U.S. Politics

[Rick Plant]

Feud erupts among House Republicans as Freedom Caucus seeks to obstruct legislation



On Wednesday, POLITICO reported that an argument broke out on the floor of the House between two key Republican lawmakers over how much the GOP caucus should abuse legislative procedure to slow down the passage of noncontroversial bills.

"Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee and a self-described Freedom Caucus critic, confronted certain members, including the group's chair, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), warning them that they were burning bridges with their own colleagues, according to a Republican source familiar with the back-and-forth," reported Olivia Beavers. "Rogers suggested if they keep causing headaches with their colleagues, it will come back to bite Freedom Caucus members later on."

At issue is the use of a specific procedure to allow quick passage of bills with overwhelming support. Far-right Republicans want leadership to abandon decorum and stop the use of this procedure.

"Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), the former Freedom Caucus chair, and Chip Roy (R-Texas) joined Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on his podcast this week to discuss how they have hamstrung the House's ability to quickly pass popular bills. Essentially, certain Republicans have stopped allowing Democrats to quickly pass noncontroversial legislation by voice vote, making them take recorded votes on nearly every bill," said the report. "Biggs and Roy knocked leadership and their colleagues for allowing voice votes — a generally accepted practice that saves members hours on passing legislation. Their pushback on voice votes has even split members within the Freedom Caucus, with some opposing their colleagues’ frequent push for recorded votes."

"Biggs recalled a Republican member getting 'in my face last night,' telling him he had better things to do than spend hours more voting on a bill that was expected to pass with ease," the report continued.

This comes as Biggs and Perry are among a handful of Republicans subpoenaed by the House Select Committee over their roles in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/05-18-2022/gop-exhales/

[Rick Plant]

So, are Republicans and the right wing media going to blame Biden for the record high inflation in the U.K.? These liars want to sell you a pack of lies saying "Biden policies created inflation" when there is a global inflation problem due to a global pandemic. No matter who would be in the White House there would be high inflation. Inflation is higher in the U.K. than it is in the United States.   



U.K. Inflation Hits 40-Year High, Putting Government on Defensive
Price-rise acceleration comes as British economy faces a recession, economists and politicians say
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-inflation-hits-40-year-high-putting-government-on-defensive-11652866547

Britain’s Inflation Rate Surges to a 40-Year High of 9%
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-18/britain-s-inflation-rates-surges-to-a-40-year-high-of-9

[Rick Plant]

President Biden @POTUS

I’m taking two new steps to increase baby formula supply:

- Invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production
- Launching Operation Fly Formula to use federal planes to fly formula in from abroad

We're making sure safe formula gets to all who need it.

Watch: https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527047326476410880


"Operation Fly Formula" to aid the baby formula shortage

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act Wednesday and directed Defense Department aircraft to import infant formula.

Biden authorized flights to go overseas to import baby formula. The Defense Production Act requires suppliers of formula manufacturing to fulfill those orders before other customer orders.

On Wednesday, the White House said they will do what they can to provide enough baby formula for the U.S.

Biden has invoked this act to ensure that enough baby formula products will be sent safely and urgently.

https://www.fox4now.com/news/local-news/operation-fly-formula-to-aid-the-baby-formula-shortage

[Rick Plant]

Last night, the House of Representatives held a vote to fund the baby formula shortage. 

192 Republicans voted against funding to fix the baby formula shortage.

So, almost the entire GOP House voted to starve babies after showing off infront of the cameras with faux outrage over the formula shortage. It was just more political GOP theatre to cause chaos trying to score political points.   

This vote was held to fix the baby formula shortage problem, and once again, Republicans in almost a unanimous fashion voted against the American people. They recently voted against capping insulin at $35 for their diabetic constituents. How could they do that? And last year, every single Republican voted against The American Rescue Plan which jump started our economy, put money in people's pockets, and funded the police and local governments. The GOP also voted against our national security by refusing to aid Ukraine in their effort to defeat Putin.

Vote after vote, the Republicans continue to vote against American families and the middle class. This time they voted against American parents who need baby formula to feed their babies. This is a party who claims to be "pro life" wanting to "protect babies" and they voted resounding "no" to starve them.     

What are Republicans doing to help Americans? The answer is absolutely nothing as they vote "no" each and every time.

