kind of." Mr. Putin's last words in English that night were "I now let Donald take turn with you. Now excuse, while I go buy burger downstairs. I be back in 5."

If this actually happens, I'm gonna move to the woods.

[San Lumen]

I’m not opposed to that.

I might need to be corrected here, but I know some countries (see Canada) have an automatic voter registration system, wherein taxpaying citizens merely check off that they'd like to stay on the voter rolls when they're filing their annual income taxes.

We could really simplify the process in the US if we went for a simple, transparent national system of voter registration. The convolution between states on how they register voters only further complicates things and allows states like AZ or GA to systematically try to purge minority and Dem voters. Hell, even the Supreme Court might rule in a few days that Section 2 of the VRA is no longer a valid reason to overturn a discriminatory voting policy. Madness.

That would mean voting is no longer a right and the VRA worthless.

[Kowani]

Altice reaches $72 million settlement with New York over response to Tropical Storm Isaias

Altice USA Inc has reached a nearly $72 million settlement to resolve New York state claims that the phone and cable TV provider failed to adequately prepare for or respond to Tropical Storm Isaias in August, when more than 439,000 customers lost service.

The settlement is the largest for any company overseen by the state’s Public Service Commission for failing to follow emergency response procedures, Governor Andrew Cuomo said in announcing Thursday’s settlement.

Altice, which owns the Optimum brand, will spend $68.5 million to upgrade its infrastructure and technology, including for storm responses, and has provided $3.4 million in customer credits. Customers will not be billed for the upgrades.

The Long Island City, New York-based company is not taking a charge for the upgrades or credits.

Cuomo had last Aug. 5 directed the state’s Department of Public Service to investigate major utility, phone and cable TV companies over their response to Isaias, which had struck New York the day before and caused more than 920,000 outages.

A report in February from the Public Service Commission said Altice “apparently failed” to follow significant aspects of its emergency response and storm readiness plans. It said this left Altice unable to restore service in a timely manner or to communicate effectively with customers experiencing outages. Several other phone and TV providers also reported outages, and the agency’s report additionally faulted Frontier Communications Inc over its storm response.

[Eahland]

Uh, what? Everyone's still allowed to vote under new voting laws in certain GOP states. It makes it harder, and I think some of the new rules are absurd, but saying it prohibits people from voting is a stretch.

Voting shouldn’t be made harder nor should you have to pay to get an id to vote. Some of the requirements make it difficult for some people to obtain an ID.

A few years ago, I had to renew my driver's license for the first time under the Federal RealID guidelines. I'm a middle-aged white man, natural-born American citizen back to literally the fucking Mayflower, homeowner, living less than 20 miles from where I was born — in the house where my father grew up, in fact — in a state that's not interested in suppressing my vote because I vote blue, on good terms with my family... basically an ideal case, in other words. I had problems meeting the requirements.

Due to topographical issues, I have nowhere to put a mailbox that the USPS will deliver to it, so my mail goes to a post office box. They will not accept mail to a P.O. box address as proof of residency. My utility bills don't list the service address, just the P.O. box. Fortunately, we put me on the deed after my grandmother's death in 2004, so my name appears on the property tax bills, and I was able to prove residency with the tax stubs. There's allowance for renters, but if I'd simply been living here rent-free — which was the case between 2000 and 2004 — I would not have been able to get ID.

The other problem was that I didn't have an original copy of my birth certificate. Fortunately, Mom knew where it was, and they had recently moved back here, so Dad was able to get it to me before the DMV closed.

For a lot of people — and predominantly demographics that tend to vote blue — things like this can be insurmountable obstacles.

(And the really ridiculous part is that the ID is totally pointless, because I live in a small town where my family's been prominent for generations, and the poll workers know me by sight. My mother holds elected office, and half the town had her mother for 6th-grade teacher. Or just "teacher" if they go back far enough — it was a one-room schoolhouse within living memory.)

[San Lumen]

Voting shouldn’t be made harder nor should you have to pay to get an id to vote. Some of the requirements make it difficult for some people to obtain an ID.

A few years ago, I had to renew my driver's license for the first time under the Federal RealID guidelines. I'm a middle-aged white man, natural-born American citizen back to literally the fucking Mayflower, homeowner, living less than 20 miles from where I was born — in the house where my father grew up, in fact — in a state that's not interested in suppressing my vote because I vote blue, on good terms with my family... basically an ideal case, in other words. I had problems meeting the requirements.

Due to topographical issues, I have nowhere to put a mailbox that the USPS will deliver to it, so my mail goes to a post office box. They will not accept mail to a P.O. box address as proof of residency. My utility bills don't list the service address, just the P.O. box. Fortunately, we put me on the deed after my grandmother's death in 2004, so my name appears on the property tax bills, and I was able to prove residency with the tax stubs. There's allowance for renters, but if I'd simply been living here rent-free — which was the case between 2000 and 2004 — I would not have been able to get ID.

