Tag: US Senate

The Return (Why) Of Mitch

After many months in the hospital Sen. Mitch McConnell returns to the Senate to resume his duties….

But the first vote he almost voted with the Dems (god forbid)….

Senator Mitch McConnell drew attention during a Senate Agriculture Committee vote on September 16, when other Republicans spoke to him as he prepared to cast his vote on the Farm Bill.

McConnell, 84, had recently returned to the Senate after a roughly three-month absence following a fall and hospitalization.

During the latest vote, he first appeared ready to vote “aye,” but Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota leaned toward him and said “no.”

When the clerk called his name, McConnell quietly said “aye,” but his response was apparently not heard clearly.

Hoeven again said “no,” while Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman and a staff member also spoke to McConnell.

McConnell then gave his answer again, more clearly: “Aye.”

Video of the moment quickly spread online, with some reports initially suggesting that McConnell had almost voted with Democrats before being corrected, per The New Republic.

However, it seemed to most likely be a misunderstanding.

McConnell’s vote helped the committee advance the Farm Bill by a 12-11 vote along party lines.

After the vote, McConnell posted a statement on X saying he was proud to support the legislation.

He wrote, “I want to commend Chairman Boozman for his work on the Farm Bill. I was proud to vote yes on the Farm Bill on behalf of the hardworking farm families across Kentucky. America’s farmers are the cornerstone of our nation and the backbone of Kentucky’s economy.”

The vote came during McConnell’s first week back in the Senate after an extended absence.

He had been away for about three months after a fall at his Washington home and a hospitalization that included treatment for pneumonia.

After the bill hearing, he told Reuters, “I must admit. After ‌two years of, decades, actually, dodging your questions, I wasn’t sure how many of you would be here today. But I’m glad to see you. Time to get back to work, finish the ​job for this Congress.”

His return has drawn attention because his Senate vote can be important on closely divided committee decisions. The Farm Bill vote was one such case, passing by a single vote.

(knewz.com)

Come on…..seriously?

His mind is gone and time for him to pack it in and go way.

The media is doing all they can to make it look like it was someone else at fault not this aging dinosaur.

A great example of why all politicians elected must retire at age 70 so there is not a news report on incompetence.

I guess we will have to hire someone to follow his around to make sure he does not embarrass the GOP.

We deserve better than Mitch is delivering.

More on the on-going saga of the politician that would not go away….

Apparently, Sen. Mitch McConnell Can’t Vote On His Own [Op-Ed]

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

What’s In A Name?

Since the death of poor Lindsey and the rise of his sister to the highest place in the government….at first I thought she might be her own person but that belief was smashed to pieces when she embraced the whole MAGA BS….

In a show of support for President Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline, has dropped her married name, “Nordone,” and will instead go by her maiden name.

Graham, who took over the remainder of her brother’s Senate term after his sudden death despite having no prior political experience, quietly made the announcement during an interview with Sean Hannity. The name change was noticed in a lower third on the Fox News show.

“I’ll continue to say I’ve been praying a lot, talking to my family,” said Graham as the graphic below her read “Exclusive interview with Senator Darline Graham.” She added, “But with the love of my family, with the support of his staff, I know I’m a hard worker.“

https://www.themirror.com/news/politics/lindsey-grahams-sister-changes-name-1949287

Not to worry just another scheming toad in the the Senate who will embrace MAGA beliefs in the destruction of society as we know it.

She needs to be replaced and soon….but do the people of South Carolina have it in them to replace her?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

We Have Our Winner!

The news of the death of South Carolina’s senator started a whole panic to quickly pick a person to replace him….the GOP needs his vote in the Senate…..the front running was Graham’s little sister…..and so it shall be…..

Darline Graham Nordone, who was appointed Monday to serve the remaining months of the Senate term that her late brother, Lindsey Graham, left behind when he died over the weekend, hasn’t been in office before. But through her brother’s decades of public service, Nordone has been by his side, supporting him in speeches, appearances, and even campaign ads, the AP reports. Besides being a frequent attendee at Graham’s political events, Nordone is woven deeply into her brother’s personal and political biography. After both of their parents died in just over a year, Graham, then age 22, became legal guardian for his 13-year-old sister.

