Biden Presidency

[NorthDakota]

Yeah it’s weird what people are choosing to care about while Biden has a 70%+ approval rating in his handling of COVID, vaccination rates are through the roof, and a stimulus package just passed that has 75% public approval and will benefit most Americans either directly or indirectly. Shrug.

Eh...claiming the package has 75% approval seems a bit silly.

People want a check. You'd have a hard time convincing me that 75% of people approve of 90% of the shit in that thing. Once word gets around that the Dems used "covid" to send billions to special interests.....I suspect the approval will change. A lot of that is on the GOP for doing a poor job with messaging.

That thing is a complete disaster and that will become clear over time. Sending the checks is dumb/bad enough, but the other stuff is truly indefensible. Even lib economists have as much.

 

[Irish#1]

Yeah it’s weird what people are choosing to care about while Biden has a 70%+ approval rating in his handling of COVID, vaccination rates are through the roof, and a stimulus package just passed that has 75% public approval and will benefit most Americans either directly or indirectly. Shrug.

I think that the main driver in different perceptions comes down to what they're saying and how they're saying it. Compare these two public statements today:

Yep, it's all about the delivery and timing. On COVID, Biden basically took over right when the production and distribution was finally getting the kinks out and starting to get up a head of steam. On relief payments, it could have been Satan in office and his approval rating would be great when it comes to giving out free money. lol

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Eh...claiming the package has 75% approval seems a bit silly.

People want a check. You'd have a hard time convincing me that 75% of people approve of 90% of the shit in that thing. Once word gets around that the Dems used "covid" to send billions to special interests.....I suspect the approval will change. A lot of that is on the GOP for doing a poor job with messaging.

That thing is a complete disaster and that will become clear over time. Sending the checks is dumb/bad enough, but the other stuff is truly indefensible. Even lib economists have as much.

You speak in vague generalities and don’t actually point to any specific aspects of the bill that will be unpopular. I don’t consider putting more money in the pockets of the working class and parents with young children to be ‘special interests.’ Maybe you’re referring to the bailout of the aviation industry, but I wouldn’t bank on the American public getting angry at President Biden for saving 13,000 good paying jobs.

This is a good bill that’s going to help a lot of people, including children living in poverty through no fault of their own. It’s not ‘truly indefensible’ as you say. What is truly indefensible is giving a major tax cut to the wealthiest 1% of earners in the middle of an economic boom while we’re trillions of dollars in debt. President Biden’s bill doesn’t do that, the former guy’s did.

 

[Irish#1]

Eh...claiming the package has 75% approval seems a bit silly.

People want a check. You'd have a hard time convincing me that 75% of people approve of 90% of the shit in that thing. Once word gets around that the Dems used "covid" to send billions to special interests.....I suspect the approval will change. A lot of that is on the GOP for doing a poor job with messaging.

That thing is a complete disaster and that will become clear over time. Sending the checks is dumb/bad enough, but the other stuff is truly indefensible. Even lib economists have as much.

The first and last ones listed are my favorites.

• $1.5 million earmarked for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York to Canada. Senate Leader Chuck Schumer hails from New York.
• $50 million for “family planning” – going to non-profits, i.e. Planned Parenthood, or public entities, including for “services for adolescents[.]”
• $852 million for AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Vista, and the National Senior Service Corps – the Corporation for National and Community Service – civic volunteer agencies. This includes $9 million for the AmeriCorp inspector general to conduct oversight and audits of the largess. AmeriCorps received a $1.1 billion FY2020 appropriation.
• The Wall Street Journal editorial board estimated that only $825 billion was directly related to Covid-19 relief and $1 trillion was “expansions of progressive programs, pork, and unrelated policy changes.”
  
