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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#266076: Jan 7th 2019 at 8:19:08 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2019/01/07/day-718/

    Day 718: Prime-time. 

1/ The White House will order the IRS to pay out income-tax refunds, despite 90 percent of its workforce not working. A little over 10 percent of IRS employees are still on the clock through the partial government shutdown attempting to implement the sweeping Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The effort adds to bureaucratic backlog as the shutdown drags into its 17th day. (ABC News / New York Times)

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-order-irs-pay-income-tax-refunds/story?id=60216999

Senate Democrats are considering blocking all future legislation in order to maintain focus on the shutdown. Chuck Schumer told the Democratic caucus he will only focus on bills that would reopen the government. (CNN)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/07/politics/senate-democrats-mull-blocking-legislation-shutdown/index.html

2/ The Department of Agriculture wouldn't say for how long it will continue to pay out food stamps during the shutdown to the nearly 39 million people who depend on the service each month. Senior officials said the program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), has enough funding to cover the rest of January—but not enough for February. Congress has never let SNAP funding run out. (Politico / Washington Post)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/07/food-stamps-government-shutdown-1062090

3/ Trump's latest offer to end the shutdown includes a demand for $5.7 billion in funding "for construction of a steel barrier for the Southwest border," plus another $800 million to address "urgent humanitarian needs" related to unaccompanied minors arriving at the border. The White House refused to detail how the requested funding would be spent or why the amount is larger than what the administration requested a few months ago. Members of Congress made no progress in negotiations over the weekend. (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/as-shutdown-drags-on-trump-officials-seek-novel-ways-to-cope-with-its-impacts/2019/01/06/96c54a50-11ee-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html?utm_term=.958cf721ca45

Jimmy Carter became the latest former president to deny telling Trump he regrets not building a wall along the southern U.S. border. "I have not discussed the border wall with President Trump and do not support him on the issue," Carter said. (The Hill)

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/424205-jimmy-carter-denies-telling-trump-he-regrets-not-building-a-border

4/ Trump wants to deliver a prime-time address Tuesday night to discuss the government shutdown and what he calls "the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border." All major networks—ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC—confirmed they had received requests to air the broadcast during the 9 p.m. Eastern slot, but producers have not yet decided whether or not they will do so. (New York Times / Washington Post / NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-heading-southern-border-thursday-n955751

5/ The president of the World Bank resigned and will leave his post at the end of the month, three years before his term was set to end. Jim Yong Kim was nominated in 2012 by President Obama, and his early departure grants Trump the power to nominate a successor. Kim gave no reason for his sudden resignation. The CEO of the Bank will take over on an interim basis. (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/world-bank-president-resigns-paving-way-trump-appointee-helm-global-n955781

Notables.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg missed oral arguments at the Supreme Court for the first time in more than 25 years as she recovered from surgery. It is not clear when she will return to the bench, but a spokesperson said Ginsburg, 85, continues to work from home as she recuperates. Doctors removed two cancerous growths from her lungs on December 21. (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/b1d7eb8384ef44099d63fde057c4172c

Former GOP Sen. Jon Kyl became the second person to turn down Trump's offer to replace Jim Mattis as Secretary of Defense. Ret. Gen. Jack Keane also turned Trump down shortly after Mattis resigned late last month. (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/07/trump-struggles-to-replace-mattis-1084749

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to several Middle Eastern nations to reassure America's allies in the midst of a flurry of contradictions and confusion regarding Trump's plan to pull U.S. forces out of Syria and Afghanistan. (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/amid-confusion-syria-withdrawal-pompeo-heads-middle-east/story?id=60211093

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#266077: Jan 7th 2019 at 10:21:38 PM

Remember that time the Border Patrol used tear gas on refugees? And how FOX News had an interview with former deputy chief of the CBP Ronald Colburn in which he claimed that tear gas was "natural" and thus was safe, even going so far as to claim you could put it on nachos and eat it?

It just occurred to me that this was in the Simpsons.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#266078: Jan 7th 2019 at 11:07:48 PM

@Discar: To be fair, governing, almost by definition, is selectively hurting people. Any law, edict, etc any government makes ultimately has a long series of footnotes which end in "or we'll hurt (and possibly kill) you".

Yes, but there's difference between "we're going to help people (which requires hurting people, both physically and economically)" and "let's hurt all the people we don't like (which will help people, somehow)."

The purpose of a government should be maximising utility, not simply allocate harm.

That's what I meant. Making a government where the primary goal is to hurt people, rather than an unfortunate necessity, never ends well. Obviously not for the "enemy," but not for anyone else either. I don't want to bring up the fascism comparisons, but, well.

Writing a post-post apocalypse LitRPG on RR. Also fanfic stuff.
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#266079: Jan 8th 2019 at 1:56:17 AM

Would "We Told You So" be too ride a campaign slogan for communities like that 😐

"You can reply to this Message!"
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#266080: Jan 8th 2019 at 2:06:43 AM

[up]It would probably just piss them off and goad them into voting for Trump again. But I'm pretty sure they'd do it anyway.

