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The Legislative Branch: I'm So Sick of Congress I Could Vomit

Bastet

By Bastet
in Current Events & Politics

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Bastet

Bastet

(edited)

Talk about the actions (and inaction) of the 114th Congress - and other Senators and Representatives - here: bills, floor debates, filibusters, off-floor statements, etc. 

(Vomit quote courtesy of Josh Lyman, The West Wing.)

Edited by Bastet
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Kromm

Kromm

This topic really would have been hopping around the time of the Sit-in.

The topic may drag a bit until after the election, unless of course people have things to post about specific congressional (and Senate) elections.  Actually I'd love to hear about those if people have stuff to say about their local weasels... er... Congresspeople and Senators, who else is running, what changes may come to the balance of the House and Senate soon, etc. 

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atomationage

atomationage

I keep voting for Tammy Duckworth.  Before the last census and re-districting, my Congresswoman was Jan Schakowsky.  I met her a couple of times at town hall meetings.  She's a very sweet lady.   I think her husband might be in jail. 

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BuckeyeLou

BuckeyeLou

I live in Indiana where our previous Senator, Evan Bayh, jumped back into politics and is running for the Senate again.  It is neck and neck in the polls,  he is running against a guy who touts his military service.  Lots of negative ads, which I'm tired of hearing.  But I'm hoping for a Senate that would work with Madame President. 

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Bean421

Bean421

John McCain is my senator and his race is pretty tough. He's getting it coming and going from trump supporters and trump haters. I'm personally voting against anyone who is a part of this who Supreme Court blockade. (You're next on my list Jeff Flake!) I would have more respect if they rejected the nomination via an up down vote, but this is shameful.

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zxy556575

zxy556575

(edited)

You may hear my weary sigh from outer space, but I'm in Florida where we're being treated to another Rubio Senate run, after he promised he would not seek reelection. He's currently slightly ahead in the polls: "Rubio’s 47-45 percent lead is buoyed by his higher name ID, solid GOP backing and the support of Hispanics voters, according to the polling memo from Global Strategy Group."

In the primary, I ended up voting for the alleged spousal abuser/financial cheat over this guy: "The Democrats meanwhile went out of their way to recruit one of the worst possible candidates available in any state, Congressman Patrick Murphy a two-term congressman with a very wealthy and generous Republican father. The Democrats had persuaded Murphy to switch his R to a D in 2012 and he unsurprisingly went on to compile one of the most conservative records in the House Democratic caucus. He was even one of the chief Benghazi witch hunters enthusiastically helping Republicans smear Hillary Clinton."

Nice.

Edited by lordonia
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Guest

Guest

Richard "Dick" Blumenthal is my senator and has been forever. I think Chris Murphy is too. I wish it was a Gov. year so I could get rid of Malloy.

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DeLurker

DeLurker

7 hours ago, lordonia said:

You may hear my weary sigh from outer space, but I'm in Florida where we're being treated to another Rubio run

Former Floridian here...I refuse to recognize anyone holding a political office there other than Bob Graham - he's a lifetime appointee for anything he fucking wants.  Well, I'd also recognize Skink as Governor, but being fictional doesn't make him worse than the non-fictional ones.

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Hanahope

Hanahope

7 hours ago, lordonia said:

The Democrats had persuaded Murphy to switch his R to a D in 2012 and he unsurprisingly went on to compile one of the most conservative records in the House Democratic caucus

Wow, why even bother.

My congressional district used to switch back and forth dem/rep until 2010 when the state was redistricted and I'm now stuck in a solidly republican gerrymandered worm.  Seriously, my district is this worm that squiggles back and forth over 5 counties.  Its disgusting.  Unfortunately, it seems that in PA, because there's more "land mass" for the Reps, there will almost always end up being a republican controled state legislature.  but we do get democratic governors from time to time.

PA is right on the borderline of Toomey v. McGinty.  Its going to be close, but I'm hoping McGinty gets it so the dems have another blue seat in the Senate for Hillary.

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Princess Sparkle

Princess Sparkle

15 hours ago, atomationage said:

I keep voting for Tammy Duckworth.  Before the last census and re-districting, my Congresswoman was Jan Schakowsky.  I met her a couple of times at town hall meetings.  She's a very sweet lady.   I think her husband might be in jail. 

I get legitimately excited to vote for Tammy Duckworth.  My mom, who is in the process of moving to another state, cast her absentee ballot as early as possible for the express purpose of voting for Tammy Duckworth.  