If it wasn't for the Democratic Party working to help Americans and passing this crucial legislation, we would have nothing, because the Republicans never would have passed any of it.

But if Republicans gain control of Congress, they will definitely vote "yes" to raise your taxes, gut your social security and Medicare, and eliminate the Affordable Care Act where millions of people will get kicked off their health insurance. Are you ok with that?

Here is the disgraceful vote by Republicans voting against American parents who need feed their babies. Republicans voted against their own constituents again, and these saps that keep voting Republican, keep voting against their own interests because their Republican Representative keeps telling them "no" and making their lives more difficult.

How can anybody vote "nay" to starve a baby? Well, almost every Republican did. Thanks to the 12 that voted "yea".


       
In another vote,  The House has voted 413-9 to pass a bill ensuring that families in need can continue to buy baby formula with WIC benefits during a public health emergency.

9 Republicans voted 'no". No surprise as to who the nine NO votes were:



And finally, 203 Republicans voted against a bill to combat domestic terrorism. So the GOP voted "no" to keep you safe from domestic terrorism which comes from the violent radical Republican base like the Buffalo mass shooter.

The GOP House had a busy night voting against American families and the safety of every single American.

Democrats delivered last night for the American people. They provided a solution to the baby formula shortage by funding for formula and by keeping you safe from domestic terrorism. Remember in November.           

[Rick Plant]

Full List of 192 House Republicans Who Voted Against FDA Baby Formula Bill

The House on Wednesday passed a $28 million emergency spending bill to address the nationwide shortage of baby formula.

The bill, known as the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, passed 231 to 192 in a vote mostly along party lines. All House Democrats supported the legislation, along with 12 Republicans who bucked their party leadership to support it. Four Republicans and one Democrat did not vote.

Another bill to address the formula shortage passed in a 414-9 vote. That bill—the Access to Baby Formula Act—would allow more formulas to be purchased with benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC. Both bills now head to the Senate.

Also on Wednesday, President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to boost the production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas.

Here is a list of all Republicans who voted against the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act:

Robert Aderholt of Alabama, Rick Allen of Georgia, Mark Amodei of Nevada, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota, Brian Babin of Texas, James Baird of Indiana, Troy Balderson of Ohio, Jim Banks of Indiana, Andy Barr of Kentucky, Cliff Bentz of Oregon, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma, Andy Biggs of Arizona.

Gus Bilirakis of Florida, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mike Bost of Illinois, Kevin Brady of Texas, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Vern Buchanan of Florida, Ken Buck of Colorado, Larry Bucshon of Indiana, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Michael Burgess of Texas, Ken Calvert of California.

Kat Cammack of Florida, Mike Carey of Ohio, Jerry Carl of Alabama, Buddy Carter of Georgia, John Carter of Texas, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Steve Chabot of Ohio, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Ben Cline of Virginia, Michael Cloud of Texas, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, James Comer of Kentucky.

Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Dan Crenshaw of Texas, John Curtis of Utah, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Rodney Davis of Illinois, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Byron Donalds of Florida, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Neal Dunn of Florida, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Ron Estes of Kansas.

Pat Fallon of Texas, Randy Feenstra of Iowa, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Michelle Fischbach of Minnesota, Scott Fitzgerald of Wisconsin, Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee, Scott C. Franklin of Florida, Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Andrew R. Garbarino of New York.

Mike Garcia of California, Bob Gibbs of Ohio, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Lance Gooden of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Kay Granger of Texas, Garrett Graves of Louisiana, Sam Graves of Missouri, Mark Green of Tennessee, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Brett S. Guthrie of Kentucky, Andy Harris of Maryland, Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Yvette Herrell of New Mexico, Jaime Herrera Butler of Washington, Jody Hice of Georgia, Clay Higgins of Louisiana.

French Hill of Arkansas, Ashley Hinson of Iowa, Richard Hudson of North Carolina, Bill Huizenga of Michigan, Darrell Issa of California, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Chris Jacobs of New York, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Bill Johnson of Ohio, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, Jim Jordan of Ohio, David Joyce of Ohio, John Joyce of Pennsylvania.

