A Wing and a Prayer

SNAFU: The Republican talking point amplified by much of the media is that the US border with Mexico is open and that anyone who wants to cross is being invited in and handed a first class bus ticket to wherever they want to go, especially to your backyard. Given that rhetoric, it might surprise you to learn that more than 70% of those trying to cross are being sent back.  The current “surge” is largely composed of unaccompanied minors, many of whom are trying to join relatives already here. It shouldn’t be a surprise that dealing with those migrants is a problem as it has been through various administrations.  The difference between Biden and the Former Guy, is that Biden is trying to deal with the problem with more humanity, but  getting slammed for doing so largely because immigration is a hot button, the infrastructure to deal with the numbers of minors crossing was never all that adequate to begin with, what was there was largely dismantled during the Former Guy’s reign, the current facilities are overcrowded and inappropriate and lots of the migrant children are emotionally distraught and who wouldn’t be given their circumstances.  So expect to hear more squawking from the press, who during a pandemic insist they should be allowed in to the facilities where the migrant minors are being held before they’re either united with family members or sent to more appropriate destinations.  Basically, it’s Situation Normal All F-cked Up and expected to stay that way as Republicans, even those who’ve previously endorsed immigration reform, are likely to remain unwilling to negotiate anything with Democrats because the “marauding diseased hordes” theme is too potent a campaign tool to let go of anytime soon, if ever, especially if as expected Biden’s vaccination plan continues to accelerate and the economy rebounds.  Passing legislation to deal with immigration, election protection and a number of other hot potato subjects, even the violence against women act, won’t happen without changes to the Senate’s filibuster rules.  Those rules, which require a 60 member supermajority to pass anything not involving judges or budget “reconciliation” items aren’t set in stone and aren’t written into the Constitution.  As they stand now they advantage small states, and though not all small states are represented by Republican Senators, more of them are, so as a result the filibuster rules advantage Republicans.  That’s why Republican leader McConnell is threatening bloody hell if Senate Leader Schumer modifies them, something Schumer will be able to do if and when he gets all 50 of his members on board.  Over the weekend, California’s Diane Feinstein, one of Schumer’s more traditionalist/moderate Senators said that she would be up for changing the filibuster rules if that’s what it takes to get more legislation passed. With West Virginia’s Manchin also showing some flexibility, and Republican legislatures across the country passing voter suppression laws, it’s only a matter of time before the filibuster, or at least the current form of the filibuster goes the way of the Edsel because, everything else aside, unless Democrats can pass some form of voter protection legislation, they will be back in the minority sooner rather than later.  

Former Guy Chronicles:  Over the past week, a number of news outlets including CNN and the Washington Post detailed the Former Guy’s legal problems.  The long list touches almost all legal trip wires: election fraud, financial fraud, underpayment of taxes, defamation and so on.  Former lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen  reports that NY prosecutors have interviewed him eight times, the last time late last week and in person.  Not to be outdone, Jennifer Weisselberg, the disgruntled former daughter in law of CFO Allen Weisselberg was all over the news last week talking about her discussions with prosecutors about the apartment that the Former Guy gave her and her husband to live in rent free during their marriage, the value of which was not included in their taxable income even though it should have been, an indication that pressure is being put on Weisselberg to play ball or see his sons suffer.  Cohen believes that NYC District Attorney Cyrus Vance will indict the Former Guy sooner rather than later, and though Cohen is frequently wrong and has been saying that for some time, he was right when he warned that the Former Guy wouldn’t be easy to get out of Washington so he could be right this time especially since it’s likely that Vance will want to get that indictment handed down before he leaves office at the end of the year. In other Former Guy news, Mar a Lago  where Lara’s mask free dog charity shindig was recently held is on partial shutdown due to a coronavirus outbreak; his gold plated 757 is sitting exposed on a tarmac in Orange County NY short one engine; and via his spokesperson Jason Miller, the Former Guy indicated that he’ll be announcing the formation of his own social media company within two months, maybe right after he releases his health plan. The FG is also working up his list of endorsements, a list that is likely to include long-time supporter Alabama Congressman/insurrectionist Mo Brooks who once again is planning to run for Alabama Senator, this time for the seat being vacated by the retiring Richard Shelby. On the retirement front, Upstate NY Congressman Tom Reed, the co-chair of the House’s bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, who’d had his eyes on Governor Cuomo’s office announced that he’ll be leaving the House at the end of his term with no plans to return to return to any campaign trail, at least for now.  He made his announcement while apologizing for some sexual misconduct of his own.  Cuomo is still hanging in, for now.

Viral Musings: While spring breakers in Florida are doing their best to elongate the pandemic, the state’s Governor Ron DeSantis who must be spending big bucks on a PR firm continues to take victory laps for a job well done, one that has involved undercounting mortality and morbidity statistics, firing statisticians, and sending a disproportionate number of vaccines to wealthy Republican donors.  Astra Zeneca should find out who is repping DeSantis, they could use better press as judging by this morning’s news their vaccine performs quite well. The results from US studies indicate that the AZ vaccine is impressively effective and is not linked to an increase in blood clots. The US studies show that the AZ shots are 79% effective in preventing symptomatic disease and 100% effective against severe disease and hospitalization. Astra Zeneca is expected to apply for emergency use in the US within weeks.     

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124,481,412 shots in arms