Beware the Ides of March -- U.S. Politics March 2021

Does anyone have a link to polls on raising the minimum wage in states like WV & AZ? Bonus points if it’s from a reliable pollster and not an org with an agenda

we can always start a poll on ilx for what we believe people in states like WV and AZ think about raising the minimum wage.

Speaking of WV, Manchin gave an interview on Fox where he signaled openness to filibuster reform, not getting rid of it, but making it "painful" to do.

I mean if you had to actually stand there and talk instead of just pressing the filibuster button that’d help

That seems to be the kind of thing he has in mind. It's ridiculous this isn't already required.

Yeah, I didn't realize until recently that it's really just a matter of sending an email to formally register an objection, which any senator can do.

I did not know that either! I def thought they had to talk or at least have the floor

I feel like that happened during Obama’s first term? Or became increasingly common.

It would certainly make it more difficult for the geriatrics who run this country. But I’m sure Tommy Cotton and that Hawley asshole could handle it

It would give Ted Cruz another chance to read Dr. Seuss, and this time it would doubly own the libs.

He said the same thing to Chuck Todd. Manchin must've done the Sunday talk show circuit. In any case, he's "signaling" his intentions to the White House.

If you forced them to talk and also obliged them to speak to the bill instead of just reading the phone book into the record on pain of the parliamentarian cutting them off without a vote then that goes a ways while preserving the hallowed tradition of heroic filibusterers like Strom Thurmond

There are so many manners by which to reduce filibuster rather than eliminate it in one grand swoop.

First make standing in and arguing against the bill a reqmt.

Then each time gop decides to make a stand on an issue, revise the filibuster rule to eliminate than area from eligibility for delay and cloture. a series of subject matter reductions, bill by bill. Until weird, no more filibuster.

Can imagine this is too time consuming and annoying to work though... so for gods sake just pls get rid of it.

Could also require 40 or more to be present throughout.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Excellent one!

Make them stand there in the building they hate, rather than flying back home or golfing or whatever they actually like to do. The majority of them are selfish, empty cowardly bastards - they won’t last long.

“selfish, empty cowardly bastards - they won’t last long”

Sounds great in a batman voice

Sure it's a Politico op-ed but Jack Hamilton here on destructive fandom in politics is a hell of a bracing/necessary read

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/03/07/barack-obama-bruce-springsteen-podcast-democrats-pop-culture-473383

Very eager to hear Obama cover “State Trooper,” though.

Pretty sure someone's already made an Obama "Born in the USA" joek

Eh, I've got stuff to say, but I'll just take it to the Springsteen thread.

"those bombs are kinda expensive for a dude who owes me two thousand dollars" pic.twitter.com/IRtBre6LIf

— Will Urquhart (@Urquwill) March 7, 2021

and people claim these ILX threads have no impact on the national conversation!

young democrats like Ben otmfm

Ben got jokes

and people claim these ILX threads have no impact on the national conversation!

tim wu is v good, his hiring is a promising sign that kamala harris's tech connections are having a limited impact, and tech antitrust is one thing i could see getting enough republican support to get through.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/tech-critic-tim-wu-joins-biden-admin-as-tech-competition-advisor/

Yeah see if we can get them to break up Amazon and Facebook to own the libs

hurt me daddy

that is very good news re: wu

Tim Wu, rusted!

Wu, Tim Clan

Good morning!

The United States firmly opposes an @IntlCrimCourt investigation into the Palestinian Situation. We will continue to uphold our strong commitment to Israel and its security, including by opposing actions that seek to target Israel unfairly.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 4, 2021

.@SecBlinken: Iran’s moving in the wrong direction. It continues to take steps that lift the various constraints of the agreement and is making its program more dangerous, not less dangerous. We want to see Iran come back into compliance with its obligations. pic.twitter.com/jX4XXVZrWd

— Department of State (@StateDept) March 7, 2021

The hits keep comin and they don’t stop comin

hmm.

Not something he remembers https://t.co/7G8TOMKjNf pic.twitter.com/nRXFbpPCc2

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 8, 2021

lol, college

I cradled lots of newborns shirtless and in my bare feet in college.

Meantime the Jan 6 arrests keep coming:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/roger-stone-associate-with-oath-keepers-ties-arrested-on-capitol-riot-charges/2930533/

And as the thread points out this one's interesting:

BREAKING: Roger Stone-linked #OathKeepers member Roberto Minuta was just arrested by federal agents.

Minuta pulled security for Stone on the morning of January 6th...then participated in #Capitol siege. 1/

By: @jonathan4ny & @valiquettejoe
Link: https://t.co/lQRT4A9SGD pic.twitter.com/qPEOBkZzSt

— John Scott-Railton (@jsrailton) March 8, 2021

my favorite thing about the stimulus (apart from sneaking in what will hopefully become permanent cash child benefits) is $30bn for transit.

Here's a look from a month ago at what that $30 billion can do to help avert disaster in public transit.

So many things like this. So many crises of public institutions now easier to manage, and won't take place under threat of austerity, from the ARP. https://t.co/qQlzyywn7B

— Mike Konczal (@rortybomb) March 8, 2021

Roger Stone's face seems incomplete; I keep wanting to add a fist to it

His head is in the shape of Zippy the pinhead's.

He looks like a Dick Tracy villain

$30bn for transit

or enough to fix the stairs in at least one subway station in nyc

well tbf it's enough for 10 miles of NYC subway (or 70 miles of subway in the rest of the world https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/nyregion/new-york-subway-construction-costs.html)

this rules

The tide has turned at Amazon in Alabama completely in the union’s favor.

Biden’s support was a game changer - I’ve never seen anything like it

— Mike Elk (@MikeElk) March 8, 2021

(and the bully pulpit works and he should use it)

this was the "game-changer" btw, not sure if it was discussed here

Workers in Alabama – and all across America – are voting on whether to organize a union in their workplace. It’s a vitally important choice – one that should be made without intimidation or threats by employers.

Every worker should have a free and fair choice to join a union. pic.twitter.com/2lzbyyii1g

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 1, 2021

Robert Minuta owns a tattoo parlor in my county and made the local papers back in the spring for opening during lockdown. There was an Oath Keeper rally supporting him which made me me think uh there’s more going on here than the paper is reporting. He was also in the same newspaper a few years ago complaining about school vaccination requirements.

His shop got vandalized recently but the graffiti says ANTIFA DID THIS so I have my doubts.

(apart from sneaking in what will hopefully become permanent cash child benefits)

endorse this, but also there should be double the cash benefit for not having kids


His head is in the shape of Zippy the pinhead's.

are we having fun yet? pic.twitter.com/u76H2pXVVz

— Kit (@awardtour) May 25, 2018

How much do we get for kidnapped kids