Fred Keller of Pennsylvania, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Young Kim of California, David Kustoff of Tennessee, Darin LaHood of Illinois, Doug LaMalfa of California, Doug Lamborn of Colorado, Robert E. Latta of Ohio, Jake LaTurner of Kansas, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, Julia Letlow of Louisiana, Billy Long of Missouri.

Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Nicole Malliotakis of New York, Tracey Mann of Kansas, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Mast of Florida, Kevin McCarthy of California, Michael T. McCaul of Texas, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Tom McClintock of California.

Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Peter Meijer of Michigan, Daniel Meuser of Pennsylvania, Mary Miller of Illinois, Carol Miller of West Virginia, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, John Moolenaar of Michigan, Alex Mooney of West Virginia, Barry Moore of Alabama, Blake Moore of Utah, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma.

Gregory Murphy of North Carolina, Troy Nehls of Texas, Dan Newhouse of Washington, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Jay Obernolte of California, Burgess Owens of Utah, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Greg Pence of Indiana, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, August Pfluger of Texas, Bill Posey of Florida, Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, Mike Rogers of Alabama, Harold Rogers of Kentucky, John Rose of Tennessee, Matthew Rosendale of Montana, David Rouzer of North Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, David Schweikert of Arizona, Austin Scott of Georgia, Pete Sessions of Texas.

Mike Simpson of Idaho, Jason Smith of Missouri , Adrian Smith of Nebraska, Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, Pete Stauber of Minnesota, Michelle Steel of California, Elise Stefanik of New York, Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, Greg Steube of Florida, Chris Stewart of Utah, Van Taylor of Texas.

Claudia Tenney of New York, Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, William Timmons of South Carolina, David Valadao of California, Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Tim Walberg of Michigan, Jackie Walorski of Indiana, Michael Waltz of Florida, Randy Weber of Texas.

Daniel Webster of Florida, Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, Roger Williams of Texas, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Robert Wittman of Virginia, Steve Womack of Arkansas and Lee Zeldin of New York.

© 2022 AFP

[Rick Plant]

Republicans fail to keep you safe from domestic terrorism. 

Second most-powerful Senate Republican says bill to fight domestic terrorism after Buffalo is too ‘partisan’ to pass



Senate Republican Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota immediately poured cold water on a just-passed House bill to help fight rising domestic terrorism, in the wake of his past weekend's massacre of ten Black people in Buffalo by a self-avowed white nationalist and antisemite and a California church shooting deemed a "politically motivated hate incident" by local law enforcement.

The House bill passed with all Democrats and just one Republican voting for it. 203 Republicans voted against the legislation that would establish new offices across three federal agencies to help identify and combat domestic terrorism. Three of the Republicans who voted against the legislation are original co-sponsors of the bill, and many who voted for a very similar bill two years ago voted against this bill Wednesday. The final tally was 222-203.

CNN's Manu Raju reports Senator Thune, the second-most-powerful Senate Republican, is "skeptical the domestic terrorism bill that passed the House will get 10 GOP senators," which it would need to pass, assuming all 50 Democrats vote for it.

"He noted that it was a 'pretty party-line vote.' Said he had not studied the details of the bill yet but noted the outcome in the House makes him think it is 'largely a partisan bill.'"

Republicans have a long history of blocking any attempt to curtail or get out in front of preventing domestic terrorism, despite – or because of – the vast majority of extremist-related murders are committed by right-wing extremists.

Republicans' opposition to addressing right-wing extremism and domestic terrorism goes back at least as far as 2009, when, as Wired reported, "an analyst at the Department of Homeland Security focusing on far-right extremist groups" published this report about the danger of right-wing extremism. Outrage was so dramatic DHS was forced to retract it.

In 2016 Politico reported Congressional Republicans also in 2009 "succeeded in pushing to shut" down a DHS program, an intelligence unit "called the Extremism and Radicalization Branch." Its mission? "Studying and monitoring sub-sections of the population for potential signs of ideological and political radicalization."

https://www.rawstory.com/second-most-powerful-senate-republican-says-bill-to-fight-domestic-terrorism-after-buffalo-is-too-partisan-to-pass/

[Rick Plant]

Ron DeSantis ignored a real crisis in Florida because he is obsessed with owning the libs



From far-right Gov. Ron DeSantis to the GOP-controlled Florida State Legislature, Republicans in the Sunshine State have been aggressively fighting the culture wars, defending the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, railing against critical race theory and punishing Disney for not being on board with their agenda. Washington Post opinion writer Lisette Alvarez, in a biting column published on May 19, argues that Florida Republicans have been putting so much time and energy into owning the liberals that they neglected a very real problem: Florida’s “property insurance crisis.”

