Friday, March 15, 2024

Hur's Report Was Intentionally Misleading!


 

Abortion Access Now A Factor In Choosing A College



Results for the Lumina-Gallup study are based on web surveys conducted from Oct. 9-Nov.16, 2023, with samples of 6,015 students who are currently enrolled in a postsecondary education program (certificate, associate or bachelor's degree), 5,012 adults who were previously enrolled in a postsecondary education program but had not completed an associate or bachelor's degree, and 2,943 adults who had never enrolled in a postsecondary education program.

All respondents were between the ages of 18 and 59 and had a high school diploma or equivalent but not an associate or bachelor's degree.

For analysis conducted in the report, the population of respondents was limited to the 6,934 who are currently enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program or who have considered pursuing either an associate or bachelor's degree within the past two years. Of these respondents, 2,532 are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, 1,636 are enrolled in an associate degree program, 1,456 have considered a bachelor's degree program, and 1,968 have considered an associate degree program; respondents may be included in multiple categories.

Property Of The State?

Political Cartoon is by Ann Telnaes in The Washington Post.
 

About 209,000 Workers Filed For Unemployment Last Week


The Labor Department released its weekly unemployment report on Thursday. It showed that about 209,000 workers filed for unemployment benefits in the week ending on March 9th. Here is the official Labor Department statement:

In the week ending March 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 209,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 7,000 from 217,000 to 210,000. The 4-week moving average was 208,000, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 3,750 from 212,250 to 208,500.

He's Peeing On Our Lawn

Political Cartoon is by Bob Englehart at Cagle.com.
 

Biden's Budget Cuts Trillions From Deficit - GOP Plan Doesn't


The Republicans in Congress love to whine about the deficit. But their plan for new tax cuts for the rich will just increase the deficit. President Biden has revealed his budget plan. It's a plan that will accomplish some needed things and will cut over $3 trillion from the deficit over the next 10 years.

Here's what Jennifer Rubin says about Biden's budget (and the GOP's lack of one) in The Washington Post:

President Biden’s budget, like all administrations’ budget proposals, will not become law. But it achieves two important goals: It makes several policy proposals whose times have come. And it reveals GOP hypocrisy on deficit control.

A favorite Biden expression is, “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” And that certainly applies here. In particular, his tax proposals evince a commitment to narrowing income inequality. He also advances several innovative programs to address the housing crisis.

For starters, Biden’s tax proposals seek to bolster the working poor. “The President’s Budget would restore the expanded Child Tax Credit, lifting 3 million children out of poverty and cutting taxes by an average of $2,600 for 39 million low- and middle-income families that include 66 million children,” the administration’s fact sheet explains. “This includes 18 million children in low-income families who would be newly eligible for the full credit, and 2 million children living with a caregiver who is at least 60 years old.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Biden tackles one of the most regressive aspects of our tax system: the cap on earnings subject to Medicare taxes. His plan would lift the cap on earnings subject to these payroll taxes and hike the rate to 5 percent on those with incomes over $400,000. It would also end the payroll tax exemption for some earnings from “pass-through businesses.”

The proposal comes at the point in the calendar in which people who make $1 million a year have already capped out on payroll taxes. “Most Americans can expect to pay Social Security payroll taxes throughout 2024,” CNBC reported. “But for top earners with gross annual wage income of $1 million, March 2 marks the date at which they will stop paying into the program, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research.” With the income cap presently set at $168,600, they’ll enjoy the rest of the year without payroll tax deductions.

Frankly, there is no policy reason not to simply lift the $168,600 cap for everyone. However, Biden is sticking with his promise not to raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000. That means his new proposal would create a sort of “doughnut” where earnings between $168,600 and $400,000 still are not subject to Medicare taxes, but those above $400,000 start paying more. Despite the awkward nod to politics, the concept remains strong. So long as the very well-to-do continue to draw Social Security paid for through the earnings of much less affluent taxpayers, the wealthy can and should pay more.

With a House Republican majority, Biden’s Medicare tax proposal will go nowhere. But it should begin a robust discussion. Why is there a cap? And why not lift the cap for Social Security as well as Medicare taxes?

