Tag: U.S. Senate

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Elections GOP Polls U.S. Senate

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson In Big Trouble As New Poll Shows Him Losing Badly In November

Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson is fading quickly down the stretch as the 2022 midterm election enters the last leg, with a new poll showing him significantly behind in his race to remain in the U.S. Senate.

Johnson, who has been an ardent acolyte and apologist for disgraced, one-term, twice-impeached former president Donald Trump is now down by 7 points to Democratic nominee Mandela Barnes, who would become the youngest member of the Senate at 35 if he defeats the incumbent. He would also be the first black senator to ever represent Wisconsin.

The poll, from Marquette Law School, shows Barnes with a commanding 51-44% lead over Johnson, and the fact that Barnes is above 50% this late in the race is bad news for Johnson, who has a high unfavorable rating among those polled.

 

Johnson recently shot himself in the foot with remarks he made suggesting that Social Security and Medicare should be discretionary spending, meaning that Congress could refuse to fund the programs anytime they choose to. A discretionary item in the federal budget is also subject to review annually, which would jeopardize the long-term stability of both programs that benefit senior citizens.

Additionally, Johnson promised voters he wouldn’t serve more than two terms in the Senate, but is now seeking a third term, which has reportedly rankled many in the Badger State.

A win for Mandela Barnes would be a huge gain for Democrats and another step toward getting a filibuster-proof majority that would allow the Senate to get more done, including passing voting rights and abortion rights legislation which is being held hostage by Republicans.

Democrats are also doing well in other states that currently have GOP senators, including Ohio and Pennsylvania, where Trump-endorsed candidates J.D. Vance and Mehmet Oz are struggling to gain traction with voters.

Categories
GOP U.S. Senate

Lindsey Graham Gets Verbally Slapped Down For His Hateful Attack On A Democratic Colleague

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham stepped way over the line during debate Sunday on amendments to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and he quickly got put in his place for his remarks.

HuffPost notes that Graham attacked Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH):

Graham directly addressed Hassan, calling her actions “deceitful” and “dishonest,” during a debate on repealing a tax on foreign oil.

“This gives phony and cynical a bad name,” Graham snapped in a video shared by Forbes. They wouldn’t let you do this in professional wrestling. If you think people are this dumb, you are gonna be sadly mistaken.”

That led Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who was presiding over the Senate at the time, to admonish Graham for attacking the motives of a fellow senator and directly addressing Hassan instead of through the chair, which is Senate procedure.

What got Graham so agitated? Of all things, a tax on foreign oil, which Graham wanted removed. Instead, it was defeated soundly, which led the South Carolinian to squawk:

“What she’s doing is trying to strike the provisions that she just voted against but it requires 60 votes So she can vote for repealing a gas tax she just voted against so she’ll look good for the voters. If you really wanted to repeal the gas tax, the new one indexed to inflation, you should have voted for my amendment.

“What you’re doing is deceitful, it’s dishonest, and we’re gonna call you out!”

Murphy told Graham:

“The senators are reminded to address each other through the chair and in the third person.”

After being called out, The Hill notes, Graham “settled down.”

Here’s the video courtesy of Forbes:

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GOP Whining U.S. Senate WTF?!

Grassley Pelted With Internet Karma For Whining About Having To Stay In DC Instead Of Attend Family Reunion

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) is all up in his feelings today because he’s having to stay in Washington, D.C. and do his job instead of attend a family reunion.

You can start playing your world’s smallest violin for Chuckles.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has scheduled a vote on the Inflation Reduction Act today, meaning that Grassley can’t return to Iowa for his reunion, as he told the entire world via Twitter:

“Each Dec Schumer puts out schedule for Senate I set Grassley family reunion based on schedule. For 2nd yr in row I won’t be at reunion I’m in DC to fight Dems irresponsible tax&spend bill. Need a Republican majority to hv schedule we can count on & A RESPONSIBLE FISCAL AGENDA.”

