#Rep. Jeffries’ Family

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Edward Helmore at The Guardian:

Hakeem Jeffries and Cory Booker held a sit-in protest and discussion for more than 12 hours on Sunday on the steps of the US Capitol in opposition to Republicans’ proposed budget plan. Billed as an “Urgent Conversation with the American People”, the livestreamed discussion between the House minority leader and the New Jersey senator came before Congress’s return to session on Monday, where Democrats hope to stall Republicans’ economic legislative agenda. Throughout the day, they were joined by other Democratic lawmakers, including the senator Raphael Warnock, who spoke as the sit-in passed the 10-hour mark. The proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, the New York Times reported on Friday, includes cuts to programs that support childcare, health research, education, housing assistance, community development and the elderly. “Republican leaders have made clear their intention to use the coming weeks to advance a reckless budget scheme to President Trump’s desk that seeks to gut Medicaid, food assistance and basic needs programs that help people, all to give tax breaks to billionaires,” Booker and Jeffries aid in a statement. “Given what’s at stake, these could be some of the most consequential weeks for seniors, kids and families in generations,” they added.

Booker wrote separately on X: “This is a moral moment in America. Sitting on the Capitol steps with Leader Hakeem Jeffries this morning to discuss what’s at stake with Trump’s budget and affirm the need for action to protect Medicaid, food assistance, and other safety net programs.” Booker and Jeffries started their sit-in about 6am and ended it after 6pm. Throughout the day, they were joined by lawmakers including the Democratic senators Chris Coons and Angela Alsobrooks and representatives Sarah McBride, Maxwell Frost, Gil Cisneros and Gabe Amo, among others. Labor leaders, including Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, also took part in the event. The Rev Dr William J Barber II and the National Education Association president, Becky Pringle, also joined. Pringle said the Trump administration was perpetrating “the greatest assault on public education that we’ve ever seen in this country”.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) led a 12-hour sit-in on Sunday to protest the GOP’s draconian budget cuts plan.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

News|Politics

'Under assault': Calif. Democrat unloads on Trump in crowded town hall

By Anabel Sosa, Senior California politics reporterMay 6, 2025

FILE: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks at a canvass launch for George Whitesides, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, in Palmdale, Calif.Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

One of the top Democrats in Congress surprised a crowd in the Coachella Valley over the weekend.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, said he was “in the neighborhood” when he decided to stop by a town hall to listen to voters’ questions about impending threats under President Donald Trump’s administration. It was the fourth town hall Rep. Raul Ruiz, a former emergency room physician and Democrat who represents cities including El Centro, Indio and Hemet, has hosted in the past month.

“These are very challenging times. This administration is completely and totally out of control,” said Jeffries, who has been in his leadership role since 2023. “… The economy is under assault, Social Security is under assault, health care is under assault. The American way of life is under assault.”

The main topic for Jeffries, who has been a bulwark for Democrats, was the upcoming federal spending plan. 

“We’re committed to doing everything we can at this moment to stop Republicans from trying to jam this reckless extreme budget down the throats of the American people, which includes the largest proposed cut to Medicaid in American history,” Jeffries said at the event in Rancho Mirage. “It will hurt children and families and seniors and women and older Americans and everyday Americans with disabilities. Hospitals will close, nursing homes could shut down, and in fact people could die.”

Jeffries appeared alongside Ruiz and Ruiz’s town hall co-host Rep. Nanette Barragán, a Democrat who represents Napa Valley. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico was also in the room. The meeting was attended by a few hundred people, according to the LA Times.

One audience member, who noted how effective Trump’s campaigning was “two years in advance” of the 2024 presidential election, asked Jeffries whether the Democratic caucus is going to similarly “move up” its messaging efforts ahead of 2026 so “we could get somebody in a leadership position that can speak reason to nonsense.”

“What we believe is we are in a ‘more is more’ environment,” Jeffries said. “... It’s town hall meetings, it’s days of actions, it’s site visits.”

Democrats could regain a majority in the House next year in the midterm elections but lack control over the legislative agenda and leadership positions until then. With those constraints, as Jeffries explained, Democrats are relying heavily on rallying public opinion by hosting events and doing voter outreach during the newly popularized town halls — a sometimes effective public outreach method that they have used to their advantage ever since Republicans in March stopped attending their own.

These public gatherings have stirred up mixed emotions from distressed voters.

In March, Democrats were met with fury during a series of town halls they hosted across California in an effort to quell the fears of voters distraught over the mass firings by the Department of Government Efficiency. 

Rep. Ro Khanna hosted a town hall in the Inland Empire and was lambasted by residents pressing him as to why the party wasn’t doing more to stop the cuts. At another public meeting, freshman Democrat Rep. David Min of Orange County was probed about why Democrats were doing nothing, according to the Orange County Register, and the same happened with Rep. Gil Cisneros down in Los Angeles, who insisted to voters he was on their side. 

Earlier in March, Republican members of Congress were met with the same temper. In Yucca Valley, Rep. Jay Obernolte was called a “Nazi” during his own town hall, according to the Los Angeles Times. Not long after, Lake Tahoe residents were enraged when Rep. Kevin Kiley never responded to their calls. It was later reported that the Republican caucus was advised to stop holding in-person meetings.

But Democrats have kept it up.

Over the weekend, Jeffries called out Trump’s determination to gut public services, including Medicaid and Social Security benefits, which have gained massive public attention.

House Republicans passed a budget resolution on Feb. 25 by a narrow vote that is a blueprint for Trump’s ongoing policy agenda. Trump’s budget proposal is part of a larger plan to reduce federal spending; he’s already slashed funding for the National Park Service, which would lose $1.2 billion in funding under his proposal, and for the Department of Education, which suffered a $1 billion cut in mental health grants.

Two Republican representatives from California signed a letter last month urging House leadership to reconsider defunding Medicaid. They said they support “targeted reforms” to improve and modernize the program, but could not get behind reducing “coverage for vulnerable populations.” 

The letter also warned that Medicaid cuts could lead to the closure of hospitals, whose revenue is largely dependent on the program.

Jeffries echoed similar concerns at the weekend town hall, reassuring the crowd that benefits will be untouched, without offering much explanation about how. He called the retirement program “an earned benefit.” 

[democracyunderground]

Democrats on Capitol Hill have little power to prevent GOP leaders from moving President Trump’s ambitious policy agenda through Congress this year. But they’re going out of their way to make the process as painful as possible for vulnerable Republicans.

In the House this week, the Democrats’ top super PAC announced a new campaign to highlight the Medicaid cuts that are all but inevitable as part of the Republicans’ nascent effort to pay for an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.

In the Senate, where GOP leaders are poised to move a budget wish list this week, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is urging his troops to push amendments to amplify the Democrats’ charges that GOP leaders want to slash working-class benefits to help the wealthiest taxpayers.

And both efforts come on the heels of a choreographed tactic by Democrats on the House Budget Committee to offer a long series of policy riders to the GOP’s budget resolution aimed at preventing steep cuts to federal nutrition, health care and other programs benefiting low-income families in every district in the country.

The Democrats’ can’t unilaterally block the GOP’s agenda, since it’s expected to move by a budget procedure, known as reconciliation, that empowers the reigning Republicans to push legislation through both chambers with a simple majority.

But Democrats are hoping to use one power they do have from the minority — public outreach and mobilization. And in that effort, their message is clear: We may be in the minority in both chambers, they say, but any Republican who supports Trump’s cost-cutting agenda will have to answer for its effects on middle-class families on the campaign trail.

“Republicans’ budget proposal is a betrayal of American families — slashing Medicaid, Medicare, & Social Security to finance $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires,” Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) said. “Budgets reflect values — and theirs puts working people last.”

At the center of the looming budget debate is Medicaid, the massive federal program providing subsidized health care benefits to millions of Americans, including children, the disabled and nursing home residents. The Republican effort to offset the cost of extending their 2017 tax cuts leans heavily on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has been tasked to find $880 billion in savings over 10 years — a figure Republicans say will necessarily mean cuts to Medicaid, which falls under the panel’s jurisdiction.

GOP leaders have defended that strategy, arguing there’s plenty of errant spending within the program that can be weeded out. They’re also pushing for new work requirements for some Medicaid beneficiaries that would reduce costs even further.

“If you eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in Medicaid, you’ve got a huge amount of money that you can spend on real priorities for the country,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters last week in the Capitol.

“And if you make sure that people who are able-bodied workers — you know, men under the age of 40, for example, who have rolled onto Medicaid and gotten onto the expansion and need to be working … it makes sense to people.”

Democrats are skeptical, arguing there’s no way to find the savings in Medicaid that Republicans envision without slashing real health benefits for some of America’s most vulnerable populations. They’re accusing Trump and Republicans of promoting a massive transfer of wealth from the poorest people to the wealthiest in order to offset the cost of extending the GOP’s tax cuts.

“Their objective, actually, is to pass massive tax cuts for billionaires, donors and their wealthy corporations. And then … stick working-class Americans with the bill by slashing and burning things like Medicaid to the ground,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) recently told MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace.

“It’s all connected, at the end of the day,” he continued. “And we’ve got to break through with that narrative that ties it all together for the American people and then battle it out in these different forms in the Congress, in the courts and in the community.”

The prospect of Medicaid cuts is getting plenty of pushback from some moderate Republicans, especially those with large Medicaid populations in their districts. Those voices are already sending warning signals that GOP leaders will have to prove that their plan cuts the $880 billion without slashing program benefits — or the bill will never reach Trump’s desk.

“If the inference is there’s no path to 880 without drastically hurting poor people, then the bill is dead — then the bill won’t work, because scores of Republicans will vote against it and the president will blast it,” one centrist House Republican said. “So now is the time for the committees to do their work  and then subsequently show it to members to figure out how to get to 880 without crushing poor people.”

Democratic campaign operatives are hoping to exploit those GOP anxieties.

On Tuesday, the House Majority PAC, which works to elect Democrats to the lower chamber, issued a memo accusing Republicans of “putting Medicaid on the chopping block” at the expense of their own constituents.

The release included a breakdown of the Medicaid enrollment in 27 battleground districts currently held by Republicans, including the number and percentage of children in the program.

The PAC offered a warning, saying it will target any vulnerable Republican who votes in favor of the Medicaid cuts to advance Trump’s tax cuts.

“The cuts currently pushed by House Republicans will be a defining issue in 2026,” the memo says, promising the PAC “will hold them accountable for abandoning their constituents to further enrich the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations.”

Mychael Schnell and Al Weaver contributed.

[beardedmrbean]

April 18 (UPI) -- Democrats in Congress are renewing a call for legislation to ban members from trading stocks and securities following a flurry of trades during the April market slump.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., disclosed 38 trades made between April 2 -- when President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on most imports -- and April 9 -- when Trump paused many of the tariffs, according to Insider Finance's Congress Stock Tracker. The tariff announcement sent the stock market into a tailspin, bringing down prices during this time period.

"This is a great time to buy!" Trump posted on social media on April 9.

Greene traded 10 stocks on April 9 and 10 on April 8. Most of her reported trades were purchases valued at between $1,001 and $15,000. She sold off a U.S. Treasury bill valued between $50,001 and $100,000 on April 8.

Rep. Rick Larson, D-Wash., disclosed two trades on April 9. Otherwise Greene is the only other member of Congress to have disclosed trades during that time. Members of Congress have up to 45 days to disclose their stock market activity in accordance with the 2012 STOCK Act, so more disclosures could come in the following weeks.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has joined the calls to ban members from trading stocks. In an appearance on MSNBC, Jeffries alleged that Greene acted on inside information to profit from the dip in the stock market.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., shared similar concerns during a congressional hearing on tariffs with U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer on April 9 as Trump pulled back many of the tariffs.

"Is this market manipulation?" Horsford asked of Trump's use of tariffs.

"No," Greer responded.

"Why not?" Horsford said. "If it was a plan, how is it not market manipulation?"

"It's not market manipulation, sir," Greer said.

Kedric Payne, vice president, general counsel and senior director of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, told UPI that whether Congress members are actively engaged in corrupt activities by trading stocks or not, the appearance of corruption has the same effect on the public's trust in the government.

"In the situation where you have members of Congress disclosing that they're making trades in stocks, it can appear as though they're not focused on what the public needs during these volatile times in the stock market," Payne said. "But they're more focused on their personal profit. And that diminishes public trust in government."

Talk of a ban on congressional stock trading is not new, according to Payne. It has been discussed as long as members have traded stocks. The issue is raised because of the potential for lawmakers to have a direct influence on a stock's value and having access to information that the general public doesn't.

In a 2023 survey by the Program For Public Consultation, 86% of respondents said members of Congress and family members who live with them should be prohibited from trading stocks in individual companies. This includes 87% who identified as Republicans, 87% who identified as Democrats and 81% independents.

About 87% of respondents agreed that the president, vice president and Supreme Court justices should be prohibited from trading stocks.

Stock trading remains common in Congress. According to campaign financial disclosure reports in 2023 and 2024, 61% of new members of Congress owned stock. Forty-two of 71 new members owned both stocks and widely held investment funds, the Campaign Legal Center reported.

Members of Congress were only required to disclose their trade activities once a year until the STOCK Act was passed. This increased transparency and, for a time, deterred some members from engaging with the stock market, according to Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen.

Holman has drafted legislation for lawmakers to ban stock trading in Congress. It is an issue he said he has worked on for many years. After the STOCK Act was passed, he led a study into its impact, looking at congressional stock trading in the three years prior to its passage and the three years since.

Holman found that stock trading activity declined by two-thirds after the STOCK Act was passed.

"The STOCK Act was necessary legislation to get transparency in stock trading activity," Holman said. "Quite frankly, I thought that would be enough to stop stock trading by members of Congress simply because of the pitfalls for scandal. But as we've seen during the pandemic and once again today, that many members of Congress just don't seem to care. So we need to take this a step further and just ban stock trading activity altogether by members of Congress."

Holman referenced the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when congressional disclosures revealed dozens of lawmakers -- Republicans and Democrats -- made hundreds of moves in the stock market, some related to stocks that would be directly affected by the pandemic.

"The problem with insider trading still exists. We saw it in full color during the pandemic," Holman said. "And then we're seeing it again today."

Despite broad support from the public and some on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill over the years, a congressional stock trading ban has not been adopted.

"Inevitably with any kind of major reform of Congress, it requires the public to actually embarrass Congress into doing the right thing," Holman said. "Congress doesn't want to impose these types of restrictions that deny them the means of cashing in. They eventually do impose these types of restrictions when it becomes a very public issue and the public basically pushes Congress into acting."

Legislation to ban stock trading in Congress has seen a few iterations in recent years with some level of bipartisan support. In 2023, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., sponsored the Bipartisan Ban on Congressional Stock Ownership Act, seeking to force members to divest from stocks, bonds, commodities, futures or any other securities within 180 days of its enactment. This also applied to the spouses of members.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced a bill to end trading and holdings for members of Congress in 2023. It passed the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in July.

The proposal prohibits members of Congress, the president and the vice president from purchasing stocks and cryptocurrencies. The prohibition extends to these individuals' spouses and any dependent children in 2027.

"The public doesn't think we should profit from having information that they don't have, and we shouldn't," Merkley said in a statement.

Jordan Libowitz, vice president of communications with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told UPI his organization supports a ban on congressional stock trading but would prefer Congress go a step further.

"Banning stock trading in Congress is helpful. Banning stock ownership, banning the ownership of individual company stock is what's truly needed," Libowitz said. "Because as long as members own stocks, even if they're not looking to quickly profit by selling them, they can sit on a committee hearing and craft a bill that helps someone testifying from a company they own stock in."

Libowitz adds that CREW supports a ban that would move all congressional stock holdings to a blind trust.

The Merkley legislation would ban lawmakers from holding stocks in a blind trust, marking a significant difference from previous versions of such legislation.

"The average member of Congress outperforms the market and outperforms hedge funds and professional investors with their assets," Libowitz said. "Something seems off about that. When the general public hears these kinds of stories it's an easy ask for them. It shouldn't be a tough decision. Public service is a sacrifice."

[darkmaga-returns]

Eric Rodriguez is an anti-Trump SEIU member who also spoke at a Democrat press conference ahead of Trump’s address.

His son, accused killer Elias Rodriguez, 30, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder after allegedly gunning down Yaron Lischinsky, 28, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who were about to become engaged.

“Eric Rodriguez was our guest during the President’s Joint Speech to Congress, but we don’t know his family,” a spokesperson for Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.) told the Post Thursday night.

García in March had described Rodriguez as “an outspoken advocate against attacks on veterans’ services and the rights of unionized federal employees.”

His mention of “attacks on veteran services” appeared to be a reference to the Department of Government Efficiency’s work eliminating of waste fraud and abuse from the system.

“Eric represents the very best of our community — someone who has served his country, continues to serve his fellow veterans and fights every day to protect the dignity of working people,” the congressman said in a statement on March 3. “His presence at the Joint Address is a powerful statement: we will not sit back while veterans and workers are treated as political pawns.”

According to the Post, Rodriguez also appeared in a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) video that same day, speaking as an Iraq War vet and an employee with the Veterans Affairs Department.

The SEIU, one of the largest labor unions in North America, donates millions of dollars to left-wing Democrat politicians who promote government expansion and higher taxes.

“I’ve been with the VA for three years, and the reason why I’m in Washington, DC, is because I’m concerned about what Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE are doing to the VA system,” he said in the SEIU video. 

Rodriguez was also a featured speaker at an emotional Democrat press conference on March 4.

Flanked by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and other Democrat lawmakers, Rodriguez appeared on the verge of tears as he decried the DOGE cuts.

[usanewscorner]

Rep. Sylvester Turner, a Texas Democrat, dies at 70

The former Houston mayor, who was just two months into his first term, attended President Donald Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday night.

First-term Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, died Tuesday night after suffering a medical emergency following President Donald Trump's address to Congress, according to two House Democratic lawmakers who were informed of his death.

He was 70 years old and had just taken the oath of office in January. Turner previously faced bone cancer.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., later Wednesday confirmed Turner's death in a statement, calling the former Houston mayor an "iconic leader" and a "fighter until the end."

"The House Democratic Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Though he was newly elected to the Congress, Rep. Turner had a long and distinguished career in public service and spent decades fighting for the people of Houston," Jeffries said.

At a closed-door Democratic meeting Wednesday morning, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., announced to colleagues that Turner had died and that his family has been notified, according to one lawmaker who attended the meeting.

Read More>>

[mariacallous]

WASHINGTON ― The big legislation Republicans are trying to pass this week would shrink economic resources for the poorest Americans while boosting the richest, according to a new analysis by Capitol Hill’s official budget scorekeeper.

The Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as it’s officially known, would shrink household resources for the lowest-income households by 2% in 2027 and 4% in 2033, mainly because of cuts to health and nutrition programs.

”By contrast, resources would increase by an amount equal to 4 percent for households in the highest decile in 2027 and 2 percent in 2033, mainly because of reductions in… taxes they owe,” CBO director Phillip Swagel wrote in a letter to Democrats.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, requested the CBO analysis of the bill’s distributional effects for the top and bottom 10% of households by annual income.

“This is what Republicans are fighting for – lining the pockets of their billionaire donors while children go hungry and families get kicked off their health care,” Boyle said in a statement. “CBO’s nonpartisan analysis makes it crystal clear: Donald Trump and House Republicans are selling out the middle class to make the ultra-rich even richer.”

Democrats have been hammering Republicans for the bill’s not-so-populist economic impacts for weeks; the CBO analysis distills the legislation’s reverse Robin Hood dynamic in dry and authoritative terms.

[follow-up-news]

First-term Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Texas, died Tuesday night after suffering a medical emergency following President Donald Trump's address to Congress, according to two House Democratic lawmakers who were informed of his death. He was 70 years old and had just taken the oath of office in January. Turner previously faced bone cancer. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., later Wednesday confirmed Turner's death in a statement, calling the former Houston mayor an "iconic leader" and a "fighter until the end." "The House Democratic Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Though he was newly elected to the Congress, Rep. Turner had a long and distinguished career in public service and spent decades fighting for the people of Houston," Jeffries said.

[dertaglichedan]

Jeffries: Trump Isn’t Focused on Key Issues Like Securing the Border Like Dems Are

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) argued that the Trump administration hasn’t focused on the problems of everyday Americans, while Democrats are “continuing to make sure that we focus on trying to make life better for everyday Americans.” And “We have to drive down the high cost of living. We have to secure the border.”

Jeffries said, “Look, what we’ve seen from the Trump administration over the last several weeks is just a flood of unprecedented extremism and a parade of horribles that continue to be unleashed on the American people, while, at the same time, the Trump administration is not focused on solving the problems of everyday Americans. We’re continuing to make sure that we focus on trying to make life better for everyday Americans. Fundamentally, that’s why we were sent to Washington, D.C.”

He continued, “We have to drive down the high cost of living. We have to secure the border. We have to keep communities safe. We have to protect our DREAMers and farm workers and families. These are the things that matter, as opposed to creating crisis-like moments when we should be coming together and demonstrating leadership for the free world.”

[militantinremission]

Putting Byron Donalds' comments in perspective

I have listened to Rep. Byron Donalds' comments regarding 'Jim Crow' & I don't get all the furor surrounding them. I heard the Man speak about MARRIAGE RATES being higher during the Jim Crow Era than it is Today. He also said that the rise in Black Marriages in recent Years, is a good thing for Our Children & the prospect of building Generational Wealth. I'm not a Republican, but I acknowledge that Black American Culture has traditionally been Socially Liberal & Morally Conservative. Black Americans were predominantly Republican during The Jim Crow Era, but I don't know if it means that Blackfolk were 'Conservative'. If We're being honest, Most of Our Family weren't allowed to Vote. I assume Rep Donalds means 'Family Values' were more conservative, & he would B correct. Black Households w/ both parents tend to B more conservative than Single Parent Households.

I find House Minority Leader, Hakeem Jeffries & Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair, Jaime Harrison disingenuous w/ their comments implying Rep. Donalds' said that Black America was BETTER OFF under Jim Crow. I didn't hear him say that in his comments. I understand the politics behind their statements; Rep. Donalds is among Donald Trump's considerations for Vice President. His comments can legitimately B seen as an effort to gain favor w/ Trump, in regard to attracting Black Voters. That said, Hakeem Jeffries should spend more time on his Brooklyn Constituents & less time on political muckraking. For The Record, i'm NOT a Fan of Byron Donalds. I disagree w/ him more than I agree. That said, I can understand what he was trying to say. If Democrats were saying: Rep. Donalds is implying that as the Black Marriage Rate rises, We can expect more of them to turn to the GOP- They would have a legitimate argument.

As bad as Hakeem Jeffries & Jaime Harrison were in twisting The Narrative, Joy Reid & Abby Phillips took it further. Both acknowledged that Rep. Donalds didn't say Blackfolk were 'better off' during Jim Crow, but both used their platform to create nonsensical scenarios. Joy Reid accused Byron Donalds of implying that Jim Crow was a 'Golden Era' for Black Americans, & she questioned Black Men of the Jim Crow Era's ability to protect their Families. She cited a 1943 Florida Case (Willie Howard) where a lynch mob forced a Man to watch his son drown at gun point. I found her scenario Off Topic, Callous, & COMPLETELY in Bad Taste; especially coming from someone who doesn't have a Family History of experiencing Jim Crow. Abby Phillips implied Rep. Donalds was referring to a Nostalgic Period when Black America voted Conservatively. I could go along w/ Abby's narrative more, if she allowed Rep Donalds to fully explain his position. Both she & Joy Reid spoke over him & didn't really give him a chance to make his argument.

What bothers me the most about this Whole Thing, is how simple minded Democrats & their Shills think the Black American Collective are. They purposely twisted Byron Donalds' comments w/ the intent of gaslighting Us into rejecting a 'Black Republican' & his obvious Agenda. Rep. Donalds has made some pretty outlandish & Simp Worthy comments, so he doesn't really need their help. On top of that, Black Americans posess Reading Comprehension; We know how to draw Our own conclusions & don't require spoon feeding by Democrats & their Shills. The ongoing effort by Dems to tell Blackfolk How to Think Politically is beyond insulting. Black America is NOT a Monolith; among Us are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Progressives, Conservatives, Socialists, & Non Party Affiliates. We have multiple ideologies, but We can ALL 'Agree to Disagree', & coalesce around Core Issues that are important to Us as a Collective.

The 'All Lives Matter' conversation about American Marriage Rates & Family Structure over the decades is very true, but Rep. Donalds was speaking to Blackfolk in Philly about the Black American Dynamic. Abby Phillips & Joy Reid's insertion of Everyone Else comes across like a diversion away from yet another Black Specific Issue. The focus on the horrors of Jim Crow only, & not on the fact that Black Marriage Rates actually were higher before 1968, is pure politics. The effect of LBJ's 'Great Society' on Black Families can B debated, but NO ONE can deny that Democratic Policies over the last 50Yrs have done more harm to Us than good. Once thriving Black Communities are being gentrified on a Nationwide scale. Black Home Ownership is back down to 1968 levels. Blackfolk are politically mature enough to listen to All Sides of an Argument & draw Our Own conclusion.

We don't have to agree w/ Byron Donalds' Politics to acknowledge the fact that the Black Marriage Rate fell dramatically after 1968. His fatal error, was obviously referring to the Jim Crow Era BY NAME; as a Timeline for comparison of Black Marriage Percentages. In retrospect, I think that he would just give the Years in question.

[wat3rm370n]

Do voters really want right-wing Dem representatives?

I’m not convinced people left of Richard Nixon want right-wing representatives, but I do suspect some Dem politicians pine for Republican love and money.

I wish someone would do a survey of Dem voters in the district of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and ask them if they voted for their Dem representative because she goes to extreme right-wing Christian prayer groups with far right Republicans. Find out if that’s really what’s needed to win a district.

Matt Cartwright didn’t win in my district in Pennsylvania even though he went super right-wing on the border.

So I’m not convinced.

I’ve never had much faith in the DNC. They put more emphasis on corporate signaling of inclusion than actual inclusion, and they defied Biden’s CDC guidance, the Illinois state rules, and the Chicago public health rules at the 2024 convention. People seemed pleased with David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta joining the DNC as vice chairs, but now they’re ousting them. (Malcolm Kenyatta was who I voted for in the primary that John Fetterman won.)

I’d like to see actual numbers saying that a Dem politician can only win in my “swing district” if they are Christian Nationalist, or believe in chemtrail conspiracy fictions or support trickle down economics, or whatever favourite out there maga position Dem politicians think they can win Republican votes on.

Robert Reich EXPOSES Trump’s Secret Tariff SCAM | PoliticsGirl MeidasTouch May 13, 2025 Leigh McGowan: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats where they’re like “Don’t mention universal healthcare.” And I’m like “Why not that’s what everyone needs.” (…) Robert Reich: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats and Democratic operatives who say “Uh don’t mention labor unions.” What what don’t mention labor unions?”

It’s troubling to regularly hear about people who talk to Dem politicians and Dem operatives who are seemingly completely out of step with the Dem base entirely.

MAGA Can’t Run the Country To Save Its Life! (w/ Jonathan Martin) | Bulwark Podcast – The Bulwark Jan 3, 2025 Tim Miller: “Democratic strategist Chris hail tweeting this right now “it’s remarkable how my party has ditched the Trump is a threat to democracy argument Agular didn’t mention the word democracy once in his nomination of Hakeem Jeffries”. it is true I mean it sucks but it’s true I as what maybe the biggest kerfuffle ever created on this podcast was when Ezra Klein was on and he said that his private convos with Democrats were that they didn’t believe the Democracy message that they were pushing forth that they didn’t believe that Trump was that great of a threat – this was last summer he said that – that seems to be bearing out in a way that’s a little alarming for me.” Jonathan Martin: “If they thought he was a real threat to democracy then would the mayor of DC be taking meetings with him to talk about getting employees back five days a week into their cubes?”

My letter to reps:

I’m disgusted that politicians often embrace the debunked ridiculous pseudoscience of trickle down economics in order to give tax breaks, and in fact, just give away taxpayer money to the already rich, businesses, and banks – and use trickle down economics to try to justify spending more time personally interacting and networking with moguls and business executive more than listening to constituents and focusing on the people’s interests.

Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.

Unfortunately perennial:

The Failure of Trickle-Down Economics | Robert Reich Robert Reich Oct 5, 2017 Trump and conservatives in Congress are planning a big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires to justify it they’re using the oldest song in their playbook claiming tax cuts on the rich will trickle down to working families in the form of stronger economic growth baloney trickle-down economics is a cruel joke just look at the evidence.

I wish someone would do a survey of Dem voters in the district of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and ask them if they voted for their Dem representative because she goes to extreme right-wing Christian prayer groups with far right Republicans. Find out if that’s really what’s needed to win a district.

Matt Cartwright didn’t win in my district in Pennsylvania even though he went super right-wing on the border.

So I’m not convinced.

I’ve never had much faith in the DNC. They put more emphasis on corporate signaling of inclusion than actual inclusion, and they defied Biden’s CDC guidance, the Illinois state rules, and the Chicago public health rules at the 2024 convention. People seemed pleased with David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta joining the DNC as vice chairs, but now they’re ousting them. (Malcolm Kenyatta was who I voted for in the primary that John Fetterman won.)

I’d like to see actual numbers saying that a Dem politician can only win in my “swing district” if they are Christian Nationalist, or believe in chemtrail conspiracy fictions or support trickle down economics, or whatever favourite out there maga position Dem politicians think they can win Republican votes on.

Robert Reich EXPOSES Trump’s Secret Tariff SCAM | PoliticsGirl MeidasTouch May 13, 2025 Leigh McGowan: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats where they’re like “Don’t mention universal healthcare.” And I’m like “Why not that’s what everyone needs.” (…) Robert Reich: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats and Democratic operatives who say “Uh don’t mention labor unions.” What what don’t mention labor unions?”

It’s troubling to regularly hear about people who talk to Dem politicians and Dem operatives who are seemingly completely out of step with the Dem base entirely.

MAGA Can’t Run the Country To Save Its Life! (w/ Jonathan Martin) | Bulwark Podcast – The Bulwark Jan 3, 2025 Tim Miller: “Democratic strategist Chris hail tweeting this right now “it’s remarkable how my party has ditched the Trump is a threat to democracy argument Agular didn’t mention the word democracy once in his nomination of Hakeem Jeffries”. it is true I mean it sucks but it’s true I as what maybe the biggest kerfuffle ever created on this podcast was when Ezra Klein was on and he said that his private convos with Democrats were that they didn’t believe the Democracy message that they were pushing forth that they didn’t believe that Trump was that great of a threat – this was last summer he said that – that seems to be bearing out in a way that’s a little alarming for me.” Jonathan Martin: “If they thought he was a real threat to democracy then would the mayor of DC be taking meetings with him to talk about getting employees back five days a week into their cubes?”

My letter to reps:

I’m disgusted that politicians often embrace the debunked ridiculous pseudoscience of trickle down economics in order to give tax breaks, and in fact, just give away taxpayer money to the already rich, businesses, and banks – and use trickle down economics to try to justify spending more time personally interacting and networking with moguls and business executive more than listening to constituents and focusing on the people’s interests.

Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.

Unfortunately perennial:

The Failure of Trickle-Down Economics | Robert Reich Robert Reich Oct 5, 2017 Trump and conservatives in Congress are planning a big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires to justify it they’re using the oldest song in their playbook claiming tax cuts on the rich will trickle down to working families in the form of stronger economic growth baloney trickle-down economics is a cruel joke just look at the evidence.

I wish someone would do a survey of Dem voters in the district of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and ask them if they voted for their Dem representative because she goes to extreme right-wing Christian prayer groups with far right Republicans. Find out if that’s really what’s needed to win a district.

Matt Cartwright didn’t win in my district in Pennsylvania even though he went super right-wing on the border.

So I’m not convinced.

I’ve never had much faith in the DNC. They put more emphasis on corporate signaling of inclusion than actual inclusion, and they defied Biden’s CDC guidance, the Illinois state rules, and the Chicago public health rules at the 2024 convention. People seemed pleased with David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta joining the DNC as vice chairs, but now they’re ousting them. (Malcolm Kenyatta was who I voted for in the primary that John Fetterman won.)

I’d like to see actual numbers saying that a Dem politician can only win in my “swing district” if they are Christian Nationalist, or believe in chemtrail conspiracy fictions or support trickle down economics, or whatever favourite out there maga position Dem politicians think they can win Republican votes on.

Robert Reich EXPOSES Trump’s Secret Tariff SCAM | PoliticsGirl MeidasTouch May 13, 2025 Leigh McGowan: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats where they’re like “Don’t mention universal healthcare.” And I’m like “Why not that’s what everyone needs.” (…) Robert Reich: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats and Democratic operatives who say “Uh don’t mention labor unions.” What what don’t mention labor unions?”

It’s troubling to regularly hear about people who talk to Dem politicians and Dem operatives who are seemingly completely out of step with the Dem base entirely.

MAGA Can’t Run the Country To Save Its Life! (w/ Jonathan Martin) | Bulwark Podcast – The Bulwark Jan 3, 2025 Tim Miller: “Democratic strategist Chris hail tweeting this right now “it’s remarkable how my party has ditched the Trump is a threat to democracy argument Agular didn’t mention the word democracy once in his nomination of Hakeem Jeffries”. it is true I mean it sucks but it’s true I as what maybe the biggest kerfuffle ever created on this podcast was when Ezra Klein was on and he said that his private convos with Democrats were that they didn’t believe the Democracy message that they were pushing forth that they didn’t believe that Trump was that great of a threat – this was last summer he said that – that seems to be bearing out in a way that’s a little alarming for me.” Jonathan Martin: “If they thought he was a real threat to democracy then would the mayor of DC be taking meetings with him to talk about getting employees back five days a week into their cubes?”

My letter to reps:

I’m disgusted that politicians often embrace the debunked ridiculous pseudoscience of trickle down economics in order to give tax breaks, and in fact, just give away taxpayer money to the already rich, businesses, and banks – and use trickle down economics to try to justify spending more time personally interacting and networking with moguls and business executive more than listening to constituents and focusing on the people’s interests.

Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.

Unfortunately perennial:

The Failure of Trickle-Down Economics | Robert Reich Robert Reich Oct 5, 2017 Trump and conservatives in Congress are planning a big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires to justify it they’re using the oldest song in their playbook claiming tax cuts on the rich will trickle down to working families in the form of stronger economic growth baloney trickle-down economics is a cruel joke just look at the evidence.

I wish someone would do a survey of Dem voters in the district of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and ask them if they voted for their Dem representative because she goes to extreme right-wing Christian prayer groups with far right Republicans. Find out if that’s really what’s needed to win a district.

Matt Cartwright didn’t win in my district in Pennsylvania even though he went super right-wing on the border.

So I’m not convinced.

I’ve never had much faith in the DNC. They put more emphasis on corporate signaling of inclusion than actual inclusion, and they defied Biden’s CDC guidance, the Illinois state rules, and the Chicago public health rules at the 2024 convention. People seemed pleased with David Hogg and Malcolm Kenyatta joining the DNC as vice chairs, but now they’re ousting them. (Malcolm Kenyatta was who I voted for in the primary that John Fetterman won.)

I’d like to see actual numbers saying that a Dem politician can only win in my “swing district” if they are Christian Nationalist, or believe in chemtrail conspiracy fictions or support trickle down economics, or whatever favourite out there maga position Dem politicians think they can win Republican votes on.

Robert Reich EXPOSES Trump’s Secret Tariff SCAM | PoliticsGirl MeidasTouch May 13, 2025 Leigh McGowan: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats where they’re like “Don’t mention universal healthcare.” And I’m like “Why not that’s what everyone needs.” (…) Robert Reich: “I’ve been in meetings with Democrats and Democratic operatives who say “Uh don’t mention labor unions.” What what don’t mention labor unions?”

It’s troubling to regularly hear about people who talk to Dem politicians and Dem operatives who are seemingly completely out of step with the Dem base entirely.

MAGA Can’t Run the Country To Save Its Life! (w/ Jonathan Martin) | Bulwark Podcast – The Bulwark Jan 3, 2025 Tim Miller: “Democratic strategist Chris hail tweeting this right now “it’s remarkable how my party has ditched the Trump is a threat to democracy argument Agular didn’t mention the word democracy once in his nomination of Hakeem Jeffries”. it is true I mean it sucks but it’s true I as what maybe the biggest kerfuffle ever created on this podcast was when Ezra Klein was on and he said that his private convos with Democrats were that they didn’t believe the Democracy message that they were pushing forth that they didn’t believe that Trump was that great of a threat – this was last summer he said that – that seems to be bearing out in a way that’s a little alarming for me.” Jonathan Martin: “If they thought he was a real threat to democracy then would the mayor of DC be taking meetings with him to talk about getting employees back five days a week into their cubes?”

My letter to reps:

I’m disgusted that politicians often embrace the debunked ridiculous pseudoscience of trickle down economics in order to give tax breaks, and in fact, just give away taxpayer money to the already rich, businesses, and banks – and use trickle down economics to try to justify spending more time personally interacting and networking with moguls and business executive more than listening to constituents and focusing on the people’s interests.

Please feel free to copy or repurpose for your own letters to reps.

Unfortunately perennial:

The Failure of Trickle-Down Economics | Robert Reich Robert Reich Oct 5, 2017 Trump and conservatives in Congress are planning a big tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires to justify it they’re using the oldest song in their playbook claiming tax cuts on the rich will trickle down to working families in the form of stronger economic growth baloney trickle-down economics is a cruel joke just look at the evidence.

[bllsbailey]

The Dem Who's Leading the Impeachment Charge Against Trump Is a Trainwreck

Democrat Shri Thanedar

I don’t know how to respond to Rep. Shri Thanedar's (D-MI) announcement: the man is filing several articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. Who is this guy? This move isn’t shocking, as Democrats were bound to do it at some point because derangement syndrome still runs high, though Elon Musk has become the new target of the Left.

We need a total shutdown on people with Star Wars names entering our country until we can figure out what’s going on https://t.co/98uUz6CTk5— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) April 28, 2025

https://t.co/gxI893jQ3I pic.twitter.com/uy2eKF86YU— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) April 28, 2025

Still, it’s telling that no one is rallying around this no-name Democrat. It shows that the party remains a rudderless vessel with no leader or message. There is no alternative agenda—it’s all raging against Trump. This push is red-meat material for Democrats—so why is Shri alone? Despite singing songs and engaging in all-around strangeness on the Capitol’s steps, the party leadership knows this has no shot at passing, which is true.

Cory Booker and Hakeem Jeffries have been sitting and blathering on the steps of the Capitol for 6 hours to protest Trump... pic.twitter.com/hgztcCEtmy— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 27, 2025

Second, this guy is a train wreck. 

From an animal cruelty circus to allegations of business fraud, Mr. Shri is sort of a shady character, one who is out of his depth for wanting to be the face of this attempt to impeach Donald Trump. The man is a beagle beater—that’s not exactly someone you want as the point of the lance on this stuff (via HuffPost):

This guy owned a pharmaceutical testing lab. In 2010 he went bankrupt, locked the doors and left all the puppies and monkeys he was testing inside to die. https://t.co/LcXNAgzCvy— Chef Andrew Gruel (@ChefGruel) April 30, 2025

About 170 dogs and monkeys were rescued in 2010 from an abandoned pharmaceutical testing lab owned by Shri Thanedar, a Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate currently leading in the polls.  Thanedar had to shutter the New Jersey testing facility, AniClin Preclinical Services, after its parent company, Azopharma, which he owned, went bankrupt in April 2010.  Local animal rights activists learned in June of that year that 118 beagles were still stuck inside the facility. The lab’s workers had been jumping the lab’s fences to provide food and water for the dogs, according to a USA Today report.  Two animal welfare groups teamed up to find homes for the beagles and were finally able to take them from the shuttered lab on July 4 to shelters, where they would be matched with adoptive families. A video report conducted by the Times Herald-Record, based in Middletown, New York, showed the dogs arriving in a van from the lab to a staging area where volunteers groomed and attended to the forlorn animals. 

Shri also settled a suit where he was accused of inflating the value of his business (via The Detroit News): 

Former Michigan Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Shri Thanedar has reached an agreement with plaintiffs to avoid trial in a business fraud lawsuit alleging he inflated the value of a company he sold in 2016.  U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain dismissed the case Friday, citing a notice from Thanedar and Avomeen Holdings LLC that they had reached an agreement to resolve the matter out of court.  The trial had been set to start Tuesday in Detroit, where Thanedar recently moved as he contemplates another political run.  Avomeen had claimed economic damages of approximately $7 million to $8 million in the sale, which netted Thanedar roughly $20 million. Thanedar disputed any wrongdoing and filed a counter claim seeking damages of at least $2.5 million, according to court records. 

On paper, the congressman is America personified: worked through college, came up through poverty, was at the helm of a supposedly successful business, and is now serving on the Hill. Yet, it’s a mixed bag. In a deep blue bastion, like Detroit, where his congressional district resides, it’s not the GOP who are your enemies, it’s your own party. Maybe he’s impeaching Trump to curry favor with his base, but that also feeds into another anti-Shri point, which is that many think his public service career is a vanity stunt dotted by “malleable” stances on policy (via HuffPo): 

Thanedar’s fiercest critics see his congressional career as a vanity project built on self-obsession and malleable political beliefs. Many also see it as the fullest expression of a life spent pursuing the American Dream.  […]  Detroit leaders who spoke to HuffPost for this piece say they weren’t thrilled by Thanedar’s win, though they were willing to give him a shot. But Thanedar’s first year in office has only compounded their concerns: The freshman representative is facing allegations of creating a toxic work environment with chronic turnover and of dedicating an exorbitant amount of his congressional budget to advertising — including billboards in the Detroit area that feature his blown-up face and the number of the office — that feel more like campaign self-promotion than official communication, according to three people with direct knowledge of the office who view this as improper, if not unethical. 

Since the Trump impeachment announcement, there are Democrats already gunning for Shri’s seat, labeling him out of touch with voters. Yet, the Huffington Post highlighting Shri’s flimsy policy positions is somewhat entertaining: he called Israel an apartheid state and wanted to cease all aid to the Jewish state, and later joined an AIPAC trip to the country and disassociated with Democratic Socialists of America for not condemning the October 7 attacks harshly enough. I think the guy is just nuts (via NBC News): 

A two-term Michigan state representative backed by the progressive group Justice Democrats is launching a primary challenge against Rep. Shri Thanedar on Monday, setting the stage for a significant fight over the Detroit-area House seat.  The race will also serve as another proxy fight over the war in Gaza as Thanedar, previously a critic of the Israeli government in the state Legislature, renounced his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, saying the DSA did not offer adequate condemnation of it. Earlier in 2023, Thanedar took a trip to Israel sponsored by a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.  In a statement, Michigan state Rep. Donavan McKinney, 32, contrasted himself with Thanedar, a multimillionaire and two-term incumbent. McKinney’s campaign described Thanedar in a press release as “Detroit’s own Elon Musk.” 

Okay, again, as I said, this party is lost. Thanedar is ‘Indian Elon Musk’—and we’re primarying him not because he’s out of his depth here, but primarily, it would seem, being that it’s Michigan—the land of Rashida Tlaib—that he became a little too cozy with Israel. 

Trump touched upon this last night, calling the Democratic Party crazy. Also, who is this guy? 

This little dance isn’t going anywhere. It was never credible, and now that a Democrat facing what could be a stiff primary challenge is using it as a life vest, it’s a full-blown joke.

[democracyunderground]

Sheila Jackson Lee, the longtime U.S. representative from Texas, has died, according to a statement issued Friday night from her family.

The congresswoman died at the age of 74 after a brief battle with cancer.

"With incredible grief for our loss yet deep gratitude for the life she shared with us, we announce the passing of United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of the 18th Congressional District of Texas," her family said in a statement.

"A local, national, and international humanitarian, she was acknowledged worldwide for her courageous fights for racial justice, criminal justice, and human rights, with a special emphasis on women and children," the statement continued.

Rep. Jackson Lee announced in June she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

"She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will continue to inspire all who believe in freedom, justice and democracy," her family said.

The democratic Chief Deputy Whip and member of the Congressional Black Caucus served in Congress for almost 30 years. Most recently, Jackson Lee reintroduced the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in May.

Jackson Lee, who represented Texas' 18th District, which encompasses parts of Houston, won a primary election this year to regain her seat.

Born in Queens, New York, the congresswoman attended Yale University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She relocated with her husband Elwyn Lee, a law professor, to Houston where she served as a municipal judge from 1987 to 1990. She served in the Houston City Council before running for a U.S. House seat in 1994, defeating then-incumbent Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary.

The congresswoman was a senior member of the House committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Budget.

She authored and was the lead sponsor of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. The law introduced the first new federal holiday -- commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States -- since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was adopted in 1983.

She also authored legislation to reenact the Violence Against Women Act, which had expired in 2019.

Jackson Lee unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Houston in 2023.

“It is with the deepest sadness that the Congressional Black Caucus has learned of the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee," the Congressional Black Caucus said in a statement. "We are holding her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, her two children Jason and Erica, and the entire Lee family in our hearts and prayers during this extremely difficult time."

"Today, the city of Houston and the House Democratic Caucus mourn a giant, the one and only Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee," Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement. "Congresswoman Jackson Lee was an inimitable force for change and a warrior for justice over the course of her historic, trailblazing career."

President Joe Biden said the congresswoman was a "great American" who was "unrelenting in her leadership."

"Always fearless, she spoke truth to power and represented the power of the people of her district in Houston with dignity and grace," Biden said in a statement Saturday.

She is survived by her husband, two children and several grandchildren.

[reddanceragain]

Today in Politics, Bulletin 91. 3/14/25

Today in Politics, Bulletin 91. 3/14/25

Ron Filipkowski

Mar 14

… Trump was ranting and raving today in a press conference at DOJ about the media being mean to him. The presser was supposed to be about be about fentanyl. He said that it should be a crime to criticize his favorite Judge Aileen Cannon: “These horrible human beings were hitting her so hard. I don’t think it’s legal. I don’t think it’s legal. They were saying she was slow, she wasn’t smart, she was totally biased, she loved Trump.”

… I’m not sure any human being on earth has been more abusive and threatening to more judges by telling more lies about them than Donald Trump.

… He then whined that CNN and MSNBC are criminal organizations: “I believe that CNN and MSDNC, who literally write 97.6% bad about me, are political arms of the Democrat Party. In my opinion, they’re corrupt and they’re illegal. What they do is illegal.”

… The House Continuing Resolution passed cloture after 10 Senate Democrats voted with Republicans. The bill will now be passed with a simple majority. Democrats who voted for it said they did not want the government to shut down on Saturday, but most Democrats inside and outside Congress were furious.

… The Democratic Senators who voted for the CR were: Chuck Schumer, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dick Durbin, Brian Schatz, Angus King, Maggie Hassan, John Fetterman, Gary Peters, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Jeanne Shaheen.

… AOC was the most vocal and outspoken House member against Schumer’s position. On CNN: “This turns the federal govt into a slush fund for Trump and Musk, it sacrifices congressional authority, and it is deeply partisan. To me it is almost unthinkable why Senate Democrats would vote to hand the few pieces of leverage we have away for free when we’ve been sent here to protect Social Security, protect Medicaid, and protect Medicare.”

… AOC later said: “I think there is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal. Just to see Senate Democrats acquiescing to Elon Musk - I think it is a huge slap in the face.” She said she was “texting, calling, sending carrier pigeons” to Senate Dems trying desperately to persuade them not to vote for it.

… Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR): "I am a hell no. You don't stop a bully by handing over your lunch money, and you don't stop a tyrant by giving him more power. That is exactly what this House Republican spending bill does. Right now we have acquiescence from the House Republicans, from the Senate Republicans. The House Democrats don't have leverage. We are the ones - the Senate Democrats - who have leverage to say no."

… Sen. Bernie Sanders: "If you do nothing, you sit back and say, 'it's gonna be terrible.' And that's right. A shutdown will be terrible. But our job is to put the onus on the Republican president, the Republican House, the Republican Senate, the people who control the govt."

… Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA): “I am voting no. It's so important for my state to have infrastructure investment. The fact that they're cutting 40% out of the Army Corps of Engineers, which is the lifeblood of my state, helping us grow agricultural products and getting it to destinations all around the globe. So not only do we not have important infrastructure investments like these millions of dollars that would normally be in a bill, they're also cutting that.”

… Rep. Nancy Pelosi: "Trump and Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a govt shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America. Let's be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill.

… “Democratic senators should listen to the women. Rosa DeLauro and Patty Murray have eloquently presented the case that we must have a better choice: a 4-week funding extension to keep govt open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement. America has experienced a Trump shutdown before - but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People."

… Schumer made a flurry of posts on X trying to explain himself to angry Dems: “For Trump, a shutdown would be a gift. It would be the best distraction he could ask for from his awful agenda. Right now, Trump owns the chaos in the govt. He owns the chaos in the stock market. In a shutdown, we would be busy fighting with Republicans over which agencies to reopen, which to keep closed, instead of debating the damage Trump’s agenda is causing the American people.”

… Trump trolled Schumer on Truth Social: “Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing - Took “guts” and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning!”

… Rep. Ayanna Pressley: "I don't think we should be moving in any way to elicit praise from Donald Trump, who has no respect for Congress and the power of the purse, who is by the hour rolling out executive actions that are lawless. This is a hostile govt takeover. He is a dictator."

… I completely agree with AOC and disagree with Schumer. Surrender Schumer is a creature of the establishment with a mentality stuck in a bygone era. He is afraid of his shadow and terrified that voters are going to blame Democrats for a shutdown despite the fact that polls do not show that and people have always blamed the party in power historically.

… Besides, if it did not pass cloture it would only force Republicans to negotiate. If they refused to negotiate or even speak with Democrats about this, as they have done so far, they would definitely get the blame for shutting down the government. But Schumer doesn’t want to go to war - he wants to keep things running smoothly for Trump and Mike Johnson.

… Fox’s congressional correspondent says it is possible a Senator or two may now challenge Schumer for his leadership position in the wake of this, and leading possibilities are Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT). My pick is Mark Kelly.

… A reporter asked Rep. Hakeem Jeffries today if it was time for new Democratic leadership in the Senate. Jeffries responded: “Next question.”

… When House Republican leadership suggested that members should stop holding town halls, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC) was the most vocal in saying he did not agree and was going to continue to do them. He did one yesterday in Asheville, and it didn’t go well for him.

… One constituent hit Edwards with a barrage of questions: “Do you support Trump on annexing Canada or Greenland, and do you like the way he treats the premier or the president of Canada, calling him ‘governor’? Is that the way you’d do it as a diplomat? Is that the way the US should act to our closest neighbors? Do you enjoy the way he’s tried to extort minerals from the Ukraine? Do you like bullying people that need your help? Do you go for kicking the guy when he’s down? Do you support Trump in these things - Yes or no?”

… When Edwards responded, “The short answer to that is no, I do not,” the crowd seemed temporarily satisfied, but as soon as he started trying to justify Trump’s treatment of Ukraine, the crowd went nuts with booing and jeering. When he later tried to defend voting for the House budget resolution, the crown erupted again, prompting Edwards to say: “And you wonder why folks don’t want to do town halls anymore?”

… An older man then got up and started yelling at Edwards: “You have nothing to say but lies! You’re lying. I’m a veteran, you don’t give a fuck about me! You don’t get to take away our rights.” He continued yelling, “Fuck you!” while security guards threw him out of the meeting as the crowd cheered him.

… At the end of the meeting, Edwards’ constituents took to the streets outside yelling: “Deport Musk!”

… Since Republicans don’t want to hold town halls and face their constituents, the Democratic Party is going to conduct a series of “People’s Town Halls” in key battleground districts currently held by Republicans. The first round will be in 9 swing districts held by these Reps: Juan Ciscomani (AZ), Gabe Evans (CO), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), Zach Nunn (IA), John James (MI), Ann Wagner (MO), Don Bacon (NE), Ryan Mackenzie (PA), and Rob Bresnahan (PA).

- DNC Chair Ken Martin said the party will end up doing these town halls in all 50 states: “If they won’t talk to their own voters, then Democrats will.”

… Rep. Suzan Delbene, Chair of House Dem Campaign Committee: “These increasingly vulnerable House Republicans are failing to do the most basic aspect of their jobs: meeting with the people they represent.”

[home-inspiration-blog]

US Rep. and former Houston mayor Sylvester Turner dies at 70

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Rep. and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has died, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Wednesday. He was 70. Turner had been in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday and attended President Donald Trump’s address before Congress. “The House Democratic Caucus family is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Though he was newly…

[madamspeaker]

Nancy Pelosi’s first trip to Capitol Hill came when she accompanied her father, former Maryland Rep. Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., to one of his swearing-in ceremonies during his eight years as a congressman. When he entered the House, in 1939, there were just eight women representatives.

“When I came to Congress many years later, there were only 23, so there wasn't much progress made from the ‘40s to the ‘80s,” Pelosi said, in an exclusive interview with Spectrum News, for Women’s History Month. “We made a decision and said, ‘This is ridiculous, 23 women out of 435, that's not representative of our country and it's not fair.’”

Pelosi was elected to Congress in 1987, after serving in the California Democratic Party for decades. She became House minority whip in 2002 — the first woman to hold that position in either party or chamber — and was elected House minority leader a year later. 

“I said, this is now a different place where we're going to put diversity. We want to see diversity in leadership roles in the committee and staffing and the committee and the rest,” she recalled.

In 2007, 68 years after her father became a congressman, Pelosi became the first woman House speaker.

“It wasn't really a glass ceiling here, it was a marble ceiling. There had been, for over 200 years, a pecking order,” Pelosi said. “And they all had an agreement among themselves, the men, as to who would be next. So when I was running, it was ‘Who said she could run?’”

Pelosi helped to elevate women to hold the chair in powerful House committees, such as the Rules and Administration committees. There are now 126 women in the House, including 92 Democrats - many of whom Pelosi helped to get there.

“If you want to win elections, women are great leaders to help you do that,” Pelosi said.

The key to women running for office, she said, is authenticity. 

“Be who you are, the only person like you who has ever existed in the history of the world. Take great pride in that and recognize your power,” Pelosi said. “Know your power, know your why, know why you want to do this. Because it's rough. This is not for the faint of heart. It's rough.”

Pelosi knows all too well that political service is a contact sport — and she knows what it’s like when those who oppose, hate and fear her go too far. Within the last three years, her life was threatened by insurrectionists on Jan. 6th, 2021 ("They said they're going to put a bullet in my friggin head,” Pelosi recalled,) and her husband, Paul, suffered a fractured skull from a hammer-wielding attacker who broke into their San Francisco home in 2022.

“That’s what I tell [members of Congress],” she said. “We stepped into the arena, but our families didn’t, and … it shouldn't happen that way. And so we have to, if we win this election, do so in a unifying way to bring people together.”

Pelosi announced after the 2022 election that she would end her 20 years in House leadership (which included eight years as speaker), but keep her seat. In the process, she blazed a trail again, becoming Speaker Emerita Pelosi, the first House member with such a title.

“When they asked me what ‘emerita’ means, I said it means happiness,” she said. “For 20 years as leader or speaker, I was responsible every day for what was on the floor from a Democratic or the whole House standpoint and all, shall we say, of the exuberance that goes into that.”

Pelosi’s departure provided an opening for a new generation of leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Pelosi said she is always ready to help as needed, but she has taken a hands-off approach when it comes to her successors.

“I'm not going to be the mother-in-law in the kitchen saying ‘my son likes the dressing this way’ to them,” she laughed. 

Pelosi said two things have kept her going in Congress after nearly 40 years: Chocolate (“very dark chocolate — chocolate ice cream for breakfast”) and the urgency of service.

“My 'why' is the one in five children in America that goes to sleep hungry at night, who live in poverty and go to sleep hungry at night. And I just couldn't [stand], in the greatest country that ever existed in the history of the world, that that would be the case,” she said. 

But Pelosi said she had one more reason to stay in Congress.

“We have to elect Joe Biden President of the United States,” she said. “We have to elect a Democratic Congress. We just must. That means House and Senate. So my ability to do that is enhanced by still being here.”

Voters have expressed concerns about Biden’s age (at 81, he’s the oldest president in U.S. history). Pelosi said she doesn’t see it as a problem.

“Frankly, he’s younger than I am,” said Pelosi, who celebrated her 84th birthday earlier this week. She calls Biden’s age a benefit, not a hindrance — citing his tenure in the Senate, as vice president and as president.

“You have improved judgment, and this is a president … who has a beautiful vision for the future. He knows why he wants to do this. He knows the subject matter. He's been here a long time. So he knows what has worked, what hasn't and what the possibilities are,” Pelosi said.

“[Biden’s] not that much older than what's his name, but nobody seems to make a fuss about what's his name,” Pelosi said, referring to Biden’s former and current opponent, 77-year-old former President Donald Trump, whose name Pelosi said she does not like to say. "And that's just really what is so funny to me — including the press — just always saying, ‘Well, he's old now.’ Yeah, the other guy's old too.”

“I understand how people would rather see somebody younger, but Joe Biden is doing fabulously well in the primaries, so people are voting for him even though they'd rather be younger,” she added.