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atomationage

atomationage

When I lived in Florida, my Congressman was Bill McCollum, of the Clinton impeachment committee, who actually said at one point that Clinton should have to wear a Scarlet "A".  I used to get so infuriated on election day because he ran unopposed and his name wasn't even on the ballot.   IMO, he was the person responsible for the entire election mess in Florida in 2000, when he was running for the US Senate.  He had someone sitting in a courthouse in Seminole County, and another one in Martin county, filling out absentee ballots for the Banana Republicans, and throwing out the Democratic absentee ballots, because some information was not included by the election officials.  IIRC, this was done for 10,000 ballots in Seminole County, and 5,000 in Martin county. That brought GWBush into the running for Florida's electoral votes, and the SCOTUS ended up deciding the election in his favor.  Vincent Bugliosi wrote a book about the court decision, which I have, called The Betrayal Of America:   How The Supreme Court Undermined The Constitution And Chose Our President.  (Forewords by Molly Ivins and Gery Spence).

This Patrick Murphy character sounds like someone who,, if elected, would change back from D to R just to mess with our next President. 

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madmaverick

madmaverick

(edited)

I don't know enough about the Legislative branch contests in play this election.  Is there any chance of the Dems getting back a majority?  That would make a massive difference to Hillary's ability to get things done through Congress.   And honestly, I think the Republicans who've endorsed, un-endorsed, re-endorsed Trump should be punished at the ballot box, and basically the GOP needs to take responsibility for the rise of someone like Trump and what he represents and the support he gets from the Republican base as it currently is.

Edited by madmaverick
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Hanahope

Hanahope

17 minutes ago, madmaverick said:

 

I don't know enough about the Legislative branch contests in play this election.  Is there any chance of the Dems getting back a majority?  That would make a massive difference to Hillary's ability to get things done through Congress.  

 

Its difficult to say for the House.  The 2010 mid-terms were so lopsided in republican wins in the state governments and they all took the opportunity to redraw the districts to benefit republicans.  This is a huge example of why mid-term elections can be so important, especially on the 0 years.  The democrats blew it big time and its resonated throughout this decade.  The last mid-term elections, in 2014, saw more democrat votes cast for Congress than republican votes, but the republicans still controled the House by a very comfortable margin because of gerrymandering.  Unless Hillary can manage a significant coattail, convince voters to vote straight democratic ticket, keep republican voters sick of Trump home, the Republicans will probably still control the House, even if by a small margin.  But that control affects what bills get out of committee and make it to the House floor for votes, not to mention fillibusters.

The lastes poll results on 538.com show a 50-50 split in the Senate, but the VP can break ties, so the control is leaning to the Dems.  However, that doesn't help with stopping fillibusters and certain votes that require 2/3 majority.

The question is even assuming the Dems get control of the Senate and the Reps keep control of the House, will the Rep party continue to be the party of No and obstruct everything and anything proposed by Clinton, or will some be willing to compromise and cross party lines, thereby risking being primaried by the extreme faction of the rep party again.

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atomationage

atomationage

More people vote for Democrats in the Congressional races than the Banana Republicans.  The way the states are and the way the districts are drawn within them, is an advantage to whoever gets the most votes in the states with the fewest people.   The electoral college is based on the number of people each state sends to Congress, with the minimum number being three.   In the last election where I checked this out, the seven smallest states have Representatives in Congress equal to Illinois, but their combined population is much smaller.  I can't remember if it was less than a half or about a third of the population.  That's how a party that is always in the minority of the popular vote, can get a majority in Congress.

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Nidratime

Nidratime

I live in Washington, DC -- The District -- which has a bigger population than either Vermont or Wyoming, has greater active duty military personnel than 31 states, has higher tax revenues than 14 states, has a higher Gross Domestic Product than 17 states, and has no voting representation in Congress. No Senators and no Representatives. Just a Delegate, who can only vote in committee. We also have to have our local budget approved by Congress, who we have no power to vote out, including revenue raised locally, and individual Congressmen -- from far flung places whose politics are way different than ours -- also hold up and threaten our budget in order to strike down local laws they don't like which were approved by the people of the District and reflect our will.

Yes, your nation's capital is a colony. To live here and try to be a part of this community is to lose many rights as a citizen.

