Sarah Palin, the former half-term governor of Alaska, says she’s considering running for Congress because she wants to fight the “namby pamby wussy pussy stuff” that she says is causing a “mess” in the country now. Continue reading “Sarah Palin Announces Run For Congress Because She Has ‘Cajones’”
Zelenskyy To Deliver Virtual Joint Address To U.S. Congress
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine (screen capture)
Clay Aiken (American Idol) Announces Run For Congress In NC
Former American Idol star Clay Aiken has announced he will run for Congress in North Carolina’s 6th District. Continue reading “Clay Aiken (American Idol) Announces Run For Congress In NC”
Congress Could Require Algorithm-Free Versions Of Internet Platforms
With so much news about social media platforms (like Facebook) using algorithms to drive traffic where they want users to go, it’s not surprising that Congress would turn its legislative powers toward forcing those platforms to allow algorithm-free versions of tech platforms. Continue reading “Congress Could Require Algorithm-Free Versions Of Internet Platforms”
Biden’s Joint Address To Congress Will Have Several Firsts
President Joe Biden (image via White House/public domain)
President Biden Urges Swift Passage Of Equality Act
President Joe Biden
I applaud Congressman David Cicilline and the entire Congressional Equality Caucus for introducing the Equality Act in the House of Representatives yesterday, and I urge Congress to swiftly pass this historic legislation.
Every person should be treated with dignity and respect, and this bill represents a critical step toward ensuring that America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all.
Full equality has been denied to LGBTQ+ Americans and their families for far too long. Despite the extraordinary progress the LGBTQ+ community has made to secure their basic civil rights, discrimination is still rampant in many areas of our society.
The Equality Act provides long overdue federal civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, locking in critical safeguards in our housing, education, public services, and lending systems — and codifying the courage and resilience of the LGBTQ+ movement into enduring law.
On my first day in office, I was proud to sign an Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. I directed agencies to implement the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling, and fully enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Now, it’s time for Congress to secure these protections once and for all by passing the Equality Act — because no one should ever face discrimination or live in fear because of who they are or whom they love.
The Equality Act, formally reintroduced in the House on Thursday, would ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination throughout the nation. The act would amend existing civil rights laws to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation passed in the House in 2019 with a bipartisan 236-173 vote but was never given a vote in the Senate. (via WhiteHouse.gov)
Biden: Trump Stopped Intel Briefings Because He Doesn’t Want Voters To Know How Putin Is Helping Him
Former Vice President Joe Biden (photo via campaign)
This is not how democracy works. But it is how American national security and sovereignty are violated.
The tools of our government are meant to defend the American people and our system of governance against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
And yet, at a moment when we know that our elections are under threat from foreign interference — and when the President of the United States has invited interference from Russia and China — the Director of National Intelligence is failing to provide full information about the danger.
For the DNI to curtail one of the most basic duties of our nonpartisan Intelligence Community — to keep the United States Congress fully informed about threats to our nation, in this case, about the real and rising threat of foreign election interference — is nothing less than a shameless partisan manipulation to protect the personal interests of President Trump. And it is a betrayal of the oath sworn to the American people and our Constitution.
Nothing is more important than the security and integrity of our elections. And we know that President Trump is unwilling to take action to protect them.
That leaves Congress as the best defender of our democracy. But now President Trump, through his hand-picked DNI — chosen for loyalty, not experience — is attempting to deprive Congress of the information they need to do their part.
There can be only one conclusion: President Trump is hoping Vladimir Putin will once more boost his candidacy and cover his horrific failures to lead our country through the multiple crises we are facing.
And he does not want the American people to know the steps Vladimir Putin is taking to help Trump get re-elected or why Putin is eager to intervene, because Donald Trump’s foreign policy has been a gift to the Kremlin.
Stock Markets Surge Amid Optimism For COVID-19 Stimulus Package
The U.S. stock markets surged on the news that Congressional leaders are close to agreement on a stimulus package to help cope with the ongoing coronavirus threat. From Fox Business:
U.S. equity markets registered the strongest one-day rebound in history on Tuesday amid investor optimism that members of Congress will overcome their differences to reach a deal on a nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package.
In the final hour of trading, gains picked up steam giving the Dow Jones Industrial Average a 2,112 point gain, the biggest ever, or 11 percent, while the S&P 500 gained over 9 percent and the Nasdaq over 8 percent.
LGBTQ Member Of Congress Resigns Amid Accusations Of Affairs
Rep. Katie Hill (D-Santa Clarita)
It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing for my constituents, my community, and our country.
See my official statement below. pic.twitter.com/nG97RQIwvO
— Rep. Katie Hill (@RepKatieHill) October 27, 2019
“Intimate photos of me and another individual were published by Republican operatives on the internet without my consent,” Hill said at the time.
That was followed by RedState releasing text messages that appeared to be between Hill’s husband, Heslep, and the campaign staffer. In response to the #MeToo movement and high-profile sexual harassment accusations involving members of Congress, the House adopted rules last year that prohibited members from having sexual relationships with congressional staffers. Those rules do not, however, address any relationships that occurred prior to members taking office. Hill has been viewed as a ‘rising star’ in the Democratic Party having flipped her district to blue when she won her election in 2018. She is the vice-chair of the House Oversight Committee, and she is among a group of freshman Democrats who were nicknamed the “Big Six” after being selected for high-profile leadership posts. (source: Politico)
News Round-Up: October 24, 2019
The men of Chippendales rock Belgium
• OUT: Facebook and Instagram have issued new guidelines about sexual expression on the social media platforms. Users will no longer be able to add eggplant or peach emojis to messages that have a sexual nature anymore. Plus, no more using emojis to cover nude body parts. AND – no more linking to sites with sexual content. So, no more promoting OnlyFans or JustForMyFans pages from Facebook or Instagram. • Twitter: At a rally last night, Donald Trump told the crowd his administration is “building a beautiful wall” in Colorado. I keep wondering if anyone told him it’s New Mexico, not Mexico, that borders Colorado…? #4thGradeGeography
TRUMP: “We’re building a wall in Colorado. We’re building a beautiful wall. A big one that really works.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/tVgO95VIdW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 23, 2019