The Biden Presidency - 2020

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by whomario

Also, there's a reason Democrats never miss with their SCOTUS picks: they overtly choose wild Leftists. That's the only real qualification. They wouldn't care whether Biden nominated an HLS grad who clerked for Breyer or Cardi B, so long as that person voted reliably Left.

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 27, 2022

Two of the Supreme Court justices went to the same high school. All 3 Trump nominations belonged to the same social club. Not one person from a public school has been appointed in 50 years.

This fucking idiot thinks it's a meritocracy.

[cuervo72]

Oh boy, here comes another round of Hunter Biden bullshit from the right (judging by our local Sinclair broadcast). Also, crime and dead cops!

[cuervo72]

Whoops, forgot "CRISIS IN THE CLASSROOM!"

[RainMaker]

The NYT is the one suing to get the e-mails. So not sure I'd just chalk the Hunter Biden stuff up to right-wing media.

I do think that if there was anything incriminating, the State Department would have released it back when Trump was President.

[RainMaker]

Although in media news, Newsweek just let a neo-Nazi write an op-ed for them.

[cuervo72]

I don't know about e-mails; this was a segment basically endorsing the new Peter Schweizer book/conspiracy theory.

[JPhillips]

Just amazing to me how this wouldn't even be page 10 news in the USA.

Starmer demolishes Johnson in front of Tory MPs stunned into silence: worth watching every minute pic.twitter.com/Xrv8jidjoS

— Lionel Barber (@lionelbarber) January 31, 2022

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Sounds like the right decision. My guess he'll wind up at MSNBC.

Looks like the Cuomo firing investigation brought out the fact the president of CNN Jeff Zucker that he had never disclosed, and he's now resigned:


https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/media...cnn/index.html

[Thomkal]

Biden quick to tweet about the new name for Washington Commanders


"I suppose there's room for two Cpmmanders in this town" With a picture of Commander on the front lawn of the White House

[Atocep]

I guess this is what happens when you create a fake border crisis.

Deplorable conditions, unclear mission: Texas National Guard troops call Abbott’s rushed border operation a disaster

Texas National Guard soldiers call border operation a disaster | The Texas Tribune

[sterlingice]

Mission is quite clear: Stave off a challenge from the right in the 2022 Texas governor primary

SI

[Edward64]

Good job Biden. Looking forward to more details (and movie).

Brings to mind that I haven't read recently about other "we've killed the #2 or #3 AQ, ISIL etc. leaders.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Good job Biden. Looking forward to more details (and movie).

Brings to mind that I haven't read recently about other "we've killed the #2 or #3 AQ, ISIL etc. leaders.

Remember when Bin Laden was still alive, and every couple weeks we killed someone and announced that they were the "#2 person in Al-Qaeda?" My buddy joked that Al-Qaeda has more vice presidents than a bank.

[JPhillips]

Yeah. For a few years, #3 in AQ was easily the most dangerous job in the world.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Good job Biden. Looking forward to more details (and movie).

Brings to mind that I haven't read recently about other "we've killed the #2 or #3 AQ, ISIL etc. leaders.

I had read this morning that there was a Special Forces action in Syria, but there were no details. It'll be great if the facts are true, but then I am sure there is going to be a claim the US actually blew up his family or some such. I know there is footage of a supposed helicopter that was shot down, but that doesn't fit with the no US casualties claim.

[Lathum]

Can't wait to see how Tucker twists this into a bad thing.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

I had read this morning that there was a Special Forces action in Syria, but there were no details. It'll be great if the facts are true, but then I am sure there is going to be a claim the US actually blew up his family or some such. I know there is footage of a supposed helicopter that was shot down, but that doesn't fit with the no US casualties claim.

From what I read special forces were involved, and they blew up the helicopter before leaving, most likely because it couldn't be flown out.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Can't wait to see how Tucker twists this into a bad thing.

It's going to be; "I thought they (his enemies) were against violence and killing? Why are we praising them for doing the same thing that they hated trump for doing? When are they going to recognize that trump had it right all along? When are they going to give him the praise he deserves for his skillful leadership as president?"

See what I did there?

That's exactly how it'll be played.

[Galaril]

Yes apparently they took out the ISIS leader. I guess he blew himself up with his family to avoid capture.

[Edward64]

The answer is yes, we do want a US digital currency.

The U.S. is debating whether to adopt a digital dollar : NPR

Since its establishment as the country's national currency, the dollar has undergone many updates and changes, but nothing compares to the proposal being debated today.

The U.S. is gingerly considering whether to adopt a digital version of its currency, one better suited for today's increasingly cashless world, ushering in what could be one of the dollar's most fundamental transformations.

In that scenario, the U.S. would not only mint the coins and print paper bills. It would also issue digital cash, or a central bank digital currency (CBDC), that would be stored in apps or "digital wallets" on our smartphones.

