Update no.990

 Update from the Sunland

No.990

28.12.20 – 3.1.21

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

            To all,

 

            The follow-up news items:

-- As noted in Update no. 989, the Bully-in-Chief (BIC) finally saw the light and decided he could not win against an overwhelming bipartisan majority in both chambers of Congress.  A week ago, late Sunday evening, the BIC signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [PL 116-xxx; H.R.133; Senate: 92-6-0-2(0); House: 359-53-0-17(6); 134 Stat. xxxx] to keep the government operating during the COVID19 pandemic.  Included within the law is Division M—Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, and under Division M is Division N – Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief; Title II—Assistance to Individuals, Families, and Businesses; Subtitle B – COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020; §272 Additional 2020 Recovery Rebates for Individuals that provides for a federal distribution of US$600 to individuals with “taxpayer's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)” of US$75,000.  Various Press reports indicate the Treasury has begun distributing the new funds to qualified individuals as it did last spring.

FYI: As of this writing, the Library of Congress still lists H.R.133 as the United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act.  Go figure!

-- Despite the protracted delays and efforts of his blindly loyal minions, the BIC unilaterally declared the US$600 provision under §272 (above) was not sufficient.  The House promptly passed [House: 275-134-0-21(5)] H.R.9051 – CASH Act, to increase the individual payment benefit to US$2,000.  True to form and expectation [778], the BIC ordered his sycophant minions in the Senate to block the hastily constructed bill intended to comply with the BIC’s declaration. He ordered the BICP senators to the two provisions he missed in the NDAA [989], which made the bill a so-called poison pill bill.  The Washington Post issued the following Twitter alert:

McConnell blocks Senate Democrats' initial attempt to approve $2,000 stimulus checks amid growing pressure on GOP leader to act

10:43 AM · Dec 29, 2020

To which, the BIC responded on Twitter:

Unless Republicans have a death wish, and it is also the right thing to do, they must approve the $2000 payments ASAP. $600 IS NOT ENOUGH! Also, get rid of Section 230 - Don’t let Big Tech steal our Country, and don’t let the Democrats steal the Presidential Election. Get tough!

12:11 PM · Dec 29, 2020

To show just how desperate the BIC is, he is willing to punish millions of very needy unemployed American citizens by withholding the additional pandemic support funds to get his retributive punishment of social media companies performing their moral obligations to the public.  To be clear, the social media companies have attached warnings to the BIC’s tweets when he does what he does—lie to We, the People.  You know, the sad reality here is if the BIC truly wanted a higher payment for We, the People, he would have ordered his BICP senators to pass H.R.9051 without the riders; but no, his self-aggrandizement is far more important than the welfare of We, the People.  Of course, that is not a revelation; only the BIC being the BIC.

-- The BIC vetoed the Defense appropriations act (H.R. 6395) [989] {23.December.2020}.  On Friday, New Year’s Day, Congress voted to override the president’s veto [Senate: 81-13-0-6(0); House: 322-87-0-21(5)].  Therefore, against the BIC’s veto, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA) [PL 116-xxx; H.R.6395; Senate: 84-13-0-3(0); House: 335-78-1-16(5)].  Thus, in accordance with Title III, Subtitle E, §370, numerous U.S. Army bases will be renamed to remove the names of confederate generals that have been traditionally used for decades.

-- Then, with all we have going on, the BIC’s ego must be fed [778 thru 989].  His last stand will (or should be) on Wednesday, 6.January.2021.  He has convinced a dozen BICP senators and a few representatives to contest the Electoral College votes.  A few of the diminutive groups claim they just want to reconcile the wild, irrational, evidence-less, accusations by calling a special commission to investigate alleged fraud in the 2020 election.  If the BIC wanted a commission, he has the authority to create and impanel a commission.  He does not need Congress.  Oh wait, he is trying to enjoin Congress in his QAnon-like conspiracy theories to avoid having his commission dismissed by the new president after the 20^th of January.  On top of his self-aggrandizement, the BICP control of the Senate hangs upon the outcome of Tuesday’s (5.January.2021) run-off election in Georgia.  He has not done very much to help his candidates.  He has done more to hurt them than to help them.  But, apparently, the BIC is convinced the BICP is going to lose both seats and thus control of the Senate, so he tweeted:

Before even discussing the massive corruption which took place in the 2020 Election, which gives us far more votes than is necessary to win all of the Swing States (only need three), it must be noted that the State Legislatures were not in any way responsible for the massive....

