Why does Trump want to kill a filibuster?

AN analysis by Zachary B. Wolf of CNN said it was completely predictable that President Donald Trump would call on Senate Republicans to end the custom of the filibuster, which has bedeviled majority parties for years.

How are Democrats able to shut the government over their demands to re-up expiring enhanced Obamacare insurance subsidies? The filibuster.

Why were Republicans able to block Democrats’ efforts to create a national voting standard when Joe Biden was president? The filibuster.

In fact, most major legislation that has passed in recent years — from the Affordable Care Act to Trump’s tax credits and Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — has been crammed through using budget reconciliation rules that allow lawmakers to sidestep the filibuster. But that’s a complicated process and can’t be used for things like spending bills to keep the government open.

Democrats tried and failed to change Senate rules when they had the majority and Biden was president. Now, Trump wants Republicans to change Senate rules while they have the majority and he’s the president.

The upside of ending the filibuster — a possibility known as the “nuclear option” of changing Senate rules — is that the in-power party could get more done. The downside is it would amplify the yo-yo nature of today’s Washington, with each successive Congress undoing whatever the previous one had accomplished, assuming majority rule changed hands.The Senate was designed to work on supermajority votes in order to generate compromise. Instead the system has created paralysis. This is a world where three-fifths is the only meaningful majority, “debate” is code for delay and party loyalty has overtaken the greater good.

To understand what’s going on, you’ll have to learn the special, pre-modern language of “filibuster” and “cloture,” baffling math and maddening rules like “Rule XXII” that govern Senate procedure and confound common sense.

What is the filibuster?

According to the Senate website — which has its own glossary — a filibuster is this: “Informal term for any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or other matter by debating it at length, by offering numerous procedural motions, or by any other delaying or obstructive actions.”

These days, it’s shorthand for anytime senators demand a supermajority to cut off debate and move to an actual vote on just about anything.

What would ending the filibuster do?

When people talk about ending the filibuster, what they really mean is reinterpreting Senate rules so that legislation could pass by a simple majority instead of being held up by a minority.

Pygmy sharks

“A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.”

―Theodore Roosevelt

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

The names recommended by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) to face plunder and criminal charges in relation to the multi-billion pesos flood control project anomalies are peanuts.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Joel Villanueva, resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy can be considered as “big fishes”, but they are merely dwarf lanternsharks (the world's smallest) or spined pygmy sharks.

The taxpayers were expecting for the whale sharks, great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks and the basking sharks.

We thought at least 200 public officials, DPWH employees and contractors, among other flood control project wrongdoers, were expected to be charged, arrested, and jailed in the Quezon City jail as advertised by DILG chief Juanito Victor “Junvic” Remulla?

By the way, where are the names of Chiz Escudero, Bong Revilla, Martin Romualdez, and all the greedy congresspeople earlier mentioned by witnesses in the Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Ping Lacson?

 

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As of this writing, the US government shutdown continued, with Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress no closer to ending their budget standoff.

A shutdown meant any—but not all—US government services were temporarily suspended, and around 1.4 million federal employees were on unpaid leave or working without pay.

This latest shutdown was especially tense because President Donald Trump began drastically reducing the size of the national government as soon as he returned to office in January, and has threatened to use the current impasse to make further cuts. Budget confrontations are common in US politics.

Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding government services past 1 October, when the previous federal budget expired.

In the US system, Congress must agree a spending plan to send to the president to be signed into law.

The Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress. But in the Senate—or upper chamber—they are short of the 60 votes needed to pass the spending bill, which gives opposition Democrats some negotiating power.

Democrats want the bill to include an extension of expiring tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and a reversal of Trump's cuts to Medicaid, a government healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income people.

Democrats also oppose spending cuts to government health agencies.

A stopgap bill designed to avoid the shutdown was passed in the House, or lower chamber, but did not clear the Senate.

And so, at 00:01 EDT on 1 October (04:01 GMT), the US government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years.

Ending the shutdown requires the two parties in the Senate to find a compromise that Trump will sign. Several votes aimed at reopening the government have failed.

 

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Below is the email I received from New York Governor Kathy Hochul which she also probably sent to fellow New Yorkers:

Alex, Donald Trump and Washington Republicans are waging an all-out war on working families. Their goal is simple: Take from the poor and give to the rich.

