I remain somewhat trapped in this Dicken’s novel about prosecutions of the most guilty guy! My patience is run out over and over and over and over. But thank you for these bits of hope. If our democracy is to survive, he much be charged. Could Pence be the key. God, how I wish!!!
Peggy, this is not Bleak House nor Jarndyce & Jarndyce; Dickens never knew of anybody like JACK SMITH & the Brits abhor the "discovery" phase of criminal prosecution while purporting to love Sherlock Holmes & Watson.
It feels like too much caution is being used and a “run out the clock” scenario is not only imminent but seems strategic. But, I wish for every citizen accused of a crime to, henceforth, be afforded the same amount of care by prosecutors.
The problem with sunsetting and reauthorization is that it becomes a political tool every 5 years. The people that have paid decades into this program, might worry every five years that their benefits will get cut or delayed or taken away until a later day.
Authorizing a program like Medicare or SS as an ongoing thing (still subject to modifications for efficiency or cost, like prescription drug negotiation) is that those that are getting or will get benefits can rely on that being there, it will weather the storm of cyclical politics. Just like our constitution something to be relied upon vs leveraged
I doubt very much that a claim of « innocent mistake » would be credible. Seems to me it takes intent, and lots of it, to copy classified documents onto a thumb drive. On a related but also sideways matter, there’s a new book out (reviewed in The Guardian) that basically claims the US AG has messed up and missed his chance to get Trump by being TOO apolitical. Seems to me the author has a point, at some point the AG is going to have to fish or cut bait. Is it likely that the special prosecutor will finally screw the DOJ’s courage to the sticking point? Or will Trump ooze out of trouble yet again?
Let's not forget that those classified documents were all *hard copies* which means that someone had to take the trouble - the ILLEGAL trouble - to scan them in order to get tgem onto a laptop and memory stick. This in itself is huge!
My question is this...why do Republicans see Social Security as an "entitlement"? Most people on any kind of payroll system have paid into this program for all of their working lives. It's *required*. Please break this down...
The GOP is using the word pejoratively the way they used “woke.” It’s meant to imply that there is something wrong to be entitled to the things you paid for, just like there is something wrong with being awakened to historic and systemic injustices.
Just recently became a paid supporter of The Status Kuo as I really enjoy the behind-the-scenes details Jay provides. Suggestion: you don’t need to start every issue with a thank you for becoming a paid supporter. Just get to the story you’re working on. That’s what we most appreciate about you.
Speaking as one who doesn't have a latte a month in the budget to begin with, let alone to give up, I really do appreciate the paid subscribers--and wish I could join you! I read these posts and the comments with much appreciation.
A question about paying for social security: The SSA website says "Employers and employees each pay 6.2 percent of wages up to the taxable maximum of $160,200 (in 2023), while the self-employed pay 12.4 percent". If that's the case, why not just remove the cap and tax all wages at that rate? What am I missing?
Removing the cap would act as a new tax on high income individuals. I’m all for it, but the Republicans will fight tooth and nail to not see that happen. Instead of raising the age to qualify, why not lift the cap?
I have said this same thing for years and years. Remove the cap … problem solved. My ex-husband would always say if he had to pay more it would “just be going to those too lazy to work.” Hence the EX. A lot of rich people don’t want to pay their fair share.
It feels like for so long, for this excruciating, arduous, extended time, we have been creeping up this track, crammed into our little cars, shielded from panoramic views by the bars through which we are secured, but, slowly, we sense a leveling off as we reach this precipice....
So, HOLD ON, people....momentum is about to hurl some gravitational and accelerational forces in our direction.....!.....or so it feels....
Can’t someone with proper clearances look at all the classified documents and report which, if any, are anything more than outdated toilet paper? Things like POTUS schedules are classified for security purposes and stay that way, long after the schedules expire.
True, but, tfg is now represented with an attorney with a national security clerance. NOTE, the recently discovered "classified" folder is the 47th of such folders, the 47th EMPTY folder. The critical issue is not toilet paper as tfg flushes those along with classified documents, its the agents & operations apparently disclosed in many cases. Hint: tfg's current attorney does not hold press gaggles at "4 Seasons Total Landscaping" garage door. Subpoena ALL of tfg's Super PAC employee's laptops & thumb nail drives asap.
Looking for your take on EJ Dionne column in WaPo on bread and butter issues versus culture wars. Do we really want to downplay the culture war fights? Or appeal to the shining beacon of equality that America could be if we are all in on diversity and equity?
The way to think about the “culture wars” is not as fights over small matters but rather over whether we live in a liberal or an illiberal democracy. Liberal values protect freedom of expression, freedom of bodily autonomy, and minority rights to equal protection. Illiberal values attack those freedoms, eroding our democracy. There is no such thing in my mind as a “culture war.” It is actually a war over whether we are want to be a multiracial, diverse democracy guided by civil norms, institutions and facts, or whether we want to live in a society teetering on autocracy and, the loss of freedoms, where racial minorities are terrorized and excluded from civil and legal society.