Election officials have certified Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. Presidential election

4:27 PM · Jan 1, 2021

Part II:

....changes made to the voting process, rules and regulations, many made hastily before the election, and therefore the whole State Election is not legal or Constitutional. Additionally, the Georgia Consent Decree is Unconstitutional & the State 2020 Presidential Election....

This claim about election fraud is disputed

4:27 PM · Jan 1, 2021

Part III:

....is therefore both illegal and invalid, and that would include the two current Senatorial Elections. In Wisconsin, Voters not asking for applications invalidates the Election. All of this without even discussing the millions of fraudulent votes that were cast or altered!

This claim about election fraud is disputed

4:27 PM · Jan 1, 2021
[Emphasis mine.  Blue text added by Twitter.]

Where were the BICP (former GOP) representatives and senators for the last four years?  BIC claimed the elections were rigged in 2016.  Why didn’t they activate an election integrity commission four years ago?  Are they only concerned with the validity of elections when they lose?  Now, we have Congress falling victim to the BIC’s magic snake-oil elixir, doing what 60+ (and growing) BIC-induced court cases failed to do—void the 2020 election and anoint the BIC dictator-for-life.  The actions of various representatives and senators in recent days is a genuine insult to the states and We, the People—plain, simple, and direct.  The BIC’s conduct and worse the acquiescence of the BICP Members of Congress in this sordid episode does not reflect kindly on the representative democracy that governed his once grand republic.  Very sad! But it is what it is—a very typical and appropriate consequence of electing a delusional, malignant narcissist, megalomaniac to be our president.  A clear substantial minority of this once grand republic have obviously not learned the lesson.  The sole purpose of an election fraud commission is to extend the BIC’s evidence-less, false accusations to assuage his bruised ego.  There is NO probable cause, and we are world’s away from beyond a reasonable doubt.  The Judicial Branch has decisively ruled in 60+ election cases that there is no evidence for probable cause.

 

With the COVID19 pandemic ravaging American society and the BIC desperately trying to find something his poor ego, we have overlooked a major accomplishment of the president’s administration.  On Thursday, the 10^th of December, Morocco announced they would join Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Sudan in normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel.  However they have done it, they deserve recognition and praise.  That is no small trick.  Congratulations to the BIC and his administration.

Footnote: For the good his administration has done, none of it absolves him of his outrageous, self-serving, and abusive conduct.

 

Fair warning, I believe we will have a very rough week next week—the first full week of the New Year.  The rough week warning may well extend for the next few weeks.  The world will bear witness to the actions and conduct of a very deeply flawed and desperate man going through his figurative death throes.  I suspect he will defy the wildest imagination of most of us, if not all of us.  I would like to think we shall also bear witness to the resiliency of representative democracy in dealing with the demagogue who happened to be elected president of the United States of America.  We, the People, made the dreadful mistake of electing the man; now, we must suffer the consequences as we have been doing for the last four years.  The best I can say at this moment is, hang on tight, roll with the punches, and try your best to take the long view.  We shall overcome the nonsense we are about to witness.  May God bless We, the People, and the United States of America.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.989:

“I gave a quiz question ?

“Give that they gave now declared me retired .. can I assume that i am not a citizen of the working class, right?

“Even though my financial hardship has increased exponentially since the pandemic was declared in 3/20.  My credit card, that has been paid in full monthly for years, since it was established: strictly cash + carry.. has been maxed out now, leaving me with month interest payments over $100. In large part for unexpected medical expenses: er tests + surgery.

“As i understand from the choice of language in this relief, I do not qualify for the pending stipend check of any amount, correct?

“I appreciate your clarification here in advance, as i'm sweating bullets.

“God.dess help me.”

My reply:

I am so sorry to hear of your trauma in our current predicament.  This viral pandemic and consequent economic impact have been hard on all of us.

I suspect the Press reports you listened to were characterizations rather than precise language.  I do believe ‘working class’ is defined by annual income rather than physically working.

