USA News and Discussions

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Yuli Ban
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And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future
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caltrek
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A Surprising Share of Americans Wants to Break Up the Country. Here’s Why They’re Wrong.
by Rich Lowry
October 6, 2021

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/ ... ong-515443

Introduction:
(Politico) Divorce usually isn’t a good idea, and that’s especially true of a nearly 250-year-old continental nation.

The notion of a national breakup has long simmered as a fringe argument, but it is increasingly popular in certain precincts of the political right and has gained at least some traction with partisans of both sides. A recent survey by the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia found that about 50 percent of Donald Trump voters and 40 percent of Joe Biden voters agreed to some extent with the proposition that the country should split up, with either red or blue states seceding.

Last year, there were dueling secession books. From the right, George Mason University's F.H. Buckley published American Secession, arguing that “the United States is ripe for secession” and “there’s much to be said for an American breakup” (although Buckley favors what he calls “home rule” for the states, a new constitutional compact giving them much more authority). From the left, The Nation’s Richard Kreitner wrote Break It Up, contending that “we must finally finish the work of Reconstruction or give up on the Union entirely.”

But a cadre of apocalyptic writers on the right, who believe the country is too far gone to save, has become obsessed with a Secession 2.0 that would cleave red America from blue and allow the former to escape the ever-rising tide of woke insanity.

Substacker David Reaboi wrote a post the other day titled, “National Divorce Is Expensive, But It’s Worth Every Penny,” urging “Red America to think about economic and cultural autonomy for itself, and what it would take to get there.” Texas state Rep. Kyle Biedermann has been agitating for so-called Texit, and Allen West, the former chair of the Texas GOP and now a candidate for governor, has talked of secession.
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Cyber_Rebel
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Re: USA News and Discussions

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Wasn't going to touch on political jargon and whatnot anymore, but in regards to this particular issue, I actually lean more towards the idea of balkanization now than I did in the past. Certainly the idea of an America breakup, Soviet style fall, and the resulting emergence of new countries is one of the more interesting geopolitical futurist possibilities, no?

The current political system in the country is broken, with an over slanted Supreme Court and poor actual representation for a vast majority of people in the electorate. The situation is not going to get better unless there is a massive overhaul in how the U.S. system works, and really given how special interest groups and culture war nonsense drive the narrative along with an over-bloated military, it's not surprising if nothing changes as long as the country "pretends" to be united.

Splitting it up regionally or even provincially like in Canada would be better assuming the U.S. adopted that particular system, but I can see issues there as well unless the Constitution itself is amended. What full balkanization on the other hand would provide is a chance to start over. New constitutions updated to todays standards could be drafted along with the emergence of new political parties. I could see areas like "New England Commonwealth" or "New Californian Republic" adopting parliamentary democratic systems with many political parties, even real actual LABOUR parties. The Dems would be sorta like Angela Merkal's party in Germany, functioning as the "Liberal Conservative" old guard of sorts, and indeed the Democratic Party would be seen as center-right Tories in most of the civilized world anyways. Being freed up from the GOP would mean there's little else holding back moving the Overton window more in alignment with the international consensus, allowing a stronger response in turn to issues such as wealth inequality and climate change. Prime Minister Bernie or Ocasio would no longer be (wrongly) considered "radical" or unrealistic.

On the other hand, the Christian Republican Union down south will probably get even more nasty, as human rights can be curtailed even more so. They'd be defined as very low taxed, gleefully socially conservative, nationalistic, quasi theocratic police states states. They'd probably end up like modern day Poland or Hungary, though it's worth noting even these countries possess universal health care. While the social climate is conservative, I could see there being a break of sorts in standard American "conservatism" and the more big government prone one in Europe. We already see this in real time with the standard GOP and the Trumpublicans, the latter operating more as ethno-nationalist. The "left" in these new countries would likely be socially conservative minorities who attempt to tap into labor issues rather than social ones. The Mormons country of "Deseret" I actually could see adopting a universal health care system along with stronger stances on environmental issues, as I understand their theology allows a different "conservatism" than described above, being based in conservation.