Now, after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster tapped Nordone to serve in Graham’s seat until January, Nordone is heading to Washington, tasked with representing the interests for which her brother advocated with passion. Sources tell the AP that Nordone will be sworn in Wednesday. She will be the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate. A special primary held next month will sort out which Republican moves forward in the general election to face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

  • While Graham was in his early 20s, his life—and that of his sister—was turned upside down. Their mother died in 1976 after battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Fifteen months later, his sister, then 13, discovered their father after he suffered a heart attack in his sleep and died. Graham was just beginning law school at the University of South Carolina. With both parents gone, he pivoted, saying that his chief goal was to ensure his sister was cared for.
  • Making regular treks from school in Columbia to Seneca, where his sister was being looked after by relatives, Graham kept tabs on his sister from then on and became her legal guardian. After he became a military lawyer in the Air Force, he adopted her, to ensure that she would receive his military benefits.
  • Graham, who never married or had children of his own, once joked as he ran for president in 2016 that his sister could be among a “rotating” cast of White House hosts standing in as first lady. But the bond between the two, aside from being integral to Graham’s own biography, was evident in their public appearances. When Graham filed his candidacy paperwork in March for this year’s election, Nordone was by his side, along with her children and grandchildren.
  • “What have I learned in this life I’ve led? I take nothing for granted. I count every blessing, every day,” Graham said then, going on to recount how he and his sister forged through life together from that point. “I understand what a blessing my life has been and the only way I can pay you back for the blessings I’ve received is to be the most thoughtful, relevant, aggressive senator.”
  • Nordone has worked with people with disabilities. Since 2019, she has been Commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, “where she has worked to expand opportunities for South Carolinians who are blind or have low vision to achieve employment and independence,” Gov. Henry McMaster’s office said in a statement announcing her appointment. Talking to C-SPAN in 2015, Graham said of his own life that his sister’s success “is the highlight of it, by far.”
  • Bob McAlister, a former consultant to Graham on several campaigns, reflected on how the difficulties in their growing up bonded the siblings in a way that most would not understand. “He grew up with nothing … and I think the way he and Darline grew up just had an indelible impact on him, and for some reason, it gave him the drive that he had to do what he did,” he said, adding: “A lot of people have different ideas about Lindsey from what they’ve seen on TV and all that, but everything about him can be traced back to his boyhood, the way he grew up, the way he took care of his sister.”

Will we move on from this now?

Will she be a MAGA acolyte?

We shall see.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Where’s Proof Of Life?

One of the mysteries of DC….other than the mental capacity of Donny….is the saga swirling around Mitch McConnell….

Mitch McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks, and his staff still won’t say why. The lack of transparency has led to all kinds of speculation about the 84-year-old Kentucky senator and his prospects for returning to the chamber. What we know:

  • Hospitalization: McConnell was admitted on June 14, and emergency dispatch recordings suggested that first responders performed CPR on an unconscious male at the senator’s Washington address, reports the New York Times. McConnell’s name is not mentioned in the recordings. A dispatcher also speculated about a “cardiac arrest.”
  • Few details: McConnell’s staff acknowledged the hospitalization without providing details. The only other statement came Thursday: “The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” it read in its entirety, per the Washington Post.
  • Rumor mill: In the absence of concrete info, unsubstantiated speculation is rampant, and it’s coming from high-profile figures. The far right’s Laura Loomer wrote that McConnell “is allegedly in a vegetative state.” Steve Bannon used his platform to amplify claims “that McConnell remains in office to avoid triggering a special election that could allow Thomas Massie to run as an independent.” The Daily Beast has a roundup.
  • Not so fast: But longtime Kentucky political observer Al Cross rolls his eyes at the rumors. McConnell’s staffers are “causing themselves problems by not saying more about it, but he’s always been very private about his health matters,” Cross tells the Hill. (McConnell had polio as a child and has had a number of health issues in his later years, per the AP.) Cross’ hunch is that McConnell will return to the Senate. He is due to retire this year, in any event.
  • Two friends: Fellow GOP Sens. John Thune—the majority leader—and John Barrasso told reporters they had spoken to McConnell the day after his hospitalization. McConnell is “clearly dialed into what’s going on,” said Thune. Still, McConnell’s absence has already delayed work in the Senate Appropriations Committee, where Republicans need his vote. A prolonged absence would shrink the GOP majority in the Senate to 52-47, which could complicate some votes.