Boo freaking hoo! Go to your damn family reunion, Chuck. There’s no need to do the job you were elected to do. A reunion is much more important than doing the business of government, which is supposed to be what you were elected for.

Grassley was hit with a torrent of internet karma for his bellyaching.

https://twitter.com/BCDreyer/status/1555666896699236352?s=20&t=HIDJIqlhmNC462yScYq1tw

Categories
Justice Department U.S. Senate

WATCH A Republican Senator Make A Complete A*s Of Himself While Questioning AG Garland

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy is one of the most annoying and arrogant people in Congress, and he made a complete ass of himself on Tuesday during a hearing with Attorney General Merrick Garland, proving just how completely clueless many in the GOP are when it comes to the issue of law enforcement.

Kennedy began his remarks by attacking Garland:

“I think the Justice Department is losing. I think you’re losing on crime. I think you’re losing on drugs. I think you’re losing on immigration. I think you’re losing on Chirenese espionage.”

From there, Kennedy asked about dirty cops:

“Let me start with crime. What percentage of cops in America do you think are bad cops?”

Garland:

“A very small percentage.”

Rather than let the attorney general continue his remarks, Kennedy interrupted to ask:

“How small? Is it less than 10%?”

AG Garland responded:

“Yes, let me be clear. We believe that most police officers follow the Constitution. Most police departments do. All police officers, I believe, want to work in police departments that follow constitutional policing requirements.”

Next, Kennedy asked about stop and frisk, though he was hardly able to call it by its proper name:

“Why doesn’t the Justice Department support stop question, and frisk?”

Garland replied:

“I don’t know that the Justice Department has a position. This is a state and local role normally”

Rather than accept that response, Kennedy asked:

“Why doesn’t the Justice Department aggressively encourage law enforcement officials to use that technique? It’s been declared constitutional as you know?”

The AG again noted that stop and frisk is left to local law enforcement, which led to an extended rant from Sen. Cornpone:

“Here’s what I’m asking. Let’s take Chicago, where you have, we haven’t made any inroads and stopping the killing. Chicago is now the world’s largest outdoor shooting range. We know that a lot of the shootings come from gangs. Why wouldn’t you want to call the police chief, the mayor in Chicago, and say, ‘look, you know who these gang members are. When you have reasonable suspicion, and objective standard, more than just a hunch, why don’t you aggressively stop, question, and frisk these gang members?’ You get guns off the street. You’ll get drugs off the street and you get at a lot of gang members off the street. You’ll stop people killing each other. Why won’t you do that?”

Garland patiently tried to explain:

“The best way for the federal government to stop violent crime is to work at each local level and determine and let the state and locals determine what the best use of their –“

Kennedy rudely interrupted the attorney general yet again:

“I’m sorry to interrupt. I’m trying to get some answers. Why won’t you do that?”

Garland answered:

“Because there is no one solution fits all that the federal government can suggest to state and local law enforcement.”

Someone needs to explain some basic facts to Sen. Kennedy. Then again, as stupid as he seems to be, all the explanations in the world would probably leave him nonplussed.

Categories
History U.S. Senate WTF?!

Marsha Blackburn Tries To Give Liberals A Lesson On The Constitution And Winds Up Proving Her Own Ignorance

In an effort to explain why she is opposed to the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cited the U.S. Constitution as her rationale.

But instead of referencing the Constitution, Blackburn proved her own massive ignorance, quoting the Declaration of Independence.

Here’s the tweet Blackburn sent out on Wednesday afternoon:

Um…no.

As HuffPost notes, this isn’t the first time Blackburn has gotten American history horrible wrong:

Blackburn has something of a history of constitutional screwups. Last year, she vowed: “We will never rewrite the Constitution of the United States,” seemingly ignoring the 27 times it’s been amended. Blackburn even co-sponsored resolutions in support of three potential amendments.

It didn’t take long before social media lit up with laughter and mockery, all aimed at the ditzy Tennessee senator, who has a degree in home economics and clearly didn’t bother to study very hard in college.