The other problem was that I didn't have an original copy of my birth certificate. Fortunately, Mom knew where it was, and they had recently moved back here, so Dad was able to get it to me before the DMV closed.

For a lot of people — and predominantly demographics that tend to vote blue — things like this can be insurmountable obstacles.

(And the really ridiculous part is that the ID is totally pointless, because I live in a small town where my family's been prominent for generations, and the poll workers know me by sight. My mother holds elected office, and half the town had her mother for 6th-grade teacher. Or just "teacher" if they go back far enough — it was a one-room schoolhouse within living memory.)

Hence why voter ID is merely a way to keep people from voting. Republicans know they can't win unless they cheat.

[Kowani]

Biden says the US will hit 100 million shots this week, ahead of his deadline

According to federal data, the U.S. has administered 115 million doses, and is on track for 200 million shots by the 100-day mark.

But Biden added that the increased pace of vaccinations does mean that the public should get complacent.

“This is a time for optimism but it’s not a time for relaxation. I need all Americans, all of you, to do your part,” Biden said. Biden said 65 percent of people over the age of 65 have received at least one shot, and 36 percent are fully vaccinated.

"We have nearly doubled the amount of vaccine doses that we distribute to states, tribes and territories each week," Biden said. "They've gone from 1 million shots a day that I promised in December, before we're even sworn in, to an average of two and one half million shots a day, outpacing the rest of the world, significantly."

Biden announced last week in a speech marking the anniversary of pandemic restrictions that he would direct states to make all adults eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1. By May 31, he said the country will have enough supply to vaccinate every American who wants a shot.

Multiple states have since announced plans to expand eligibility to all adults in April, including Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan and Illinois, with the exception of Chicago. Two states have already opened eligibility to all adults. But being eligible is not the same as actually getting a shot, and administering the vaccines will like;y take longer.

Biden also teased an announcement next week on his administration’s vaccination goals moving forward.

“If we keep our guard up, stick together and stick with the science we can look forward to a Fourth of July that feels a bit more normal,” Biden said.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Biden says the US will hit 100 million shots this week, ahead of his deadline

According to federal data, the U.S. has administered 115 million doses, and is on track for 200 million shots by the 100-day mark.

But Biden added that the increased pace of vaccinations does mean that the public should get complacent.

“This is a time for optimism but it’s not a time for relaxation. I need all Americans, all of you, to do your part,” Biden said. Biden said 65 percent of people over the age of 65 have received at least one shot, and 36 percent are fully vaccinated.

"We have nearly doubled the amount of vaccine doses that we distribute to states, tribes and territories each week," Biden said. "They've gone from 1 million shots a day that I promised in December, before we're even sworn in, to an average of two and one half million shots a day, outpacing the rest of the world, significantly."

Biden announced last week in a speech marking the anniversary of pandemic restrictions that he would direct states to make all adults eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1. By May 31, he said the country will have enough supply to vaccinate every American who wants a shot.

Multiple states have since announced plans to expand eligibility to all adults in April, including Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan and Illinois, with the exception of Chicago. Two states have already opened eligibility to all adults. But being eligible is not the same as actually getting a shot, and administering the vaccines will like;y take longer.

Biden also teased an announcement next week on his administration’s vaccination goals moving forward.

“If we keep our guard up, stick together and stick with the science we can look forward to a Fourth of July that feels a bit more normal,” Biden said.

I'm hoping July 4th is alot more normal.

[Major-Tom]

I don't quite understand the logistics of why our vaccine rollout is so damn successful these last few weeks, but I'm immensely grateful for it.

[Celritannia]

I don't quite understand the logistics of why our vaccine rollout is so damn successful these last few weeks, but I'm immensely grateful for it.

Obviously one of them is not having Trump as President

[North Washington Republic]

Putin challenges Biden to hold a discussion after Biden called him a killer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reacted to President Joe Biden calling him a "killer" by challenging Biden to take part in a conversation with him broadcast live online.

“I’ve just thought of this now,” Putin told a Russian state television reporter. “I want to propose to President Biden to continue our discussion, but on the condition that we do it basically live, as it’s called. Without any delays and directly in an open, direct discussion. It seems to me that would be interesting for the people of Russia and for the people of the United States.” Putin’s invitation seemed to amount to a challenge to Biden to a live televised debate, following a day of diplomatic uproar that began when Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. Russia recalled its ambassador to the United States in response to the remark.After issuing his invitation, Putin said he didn’t want to delay, proposing he and Biden hold the discussion as early as Friday. “I don’t want to put this off for long. I want to go the taiga this weekend to relax a little,” Putin said. “So we could do it tomorrow or Monday. We are ready at any time convenient for the American side.”