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MulletorHater

MulletorHater

On 10/14/2016 at 10:27 AM, Nidratime said:

I live in Washington, DC -- The District -- which has a bigger population than either Vermont or Wyoming, has greater active duty military personnel than 31 states, has higher tax revenues than 14 states, has a higher Gross Domestic Product than 17 states, and has no voting representation in Congress. No Senators and no Representatives. Just a Delegate, who can only vote in committee. We also have to have our local budget approved by Congress, who we have no power to vote out, including revenue raised locally, and individual Congressmen -- from far flung places whose politics are way different than ours -- also hold up and threaten our budget in order to strike down local laws they don't like which were approved by the people of the District and reflect our will.

Yes, your nation's capital is a colony. To live here and try to be a part of this community is to lose many rights as a citizen.

Another D.C. resident here.  A life-long native as a matter of fact.  What has always pissed me off to the highest of pissivity was the way congresspeople who don't even live here try to score points with their constituents back home by interfering in our local politics.  The tug of war over the legalization of marijuana is a prime example.  Don't even get me started on the failure and refusal to provide adequate funding for the Metro system despite the fact that many federal employees rely on public transportation.  

We have a non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives, Eleanor Holmes Norton.  She is able to sit in the House of Representatives and vote in committee, but she can't vote on the House floor.  At one time she had a vote in the Committee of the Whole, but that was taken away from her when the GOP came into power in 2011.

BTW, the Editorial Board of The New York Times posted a brilliant editorial today excoriating Senator McConnell and Speaker Ryan for their shameless silence in the face of Drump's lies about the voting being rigged.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/opinion/shameful-silence-on-donald-trumps-lies-about-vote-rigging.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region

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ebk57

ebk57

Another DC area native here.  I lived in the District for 3 years, but grew up in Silver Spring.  When I was able to move into the city, I really had to consider that this would mean I was giving up my Congressional representation.  I finally decided that being closer to the action (and work) was the key.  Then I met Mr ebk and moved back to Silver Spring.  Ah well... 

All the Congressional meddling in DC affairs is just so frustrating.  And as for Metro, the less said, the better.  Because it makes me incredibly sad and angry.

I hope the Congress, or at least the Senate, goes Dem.  In theory, divided government should work.  In practice lately, it doesn't.

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maraleia

maraleia

So I love it that I'm represented by Black elected officials starting with my Alderman Walter Burnett, State Rep Art Turner, State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt and Congressional Rep. Danny Davis. Did I mention that I'm white.

Burnett and Van Pelt aren't the greatest people BTW but that's beside the point of what I was saying above.

I get to vote for Hillary, Tammy, Susana Mendoza for Comptroller and Kim Foxx For Cook County States Attorney which means I get to vote for women from each of the four major racial groups. How awesome is that!!!

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xaxat

xaxat

In my NY Congressional district we have a legitimate three way race between a Democrat, a Republican and a self funding millionaire who had to create a new party because he screwed up his original paperwork to get on the ballot.

It's kind of funny to watch the third party candidate get blasted from both sides. With the Democrat running ads claiming he is a Trump supporter and the Republican claiming he is friends with Hilary.

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atomationage

atomationage

53 minutes ago, maraleia said:

Congressional Rep. Danny Davis. Did I mention that I'm white.

I like Danny Davis a lot.  I thought Blagojevich should have appointed him to the Senate instead of Roland Burris, because if he did, he might still be there instead of Kirk. 

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MulletorHater

MulletorHater

9 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

I'm not too sure about Patrick Murphy but it will feel good to cast a vote against Rubio.

Even the MiamiHerald has given up on him.

I have a special loathing for thirsty Senator Rubio.  Talk about the ultimate welfare queen!  He hates his job so much that he barely showed up for it.  Can barely manage his own finances but actually thought we should turn our nation's purse strings over to him.  As Bugs Bunny would say, what a maroon!

President Obama calling him out yesterday during a campaign stop in Miami Gardens, Florida was a thing of beauty:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-marco-rubio-trump_us_58092f55e4b000d0b155b905

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NewDigs

NewDigs

I happened to be watching that! 

LaughedOutLoud

I am loving a less-filtered Obama.

It was pretty scary when Rubio was one of few left standing. And people talked seriously about the possibility of him winning the GOP nomination.

Though he gets minor points for speaking out against using the Wiki stuff even if it was just a cya move. And he has also spoken out against Trump's rigged elections idea. More cya, I'm sure. 