  For example, separately, our auditors found that $470 million in the bill doubles the budgets of The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities.
• $200 million in the bill to The Institute of Museum and Library Services (FY2019 budget: $230 million). This agency is so small that it doesn’t even employ an inspector general.
• $270 million funds the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities (FY2019 budget: $253 million) – In 2017, our study showed eighty-percent of all non-profit grant making flowed to well-heeled organizations with over $1 million in assets.
• $350 billion to bailout the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The allocation formula uses the unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2020. Therefore, states like New York and California –who had strict economic lockdown policies and high unemployment – will get bailout money. States like Florida and South Dakota – who were open for business – will get less.
• $128.5 billion to fund K-12 education. The CBO determined that most of the money in education will be distributed in 2022 through 2028, when the pandemic is over.
• $86 billion to save nearly 200 pension plans insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. There are no reforms mandated while these badly managed pensions are bailed-out. Many of these pension plans are co-managed by unions.
• $50 billion goes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A portion of these funds is earmarked to reimburse up to $7,000 for funeral and burial costs related to Covid-19 deaths.
• $39.6 billion to higher education. This amount is three times the money – $12.5 billion – that higher ed received with the massive CARES Act funding from last March.
• $1.5 billion for Amtrak – the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. In FY2020, Congress appropriated $3 billion for Amtrak ($2 billion in annual appropriations, plus an additional $1 billion in the CARES Act COVID relief bill). In the three years before the pandemic, AMTRAK lost $392 million – even after a $5 billion taxpayer subsidy (FY2017-FY2019).
• $50 million for environmental justice grants.Per Politifact, the bill appropriates to the Environmental Protection Agency $50 million for “grants, contracts and other agency activities that implement the environmental justice purposes and objectives” described in “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” an executive order signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994; and President Joe Biden’s “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” executive order.
• More than $100 million for an underground rail project in Silicon Valley. The bill allots $1.25 billion for federal transit capital investment grants.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

The first and last ones listed are my favorites.

• $1.5 million earmarked for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York to Canada. Senate Leader Chuck Schumer hails from New York.
• $50 million for “family planning” – going to non-profits, i.e. Planned Parenthood, or public entities, including for “services for adolescents[.]”
• $852 million for AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Vista, and the National Senior Service Corps – the Corporation for National and Community Service – civic volunteer agencies. This includes $9 million for the AmeriCorp inspector general to conduct oversight and audits of the largess. AmeriCorps received a $1.1 billion FY2020 appropriation.
• The Wall Street Journal editorial board estimated that only $825 billion was directly related to Covid-19 relief and $1 trillion was “expansions of progressive programs, pork, and unrelated policy changes.”
  
  For example, separately, our auditors found that $470 million in the bill doubles the budgets of The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities.
• $200 million in the bill to The Institute of Museum and Library Services (FY2019 budget: $230 million). This agency is so small that it doesn’t even employ an inspector general.
• $270 million funds the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities (FY2019 budget: $253 million) – In 2017, our study showed eighty-percent of all non-profit grant making flowed to well-heeled organizations with over $1 million in assets.
• $350 billion to bailout the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The allocation formula uses the unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2020. Therefore, states like New York and California –who had strict economic lockdown policies and high unemployment – will get bailout money. States like Florida and South Dakota – who were open for business – will get less.
• $128.5 billion to fund K-12 education. The CBO determined that most of the money in education will be distributed in 2022 through 2028, when the pandemic is over.
• $86 billion to save nearly 200 pension plans insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. There are no reforms mandated while these badly managed pensions are bailed-out. Many of these pension plans are co-managed by unions.
• $50 billion goes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A portion of these funds is earmarked to reimburse up to $7,000 for funeral and burial costs related to Covid-19 deaths.
• $39.6 billion to higher education. This amount is three times the money – $12.5 billion – that higher ed received with the massive CARES Act funding from last March.
• $1.5 billion for Amtrak – the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. In FY2020, Congress appropriated $3 billion for Amtrak ($2 billion in annual appropriations, plus an additional $1 billion in the CARES Act COVID relief bill). In the three years before the pandemic, AMTRAK lost $392 million – even after a $5 billion taxpayer subsidy (FY2017-FY2019).
• $50 million for environmental justice grants.Per Politifact, the bill appropriates to the Environmental Protection Agency $50 million for “grants, contracts and other agency activities that implement the environmental justice purposes and objectives” described in “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” an executive order signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994; and President Joe Biden’s “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” executive order.
• More than $100 million for an underground rail project in Silicon Valley. The bill allots $1.25 billion for federal transit capital investment grants.

90% of that bill is hot garbage and does nothing relative to Covid.

 

[IrishLax]

90% of that bill is hot garbage and does nothing relative to Covid.

79% of the bill is either directly related to COVID, or tangentially related to COVID. 44% of the bill is direct aid to individuals. 9% is to help schools reopen as soon as possible. 18% is COVID aid to states and localities to help with vaccinations and other COVID related costs.

