applegrove
applegrove's JournalThe stark difference between how Democrats and Republicans run states
The stark difference between how Democrats and Republicans run states
by Mark Sumner
Daily Kos Staff
Monday, May 13, 2024 at 11:30:25a EDT
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/5/13/2240440/-The-stark-difference-between-how-Democrats-and-Republicans-run-states
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With many state legislatures wrapping up their 2023-2024 sessions, here are two examples of what voters get for their partisan investment. One state got guns and a culture war; the other got education, transportation, and housing.
In Colorado, the 74th General Assembly contains 69 Democrats (23 in the Senate, 46 in the House) and 31 Republicans (12 in the Senate, 19 in the House). Together with Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, this session gave Democrats an opportunity to execute on issues they had campaigned on in this cycle, as well as follow up on Democratic victories from the previous session.
As Colorado Politics reports, the result was one very successful year in Colorado politics. Democrats were able to pass:
* A program that gives students from families earning under $90,000 two free years of college. That’s not just at technical schools or community colleges, but it includes state-run universities.
* Property tax reform that provides relief for homeowners and more equitable funding for schools to make them less dependent on property taxes and the wealth of their local communities.
* A tax credit program for low income families that provides $1.4 billion that’s expected to drastically reduce child poverty.
* A bill that doubles the earned income credit for families.
* Changes to zoning policy to spur sustainable, affordable housing, especially in resort communities where housing costs far exceeded the incomes of many workers.
* A fee on oil and gas production that goes to promoting transit, conservation, and renewable energy.
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Applegrove:
Someone needs to make a meme of this stark contrast. What Republicans have passed in Tennessee is bats*** crazy.
Secret Service notified as Trump aide brags about 'causing innocent people to be arrested'
Secret Service notified as Trump aide brags about 'causing innocent people to be arrested'
David McAfee
May 12, 2024 9:14PM ET
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-mcentee-secret-service/
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Donald Trump's former White House aide is under fire after a video showed him claiming to distribute fake money to homeless people so that they will be arrested when they spend it.
Johnny McEntee, formerly the White House Presidential Personnel Office under the former president, posted a video on TikTok in which he discusses the purported scheme to "clean up the community."
"So I always keep this fake Hollywood money in my car, so when a homeless person asks for money, and I give them like a $5 bill, I feel good about myself, they feel good," said McEntee, also a senior advisor to Project 2025. "And then when they go to use it, they get arrested, so I'm actually helping to clean up the community and get them off the street."
Law professor Orin Kerr responded to the video, "Causing innocent people to be arrested is good, according to Trump aide."
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Applegrove:
Thanks to my cousin for the suggestion.
Here is video:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/132222895
Applegrove:
After reading your responses I think this was performative to teach people, voters, to hate the poor. Psychopath teach their followers how to behave. It is part of grooming and giving them a vivid role in life so they finally have somewhere to belong (after years of being lost because the GOP gutted unions and government) and building an army of bullies.
Stronger economy improves outlook for Medicare, Social Security
Stronger economy improves outlook for Medicare, Social Security
Benefits projected to last longer before running dry in the 2030s
By Caitlin Reilly and Jessie Hellmann
Posted May 6, 2024 at 6:18pm
https://rollcall.com/2024/05/06/stronger-economy-improves-outlook-for-medicare-social-security/
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The hospital insurance trust fund, which pays for Medicare Part A benefits, will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2036, five years later than was reported by the trustees last year. Meanwhile, the outlook for Social Security improved slightly over last year’s projections by one metric and remained unchanged under another.
If combined with the program’s disability insurance trust fund, the old-age and survivors insurance trust fund could pay out the full retirement benefit until 2035, a year later than last year’s projection. At that point, Social Security benefits would face a 17 percent cut.
The results nonetheless represent “good news,” the program’s top official said Monday.
“Any potential benefit reduction event has been pushed off from 2034 to 2035. More people are contributing to Social Security, thanks to strong economic policies that have yielded impressive wage growth, historic job creation, and a steady, low unemployment rate,” Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley said in a statement. “So long as Americans across our country continue to work, Social Security can — and will — continue to pay benefits.”
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Applegrove:
Imagine if wages had risen in the last 40 years as they have in the last two. Imagine if employment had been high for the whole time.
A good portion of MAGA believe it is a witch hunt. Another
percentage want authoritarianism and to get rid of democracy. Some want to roll back immigrants and women's rights. Some just want to be entertained by Trump. 20% obviously are 'somewhat slow on the pick up' but want decency in office and say if he gets convicted they may vote elsewhere.
So authoritanian. Not democratic at all: the people
decide how they want the government to maintain order.
Trump Calls Biden Administration the 'Gestapo'
Trump Calls Biden Administration the ‘Gestapo’
May 4, 2024 at 10:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 345 Comments
https://politicalwire.com/2024/05/04/trump-calls-biden-administration-the-gestapo/
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“Fresh from his criminal trial in New York, Donald Trump delivered a frustrated and often profane roughly 75-minute speech at a Republican National Committee donor retreat in Florida on Saturday, attacking one of the prosecutors pursuing him and comparing President Biden’s administration to the Nazis,” the New York Times reports.
Said Trump: “These people are running a Gestapo administration.”