First, they rammed through legislation that kicks nearly two million New Yorkers off their health care and slashes food assistance — all while giving tax breaks to their billionaire friends. New York’s seven GOP representatives could have stopped it. Instead, they chose to sell out their constituents.

Then, Washington Republicans chose to shut down the federal government instead of protecting access to affordable health care. They’re turning their backs on their constituents, and as a result, 140,000 New Yorkers will see their insurance premiums skyrocket by nearly 40% next year.

But that’s not all. Now, they’re deliberately preventing New York families from putting food on their tables. With Trump refusing to release federal funding for food assistance and Washington Republicans refusing to reopen the government, starting November 1, nearly three million New Yorkers will lose their benefits and could soon be scrambling to find their next meal.

From ripping away affordable health care to gutting access to healthy food, Washington Republicans are making life harder for hardworking Americans.

In the face of Washington Republicans’ cruelty, I’m doing everything in my power to get assistance to our families, and the small businesses, local farmers, and food pantries that keep New York’s food system strong, but we know that the real solution is for Republicans to end their shutdown and release our SNAP funding.

As Washington continues their relentless attack on New Yorkers, I’m going to continue to fight back and stand up for our families.

We will not cower to these injustices. That's not the spirit of New Yorkers. It's not who we've ever been. I want you to know that I'm going to keep standing with you, shoulder to shoulder, and fighting for your families, for your friends, and for your communities. Ever Upward, Gov. Kathy Hochul

 

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Cosmopolitan has uncovered some surprisingly sensitive parts of the body; touching them will get us both insanely turned on. And no, none rhyme with shmenis or shmagina: Sweet Spot 1. The Ultrasensitive Border Around the Lips 2. That Sexy Dip Where Neck Meets Chest 3. The Erotic Pathways on the Sides of the Torso 4. The Pleasure Mound on the Lower Back 5. The Teasing Trail on the Thighs.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

 

Release it without blah-blah-blah

“We need to keep pressure on our own governments to force more and more transparency.”

—Mo Ibrahim

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

PUBLIC servants worth their salt should not wait for “pressure” from the taxpayers to release their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs).

In the first place, it’s not pressure or whatever mixed jargon they might attempt to use as a camouflage or justification for non-compliance.

It is mandated by Republic Act 6713, also known as the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,

The likes of Bongbong Marcos Jr., Sara Duterte-Carpio, Tito Sotto, and other government officials and employees are required by law to submit a sworn declaration of their assets, liabilities, and net worth, as well as their financial and business interests.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution also requires the submission of SALNs.

They must release the SALNs without waiting for any Tom, Dick, and Harry to cajole them; and please, no more justifications why they can’t and why they are “entitled” to delay if not ignore it.

 

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Delay for a few days fine. But delay for several weeks and even months? And wait until the people will forget?

And they must not give a frivolous and pathetic excuse SALN will be used by their enemies as a rope to tie their necks or simply to “harass” them.

It defies logic or common sense. This line of thinking reeks of evasion and dodging in order to avoid compliance.

Why would someone harass a public servant—elected or appointed—if he is doing his job right and doesn’t steal or enrich himself while in office?

It is through SALN that public officials and government employees can help promote transparency, accountability, and to prevent corruption.

The public has the right to scrutinize their financial situations to check for unexplained wealth, potential conflicts of interest, and to ensure they are not profiting from their government service.

Through public access, media and citizens are allowed to monitor their wealth and hold them accountable for their actions.

 

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SAVING OUR PLANET: Let's refresh naturally. Instead of chemical plug-in air refreshers, let's place a few slices of citrus fruit such as lemon or orange in a saucepan, together with a few cloves. Simmer the mixture gently for an hour or so to refresh the smell of our house.

SAVING OUR PLANET: Let's make our own polish. Most mass-produced polishes contain solvents that are harmful to the environment. Many of them come in aerosol sprays, which are wasteful and contain harmful gases.

SAVING OUR PLANET: Bake off stains. for hard-to-beat, stubborn stains on our kitchen surfaces, let's dampen a sponge and apply baking powder, then wipe cleans as normal. The abrasive powder will get rid of most stains, but if the mark remains, let's try re-soaking the stain with a solution of baking powder instead.

