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Pelosi Speaks On Debt Ceiling Bills – Possibly Her Finest Hour (Video)

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On Saturday, Minority Leader and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi took to the floor of the House of Representatives and delivered what may be one of her finest performances ever.

Note that this speech was Saturday — prior to the current agreement President Obama announced last night that Congress must now vote on, so some of the details may be different, but listen to the overall concepts Pelosi posits.

David Mixner wrote that Pelosi, “restored sanity to the asylum with a powerful and right on target speech.” Agreed.

If the GOP continues down their current path — and you know they will — how long will it take for Pelosi to become the Speaker once more? Or, President…

Complete text follows full video.

 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=M5sUiE3800A%3Fversion%3D3%26hl%3Den_US

“Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.  I thank the gentleman for yielding, applaud him for his superb leadership of this bill today, recognize the great leadership of Mr. Van Hollen as our Ranking Member on the Budget Committee—and he and Mr. Clyburn representing the values of the American people at the negotiating table for this.

“I rise in support of the Reid legislation, urge my colleagues to support it because it protects Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, because it is fair.

“But I want to use my time in the following way.  I listened very carefully and very attentively to our Speaker yesterday when he spoke.  And he used the term, ‘the bill is not perfect, but we did our level best.’  Our level best—one might infer from that that this process is on the level.  How can it be on the level if we are bringing a $2.5 trillion bill to the floor under suspension, the same way we might bring the naming of a post office?  $2.5 trillion dollars, 20 minutes on each side.  Members have said on both sides of the aisle, this is a very important debate.  Well if it is, why is it brought under suspension, which requires a two-thirds vote, guaranteeing that it will not prevail?  Not on the level.

“The word level, of course, enters into, is this a level playing field?  Is it on the level for America’s seniors to pay more for Medicare for fewer benefits while we give tax subsidies to Big Oil?  Is it on the level for us to throw people out of nursing homes by reducing Medicaid so we can give tax breaks to corporations sending jobs overseas?  Is it on the level for us to make young people and their families pay more for their college education so we can give tax breaks to the high end?

“Is it on the level to bring [the] Boehner bill to the floor that makes all those cuts, undermines Social Security, eliminates Medicare, and doesn’t charge one red cent  to people who have benefitted so much from the greatness of our country.  Is it our best?  It is our best to drag this out for all this time, to keep in suspense as to whether we would honor our Constitutional responsibility to pay our debts?  The Constitution says the national debt has to be recognized.  It has to be recognized.

“And recognized we did—president after president, 32 times in recent memory, including when President Bush was president.  At that time, even though many of us did not agree with the war in Iraq, did not agree that tax cuts for the wealthiest people in our country to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, did not agree the giveaway to the pharmaceutical industry.  We didn’t agree with that policy.  That’s how we got into debt, turning around from the surplus direction we were going in with President Clinton, whose last four budgets were in balance or in surplus.

“We didn’t agree how the President Bush took us into debt, but we never, never stood in the way of honoring the full faith and credit of the United States.  Why then, would this one time, with this President decide that we would put up barriers so extreme like changing the Constitution in order to lift the debt limit.  That’s a mathematical requirement.

“Of course, we must all reduce the deficit.  But is it our best to say we are going to use the debate to reduce the deficit to destroy the public space?  Look at their Appropriations bills they’re bringing before us, destroying the public space of clean air, clean water, food safety, the education of our children, the health, financial security of our seniors through Medicare and Medicaid.  That’s what they are doing.

“This isn’t—if we are just reducing the deficit here, we have come to those conclusions.  We have to do it.  We know how to do it.  But if they want to take it to the next step of destroying the public sector, we cannot go to that place when it affects the air our children breathe, the water they drink, the food they eat, the education they receive, the safety of the neighborhoods in which they live.

“The Speaker also said that the bill was not perfect.  Well, no bill is perfect, but I think that I disagree in one respect.  I think this bill is perfect, in its absurdity.  His bill was perfectly absurd, perfectly absurd.  Perfectly absurd, again, to say to a President after 32 times lifting the debt ceiling, ‘We are going to change the game for you, Mr. President.’

“It’s perfectly absurd for them to say that the bill they brought to the floor yesterday, the Boehner bill that they brought to the floor, was an agreement of the four leaders of the House and Senate, Democrat and Republican.  Either you don’t know what you’re talking about or it’s a perfect absurdity—I will not yield to you.

“It is very, very important that we all take a deep breath.  We have important work to do, an important decision to make.  Senator Reid has given us a direction to go—no cuts in the benefits for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security beneficiaries.