Disgusted, but not surprised
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#266081: Jan 8th 2019 at 4:51:27 AM

Trump administration downgrades EU mission to US

The Trump administration has downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Union's delegation to the United States, an EU official has confirmed to DW. The demotion happened at the end of last year without notice.

The unannounced move by the US State Department, which has not previously been reported, downgraded the EU delegation's diplomatic status in Washington from member state to international organization.

"We don't exactly know when they did it, because they conveniently forgot to notify us," an EU official who is familiar with the matter told DW in an interview.

"I can confirm that this has not been well received in Brussels," the person said, adding that the issue and an official EU response was still being discussed.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#266082: Jan 8th 2019 at 8:02:02 AM

Pelosi and Schumer will personally deliver their televised response to Trump's wall speech.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#266084: Jan 8th 2019 at 8:41:46 AM

Maybe she would make a good candidate for future speaker/minority leader?

(What does "unjust wars" refer to, by the way?)

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#266085: Jan 8th 2019 at 8:48:15 AM

Unjust wars could mean the war on Drugs or the various conflicts in the middle east,might mean both

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
ITNW1989 a from Big Meat, USA Since: Nov, 2012 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
a
#266086: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:13:09 AM

[up][up] Personally I find it too early to tell (I'd like to see how the pressures of the job first shape her), but if she keeps on this she's definitely on my list of future Speaker.

Hitokiri in the streets, daishouri in the sheets.
Oruka Since: Dec, 2018
#266087: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:16:46 AM

It's a whole 'thing'. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_war_theory

For a war to be just, it must

  • Be entered for the right reasons.
  • Be fought right.
  • Be finished properly so as to have a right outcome.

Arguably this has not been the case lately for the US.

bitemytail Since: Dec, 2011
#266088: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:22:55 AM

[up] I see item 3 as the real sticking point, with all the Forever War scenarios we're in.

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#266089: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:23:36 AM

Trumpsters find that Trump's manic flailing is getting them caught up in the damage? There isn't a violin in the world small enough. Quick, someone find me a video of that guitar that's measured in nanometers and played by shooting lasers at it.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#266090: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:27:27 AM

It would probably just piss them off and goad them into voting for Trump again. But I'm pretty sure they'd do it anyway.

To me, the best case scenario has always been Trump voters staying home in 2020. Any of them that vote Democrat is a bonus.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#266091: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:52:35 AM

Veselnitskaya, Russian in Trump Tower Meeting, Is Charged in Case That Shows Kremlin Ties

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/nyregion/trump-tower-natalya-veselnitskaya-indictment.html

Emergency Exit: Mark Harris trips alarm trying to evade Channel 9 in uptown

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/as-reporters-try-to-ask-questions-mark-harris-uses-emergency-exit/900784100

Edited by sgamer82 on Jan 8th 2019 at 10:55:14 AM

Wildcard Since: Jun, 2012
#266092: Jan 8th 2019 at 9:55:26 AM

I hope the government shutdown continues until his own base hates him. It's sad that we need to use many people's paycheck, but it is time to stop compromising or negotiating with the right wing. They have shown their true colors here.

Sad that we can't have a functioning government unless a Rethuglican president has no power, but that is where we are. It might last for a year. Hope it doesn't, but you know Trump.

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#266093: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:21:18 AM

Julian Castro is expected to make an announcement about his candidacy over the weekend.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#266094: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:28:41 AM

Candidacy to what?

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#266095: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:36:37 AM

The 2019 primary is going to be a gigantic dumpster fire. just bugs me

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#266096: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:38:09 AM

Running for president.

Did I use the wrong word? Potential candidate? Primary candidate? What's a person running in the primary called?

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#266097: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:40:28 AM

You just didn't say what he was actually running for. The presidential election won't be the only one in 2020.

[down] Also kinda left that out.

Edited by sgamer82 on Jan 8th 2019 at 11:59:31 AM

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#266098: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:43:45 AM

Who's Julian Castro?

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#266099: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:46:02 AM

@Fourthspartan56: Yep; I can already see the beginnings of the left's own Donald Trump from that chaos; over the past few years the democratic party machine has pretty much imploded along with the technocratic center of the party. That's a recipe for disaster, and I'm not sure there's any way to avoid it that wouldn't essentially guarantee Trump's victory in 2020.

@Wildcard: Regretably, shutdowns have historically had no lasting effects on approval rating for either Presidents or parties, so that's unlikely.

Edited by CaptainCapsase on Jan 8th 2019 at 1:48:29 PM

Blueeyedrat Since: Oct, 2010
#266100: Jan 8th 2019 at 10:49:13 AM

[up][up] HUD secretary for the Obama admin, San Antonio mayor before that, one of the names floated around for 2016 VP candidate. Twin brother Joaquin is currently a House rep.


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