Posts Tagged ‘Congress’

Freedom Caucus Tantrum Brings Down the House

June 9, 2023

Freedom Caucus Tantrum Brings Down the House

The House of Representatives was shut down Wednesday by a Freedom Caucus hissy fit, as GOP conservative sore losers, who so badly wanted to to push the country into default, prevented any further legislating by legislators. Apparently, Republican spoilers seek to Make America Great again by neutering Congress.

More:

“House heads home after hard-right Republicans defy McCarthy, block legislation,” Amy B Wang, Marianna Sotomayor, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Paul Kane. Washington Post

“GOP conservatives shutter House to protest McCarthy-Biden debt deal, setting up next budget brawl,” AP News

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GOP Extortionists Hold America Hostage

May 30, 2023

GOP Extortionists Hold America Hostage

The House GOP has been holding America hostage over federal borrowing, and the kidnappers have no problem killing their captives. Congressional Republicans raised US borrowing limits three times during the Trump administration, but now they’re threatening to send the nation into default, demanding draconian spending cuts before they let the US pay it’s debts. In fact, 25 percent of that debt was accumulated during the Trump presidency.

The borrowing cap has been raised 78 times since 1960, 49 times under Republican presidents, 29 under Democratic chief executives. Don’t believe the “running government like a business” hype; corporate securities are borrowed money. And running the country like a household? US household debt (mortgages, car loans, college loans, credit cards) is currently $17 trillion. If you default on your household loans, you’ll take down your family. If the GOP forces a federal government default, it will take down everybody.

The real problem isn’t federal spending, it’s federal revenue. Republicans have consistently reduced taxes on the rich and corporations, most recently under G.W. Bush and Trump. Now they say there isn’t enough money. Wow, wonder how that happened.

Apparently one of the cuts the GOP got in the recent compromise with the White House will reduce the IRS budget in hopes of reducung chances that tax-cheating rich Republican  donors (and their corporations) will be made to pay the paltry sums the current rigged tax code requires. Not to be outdone, Ron DeSantis wants to abolish the IRS.

More:

“IRS faces $20B cut from modernization fund under debt ceiling agreement,” Jory Heckman, Federal News Network

“Debt Deal Cuts $21 Billion Of IRS $80 Billion, 87,000 New IRS Agents Stay,” Robert W. Wood, Forbes

“A Republican Win on IRS Funding May Be a Complicated One,” Fatma Khaled, Time

“Tax Cuts Are Primarily Responsible for the Increasing Debt Ratio,” Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Liar George Santos Arrested on Federal Criminal Charges

May 11, 2023

Liar George Santos Arrested on Federal Criminal Charges

Serial liar and Republican Congressman George Santos (AKA Anthony ZabrovskyAnthony DevolderGeorge Devolder and Kitara Ravache) of New York’s 3th District was indicted by a Federal grand jury Tuesday on multiple federal counts of money laundering, stealing public money, wire fraud and making false statements to Congress in his House financial disclodures. He was arrested Wednesday, and arraigned at the Eastern District Federal Courthouse in Central Islip, NY. Mr. Santos pleaded not guilty, and was  set loose on a helpless public while awaiting trial. His $500,000 bond was secured by three unnamed individuals. His next court date is June 30. George Santos remains in Congress until his inevitable conviction.

The indictment charges that Mr. Santos solicited campaign donations, then used the funds for personal expenses, including luxury designer clothes and paying off his credit cards and and car payments. He also obtained unemployment benefits fraudulently.

Previously, George Santos lied about his: high schoolcollegeever going to college, volleyball prowessgrad schoolreligionracefamily historywork historyfinances, owning 13 real estate propertiesknee replacements, his yacht brokerage, appearing on Hanna Montana, developing carbon capture technologyfilm acting, losing employees in the Pulse nightclub shooting, getting mugged, being a drag queen, having a brain tumor, running a pet rescue charitypast marital status, getting COVID, and his own mother’s death.

