Ridin’ with Biden

[Teelie]

Don't know much about this, but it sounds good to me.

It's very good news. Before the Republicans tried to intentionally kill it, the USPS was financially stable and well funded. Then the Republicans decided to Republican and try to kill it so they could privatize (and profit) off it. After they knee-capped the USPS, there was a lot of Republican efforts to further harm it and reduce it's effectiveness even further. This isn't going to fix everything but it's at least stopped the bleeding and applied first aid.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

 

[souvlaki]

Glad to see Gina Carano's career is still going well after being dumped by Disney.

 

[InCali]

I've been tracking the national average of gas prices lately because it's going to have a big effect on the mid-term elections. Prices also have an effect on inflation and inflation was basically flat between June and July; mainly due to falling gas prices. After a rapid drop, prices have recently eased about a penny a day and if that were to continue over the next two months (far from a given) gas prices would be comparable to where they were a year ago.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Associated Press - Biden to host unity summit against hate-fueled violence

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

 

[InCali]

Let me try to explain this to people so they can really understand what's going on. Because of Biden's immigration policies, MORE terrorists are trying to enter the country illegally than ever before. Let's say that there are 10x more of them than there were in the previous 5 years combined. This means that the Biden administration is only 1/2 as effective as the Trump administration was.

Hope that helps.

 

[Teelie]

Logic plays no part in right wing fear mongering.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

 

[squeekness]

I had thought he had already stepped down. Haven't seen him on the news in ages.

 

[InCali]

I've been looking at some polls and things look much better for dems in the mid-terms. On the Biden approval rating, I don't think it will ever get very good and believe a major reason for that is his disapproval within the democratic party and especially among young voters. Basically I believe the major factor in his disapproval is his age; plain and simple. That's not to say there aren't other, legitimate reasons, but I think that's the biggie.

It's also the reason that his low approval ratings aren't adversely affecting the down ballot candidates to the extent you would expect (although his ratings have gone up substantially over the last month or so). There is, I believe, overall pretty high approval for the policies of the dems and disapproval for the policies of the repubs.

When I look at Biden's overall record, I'd probably give him maybe a "B". What I wish people would realize more broadly is that IF the dems can somehow hang on to the House (unlikely at this point) and win a few key races in the senate, we are going to get a LOT more infrastructure bills, corporate tax revenue, climate change funding, research, etc. signed into law. I also wish they would realize that the problems have generally been Manchin and Sinema and not Biden.

 

[squeekness]

I've been looking at some polls and things look much better for dems in the mid-terms. On the Biden approval rating, I don't think it will ever get very good and believe a major reason for that is his disapproval within the democratic party and especially among young voters. Basically I believe the major factor in his disapproval is his age; plain and simple. That's not to say there aren't other, legitimate reasons, but I think that's the biggie.

It's also the reason that his low approval ratings aren't adversely affecting the down ballot candidates to the extent you would expect (although his ratings have gone up substantially over the last month or so). There is, I believe, overall pretty high approval for the policies of the dems and disapproval for the policies of the repubs.

When I look at Biden's overall record, I'd probably give him maybe a "B". What I wish people would realize more broadly is that IF the dems can somehow hang on to the House (unlikely at this point) and win a few key races in the senate, we are going to get a LOT more infrastructure bills, corporate tax revenue, climate change funding, research, etc. signed into law. I also wish they would realize that the problems have generally been Manchin and Sinema and not Biden.

It would be nice to have a Congress that can actually get things done to help regular people.

 

[InCali]

It would be nice to have a Congress that can actually get things done to help regular people.

One thing about Pelosi (and I know some here don't like her) is that she holds her people in line and if there's a democratic majority in the house, you can bet bills important to the party WILL get passed. A 52 or 53 majority in the senate is needed for the same.

EDIT: McConnell actually gave a pretty good, accurate assessment of the differences between the two bodies and in that assessment lie the reasons Pelosi has more leverage than does Schumer. Pelosi can (and will if you EF with her) get you unelected.

 

[Tempus Fugit]

I had thought he had already stepped down. Haven't seen him on the news in ages.

I figured that was because the current administration was letting him do his job instead of making him go to press conferences where he had to educate the PotUS on the dangers of drinking bleach and sticking blacklights up our butts

 

[squeekness]

I figured that was because the current administration was letting him do his job instead of making him go to press conferences where he had to educate the PotUS on the dangers of drinking bleach and sticking blacklights up our butts

Hee hee. You're probably right.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Politico - Senate prepares to pick up the judicial-pick pace as November looms
Joe Biden has more federal court nominees confirmed at this point in his presidency than predecessors did. But progressives are angsty over possible lost opportunities.

The prospect of a September dominated by judicial confirmations comes as the Senate continues to openly mull the rest of its fall legislative agenda. The chamber is expected to vote again on legislation to cap the cost of insulin and could take up a same-sex marriage bill. Government funding also runs out at the end of September. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Democratic leaders say they've reached an agreement to include permitting reform as part of a funding package to keep the government open.