In response to reporters' questions, White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested the discussion was unlikely to happen and noted that Biden is scheduled to travel to Georgia on Friday.

"I'll have to get back to you if that is something we're entertaining. I would say that the president already had a conversation with President Putin," Psaki said, noting Biden still had other word leaders to talk with. "The president, of course, will be in Georgia tomorrow and quite busy," she said.

Fucking please do it. I need some entertainment.

NO THANKS. We Americans had enough “entertainment” from the former guy. We want a President that is interested in governing, not providing lulz.

[North Washington Republic]

What do you propose be done? Voter ID is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

Or if you really want a voter ID system (but I agree it doesn't seem to be necessary since there is absolutely no evidence of significant fraud that would require them), do it like we do here, with an ID card given to every citizen for no fee and very little paperwork.

I’m okay with that, however, the goal of Republicans is to to make it harder to vote and have said explicitly that their goal is to have less people voting.

[Nakena]

NO THANKS. We Americans had enough “entertainment” from the former guy. We want a President that is interested in governing, not providing lulz.

That is an radical, no extreme 180 degree shift from the last 25+ years, where everything was an increasingly ironic lulz and another laugher or otherwise short-term stimuli and another happening further milked, processed and extraced by Cable News and mass media up to total mass hysteria and its ultimative end conclusion in the form of Donald Trump.

Yes this is a radical change. More than most people would realize or willing to admit.

[Kowani]

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) has decided to singlehandedly block an effort to shield covid relief payments from debt collectors

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania on Thursday single-handedly blocked Senate Democrats' effort to pass legislation that would prevent private creditors from garnishing coronavirus relief checks to pay off people's outstanding debts.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) requested unanimous consent to pass the bill (pdf) Thursday afternoon, but Toomey—a major recipient of financial industry cash—objected, declaring that debt collectors moving to snatch relief payments meant to assist struggling families are simply acting on "valid legal claims."Wyden, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a lead sponsor of the legislation along with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), warned on the Senate floor ahead of Toomey's objection that "predatory debt collectors will continue to seize relief payments for everything from credit card to medical debt" if Congress doesn't act immediately to shield the checks.

"We know that millions of American families are hanging on by a thread," said the Oregon Democrat. "They are counting on these payments to make rent, pay for groceries and medicine."

But Democrats are also coming under fire for waiting so long to start a fight over the issue, which Wyden and other lawmakers knew was looming as the American Rescue Plan made its way through Congress.

According to the Treasury Department, 90 million direct payments have already been sent out, and that number is expected to rise quickly in the coming weeks—meaning that any legislative protections for the payments would likely be too late for many people. Around 280 million Americans are expected to be eligible for a payment under the recently approved coronavirus relief package.

"Amazing to me that... we're having this conversation AFTER 90 million checks have been cut," The American Prospect's David Dayen tweeted Thursday. "The House hasn't done ANYTHING on this, despite no supermajority restriction. What are they waiting for?"

In a statement earlier this month, Wyden said the rules of budget reconciliation—the byzantine process Democrats used to pass the relief measure without GOP support—prevented the inclusion of a provision barring debt collectors from garnishing the relief payments. Both the House and Senate approved such protections for the $600 checks approved in December, but that bill did not pass through reconciliation.

To approve protections for the checks, Senate Democrats will likely need to win the support of at least 10 Republicans—an unlikely feat, given that not a single GOP senator voted for the American Rescue Plan.

"It's not clear if Democratic leaders want to bother with running the Brown-Wyden bill through the cloture process, which can take several days," HuffPost's Arthur Delaney reported. Brown told Delaney he will "keep trying."

"We know predatory debt collectors are already lining up to try to take a cut of those checks," Brown said in a floor speech Thursday

[Silvedania]

Or if you really want a voter ID system (but I agree it doesn't seem to be necessary since there is absolutely no evidence of significant fraud that would require them), do it like we do here, with an ID card given to every citizen for no fee and very little paperwork.

I’m okay with that, however, the goal of Republicans is to to make it harder to vote and have said explicitly that their goal is to have less people voting.

I assume that, but I need sauce. I need all the sauce!

[Kowani]

House to hold vote on major immigration reform: One would give a pathway to citizenship for dreamers, while the other would put about a million undocumented farmworkers on a path to citizenship

Citizenship has passed, House to vote on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act next
9 Reps voted yes

Bacon
Valadao
Upton
Salazar
Newhouse
Fitzpatrick
Smith (N.J.)
Gimenez
Diaz-Balart