The Progressive Wing

Fire away…

Update from union on King Soopers/Kroger strike: after 4 days of bargaining they have seen ‘little to no progress’ with company. ‘They still refuse to address the concerns and needs of our members,’ UFCW 7 Prez Kim Cordova says. Strike by 8,000 workers will continue.
— Dave Jamieson (@jamieson) January 18, 2022

Sinema, Manchin slammed as Senate begins voting bill debate

Facing stark criticism from civil rights leaders, senators return to Capitol Hill under intense pressure to change their rules and break a Republican filibuster that has hopelessly stalled voting legislation.
The Senate is set to launch debate Tuesday on the voting bill with attention focused intently on two pivotal Democrats — Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia — who were singled out with a barrage of criticism during Martin Luther King Jr. Day events for their refusal to change what civil rights leaders call the “Jim Crow filibuster.”
Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights leader, compared Sinema and Manchin to the white moderate his father wrote about during the civil rights battles of the 1950s and 1960s — a person who declared support for the goals of Black voting rights but not the direct actions or demonstrations that ultimately led to passage of the landmark legislation.
“History will not remember them kindly,” the younger King said, referring to Sinema and Manchin by name.
This will be the fifth time the Senate will try to pass voting legislation this Congress, as elections officials warn that new state laws are making it more difficult to vote in some parts of the country.
The House has passed the package, but the legislation is stalled in the Senate, opposed by Republicans. With a 50-50 split, Democrats have a narrow Senate majority — Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie — but they lack the 60 votes needed to overcome the GOP filibuster.
Once reluctant to change Senate rules, President Joe Biden used the King holiday to pressure senators to do just that. But the push from the White House, including Biden’s blistering speech last week in Atlanta comparing opponents to segregationists, is seen as too late, coming as the president ends his first year in office with his popularity sagging.
“It’s time for every elected official in America to make it clear where they stand,” Biden said on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “It’s time for every American to stand up. Speak out, be heard. Where do you stand?”
The Senate is launching what could become a weeklong debate, but the outcome is expected to be no different than past failed votes on the legislation. Biden has been unable to persuade Sinema and Manchin to join other Democrats in changing the rules to lower the 60-vote threshold. In fact, Sinema upstaged the president last week, reiterating her opposition to the rules changes just before Biden arrived on Capitol Hill to court senators’ votes.

Ok the context is different than I thought but actually maybe worse. So many things wrong with it but start with:
CNN and the world’s Begalas did everything in their considerable power to kneecap the only strong grassroots movement demanding real change and sub in Biden /1 https://t.co/kcZwHI5px1
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) January 18, 2022

Maybe a case could be made that he was trying to tell the public to be louder, bolder than they are right now & that the dems have used up political capital but he absolved Biden & the party of the responsibility they have in dragging their feet & using the same failed strategy
— . (@sweetrainbrry) January 18, 2022

.@NinaTurner isn’t just someone who speaks truth to power, she builds power that speaks truth. She knows what's on the line, and I am proud to fight alongside her for the soul of our nation and cause necessary trouble. Join our people-powered campaign: https://t.co/HMbxueWacD https://t.co/sHrQPzn8Aa
— Kesha Ram Hinsdale for Congress (@KeshaRam) January 17, 2022

Gorsuch is such a f’n asshole.

Civility! https://t.co/qyvy2WdFWz
— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) January 18, 2022

.@ryanlcooper: “When a handful of rich legal clerics have the option to dominate society, they will. History suggests America will always have a de facto judicial tyranny as long as we have the Supreme Court as we know it.” https://t.co/NaYcCGXYTN
— Drogon (@drogon_dracarys) January 18, 2022

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a38802760/supreme-court-neil-gorsuch-mask-sonia-sotomayor/

Charles Pierce agrees

Famously, during his contentious confirmation hearings, then-Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch was dogged by then-Senator Al Franken about an opinion that Gorsuch had handed down against a truck driver who had been fired after abandoning his busted truck on a frigid night so he wouldn’t freeze to death. The court had decided in favor of the trucker. Gorsuch had dissented.
Points of law aside, it was impossible to come to any conclusion other than, “Jesus, what a schmuck.”
The spirit of the truck-driver case has swirled around the chamber recently. Chief Justice John Roberts has sought to enact COVID protocols, including mask-wearing. There are a number of good and obvious reasons for this, but in particular, it was a concession to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who is diabetic and therefore particularly vulnerable to COVID. All the justices have complied. Except one.
I’m sure there are some arcane restrictions on the Chief Justice’s power to demand compliance from the other justices, probably dating back to the day when Roger Taney showed up in a ball gown or something. But there’s something to be said for simplicity, too. I mean, Jesus, what a schmuck.

This clown is beyond rude; he’s stupid (and wears it proudly). What an embarrassment!

Al Franken was smeared, and should have fought back against the FRightie Karl Roves who did it. There is no bigger ERA supporter than me, and I have been a victim of sexism.