I have a question - what has happened to Robert Mueller? He seems to be very quiet. He does not appear on any networks and seems to have no book deals - can you answer this? Thank you. I do enjoy your work - and I loved Allegiance! I have seen the production through Fathom Events, and a live performance in LA. Terrific work!
In each case, the "objects" are surveiled by ground radar & visually inspected & photgraphed close-up by scrambled jets. No -- you will not see those photos on the 6 o'clock "news" but, they might be shown to the "Gang of 8". Where risk is very low, the shot down "cylindrical objects" at 40,000 feet have to fallen to the earth: (1) on ice, US "territorial" ice, west of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and, (2) over very rough Yukon territory in the far NW of the Canadian Province of Yukon. Physical recovery does have risks (plural) but, can be managed by Canadian & US capabilities including biological risk. MONDAY UPDATE: Confirmed: The Gang of 8 received several briefings.
I am going to watch the not-well received 1979 Spielberg movie, "1941" wherein Spielberg attempted to capture the hysterical component of danger-in-the sky mania with comedic absurdity.
Listening to the morning talking heads the Republicans were amusing trying to walk back statements about the Social Security and Medicare programs. The question I haven’t seen addressed is over the documents. How is it that NARA knew which ones and how many were missing from DFG’s but not Biden or Pence who returned them w/o knowledge of their absence in NARA?
These programs are reviewed and assessed every year. With bankruptcy looming, Congress needs to know the status and will need to make adjustments soon, but no- one wants to " go blind" for years.
I remain somewhat trapped in this Dicken’s novel about prosecutions of the most guilty guy! My patience is run out over and over and over and over. But thank you for these bits of hope. If our democracy is to survive, he much be charged. Could Pence be the key. God, how I wish!!!
Peggy, this is not Bleak House nor Jarndyce & Jarndyce; Dickens never knew of anybody like JACK SMITH & the Brits abhor the "discovery" phase of criminal prosecution while purporting to love Sherlock Holmes & Watson.
It feels like too much caution is being used and a “run out the clock” scenario is not only imminent but seems strategic. But, I wish for every citizen accused of a crime to, henceforth, be afforded the same amount of care by prosecutors.
The problem with sunsetting and reauthorization is that it becomes a political tool every 5 years. The people that have paid decades into this program, might worry every five years that their benefits will get cut or delayed or taken away until a later day.
Authorizing a program like Medicare or SS as an ongoing thing (still subject to modifications for efficiency or cost, like prescription drug negotiation) is that those that are getting or will get benefits can rely on that being there, it will weather the storm of cyclical politics. Just like our constitution something to be relied upon vs leveraged
I doubt very much that a claim of « innocent mistake » would be credible. Seems to me it takes intent, and lots of it, to copy classified documents onto a thumb drive. On a related but also sideways matter, there’s a new book out (reviewed in The Guardian) that basically claims the US AG has messed up and missed his chance to get Trump by being TOO apolitical. Seems to me the author has a point, at some point the AG is going to have to fish or cut bait. Is it likely that the special prosecutor will finally screw the DOJ’s courage to the sticking point? Or will Trump ooze out of trouble yet again?
My thoughts exactly. You can't accidentally upload docs to a laptop and a thumb drive. Clearly they intend to use the info at a later date.
Let's not forget that those classified documents were all *hard copies* which means that someone had to take the trouble - the ILLEGAL trouble - to scan them in order to get tgem onto a laptop and memory stick. This in itself is huge!
Excellent point, Rich.
Thanks again Jay.
My question is this...why do Republicans see Social Security as an "entitlement"? Most people on any kind of payroll system have paid into this program for all of their working lives. It's *required*. Please break this down...
The GOP is using the word pejoratively the way they used “woke.” It’s meant to imply that there is something wrong to be entitled to the things you paid for, just like there is something wrong with being awakened to historic and systemic injustices.
I consider it an entitlement because I paid into it and, therefore, am entitled to receive my benefits.
Yes you are. But that's not how the GOP sees it.
True Amy, the not-so GOP sees it as a pile of cash to Grift; it is now the Grift Old Party.
Just recently became a paid supporter of The Status Kuo as I really enjoy the behind-the-scenes details Jay provides. Suggestion: you don’t need to start every issue with a thank you for becoming a paid supporter. Just get to the story you’re working on. That’s what we most appreciate about you.
Speaking as one who doesn't have a latte a month in the budget to begin with, let alone to give up, I really do appreciate the paid subscribers--and wish I could join you! I read these posts and the comments with much appreciation.