It does include some measures that aren't directly related to COVID. It is a budget and spending bill after all, and that's how it's being passed. For example, it includes a $300/kid monthly tax credit (that comes in the form of direct deposit checks) that will do more to end child poverty in this country than any piece of legislation passed in at least the past 20 years and is especially necessary given the impact of COVID on family structure // schools being closed. This is not a Democratic boondoggle, Mitt Romney was the first to propose a similar measure, and it's frankly amazing policy. If you want to criticize Democrat pork be my guest, but let's not pretend that only 10% of the bill has anything to do with COVID or that there isn't very good policy in it to help many Americans.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

You speak in vague generalities and don’t actually point to any specific aspects of the bill that will be unpopular. I don’t consider putting more money in the pockets of the working class and parents with young children to be ‘special interests.’ Maybe you’re referring to the bailout of the aviation industry, but I wouldn’t bank on the American public getting angry at President Biden for saving 13,000 good paying jobs.

This is a good bill that’s going to help a lot of people, including children living in poverty through no fault of their own. It’s not ‘truly indefensible’ as you say. What is truly indefensible is giving a major tax cut to the wealthiest 1% of earners in the middle of an economic boom while we’re trillions of dollars in debt. President Biden’s bill doesn’t do that, the former guy’s did.

Just imagine how many people it could help if it:
A. Allocated ALL of the money that will be or already has come out of taxpayers pockets to helping people and addressing the consequences of the pandemic, rather than roughly 20% of it.
B. Even if the money allocated to actual C19 relief efforts was the entire bill, it would cost Americans a whole lot less money than having us fund the billions of dollars in garbage in the bills that has nothing to do with the pandemic.
People believe what they want to believe, facts be damned. There is a reason the economies in all of the red states are suffering far less than those run by democrats, it has been that way for a long time, and the pandemic has done nothing but further widen the gap. Not completely sure what it will take for people to open their eyes.

 

[Irish#1]

79% of the bill is either directly related to COVID, or tangentially related to COVID. 44% of the bill is direct aid to individuals. 9% is to help schools reopen as soon as possible. 18% is COVID aid to states and localities to help with vaccinations and other COVID related costs.

It does include some measures that aren't directly related to COVID. It is a budget and spending bill after all, and that's how it's being passed. For example, it includes a $300/kid monthly tax credit (that comes in the form of direct deposit checks) that will do more to end child poverty in this country than any piece of legislation passed in at least the past 20 years and is especially necessary given the impact of COVID on family structure // schools being closed. This is not a Democratic boondoggle, Mitt Romney was the first to propose a similar measure, and it's frankly amazing policy. If you want to criticize Democrat pork be my guest, but let's not pretend that only 10% of the bill has anything to do with COVID or that there isn't very good policy in it to help many Americans.

I won't argue the percentages, because it really depends on what one really considers COVID related. Your interpretation versus mine versus Polish Leppy versus the person writing the article are probably all different.

From the WSJ

The Wall Street Journal editorial board estimated that only $825 billion was directly related to Covid-19 relief and $1 trillion was “expansions of progressive programs, pork, and unrelated policy changes.”

My issue is throwing in the pork that isn't even closely related. Hard to justify most of what was posted above as COVID related.

 

[NorthDakota]

I won't argue the percentages, because it really depends on what one really considers COVID related. Your interpretation versus mine versus Polish Leppy versus the person writing the article are probably all different.

From the WSJ


My issue is throwing in the pork that isn't even closely related. Hard to justify most of what was posted above as COVID related.

Yeah it depends on what we consider related.

The school stuff, to me, is not covid related. Any school that isn't open today is using covid as an excuse. I think we've known this for awhile. I dont think a single school will be open in August BECAUSE of this money.

Payments for pension plans, again, not covid.

Payments to state and local governments, eh... covid-y but a dumb idea.

Whether a lot of it is covid-related or not I suppose doesn't really matter. What does matter is its a shit ton of money and the pandemic is drawing to a close anyway. I understand needing to get people to the finish line, but a lot of this doesn't appear to be designed to do that.

 

[IrishLax]

I won't argue the percentages, because it really depends on what one really considers COVID related. Your interpretation versus mine versus Polish Leppy versus the person writing the article are probably all different.

From the WSJ


My issue is throwing in the pork that isn't even closely related. Hard to justify most of what was posted above as COVID related.

In the breakdown I saw, it was about $420 billion for projects and policy that has nothing to do with COVID. Whether it's a trillion dollars or $420 billion that's a lot of pork. Extremely fair to criticize every last penny of that.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Sadly, the Democrats know that the vast majority of people only care about the fact that they are getting a check. So it's packed with pork because they know there will be very little fall out.