T and R, and thanks. Ms. Benny!! 🙂 You all deserve medals for Nest hosting. Nope, Dimocraps don’t have bad followers. They have bad, corrupt leaders just like Paul Begala.

I think this whole Center conspiracy is the same as it ever was. But the Dems want the drugs (free advertising via 503Cs) and donations, which are legalized bribes, and now they equate Berners/Democratic Socialists to Trumpers when it comes to bad followers. Dick Cheney is still establishment, after all.

There are days I wish we had the parliamentary system.

polarbear4

me too!

polarbear4

🤣😂🤣. ty benny

The Senate is now officially debating the Freedom to Vote & John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Acts on the floor
Senators were elected to debate and vote—especially on issues like voting rights
This is a step forward to put everyone on record
We'll keep fighting until we win
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 18, 2022

I’ll see if CSPAN has this for free.

I was able to get it on the radio but not video. Sorry about that.

What's in John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
States w/ discrimination history need "preclearance" to change voting laws
Replaces Sec. 4 formula (axed by SCOTUS in '13) with rolling 25-year period
Limits review to most discriminatory rules
Violations can be results-based
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) January 18, 2022

I can see the GOPukes and their DINO allies approving this one. NOT!!

polarbear4

i wonder if anyone objected to the stricter requirements for third parties.

If you’re running for Senate in Louisiana as a Dem this is the ad you might as well run
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) January 18, 2022

It’s a damned good one, and mebbe just attract enough young LA Cajuns to come out and vote.

Aint Supposed to Die A Natural Death

Before watching the video, I said oh god. But actually, it is good. I sent a donation to this dude when he ran in the primary to fill the seat of one of ByeDone’s cabinet. Hope he makes it this time.

A little suggestion from the Marijuana Moment folks…

smoke primary source blunts in your campaign ads, you cowards
— Tom Angell 🌳📰ⓥ (@tomangell) January 19, 2022

Well, today, NYT had different reporter write basically same story and send it to entire NYT email list. Who was his main data source? **The same CIA/Palantir/Police analyst.** Again, the NYT calls that guy a "crime analyst" without reporting any of his conflicts of interest.
— Alec Karakatsanis (@equalityAlec) January 18, 2022

Last year, I wrote about a NYT writer who didn't disclose he had worked for CIA, Palantir, and police or that he currently ran a consulting company that relies on "law enforcement" contracts. It was a shocking, unethical episode. https://t.co/E4JjIZDdUD
— Alec Karakatsanis (@equalityAlec) January 18, 2022

I've done a meta thread with relevant scientific papers and essays to explain why articles like this about "more cops mean more safety" are asking all of the wrong questions and misleading you about even the silly questions they are asking. https://t.co/4Na70Dp3sF
— Alec Karakatsanis (@equalityAlec) January 18, 2022

Benny

.@SenSanders tells me he’d be open to supporting a primary challenge to Senators against suspending the filibuster.
— Christian Hall (@christianjhall) January 18, 2022

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/590281-sanders-open-to-supporting-primary-challengers-against-manchin-and-sinema

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) thinks there’s a “good chance” Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will face challenges in future Democratic primaries and says he would be open to supporting their opponents.
Asked about the likelihood of Manchin and Sinema being challenged by other Democrats, Sanders indicated he thinks “there’s a very good chance” of that happening, though he observed “it’s up to the people of those states.”
Asked if he would be open to supporting a challenger, Sanders answered bluntly: “Yeah, I would.”

Indivisible canvassed its members in Arizona and 94% who responded currently support a primary challenge to Sinema, a spokesperson told me
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) January 18, 2022

I don’t think that will help. But keeping an eye on her and finding an impeachable offense is not out of bounds.

polarbear4

schumer told her she has his support so the dnc

Emily’s List Threatens to Pull Support From Sinema Over Filibuster Stance

One of the largest contributors to Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s political rise announced on Tuesday that it would cut off its financial support if the senator continues to refuse to change the Senate’s filibuster rules to allow for passage of far-reaching voting rights legislation.
Emily’s List, the largest funder of female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, made the extraordinary announcement as the Senate barreled toward votes this week on a bill to reverse restrictions on voting passed by a number of Republican-led state legislatures.
If, as expected, Republicans block the bill with a filibuster, Democratic leaders plan to try to change the Senate’s rules to overcome the minority party’s opposition. To do that, Democratic leaders would need all 50 members of their caucus on board. But Ms. Sinema, Democrat of Arizona, has said she will not vote to change the rules, making her — along with another holdout from her party, Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia — a target of liberal activists’ ire.
“Understanding that access to the ballot box and confidence in election results are critical to our work and our country, we have joined with many others to impress upon Senator Sinema the importance of the pending voting rights legislation in the Senate,” Laphonza Butler, the president of Emily’s List, said in a statement. “So far those concerns have not been addressed.”