A question about paying for social security: The SSA website says "Employers and employees each pay 6.2 percent of wages up to the taxable maximum of $160,200 (in 2023), while the self-employed pay 12.4 percent". If that's the case, why not just remove the cap and tax all wages at that rate? What am I missing?
https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/HowAreSocialSecurity.htm#:~:text=Employers%20and%20employees%20each%20pay,income%20came%20from%20payroll%20taxes.
Removing the cap would act as a new tax on high income individuals. I’m all for it, but the Republicans will fight tooth and nail to not see that happen. Instead of raising the age to qualify, why not lift the cap?
I have said this same thing for years and years. Remove the cap … problem solved. My ex-husband would always say if he had to pay more it would “just be going to those too lazy to work.” Hence the EX. A lot of rich people don’t want to pay their fair share.
Yes, remove it!
Yes! Why not remove the cap!!! The argument is that the benefits are capped, so the charge “tax” is capped. So very wrong in my opinion
I hadn't realized until just now that Medicare is funded under the same program - capped at the same level.
It feels like for so long, for this excruciating, arduous, extended time, we have been creeping up this track, crammed into our little cars, shielded from panoramic views by the bars through which we are secured, but, slowly, we sense a leveling off as we reach this precipice....
So, HOLD ON, people....momentum is about to hurl some gravitational and accelerational forces in our direction.....!.....or so it feels....
Can’t someone with proper clearances look at all the classified documents and report which, if any, are anything more than outdated toilet paper? Things like POTUS schedules are classified for security purposes and stay that way, long after the schedules expire.
True, but, tfg is now represented with an attorney with a national security clerance. NOTE, the recently discovered "classified" folder is the 47th of such folders, the 47th EMPTY folder. The critical issue is not toilet paper as tfg flushes those along with classified documents, its the agents & operations apparently disclosed in many cases. Hint: tfg's current attorney does not hold press gaggles at "4 Seasons Total Landscaping" garage door. Subpoena ALL of tfg's Super PAC employee's laptops & thumb nail drives asap.
Looking for your take on EJ Dionne column in WaPo on bread and butter issues versus culture wars. Do we really want to downplay the culture war fights? Or appeal to the shining beacon of equality that America could be if we are all in on diversity and equity?
The way to think about the “culture wars” is not as fights over small matters but rather over whether we live in a liberal or an illiberal democracy. Liberal values protect freedom of expression, freedom of bodily autonomy, and minority rights to equal protection. Illiberal values attack those freedoms, eroding our democracy. There is no such thing in my mind as a “culture war.” It is actually a war over whether we are want to be a multiracial, diverse democracy guided by civil norms, institutions and facts, or whether we want to live in a society teetering on autocracy and, the loss of freedoms, where racial minorities are terrorized and excluded from civil and legal society.
I have a question - what has happened to Robert Mueller? He seems to be very quiet. He does not appear on any networks and seems to have no book deals - can you answer this? Thank you. I do enjoy your work - and I loved Allegiance! I have seen the production through Fathom Events, and a live performance in LA. Terrific work!
So these Unidentified Aerial Phenomena are just shot down without anyone knowing if there is a chemical or biological load inside them?
In each case, the "objects" are surveiled by ground radar & visually inspected & photgraphed close-up by scrambled jets. No -- you will not see those photos on the 6 o'clock "news" but, they might be shown to the "Gang of 8". Where risk is very low, the shot down "cylindrical objects" at 40,000 feet have to fallen to the earth: (1) on ice, US "territorial" ice, west of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and, (2) over very rough Yukon territory in the far NW of the Canadian Province of Yukon. Physical recovery does have risks (plural) but, can be managed by Canadian & US capabilities including biological risk. MONDAY UPDATE: Confirmed: The Gang of 8 received several briefings.
I am going to watch the not-well received 1979 Spielberg movie, "1941" wherein Spielberg attempted to capture the hysterical component of danger-in-the sky mania with comedic absurdity.
Comment & Spoiler Alert.
...or if they were sent here by something we have yet to understand?
Jay, can you please address the questions about SDNY and whether it’s really a hotbed of MAGA sycophants? Thanks.
We don’t really know yet the extent to which the SDNY was compromised. Was Mcgonigal working for the Russians in 2016, for example. More to come.
Thanks. Glad you’re on it.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on all!
Listening to the morning talking heads the Republicans were amusing trying to walk back statements about the Social Security and Medicare programs. The question I haven’t seen addressed is over the documents. How is it that NARA knew which ones and how many were missing from DFG’s but not Biden or Pence who returned them w/o knowledge of their absence in NARA?
These programs are reviewed and assessed every year. With bankruptcy looming, Congress needs to know the status and will need to make adjustments soon, but no- one wants to " go blind" for years.