That crisis, Alvarez writes, is so “dire” that DeSantis has “ordered state lawmakers back into a special session” that is scheduled to start on Monday, May 23. In Florida, property owners are facing a combination of canceled policies and major rate hikes.

Republicans in the Florida State Legislature, Alvarez observes, “squandered weeks of the regular session trying to control what teachers and corporations can say and do instead of addressing a mess that alarms millions of Floridians: a meltdown in the home insurance market.”

“Let’s look at what Floridians face: skyrocketing property insurance premiums, up 25% from 2020 to 2021 on average, but in some cases tripling in one year, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit trade group that tracks industry trends,” Alvarez writes. “The average cost of homeowner’s insurance in Florida was $3600 in 2021, double the rate for the rest of the country. That’s if you can even get insurance.”

Alvarez continues, “In the past 12 months, more than 400,000 Florida home policies have been dropped, most of them in the past 90 days, according to the Institute. One insurance holding company, this week, announced 68,200 cancellations.”

Mark Friedlander, spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, has described Florida as the “most volatile property insurance market in the country,” warning that it is “headed for collapse.”

In Florida, Alvarez notes, private insurance companies are “reluctant to take new clients” — which is why “many homeowners have no choice but to enroll with Citizens, Florida’s state-run, nonprofit insurer.”

“Funded by premiums and taxpayers, Citizens was designed to be a last-ditch insurer, yet it is now the largest in Florida,” Alvarez explains. “The 420,000 policies it had in October 2019 have more than doubled. Soon, it will top 1 million, according to the insurance institute. If a large hurricane hits Florida, Citizens will quickly deplete its reserves — it had $166 million in underwriting losses last year — and taxpayers will have to make up the difference.”

Alvarez adds, “Plus, Citizens is limited: It only insures houses valued less than $700,000, or $1 million in Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys.”

Alvarez points out that because of its insurance crisis, Florida is becoming increasingly “inaccessible” for first-time homeowners.

“Those who do have private insurance often face new, arbitrary rules — such as requiring roofs to be younger than 15 years old — or risk being cut loose, even by Progressive and other large insurers,” Alvarez warns. “The spiraling costs of property insurance have made Florida, one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, even more inaccessible, especially for first-time and middle-class buyers.”

https://www.alternet.org/2022/05/ron-desantis-ignored-real-crisis/

[Rick Plant]

Republicans sic 'army of lawyers' on each other as Dr. Oz faces recount



Republicans Dr. Mehmet Oz and David McCormick are "preparing for a drawn-out vote-counting process marked by hand-to-hand combat behind the scenes" according to a new report by Politico.

The television doctor's lead has shrunk to 1,083 votes in the GOP primary for U.S. Senate, which is one-tenth of a percentage point.

"Despite essentially being tied, the Oz and McCormick teams are both publicly projecting confidence that they will be on top once all the ballots are counted. By state law, an automatic recount will be triggered if the race comes down to half of one percent or less — unless the runner-up backs down and officially declines a recount," Politico explained. "But at this juncture, neither camp is signaling that they’ll throw in the towel. Instead, Pennsylvania Republicans are predicting trench warfare that could drag out for weeks — and be fought in the media, as well as potentially in the courts — in the state’s closely watched primary."

An extended primary could exacerbate GOP delusions of vote fraud and depress Republican turnout in the general election, Dave Wasserman of the nonpartisan Cook Political Reporter explained on MSNBC.

"Both Oz and McCormick have enlisted alumni from former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign to gird themselves for a potential recount," Politico explained. "Mike Roman, the director of Trump’s Election Day operations, is helping the McCormick team, according to a source familiar with his efforts. The Oz campaign has brought onboard James Fitzpatrick, who led Pennsylvania’s Election Day operations for Trump. Wally Zimolong, a Pennsylvania-based attorney, is also working for McCormick."

A recount must be completed by June 7.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/19/oz-mccormick-pa-senate-race-00033961