Congress:
Democrats and Republicans managed to raise the debt ceiling, until after the 2022 midterm elections. Because the filibuster would have required sixty votes, and Republicans didn't want to vote to raise the debt ceiling, 14 Republicans sided with Democrats to pass a one time exemption to the filibuster, then allowing Democrats to vote for the debt ceiling increase alone.The only other issue Congress agreed on was the annual Defense Bill. It's estimated to cost $7.7 trillion over ten years. It's packed with weapons for killing enemies and murdering civilians in other countries. It funds the United States' illegal nuclear weapons program. And it must be contributing to inflation, because wealthy TV economist pundits keep talking about how social spending by the government is the main source of rising costs.
In November, House progressives voted to approve the Manchin/Collin's private public partnership infrastructure bill. They did this with a promise from conservative House Democrats, Senator Manchin, and President Biden, that the Senate would pass Biden's Build Back Better policy package. The BBB includes tax increases on the super wealthy to reduce economic inequality, funding for daycare, payments to families with children, and policies to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses to avert the worst damage from global warming. This is the best case packaging of an insufficient bill that has been repeatedly reduced, cut, and butchered while the world's wealthiest pack on the billions and the world fails to prevent climate change.
First, Manchin sought to cut the Child Tax Credit from the reconciliation bill. The CTC is credited with reducing child poverty by 25% in one month, 40% if it lasted a year (it was implemented in March 2021 and ended in December 2021). Manchin wants to limit those eligible for the CTC with onerous work programs and other hurdles. Democrats want to pay for the CTC by raising taxes on the wealthy, which Manchin rejected. It's difficult to trust Manchin since he repeatedly deceives the American people. Sensing failure, a patchwork of states prepared to pass their own expanded Child Tax Credit.
On the issue of child poverty, the United States ranks 37th of all nations, behind countries like Russia, Mexico, and Bulgaria. Over 20% of children live in poverty, while the OECD averages 13% and countries like Ireland, Iceland, and Denmark are under 7%. But, How Do They Pay For It?!? Answer: Reread paragraph two of this section.
Approaching the Senate's December recess, Biden and Manchin remained unable to find common ground. Then, in a Sunday appearance on Fox News, Manchin blindsided the White House by declaring publicly that he, “... Cannot vote to move forward on [the BBB].” Simultaneously he rejected reforming the filibuster, ending any hopes of voting reforms. The White House condemned Manchin for his betrayal. Press Secretary Jen Psaki asserted that Manchin had promised the President a deal. The President had promised progressives a deal. So either Manchin lied, or the President lied. Manchin had no credibility to squander. Biden's failed promise reminds progressives he lacks credibility as well. No one should be surprised that conservative Democrats achieved their objective, while denying the party and progressives a policy victory that would help millions of Americans.
The Environment:
In addition to the return of child poverty, Manchin's “No,” augurs ill for a bill to reduce global warming in the United States. It means a global temperature increase by at least 3°F, and as much as 6°F. Meanwhile Alaska set a December record of 67 degrees Fahrenheit, smashing its previous record of 45 degrees. And climate scientists say an ice shelf the size of Florida could break off from Antarctica in the next five years, leading to significant sea rise.Biden tried to offset this devastating defeat by issuing an executive order to make the United States government net-zero by 2050. But this will only reduce US carbon emissions by 15%, isn't a complete plan (more like an idea of a plan), and can easily be repealed if a Republican wins the Presidency in 2024.
This effort is entirely offset by other actions of the administration. It was previously reported that the Biden administration allowed the largest auction of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico's history. Follow up reporting said the White House was legally obligated to allow the auction. The media absolved the Biden administration of the crime of damaging the planet. But, The Daily Poster reported that the US Department of Justice admitted that the White House was not forced to auction off the drilling rights. They chose to do it of their own accord, instead of pissing off oil corporations.
Appointments:
Just as the White House was blindsided by Manchin's betrayal, they were also surprised by the U.S. Treasury's decision to promote Gita Gopinath without their approval.Progressive Saule Omarova, Biden's nominee to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, withdrew her nomination after Republican Senators shamelessly smeared her as a Soviet communist comrade. But it was ultimately conservative Democratic Senators who tanked her nomination by refusing to vote for her.