His newest fib: he’s innocent and the trial is a ‘witch hunt.”

More:

“Rep. George Santos charged with 13 counts of fraud, financial crimes,” Devlin Barrett, Isaac Stanley-Becker, Shayna Jacobs, and Perry Stein, Washington Post

“George Santos charged with fraud, including stealing from campaign to buy designer clothes,” Jake Offenhartz and Michael R. Sisak, Associated Press

“Congressman George Santos Charged with Fraud, Money Laundering, Theft of Public Funds, and False Statements,” Press Release, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York

“Read the George Santos Indictment,” New York Times

“George Santos, Facing Felony Charges, Campaigned on Ensuring Criminals Do Time,” Rebecca Cohen, Business Insider

“George Santos Claims Arraignment Conflicts with His Role in N.B.A. Playoffs,” Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker

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Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com. Download a copy hereNote: Politifact hasn’t yet fact-checked George Santo’s statements. Maybe it’s too overwhelming.

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Congress Outlawed Alcohol, Then Gave a Bootlegger a Capitol Hill Office

April 27, 2023

After Congress voted in Prohibition and passed the Volstead Act, it found an office for a pet bootlegger, “The Man in the Green Hat,” George Cassiday. A WETA Boundary Stones video by Mark Jones.
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George Santos (R, NY-3)

January 24, 2023

The Honorable George Santos (R, NY-3)

Republican Congressman George Santos (AKA Anthony Zabrovsky, Anthony Devolder, George Devolder and Kitara Ravache) of New York’s 3th District is now a member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology (because he lied about developing carbon capture technology), and the House Committee on Small Business (because he lied about his business experience). At least he’s not on the Ethics Committee.

If you’re keeping score at home, George Santos lied about his: high school, college, ever going to college, volleyball prowess, grad school, religion, race, family history, work history, finances, owning 13 real estate properties, knee replacements, his yacht brokerage, appearing on Hanna Montana, developing carbon capture technology, film acting, losing employees in the Pulse nightclub shooting, getting mugged, being a drag queen, having a brain tumor, running a pet rescue charity, past marital status, getting COVID, and his own mother’s death. More is sure to come.

But as Jon Stewart observes: “The thing we have to be careful of, and I always caution myself on this and I ran into this trouble with Trump, is we cannot mistake absurdity for lack of danger, because it takes people with no shame to do shameful things.”

How did he get elected in the first place? By telling Democratic and Republican voters in his district what each wanted to hear. As Bill Maher puts it: “He is the first one to realize that since we are all in our hermetically sealed media bubbles, now you can pretend to be everything to voters in both parties.”

The Republican majority is so slim that GOP members are reluctant to pressure Mr. Santos into resigning from the House. His district could easily elect a Democrat to replace him, so he’ll stay until the federal, state, Nassau County, Queens, and/or Brazilian courts catch up with him.

More:

“Rep. George Santos Appears to Have Ripped Off His Former Boss’s Resume in Crafting His Backstory,” Virginia Chamlee, People

“George Santos’ backers include a migrant smuggler, a big Trump donor and the cousin of a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” Clare Hymes and Graham Kates, CBS News

“Another Santos Money Mystery: He Struck a Curious Business Deal With a Veteran GOP Operative,” Noah Lanard and David Corn, Mother Jones

“Campaigns Linked To Santos Left Donors Feeling Ripped Off After Questionable Credit Card Charges,” Hunter Walker and Josh Kovensky, TPM

Update:

“Scientists Welcome ‘Astronaut,’ ‘Nobel Winner’ George Santos To House Science Committee,” Chris D’Angelo, HuffPost

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Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com. Download a copy hereNote: Politifact hasn’t yet fact-checked George Santo’s statements. Maybe it’s too overwhelming.

