Vaccines, Infrastructure, and Kids In Cages: US Politics April 2021

D.C. Statehood is most likely dead for this Congress. U.S. Senator Joe Manchin told reporters today he does not support the D.C. statehood bill in the US House and would only consider it as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution https://t.co/dL6UtlqRlo

— Blake Allen (@Blake_Allen13) April 30, 2021

Fuckin' Joe Manchin is having the time of his life jerking around the entire country on his leash.

If Breyer retires, Manchin’s going to demand the seat for his grandson.

of course he doesn't support it, 2 more Democrats in the senate would take away all his leverage. what a dick.

Has there every been talk of Maryland just annexing D.C.? I know there's no strategic political benefit, but they would at least be able to have representation

neither wants that

It has been talked about a lot (that is, retroceding all but the "monumental core" back to Maryland).

After all, that's precisely what happened to the Virginia portion.

It would, in a technical sense, grant DC residents representation, but that representation is diluted into Maryland's where it doesn't make much difference. A sizable chunk of Maryland's population is DC suburbs anyway. vc is right that Maryland may not want the territory gained by such a move, for various reasons.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-administration-return-billions-border-wall-funding-trump/story?id=77423458

Is this the project people were talking about when they said the Biden administration was going to fill in holes in the wall?

Construction under the prior administration blew large holes into the Rio Grande Valley’s flood barrier system to make way for a border wall.

Big beautiful holes, no doubt.

No idea how real this is, but it feels like progress

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/29/politics/border-patrol-unaccompanied-minors/index.html

Nice little story to end the April thread

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article251069219.html

o_O

Samsel is the second Kansas lawmaker to be arrested this year. Former Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, was charged with felony eluding and fleeing from police and also faces misdemeanor charges of drunk and reckless driving after allegedly driving the wrong way on Topeka highways on March 16. He was forced to step down from his leadership post.

jesus that gets increasingly dark

I mean, I'd still vote for him a second time, sure, but if this sort of thing happens again I'd definitely reconsider voting for him a third time.

Feels like we’re lucky that didn’t turn into something much worse.

US Politics May 2021: Joe Manchin's Choose-Your-Adventure Book