Bipartisanship

Key Issues For Kamala Harris To Emphasize In Last Week Of Campaign!

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Kamala Harris gave a great speech last night at the Ellipse near the White House, the site of the incitement of the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol by Donald Trump, with an estimated crowd of 60,000 people cheering on the Vice President.

It was a well tailored speech, calling for promoting unity and finding common ground, rather than the division and chaos of Donald Trump.

It offered bipartisanship with Republicans, and the promotion of working to overcome the divide that has been promoted by Trump since 2015.

Now, with six days to go until the election, but with many (more than 40 million people) already having voted, the emphasis by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz should be:

Emphasizing a positive view of America and its future, rather than the negativism and division promoted by Donald Trump.

Promotion of women’s right to control their own bodies, and to restore abortion rights.

Promotion of the reality that economic growth has occurred, and that Harris offers improved economic futures for the younger generation through expansion of social programs, including housing, health care, and education advancements.

Reviving the efforts for a bipartisan immigration reform proposal that was negated by Donald Trump, although sponsored by and supported by conservative Republican Senators, along with Democrats.

Importance of retaining our alliances with other nations as essential for the long term defense and political stability of America, as well as the world at large.

The push is on to promote massive increase in voting, particularly by the younger generation Z which has an opportunity to participate in American democracy for the first time for many.

Disillusionment Over “Centrist Republicans” Who Voted To Promote Impeachment Inquiry Of Joe Biden Without A Scintilla Of Evidence!

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We have been told that there are “moderate” or “centrist” Republicans in the House of Representatives.

This includes Don Bacon of Nebraska, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, and the 17 members from Biden won districts in 2020 in New York, California, New Jersey, and elsewhere, who are members of the “Problem Solvers Caucus”, and supposedly have an “open mind”!

This group supposedly represented bipartisanship, and yet they went ahead and, unanimously, voted to start an impeachment inquiry on President Joe Biden without a scintilla of evidence of any impeachment offenses, doing this to please the corrupt, twice impeached, four times indicted for 91 counts, former President Donald Trump!

If only eight or more of this group had done the right thing, refuse to support a phony resolution, Joe Biden would not be facing an impeachment inquiry! He is a good and decent man who has done nothing to deserve this action!

So the idea that one can “trust” the fairness of these Republicans has been blown up, and it means total “war” on the Republicans in Congress is essential, as they have all become cult followers of an authoritarian Fascist who is declaring his intention openly to establish a dictatorship if he is reelected to the Oval Office next November!

Joe Biden and the Democrats must now drop the idea of cooperation and follow the strategy of Harry Truman in 1948–GIVE THEM HELL–against the Republican Party in Congress and its Presidential nominee!

Republicans In Total Breakdown In Speakership Struggle: Time For Bipartisanship!

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There is pure insanity in the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, as newly nominated Congressman Tom Emmer of Minnesota has withdrawn his candidacy for Speaker of the House of Representatives, as about 26 Republican hardliners refuse to support him.

It is time for a bipartisan agreement, with Democrats helping to elect Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, with the assistance of the more moderate Republicans, from the Problems Solvers Caucus, including those from Long Island, New York joining Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzgerald of Pennsylvania and other rational Republicans, of which there are not many!

The Republican Party in the House of Representatives has been hijacked by seditionists and traitors who do not care if they cause damage to our country, and instead, only care about remaining loyal to Donald Trump!

We are now in the fourth week of paralysis in the lower house of Congress, and this cannot continue, without major disaster for the nation and the world!

Time For Bipartisanship To Keep Federal Government Operating

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The Republican controlled House of Representatives is proving its inability to operate the federal government, and holding Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy hostage.

With only a five seat edge (222 Republican and 213 Democrats), the time has come for the small band of moderate, mainstream conservative Republicans to “cross the aisle” and work with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and take action this week to keep the government operating, and avoid the financial crisis and the mass damage that would do.

The extremist small band group of Republicans must be neutralized, and Republican members of the bipartisan “Problem Solvers Caucus” have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to stability and cooperation.

Officially, the Problem Solvers Caucus consists of 63 members of the 118th Congress, including 32 Democrats and 31 Republicans.

Among the Republicans seen as most engaged in promoting cooperation are :

Don Bacon of Nebraska
Anthony D’Esposito of New York
Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
Andrew Garbarino of New York
Dusty Johnson of South Dakota
Thomas Kean Jr of New Jersey
Young Kim of California
Nick Lalota of New York
Mike Lawler of New York
Nancy Mace of South Carolina
Marc Molinaro of New York
David Valadao of California

If 6-10 of these or other Republicans work with the 213 Democrats, the government will avoid shutdown, and the mood is developing to have such cooperation, so let’s hope such a situation transpires.

Kevin McCarthy, as horrible as he is, would be likely to stay on as Speaker, but the Republican control of the House of Representatives, as fragile as it is, is likely to evaporate in 2024.

The New York members of the Republican group, including those mentioned above, are representing Biden won districts, and they are working to survive and keep their seats, which will be a tall order. The present Congress includes 18 Republicans who won districts Biden won in 2020, so a major challenge for those Republicans.

The Strange Feeling About Mitt Romney Leaving The Senate: Regret!

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The surprising news that Utah Senator Mitt Romney is retiring at the end of his term in 2024 leaves this blogger and author feeling regret.

While a major critic of Romney when he ran for President in 2012 against Barack Obama, Romney redeemed himself in the Senate since 2019, including being the only Republican Senator to vote to convict Donald Trump in both impeachment trials.

Romney also acted in a bipartisan manner with Joe Biden, although their differences are still quite clear on many issues.

But Romney was really one of a very few Republican Senators who engendered respect as decent, competent, and principled.