“In his speech, he complained repeatedly about the criminal trial in Manhattan, to which he will return on Monday, insisted that Democrats use ‘welfare’ to cheat in elections and said he would need an attorney general with ‘courage’ as he mocked his former attorney general, William P. Barr, who recently endorsed him after speaking critically of Mr. Trump since the administration ended.”
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Applegrove:
I guess calling himself Nelson Mandela didn't test well. I wonder why? Now he is a Jewish victim of the Holocaust.
What creeps! Some dude from India, don't know if he is Indian Government or not,
https://c.im/@CNN/112379088279878118blamed Canada for allowing the immigration of people they, India, deemed trouble. That the Indian government warned Canada there were criminals immigrating to Canada from India. That reeks of a giant scam to export deranged people of the Sikh faith to Canada to muck up Canadian Sikhs and it looks like murder one of them last year (India told Canada he was a terrorist and Canada saw him as someone labeled a terrorist by India because he wanted an independant Sikh homeland in Punjab and not for any other reason). And then stand back and say "well we told you. You didn't pay attention to our warnings". Police in two countries, Canada and the US, think the Indian government assassinated him and were going to assassinate some Sikh independence advocate in the US.
I blame Trump for making America and the West look so vulnerable. And Trump's boss Putin.
LOCAL MEDIA TRASHES TRUMP AFTER CAMPAIGN DISASTERS IN MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN
LOCAL MEDIA TRASHES TRUMP AFTER CAMPAIGN DISASTERS IN MICHIGAN AND WISCONSIN
JASON EASLEY DONALD TRUMP, TOP NEWS SAT, MAY 4TH, 2024
https://www.politicususa.com/2024/05/04/local-media-trashes-trump-after-campaign-disasters-in-michigan-and-wisconsin.html
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Local media, which was a source that Trump used to be able to count on for good coverage had fact checks and damaging headlines after the ex-president tried to campaign in Michigan and Wisconsin.
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In Michigan, Trump got fact-checked for falsely claiming that the state has lost manufacturing jobs under Biden, “Just a little bit of some information, some fact checking. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, our state, Michigan, actually gained 24,000 manufacturing jobs between January of 2021 and May of last year. That’s actually tied for seventh in the country. And so this notion that the auto industry in Detroit is falling apart… may not be as on point as [Trump] would like.”
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When Trump tries to campaign, it is a disaster. He has reverted back to complaining that the 2020 election was stolen from him, while ranting and raving about his current legal troubles, and making things up about the state of the nation under President Biden.
Trump has nothing to run on and no reason to be running, except for a desire to avoid prosecution and potential incarceration.
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Applegrove:
He doesn't mention making the country fascist. Tax cuts for the rich extended. Making abortion illegal. Detention camps for undocumented. He has no policy to help the average American and grow the middle class. He didn't mention these things because why would people in Michigan and Wisconson want those things?
House Republicans Finally Think They've Found an Issue
House Republicans Finally Think They’ve Found an Issue
May 2, 2024 at 7:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 129 Comments
https://politicalwire.com/2024/05/02/house-republicans-finally-think-theyve-found-an-issue/
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“After flailing around for months unable to unite on anything, House Republicans finally think they’ve found an issue they agree on — countering the scourge of antisemitism on college campuses nationwide,” Punchbowl News reports.
“With 187 days until Election Day, a legislative cupboard that’s all but bare, a presidential impeachment inquiry that’s going nowhere and a speaker who has struggled to generate any discernible level of excitement, the anti-Jewish sentiment that’s spilled out at universities from coast to coast during Gaza war protests offers what Republicans believe is a compelling plot line during the closing months of the 118th Congress.”
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Applegrove:
They mean they needed to find an issue they could work hand in hand with Russia on as Russia manipulates young people on the internet. There is enough anger without Russia seeding and spreading it. Who needs wedge issues when you can have bar b que tongs with Russia on one side and MAGA on the other working together to rile up the issue.
Trump Auditions VP Picks Before Wealthy Donors
Trump Auditions VP Picks Before Wealthy Donors
May 2, 2024 at 1:42 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 98 Comments
https://politicalwire.com/2024/05/02/trump-auditions-vp-picks-before-wealthy-donors/
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“Donald Trump is sharpening his focus on a possible running mate by taking a page from his days hosting reality show The Apprentice and parading the top contenders for the slot in front of rich benefactors this weekend,” Bloomberg reports.
“Contestants jockeyed for a job with his business empire for over a decade on the NBC show, with Trump pitting them against each other for his favor. An exclusive donor retreat at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach this week promises a similar vibe — drawing hundreds of deep-pocketed GOP backers as well as allies eyeing the No. 2 spot on the Republican presidential ticket.”
“The spectacle comes as Trump is narrowing his gaze on a handful of potential running mates: Ohio Senator JD Vance, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, according to people familiar with the deliberations as recently as this week.”
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Applegrove:
VP Harris will wipe the floor with Rubio in a debate because he doesn't have a killer instinct when it comes to lying. The others are cartoon characters but accomplishments liars. I mean Rubio will be asked by Harris about the 6 week abortion ban in his home state and he will sputter and swallow and gag his way through the answer because 64% of people in the battleground states want to see access to abortion.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218916061
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