Coupled with a refusal to renew the costly Donald Trump tax cuts for the richest Americans and increases in the corporate tax rate, the Biden tax proposals fulfill his promise of making the tax code more progressive while giving a specific boost to poor parents. Those changes allow Biden to lay claim to cutting $3.3 trillion from the deficit over 10 years. . . .

In response to this array of proposals, Republicans will holler that tax hikes will crash the economy and spending will balloon the debt. But Biden’s budget, which cuts the deficit, now stands as a challenge: What is their plan?

We already know Republicans want to extend the Trump tax cuts, expanding the pool of red ink. Trump’s incoherent rambling about entitlements suggests … well … we don’t know exactly what he meant. But it sure sounds like he is open to cutting Social Security and Medicare. (“There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements, tremendous bad management of entitlements. There’s tremendous amounts of things and numbers of things you can do.”If such a word salad came out of Biden’s mouth, the press would be apoplectic.) Forcing the Republicans to explain what spending they want to cut and whose taxes they want to lower should be part of Biden’s budget rollout.

Republicans talk a good game, but so far we have seen nothing of their “economic populism” or any realistic deficit-cutting plan, even one acceptable to their own House and Senate members. Biden has showed his hand. Now it’s time for them show theirs.

You Don't Get To Pick Who rescues You

Political Cartoon is by David Horsey in The Seattle Times.
 

Over 1800 Police Have Been Charged With Child Sex Abuse



From The Washington Post 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

A National Security Nightmare


 

Americans Support Biden's Plan To Increase Taxes On Rich

 

The chart above reflects the results of the new Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between March 10th and 12th of a nationwide sample of 1,559 adults (including 1,367 registered voters). The margin of error for both groups is 3.5 points.

Putin's Disinformation Instrument

Political Cartoon is by R.J. Matson at Cagle.com.
 

It's Too Early To Be Depressed Or Buoyed By The Polls


This chart is from the USA Today / Suffolk University Poll -- done between March 8th and 11th of a nationwide sample of 1,000 registered voters, with a 3.1 point margin of error.

This is just one more poll showing Donald Trump with a small lead over President Biden. And it has the talking heads on cable news ready to hand the election to Trump. 

But it is far too early to give up. Polls this early in the campaign season are rarely correct. Trump's lead is smaller than the margin of error of 3.1% (which means it might not be a lead at all), and the percentage of undecideds (5.2%) is even larger. Add to this the factor that a full 25% say they could change their mind before it's time to vote in November.

Trump may have 40% of the vote, but I believe that is the most he can expect. The undecided and many of the third party voters will be unlikely to change to Trump. He scares them. They are far more likely to break for Biden - if for no other reason than to keep Trump out of the White House.

Trump is becoming unhinged, and will be even more so as the campaign continues. 

There's also the story of campaign spending. Biden has a ton of money in the bank, and after a great SOTU speech, added another $10 million in just 24 hours (a campaign record). On the other hand, Trump's campaign fundraising is less that in 2020, and much of that money is being spent on lawyers and court fees (such as the bonds he has to put up for cases he lost). He's not going to be able to equal Biden in campaign ad spending.

Even if the Supreme Court delays Trump's immunity decision until June, that would still leave time for one or more of his legal cases to at least start (if not be completed) by Election Day. That's not going to help Trump with the voters - a significant portion of which have said they would not vote for a criminal.

Add to this the fact that Trump is mostly responsible for the destruction of Roe vs. Wade, and would sign a bill banning abortion in all 50 states. While Biden supports the right of women to control their own bodies (including choosing an abortion in consultation with the doctor). It's a powerful factor that favors Biden.

The race is far from over! It will take some work, but I believe the race actually favors the re-election of President Biden.

The Job He Wants

 Political Cartoon is by Gary Huck at huckkonopackicartoons.com.

Netanyahu Is Turning World Opinion Against Israel


 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The Global Anti-Democracy Movement

 

Government Would Improve With More Women In Office



The charts above are from the Gallup Poll -- done between February 1st and 20th of a nationwide sample of 1,016 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.

Not For Adults

Political Cartoon is by Mike Stanfill at ragingpencils.com.
 

Trickle-Down Economics Is A Scam That Only Helps The Rich


 Republicans continue to cling to their "trickle-down" economic theory. They claim that giving more to the rich will trickle down and help everyone. It has never worked. It just fattens the bank accounts of the rich, who do their best to make sure nothing trickles down.

