Gretchen Carlson: Asking if Pelosi is a 'kook' is tough question for Palin
January 13, 2010
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White House blasts Manchin-GOP push for Social Security 'death panel'
February 07, 2023
The Biden White House made clear on Monday that it opposes the creation of commissions to devise changes—and possible cuts—to Social Security and other U.S. trust funds, rejecting an idea embraced by Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin amid a dangerous standoff over the nation's debt ceiling.
In a statement to Bloomberg Government, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates called the proposed commissions a "death panel for Medicare and Social Security," repurposing a term that GOP lawmakers used frequently in their attacks on the Affordable Care Act.
Bates said the GOP's renewed push for Social Security and Medicare commissions represents the "latest in a long line of ultimatums about how they'll act to kill jobs, businesses, and retirement accounts if they can't cut Medicare and Social Security benefits."
The commissions in question are central to legislation known as the TRUST Act, which Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Manchin (D-W.Va.), and other lawmakers reintroduced in 2021 and have frequently touted as a potential path to a bipartisan compromise on Social Security and Medicare.
But advocates warn that the commissions—modeled after the infamous Obama-era Bowles-Simpson initiative—are an attempt to fast-track cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Under the TRUST Act, bipartisan panels of lawmakers would be established with a mandate to craft "legislation that restores solvency and otherwise improves" the programs—a vague and highly subjective standard.
The legislation would then receive expedited consideration in Congress, with no amendments permitted.
"We need to expand Social Security's modest benefits, never cut them."
As recently as last month, Manchin floated the TRUST Act as a possible way to reach a deal with the House GOP to avert a debt ceiling disaster. Republicans have demanded steep cuts and changes to Social Security, Medicare, and discretionary spending—which includes education, healthcare, and climate outlays—as part of any deal to raise the federal government's borrowing limit.
Bloomberg Lawreported Monday that House Republican committee and caucus chairs have gotten behind the idea of forming Social Security and Medicare commissions in recent days.
"I don't believe we’re going to do what is necessary and right, which is save and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, without having a bipartisan mechanism," Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), chair of the House Budget Committee and a co-sponsor of the TRUST Act, told the outlet.
Social Security Works, a progressive advocacy group that has been a vocal opponent of the TRUST Act, applauded the White House's stated opposition to the TRUST Act.
"They are absolutely right—the TRUST Act is a ploy to gut Social Security and Medicare behind closed doors," the group tweeted late Monday. "We need to expand Social Security's modest benefits, never cut them."
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"The View" host Whoopi Goldberg wants President Joe Biden to push back against Republicans who she accuses of trying to limit the scope of history instruction.
The president will deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday night, and the show's panelists suggested topics they wanted to be addressed, and Goldberg urged Biden to take on governors such as Ron DeSantis in Florida and Greg Abbott in Texas who wanted to regulate discussion on race and racism in history classes.
"What I need from him desperately is I need for him to say to all those brown kids who adults keep saying your history isn't important, 'I'm your president, I'm telling you it is,'" Goldberg said. "'I'm your president, I'm telling you that I don't accept the erasure of Black and brown people from America's history because there is not American history without these Black and brown people.' That's what I want to hear him say tonight, because one of the things that he knows is that woman, in particular, and particularly brown women have worked their butts off to make sure that he became the president."
IN OTHER NEWS: Republicans expect 'balloons in the audience' for Joe Biden's State of the Union speech
"I need to hear him say, 'This bonehead in Florida and in Texas is out of step with America,'" she added. "'He's out of step with who we are as a nation, because there is no nation without us.' I need to hear him say that as my president. I need to know that he's aware that there are freaks out there who are trying to change history, and he's not going to stand for it. That's what I want from you, Joe."
Watch video below or at this link.
02 07 2023 11 05 14 youtu.be
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Republicans expect 'balloons in the audience' for Joe Biden's State of the Union speech
February 07, 2023
Republican supporters hope there will be "balloons in the audience" when President Joe Biden gives his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
One caller to San Antonio's WOAI morning show floated the idea of Republicans bringing balloons to the speech to protest Biden's handling of a surveillance aircraft from China that traversed the U.S. last week.
"The state of the Union is Dela-what? Dela-why? And Dela-where?" the caller said. "And also, there will be balloons in the audience so that should be quite entertaining."
Host Chris Duel called the idea "fantastic."
"If there's balloons in the audience, that's just going to be fantastic," he said.
"If the Republicans all come with white balloons, blow them up, that would be great," co-host "Mr. T" agreed.
Co-host Charity McCurdy predicted it would be "a true circus."
On Twitter, scores of comments echoed the call for Republicans to bring balloons to the speech.
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