5/11-12 News Roundup & Open Thread – The Progressive Wing

Bernie lays it all out on this senate floor speech to vote for the codification of Roe vs Wade.

More news and perspectives below.

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Benny

🚨BREAKING: The House voted 217-202 to grant Congressional Staff the right to form a union & bargain collectively without threat of retaliation.
To our fellow Congressional Workers: tonight belongs to us. Tomorrow we continue the fight—solidarity forever! #1u
Our statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7kLoy376Sl
— Congressional Workers Union (@Congress_Union) May 11, 2022

jcitybone

ICYMI, here's @dorajfacundo's report on the House vote last night allowing nearly 10,000 staffers to form a union, with insight from members of @Congress_Union, which has been organizing for monthshttps://t.co/2vbk5cN9co
— David Dayen (@ddayen) May 11, 2022

jcitybone

Thanks Benny. Here’s an article about the speech.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/05/11/sanders-gop-ended-filibuster-pack-supreme-court-so-dems-must-end-it-save-abortion

On the eve of a key procedural vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a floor speech Tuesday that the Senate’s Democratic majority must use its power to end the legislative filibuster and codify abortion rights into federal law.
Sanders (I-Vt.), the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, acknowledged that Senate Democrats don’t currently have the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster, an archaic rule that has enabled the Republican minority to stonewall much of the majority party’s agenda over the past year.
“It is not good enough to just talk about passing this bill,” Sanders said of the WHPA, legislation that would cement the right to abortion care free from medically unnecessary restrictions as the U.S. Supreme Court’s right-wing majority gears up to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“We must end the filibuster and pass it with 50 votes,” said the Vermont senator. “You know, I hear a lot of talk from my Democratic colleagues about the need for unity. Well, if there was ever a time for unity, now is that time.”
Despite calling Wednesday’s vote “one of the most important… in decades,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has not given any indication that he plans to pursue filibuster reform if Republicans and right-wing Democrats block the WHPA.
Just 50 votes and a tie-breaker from the vice president are required to eliminate or weaken the filibuster, but at least two right-wing Democrats—Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.)—have refused to accept any changes to the rule. Both Democratic senators openly defended the filibuster in the hours after Justice Samuel Alito’s extremist draft opinion was leaked to the press.
With Manchin opposed to the WHPA and the filibuster intact, the House-passed legislation is doomed to fail in the Senate.
In his speech Tuesday, Sanders noted that Republicans’ 2017 decision to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster for Supreme Court nominees empowered them to “do what they could not do legislatively: Make abortion illegal.”
“Candidate Donald Trump promised that he would only nominate Supreme Court justices who supported overturning Roe v. Wade,” Sanders said. “And, unfortunately, out of the many lies Trump made during his campaign and presidency, this seems to be the one promise he kept.”
The Vermont senator emphasized that Alito, a George W. Bush nominee, as well as Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett were selected by presidents who lost the popular vote. All four justices—plus Clarence Thomas, who was nominated by George H.W. Bush—are expected to vote to overturn Roe.
“Is it any wonder why Americans all over the country are losing faith in their democracy?” Sanders said. “If Republicans can end the filibuster to install right-wing justices nominated by presidents who lost the popular vote in order to overturn Roe v. Wade, Democrats can and must end the filibuster to make abortion legal and safe.”
In more than half of all U.S. states, abortion will likely be prohibited. If Republicans retake Congress in November and the White House in 2024, they could pursue a sweeping federal ban on abortion. The United States’ maternal mortality crisis, already the worst among rich countries, will potentially become more severe, with the impacts disproportionately hitting the poor.
“Let’s be clear: The Supreme Court will not be able to ban abortion,” Sanders said Tuesday. “If you are wealthy and you have the means to get on an airplane or drive hundreds of miles—you will always have access to a safe abortion. But if you are poor or if you are in the working class, you will not.”

Benny

On this day in 1894, 4,000 workers at the Pullman Company went on wildcat strike.
In the weeks that followed, more than 150,000 railroad workers across the country joined. The historic Pullman Strike of 1894 produced Labor Day and set Eugene V. Debs on a course of socialism. pic.twitter.com/x2MRTqbJtP
— Jacobin (@jacobin) May 11, 2022

