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Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Biden has a headache, Cawthorn has an Excedrin headache, and MTG cannot remember ever having had a headache.

 Cawthorn. An uncomplicated read.

Biden. Stating in the outset, in large measure -

 Why do so many Democrats dislike Biden so much... even as Trump and outright fascism stalk the country? Polling shows that even among self-identified Democrats, 15% say they don't like him and only 36% of Democrats perceive him as liberal. There are plenty of reasons, mostly to do with a combination of inability and unwillingness to do anything important for the Democratic base-- no lower drug prices, no higher minimum wages, nothing on the Climate Crisis, no student loan forgiveness, etc. But here's a small example that is indicative of just who Joe Biden is and why he was losing the primary so badly until Obama and Clyburn came to his rescue in South Carolina. CNN reported this morning that Biden endorsed Blue Dog reactionary Kurt Schrader in an Oregon Democratic primary Schrader has been losing to Jamie McLeod-Skinner.

Kate Sullivan explained this this [sic; Klein's omitted CNN link] is Biden's first endorsement of the 2022 campaign cycle. Perfect that it would be an endorsement of a conservative who worked to undermine Build Back Better, especially lower drug prices, and the only Democrat left in the House who voted against raising the minimum wage, the kinds of programs that then Senator Joe Biden always opposed!

Schrader's team wrote this for Biden to put out under his own name: "We don’t always agree, but when it has mattered most, Kurt has been there for me. And 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." A joke on many levels, since Biden's agenda hasn't passed, in great part due to conservatives from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party, like Schrader. People wonder when Biden will endorse Manchin and Sinema, since they are exactly like Schrader-- opposing the Democratic agenda in return for immense payoffs from corporate America.

The choice is notable given it’s unusual for a president to weigh in on a congressional primary race, though it is widely expected that presidents back incumbents in their races. It’s also notable because of Schrader’s opposition to several key Biden priorities and the support Schrader’s progressive primary challenger is receiving. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and other liberal groups, including the Working Families Party and Indivisible, have thrown their support behind attorney Jamie McLeod-Skinner. Four local county Democratic parties have also endorsed McLeod-Skinner ahead of the May 17 primary.
Schrader has voted against raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, voted against a proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices during a committee markup as Democrats were struggling to stay united on Build Back Better and initially opposed the American Rescue Plan. He ultimately voted for the American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law, and Build Back Better, which never made it to the President’s desk.
Days after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, Schrader apologized after reports surfaced that he had likened the second impeachment of President Donald Trump to a “lynching” during a caucus conference call.

As you may know, electing Schrader's progressive opponent, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, on May 17 is a top priority for Blue America. You can contribute to her campaign here or by clicking on the Bluer Oregon thermometer on the left. When I asked Jamie about the endorsement, she said she respects Biden and emphasized that "Oregon Democrats deserve to choose our own Congressperson, not have DC decide our elections for us." Her press statement:

The facts are simple: Kurt Schrader has taken over a million dollars from pharmaceutical companies and big oil and gas, and then voted in the interest of his corporate donors-- not Oregonians.
That’s why Jamie is backed by the local Democratic parties of Linn, Deschutes, Marion, and Clackamas, who represent 90 percent of the district’s voters, and labor across the state.
The fact that Schrader is calling in political favors from national Democrats shows he knows our campaign of working people in Oregon is stronger than ever.
The people of Oregon are not buying Schrader’s glossy mailers and shiny ads financed by the pharmaceutical industry-- we know Schrader blocked lower prescription drug prices in Washington for his corporate donors.
Oregonians don’t want a 25-year politician and multi-millionaire in office-- we want a leader in Congress who will finally fight for us.
Oregon voters know what's best for Oregon.

[links in original]. Klein is responsible for blurring the lines between his quoting and his commentary; however, the entire post carries its weight entirely. Truth smooths over detail.

"Oregon voters know what's best for Oregon." We can hope it is so. If we don't live there, we don't vote there.

Biden? He does not vote there either, but he likes dreck. (Would it be worth the time it takes to ask him why?)

MTG? I do not recall what I had intended to write here; it being contagious to be too near a catastrophic big blob of a memory failure. A catastrophic testimonial failure, one happening while sworn under oath - to be truthful, honest, a good Scout honoring the code. 

Where, oath taken, the mind surprisingly goes jelly; should we accuse? Or must we cut slack for the poor buxom lass; who can't remember her . . . script; (except her script is to claim failed memory). The clown got elected to Congress, but don't blame me. If living in her district, I'd have voted for the lesser evil - where given MTG, the bar for lesser evil seems set to favor a host of lesser devils able to get under it.