U.S. Politics

[Rick Plant]

Republicans are on a roll voting against Americans.

On Wednesday, Republicans in the House voted not to fund money to supply baby formula to babies that need it. House Republicans also voted against fighting domestic terrorism.

On Thursday the Republicans in the Senate killed the Restaurant Revitalization Fund which helps small businesses all across America that were affected by the pandemic.

And for good measure, also on Thursday, House Republicans voted against the gas price-gouging bill which would prevent oil companies from gouging consumers at the pump. 4 disgraceful Democrats voted against this bill too. President Biden has been asking Congress to pass this bill so we can have affordable gas prices again. 

So, for two weeks we saw Republicans feigning outrage over the baby formula shortage trying to attack President Biden which he had no control over. Then when the bill was brought to the House floor to fund baby formula, Republicans voted against it.

Then we see these same right wing Republicans on Twitter and tv screaming about high gas prices as they falsley blame President Biden for it. And once again, when the bill comes to the House floor to stop these big oil companies from gouging consumers at the pump, the Republicans all vote against it.

Do you see a pattern here? Republicans couldn't care less about high gas prices or that there was a baby formula shortage. They just want to grandstand infront of the cameras and go on Twitter to attack President Biden hoping to lower his popularity. It's all GOP political theatre. They scream and yell for show, and when it comes time to vote, they all vote against what they were screaming for.

The simple fact is, Republicans want gas prices to remain high so they can keep attacking President Biden for it. That's their main talking point. If this bill passes the Senate, then gas prices would quickly fall because oil companies won't be able to artificially keep gas prices high. And when that happens, the GOP will lose their talking point. Also, corrupt Republicans and a few corrupt Democrats take money from Big Oil Companies so there is no way they would vote against their cash cow because they would lose their campaign money Big Oil gives them. So, Republicans voted no to keep gas prices high and Senate Republicans will do the same because they don't care about you.     

Once again, it's the Democrats working hard for Americans voting to lower gas prices and to make people's lives more affordable.   

House Dems pass gas price-gouging bill



The House's Democratic majority overcame some internal opposition to pass legislation on Thursday addressing high gas prices by cracking down on high price gouging from oil companies.

The bill was approved along party lines in a vote of 217-207. Four Democrats -- Texas' Lizzie Fletcher, Jared Golden of Maine, Stephanie Murphy of Florida and Kathleen Rice of New York -- joined all Republicans in the chamber in voting against the legislation.

The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, introduced by Reps. Kim Schrier, D-Wash., and Katie Porter, D-Calif., would give the president the authority to issue an energy emergency proclamation that would make it unlawful for companies to increase fuel prices to "unconscionably excessive" levels.

It would also expand the powers of the Federal Trade Commission to investigate alleged price gouging in the industry and would direct any penalties toward funding weatherization and low-income energy assistance.

"The problem is Big Oil is keeping supply artificially low so prices and profits stay high. Now I think that when the market is broken, that's when Congress has to step in to protect American consumers," Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said in a hearing on Monday. "And that's what this bill does: It empowers the FTC to go after the gougers and empowers the agency to effectively monitor and report on market manipulation."

Oil executives previously testified before Congress to address concerns about their prices but insisted it was the result of larger forces, including supply and demand.

"If you don't support legislation to stop price gouging, you are for price gouging," Speaker Nancy Pelosi told members during a whip meeting on Wednesday.

Though the legislation passed in the House, it faces a tough climb in the Senate. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised to bring the bill to the floor -- though it has no pathway to passage without GOP support.
           
Lawmakers had discussed introducing other legislation to lower gas prices such as measures codifying a federal gas tax holiday. That proposal didn't gain traction among Democratic leaders, like Pelosi, who argued consumers wouldn't benefit.

"I think we need to start with something like this bill and see what we can do," Rep. Porter told ABC News. "I think it is better to invest in those [gas tax holidays] through something like the infrastructure bill, which I supported."

AFP

Do you see a pattern here? Republicans couldn't care less about high gas prices or that there was a baby formula shortage. They just want to grandstand in front of the cameras and go on Twitter to attack President Biden hoping to lower his popularity. It's all GOP political theatre.

Yesterday, I wrote how Republicans couldn't care less about high gas prices. They only feign outrage on Twitter and grandstand in front of the cameras just so they can attack President Biden hoping to lower his popularity.

In the House of Representatives on Thursday, a bill came to the floor called "The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act" which prevents Big Oil Companies from purposely gouging consumers for profits like they are doing now. That article is above in the quote. All the phony outrage the Republicans were putting on over gas prices was proven to be just that, because they voted against this bill which will lower gas prices for consumers. The simple fact is, Republicans don't want gas prices to be lower. They want gas prices to remain high so they can keep attacking President Biden for high prices he has no control over because Big Oil is purposely setting the prices high for profit. Their "no" vote proved it. Thankfully Democrats passed this bill and it moves on to the Senate.