But the focus on judges, in addition to a boon for progressives who want to see a faster pace, is a clear sign that the legislative agenda is slowing down ahead of November. Nominees had to compete for summer floor time with Democrats' other priorities, including their signature climate, prescription and tax package, legislation to increase semiconductor manufacturing and a veterans health care bill. With those bills now sent to Biden's desk, the Senate can spend more floor time on confirmations.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

White House leaning toward canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers who make less than $125,000 | CNN Politics

 

[Prison Mike]

White House leaning toward canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers who make less than $125,000 | CNN Politics

This is nothing new. They’ve been saying the same thing for the last two months.

 

[InCali]

This is nothing new. They’ve been saying the same thing for the last two months.

You are absolutely right. It kinda sucks for folks like you, but there is a political angle to this. Biden wants to keep the "good news" going and this is one of those items. At least, as I understand it, you aren't required to make payments.

Speaking of good news, I worry about the next inflation numbers. Gas prices continue to go down, but I "think" I see the price drop trend slowing a little. It's too early to say for sure.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Wall Street Journal - Biden Planning Student-Loan Announcement Wednesday
President has been weighing eliminating some debt, extending pause on payments

USA Today - Biden weighs canceling $10,000 in student loan debt, decision as soon as Wednesday

Announcement said to be coming tomorrow.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

You are absolutely right. It kinda sucks for folks like you, but there is a political angle to this. Biden wants to keep the "good news" going and this is one of those items. At least, as I understand it, you aren't required to make payments.

Speaking of good news, I worry about the next inflation numbers. Gas prices continue to go down, but I "think" I see the price drop trend slowing a little. It's too early to say for sure.

Prices still rising with trading partners are an anchor on the rate of any decline of inflation domestically.

 

[squeekness]

You are absolutely right. It kinda sucks for folks like you, but there is a political angle to this. Biden wants to keep the "good news" going and this is one of those items. At least, as I understand it, you aren't required to make payments.

Speaking of good news, I worry about the next inflation numbers. Gas prices continue to go down, but I "think" I see the price drop trend slowing a little. It's too early to say for sure.

With the war in Ukraine still going on, I don't see any sharp drop of gas prices lasting long.

 

[Prison Mike]

Wall Street Journal - Biden Planning Student-Loan Announcement Wednesday
President has been weighing eliminating some debt, extending pause on payments

USA Today - Biden weighs canceling $10,000 in student loan debt, decision as soon as Wednesday

Announcement said to be coming tomorrow.

Fingers crossed

 

[InCali]

With the war in Ukraine still going on, I don't see any sharp drop of gas prices lasting long.

This is where politics gets very, very tricky. Take Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia and negotiations with Iran on nuclear proliferation. These become very complicated issues where moral issues have to play a role, but so do pragmatic ones. If, for example, we reached a "decent" deal with Iran and announced that we would be importing Iranian oil to the US and Europe in the near future. Think about what the potential effect it would have on the price of oil and the possible outcome of the mid-term elections. Same with Saudi Arabia, but a different issue for a deal with increasing oil production.

The Biden approach to Iran, for example, is probably something along the lines of "the best deal we can offer is now. If this gets kicked down the road, we're talking a different deal". Russia, on the other hand, is talking to them in an entirely different vein and is, I'm sure, offering them technological help that they think will benefit their situation.

I do not, and never have, spouted this "America First" line of BS. That being said, the US is a leading economic and, therefore, political power in the world and if we can get our own act in order, the world can benefit (albeit, given the general political limitations of the democratic party, those benefits are limited). From my perspective, this means keeping these election deniers and bigots out of office. What I've described is one possible way, but not the only way, of moving in that direction.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I've been looking at some polls and things look much better for dems in the mid-terms. On the Biden approval rating, I don't think it will ever get very good and believe a major reason for that is his disapproval within the democratic party and especially among young voters. Basically I believe the major factor in his disapproval is his age; plain and simple. That's not to say there aren't other, legitimate reasons, but I think that's the biggie.

It's also the reason that his low approval ratings aren't adversely affecting the down ballot candidates to the extent you would expect (although his ratings have gone up substantially over the last month or so). There is, I believe, overall pretty high approval for the policies of the dems and disapproval for the policies of the repubs.

When I look at Biden's overall record, I'd probably give him maybe a "B". What I wish people would realize more broadly is that IF the dems can somehow hang on to the House (unlikely at this point) and win a few key races in the senate, we are going to get a LOT more infrastructure bills, corporate tax revenue, climate change funding, research, etc. signed into law. I also wish they would realize that the problems have generally been Manchin and Sinema and not Biden.

Bernie is old as dirt and I doubt he'd be in the toilet with young voters.