Although this detail may be too much, I offer it simply for precision, just in case you should ever need it.  The POTUS signed into law late Sunday night H.R. 133 that includes the COVID19 relief bill.  The text of the bill was finally loaded yesterday and became available to the public.  The item you are concerned about is: H.R.133 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021; Division N – Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief; Title II—Assistance to Individuals, Families, and Businesses; Subtitle B – COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020; §272 Additional 2020 Recovery Rebates for Individuals that provides for a federal distribution of US$600 to individuals with “taxpayer's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)” of US$75,000.  If your 2019 AGI does not exceed US$75K, then you should receive the US$600 disbursement.  The language in the law does not mention retirement status, only AGI.  The bill does not specify a time either, so it will be as soon as the USG can process and post the checks (it might be by direct deposit if the IRS has such instructions from you).  According to various Press reports, the checks should be distributed in the next few weeks.

Related but not clear regarding what impact the BIC’s demand for higher distributions (US$2,000 per individual) will have on this process adds a twist.  The House voted late yesterday to approve the change, but it appears the Republican controlled Senate may block the change (all of a sudden, they found their fiscal conscience).  Stay tuned.

I hope this answers your query.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“Thank You for your clarity and timely response.

“My comments were, clearly, operating in a place of fear. I am certain this will be a very long, slow recovery.

“I am deeply grateful that my housing is/appears to be secure. I learned from personal experience that not having a secure roof over your head to be a pain I can only hope I never have to endure, again.

“I am saddened by the need to even bring this to your attention.  I do take comfort in your reducing some of my angst.  Of course, I'm certain you and Jeannie, are dealing with your own losses and unfortunate concerns.  May this be turned to a recovery mission with a reasonable and steady recovery in this coming year.”

 . . . my follow-up reply:

These are troubled and I dare say fearful times, and we are not out of the woods yet.  I hope the words did a little to assuage your fears.  Yes, the recovery will likely be long and slow.  And thanks to the BIC, it will be longer and more difficult than necessary because of his incompetence; but we signed up for this when we elected him.  He is what he is, and he has always been what he is.

So far, President-elect Biden appears to be doing all the right things to deal with the pandemic and economic recovery, and to be ready to hit the ground running when he takes the oath of office, despite all of the BIC’s shenanigans to serve his self-image and malignant narcissism.

We all face our trials in life.  I hope you find stability and peace as soon as possible.  We are too old to feel fear for our well-being.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“One problem for ‘strict constructionists’ or whatever they’re calling it now is that sometimes the words can’t mean what the Justice wishes them to mean.  In the case of counting undocumented immigrants in the census, the Supreme Court clearly refused to do its Constitutional duty.

“I don’t really care about the current stimulus bill.  There’s no point in a $600 payment when that won’t even catch up with the utility bills for the millions of unemployed.

“Biden has to reach out to Republicans.  It’s not as if he’s a progressive or something.”

My response to the Blog:

I have many conflicts with the “strict constructionists.”  The word immigrant or immigration does not appear in the Constitution.  I will note here that the Framers precisely chose the word “persons,” not citizens, nor did they define citizenship.  It was not until the 14^th Amendment (1868) that citizenship appears.  As noted in Update no.989, I can argue both sides of this one.  I will also note the extraordinary Catch-22 in the failure of the USG to address comprehensive immigration reform.  Like so many issues these days, the USG has demonstrated a penchant for pushing the burden of their failure onto the states.  The BIC’s 21.July.2020 memorandum is simply one more of those insults to the states.

Well, OK, but I tend to think something is better than nothing.  Will you reject the check?  Just an FYI: the House passed last night a bill reportedly to increase the distribution from US$600 to US$2,000 (although the language and legislative details are not yet available).  The US$2K amount is still not enough, but again, something is better than nothing.

We do not have a societal rift between moderate & progressive Democrats; we do have a monumental chasm between the BICP and everyone else.  We’ll see how President-elect Biden does with embracing everyone (including progressives).  However, the notion that progressives control the agenda is a bit unrealistic.  We need compromise, not intransigence one way or another.

 . . . follow-up comment:

“Of course, I'll spend the check.  If it's $600 that won't take me any longer than it will anyone else.

“There aren't really any ‘moderate’ Democrats.  There are corporate Democrats, and they have more in common with Republicans than they do progressives.”

 . . . my follow-up response:

I will be grateful for what is provided.

I do believe your generalization is wrong.  You are entitled to believe what you wish for whatever reason you wish, but on that issue, we shall respectfully disagree.  Nonetheless, we shall keep a close eye on the new administration as we have done for all previous administrations in our adult lifetimes.

 

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)