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

1 hour ago, MulletorHater said:

I have a special loathing for thirsty Senator Rubio.  Talk about the ultimate welfare queen!  He hates his job so much that he barely showed up for it.  Can barely manage his own finances but actually thought we should turn our nation's purse strings over to him.  As Bugs Bunny would say, what a maroon!

President Obama calling him out yesterday during a campaign stop in Miami Gardens, Florida was a thing of beauty:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-marco-rubio-trump_us_58092f55e4b000d0b155b905

That was amazing. But those two twits standing behind Obama annoyed me to no end, teeheeing and TALKING while the PRESIDENT was speaking! I found it extremely rude.  Then there was the girl behind his right shoulder with the stone face that telegraphed to me she'd rather be anywhere else, and then started texting! Do you know how much I would have loved to have been at any of his stump speeches and being so close to him?!! 

Ummm, sorry ? for going off topic. Just ignore me.

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Silver Raven

Silver Raven

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is running against incumbent Republican Senator Mark Kirk.  Kirk has recently been called out for lying about having served in Iraq.  He was in the military, but did not serve in Iraq.  Tammy Duckworth, on the other hand, not only served, but she lost both of her legs in combat.  That doesn't stop her from being a badass.

Duckworth's father is white, her mother is half Thai and half Chinese. She is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In their debate (tonight? yesterday?), Duckworth talked about how all of her family had long records of having served in the US military, and she was proud of being a member of the DAR.  Kirk's response was, "I didn't realize your ancestors came over from Thailand to serve beside George Washington."

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biakbiak

biakbiak

15 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is running against incumbent Republican Senator Mark Kirk.  Kirk has recently been called out for lying about having served in Iraq.  He was in the military, but did not serve in Iraq.  Tammy Duckworth, on the other hand, not only served, but she lost both of her legs in combat.  That doesn't stop her from being a badass.

Duckworth's father is white, her mother is half Thai and half Chinese. She is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In their debate (tonight? yesterday?), Duckworth talked about how all of her family had long records of having served in the US military, and she was proud of being a member of the DAR.  Kirk's response was, "I didn't realize your ancestors came over from Thailand to serve beside George Washington."

Seriously what a straight up pile of putrid trash!

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candall

candall

(edited)
On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2016 at 8:56 AM, Hanahope said:

Wow, why even bother.

My congressional district used to switch back and forth dem/rep until 2010 when the state was redistricted and I'm now stuck in a solidly republican gerrymandered worm.  Seriously, my district is this worm that squiggles back and forth over 5 counties.  Its disgusting.  Unfortunately, it seems that in PA, because there's more "land mass" for the Reps, there will almost always end up being a republican controled state legislature.  but we do get democratic governors from time to time.

 

It's very exciting that Obama might devote himself to getting rid of gerrymandering for his post-Presidential project.

 

My Senate race is incumbent Roy Blunt(R) versus Jason Kander(D) and it's a sizzler.

The Kander ads describe Blunt as a Washington insider whose wife and three kids are all lobbyists, that his wife was a lobbyist for Phillip Morris when he was trying to get pro-tobacco legislation into a Homeland Security Bill.  The Blunt ads have Kander's face morphing into Hillary Clinton while the voiceover warns:  "He's just like HER."

Well, er . . . great!  For me, that's like TWO pro-Kander ads.

Edited by candall
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starri

starri

I really wish there was an actual Democrat for Senate in New York.  Chuck Schumer (and Andrew Cuomo) actually are everything Hillary is accused of being.  New York has a strange system where a candidate can be listed for multiple parties and the votes are aggregated.  I usually vote on the Working Families Party line, but I'm annoyed they've prostituted themselves to both Schumer and Cuomo in the two most recent elections.

If the Green Party had bothered to run someone who wasn't insane, and had a candidate who had any experience that was remotely related to government, I'd vote for him/her.  But no, they're running a woman who's pursuing an Masters degree in Applied Theater.

I'm writing in Semi-First Lady Sandra Lee, who is one of the few things about Cuomo I actually like.

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Princess Sparkle

Princess Sparkle

9 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is running against incumbent Republican Senator Mark Kirk.  Kirk has recently been called out for lying about having served in Iraq.  He was in the military, but did not serve in Iraq.  Tammy Duckworth, on the other hand, not only served, but she lost both of her legs in combat.  That doesn't stop her from being a badass.

Duckworth's father is white, her mother is half Thai and half Chinese. She is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In their debate (tonight? yesterday?), Duckworth talked about how all of her family had long records of having served in the US military, and she was proud of being a member of the DAR.  Kirk's response was, "I didn't realize your ancestors came over from Thailand to serve beside George Washington."