Fascinating stuff, huh?

But there is more and it is getting good now….

A number of MAGA figures are demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell’s aides provide proof that the 84-year-old is still alive nearly a month after he was hospitalized.

Speculation about the Kentucky Republican is continuing to intensify as his team refuses to provide new information about his treatment, his condition, or whether he will ever be able to return to work after he was hospitalized on June 14.

McConnell’s team has repeatedly issued the same statement, saying he “appreciates the outpouring of support” while he continues treatment after he was found unconscious and requiring CPR at his Washington, D.C., home following an apparent cardiac arrest.

The mystery surrounding the seriousness of McConnell’s condition escalated after it emerged that the senator’s wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, 73, traveled to Beijing and met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng three days after McConnell’s hospitalization.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-demands-proof-of-life-for-mitch-mcconnell/

Fascinating stuff, as I said…..

What do you think is going on behind those gilded doors?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

 

Yet Another Great Idea

From time to time the Congress comes up wityh some excellent ideas….sadly they are just that…ideas….they usual;ly go by the wayside…but at least some try to do what is necessary.

Awhile back I figured that there was about 100+ lobbyist per members of Congress and all have buckets of cash….time for that to change….I would be okay with shutting down “K” Street immediately but that would be a dream not a reality.

There is at least someone trying to put these a/holes away….

Congress members would be permanently banned from becoming lobbyists after they leave office under a new bipartisan bill, first reported by CNBC.

The legislation would not only ban senators and U.S. House members from being registered lobbyists, but would also prevent then from being compensated for trying to influence lawmakers and staff on behalf of companies or groups — closing a loophole that would allow former lawmakers to lobby without being a registered lobbyist.

The effort, from Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla. and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., comes as a growing number of lawmakers are speaking out against profiting from their elected positions. Numerous bipartisan bills have been introduced this Congress to ban things like members owning and trading stocks, or banning themselves from betting on prediction markets.

The new bill, which is unlikely to become law, would hold violators to a penalty of $50,000 per violation or up to five years in jail.

“Trust in our institutions is at an all-time low, and the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street is a big part of that,” Scott said in a statement to CNBC. “We need to restore the American people’s trust in their government, and that’s why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to put government clearly back on the side of the people.”

(cnbc.com)

I can see Warren leading this drive…but Scott from Florida….the MAGA twat for Donny?

Does he realize what this bill would do?  If so why would he bite the hand that feeds the GOP?

I have always thought Scott was a bit off center and this does little to change my mind.

I wish them luck with this bill but I think they are just stabbing wildly in the dark.

Any thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Schumer Proves How Useless Dems Have Become

For years I have been saying and writing about how useless Dems have become…..their major concern is money not the people they pretend to care about.

Now the Senate minority leader has proven my point….

Progressive critics of Senate Minority Chuck Schumer had fresh reasons to speak out Sunday after the powerful New York Democrat said that “one of many of [his] jobs” in the US Senate was to fight for ongoing taxpayer-funded military and financial assistance to the Israeli government, a position that has been the focus of growing protest among rank-and-file party members and the public at large in the face of Israel’s brutal genocide against the Palestinian people of Gaza.

“I have many jobs as [Senate] leader… and one is to fight for aid to Israel — all the aid that Israel needs,” Schumer said at a gathering of Jewish leaders and community members in New York on Sunday.

“I will continue to fight for it.,” Schumer continued. “We delivered more security assistance to Israel, our ally, than ever, ever before.”

According to Jacob Kornbluh, who provided footage of the remarks while reporting for The Forward, Schumer told the audience that his support for Jewish security funding will only continue growing under his leadership, calling it his “baby.”

“As long as I’m in the Senate,” Schumer said, “this program will continue to grow from strength to strength, and we won’t let anyone attack it or undo it.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/schumer-israel-aid

Warning Strong Words To Follow

Seriously you asshole….your job is not fucking Israel….your goddamn job is to serve this country not some sandy shithole half a world away.