Leader McConnell @LeaderMcConnell

Today marks 11 straight days of record-breaking gas prices. Getting to work, running errands, and hitting the highway for a modest family vacation all costs 88% more at the pump than it cost when President Biden put his hand on that Bible.

https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell/status/1527690084530667527

Yesterday Mitch McConnell, went on Twitter to feign outrage over high gas prices just so he could attack President Biden. Mitch was terribly ratioed as people weren't having any of his fake outrage. He has the "The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act" all ready to be passed by Republicans in the Senate but instead he chooses to falsley smear President Biden on Twitter. Will the Republicans pass this bill to lower gas prices for consumers? The answer is no, they will do everything they can to prevent it from passing because they want prices to remain high so Mitch and his right wingers can scream at Biden on Twitter. Remember that the next time you fill up at the pump, gas prices would have been normal but Republicans won't allow it to be because they want you to pay more since they are hoping to score political points for the election. All they have to do is pass this bill to lower gas prices for consumers. And like I said on Thursday, this fake outrage from Republicans is nothing but political theatre. You just saw that with McConnell's tweet, all he has to do is pass the bill to lower gas prices so there are no reasons for these fake outrage tweets from him. It's GOP political theatre and all Republicans are doing it.     
 
The United States is still paying less in gas than other countries which is significantly higher and Europeans would love to pay our lower prices than they are paying right now.         

A Look at Gas Prices Around the World
Gas prices in the U.S. are often much less expensive than those in European countries like Norway and Denmark

At an average of $4.59 per gallon as of May 19, American consumers are dealing with the highest gas prices the nation has ever seen.

But the pain at the pump is actually much worse in some other countries. The global average price of a gallon of gas, in American dollars, is about $5.13, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com. But there’s a wide range in the price paid by country.

Residents of Hong Kong pay the highest international gas prices, with one gallon setting them back $10.97. Norway has the second-highest gas prices at $9.64 per gallon, followed by Denmark where gas costs an average $9.32 per gallon.

“People say that it’s terrible that the price of gas here is over $4, but gas prices in Europe are $6 or $7,” says Giacomo Santangelo, an economist with Monster Intelligence. “To Europeans, $4 a gallon is nothing.”

https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/spending/articles/a-look-at-gas-prices-around-the-world

[Rick Plant]

President Biden @POTUS

So much of the future of the world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the next several decades. This is the moment to invest in one another, deepen our business ties, and bring our people even closer together.



The United States and the Republic of Korea work together to make the best, most advanced technology in the world. This factory is proof. And that gives us both a competitive edge in the global economy if we can keep our supply chains resilient, reliable, and secure.



We’ve seen just how critical it is. A global semiconductor shortage is contributing to higher prices around the world. And now, Putin’s brutal and unprovoked war on Ukraine has further spotlighted the need to secure our critical supply chains.

A critical part of how we’ll do that is by working with close partners who share our values — like the Republic of Korea — to source more of what we need and to bolster our supply chain resilience. That’s why our strategy is built around strengthening our ties and cooperation.



Together with the Republic of Korea, we’re producing semiconductor chips that are critical to our two countries and essential sectors of the global economy.

Watch: https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527812744950472706

[Rick Plant]

Business owner in Marjorie Taylor Greene's district fears 'retaliation' for supporting her GOP primary opponent



According to a report from CNN on how things look on the ground in Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Georgia district with the voters heading to the polls on Tuesday, there is growing discontentment with the controversial lawmaker among Republican voters and a bit of fear of the lawmaker for opposing her re-election.

As CNN's Simone Pathe reports, more than a few voters stated they like what Taylor Greene stands for before admitting they don't care for the way she has represented them or conducted herself since they sent to Congress in 2020.

With the focus of Pathe's piece on Taylor Greene's only serious opponent, Jennifer Strahan, for the Republican Patry nomination, a few conservatives stated they are already in the mood for a change after two years of the freshman lawmaker.

According to Pathe, "The controversial Greene is often mentioned in the same breath as other Donald Trump acolytes in the US House, such as North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who lost his primary earlier this week. But unlike in the Tar Heel state, where Republicans -- including the state's junior GOP senator -- mobilized against Cawthorn, Greene hasn't encountered the same level of organized opposition -- or spending -- against her."

That doesn't mean there is ant a groundswell of opposition to her re-election with one voter explaining why he has already cast his ballot for Strahan and a local business owner wishing to remain anonymous about her support for Strahan out of fear of Taylor Greene.

Kenneth Studdard of Dogwood Books said he has a view of a local cafe Taylor Greene patronizes when she is in town, and said he already voted for the challenger fully knowing her chances of an upset are slim in the highly conservative district.

"If you're Strahan, you're trying to do two things: Hold her under 50 (percent) and come in second," he explained.