I voted early yesterday and couldn't have been more thrilled and proud to vote for Tammy Duckworth. That foul outburst by Mark Kirk makes me even happier that I got to vote against him. He's a vile pig. 

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atomationage

atomationage

(edited)

I just hope Tammy Duckworth keeps her cool and doesn't go low.   Kirk is supposed to be gay, but more importantly now, an idiot. He's claiming he's against drumpf, but why bother after this:

Edited by atomationage
drop out drumpf
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Silver Raven

Silver Raven

My incumbent Congressman is a Democrat (he says), though he votes A LOT with the Republicans and against the Democratic majority (voting not to allow for expansion of food stamps, voting in favor of TPP), so I haven't voted in the last two Congressional elections, because the Republicans are just repugnant.

This year, the Congressman's elderly father was just put into jail for fraudulent campaign finance donations.

The Republican opponent is the current County Sheriff.  He is notorious for being one of the leading distributors of concealed gun carry permits in the entire state of California, and the rate at which his gun permit recipients have been convicted of gun related crimes is the highest in the state.  At the same time, there is major scandal in the Sheriff's department involving sexual harassment, although most of it occurred before he was Sheriff.  But there is also a case in which a former deputy is accusing him, directly, of having sexually harassed her.

So all of that is showing up in both candidates' campaign ads.  This is one of the closest districts registration-wise in the state of California, so the Democrat winning is not a sure thing, but I just can't vote for a Democrat in Name Only who might as well as run as a Republican, so once again, I'm sitting out this vote.

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candall

candall

15 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

My incumbent Congressman is a Democrat (he says), though he votes A LOT with the Republicans and against the Democratic majority (voting not to allow for expansion of food stamps, voting in favor of TPP),

Well, that sucks.

I've voted for my Dem senior senator, but when I've checked the congressional record on two pieces of legislation I was particularly interested in, there she is, one of the handful of Dems who voted with the GOP. 

I think Congresspeople should think/act more independently and not toe the party lines like sheeple, but . . . sheesh.

My other senator is smug slimeball Roy Blunt, though.

Maybe this Jason Kander guy can beat the odds to get in there and make me proud.  (Although his chances just got torpedoed today, along with everyone else's, by the indirect hit--thanks so much, Comey, you ingenuous weasel dick.) 

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ChromaKelly

ChromaKelly

On 10/28/2016 at 8:57 AM, starri said:

I'm writing in Semi-First Lady Sandra Lee, who is one of the few things about Cuomo I actually like.

Huh, I didn't know that! Wonder if she still makes a Kwanzaa cake? I used to follow the thread on her show even though I never watched it. I'd go look up clips if there was something really funny.
(Sorry for the derail)

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Hanahope

Hanahope

I am so pissed at Republicans threatening to block anything and everything Hillary could do as President, including appointing another Supreme Court Justice, and any more that might be needed over the next four years, assuming she wins.  That a decent number of people in this country applaud and approve of their representatives actually preventing any governing from occurring at all seems to me tantamount to treason, and I think is abhorrent that they're allowed to continue voting in people who run on the specific platform of not doing anything and being as obstructionist as possible if their party isn't the President.

The fact that the Patriot Act is still on the books, which essentially gives the government carte blanche to take away many constitutional rights (first, second, fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth at a minimum) without due process is absolutely deplorable. 

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starri

starri

Apparently there are rumblings that Paul Ryan may not attempt to run for Speaker again when the new congress convenes in January.  In order to be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority (218 votes).  He may not be able to do that with a fractured GOP caucus.

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starri

starri

Apparently there's another first that no one is talking about.  If the Senate flips, Chuck Schumer will be the first-ever Jewish majority leader.

I only wish I didn't kind of hate him.

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BigBlueMastiff

BigBlueMastiff

Another sad former DC resident here, still amazed that they got that MJ legislation passed, yay! DC is horrible, but guess what's worse: living in the most corrupt city/county/state in the country. Yes, that would be the city of Chicago in Cook County, IL. The rampant corruption, would be laughable if it weren't real. The gerrymandering, the mayor, the aldermen, the state legislature, the governor. The former mayor daley, who lined the pockets of his familie and cronies at the city's expense, looming bankruptcy or receivership, city and state employees collecting multiple pensions for a days work of the backs of the employees who actually earned such pensions... I could go on and on, but it is too depressing.

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