Pages

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Pelosi. Hoyer too? So much for CHANGE. [However, don't miss this post's UPDATE, for hopeful info]

Here, reporting one toe-the-line; here, reporting another, mentioning Hoyer.

It looks like a done deal.

"Deal." Is that the proper terminology? You decide. First linked item:

The Buffalo News first reported Higgins’ reversal on Pelosi. Just days before, Higgins had signed onto a letter opposing her, and he told POLITICO repeatedly in an interview that he wouldn’t back Pelosi “under any circumstances.”

But Pelosi is winning now, so circumstances apparently have changed enough for Higgins to reconsider his recent fervent opposition to her.

“For years, Congressman Higgins has been an extraordinary leader on the issue of achieving quality, affordable health care for all Americans. His Medicare buy-in proposal is central to this debate, as we work to build on the Affordable Care Act,” Pelosi said in a statement released shortly after news of Higgins' volte-face.

“We are looking forward to working together to lower the cost of health care for hard-working families and raise their paychecks by building infrastructure of America, which is also an important issue to Congressman Higgins.”

Higgins is the latest Pelosi critic to make a dramatic change in direction.

Second linked item:

[... D]evelopments buoyed Pelosi as she fights to repel a small group of dissidents inside the Democratic caucus who want to force a leadership shake-up after 16 years with the Californian at the helm.

One was Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio), who left Washington last week planning to take the Thanksgiving holiday to ponder a run against Pelosi for speaker. But her dalliance ended Tuesday. Fudge said she would support Pelosi after the minority leader agreed to make Fudge chairman of a resurrected subcommittee on elections and pledged that “the most loyal voting bloc in the Democratic Party, black women, will have a seat at the decision-making table.”

“I am now confident that we will move forward together,” Fudge said in a statement. “I now join my colleagues in support of the leadership team of Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn.”

If awaiting progress, keep waiting. If wanting to see pork for support, keep watching Pelosi. Single payer is DOA with this status quo. Beyond being a talking point for some, it will be more pork for the insurers, a/k/a "improving the ACA." If any part of "Affordable Care Act" will ring false, bet on the "affordable" part. Bloodsucker insurance will continue to rejoice and prosper. "Keep America Great Still" might be their slogan.

"Better than Paul Ryan" is cold comfort. Sub-zero. Polar. Frozen ice cold.

No climate change indications, in our esteemed U.S. of A. House of Representatives internal climate. And that does not suggest much good for 2020. Gillibrand and Cory Booker; Biden; oh my. Plunging again over a precipice. Flat "Clinton Learning Curve." Many ways to say it, but stow forever, CHANGE. CHANGE ain't gonna be, for now. Sad.

Then notice too; the links: The message being brought to you by WaPo and Politico.

Pay your taxes while the rich skate. Receive no CHANGE for your dollar bill.

___________UPDATE___________
Is there hope? Perhaps there is. Bernie gets an op-ed published, WaPo; (cumulative but a good outlet, CommonDreams). Each listing an agenda for moving forward:

Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour and indexing it to median wage growth thereafter. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage that must be increased to a living wage — at least $15 an hour. This would give more than 40 million Americans a raise and would generate more than $100 billion in higher wages throughout the country.

A path toward Medicare-for-all. The Medicare-for-all bill widely supported in the Senate has a four-year phase-in period on the way to guaranteeing health care for every man, woman and child. Over the first year, it would lower the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 55, cover dental, hearing and vision care for seniors, provide health care to every young person in the United States and lower the cost of prescription drugs.

Bold action to combat climate change. The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has made it clear we have just 12 years to substantially cut the amount of carbon in our atmosphere, or our planet will suffer irreversible damage. Congress must pass legislation that shifts our energy system away from fossil fuels and toward energy efficiency and renewable energy. We can lead the planet in combating climate change and, in the process, create millions of good paying jobs.

Fixing our broken criminal-justice system. We must end the absurdity of the United States having more people in jail than any other country on Earth. We must invest in jobs and education for our young people, not more jails and incarceration.

Comprehensive immigration reform. The American people want to protect the young people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and to move toward comprehensive immigration reform for the more than 11 million people in our country who are undocumented. And that’s exactly what we should do.

Progressive tax reform. At a time of massive and growing inequality in both income and wealth, Congress must pass legislation which requires wealthy people and large corporations to begin paying their fair share of taxes. It is unacceptable that there are large, extremely profitable corporations in this country that do not pay a nickel in federal income taxes.