 

[Blazers46]

Sadly, the Democrats know that the vast majority of people only care about the fact that they are getting a check. So it's packed with pork because they know there will be very little fall out.

There could be a cure for Cancer in this bill but if there was no check it would have a very low approval rating. People are fickle and dumb and have been trained to depend on the government. A lot of "what can you do for me".

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Just imagine how many people it could help if it:
A. Allocated ALL of the money that will be or already has come out of taxpayers pockets to helping people and addressing the consequences of the pandemic, rather than roughly 20% of it.
B. Even if the money allocated to actual C19 relief efforts was the entire bill, it would cost Americans a whole lot less money than having us fund the billions of dollars in garbage in the bills that has nothing to do with the pandemic.
People believe what they want to believe, facts be damned. There is a reason the economies in all of the red states are suffering far less than those run by democrats, it has been that way for a long time, and the pandemic has done nothing but further widen the gap. Not completely sure what it will take for people to open their eyes.

I see you’ve found your Fox News talking point and your sticking to it. The truth is much more than 20% of this bill is being allocated in ways that will directly or indirectly put money in people’s pockets who need it. It’s being done in a variety of ways from stimulus checks to child tax credits to boosted unemployment benefits to shoring up pensions to saving jobs for police officers, firemen, airline workers, and small restaurants. The benefits will be spread far and wide unlike the GOP’s tax cut giveaway to the billionaire class.

 

[IrishRazor82]

Anyone who thinks the COVID relief package is good as constructed should never advance further than running a lemonade stand. It will have subtle but terrible consequences across the country in the years to come.

 

[drayer54]

The black farmer reparations is an interesting thing to tack on to a COVID relief bill. Apparently, white farmers are doing fine and were the only recipients of earlier relief?

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/farmers-covid-debt-relief-bill-black-billion

 

[TorontoGold]

Anyone who thinks the COVID relief package is good as constructed should never advance further than running a lemonade stand. It will have subtle but terrible consequences across the country in the years to come.

Specifically what part will have terrible consequences?

 

[Irish#1]

In the breakdown I saw, it was about $420 billion for projects and policy that has nothing to do with COVID. Whether it's a trillion dollars or $420 billion that's a lot of pork. Extremely fair to criticize every last penny of that.

Yeah, I don't have a problem with the school funding, unemployment, etc.

Specifically what part will have terrible consequences?

Easy for a Canuck to say. It's our pocketbooks that will eventually pay for the fluff.

 

[TorontoGold]

Yeah, I don't have a problem with the school funding, unemployment, etc.



Easy for a Canuck to say. It's our pocketbooks that will eventually pay for the fluff.

Personally, liked your post listing out where some of the money was going. Wanted to see what specifically is making him upset. Never bet on the Democrats to get the optics right.

 

[ulukinatme]

The first and last ones listed are my favorites.

• $1.5 million earmarked for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York to Canada. Senate Leader Chuck Schumer hails from New York.
• $50 million for “family planning” – going to non-profits, i.e. Planned Parenthood, or public entities, including for “services for adolescents[.]”
• $852 million for AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Vista, and the National Senior Service Corps – the Corporation for National and Community Service – civic volunteer agencies. This includes $9 million for the AmeriCorp inspector general to conduct oversight and audits of the largess. AmeriCorps received a $1.1 billion FY2020 appropriation.
• The Wall Street Journal editorial board estimated that only $825 billion was directly related to Covid-19 relief and $1 trillion was “expansions of progressive programs, pork, and unrelated policy changes.”
  