SAVING OUR PLANET: Club stains away. To keep fresh stains from sinking deep into clothes, immediately apply a little carbonated water bubbles up the stain and the salts keep the color from sticking. Then wash as normal.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Tension, worry cause mental illness

“The bravest thing I ever did was continuing my life when I wanted to die.”

―Juliette Lewis

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHETHER we are children or parents of celebrities, no one deserves to die by suicide.

Regardless of social status, we also need to take care of our mental health.

To begin with, the Theory of the Four Humors was introduced by the father of medicine, Hippocrates, thousands of years ago–before Christianity, Judaism, and Islam became dominant monotheistic religions.

The Greek doctor, best remembered for his so-called “Hippocratic Oath”, believed that the secret of health lay in the proper mixture of four body fluids, blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile.

If the wrong mixture was present, disease resulted.

That during the Middle Ages, disease was attributed to devils, which were supposed to have entered the body, and which could be forced to leave by spells and incantations.

Earlier, in 100 B.C., immunity from disease was already being practiced.

King Mithridates tried to protect his body against certain poisons by taking increasing doses of them over a period of time.

 

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In China and India, children were clothed in the shirts, or slept in the bed, of smallpox sufferers.

Although dangerous, this often produced very mild attacks of the disease and prevented future occurrence of more severe cases.

In the 14th century, more than 25 million people died of bubonic plague in Europe.

In the 18th century, smallpox killed 60 million people throughout the world. Statistics reveals that even today over 100 million people a year have malaria in India and that about one million die of it annually.

Just as physical hygiene attempts to promote physical health, so does the newer science of mental hygiene attempt to promote mental health.

Here’s for those who carry the world on their shoulders; Atlas Shrugged, in the book of Ayn Rand.

Most authorities agree that among the chief causes of mental disease are worry, fear, unhappiness, and envy (Facebook and other social network users, take note).

They point out that all of us are subject to these emotions, but that some people are so sensitive to one or more of these that their entire outlook on life is thrown out of focus.

 

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Therefore, the most effective way of preventing mental illness is to remove causes of worry and tension, to explain the effects of such emotions to people who suffer from them, and to educate people in general to accept themselves and their lives as they are.

Mental disease often shows itself as an unreasoning fear of certain situations, or an involuntary “compulsion” to perform certain acts. (Phobia, neurosis, and psychosis are some of the terms used to name these conditions, according to Alexander A. Fried of the Department of Biological Sciences, Christopher Columbus High School in New York).

These abnormal reactions may be so mild as to cause very little inconvenience to the individual, or may be so violent as to make the person dangerous to himself or others and require commitment to an institution for special care.

Mysterious relationships exist between the mind and the body, according to some medical experts.

It is now known that mental illness can produce symptoms of physical disease in many organs of the body, when actually the organ affected is healthy and sound.

 

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Headaches, upset stomachs, fever, vague pains, rashes, etc., may be signs of a known disease, or may be the effect of mental upset, doctors say.

They add that in the second case, where the symptoms are brought about by the mind, it is called a psychosomatic illness.

Many phobias and neurotic conditions have been traced to forgotten incidents in childhood, which continue to influence behavior even though the sufferer has no recollection of the event.

Methods of treatment aim at finding these causes in the patient’s “subconscious” and revealing them to him; usually the condition disappears once the patient understands its cause.

Various types of psychiatric treatment (analysis) have been proposed and used by different psychiatrists; these different methods have the same general goal of finding and removing the cause from the patient’s mind.

 

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The following rules are useful in keeping mentally healthy, according to Fried:

1. Get plenty of rest, relaxation, fresh air, and good food.

2. Avoid worrying excessively. Most things that people worry about seldom happen.

3. Face your problems squarely, realistically. Be ready to make changes and adjustments in your plans to meet new situations that arise.

4. Use up some of your excess energy and strength in interesting hobbies, sports, and other types of recreation.

5. Do not magnify unimportant happenings into major events. Example: The fact that your friend didn’t smile and wave at you when he passed by was probably because he didn’t see you, not because he was angry at you.

6. Seek satisfaction from those things you do well, and from those natural advantages which you possess (we all have some). Do not yearn for things that are possible only in daydreams. Do not envy others who seem to have more than you; they are probably envying you from “their side of the fence.”

7. Set yourself a goal–certainly! But make sure that it is a realistic one–one that is within the reach of your abilities.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)