Democrats who have been luke-warm about passing a $15 minimum wage got the cover they needed yesterday as the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, advised that the $15 minimum wage cannot be included in a reconciliation package.
Those Democrats who have been pushing for the $15 minimum wage have urged that Vice President Harris overrule the parliamentarian’s ruling, which is within her authority. On Twitter, Representative Ro Khanna wrote, “I’m sorry - an unelected parliamentarian does not get to deprive 32 million Americans the raise they deserve. This is an advisory, not a ruling. VP Harris needs to disregard and rule a $15 minimum wage is in order.”
It’s time to dump the filibuster and, as David Dayen argued this morning, it’s time to put the $15 minimum wage bill on the floor.
And while the Biden administration and conservative Democrats are willing to throw up their hands and say there is nothing they can do when it comes to the minimum wage, they’re willing to roll out the tanks in support of Neera Tandem’s appointment to the Office of Management and Budget.
Release the hawks. Biden orders air strikes in Syria against two Iranian-backed militias on the border with Iraq. The administration claims to have targeted and destroyed “multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups.” The strikes were said to be in response to recent attacks on American contractors and properties in Iraq by militants.
And the pandemic rages on. Even as cases began to drop, the U.S. passed the 500,000 COVID-19 deaths mark this week.
A new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warns that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) sea currents are slowing faster than expected and may lead “tipping point” in climate change if swift action is not taken. Scientists have warned that the slowing or stopping of the AMOC will lead to large-scale impacts affecting live on the panet.
New York City police deployed Boston Dynamics creepy and frankly dystopian robot dog to a live crime scene this week. The New York Post released footage of the robot dog to a home invasion crime scene in the Bronx. It wasn’t the first time, either. Back in October, the NYPD sent another robot dog into a building where a gunman had barricaded himself. According to the Post, the robot dog is in its test phase, equipped with lights and a camera. “This robot is able to use its artificial intelligence to navigate things, very complex environments,” according to NYPD’s Technical Assistant Response Unit’s Deepu John. Yeah, what could go wrong.
The Delaware River Basin Commission lifted their moratorium and has banned fracking in the Delaware River Watershed. This will protect the drinking water for tens of millions of residents living in New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania House and Senate Republicans threw a temper tantrum this week after the Dept of State released their ballot question on a constitutional amendment limiting the Governor’s powers on emergency declaration orders. Apparently, the question was too straight forward and not confusing enough for Republicans.
Kendra Brooks, from Philly’s city council, is joining with Astra Taylor from the Debt Collective in calling bullshit on Biden’s claim that he can’t cancel $50,000 in student loan debt.
Pennsylvania Republicans failed to cancel Pat Toomey after spending hours debating his vote to convict Donald Trump.
The Mars Perseverance rover sent back amazing footage of the February 18 landing in Jezero crater. Just amazing. A couple days later we got the first full-color, 360 degrees view of what Perseverance sees. Gotta admit, I was in awe.
Researchers are making a case that NASA should begin studying nuclear propulsion systems for future missions to Mars.
Columbian County woman becomes one of NASA’s newest flight directors. Chloe Mehring grew up in Mifflinberg and started working with NASA in 2008 in the Flight Operation’s Propulsion Systems group.
Put that sixpack back in the cooler. Molson Coors Beverage Company has locked out 300 workers at its Toronto brewery after workers overwhelmingly rejected the company’s “best and final offer” during contentious contract negotiations. Molson Coors had prepared for this move by posting ads for scab workers three weeks before their lockout.
Sean has whiskey recommendations.
Free Will Releases: Sputnik 36 and Soul Supper. https://freewillbrewing.store/
Friday Politics Roundup for April 5, 2024 | It's a rambley kind of day
Out d’Coup LIVE | A newsy Monday. How many ways can we mess up education? Democracy? Our culture? Enough already?
Friday Politics Roundup | Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster; attacks on higher ed; Lieberman dead; NBC News ooopsie; Bucks County Sues Big Oil; PA Primary; and, more
Friday Politics Roundup | "Nail-biting" budget battle; lots of climate crisis news; U.S. falls from happy country list; WaPo profiles Christian nationalist Palisades SB member; Beacon Fest!
Friday Politics Roundup | At least 112 starving Palestinians killed in Gaza; Starbucks Workers United's big win; York U strike; "Uncommitted" wins 17% in MI; Exxon CEO blames us for climate crisis
Out d’Coup LIVE | Steve Oross & Lorrie McKinley on their legal win in ADA discrimination case v. Kutztown University
Out d’Coup LIVE | A newsy Monday. The road forward for our schools, our Commonwealth, our nation?
Out d'Coup LIVE | Kathryn Joyce, Investigative Editor at In These Times, on how the far right took over a PA school board and how parents took it back
Out d’Coup LIVE | A Monday, post-Big Game, politics round-up and questions from you
Out d’Coup LIVE | James Meyers - Candidate for New York's 53rd State Senate District
Friday Politics Roundup | Future for Moms for Liberty; Fall of Clarice Shillinger; right-wing targets Souderton and Kutztown schools; PAWInS; and more!
Out d'Coup LIVE | It's a new year. Can you feel it? We're breaking the glass on 2024. Here. We. Go.
Friday Politics Roundup | Our last show for 2023 - Happy Holidays and good wishes for all!
Out d’Coup LIVE | Ashli Giles-Perkins & Adrienne King on Civil Rights complaint against Pennridge School District
Friday Politics Roundup for December 8, 2023
Friday Politics Roundup | Elon Musk’s antisemitism; Big Tech getting sued; Johnson reject separation between church & state; Pennridge civil rights complaint; big payout in Central Bucks; book recs
Out d’Coup LIVE | Jennifer Cohn on Moms for Liberty and the Dominionist assault on public education
Friday Politics Roundup | PA & Bucks County 2023 Election Roundup with Cyril Mychalejko, Editor-in-Chief, Bucks County Beacon
Out d’Coup LIVE | Election Day Eve 2023. Deep breaths. Here we go.
Friday Politics Roundup | Critical elections in Pennridge, Central Bucks, and Council Rock school district; PA Supreme Court and judicial elections; Bucks Co Commissioner election
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