A $1 trillion infrastructure plan. Every day, Americans drive to work on potholed roads and crumbling bridges, and ride in overcrowded buses and subways. Children struggle to concentrate in overcrowded classrooms. Workers are unable to find affordable housing. The structures that most Americans don’t see are also in disrepair — from spotty broadband and an outdated electric grid, to toxic drinking water and dilapidated levees and dams. Congress should pass a $1 trillion infrastructure plan to address these needs while creating up to 15 million good-paying jobs in the process.

Lowering the price of prescription drugs. Americans pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs because, unlike other countries, the United States doesn’t directly regulate the price of medicine. The House should pass legislation to require Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices and allow patients, pharmacists and wholesalers to purchase low-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other countries. It should also pass legislation to make sure that Americans don’t pay more for prescription drugs than citizens do in other major countries.

Making public colleges and universities tuition-free and substantially reducing student debt. In a highly competitive global economy, we must have the best-educated workers in the world. Every young person in America, regardless of income, must have the opportunity to receive the education they need to get a decent job and make it into the middle class. The House should pass the College for All Act to make public colleges and universities tuition-free and substantially reduce student debt.

Expanding Social Security. When 1 out of 5 seniors is trying to get by on less than $13,500 a year, we must expand Social Security so that every American can retire with dignity and security. The House should pass legislation to expand Social Security benefits and extend its solvency for the next 60 years by requiring that the wealthiest Americans — those making more than $250,000 a year — pay their fair share of Social Security taxes.

[bolding in original] The Thursday, November 22, 2018 [Thanksgiving Day] CommonDreams item adds:

The Thanksgiving op-ed from Sanders comes a week before the independent senator will deliver the keynote address at a "gathering" of national and international progressive leaders in his home state of Vermont.

The event, coordinated by The Sanders Institute, founded by Jane Sanders, "will convene 250 leading progressive minds to envision – and to actualize – a better future for our country and the world. Reaching across generations and embracing the inherent synergies across the progressive platform, participants will discuss and debate our nation’s most pressing issues and offer innovative solutions."

Following up on that hat tip info:

https://sandersinstitutegathering.org/

https://sandersinstitutegathering.org/speakers/

https://sandersinstitutegathering.org/contact/

Let us hope the event draws well and that progress arises from the effort. Some encouraging YouTube posting may arise; given a three-day event. Expect it.

Readers are urged to check those three links.

__________FURTHER UPDATE__________
The event page

https://sandersinstitutegathering.org/event/

states:

Set in Burlington Vermont, the core intent of the Sanders Institute Gathering is to share replicable policies, develop actionable steps, establish ongoing networks and articulate a progressive vision.

About the event
THE GATHERING
BURLINGTON, VT + November 29 - December 1, 2018

Economic, environmental, racial and social justice issues will be threaded throughout the conference as we discuss the climate crisis, healthcare, housing, democracy, foreign policy, criminal justice, labor issues and more.

The Gathering is an informative, issue-oriented, idea-focused, movement-building conference focused on developing bold, progressive solutions. Following the event, we will be sharing the speeches, interviews, conversations and sessions in a variety of formats.

"Sharing [...] in a variety of formats," suggests YouTube posting amid other coverage. Sponsorship is noted, and the three day agenda times and topics are presented. Event accommodations info is also given. The Institute itself:

https://www.sandersinstitute.com/about/mission-statement

____________FURTHER UPDATE____________
Back to the main belief; same old stuff; Young Turks. Thom Hartman. Truth, as ugly as it is. Same old Pelosi. Opposition from the right wing of the Democratic Party; Pelosi's wing; but trying to make bluest corporate boot-licking Blue Dogs the top dogs. And when Nancy wins, one house ruled by the same people who made a big thing about passing Romneycare. The Republicans are a bit more honest about being owned by money, yet the ownership credentials are there . . .

Another video. This entire pattern is effectively saying the midterms were survived, now tell the progressives they can go home, adults are in control. Single finger salute. They hated the uppity attitude while it flourished and want it dead. That is Pelosi. And the fiction that she is too liberal for some Democrats is a sick joke. Ocasio-Cortez signing onto the Pelosi agenda is worrisome. Backing Nancy against the insurgency. Get real. Howard Dean and Hillary Clinton, Onward Together, is not a train I missed but one I'd shudder about being on. 2020 will be four more Trump years unless some folks wise up; but, perhaps they do not care; scratch beneath the surface and perhaps Trump's okay. But when the "us or Trump" posturing has an "us" that is really no different, why care? Pelosi, Paul Ryan, opposite sides, same coin? The Bernie gathering is soon, but what tangible successes can be expected from it?

AND - Pelosi and Hoyer STILL. Not even a new second fiddle. Absolute disrespect is a hard pill to swallow.