“I wish that we had revenues in there so that those who have benefitted from the greatness, the last 50 years of bipartisan progress for the American people, would be able to make their contribution, but not one red cent of revenue while we are saying kids should pay more for their student loans.

“So it’s time to end this theater of the absurd.  It’s time for us to get real.  It’s time for us to get real and listen to the wisdom of the American people.  They have said to us that they support, in overwhelming numbers, a bipartisan, balanced approach, in overwhelming numbers that we should all pay our fair share.  And they all agree that we should get this over with so we can get back to work putting the American people back to work by creating jobs.

“The Speaker chose, when he didn’t have the votes, instead of to reach out in a bipartisan way to see how we could work together, he chose to go to the dark side.  Let me repeat.  And I repeat, he chose to go to the dark side by putting forth a bill that he himself told his Members [it] would sink in the Senate—and I add, lead to default, lead to default.  We cannot default.  We are the greatest country that ever existed in the history of the world.  We are the United States of America.

“So let’s go from the dark side to the bright side of the American people.  Vote ‘yes’ on the Reid bill.  Thank you, my colleagues.”

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News

Congressman Pummeled for Praising Students Mocking Black Protester With Monkey Sounds

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May 3, 2024

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U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, Republican of Georgia, is under fire after praising University of Mississippi students, some wearing American flag outfits, mocking a Black woman protester by making monkey sounds and shouting, “lock her up.”

“Counter-protestors at the University of Mississippi made racist remarks — including monkey noises and comparisons to Lizzo — towards a Black woman who was part of a planned protest against the war in Gaza,” Los Angeles Magazine reported Friday.

Collins, who tried to defund Vice President Kamala Harris’ Office in November, declared his support for the counter-protesters at “Ole Miss,” as the University is called.

“Ole Miss taking care of business,” he wrote on social media, atop the video (below).

The counter-protesters, as evidenced in the video, appear to be mostly white.

A large number of users on the social media platform X responded, accusing the Congressman and the counter-protesters of racism.

“When is the inevitable ‘I don’t have a racist bone in my body’ tweet coming,” wondered Rewire News Group editor-at-large Imani Gandy.

“Which part is your favorite, Mike?” asked Fred Wellman, the former executive director of The Lincoln Project. “Is it the white kid acting like a monkey at the black woman or the white security guy acting like she’s a threat? I’m trying to figure out which flavor of racism has you all excited the most?”

READ MORE: MAGA State Superintendent Supports Chaplains in Public Schools – But Not From All Religions

Harvard Law Cyberlaw Clinic clinical instructor Alejandra Caraballo responded to the Georgia GOP congressman, “Thanks for confirming you’re a massive racist piece of sh*t.”

Mississippi Free Press news editor Ashton Pittman wrote: “Rep. Mike Collins, R-Georgia, praises a video showing a University of Mississippi frat boy dancing like a monkey and making monkey noises near a Black woman student who was protesting for Palestine while other frat boys chant ‘lock her up.'”

In a separate post describing a separate video taken of the same group Pittman wrote: “Frat bros at @OleMiss chant, ‘Lizzo! Lizzo!’ and shout, ‘F**k you fatass, f**k you b*tch’ at a Black woman who was protesting for Palestine. Do people really think these counterprotestors are doing it to support Jews?”

Journalist John Harwood did not mince words, writing, “Congressman proud of the racism.”

“Okay, Mike. We get it,” wrote podcast host, documentary director, and author W. Kamau Bell. “You want to be famous for being a racist. Fine. I’ll help you become a famous racist. You’re welcome.”

The original video is here.

See Rep. Collins’ post and the video below or at this link.

Caution: the video is disturbing.

READ MORE: Noem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’

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Noem Heads to Mar-a-Lago After Branding Kids She Ministered in Church ‘Little Tyrants’

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May 3, 2024

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Amid more damning revelations from her soon-to-be released book, embattled South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem will head to Mar-a-Lago this weekend as ex-president Donald Trump auditions potential vice presidential picks in front of high-dollar donors. Noem was also slated to attend a Republican fundraiser in Colorado this weekend but it was canceled over alleged safety concerns after news broke she had bragged about shooting her 14-month old dog.

While Noem’s shooting to death of her wirehaired pointer, Cricket, which she detailed in the book, is still making headlines overnight a new revelation made news: Noem falsely claims in her book she met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

A spokesperson for Noem “seemed to concede that the Kim story was false Thursday night,” and notified her publisher, Politico’s Ryan Lizza reported in his exclusive.