This is the problem with congressional Dems….they are owned by lobbyists and special interests and we can thank that douchebag Clinton for this situation.

Time to take Schumer out and put him to pasture with the rest of the manure.

People Stop fucking trusting Democrats….they have not done anything substantial in decades….they are spineless and worthless lumps of crap.

Schumer is the poster child for how your mean NOTHING to these assholes….you are only needed for your worthless vote and then cast aside for the buckets of cash that awaits them once they are sworn in….

That is not my damn idea of representation….how about you?

+++Before some mindless asshole accuses me of antisemitism…let me state now….I do not give a shit about religious leanings….belief whatever you choose +++

Find a candidate that will do something constructive and not these fools that only see dollar signs or have some lame ass religious agenda.

I have had it with this puppets….none will see my vote…..Hell I would sooner vote for my dog than anyone of these worthless turds.

I apologize for the language but there are times that it needs to be said in anger.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

This Is Why Moderates Suck!

The news has broken that there may be a deal on the longest governmental shutdown in our history…..and the reason for this ‘miracles if miracles’ are those moderates that always throw a monkey wrench into to any plans the Dems may have.

Here is what is known as of this typing….

The longest government shutdown in history is now on track to end soon after a key procedural vote in the Senate on Sunday. Eight Democrats—technically seven Democrats and an independent who caucuses with the party—broke ranks and joined Republicans in the vote. Some key details:

The eight: They are Democrats Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Jacky Rosen of Nevada. Joining them was independent Angus King of Maine, per the AP.

No concession: Democrats did not win the key concession behind their holdout—a guarantee to extend health care subsidies, notes the Hill. But the eight moderates bucked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, arguing the shutdown is causing too much pain.

  • In common: Politico sees “few obvious threads connecting the group who broke the partisan impasse,” and its piece has details on their particular reasons. But a New York Timesanalysis sees one big thing in common: None are up for reelection in 2026 and could afford the “political hit.” Two, Shaheen and Durbin, are retiring.
  • Anger: Many Democrats, especially progressives, are seething over the moderates’ decision. Republicans have promised to hold a vote on the subsidies after the government reopens, but critics are skeptical it will result in an extension. It was “a very, very bad vote,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders in a video, per Fox News. “I think it’s a terrible mistake,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. “The American people want us to stand and fight for health care, and that’s what I believe we should do.”
  • Justification: “I understand that not all of my Democratic colleagues are satisfied with this agreement,” said Shaheen, one of the eight. “But waiting another week or another month wouldn’t deliver a better outcome. It would only mean more harm for families in New Hampshire and all across the country.”

These eight have nothing to lose for they are not up for re-election so they would not have to answer for any transgressions they have.

This is why I hate moderates…..they are cowards and are only in it for their personal gain.

I lean Left and have never liked the crap about bi-partisanship….it is moderates that are keep this country down even when they are in the drivers seat.

And my leaning is getting further to the Left with each passing election.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Hey What’s That Sound? A Deal?

As long as were are on the shutdown meme it appears there maybe a break in the stalemate on finding an answer to the country’s longest shutdown….

The Senate voted to break the shutdown stalemate Sunday, paving the way for the government to reopen as soon as later this week.

The 60-40 vote to take the first step toward ending the shutdown came hours after enough Democrats agreed to support a package that would fund multiple agencies and programs for the full fiscal year, and all others until Jan. 30, 2026.

In exchange, Democrats have a commitment from the Trump administration to rehire government workers fired at the start of the funding lapse, and the promise of a Senate floor vote in December on legislation to extend expiring Obamacare tax credits.

The vote will pave the way for consideration later this week of a legislative package that would fund the Department of Agriculture and the FDA, the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects, and the operations of Congress for all of current fiscal year — the product of months of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations between top appropriators.

All other agencies would be funded through Jan. 30, according to the text of a continuing resolution released Sunday. The agreement still needs to pass the House before the government can be reopened.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/09/government-funding-deal-on-track-to-advance-sunday-night-00644110

I knew the Dems would cave eventually and as usual they do not disappoint.

