The Next President of the United States

[MintTrav]

Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, has a refreshing viewpoint.

Last month he said that grandparents are willing to take a chance on their survival for the sake of their grandchildren.




And, in a new interview, he reveals that "There are more important things than living."



This is the kind of selflessness we need - someone who is willing to lay down his life, and the lives of others, for the sake of the economy.

[Marky147]

Looks like he has aged 20 years in a month!

[bookiebasher]

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1254475682723307520?s=20

Must admit , he’s getting good at this sarcasm malarkey .

[MintTrav]

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Donald was on form again last night, calling for reporters from Fake News Organisations to be stripped of their Noble Prizes. Unfortunately, people didn’t understand that he was being sarcastic again with the spelling, so he tweeted a clarification. He was still being a bit sarcastic even then, as I’m sure he knows very well that the prizes journalists get aren’t spelled Noble or Nobel - they’re spelled Pulitzer.

[Marky147]

Somebody take that man's phone away, lol.

[4KSuited]

Sobering to think that there’s been more CV-19 deaths in America than military lives lost during the entire Vietnam War. The economy isn’t going to look too good either at the end of his Presidency (or do we think he’ll actually win in November?), so his legacy will be more tattered than Nixon’s. As it should be.

[MintTrav]

Sobering to think that there’s been more CV-19 deaths in America than military lives lost during the entire Vietnam War. The economy isn’t going to look too good either at the end of his Presidency (or do we think he’ll actually win in November?), so his legacy will be more tattered than Nixon’s. As it should be.

The economy had been doing okay until this crisis, and some people would give a lot of credit for that to Kevin Hassett, former Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. That's a bigger job than it sounds - the CEA is a Department with 50 staff, and its Chairman had Cabinet status until Trump downgraded it when he came in. Hassett left last Summer under good terms and has been called back to counsel Donald on economic policy during the Covid crisis, with the vague title of White House Senior Advisor. He started last week, and is immediately in the news for interviews he has given, where his presentation has diverged from the 'everything's going to be great' line. He has taken the same position as Trump and Mnuchin, ie that Q2 will be bad, but Q3 will be better, and says "we have built a bridge to the other side of the disease", but "It's a really grave situation. This is the biggest negative shock that our economy has ever seen. We're going to be looking at a unemployment rate that approaches rates that we saw during the Great Depression" creates a different mood than Mnuchin's cheery "You're going to see the economy bounce back in July, August, September."

Kevin has never been seen as a true Trump believer. He is a conservative Republican all right, and advised GWB, McCain and Romney on economics during their Presidential runs, but he has also been a professor and author and held senior roles at other organisations, so he's not one of the typical political animals he is mixing with. He is known to favour immigration and oppose tariffs, so he's starting from a different place. If he keeps on speaking his mind in public, this might be a short return.

These contrasting interviews were given the same day (Sunday). They carry on about other aspects, but the relevant sections are near the start of both.

[MintTrav]

There's been a Federal Court ruling that Kansas State's attempt to require voters to show proof of citizenship is illegal, upholding a lower court decision. Several Republican-run States have tried enforcing voter ID requirements, in a blatant attempt at voter suppression, with reduction of non-existent 'voter fraud' as the cover story, but I'm not sure any others have taken it as far as Kansas. The 10th Circuit is binding in six States and bits of some others, but may have more widespread repercussions.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-04-29/court-proof-of-citizenship-for-voter-registration-unlawful

[Marky147]

Hassett covering himself 'not announcing a policy', as he knows he'd end up being tucked up.

Both of those seem far too measured to be on Trump's firm, though.

I watched Cuomo's conference from earlier, and he goes after McConnell again.

Not sure if McConnell and him have a lot of history? It really seems to have gotten Cuomo's back up.

[MintTrav]

Hassett covering himself 'not announcing a policy', as he knows he'd end up being tucked up.

Both of those seem far too measured to be on Trump's firm, though.