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

The Honorable George Santos (R, NY-3)

January 17, 2023

The Honorable George Santos (R, NY-3)

Outside of Hollywood, you’d think doing business with someone who is using an assumed name would raise concerns, but it didn’t. As a result, George Santos, AKA Anthony Zabrovsky, Anthony Devolder, Kitara Ravache, and George Devolder (of dubious investment firm Harbor City Capital) is now the newly-sworn-in Republican Congressman representing New York’s 3th District.

After he was elected, Rep. Devolder Zabrovsky Ravache Santos admitted to embellishing his résumé, but it’s all embellishment, no résumé. He lied about his: high school, college, ever going to college, volleyball prowess, grad school, religion, family history, work history, finances, owning 13 real estate properties, developing carbon capture technology, losing employees in the Pulse nightclub shooting, running a pet rescue charity, past marital status, and his own mother’s death. Other dirty shoes will probably drop.

George Santos makes Herschel Walker look like the very soul of probity. He should be an embarrassment to Congressional Republicans, but they are noted for lack of shame, and their majority is so slim they’re reluctant to pressure Mr. Santos into resigning from the House. His district could easily elect a Democrat to replace him, so he’ll stay until the federal, state, Nassau County, Queens, and/or Brazilian courts catch up with him.

Months before the election, some of George Santos’ falsehoods were uncovered by the local North Shore Leader newspaper, and some lies were known to Republican consultants. These red flags were ignored in the heat of the campaign.

New York Magazine calls George Santos “The Luckiest Liar in Politics.” If you want to congratulate him on his fabrication-based good fortune, send cards to: The Honorable George Santos, 1117 Longworth House Office Building, Washington DC, 20515-3203 or call him at 202-225-3335.

Constituent well-wishers may prefer to contact his District Office in Queens: 242-09 Northern Boulevard, Douglaston, NY 11363 (phone 718-631-0400).

Rep. Santos doesn’t have a public email address, but his Chief of Staff does.

Want George Santos to attend your new waste disposal service’s ribbon-cutting or your nephew’s bar mitzvah? Use this handy contact form.

Update:

George Santos has been appointed to two House committees. He will sit on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology (because he lied about developing carbon capture technology), and the House Committee on Small Business (because he lied about his business experience).

More:

“Keeping track of all of NY Rep.-elect George Santos’ lies, from his education to charity falsehoods,” Bruce Golding, New York Post

“Rep. George Santos Appears to Have Ripped Off His Former Boss’s Resume in Crafting His Backstory,” Virginia Chamlee, People

“George Santos’ backers include a migrant smuggler, a big Trump donor and the cousin of a sanctioned Russian oligarch,” Clare Hymes and Graham Kates, CBS News

“Another Santos Money Mystery: He Struck a Curious Business Deal With a Veteran GOP Operative,” Noah Lanard and David Corn, Mother Jones

“Campaigns Linked To Santos Left Donors Feeling Ripped Off After Questionable Credit Card Charges,” Hunter Walker and Josh Kovensky, TPM

 

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Image by Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com. Download a copy hereNote: Politifact hasn’t yet fact-checked George Santo’s statements. Maybe it’s too overwhelming.

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Congress Moves From Comedy to Tragedy

January 12, 2023

Congress Moves From Comedy to Tragedy

The careening clown car of the House Republican majority has finally put Kevin McCarthy behind the wheel as Speaker, so the comedy ends, and the tragedy begins. Politico’s Jesús Rodríguez likens Rep. McCarthy’s positon to various Shakespearian princes, but it’s really really closer to Marlowe or Goethe; not Hamlet or Macbeth but Faustus. Mr. McCarthy has clearly made a secret pact with the Devil.

The 55-page House Rules Package is evil enough, but it turns out there’s a secret 3-page addendum that the GOP majority passed, sight unseen. Was it written it blood? Probably. It lists McCarthy’s specific concessions to the MAGA Freedom Caucus terrorists who spent a week blocking his speakership.

What’s in the secret addendum? No GOP rep will even concede that it exists; that’s the first rule of far-right fight club.