It has now been revealed about his strong criticism of Senators Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and J D Vance, and his disappointment with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and this redeems his reputation mightily!

With his retirement, only Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski is really the old style Republican, as even Maine Senator Susan Collins has been totally unreliable.

And whoever replaces Romney in the Senate from Utah is unlikely to have the distinction and dignity that Mitt Romney represents!

Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips Considering Challenge Of Joe Biden!

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Minnesota Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips, a moderate centrist Democrat, is considering a challenge of President Biden for the Democratic Presidential nomination, as long a shot as that is.

Phillips is the representative of the western suburbs of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St Paul, and has voted with the President on almost every issue, but is seen as the 27th most bipartisan House member, and is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, made up of members of both parties who promote bipartisanship; and also a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of liberal and moderate Democrats who promote centrist views.

Phillips has some distinctions of interest, including that his paternal grandmother was “Dear Abby”–Abigail Van Buren, real name Pauline Phillips.

Also, Phillips owned Talenti Gelato until he sold the company, and he is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.

Also, Phillips happens to be Jewish, and his birthday is January 20, which means were he to be elected President at any time, he would be inaugurated on his birthday, and would be 56 on January 20, 2025.

Age 55 and 105 days is the average age of all Presidents if all their ages upon inauguration are compiled, and averaged out, and is considered the “ideal” age for any President!

However, the reaction among Democrats is that the thought of Phillips challenging Biden and being able to win the White House is that it is a fantasy, although less so than the looney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is backed by Trump supporters to cause trouble for Biden!

Joe Biden Makes Clear In Philadelphia Speech The Dangers Presented By “MAGA” Republicans!

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President Joe Biden delivered a blistering attack last night in Philadelphia, the “Cradle of Liberty” against former President Donald Trump and the threat of “MAGA” Republicans to American democracy and the rule of law!

Biden pulled no punches, abandoning the idea of bipartisanship, which he had promoted for so many years in the US Senate, as the vast majority of the Republican Party has become, as Biden calls it, “Semi Fascist”.

The speech reminded this author of similar speeches by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in defending his “New Deal” in the time of the Great Depression, and FDR’s strong rebuttals of “isolationists”, who opposed his foreign policy in the lead up to World War II!

It also reminded this author of Harry Truman challenging the Republican Party in 1948, the famous “Give Them Hell Harry” campaign for reelection, which seemed hopeless, but with the result of a stunning election victory against all public opinion polls at the time!

17 Republicans Join 50 Democrats In First Senate Vote On Physical Infrastructure Legislation

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In a surprising development, 17 Republican Senators joined the 50 Democratic Senators to vote for a version of the Physical Infrastructure legislation, a promising sign of bipartisanship.

The 17 Republicans who voted in favor include:

Roy Blunt Missouri
Richard Burr North Carolina
Shelley Moore Capito West Virginia
Bill Cassidy Louisiana
Susan Collins Maine
Kevin Cramer North Dakota
Mike Crapo Idaho
Lindsey Graham South Carolina
Chuck Grassley Iowa
John Hoeven North Dakota
Mitch McConnell Kentucky
Lisa Murkowski Alaska
Rob Portman Ohio
James Risch Idaho
Mitt Romney Utah
Thom Tillis North Carolina
Todd Young Indiana

This list includes moderates Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitt Romney, but also leading figures in the party, including Lindsey Graham, Chuck Grassley, Mitch McConnell, and Rob Portman. It also includes both Republican Senators from North Carolina, North Dakota, and Idaho, an unlikely scenario!

And yet, Donald Trump has condemned this move in the Senate, and particularly attacked Mitt Romney, terming him a RINO (Republican In Name Only), and it is all jealousy that he was unable to accomplish any infrastructure legislation during his Presidency, despite saying it was an important goal!

It is good to see that Republicans are ignoring Donald Trump on this matter, and hopefully, the party will wrest its freedom from the danger that Donald Trump represents!

Joe Biden And Infrastructure: Showing Proof Of Bipartisanship, But Also “Reconciliation” Tactic Being Used

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This is a defining moment on the issue of infrastructure, as it appears that enough Republican Senators have agreed to back a $1 trillion plan on roads, bridges, railways, and broadband.

Clearly, the disaster in Surfside, Florida, where a condominium building collapsed, causing a major loss of life, and demonstrating the danger of global warming on buildings near waterways and coast lines, makes infrastructure projects, long needed, an urgent matter.

But additionally, there is a need for spending on “human infrastructure”, including child care, education, and health care, part of Joe Biden’s American Families Plan, which few if any Republicans will support.

So clearly Budget “Reconciliation”, where the 50 Democratic Senators plus Vice President Kamala Harris together will be enough to pass such larger spending priorities.

Certainly, the bipartisan deal is essential, but the Human “Infrastructure” in some form of legislation, is essential.

Political maneuvering and some compromises will be unavoidable to keep all Democrats in support of the broader legislation in some form.

Republicans In Congress Defying Their Own Voters In Refusal To Work With President Joe Biden!

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The Republicans in Congress are committing political suicide by refusing en masse to support President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, as well as the earlier COVID 19 legislation, and apparently, every other initiative, just as they did with Barack Obama during his Presidency.

The difference is that polls show a vast majority of Americans, including many Republican voters, actually like what Joe Biden is doing, and that they understand the need for bipartisanship in a time of the worst health crisis in a century, and the worst economic crisis in 90 years.

The rate of vaccinations is being accomplished much faster than Joe Biden had projected, nearing 200 million shots, twice what he forecast for the first 100 days of his Presidency.

And the economy is reviving, with nearly one million new jobs in March.

All this and more insures Joe Biden and the Democrats will have public backing for gun regulations, rise in the minimum wage, and so much more, and the Republicans will be left in the dust of history, due to their intransigence!