AE and Politics Today

nivek

As Above So Below

Democrats dealt another blow: third lawmaker leaves party, switches to Republican within a month

Democrats were dealt another blow from within their own ranks this week as yet another state lawmaker declared he was leaving the party.

According to a Monday report by The Advocate, a Louisiana-based newspaper, state Rep. Jeremy LaCombe announced he had left the Democratic Party and would be registering as a Republican.

It was not immediately clear what prompted LaCombe's departure, however he is now the second Louisiana Democrat in less than a month to switch party affiliations, and the third nationwide after another state lawmaker in North Carolina did the same.

Last month, Louisiana state Rep. Francis Thompson gave Republicans in the state House a supermajority after he switched his party affiliation, and earlier this month, North Carolina state Rep. Tricia Cotham gave Republicans in the state House a supermajority with her switch as well.


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nivek

As Above So Below

American taxpayers could be funding the TALIBAN: Special inspector general for Afghanistan makes startling admission and points finger at Biden for 'unprecedented' chaotic withdrawal - days after White House blamed Trump

Special inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said the Taliban is likely stealing US aid intended for the Afghan people as he knocked the Defense and State departments, and USAID for an 'unprecedented' lack of cooperation.

'I cannot assure this committee and the American taxpayer we are not currently funding the Taliban, nor can I assure you Taliban are diverting the funding from the intended recipients,' Sopko told the House Oversight Committee.

Sopko noted that the U.S. has appropriated some $2 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and another $3.5 billion is slated to come in through an international fund.

'Due to this [DoD, State, USAID] refusal to cooperate a significant portion of SIGAR's work has been hindered and delayed.'

'I don't trust the Taliban as far as you can throw them,' Sopko went on. 'The information we're getting -- again, not from the State Department who isn't talking to us or USAID ... is that the Taliban are already diverting funds.'

SIGAR was originally tasked with overseeing US spending in Afghanistan when the US had a large presence in the country but is now focused on monitoring the more than $8 billion in US funding slated for Afghanistan aid since the 2021 withdrawal.

'I haven't seen a starving Taliban fighter on TV, they seem to be fat dumb and happy. I see starving Afghan children on TV.'

'If the purpose is to help the Afghan people we have to have effective oversight,' Sopko said, blaming an 'over-reliance' on international agencies he said have been 'horrible' about providing his agency with information.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat from Maryland, said it was 'scary' to think about U.S. dollars getting into the hands of the Taliban.

'These are billions and billions of dollars out of the US Treasury, that if they're not going to do what they should be going to spend at home. But they should be getting into Afghanistan to protect what we see going on with girls with women.'

Meanwhile Oversight Chair James Comer knocked Biden for the Taliban takeover.

'Today, the Taliban flag flies over Kabul,' the Kentucky Republican said. 'This is Joe Biden's legacy.'

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AD1184

Celestial

American taxpayers could be funding the TALIBAN: Special inspector general for Afghanistan makes startling admission and points finger at Biden for 'unprecedented' chaotic withdrawal - days after White House blamed Trump

Special inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko said the Taliban is likely stealing US aid intended for the Afghan people as he knocked the Defense and State departments, and USAID for an 'unprecedented' lack of cooperation.

'I cannot assure this committee and the American taxpayer we are not currently funding the Taliban, nor can I assure you Taliban are diverting the funding from the intended recipients,' Sopko told the House Oversight Committee.

Sopko noted that the U.S. has appropriated some $2 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and another $3.5 billion is slated to come in through an international fund.

'Due to this [DoD, State, USAID] refusal to cooperate a significant portion of SIGAR's work has been hindered and delayed.'

'I don't trust the Taliban as far as you can throw them,' Sopko went on. 'The information we're getting -- again, not from the State Department who isn't talking to us or USAID ... is that the Taliban are already diverting funds.'

SIGAR was originally tasked with overseeing US spending in Afghanistan when the US had a large presence in the country but is now focused on monitoring the more than $8 billion in US funding slated for Afghanistan aid since the 2021 withdrawal.