Benny

House Passes $40 Billion More in Ukraine Aid, With Few Questions Asked

The escalating brutality of the war in Ukraine has dampened voices on both the right and left skeptical of the United States’ involving itself in armed conflict overseas, fueling a rush by Congress to pour huge amounts of money into a potentially lengthy and costly offensive against Russia with few questions or reservations raised.
Under pressure to present a united front as President Vladimir V. Putin’s forces carry out a campaign of atrocities across Ukraine, lawmakers in both political parties who have previously railed against skyrocketing military budgets and entanglements in intractable conflicts abroad have gone largely silent about what is fast becoming a major military effort drawing on American resources.
The House on Tuesday night passed a $40 billion military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine in an overwhelming 368 to 57 vote, weeks after lawmakers overwhelmingly approved $13.6 billion in emergency aid for the war effort. That total — roughly $53 billion over two months — goes beyond what President Biden requested and is poised to amount to the largest foreign aid package to move through Congress in at least two decades.
It also comes at a time when the two parties have been unable to reach agreement to invest in domestic programs. They include the extension of a tax credit that pulled millions of American children out of poverty and even a pandemic response package to control the spread of the coronavirus, as Republicans and some Democrats raise concerns that such spending could exacerbate inflation and increase the federal deficit.
But stunned by the grisly images from Ukraine and leery of turning their backs on a country whose suffering has been on vivid display for the world, many lawmakers have put aside their skepticism and quietly agreed to the sprawling tranches of aid, keeping to themselves their concerns about the war and questions about the Biden administration’s strategy for American involvement.
And as Mr. Biden’s requests to Congress for money to fund the war effort have spiraled upward, leaders in both parties have largely refrained from questioning them. Instead, the packages have swelled to accommodate the two parties’ competing priorities, with Republicans adding money for military assistance and Democrats insisting that be matched by an equal addition for humanitarian aid.
They have been backed by pleas of urgency from both Ukrainian leaders and the Biden administration, which warned Congress this week that more aid would be needed before May 19 to continue providing military support.
On Tuesday, hours before the House was to vote, Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, met separately with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, where the measure is now headed, to personally call for swift passage of the package.
“Her people are dying. They’re running out of supplies and ammunition. They need our help quickly,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, describing Ms. Markarova’s message as: “Thank you for all our help, but please speed it up.”
The result has been that, at least for now, Congress is quickly and nearly unanimously embracing historic tranches of foreign aid with little public debate about the Biden administration’s strategy, whether the volume of military assistance could escalate the conflict, or whether domestic priorities are being pushed aside to accommodate the huge expenditures overseas.
Each time President Biden has requested that Congress pass emergency aid, congressional leaders have significantly increased both the military and the humanitarian funding.
“Time is of the essence — and we cannot afford to wait,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California wrote to lawmakers in a letter on Tuesday ahead of the vote. “With this aid package, America sends a resounding message to the world of our unwavering determination to stand with the courageous people of Ukraine until victory is won.”
The package would provide $6 billion for weaponry, intelligence support, training and other defense assistance to Ukrainian forces, as well as $8.7 billion to replenish American equipment sent to the country. It would allocate $3.9 billion for European Command operations, including intelligence support and hardship pay for troops in the region.

Of course, the number one question should be how to pay for it, but when it comes to defense, never any questions asked.

Benny

more from that article..

It would allow Mr. Biden to authorize the speedy transfer of up to $11 billion of American equipment, weapons and defense supplies.
The legislation also would set aside $13.9 billion for the State Department, with the bulk going toward the Economic Support Fund to help Ukraine’s government continue to function. Another $4.4 billion would go to emergency food assistance in Ukraine and around the world, as the war disrupts the country’s food supply and distribution. The measure would devote $900 million to assistance for Ukrainian refugees, including housing, English language, trauma and support services.
While nearly 60 Republicans opposed the bill, only a handful of spoke up to outline their concerns with the legislation, arguing that the United States could not afford to spend so much abroad at a time when they argue the basic needs of American citizens are not being met. Only Republicans opposed the measure, citing its size and the rushed timeline.
The loudest voices in both parties were those declaring their full-throated support, arguing that failing to halt Mr. Putin’s campaign now would lead to a more costly conflict later.
“I think we’d all agree the most important thing going on in the world right now is the war in Ukraine,” said Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, recounting a recent phone call with Mr. Biden in which he said he had advised the president that the package should “move by itself and quickly.”
“He called back in about 15 minutes and agreed that we need to do this — Ukraine only, and quickly,” Mr. McConnell added. “I think we’re on the path to getting that done.”
Senator Mitch McConnell said he told Mr. Biden that a Ukraine aid package should “move by itself and quickly.”
Some lonely voices on Capitol Hill — mostly hard-right Republicans — emerged on Tuesday to express misgivings. They were buoyed by Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of former President Donald J. Trump, and a handful of conservative advocacy groups that mobilized in opposition to the bill.
Representative Warren Davidson, Republican of Ohio and a former Army officer, said in an interview that he was concerned that in quickly approving the legislation without sufficient debate, Congress was essentially paving the way for Mr. Biden to shift the nation’s role in the world “from fighting everyone’s war to funding everyone’s war.”
“Was it urgent to get some aid to them early on? Absolutely,” Mr. Davidson said of Ukrainian forces.