I watched Cuomo's conference from earlier, and he goes after McConnell again.

Not sure if McConnell and him have a lot of history? It really seems to have gotten Cuomo's back up.

I don't know if they have a lot of history. Obviously, they will have crossed swords due to their positions, which both have been in for a long time. It's possible that there are old resentments - Cuomo spent the duration of Clinton's Presidency in DC, where he was HUD Sec in Bill's cabinet, so anything could have happened between them. If there's a more recent issue, it may be more likely to relate to McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, who I imagine would have a lot more dealings with Cuomo in her role as Transportation Sec. But there might not be anything - sticking the boot in seems to be more acceptable in American politics and their politicians often speak extremely harshly about each other.

[MintTrav]

Click to see full-size image.

Andrew Cuomo is being sued over not providing a sign language interpreter at his daily briefings. We did warn him a while ago, when he was one of only three Governors not doing so. Now he's the only one.

It's hard to understand why it hasn't been done. You'd think they'd be embarrassed about giving the high ground to right-wing Governors. It's such an easily-avoidable error that is not just a distraction, but gives ammunition to the antis. Now they'll have to do it anyway. In the meantime, they have knocked out a laughable response about ensuring there's enough distancing space.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/29/gov-cuomo-sued-for-lack-of-sign-language-interpreter-at-briefings/

https://www.dropbox.com/s/64f4o8clo8p8zzi/2020.04.29%20Press%20Release%20ASL.pdf?dl=0

[Karabiner]

This executive order that Trump has signed ordering contaminated(with Covid-19) meat-packing plants to reopen is beyond belief.

It also offers the companies immunity from legal-action by employees who subsequently get infected.

[Marky147]

Hassett covering himself 'not announcing a policy', as he knows he'd end up being tucked up.

Both of those seem far too measured to be on Trump's firm, though.

I watched Cuomo's conference from earlier, and he goes after McConnell again.

Not sure if McConnell and him have a lot of history? It really seems to have gotten Cuomo's back up.

I don't know if they have a lot of history. Obviously, they will have crossed swords due to their positions, which both have been in for a long time. It's possible that there are old resentments - Cuomo spent the duration of Clinton's Presidency in DC, where he was HUD Sec in Bill's cabinet, so anything could have happened between them. If there's a more recent issue, it may be more likely to relate to McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, who I imagine would have a lot more dealings with Cuomo in her role as Transportation Sec. But there might not be anything - sticking the boot in seems to be more acceptable in American politics and their politicians often speak extremely harshly about each other.

Yeah, maybe it is just an accumulation of things, and this has brought things to a head.

Sticking the boot in will obviously be even more acceptable when the president spends half his waking hours doing it on Twitter.

McConnell just seems like a bit of a shithouse, and while it seems like absolutely nonsensical from him, is Cuomo right?

NY with their contributions do help fund the poorer states year in/out, one of which is McConnell's.

[Marky147]

Andrew Cuomo is being sued over not providing a sign language interpreter at his daily briefings. We did warn him a while ago, when he was one of only three Governors not doing so. Now he's the only one.

It's hard to understand why it hasn't been done. You'd think they'd be embarrassed about giving the high ground to right-wing Governors. It's such an easily-avoidable error that is not just a distraction, but gives ammunition to the antis. Now they'll have to do it anyway. In the meantime, they have knocked out a laughable response about ensuring there's enough distancing space.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/29/gov-cuomo-sued-for-lack-of-sign-language-interpreter-at-briefings/

https://www.dropbox.com/s/64f4o8clo8p8zzi/2020.04.29%20Press%20Release%20ASL.pdf?dl=0

I did wonder why there wasn't one there, but guessed I just couldn't see them

[Marky147]

This executive order that Trump has signed ordering contaminated(with Covid-19) meat-packing plants to reopen is beyond belief.

It also offers the companies immunity from legal-action by employees who subsequently get infected.

Will they do it, or just ignore him?