We could then use them to pay for things, just like we do with Venmo or Apple Pay, and no actual physical money would change hands.

It's a vision of a cashless future that other countries are already embracing. China, for example, has already unveiled the digital yuan on a trial basis. India this week said it would also unveil a digital rupee.

Now the U.S. is weighing whether it wants to get into the game.

Credit card companies will be hurt with reduce fees but so what.

Visa and like are big enough and have enough heads up to see a new paradigm is coming and they need to adapt (and compete).

Reducing or eliminating fees is one clear benefit.

When you make a contactless payment today, it may seem immediate, but according to Chris Giancarlo, the former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a lot happens behind the scenes.

"My mobile device tells his mobile device to inform a whole series of banks, to confirm who I am, how much money is in my bank, that there is enough money to move from my bank to his bank," he says.

And at each step of the way, there are transaction fees. In 2020, they added up to more than $110 billion, which were generally shouldered by businesses.

With a digital dollar, you could in theory eliminate those middlemen. If you wanted to buy a sandwich, for instance, you could transfer money from a digital wallet directly to a cashier.

[Swaggs]

Seems like wishful thinking. I doubt the banks and credit card companies will allow the politicians that they own to create a system that excludes them. I also have a tough time understanding how this would be markedly different from using Apple Pay or a credit card. Vendors will still need some way to process transactions and I doubt it will be something without fees of some sort (whether on the customer or vendor side).

[NobodyHere]

I guess I'm confused.

How does a digital dollar differ from what we do now? I put everything on a debit/credit card. My paycheck is automatic. I find carrying physical dollars an inconvenience and I only use quarters for the laundry machines in my condo complex.

How does my life change?

[flere-imsaho]

I'm guessing the dollar will exists as bits on your device, much the same way that a dollar bill exists as paper/cotton/whatever in your wallet.

I'm interested to see how they'll combat fraud. I would guess that would be the biggest hurdle to overcome.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Credit card companies will be hurt with reduce fees but so what.

This is the reason it will never happen.

[JPhillips]

SCOTUS just used the shadow docket to eviscerate what was left of the Voting Rights Act.

[RainMaker]

Kavanaugh with the "well we really can't do anything if an election is coming up in a few months" argument.

Not really surprising. VRA is mostly dead and the racist gerrymander in Alabama is allowed.

[sterlingice]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/07/polit...ama/index.html
When Roberts is joining the liberals in something that guts voting rights, you know it goes too far

SI

[RainMaker]

Kavanaugh, Gorsuch Recite Questions In Perfect Unison After Accidentally Memorizing Same Lines From Federalist Society Script

[flere-imsaho]

Amusing that Roberts was A-OK with gutting the VRA in Shelby (2013) on the basis that things had changed since the 60s, and now when the named states start doing the exact same things that got them put under supervision in the first place he tries to put the genie back in the bottle.

What's that phrase about being both smart & dumb at the same time?

[RainMaker]

If you pass something that is too racist for even Roberts, it's pretty bad.

[sterlingice]

Roberts MO is that he's trying to death by a thousand paper cuts everything. He (probably correctly) thinks the long game is the way to go - he knows he has a generation to gut things. And if you do it slowly, society at large is more willing to accept it. Even he isn't comfortable with how fast things are going.

SI

[PilotMan]

Nauseating

[Edward64]

I think Biden is being too nice. If I was him, I would jump on it and score some points with the independents. To be fair, I've not seen the full text so it may have been taken out of context. But if not, call out everyone that supports this wording. Outrageous.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/09/polit...ion/index.html

The three words about the US Capitol attack that have sparked a firestorm inside the Republican Party -- "legitimate political discourse" -- were not included in early drafts of the resolution to censure Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, a person involved in the process tells CNN, but were added as the document was edited late last week at a meeting of the Republican National Committee in Salt Lake City.

[JPhillips]

I'm so old I remember when conservatives said that anyone who blocked a road should be run over.

[QuikSand]

Just to clear things up, @RepMTG

Gazpacho: a vegetable-based Spanish cold soup
Gestapo: Nazi Germany's secret police pic.twitter.com/T9q76r706G

— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) February 9, 2022

everybody wins here

[Edward64]

Iraq has not been on my radar recently (and neither has Afghanistan). Thought this was interesting.

I associated the Kurds to being friendly to the US. And Al-Sadr friendly to Iran. Now it seems Al-Sadr is no longer Iran's friend and was supporting the Kurd candidate. Its obvious Al-Sadr wants to be the power behind the throne.

About 2,500 US troops in advisory roles in Iraq (+ god knows how many military contractors).