The next biggest issue of course would be the Pentagon and the military... how would they operate? Perhaps one of the better outcomes is that this curtails the U.S. ability abroad as security "domestically" would take center stage. This would be good for keeping the nationalistic countries in check, as electing another Trump wouldn't be quite so globally devastating. I suspect the "divided states" may even become a bloc of trading partners like the EU is, which would allow them to somewhat keep what America previously "lost" while retaining their new autonomy. A separate, but equal sort of deal. In such a scenario, a future "Trump" or even the man himself just doesn't have the power to deal with multiple blocs who are opposed to his policies or strong arm tactics. Indeed, American elections themselves have less of a global impact, instead being more regionally important, which is hardly a bad outcome.

All in all, assuming if it happened peacefully and competently enough, American balkanization would set a different timeline which is in some ways potentially better and others potentially worse.
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White House: Walmart, FedEx, UPS to go 24/7 to address supply bottlenecks
Source: The Hill
Major goods carriers Walmart, FedEx and UPS will move to working 24 hours a day, seven days a week in order to address the global supply chain bottlenecks, the White House announced on Wednesday.

The White House announced the update ahead of President Biden’s meeting with stakeholders, including Walmart CEO John Furner, FedEx Logistics CEO Udo Lange and UPS President of U.S. Operations Nando Cesarone, to discuss collective efforts to address global transportation supply chain bottlenecks on Wednesday.

UPS and FedEx combined shipped 40 percent of American packages by volume in 2020, according to the White House. “By taking these steps, they’re saying to the rest of the supply chain, you need to move too, let’s step it up,” the official said, adding that Target, Samsung and Home Depot are also moving in the 24/7 direction.

Additionally, the Port of Los Angeles will move into 24/7 service. The port of Long Beach has been working 24/7 for the past three weeks, the official said. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) has made a commitment to staffing 24/7, and the terminal operators in the port will be responsible for booking the cargo movements in the off-hours.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... to-address
weatheriscool
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Social Security benefits to rise 5.9 percent for roughly 70 million people in 2022
Source: Washington Post

The Social Security Administration announced Wednesday that its beneficiaries will see a 5.9 percent increase in their benefit checks starting next year — the largest boost to benefits in close to four decades. The adjustment will be made for 64 million Social Security beneficiaries as well as 8 million Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries. Some Americans receive both benefits.

The cost-of-living increase, which will impact roughly 70 million people starting in late December and January, is tied to a measure of inflation that has surged this year as prices rise in a U.S. economy emerging from the coronavirus pandemic. Experts caution that millions of seniors will in reality see substantially less than a 6 percent bump, because Medicare Part B premiums are deducted from Social Security beneficiaries’ checks and are tied to seniors’ income.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday that prices rose 0.4 percent in September compared to August. Overall, prices are up 5.4 percent are up over the last year. The “cost of living adjustment” that determines Social Security payment hikes is based on a different measure of inflation, but they both capture similar phenomenon in the economy.

The Social Security benefit increase has averaged about 1.7 percent over the last 10 years. This year’s increase amounts to the biggest since 1982, experts say. “This is welcome but inadequate — healthcare and prescription drug costs have been going up way faster than seniors’ cost of living. People’s Social Security benefits have been eroding," Nancy Altman, co-director of Social Security Works, a nonprofit group.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-polic ... djustment/
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caltrek
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While it can be noted that Joe Manchin at least represents a state that voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2020, Krysten Sinema's state of Arizona actually voted for Biden. That makes here evident betrayal all the more painful and infuriating.

Big GOP Donors Poured Money Into Kyrsten Sinema’s Campaign in September
by Russ Choma
October 16, 2021

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... egadonors/

Introduction:
(Mother Jones) Arizona Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema has spent the last six weeks under increasing pressure from progressives to stop obstructing President Joe Biden’s agenda. Along with fellow Democratic moderate Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Sinema has all but halted the passage of Biden’s budget complaining about the price-tag for the wide-ranging piece of legislation publicly. And, according to reports, swiping at the prescription drug price provisions behind closed doors.

But angering progressives might not be a problem for Sinema. According to newly filed campaign finance reports, Sinema has found a fresh source of support in recent weeks: GOP rainmakers.