Another business owner spotted putting a Strahan sign in their shop window, didn't want to be named in the CNN report.

According to Pathe the owner "had trepidatiously put a Strahan sign in her shop window, [and] said Strahan would be more effective in Washington but requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation -- specifically the fear of receiving a threatening voicemail from the congresswoman."

"My stomach is churning just talking to you," the shop owner told CNN.

According to the executive director of VIEW PAC whose mission is to elect Republican women to Congress, Taylor Greene is a hindrance to their work.

"It's unfortunate that in 2020, we elected some really tremendous Republican women and the only one people talk about is the only one who has no business being in Congress," Julie Conway told CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/21/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-republican-georgia-primary/index.html

[Rick Plant]

Biden says first shipments of baby formula flying in from Europe this weekend



(Reuters) - The first shipments of infant formula from Europe to address a critical shortage in the United States should begin arriving this weekend, President Joe Biden said on Friday amid criticism of his administration's handling of the issue.

Biden said on Twitter the initial military cargo plane flights under "Operation Fly Formula" meant that "up to 1.5 million bottles of safe Nestlé infant formula will be coming to U.S. shelves as soon as possible."

A Feb. 17 recall by top baby formula maker Abbott Laboratories during an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration has created one of the most urgent food shortages in recent history for U.S. families.

Biden this week said he was invoking the Defense Production Act to increase supplies.

"The Secretary of Defense ordered today the first flights supporting Operation Fly Formula. Due to the urgency of the situation, these flights will comprise U.S. military aircraft and will depart Ramstein Air Base in Germany this weekend," White House Communications Director Kate Berner said on Twitter.

The flights will transport 132 pallets of Nestlé Health Science Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior formula to Indianapolis, IN. These formulas have been prioritized because they serve a critical medical purpose and are in short supply in the US because of the plant closure," Berner wrote.

Aptamil maker Danone SA has stepped up shipments of infant formula from Europe to address a shortage in the United States, according to U.S customs data and an analysis of ocean cargo data by shipping consultancy Ocean Audit for Reuters.

© Reuters

[Rick Plant]

New 2022 Congressional Poll:

The latest polling from the NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist National Poll shows that 47% of registered voters say they will support the Democrat on the ballot in this year’s Congressional Midterm Elections. 42% think they will back the Republican.

So, that is two polls taken by major polling firms in the last week that shows Democrats up by 5 points. When you look at polling to be accurate, you take the polling averages of several polls to determine the accurate number. Both the YouGOV poll and the Marist poll both have the same numbers with Democrats up by 5% which would be a solid victory.

[Rick Plant]

Mitch McConnell slammed for still backing 'absolute degenerate' Herschel Walker after new report



During an appearance on MSNBC's "The Sunday Show," former Republican party campaign consultant Tara Setmayer trashed conservatives -- and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) still backing former football player Herschel Walker's run for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat by in light of new revelations that he is being scrutinized over his ties to a group accused of preying on military vets.

Speaking with fill-in host Michael Steele, Setmayer went on an extended rant about Walker who seems poised to win the GOP nomination on Tuesday.

"MAGA world is all gaga for him," host Steele prompted his guest, "How does that shape up for you? How does that Senate race against Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock look to you?"

"You know, this just gave Senator Warnock a much greater chance at winning reelection in November," Setmayer replied. "He's been doing an excellent job as a senator, he's very well respected in the state."

"And then you compare him to an absolute degenerate like Herschel Walker," she continued, warming up to the subject at hand. "He is a degenerate loser, liar, fraud and domestic abuser. And this is someone who the Republican Party has backed as their Senate candidate. Shame on [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell and everyone else who has put up with the sham that Herschel Walker is. What an embarrassment."

"Michael, you and I know that candidate recruitment was really important and something that the Republicans used to be prideful about ... and you have this fool as your leader for the Senate race in Georgia?" she continued. "I mean, not only is he a liar, he lied about graduating top of this class in Georgia."

"Let's be honest, he's also has a violent history against women, police officers, he's talked openly about murderous thoughts. I mean, really?" she told the host. "Not only that, it just came out recently in, I believe it was an AP report that there is questions about his role in a veterans charity which is something that he's used as a point is his biography and his resume as something that he's done working with veterans. There's questions about the role that he played they are and whether they preyed on veterans and scammed the government. This is so on-brand for Donald Trump and who he supports."

Watch below:

[Rick Plant]

President Biden @POTUS

I met with President Yoon of the Republic of Korea to further strengthen our economic cooperation and security partnership. We will continue to work together to confront the biggest global challenges that we face.



Together with the Republic of Korea, we’re producing semiconductor chips that are critical to our two countries and essential sectors of the global economy.

Watch: https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527812744950472706

The White House @WhiteHouse
 
President Biden and President Yoon of the Republic of Korea participated in a bilateral meeting – affirming the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance.

Watch: https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1528068085810356225