The Republicans are unraveling before our very eyes. They have no policy goals and therefore have few places to direct their bitterness and frustration.
This week we saw Rep. James Comer lash out like a toddler when a Democrat pointed out he had apparently actually done the same thing he was accusing Joe Biden of, i.e. loan his brother $200k for a shady business deal.
And then in the Senate, MarkWayne Mullin literally, and I mean literally, stood up to fight a Teamsters leader who was a witness at the hearing, (because the Teamsters guy made fun of him,) until Bernie Sanders told him to sit down and act like a senator.
Meanwhile, while the Republicans were acting like clowns, Democrats and other civic minded officials got some good work done. Let’s get into it.
Good News
The fact that Chinese President Xi met with President Joe Biden was in and of itself a win, but a couple of more impactful things came out of the meeting as well. The first is that they reached some modest agreements to combat illegal fentanyl and re-establish military communications.
The second is that Xi signaled that China will send new pandas to the United States, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”
The Senate Rules Committee, which is chaired by Amy Klobuchar, advanced the resolution to allow the 350-plus military promotions to be voted on in one bloc. The vote heads to the Senate floor.
The Texas House voted to strip school vouchers from the chamber’s massive education funding bill, taking an ax to Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority of the year.
President Joe Biden established the new White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, aiming to mobilize the federal government, private sector, and philanthropic organizations to enhance women’s health. The goal of the new initiative is to address disparities in research and care.
Congress passed, and Biden signed, a continuing resolution to keep the government funded into the new year.
The Wall Street Journal says “The era of price hikes for consumer goods is waning.”
Gas prices are also coming down. “If prices stay near current levels, this would be the cheapest gas price on Thanksgiving Day since 2020 when Covid-19 caused many Americans to stay off the roads altogether.” Source
The Supreme Court said it will not allow Florida to enforce its new law targeting drag shows, while a court case proceeds.
A federal judge ruled that North Dakota’s 2021 legislative redistricting plan violates the rights of two Native American tribes because it dilutes their voting strength.
The guy who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer last year has been found guilty. He’s looking at a sentence upwards of 50 years in prison.
Democrat Andrea Katz ended up flipping New Jersey’s 8th district, which the AP had mistakenly called for the GOP on election night before retracting. Dems have picked up 6 seats in the state Assembly this fall.
An Ohio man who assaulted law enforcement officers during the attack on the Capitol and who the Justice Department said became a ‘one-man misinformation machine’ as he spread lies online about what occurred that day, was sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Members of the United Automobile Workers union have given their backing to new contracts with the three big U.S. automakers, agreements that deliver hefty wage increases and other gains that had eluded the union for more than 20 years.
And… I’m going to allow myself a little pat on the back. This is my 1,300th post here on Political Charge since starting it in early 2018. Thank you all so much for reading it!
Call to Action
However you mark the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on what you are grateful for. We have an important year in front of us, as we work to fight off fascism, and feeling thankful can help keep all of us stay motivated to fight for our rights.
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Big CONGRATULATIONS on your 1300th post!!! Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much, Jill. This has definitely been a labor of love and as we head into 2024, I’m thinking about what I might change.
I know what you mean, my friend! Mine is a labour of love, too, though sometimes I think it gives me ulcers!
How many posts have you written, my dear? I can only imagine what that number is! As you know, I’ve taken stock multiple times since starting this journey six years ago. There was a time I wrote daily, now I write once a week. And next year will probably look different. I hope you give yourself breaks when you need one.
I had no idea, so I checked my stats … I started Filosofa’s Word in August 2010 primarily as an outlet for my book reviews, but it quickly took on a life of its own. As of today, I have written 7,251 posts!!! I had no idea! Now I feel tired!!! Thanks for your concern, my friend! I do take mini-breaks from time to time when my mind just refuses to cooperate, but given the nature of my blog, it’s just about impossible to step away for more than a half-day! We both do what we can to try to help people understand, to carry the news, both good and bad, and to provide some humour along the way! Here’s to another year or two for use both!
Wow. That’s impressive.
Thanks, TS!!!
You are an inspiration. Thank you for all of your good, thoughtful work!
Thank you so much, Jeri. I appreciate it. I’ve been actively thinking about what I want to shift on the blog as we head into 2024.
Love your posts ♥️. So glad you’re on instagram so I can continue to follow you!
Thank you.
You hit the right spot for me with clarity and humor. Thank you.
Thank you for reading my posts!
Your humor, preciseness, and timelines are impeccable. Please don’t stop!
With the big election coming up? You can count on me.