But less noticed appears to be the actual text of Noem’s false story, in which she brands children she ministered in church “little tyrants,” and compared them to the murderous North Korean dictator.

READ MORE: RFK Jr., Embracing Far-Right, Spoke at Fundraiser for Anti-Government Group With J6 Ties

“Through my tenure on the House Armed Services Committee,” Noem wrote, according to Politico, “I had the chance to travel to many countries to meet with world leaders. I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I’m sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all).”

CNBC reported this week Trump “will mingle with potential vice presidential running mates and wealthy Republican donors at the Republican National Committee’s spring donor retreat. The meetings are likely to act as informal tryouts for a short list of politicos in the running to join the Trump ticket.”

The list of Republican “special guests” includes U.S. Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, and J.D. Vance, Rep. Elise Stefanik, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.

Also expected to attend are House Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida and Wesley Hunt of Texas, former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and other elected Republicans along with RNC co-chair Lara Trump.

READ MORE: Election Denialism Embraced by ‘Large Proportion’ of Trump’s Followers: Report

NBC News, which says Rep. Donalds is also under consideration, on Friday added there will be “a fundraising retreat that could serve as a screening session” for potential vice presidential running mates.

Meanwhile, the Jefferson County, Colorado Republican Party chair announced a fundraising dinner Noem was slated to attend was canceled after threats were made, The Denver Post reports.

“We understood there was a planned organized protest outside of the hotel, led by Progress Now,” Nancy Pallozzi said. “I felt that our event would be negatively impacted, and we could not take the risk that those who made threats would cause physical harm.”

 

 

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RFK Jr., Embracing Far-Right, Spoke at Fundraiser for Anti-Government Group With J6 Ties

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May 3, 2024

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Over the weekend independent 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke at a fundraiser for a far-right anti-government group in Erie County, New York – a slice of the country that had a large proportion of residents arrested and charged for crimes related to the January 6 insurrection. Kennedy, a conspiracy theorist and vaccine denialist, increasingly is embracing the far-right.

“That group, Constitutional Coalition of New York State, has founders who not only have ties to Donald Trump but are also connected to the stop-the-steal movement through their activist network, which includes groups that had a presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6,” The Daily Beast reported Friday. “It’s yet another instance of Kennedy—who is mounting one of the most well-funded third-party presidential threats in decades—serving as a peculiar bridge between his own anti-establishment movement and Trump’s.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center includes the Constitutional Coalition of New York State (CCNYS) on its page of anti-government groups. Political Research Associates, which detailed the high proportion of January 6 residents arrested and charged, included the Constitutional Coalition of New York State in its February report on “The Rise of the Far Right in Western New York.”

READ MORE: Election Denialism Embraced by ‘Large Proportion’ of Trump’s Followers: Report

“If you don’t think the government is lying to you, you’re not paying attention,” Kennedy told attendees at the CCNYS fundraiser, The Buffalo News reports.

“CCNYS founders Nick and Nancie Orticelli are also affiliated with the Watchmen, a nearby militia who Nick has encouraged his social media followers to join. The Watchmen had several members at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and one member, Pete Harding, is still facing charges for violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,” The Daily Beast noted. “Nancie Orticelli has also hosted the Watchmen’s founder, Charles Pellien, on her weekly radio show on several occasions.”

One of Kennedy’s goals in traveling to New York was to get on the ballot for the November presidential election. Various polls show him taking votes from both President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump, but Kennedy currently has only qualified to be on the ballot in three states, Utah, Michigan and Hawaii, the newspaper reported.

But The Washington Post on Thursday reported The American Independent Party of California, which has a history of “far-right ties,” and “backed segregationist and former Alabama governor George Wallace in 1968, nominated Kennedy for president.”

Kennedy “said this week that he has qualified to be on the ballot in California and will accept the nomination of the American Independent Party, which has a history of associating itself with far-right figures and individuals who have expressed racist views.”

Some news reports and RFK Jr. himself say the Trump campaign was actively courting Kennedy, attempting to convince him to consider being the ex-president’s 2024 vice presidential running mate.

“That MAGA dalliance with Kennedy could be coming back to bite the Trump campaign, some Republicans close to the former president worry,” The Daily Beast also reported.

“’They can only blame themselves,’ a Trump-aligned strategist told The Daily Beast, requesting anonymity to speak candidly about private conversations about the risk Kennedy poses, ‘because they cozied up to him and thought it was funny.’”

Watch WIVBTV’s report on Kennedy’s trip to New York below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump Won’t Commit to Accepting Election Results if He Doesn’t Win State He Falsely Claims He Won

 

 

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