  For example, separately, our auditors found that $470 million in the bill doubles the budgets of The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities.
• $200 million in the bill to The Institute of Museum and Library Services (FY2019 budget: $230 million). This agency is so small that it doesn’t even employ an inspector general.
• $270 million funds the National Endowment of the Arts and the Humanities (FY2019 budget: $253 million) – In 2017, our study showed eighty-percent of all non-profit grant making flowed to well-heeled organizations with over $1 million in assets.
• $350 billion to bailout the 50 States and the District of Columbia. The allocation formula uses the unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2020. Therefore, states like New York and California –who had strict economic lockdown policies and high unemployment – will get bailout money. States like Florida and South Dakota – who were open for business – will get less.
• $128.5 billion to fund K-12 education. The CBO determined that most of the money in education will be distributed in 2022 through 2028, when the pandemic is over.
• $86 billion to save nearly 200 pension plans insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. There are no reforms mandated while these badly managed pensions are bailed-out. Many of these pension plans are co-managed by unions.
• $50 billion goes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A portion of these funds is earmarked to reimburse up to $7,000 for funeral and burial costs related to Covid-19 deaths.
• $39.6 billion to higher education. This amount is three times the money – $12.5 billion – that higher ed received with the massive CARES Act funding from last March.
• $1.5 billion for Amtrak – the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. In FY2020, Congress appropriated $3 billion for Amtrak ($2 billion in annual appropriations, plus an additional $1 billion in the CARES Act COVID relief bill). In the three years before the pandemic, AMTRAK lost $392 million – even after a $5 billion taxpayer subsidy (FY2017-FY2019).
• $50 million for environmental justice grants.Per Politifact, the bill appropriates to the Environmental Protection Agency $50 million for “grants, contracts and other agency activities that implement the environmental justice purposes and objectives” described in “Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” an executive order signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994; and President Joe Biden’s “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” executive order.
• More than $100 million for an underground rail project in Silicon Valley. The bill allots $1.25 billion for federal transit capital investment grants.

Republicans are evil because they didn't vote for the pork....err....COVID bill! They hate America!

 

[calvegas04]

So much for Biden and other dems promising a $2k check if people voted for them to get them majority.

 

[irish4ever]

So much for Biden and other dems promising a $2k check if people voted for them to get them majority.

That's understandable, 'ol "Mush Brain" forgot months ago whatever he promised the American people!

 

[NorthDakota]

Manchin seemed to suggest he won't be voting yes on anymore legislation without some Republicans also voting yes.

curious how that will pan out.

 

[NDdomer2]

So much for Biden and other dems promising a $2k check if people voted for them to get them majority.

This is why not everyone should be allowed to vote

 

[Rogue219]

BREAKING: Man with dementia forgets to golf every weekend, remembers to sign too many executive orders, opponents can't make up their minds.

 

[NorthDakota]

BREAKING: Man with dementia forgets to golf every weekend, remembers to sign too many executive orders, opponents can't make up their minds.

I get that optics are bad if presidents golf too much but its kinda dumb. Golf is fun and reminds us all how flawed we are lol.

regarding Biden: yeah its silly. Need to pick a lane or be more careful with word choice.

On one hand, this dude is clearly cooked and will sign whatever is put in front of him. On the other, he is adamant about not getting rid of the filibuster.

Hard to square these two.

Thought it was funny last night he said we'll be able to have small gatherings by the 4th of July. Lol. There are gonna be Uncle Sam themed orgies in even the most liberal enclaves of the country. People are getting vaccinated.

 

[Irish#1]

Thought it was funny last night he said we'll be able to have small gatherings by the 4th of July. Lol. There are gonna be Uncle Sam themed orgies in even the most liberal enclaves of the country. People are getting vaccinated.

Didn't watch, because we know what he was going to say.

1. More people than ever getting vaccinated.
2. Infection rates are continuing to decline.
3. By June or July everyone will have had an opportunity to get vaccinated.
4. Keep wearing a mask.
5. Together we'll beat this.

How close am I?

 

[irish4ever]

The black farmer reparations is an interesting thing to tack on to a COVID relief bill. Apparently, white farmers are doing fine and were the only recipients of earlier relief?

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/farmers-covid-debt-relief-bill-black-billion

They want to play the "race card" in order to get people to "accept it". If you object to it, then you're deemed racist. It's plain and simple.

 

[ulukinatme]

It's still funny that Biden kept talking about having a plan to fight Covid during the campaign like he had some magic up his sleeve, and the plan is the same one the previous administration had: mask, distance, and vaccine. Biden is going to eventually raise a victory flag like it was his actions that beat Covid when in reality it was timing.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

It's still funny that Biden kept talking about having a plan to fight Covid during the campaign like he had some magic up his sleeve, and the plan is the same one the previous administration had: mask, distance, and vaccine. Biden is going to eventually raise a victory flag like it was his actions that beat Covid when in reality it was timing.

True, and years from now our public schools will teach children that Trump called Covid a hoax and the country was in peril until Biden was elected and delivered the vaccine.

 

[NDdomer2]

True, and years from now our public schools will teach children that Trump called Covid a hoax and the country was in peril until Biden was elected and delivered the vaccine.

Well one of these is true