Cool!

Is this a good sign or just a momentary lapse trying to make the people feel more like there could be an end to this misery?

Any comments in waiting?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Stock Trades

From time to time, I hate to admit it) a GOPer has a good idea that deserves consideration….and Sen. Hawley has provided me one of these times.

A proposal to bar members of Congress from buying or holding individual stocks cleared a Senate panel Wednesday, with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley crossing the aisle to join Democrats in an 8-7 committee vote. Hawley, who introduced the bill, said, “I practice what I preach,” noting he doesn’t own stocks and isn’t a billionaire—a not-so-subtle jab at some colleagues.

  • The measure would bar lawmakers and their spouses from trading or owning individual stocks, giving them 180 days to divest, CBS News reports Annual compliance certifications and periodic audits would be required. Lawmakers would still be allowed to invest in diversified mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, or Treasury bonds, reports Fox News.
  • The measure was originally called the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act—after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She has been under scrutiny for her husband’s stock trades, but there is no evidence he used inside information, Politico reports. It was renamed the Honest Act following negotiations. “While I appreciate the creativity of my Republican colleagues in drafting legislative acronyms, I welcome any serious effort to raise ethical standards in public service,” Pelosi said in a statement.
  • All the other Republicans on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs voted against the legislation. Sen. Rick Scott, himself worth hundreds of millions, argued there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy and called attacks on the rich “disgusting.” He said: “Anybody want to be poor? I don’t.” Some GOP senators pushed for blind trusts as an alternative, but Hawley dismissed those as “loopholes.”
  • In negotiations with Democrats, Hawley agreed to extend the ban to presidents and vice presidents, but only in future administrations, meaning President Trump and Vice President JD Vance are exempt, Axios reports.
  • During a press conference Wednesday, Trump said he liked the idea “conceptually,” claiming Pelosi “became rich” by having inside information.
  • Trump changed his tune later in the day. In a post on Truth Social, he blasted Hawley, accusing him of playing into Democratic hands and questioning why he “would pass a Bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with.” “It’s a great Bill for her, and her ‘husband,’ but so bad for our Country!” Trump wrote. “I don’t think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the ‘whims’ of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/senate-stock-trading-ban

I am not particularly fond of Hawley for his war mongering politics is abhorrent to me, but in this case I am with him on this….Congress as well as the president and his thugs should not be allowed to profit from insider information.

These do-nothing hacks in Congress are getting richer from their knowledge of events to come…..this should stop and stop NOW!

Thoughts?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Getting Closer To A Done Deal

That idiot sounding bill that has been all the rage in the MSM is this much closer to be a done deal….

Senate Republicans passed President Trump’s spending bill on Tuesday by the narrowest of margins, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session. Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top, per the AP. The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, where the president’s signature legislative priority was at times teetering on the edge of collapse. The legislation still must return to the House for final approval. Trump wants to sign it by July 4.

  • Three nays: In the end, three GOP senators voted against the measure: Susan Collins of Maine joined Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, per the Washington Post.
  • House uncertainty: Passage in the House is no sure thing. Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump’s holiday deadline.
  • Impact: An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. Tillis in particular cited the impact on Medicaid recipients in his home state. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.

$3.3 trillion added to deficit….and soon the GOP will be screaming about those goddamn Dems and their spending….so please STFU.

Some will ask where were the Dems?  Well they got a big win with this as well….

Senate Democrats were unable to stop their Republican counterparts from passing what has been called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” but they did score a symbolic victory by killing the name, reports the Washington Post. Democrats used parliamentary rules to ditch the Trump-centric “beautiful” label.

“Democrats are forcing Republicans to delete their farcical bill name,” said statement from the office of Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer. “Nothing about this bill is beautiful—it’s a betrayal to American families and it’s undeserving of such a stupid name.” Politico notes that such names often get stripped by the opposition party, but it doesn’t stop the party in power from continuing to use it. “So expect the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ to live on, if not in legislative text.”

Seriously?

That is the best they could deliver?

Useless and spineless…..Dems are the saviors waiting for their chance to shine. (Sarcasm)

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”