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/10/middl...ntl/index.html

The presidential election was indefinitely postponed on Monday, stalling the already delayed formation of a new government. The results of October's parliamentary vote, in which pro-Iran factions were dealt a significant loss, were only confirmed in December due to political bickering over the results. A new president would be tasked with asking the winning bloc to form a government.

The suspension was a blow to the ambitions of Zebari's key backer Moqtada al-Sadr, the populist Shiite Muslim cleric who has emerged as a kingmaker and is bent on pushing through a government that excludes his pro-Iran Shiite rivals.
:
But the KDP's clout in the Baghdad parliament has grown of late, emboldening the party and winning it new allies like Sadr. The revival of graft allegations has however rattled Zebari's Shiite and Sunni backers, dampening his prospects for the presidency. Sadr, who emerged as the biggest winner the October election after having campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, had to withdraw his support. It's unclear if the KDP will field another candidate that's acceptable to Sadr or stand by Zebari.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Iraq has not been on my radar recently (and neither has Afghanistan). Thought this was interesting.

I associated the Kurds to being friendly to the US. And Al-Sadr friendly to Iran. Now it seems Al-Sadr is no longer Iran's friend and was supporting the Kurd candidate. Its obvious Al-Sadr wants to be the power behind the throne.

About 2,500 US troops in advisory roles in Iraq (+ god knows how many military contractors).

https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/10/middl...ntl/index.html

Somewhere in the archives of this forum I made the argument that al-Sadr would eventually become the most powerful man in Iraq. Where I was wrong was that I figured him to be an Iranian puppet. All in all, having him turn out to be an Iraqi nationalist isn’t a bad outcome.

[Edward64]

Fair warning for US citizens. Get the heck out of dodge or don't whine and expect help if you are caught in an invasion.

Ukraine crisis: Biden warns Americans to leave now as 'things could go crazy quickly' | Euronews

US President Joe Biden has repeated his warning that any Americans still in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible.

“It’s not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organisation. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly,” he said in an interview with NBC News broadcast on Thursday.

Asked whether there was any scenario that would prompt him to send US troops to Ukraine to rescue Americans, the president said: “There’s not. That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another.”

[albionmoonlight]

I always wonder when shit goes down and you hear about the random embassy worker who was somehow still over there and got caught, how many of those people are actually CIA.

[Edward64]

FWIW.

Inflation came in hotter than expected yesterday and some are now predicting increase of .5 basis points soon with additional .25 increases (think the target is 1 basis point this year).

Spoke with the wife and we agree we aren't really seeing $250 or $305 a month impact per article below. We don't gas up as much (e.g. I'm remote and wife is < 10 miles), we eat out every weekend but we don't overdo it, we eat more chicken than red meat or fish. We think the main reason why we don't feel the impact is because kids are grown and we don't need to buy a bunch of stuff or food for just us two.

Regardless, Biden is in a world of hurt. Powell is his BFF now.

The average household is spending an extra $250 a month, or $3,000 per year, due to high inflation — but middle-aged Americans are paying even more - MarketWatch

So just how much has all this inflation cost Americans? Moody’s Analytics compared a 7% pace of inflation with the average rate of inflation in 2018 and 2019, which was around 2.1%. Based on that comparison, the average household is spending an additional $250 a month, or $3,000 per year, because of rising inflation.

The impact differs based on age, the Moody’s analysts noted in its recent report. People between the ages of 45 and 54 have borne the largest brunt of high inflation, seeing their expenses increase $305 on a monthly basis. Comparatively, Americans who are 65 years and older are only spending an additional $194 per month.

[flere-imsaho]

We're spending a lot more, but it's not because of inflation. It's because the kids are growing so fast that we keep having to buy them new clothes. My 13-year-old outgrew 3 pairs of cleats last year. Luckily he doesn't play an equipment-intensive sport like hockey or football.

[Edward64]

This is very cool. Assume this is from last year's infrastructure bill.

I don't think 4 simultaneous charging goal per 50 miles of interstate is good enough, but we have to start somewhere (just make sure there is enough land to expand). Question is how much will this cost for "fill-up".

I can see private sector getting involved in charging stations after they've seen commitment from the government ... from what I've read, gas stations make their money in the stores, not on the gas.

Four fast chargers every 50 miles—US unveils EV infrastructure plan | Ars Technica

About five years from now, a common complaint about electric vehicles—range anxiety—will be a thing of the past across much of the US.

Starting this year, the federal government will begin doling out $5 billion to states over five years to build a nationwide network of fast chargers. The plan initially focuses on the Interstate Highway System, directing states to build one charging station every 50 miles. Those stations must be capable of charging at least four EVs simultaneously at 150 kW.

Once states have completed the Interstate charging network, they’ll be able to apply for grants to fill in gaps elsewhere. The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, a new agency formed to help the Transportation and Energy Departments administer the program, will allow case-by-case exceptions to the 50-mile requirement if, for example, no grid connection is available nearby.