Jennifer Rubin (in The Washington Post) calls it a scam - and she is right. Here's some of what she writes:

The claimed economic benefits of tax cuts for the rich don’t hold up under scrutiny. When Democrats deride tax cuts for the wealthiest as a budget buster and a vehicle for allowing the rich to get richer, Republicans often reply: “But look at the growth and jobs!” Actually, we have seen a steady stream of evidence debunking this rationale. . . .

Last July, NEC Director Lael Brainard laid out the overwhelming evidence that “trickle-down” economics — defined as “cutting taxes for big businesses and those at the top” — has been a bust.

“Economic inequality increased, many communities suffered from sustained disinvestment, and earnings growth for many Americans failed to keep pace with the cost of necessities like health care, housing, and education,” she said. “Investments in infrastructure and vital industries stagnated.”

This isn’t new evidence, either. A 2020 paper by David Hope of the London School of Economics and Julian Limberg of King’s College London examined “18 developed countries — from Australia to the United States — over a 50-year period from 1965 to 2015,” CBS News reported. “The study compared countries that passed tax cuts in a specific year, such as the U.S. in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan slashed taxes on the wealthy, with those that didn’t, and then examined their economic outcomes.” It turns out that “per capita gross domestic product and unemployment rates were nearly identical after five years in countries that slashed taxes on the rich and in those that didn’t, the study found.”

But there was one significant difference: “The incomes of the rich grew much faster in countries where tax rates were lowered. Instead of trickling down to the middle class, tax cuts for the rich may not accomplish much more than help the rich keep more of their riches and exacerbate income inequality, the research indicates.” Oops.

Well, what about the huge tax cuts passed by MAGA Republicans in 2017? Were those any different? “Mr. Trump’s tax cuts have lifted the fortunes of the ultra-rich,” the report found. “For the first time in a century, the 400 richest American families paid lower taxes in 2018 than people in the middle class, the economists found.”

But economic growth made up for this handout, right?! Not so fast. Wages for average Americans did not keep up with the cost of living. Worse, “Even before the pandemic, income inequality had reached its highest point in 50 years, according to Census data,” as CBS News reported. And, before Biden came into office, income inequality worsened as the pandemic hurt the less-well-off more severely than it did the rich.

A 2022 update by Hope and Limberg reiterated, “Our findings on the effects of growth and unemployment provide evidence against supply side theories that suggest lower taxes on the rich will induce labor supply responses from high-income individuals (more hours of work, more effort, etc.) that boost economic activity.” Instead, they confirmed there is “strong evidence that cutting taxes on the rich increases income inequality but has no effect on growth or unemployment.”. . .

Sold as a prosperity booster, trickle-down tax cuts for the very rich do not increase prosperity, growth or employment for the average American. This sop to the rich does increase the deficit and income disparity. By contrast, restoring the child tax credit and enacting a billionaire’s tax would continue to narrow the gulf between the very rich and everyone else.

Trickle-down economics is a scam. Renewing tax cuts for the rich that are due to expire at the end of 2025 would do about as much for you as a degree from Trump University.

Not So Frail!

Political Cartoon is by Nick Anderson in Reform Austin News.
 

Psychologist Says Trump Is Showing Signs Of Dementia


 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Biden Recognizes Reconciliation Is Not An Option


 

The U.S. Just Had Its Warmest Winter On Record

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:

A very mild February wrapped up a record-warm winter for the U.S., according to experts from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

The average temperature across the contiguous U.S. last month was 41.1 degrees F, 7.2 degrees F above the 20th-century average and ranking as the third-warmest February in NOAA’s 130-year climate record. Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin each had their warmest February on record. An additional 20 states saw their top-10 warmest February on record. 

Persistent winter warmth resulted in a steady decrease in ice coverage across the Great Lakes, which reached a historic low of 2.7% on February 11 — the lowest amount of ice coverage on record during mid-February.

Meteorological winter was the warmest winter on record for the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 37.6 degrees F — 5.4 degrees above average. Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin each had their warmest winter on record. Twenty-six additional states saw their top-10 warmest winters on record. 


The Piper Of Far-Right Extremism

Political Cartoon is by Lee Judge at King Features.
 