If Kevin McCarthy won’t live up to its unspecified terms, the Feedom Caucus cabal won’t steal his soul, but they’ll call a snap vote and remove him as Speaker. For Mr. McCarthy, that will be Hell enough.

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Image (based on paraphrase of UT football coach Darrell Royal) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht,NotionsCapital.com

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Senate Passes Same-Sex Marriage Protections

November 30, 2022

Congress Considers Same-Sex Marriage Protections

The US Senate voted 61-36 to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting same-sex marriage nationwide. Twelve Senate Republicans joined Democrats in the vote. The bill will be sent to the House, where it is expected to easily pass before it is sent to President Biden’s desk.

The bill was crafted in response to a Supreme Court opinion by Clarence Thomas questioning the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges precedent, which legalized same-sex marriage. A July 2022 Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans support same-sex marriage.

More:

“Senate passes bill to protect same-sex marriage,” Andrew Solender,” Axios

“Senate passes protections for same-sex marriages,” Michael Macagnone, Roll Call

“U.S. Senate passes bill to protect same-sex, interracial marriage,” Sheri Walsh, UPI

“Respect for Marriage Act: Senate passes same-sex marriage bill,” BBC News

“Senate passes landmark protections for same-sex marriage,” Al Weaver, The Hill

“Landmark same-sex marriage bill wins Senate passage,” Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press

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Alaskans Reject Sarah Palin — Again

November 28, 2022

Alaskans Reject Sarah Palin -- Again
Fresh on the heels of August’s loss in Alaska’s special congressional election, MAGA proto-Trump Sarah Palin — former Miss Wasillaex-sportscaster, once part-time Temp-Governor of Alaska, losing GOP Vice Presidential candidate, cancelled reality TV starArizona homeownerMasked Singer, and failed Fox News commentator — also lost November’s election to pro-fish Democrat Mary Peltola. Previously, Ms. Peltola was an Orutsararmuit Native Council Tribal Court Judge and 5-term Alaska state legislator before serving the remainder of deceased US Congressman Don Young’s term, then winning re-election to a full two-year term.  A Yup’ik woman from the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, she is the first Native Alaskan to serve in the U.S. Congress. Ms. Palin, on the other hand, had been endorsed by Donald Trump.

These days, Sarah Palin seems a quaint relic of the Republican party she helped destroy.

More:

“Next act for Palin unclear after Alaska House losses,” Becky Bohrer, Associated Press

“Sarah Palin Loses as the Party She Helped Transform Moves Past Her,” Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times

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Alaskans Reject Sarah Palin

September 2, 2022

Alaskans Reject Sarah Palin
In a special election to fill Alaska’s congressional seat for the remainder of this term, MAGA proto-Trump Sarah Palin — former Miss Wasilla, ex-sportscaster, once part-time Temp-Governor of Alaska, losing GOP Vice Presidential candidate, cancelled reality TV star, Arizona homeowner, Masked Singer, and failed Fox News commentator — lost to pro-fish Democrat Mary Peltola. Ms. Peltola, a former Orutsararmuit Native Council Tribal Court Judge, served 5 terms in Alaska’s state legislature.  A Yup’ik woman from the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, she will be the first Native Alaskan to serve in the U.S. Congress.

Sarah Palin has an opportunity to lose to Mary Peltola again in November, in the election for a full U.S. congressional term.

More:

“Peltola wins Alaska special election to fill Young’s House seat,” Jackie Wang and Kate Ackley, Roll Call

“Sarah Palin loses Alaska special election to Democrat Mary Peltola,” Deepa Shivaram, NPR News

“Democrat Mary Peltola tops Sarah Palin to win U.S. House special election in Alaska,” AP via The Guardian

“Wind in Democrats’ sails as Sarah Palin humbled in Alaska special election,” Ed Pilkington, The Guardian

“Republicans Have Only Themselves to Blame for Their Alaskan Defeat,” Adam Serwer, The Atlantic

“Why Sarah Palin’s loss is a warning for the GOP,” David Siders, Politico

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