orlbucfan

Exactly how is a fight between 2 countries in Central Europe (if that’s what Ukraine is), a threat to the U.S.?

orlbucfan

Yeah, and it’s sickening how corrupt a bunch of these craporate MICC whores are. They squawk like h3ll about helping their own people. The second the MICC wants more bucks for the pig trough, these yahoos jump. 💩💩

jcitybone

“We were all wearing vests and helmets, we were four journalists in an exposed area. There were no confrontations or shots being fired by Palestinian fighters.”
Journalist recounts moment Shireen Abu Akleh was killed.
🔴 LIVE updates ⤵ https://t.co/OH8yck0B4v
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 11, 2022

This is what they said, and their reporting includes a witness who was shot next to her https://t.co/e1kX1OjsZR
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) May 11, 2022

jcitybone

@POTUS: An American journalist clearly marked with press credentials was murdered. Doing and saying nothing just enables more killings.
Whether you're Palestinian, American, or not, being killed with U.S. funding must stop.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 11, 2022

orlbucfan

Hey Rashida, how about doing a little more to help get genuine American Progressives elected? And while you’re at it, have a chat with Pocan and Jayapal about getting their priorities straight, you dig? I’m sick of living in a backwards, fascist, craporate police state!

orlbucfan

A thankful T and R x 2, Ms. Benny!! ☮️😊👍

jcitybone

Pelosi Concerned Outspoken Progressive Flank Of Party Could Harm Democrats’ Reputation As Ineffectual Cowards https://t.co/W0vvsEtk1z pic.twitter.com/x8Ndt99Rqj
— The Onion (@TheOnion) May 10, 2022

orlbucfan

This senile POS can go straight to corrupt h3ll for cowards. I sure wish I believed in it.

wi64

“As Ineffectual Cowards” Well they are as they dont have the balls to go the distance

LieparDestin

Biden flexes power in primaries to boost moderates

When President Biden jumped into an Ohio congressional race to offer a surprise endorsement, progressives weren’t pleased.
In the final stretch of a Cleveland area rematch, Biden threw his weight behind Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) over Biden critic and former state Sen. Nina Turner. Turner, an ally of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), saw disparaging remarks she made about then-candidate Biden during the 2020 election come back to haunt her, including her comment to The Atlantic that voting for him would be equivalent to eating a “bowl of shit.”
Given the contentious nature of their relationship, many expected Democrats to back Brown over her rival. But few saw Brown’s blessing coming from Biden himself. What followed was confusion about why the president — drowning in domestic woes and low polls to match — would exert his influence like that after calling for unity.
“Party machine politics is very strong,” said Angelo Greco, a senior campaign adviser to Turner. “I don’t even think it was necessary. The machine had already fallen behind Shontel.”
While it’s common for a president to express primary preferences, progressives say he is helping to needlessly tilt the direction of the party towards the middle ahead of the midterms.
And frustration is mounting. In recent weeks, a fear has caught hold on the left that the more Biden gets involved, the less likely the chances to grow progressive membership on Capitol Hill.
“It was to make a point,” Greco said about bucking Turner. “It was signaling for the future.”
..
In Texas, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who is facing a primary challenge from liberal activist and lawyer Jessica Cisneros, was also part of that group. Biden has not endorsed Cuellar and is not expected to, offering some temporary relief to nervous progressives. “They’re smart enough to stay away from that one,” Greco mused about White House officials.
Still, Cisneros and some aligned progressives want Biden and congressional leadership to disavow him explicitly.
“The word should go out across the land that if you are one of the 10 House Democrats that basically blocked the momentum and gave Joe Manchin an opening to do what he did, you will not be in the next Congress,” Green said. “So that every other Democrat takes notice and the next thing can go through.”
Biden has waded into only a handful of primaries during his first term, choosing the more centrist option in both Brown and Schrader. In other cases, he supported Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) in a special election to replace Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as well as former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), a longtime friend, over several lesser-known contenders.
Some progressives believe that there’s a split within the White House between more left-leaning advisers and those who are closer to Biden’s moderate inclinations. Chief of staff Ron Klain is thought of as a friend to the left who has often worked as a bridge between progressives and centrist holdouts in Biden’s orbit. On the other side, Brian Deese and Susan Rice,
..
The president knows that he can count on the moderates to be with him when many on the far left will not,” said Matt Bennett, co-founder of the Democratic think tank Third Way. “With razor-thin margins and a restive group of activists, his preference for real supporters over fair-weather fans is not hard to understand.”
..
TheHill.com
CAMPAIGN
Biden flexes power in primaries to boost moderates
BY HANNA TRUDO – 05/12/22 5:28 AM ET
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When President Biden jumped into an Ohio congressional race to offer a surprise endorsement, progressives weren’t pleased.
In the final stretch of a Cleveland area rematch, Biden threw his weight behind Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) over Biden critic and former state Sen. Nina Turner. Turner, an ally of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), saw disparaging remarks she made about then-candidate Biden during the 2020 election come back to haunt her, including her comment to The Atlantic that voting for him would be equivalent to eating a “bowl of shit.”
Given the contentious nature of their relationship, many expected Democrats to back Brown over her rival. But few saw Brown’s blessing coming from Biden himself. What followed was confusion about why the president — drowning in domestic woes and low polls to match — would exert his influence like that after calling for unity.
“Party machine politics is very strong,” said Angelo Greco, a senior campaign adviser to Turner. “I don’t even think it was necessary. The machine had already fallen behind Shontel.”
While it’s common for a president to express primary preferences, progressives say he is helping to needlessly tilt the direction of the party towards the middle ahead of the midterms.
And frustration is mounting. In recent weeks, a fear has caught hold on the left that the more Biden gets involved, the less likely the chances to grow progressive membership on Capitol Hill.
“It was to make a point,” Greco said about bucking Turner. “It was signaling for the future.”
The endorsement wasn’t siloed. Leading up to a primary next Tuesday, where Democrats will face off for control of Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, Biden offered his support to Rep. Kurt Schrader, a seven-term congressman who many progressives believe is too conservative to remain in Congress. He’s facing a challenge from Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a progressive lawyer and small business owner.
While Biden suffered a personal attack from Turner, he wasn’t criticized as harshly from McLeod-Skinner, making his endorsement of her opponent more perplexing to activists and operatives.
The Progressive Congressional Campaign Committee, which has backed several liberal candidates this cycle, strongly condemned the president’s decision.
“Joe Biden, as president of the United States, has every right to walk softly and carry a big stick,” said Adam Green, a co-founder of the group. “Instead, by endorsing Kurt Schrader and not opposing Henry Cuellar in Texas, he is saying if you cross me, I will endorse you or support you.”
“For those of us that want this president to succeed and want his agenda to succeed, this just seems like malpractice,” Green said.
Progressives view Schrader as one of the biggest obstacles to getting “Build Back Better,” Biden’s domestic spending and climate package, to become law. He was part of a coalition of moderate House members called the Problem Solvers Caucus who wanted to delink the package from Biden’s infrastructure plan, which some liberals believe sent a signal to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to oppose the bigger bill in the Senate.
Biden himself acknowledged some differences with Schrader.
“We don’t always agree, but when it has mattered most, Kurt has been there for me,” the president wrote in a statement. “In doing so, he has helped to pass much of my agenda into law — making a huge difference in the lives of the Oregonians he represents and all of America.”
In Texas, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who is facing a primary challenge from liberal activist and lawyer Jessica Cisneros, was also part of that group. Biden has not endorsed Cuellar and is not expected to, offering some temporary relief to nervous progressives. “They’re smart enough to stay away from that one,” Greco mused about White House officials.
Still, Cisneros and some aligned progressives want Biden and congressional leadership to disavow him explicitly.
“The word should go out across the land that if you are one of the 10 House Democrats that basically blocked the momentum and gave Joe Manchin an opening to do what he did, you will not be in the next Congress,” Green said. “So that every other Democrat takes notice and the next thing can go through.”
Biden has waded into only a handful of primaries during his first term, choosing the more centrist option in both Brown and Schrader. In other cases, he supported Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) in a special election to replace Interior Secretary Deb Haaland as well as former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), a longtime friend, over several lesser-known contenders.
Some progressives believe that there’s a split within the White House between more left-leaning advisers and those who are closer to Biden’s moderate inclinations. Chief of staff Ron Klain is thought of as a friend to the left who has often worked as a bridge between progressives and centrist holdouts in Biden’s orbit. On the other side, Brian Deese and Susan Rice, who direct the National Economic Council and Domestic Policy Council, respectively, are perceived by some to be more moderate and less likely to back progressive stances and candidates.
In their view, the president’s support has helped bolster the existing roster in Congress, giving space to Democrats who have already proven to be popular among constituents in their districts. During a tough first term, he’s shown particular deference toward incumbent Democrats who they say have voted in line with his highest priorities, including the bipartisan infrastructure package that down-ballot candidates are expected to campaign on in the fall.
“The president knows that he can count on the moderates to be with him when many on the far left will not,” said Matt Bennett, co-founder of the Democratic think tank Third Way. “With razor-thin margins and a restive group of activists, his preference for real supporters over fair-weather fans is not hard to understand.”
Biden has notably endorsed fewer candidates than other top fixtures in the party. A tally by Axios counted Biden last on a list that includes Sanders, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in the Senate and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in the House.
A source in the administration told The Hill that Biden will be signing off on more candidates when asked about the rationale behind getting involved in certain contests over others.
“You can expect to see some endorsements from the president moving forward,” said a Biden adviser. “He will be endorsing incumbents who have been with him on votes and supporting his agenda which is helping the American people.”
The adviser noted the scarceness of his support in Dem-on-Dem contests, drawing attention to the careful calculus that goes into each election from the top down.
“He’s always evaluating each race and request as they come in, but think it’s worth noting he hasn’t often done this, so we take that seriously but are also being strategic about what we are doing here,” the Biden adviser added.
Progressives, however, have been growing tired of the intraparty play — infrequent as it is.
They note that there is a degree of resentment building among those who would like to see the president stay neutral or take a gamble with a left-wing alternative.
“At a time when progressives have largely been carrying the water for this administration in the fight for ‘Build Back Better’ and passing the president’s agenda, we need every progressive champion possible in Congress that has our backs,” said Sawyer Hackett, a liberal strategist and senior adviser to former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro.
“On issues like abortion that come down to the margins,” Hackett said, “protecting incumbents who come from safe blue districts but join Republicans on critical issues, it can feel like a stab in the back when they get support from establishment Democrats like President Biden.”

LieparDestin

Hey @NYTimes, "Dies at 51" is a really strange way to say a journalist was shot in the head. pic.twitter.com/YoqzHRoDsS
— Bassam Khawaja (@Bassam_Khawaja) May 11, 2022

jcitybone

Well, now both major US allies in the Middle East have murdered an American journalist
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) May 12, 2022

LieparDestin

UN receiving "credible" information about Ukrainian troops torturing Russian prisoners, official says https://t.co/BoxWZUZt2s pic.twitter.com/K26NpVoHS1
— The Hill (@thehill) May 10, 2022

jcitybone

I take her at her word https://t.co/cHhTizKHJk
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) May 12, 2022

jcitybone

I’d feel more confident dismissing the possibility of a national abortion ban if Republicans weren’t doing such a good job of insulating themselves from democratic accountability https://t.co/H8KVR9Py4t
— Jonathan Cohn (@CitizenCohn) May 12, 2022

jcitybone

there it is https://t.co/y95tloe8eb
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) May 12, 2022

"hard to escape the bottom line: Putin’s invasion has made Russia less safe and less secure in ways that even a decisive victory in Ukraine cannot remedy." https://t.co/Qa8wvXyRbe
— ryan cooper (@ryanlcooper) May 12, 2022

jcitybone

It truly is wild that Henry Cuellar was just the start for Clyburn — he is intervening in *multiple* democratic primaries on the side of the candidate with an anti-abortion record. https://t.co/dNSEJMMacb pic.twitter.com/bbgdkuqQmU
— brandon proia (@brndnpr) May 12, 2022

jcitybone

https://twitter.com/Econ_Marshall/status/1524718371954069509?s=20&t=_-HlIQ8IhK3Ye04UlVA8uA

Benny

The Senate Budget Committee on Thursday, May 12, at 11 a.m. ET will hold a hearing titled “Medicare for All: Protecting Health, Saving Lives, Saving Money.”
The hearing will be livestreamed at the link below.https://t.co/pHYjojwp32
— Senate Budget Committee (@SenateBudget) May 10, 2022

On now.

Benny

Bernie brings up that over 5000 nurses died caring for patients during the pandemic.

Benny

.@AbdulElSayed is making a key point in today's #MedicareForAll hearing: 21 hospitals shut down in 202 alone. Our current system is producing the very outcomes that opponents of Medicare for All fearmonger about! Rising prices, closing hospitals, terrible health outcomes.
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) May 12, 2022

orlbucfan

I’m an email member of PNHP and they’ve got some interesting hearings I plan on listening to. 🙂

Benny

Post the events the day before they are scheduled!