'I haven't seen a starving Taliban fighter on TV, they seem to be fat dumb and happy. I see starving Afghan children on TV.'

'If the purpose is to help the Afghan people we have to have effective oversight,' Sopko said, blaming an 'over-reliance' on international agencies he said have been 'horrible' about providing his agency with information.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat from Maryland, said it was 'scary' to think about U.S. dollars getting into the hands of the Taliban.

'These are billions and billions of dollars out of the US Treasury, that if they're not going to do what they should be going to spend at home. But they should be getting into Afghanistan to protect what we see going on with girls with women.'

Meanwhile Oversight Chair James Comer knocked Biden for the Taliban takeover.


'Today, the Taliban flag flies over Kabul,' the Kentucky Republican said. 'This is Joe Biden's legacy.'

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Well, you plied them with a large amount of military aid.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

Backlash intensifies following transgender state lawmaker's 'hate-filled' remarks

A Montana state representative condemned a transgender legislator's "hate-filled remarks" to Fox News Digital, accusing the representative of "seeking media attention."

The controversy stems from comments made by State Rep. Zooey Zephyr during a Tuesday debate about a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors.

Zephyr accused the bill's supporters of being complicit in the deaths of transgender youths.

"The only thing I will say, is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands," Zephyr said.

After her remarks, Republican Speaker Matt Regier refused to allow Zephyr to express her thoughts on a bill that would put binary definitions of sex in the state code. Zephyr was also barred from speaking at Thursday and Friday sessions.

"Not only has my colleague violated decorum, but has broken the trust given by the other 99 Representatives," Montana state representative Braxton Mitchell told Fox News Digital. "The hate-filled remarks were an act of self-service, not public service."

Regier reportedly demanded Zephyr to apologize before allowing her to speak in the sessions again. Zephyr stood by her remarks, accusing the bill of targeting her community.


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nivek

As Above So Below

Biden is slammed for holding the fewest number of press conferences since Ronald Reagan - and gave just 54 interviews in his first two years of office compared to Trump's 202 and Obama's 275

President Joe Biden has been slammed for holding the fewest number of press conferences since Ronald Reagan's reign in the eighties.

Biden averaged only ten news conferences per year during his first two years in office, while Ronald Reagan averaged seven, Donald Trump 19.5 and Barack Obama 23, research by The American Presidency Project revealed.

He has also conducted far fewer interviews, giving just 54 in his first two years compared to Trump's 202 and Obama's 275 respectively, according to figures by scholar of presidential communication, Martha Joynt Kumar.

The findings come after Biden's four-day trip to Ireland last week when the 80-year-old skipped the decades-old tradition of holding a news conference while abroad.

And following the president's meeting with the Colombian President on Thursday, Gustavo Petro found himself fielding questions from reporters at the West Wing alone as Biden was MIA.

As Biden prepares to announce his bid for a second term as early as Tuesday, it's led many to question why the current occupier of the Oval Office is so eager to keep the media at arm's length.


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nivek

As Above So Below

70% of Americans DON'T want Grandpa Joe to run in 2024. But this old cynic is banking on you hating Trump MORE than you're disgusted by him... and he doesn't care how much damage it'll do to America

On Tuesday, Biden is expected to announce that – despite suggesting in 2019 that he'd be a one-term president – he's throwing his aviators back into the ring for 2024.

And in one of the most comical buzzkills in political history, a new poll shows that a super majority of Americans think that's an absolutely terrible idea.

70% of Americans, including 51% of Democrats, don't want him to run, according to an NBC News survey.

Wait, it gets worse, hysterically worse.

53% of those who voted for Biden less than three years ago in 2020 say he shouldn't run. And 76% of voters under 35 believe it's time for Joe to retire.

Why? Well, it's no huge surprise.

'It's all about his age and his ability to do the job,' reported 'Meet The Press' host Chuck Todd, who was stunned by the poll results.

So, how does the Democratic Party justify propping up grandpa for another 4 years, if the very thought of another Biden-Harris ticket makes voters retch?

The answer is cynicism. