Mitch McConnell, Democrats Team up to Stop Vote on Sanders' $2,000 Survival Payment

Tammy Baldwin Votes to Kill $2,000 Payment for Working Families

 

Madison, Wisconsin — Working families' fear that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Senate Democrats would join forces to defeat Sen Bernie Sanders' (I-Vermont) popular $2,000 direct payment effort were realized yesterday.

 

Sen. Sanders wanted an up-or-down vote on a bill, a demand that proved too much for Democrats and McConnell who stopped the proposed measure.

 

McConnell effectively killed Sanders' work that had delayed consideration of the Senate's effort to override the Trump veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2021.

 

The Senate Roll Call vote that killed consideration of Sanders' $2,000 proposal is 80 YEAs, 12 NEAs and eight senators Not Voting.

McConnell pronounced that Sanders now had "no realistic path" for the $2,000 checks after the Democrat-supported vote.

The two Georgia Republican senators, Sens Kelly Loeffler (R) and David Perdue (R), facing elections on Jan 5, are two of eight senators not voting. 

 

Both Loeffler and Purdue gave lip service in favor to the $2,000 proposal, walking a political tightrope between McConnell and Donald Trump who pushed for the $2,000 measure on social media.

Only five Democratic senators defied the Party's hostility to the $2,000 payment, joining Sanders and six Republicans voting No on the procedural vote.

Wisconsin's two senators, Tammy Baldwin (D) and Ron Johnson (R), voted against the $2,000 payments.

Democratic senators outnumbered Republican senators voting to stop the $2,000 direct payments, after the New York Times and the Washington Post launched a campaign against the measure.

McConnell's vote is a win for the Democratic Senate caucus that opposes the $2,000 payments, for most Republican elected officeholders, McConnell and the incoming Biden administration that also opposes survival aid for working families.

Senate Democrats’ Motion To Concede On $2,000 Checks - The Daily Poster

My God!! If the suffering of millions of people in this damn country does not give elected leaders a damn back bone, I don’t know what will.

This is 🤬unconscionable! https://t.co/0AQF6AM00f

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) December 31, 2020

Meanwhile, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D), after voting with the Republicans, posted misleading communications on social media, falsely saying the Republicans killed the $2,000 measure, though Democrats supplied the most votes.

Senate Republicans are standing in the way of an up-or-down vote on the House-passed bipartisan legislation to deliver...

Posted by Senator Tammy Baldwin on Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Sen. Bernie Sanders: "There is a level of economic desperation in this country right now that we have not seen in our lifetimes." pic.twitter.com/sZ7MGugHS0

— The Hill (@thehill) December 31, 2020

Wisconsin Woman and Husband Contracted COVID 19, Quarantined, Feared Med Costs — Wife Died at 54

No matter how beautiful, no matter what a Jean Flansburgh brings to her community, she doesn't count, not to D.C. politicians

Madison, Wisconsin —  Linda "Flansy" Jean Flansburgh of Black Earth, Wisconsin (Dane County), died from COVID 19 on September 29, 2020 on her last day of her two-week quarantine.

Ms. Flansburgh, (July 14, 1966 - September 29, 2020), was a lifelong Wisconsinite.

By all accounts, Flansburgh was beloved, the type of person who brought light to a situation through an easy smile and a quick wit.

But Ms. Flansburgh need not have died, reports A. J. Bayatpour of WKOW-TV (Madison).

Ms. Flansburgh, like the rest of us, feared the massive costs incurred for medical treatment in the American healthcare system that places profit over the lives and health of people.

After contracting COVID 19, she went into quarantine on Sept 15, feared medical costs and delayed medical treatment, then suddenly died on Sept 29.

Reports A. J. Bayatpour of WKOW:

For Kenneth Linde, his niece's [Jean Flansburgh] death is a statement about all of the problems facing the American middle class. Linde bemoaned how his niece needed a second job in order to afford 'a night out to have fish fry' and found that job tending bar, where he worried she may have caught the novel corona virus.

Flansburgh's husband, Joe, also caught the virus. Linde said the couple never went to see a doctor, fearing it would lead to a hospital bill that would overwhelm them.

'For two weeks, they coughed and wheezed and looked at each other, alone, sequestered in quarantine with their three dogs,' Linde said.

Linde said, on their 14th day of quarantine, Joe ran to the store to buy more dog food. When he got back home, Linda was dead.

Linde acknowledges his niece was overweight and that was a pre-existing condition that put her at risk of a severe COVID infection. He said the focus on COVID victims, however, should still be on the experiences that will no longer happen and the memories robbed from friends and families.

'What has been denied is the beauty of a person giving of themselves to other people, putting a smile on their face,' Linde said. 'Doing small things for other people that other people never would've done.'

People like Jean Flansburgh don't matter to those politicians holding up COVID 19 relief in Congress — like Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell.

People like Jean Flansburgh don't count. 

No matter how beautiful, no matter what a Jean Flansburgh brings to her community, this woman does not exist in the minds of the pathologically obtuse (see The Rational National).

A man, Don Freix, in northeastern Wisconsin heard the story on The Rational National pod-cast, and wrote his Wisconsin State Representative, Joel Kitchens in northeastern Wisconsin. 

Mr. Freix is incenced.

So is everyone who hears the story of  Linda "Flansy" Jean Flansburgh of Black Earth, Wisconsin, with the aforementioned exception of Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell.

Freix' letter to Joel Kitchens is reproduced below:

Joel,

You and your gerrymandered legislative majority have not met in session for over 180 days, nor have we seen one press release or publicized conversation with your legislative leadership from you, to address the current pandemic nor the most obvious problem individuals and every scale of business owner in the state is saddled with year after year, eliminating private insurance industry profiteering and establishing a universal health care policy.

Wisconsin woman dies, afraid to seek medical help, fearing unaffordable medical bills.  

This tragedy is on you.

This message isn't just about casting blame, workable ideas exist that yourself and your GOP colleagues refuse to admit, to consider, much less to implement.  Here are a couple suggestions from Professor Richard Wolff (if you are capable of listening through the first 5 minutes) using Switzerland as an example, what they've done to address unemployment, constituent jobs and the industry threats that you get from WMC [Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce], which essentially currently controls your majority caucus and your votes.

I'll consider addressing you as Representative, if or when I see any instance of that behavior from you in office happening.

With wary regards,

Donald Freix    
Fish Creek

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A drive through visitation for Linda "Flansy" Jean Flansburgh will be held from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm, Friday, October 16, 2020 at Winn Cress Funeral Home, 5785 Hwy Q, Waunakee, WI  53597.  Memorials should be made directly to the family.

Every elected Wisconsin representative should pay respects, and find out what COVID 19 has wrought upon average Americans.

In Wisconsin We Don't Care about the 25th Amendment; Pelosi Is Out-of-touch Playing Gratuitous Politics

Madison, Wisconsin — People in Wisconsin are worried about their families, and small-business failure to come on a gargantuan scale.

So, instead of hammering out another COVID stimulus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) is playing games with rhetoric about the 25 Amendment, continuing a ridiculous personal spat with the president.

In three months Trump is gone, and no Cabinet member is going to sign on to a declaration that he is unfit.

Meanwhile, every economist is issuing dire warnings about that families, landlords, restaurants, taverns, professional-service, essentially everyone except the top few percent are facing catastrophe.

So, Nancy Pelosi gets to insult the lunatic in the White House that he is even more unfit. How does this help us? 

This is a colossal waste of time that tells us, in the words of Krystal Ball, "noone is this town [D.C.] actually gives a shit about the people who are most impacted."

Pelosi is self-absorbed, possessed of an inflated sense of her own personal importance, with a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy for what Americans are going through, (Mayo Clinic).

Sound like someone else in high public office?

I'm under no illusions about the White House, but Pelosi needs to focus: We matter, not her, and not her need for gratuitous insult during high national crises.

@SpeakerPelosi: "Tomorrow, by the way, tomorrow, come here tomorrow. We're going to be talking about the 25th Amendment."

Full video here: https://t.co/5q4HIglmaZ pic.twitter.com/8Jeim87yJM

— CSPAN (@cspan) October 8, 2020

Bi-partisan Refusal to Pass COIVD Stimulus Clinches It — Americans Don't Count with Dems and GOP

Veep debate shuns COVID relief bill

Parties Unmasked

 

Update: Madison, Wisconsin — Just heard the Joe Biden TV spot exclaiming "It's a simple proposition, we're all in this together." 

Biden is lying.

It's major lie. Unless you are pouring serious money into Congress and the parties, you are out; you do not count with the Republican and Democratic parties.

Even the most obtuse member of Congress realizes how devastating the recession, COVID 19 and business-as-usual are to families and most Americans.

The COVID 19 relief-stimulus bill did not even come up last night in the veep debate, noone wants to talk about it.

But Democrats and Republicans do not care. They don't, you are not a member of their D.C. club, and you may as well curse the coming Wisconsin Winter.

One would think after Trump walked away from COVID relief talks, that all of Congress would be howling, constantly raising hell, harassing us about this injustice with the frequency of a Mike Lindell My Pillow commercial. 

Outside of a few tweets and a statement or two, instead, we get dead silence and no action from Pelosi and Schumer. 

 

Krystal Ball laid it out yesterday: 

 

I will never forgive Trump for abandoning Americans right now. He was the only person who solely held in his hands the power to get this done. 

 

I don't want to let Pelosi off the hook here either. She decided for electoral gain, she would rather Americans have nothing than to give Trump any kind of a win. 

 

Now, she's probably correct politically. But it is an unconscionable, and frankly psychopathic position. 

 

Trump's position is both politically idiotic and psychopathic cruel. The bottom-line of this recession, which has ultimately dictated the lack of response, is that noone is this town actually gives a shit about the people who are most impacted.

 

This was the most unequal recession of all time, devastating the bottom half of the country, and leaving unscathed, or even benefiting the top echelons of society. If ever you wondered how much the people here actually care about you, you now know in absolutely uncertain terms — they don't.

Now, watch, (because observing and commenting is about all we can do with the two parties), as the United States sinks into another Great Recession, if we're lucky.

Disgust with Trump and Pelosi Grows; They Both Don't Get It

'If ever you wondered how much the people here [in D.C.] actually care about you, you now know in absolutely uncertain terms — they don't.'
- Krystal Ball

The COVID Coronavirus imperils the economy with a synchronized assault engineered by the president, with, it bears noting, a big assist from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D).

Trump and Pelosi seem like partners in a sick game in which Americans lose.

You won't get this from the New York Times or Washington Post, but Krystal Ball of Hill TV just blew the whistle on the whole Washington D.C. dance.

By the way, Joe Biden responded to Trump, late as usual, and his statement is fluff, nothing.

The President turned his back on you. pic.twitter.com/oeI8dck2LL

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 6, 2020

Said Krystal Ball this morning:

I will never forgive Trump for abandoning Americans right now. He was the only person who solely held in his hands the power to get this done. I don't want to let Pelosi off the hook here either. She decided for electoral gain, she would rather Americans have nothing than to give Trump any kind of a win. 

Now, she's probably correct politically. But it is an unconscionable, and frankly psychopathic position.

Trump's position is both politically idiotic and psychopathic cruel. The bottom-line of this recession, which has ultimately dictated the lack of response, is that noone is this town actually gives a shit about the people who are most impacted. 

This was the most unequal recession of all time, devastating the bottom half of the country, and leaving unscathed, or even benefiting the top echelons of society. If ever you wondered how much the people here actually care about you, you now know in absolutely uncertain terms — they don't.

Watch the Hill TV segment below.

Trump to Country: Nothing, No Stimulus, No Direct Payments, 'Im Ending COVID Relief Talks'

Biden Fails to Respond

Update: Economy nears tipping point as Trump sends new erratic, contradictory intentions on aid.

The news hit Tuesday mid-afternoon in a Tweet, Donald Trump is pulling the plug on America.

Reports the New York Times:

President Trump on Tuesday abruptly ended talks with Democrats on an economic stimulus  bill, sending the stock market sliding and dealing a final blow to an intensive set of on-again-off-again negotiations to deliver additional pandemic aid to struggling Americans before the November elections.

Mr. Trump announced that he was pulling the plug on the effort in a series of afternoon tweets in which he accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California of 'not negotiating in good faith' and urged Senate Republicans to focus solely on confirming his nominee to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks.

This means struggling families get nothing, small businesses get nothing, renters get nothing, small landlords get nothing and are left with no means of recouping months of no rent from tenants, states and municipalities get nothing, for starters, as the COVID Coronavirus imperils the world economy with a synchronized failure engineered by the president of the United States.

"Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned earlier Tuesday that the economic recovery remains fragile seven months into Coronavirus pandemic without further economic stimulus," reports the AP.

Trump ended his no-relief Tweets in all capitals: "THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"

Meanwhile Joe Biden tweeted eight times in the hour after Trump in communications in which the Democratic Party nominee failed to note, comment or advocate in any way on Trump's walking away from COVID relief. 

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he supports Trump's decision.

Midterm Voting Has Begun — Trump, Grassley, Hatch, McConnell All Lie for Rapist-Wannabe

Republican wannabe rapist hides from FBI with help
from GOP senators and Trump.

Voting has begun for American servicemembers.

The federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) law mandates states and territories transmit ballots for federal elections "to absent uniformed services and overseas voters no later than 45 days before federal elections. Sept 24 is the latest date to send out absentee ballots.

Republican senators do not care, though they pretended to care two years ago.

GOP senators 237 days before 2016 election: "We can't confirm Merrick Garland because it's too close to presidential election"

GOP senators 47 days before 2018 election: "It's imperative we confirm Kavanaugh before the midterms"

— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) September 20, 2018

Voting has begun, the 2018 elections are happening now.

Republicans will do anything to get the felon Brett Kavanaugh onto the United States Supreme Court, though this piece of shit belongs in prison.

McCain 2008 Campaign Manager and Strategist Renounces Republican Party, Resigns Membership

The systemic sacrifice of children has begun
as calls for feeding the young to MAGA are
heeded. The Flight of Moloch - by
William Blake
America über alles

Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell singled out as indecent

Steve Schmidt, Republican Party strategist and an architect of two presidential campaigns, has publicly renounced the Republican Party, vowing to align with the Democratic Party to fight against the "the party of Trump."

Schmidt made his comments on social media Wednesday morning as the number of children taken from parents by the U.S. government has now exceeded 11,000.

Steve Schmidt said the Republican Party has become "corrupt, indecent, and immoral" and "filled with feckless cowards who disgrace and dishonor the legacies of the party’s greatest leaders."

Singling out House Speaker Paul Ryan (R) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), Schmidt said former Republican Party standard bearer, President Ronald Reagan, would be "ashamed of McConnell and Ryan and all the rest ... ."

29 years and nine months ago I registered to vote and became a member of The Republican Party which was founded in 1854 to oppose slavery and stand for the dignity of human life. Today I renounce my membership in the Republican Party. It is fully the party of Trump.

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2018

It is corrupt, indecent and immoral. With the exception of a few Governors like Baker, Hogan and Kasich it is filled with feckless cowards who disgrace and dishonor the legacies of the party’s greatest leaders. This child separation policy is connected to the worst abuses of

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2018

Humanity in our history. It is connected by the same evil that separated families during slavery and dislocated tribes and broke up Native American families. It is immoral and must be repudiated. Our country is in trouble. Our politics are badly broken. The first step to a

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2018

Season of renewal in our land is the absolute and utter repudiation of Trump and his vile enablers in the 2018 election by electing Democratic majorities. I do not say this as an advocate of a progressive agenda. I say it as someone who retains belief in DEMOCRACY and decency.

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2018

On Ronald Reagan’s grave are these words. “ I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph and there is purpose and worth to each and every life.” He would be ashamed of McConnell and Ryan and all the rest while this corrupt government

— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) June 20, 2018

Meanwhile, intellectuals and writers continue to sound the alarm the United States is entering a period of domestic fascism and state violence formerly reserved for its black citizens and Native Americans.

"All mass crimes in history start with a justification, a necessity rationalization, a sick form of nationalism and racism," notes The Intercept.

Last night as the AP broke the story the Trump administration had erected special internment camps for infants and toddlers, Rachel Maddow broke into tears at the end of her news show as she handed over MSNBC coverage to the Lawrence O'Donnell Show.

MSNBC and NBC News have stationed dozens of reporters and producers in the American south as each day newscasts seem more like a bearing of witness as the U.S. government attempts to hide locations and operations of secret holding facilities housing the children taken from parents.

The Trump administration signals that its child-snatching regime is a complex that is built to last.

The number of children stolen from their parents by the United States government now exceeds 11,000.

Just heard from @HHSGov again:

Of the 11,786 minors currently in the unaccompanied alien children program, 3,280 are female and 8,506 are male.

We still don’t have photos of or acces to any girls or toddlers.

— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 19, 2018

No need for Rachel Maddow to apologize as most of America is right behind her.
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Sacrificing our children as Moloch calls.

By Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)

Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars!
Children screaming under the stairways! Boys sobbing in armies!
Old men weeping in the parks!
Moloch! Moloch! Nightmare of Moloch!
Moloch the loveless!
Mental Moloch!
Moloch the heavy judger of men!
Moloch the incomprehensible prison!
Moloch the crossbone soulless jailhouse and Congress of sorrows!
---

When Moloch calls for the sacrifice of children, religious mania is ever-present in America's DNA. Those without character round up children in a ritual sacrifice requiring the ascent of 1,000s. No member of ICE has dissented and spoken out.
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"The religion of Moloch — as such creeds may be generically called — is in essence the cringing submission of the slave, who dare not, even in his heart, allow the thought that his master deserves no adulation. Since the independence of ideals is not yet acknowledged, Power may be freely worshipped, and receive an unlimited respect, despite its wanton infliction of pain."
— Bertrand Russell, A Free Man's Worship (1903)