Conversely, Rahm Emanuel was confirmed as ambassador to Japan, a cushy, prestigious job he does not deserve to hold after covering up the murder of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police.
The message is clear, Biden and Democrats will not fight for progressive nominees or policies that help people, but they will allow nepotism, corruption, and corporations to slither through the system, infesting it.
Russia:
Amid ongoing threats against Ukraine, Biden and Putin held a summit to defray tensions. It failed. A few weeks later, ahead of a second round of talks, Biden and Putin spoke on the phone.The Middle East:
The freeze on Afghanistan's assets by the United States, is causing a savage humanitarian crisis. The United States halted the immigration process for Afghans seeking to emigrate. Also in the country where the United States murdered tens of thousands of civilians, the Pentagon refused to discipline the commanders of a drone strike, which killed Afghan civilians. Though Biden withdrew all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, 2,500 soldiers remain in Iraq. Iran returned to the negotiating table about its nuclear plan.The Coronavirus:
The previous month presaged a worse to follow. In December, daily cases rose from 83,000 to 385,000. Hospitalizations increased from 56,000 to 87,000, while deaths increased by a quarter, from 970 to 1,250. Passing another milestone, the United States reached 800,000 deaths. As of December the same amount of US residents died under Biden as under Trump. This doesn't mean they performed equally. Trump was a Covid denier, repeatedly pretending the virus didn't exist, or that it was going to end soon, or that it wasn't really killing anyone because it was mild, like the flu. But the Biden White House has repeatedly stumbled. Kamala Harris admitted that the White House never prepared for variants, an obvious error. Nor did the administration provide free testing or masks, until it was too late. In a clip that the media would have replayed repeatedly for a week if it was Spicer, Sanders, or McEnany, the White House Press Secretary even callously derided the idea. It was only the irate public response that forced Biden's White House to implement the plan.The Biden administration leaned too heavily into a vaccine only plan. Like Trump they desperately wanted to return to normal, abandoning precautions. As the year continued the White House seemed less concerned with data, and more with downplaying the virus, much like Trump. As the Omicron variant spread in early December, the retiring National Institutes of Health director, Francis Collins, warned that January would see a million new cases a day in the United States. The CDC decided another message was more important. Return to your life; work, school, friends, family. The CDC shortened its isolation and quarantine periods. NIAID director, Fauci, using preliminary data, claimed Omicron was milder than Delta. Cases reached a new record of 267,000 on December 28th. (Followed by new records on the 29th, 30th, and 31st. Despite Omicron's mildness, hospitalizations and deaths climbed steadily as the year ended. Medical experts questioned the CDC's shortening of the isolation and quarantine periods. On the other hand, the national airlines applauded the CDC's decision. Who is the administration listening to?
The FDA authorized an antibody drug for the immunocompromised. Evusheld provides additional protection for anyone taking immunosuppressants.
With January 10th fast approaching, litigation increased against OSHA's vaccine mandate. In the Senate, Democrats Tester and Manchin voted with Republicans (52-48) to overturn the mandate. The bill won't become law, because the Democratic controlled House does not plan to vote on it. After a federal circuit court halted enforcement of the mandate, a federal appeals court reinstated it. Two christian fundamentalist organizations, joined by an evangelical TV network, asked the Supreme Court to review the suit. In a similar case, Oklahoma's attempt to overrule the Pentagon was struck down by a federal court. The Oklahoma's National Guard must be vaccinated.
With cases rising the White House faced pressure from advocates to extend student loan relief. It insisted payments resume on February 1st. Famously promising during the Democratic primary to cancel $10,000 in federal loans per person (Sanders promised to cancel all student loan debt), the White House Press Secretary admitted that Biden meant; Congress should send him a bill to cancel $10,000. Biden will not use an executive order to cancel student loans. Apparently that was in the fine print. Because there is no way, in this universe, that Congress sends such a bill to the President. After another outcry, Biden agreed to delay student loan payments for three months. Numerous Democrats slammed the President's hesitance, and his refusal to unilaterally approve loan forgiveness.
Recent:
Dead Cells: A Ghastly DecayRelevant:
The Presidential Events: November 2021
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