If We Work Hard And Vote Trump Will Be Defeated


It's too early to give up on the 2024 election. Robert Reich tells us why. Here's part of what he writes:

Trump could get a second term. But I don’t believe that will happen. The progressive forces in America are overtaking the regressive. 


I’m not paying attention to polls. It’s way too early to worry about them. Most of the public hasn’t even focused on the upcoming election. 


Biden gave a powerful State of the Union address last Thursday evening — feisty, bold, energetic, and upbeat. He was combative — taking on Trump with gusto, even besting Republican hecklers like MTG. I’m convinced he’s equipped to win reelection. 


The broad American public is starting to see just how weird MAGA Republicans really are. Republicans comprise only 28 percent of voting Americans. More than 40 percentof voters consider themselves independent, unaffiliated with either party. Most of these independents don’t want the unhinged running the government. 


During the State of the Union, Americans saw Republicans heckle and boo Biden and then sit on their hands when Biden declared that “No child should go hungry in this country.” Hello?

The Republican response to Biden’s speech by Alabama Senator Katie Britt was, to say the least, bizarre. Delivered from her kitchen, it vacillated from wholesome to horrific. . . .

The GOP is so out of touch with American values that it’s putting up outspoken bigots for major offices.

 

Case in point: Mark Robinson, who won the GOP nomination for governor of North Carolina last Tuesday night, has hurled hateful remarks at everyone from Michelle Obama to the survivors of the Parkland school shooting. He’s called the LGBTQ+ community “filth,” wants to outlaw all abortions, and wants to return to a time when women couldn’t vote. He’s also ridiculed the #MeToo movementwomen generally, and climate change.


Oh, and he’s a Holocaust denier with a history of antisemitic remarks. He’s suggested that 9/11 was an “inside job,” that the music industry is run by Satan, and that billionaire Democratic donor George Soros orchestrated the Boko Haram kidnappingsof school girls in 2014.

Robinson isn’t the only gonzo Republican nominee, but he typifies the grotesque values of MAGA leaders, including those of its likely presidential candidate. 

The reason these bigots and haters are fighting so hard to defeat us is they know progressives are the future of America. 


Neither their filibusters, nor their gerrymanders, nor their attempts at voter suppression can stop our rise. Nor can their absurd “great replacement theory,” or even their Supreme Court majority.


I’ve been at this game for almost three-quarters of a century. It’s a long game, and America still has a long way to go. But apart from Trump fanatics, the nation is in many ways better and stronger now than it has ever been — more inclusive, more tolerant, more diverse, more accepting, more dynamic. And it will be far better and stronger years from now, because we are rising.


Sure, we must do better at organizing, mobilizing, and energizing. And get elected lawmakers, along with judges and Supreme Court justices, who reflect our beliefs and values. The Democratic Party must be bolder at countering the power of big corporations and big money. And more aggressive in recruiting and supporting a new generation of progressive leaders in electoral politics. 


All of us must become a pro-democracy movement — with all the passion and tenacity that movements require. 


Even so, I see a new progressive era dawning in America, and I don’t believe Trump Republicans can hold back the tide. . . .


Here’s the bottom line: The majority of Americans view today’s record-breaking inequalities of income and wealth as dangerous. They believe government has no business forcing women to give birth or telling consenting adults how to conduct the most intimate aspects of their lives. 


They want to limit access to guns. They see climate change is an existential threat to the nation and the world. They want to act against systemic racism. They don’t want innocent civilians killed, whether on our streets or in Gaza. They don’t want to give Putin a free hand. They want to protect American democracy from authoritarianism. . . .


Trump Republicans want us to be discouraged. They want us to despair. That’s part of their strategy. They figure that if we’re pessimistic enough, we won’t even fight — and they’ll win everything. 


But I believe their backlash is doomed. The Republican Party has become a regressive cesspool, headed by increasingly unmoored people who are utterly out of touch with the dominant and emerging values of America. And most Americans are catching on. 


I don’t mean to be a Pollyanna. We’re in the fight of our lives. It will demand a great deal of our energy, our time, and our courage. But this fight is critical and noble. It will set the course for America and the world for decades. And it is winnable.

The Broke "Billionaire"

 Political Cartoon is by Lalo Alcaraz at Pocho.com.

A Supreme Court Delay On "Immunity" Undermines The Public's Ability To Cast An Informed Vote


 

Monday, March 11, 2024