[miked]

I was in like Dublin, GA or somewhere once and saw a random charging station at a gas station. Now that I have an EV, I think having high-speed charging stations at rest stops/gas stations would be a game changer. I dropped my daughter off at camp last summer near Rome, GA. We stopped for lunch after the dropoff and I saw a charger in town square that seemed reasonable and was high speed. I would totally take her this summer in my EV knowing that now. Aside from the fact that it was Rome, GA, seemed pretty neat.

[albionmoonlight]

I can see a world where the market takes over and you end up with massive charging areas that naturally have food, etc. happen there. Basically, people start planning to grab their sodas, burgers, bathroom breaks, etc. while the cars are charging.

But it will be interesting to see if we can get enough capacity. Cars take, what, 5 minutes to gas up? And you still see the pumps at popular interstate stops pretty full. If we really all start driving EVs, and they take ~30 minutes to charge, that's a LOT of roadtrip charging that we will need.

[albionmoonlight]

I've heard of a system where the batteries are charged and waiting for you, and instead of charging your car, you swap out the battery. That would be able to handle a massive load. But you need to commit to that model and build the whole system around it. And it does not sound like we are going that way.

[bhlloy]

I guess smart cities/counties who get ahead of it could turn it into something that can create jobs and revenue, I mean you already have the casinos and outlets that have sprung up around remote gas stations, if that 5 min top up turns into a minimum 30, you can see obviously how that would work.

It's definitely an interesting discussion though... my mind immediately goes to the UK where they have a hard "get off petrol/gas" date but a huge percentage of housing is still terraced without a garage, so the infrastructure questions are obvious. One particular photo of a guy blocking the sidewalk and charging his EV through his window went viral (with the usual social media snide) but nobody seems to have a smart plan for what happens when everybody in that street has to have an EV, and these aren't typically neighborhoods where there's a ton of free space to go around to boot.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

I've heard of a system where the batteries are charged and waiting for you, and instead of charging your car, you swap out the battery. That would be able to handle a massive load. But you need to commit to that model and build the whole system around it. And it does not sound like we are going that way.

Tesla pushed this idea several years ago.

Imagine if you bought a new Tesla. Would you want to swap out your new battery for one that has been used hundreds of times?

Also imagine try to create a service station that would swap batteries for every conceivable car model.

Charging stations are more similiar to what we're doing now so you don't have to ask the average consumer to change their ways and habits.

[Edward64]

I can fill up my Hybrid Camry for approx 15 gallons x $3 = $45. This will get me about 420 miles. So 420 / $45 = 9.3 cents per mile.

Below Tesla estimate ranges from 4.2 to 4.6 cents per mile. So approx half the cost.

I assume as chargers become more popular, the costs will go down (is this a true assumption?). Regardless, significant cost savings, supposedly less environmental impact, more stable prices, and very importantly, less reliance on ME oil.

Negatives are impact to current gas station industry, gas companies, and will we need to build more power plants?

Now, the Model S Long Range currently has an EPA estimated range of 405 miles, which means you’d be paying about $0.041 per mile or $4.07 for 100 miles of range.

The Model S Plaid has an estimated range of 396 miles, coming out to $0.042 per mile or $4.22 per 100 miles.

However, the Model X is a larger and heavier Tesla than the Model S and comes with a lower range, so let’s calculate cost per mile. First, the Model X Long Range, at an estimated range of 360 miles, will cost about $0.046 per mile and $4.58 for 100 miles of range.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

We're spending a lot more, but it's not because of inflation. It's because the kids are growing so fast that we keep having to buy them new clothes. My 13-year-old outgrew 3 pairs of cleats last year. Luckily he doesn't play an equipment-intensive sport like hockey or football.

Outside of food, I don't think there is much the Fed can do. Most of the sectors driving inflation are not due to our economic policy.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

I guess smart cities/counties who get ahead of it could turn it into something that can create jobs and revenue, I mean you already have the casinos and outlets that have sprung up around remote gas stations, if that 5 min top up turns into a minimum 30, you can see obviously how that would work.

It's definitely an interesting discussion though... my mind immediately goes to the UK where they have a hard "get off petrol/gas" date but a huge percentage of housing is still terraced without a garage, so the infrastructure questions are obvious. One particular photo of a guy blocking the sidewalk and charging his EV through his window went viral (with the usual social media snide) but nobody seems to have a smart plan for what happens when everybody in that street has to have an EV, and these aren't typically neighborhoods where there's a ton of free space to go around to boot.

You can charge up to 200 miles in 15 minutes. It's not that bad and I have to guess will only improve over time. Seems like a very mild inconvenience for the occasional long road trip.

Not a fan of taxpayers covering this but I guess the electric car market is just a big subsidy at this point.