Monday, April 07, 2025

Wild Crocuses

 


8 comments:

  1. Wow! I just learned there were over 15,000 people at the Montpelier rally alone!! And there were more than 20 rallys across Vermont!
    Vermont Rally!

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    1. Wow, and double wow!
      -----Alan (Who has some experience estimating crowd sizes; those initially given in news reports are often underestimates, but it can be done reasonably well.)

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  2. I aced my annual checkup today! Whoo hoo!! 😃👍
    BP 128/74 and all’s well.
    Bloodwork results in a day or two, but no issues anticipated.

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  3. From Occupy Democrats…

    BREAKING: Seven prominent Republican senators break ranks from MAGA and sign on to a bipartisan bill that will block Donald Trump from imposing his disastrous tariffs without Congressional approval.

    This may just save our economy from total ruin...

    Senator Chuck Grassley, the Senate's president Pro Tempore, as well as former leader Senator Mitch McConnell have joined with Senators Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Todd Young, and Susan Collins to support the historic Trade Review Act of 2025.

    The legislation would make it so that the president must notify Congress of any plans to impose new or increased tariffs within 28 hours and would force him or her to provide an explanation for them.

    Given that Trump's tariffs are based on an entirely arbitrary and economically illiterate formula related to trade deficits, his "explanation" would be an entirely laughable document.

    "For too long, Congress has delegated its clear authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce to the executive branch. Building on my previous efforts as Finance Committee Chairman, I’m joining Sen. Cantwell to introduce the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reassert Congress’ constitutional role and ensure Congress has a voice in trade policy," stated Grassley.

    The bill will also require the administration to assess the impact of tariffs on American businesses and consumers, something that the Trump administration has been trying to downplay as the stock market crashes and consumer prices skyrocket.

    Best of all, it would ensure that any new tariffs sunset after 60 days unless Congress expressly passes a joint resolution affirming them. Given the manner in which Trump's tariffs are rapidly destroying the global economy, he'd struggle to get support from even MAGA diehards if it came to an actual vote.

    On top of that, the bill allows Congress to cancel tariffs before the 60 day window has elapsed if they pass a joint resolution of disapproval, something we are in desperate need of right now.

    The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar, Mark Warner, Michael Bennet, Peter Welch, Chris Coons, and Richard Blumenthal.

    The Trump White House has already stated that it "strongly opposes" the bill, which is exactly how you know that it's good for America.

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    Replies
    1. This does offer some hope.
      ------Alan

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    2. It would take enough Republicans in both Senate and House to override a veto, so doesn’t yet stand a chance. But at least the walls are beginning to crumble.

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  4. RFK Jr. won’t appear before Senate panel this week

    "hearings must be scheduled at least seven days prior, and as no official notice has gone out, the proposed hearing won’t take place on April 10."

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