On Friday, Sinema’s campaign filed a fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission indicating that she had raised $1.1 million from July 1 through Sept. 30—about equal to the amount she raised in the previous three months. But included on the list of her max donors—donors who gave up to the legal limit of $2,900 per election, with a maximum of $5,800 every two years—were some huge names from Republican fundraising circles.
Stan Hubbard, a Minnesota billionaire who since at least 2000 has regularly written six-figure checks to the RNC and who supported GOP presidential hopefuls like Scott Walker (before giving to a pro-Trump super-PAC) wrote Sinema a $2,900 check on Sept. 29. And both Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Pilot truck stop chain and the NFL’s Cleveland Brown’s, and his wife Susan gave Sinema’s campaign $2,900 a piece on Septemeber 30. Haslam is a reliable GOP donor who has given at least $425,000 to the Senate Leadership Fund—a super-PAC set up by allies of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell to help the GOP take control of the Senate—as well as regular maximum donations to the GOP’s House and Senate party committees.

Another recent Sinema donor who also has previously supported the McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, is Marc Rowan, the billionaire CEO of private-equity giant Apollo. Rowan and his wife, Carolyn, both each wrote two $2,900 checks to Sinema’s campaign on September 29. Previously, Rowan has written $250,000 checks to the Senate Leadership Fund and to a secretive super-PAC that backed Scott Walker in Wisconsin.
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caltrek
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Speaking of freedumb loving Americans....

High-profile Capitol Rioter Gets All Clear to Represent Himself
by Samantha Hawkins
October 14, 2021

https://www.courthousenews.com/high-pro ... t-himself/

Introduction:
WASHINGTON (CN) — With the warning that self-representation will lead to spectacular and imminent failure, a federal judge granted permission Thursday to a California police chief turned yogi turned Three Percenter to do just that as he goes on trial for storming the U.S. Capitol.

“I will tell you up front: I’ve never seen a pro se defendant actually succeed,” U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth said, relaying to Alan Hostetter that in 2020 he had two defendants represent themselves, and both were convicted and sentenced to decades in prison. They were both in their 40s.

“I would never represent myself if I was charged with a crime,” Lamberth continued, telling Hostetter that he always tells defendants the adage, “If you represent yourself, you have a fool for a client.”

Hostetter faces a felony criminal indictment alleging that he conspired with Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, to obstruct Congress from certifying the electoral count by creating a violent mob at the U.S. Capitol. He is one of six California men associated with the Three Percenters to be charged with conspiracy related to Jan. 6.

The indictment also claims that Hostetter used his nonprofit, the American Phoenix Project, which he founded to oppose government-mandated Covid-19 restrictions, as a platform to advocate for violence against groups that supported Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
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caltrek
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Re: USA News and Discussions

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For folks outside of the U.S. I suspect the name Rachel Maddow doesn't mean much. Inside the United States, I believe that her news show on MSNBC, at one point at least, was the highest rated such cable news in the country. She has also been one of Donald Trump's most persistent and effective critics. So, her future is very much relevant to a "USA News and Discussion" thread.

MSNBC President: “No Immediate Rush” to Find Rachel Maddow Primetime Successor
by Alex Weprin
October 6, 2021

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv ... 35026522//

Introduction:
(The Hollywood Reporter) MSNBC executives aren’t sweating Rachel Maddow’s future at the cable news channel.

Maddow in August signed a new long-term deal with NBCUniversal, one that will see her develop other types of content and programming for MSNBC and other NBCU channels and platforms. Critically, it also means that at some point, perhaps within the next year, Maddow will step aside from her 9 p.m. primetime show (6 p.m. on the West Coast - caltrek) in favor of a less-intense TV on-air schedule.

Interviewed at The Information’s WTF conference Wednesday, MSNBC president Rashida Jones said that while “it is something we are working through, there is no immediate rush here.”

“One of our goals, and more importantly her goal, is how to take the content that she and her team is doing and find a way to bring it across our entire portfolio,” Jones added. “How do we get exposure in more of those places?”

Still, Jones says she thinks more ink will be spilled about the channel’s primetime plans. “I expect the speculation to continue, I expect the rumors to continue. It comes with the territory,” she said, adding that “those who know don’t talk, and those who talk don’t know.”
Last edited by caltrek on Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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