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If you think the Republicans in the Senate are the more sane members of the MAGA GOP, think again. They’re just as cravenly partisan as the nuts in the House. Remember Thom Tillis, the “brave” Senator who has been criticizing the House Republicans for refusing to even consider the border and Ukraine deal? Well… The House passed its $78 billion, bipartisan tax bill with a lopsided 357-to-70 vote on Wednesday, in which the measure attracted slightly more Democratic than Republican support as it overcame opposition from hardline conservatives. Now comes the hard part: Winning over GOP senators. Republicans in the upper chamber are already expressing deep skepticism toward the legislation, which combines several business deductions with an expansion of the Child Tax Credit that would all sunset at the end of 2025. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Wednesday that he’s been advising Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP Senate leaders that it would be “a mistake” to pass the bill.
Relatives of the world’s last living adult Frank Barnstaple have confirmed that the 93 year old grown up has passed away, leaving the residents of the world frightened and bewildered. “When I was a kid there were adults everywhere making... Read More ›
George Latimer was recruited by AIPAC to challenge Bowman, a member of the Squad who has called for a Gaza ceasefire.
The post AIPAC Is the Largest Donor, by Far, to Jamaal Bowman’s Primary Challenger appeared first on The Intercept.
Let’s talk about the REAL border crisis. Hear me out… Would it surprise you to know that 90% of people that try to cross our border end up in the hands of Customs and Border Protection? There is no open border flood of undocumented immigrants crossing into the U.S. 📌 Many… pic.twitter.com/nKGTb4AkZI — Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) February 1, 2024 The media is not telling the real story, as usual. It’s just a “crisis” or a “caravan” or a “catastrophe” without any context or nuance. They have been doing this for years. I know they aren’t this incompetent. They can’t be.
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Biden but implored his administration to reconsider its “unflagging support” for Israel’s war on Gaza.
The post After Historic Ruling, Lawyers Vow to Keep Fighting Biden Over Complicity in Gaza Genocide appeared first on The Intercept.
Texas Congressman Chip Roy is not one of the MAGA goofballs. He even endorsed DeSantis over Trump. He was once Ted Cruz’s chief of staff so he’s an extremist but he isn’t stupid. As Judd Legum notes in his newsletter, there’s a method to his madness: Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) is publicly urging Texas to ignore the Supreme Court. In previously unreported comments, Roy explained that he feared his position would push the country into “a post-constitutional world.” But, Roy said, the Supreme Court is “pushing our hand” by issuing a ruling related to the southern border that he opposes, and the Supreme Court needs to “feel the pressure.” The next day, Roy told Fox News that Texas should “tell the court to go to hell.” On January 24, in a little-noticed interview with right-wing conspiracy theorist Charlie Kirk, Roy expanded on his thinking.
It was an ordinary night at Baker Street. Sherlock was dictating the results of his latest case when, suddenly, he paused. “Watson, there’s someone here to see us,” he said. Sure enough, not a second later, there was a knock, and I opened the door to find a young lady tightly clutching a telephone, her face stricken in distress.
“Mr. Holmes, I apologize for the lateness of the hour,” she said, entering the study. “But I have in my possession a deep reservoir of text messages, and I can not tell if they are intended to be of a flirtatious nature.”
“Pray, give us all the details,” Sherlock said, bringing his pipe curiously to his lips. “When did this most ambiguous of exchanges begin?”
“About three weeks ago.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Three? That is a long while.”
“Yes, it is,” the young lady replied, shifting nervously on her feet.
By way of introduction let me quote Richard Falk, noted international law professor and former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Falk: the decision by the ICJ “marks the greatest moment in the history of the [Court]”. The initial response to the decision on 26 January suggested that South Africa Continue reading »
There is clear evidence that US efforts to build a coalition of allies in our region is directed at containing Chinese power and developing the capability to eventually confront the Chinese military. That scenario is a nightmare for Australia. We now find certain elements of a Labor government flirting with containment and confrontation with China Continue reading »
It was bound to happen in one form or another. The AUKUS arrangements were a guarantee of it. The ‘it’ in question is the alleged discovery and lamentation that, possibly, “Australia has one of the weakest research security frameworks in the developed world.” Redress is demanded and of a draconian character; not to do so Continue reading »
Veterans of Middle East affairs say wryly that anyone who claims to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict has been misinformed. This paper reviews the complex and emotionally fraught history of the Conflict; looks at 10/7 and Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza in retaliation, and then speculates on possible pathways to the conflict’s resolution that could Continue reading »
The Bangladeshi elections of 7 January, like most polls, including those in democratic nations of the developed world, have their own shortcomings and should not be lightly dismissed. But what my group of international observers witnessed on election day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was democracy in development. It was a day free of violence and free Continue reading »
Is there a word for when you are in a rage and in despair? Respair? Dage? Cause whatever that is – I am both in rage and despair as a woman who works in both politics and technology over the latest example of how the media treats powerful women; in this case Georgie Purcell, member Continue reading »
International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, was recently quoted in the Guardian (Tuesday 16/1/24) saying that “in most scenarios artificial intelligence (AI) would probably worsen overall inequality across the global economy and could stoke social tensions without political intervention”. Australia’s vulnerability to such AI-induced inequality would appear to be high, while our chances Continue reading »
Indonesia, Australia’s largest neighbour, will go to the polls on 14 February 2024 to elect a new President. Some 160 million eligible voters are expected to turn out in the largest single-day contest. Under Indonesian law, the candidates must secure more than fifty per cent of the votes to avoid a run-off, scheduled on 26 Continue reading »
A Syrian friend in Damascus was commissioned to translate Bridge of Clay, a tender, beautiful novel by Australian author Markus Zusak. As it is not an easy novel for a Syrian who has never lived in Australia to translate, my friend and I have had quite a few WhatsApp calls to discuss tricky bits in Continue reading »
Our leading humanitarian and civic institutions, including major medical institutions, refuse to denounce Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This exposes their hypocrisy and complicity. There is no effective health care system left in Gaza. Infants are dying. Children are having their limbs amputated without anaesthesia. Thousands of cancer patients and those in need of dialysis lack Continue reading »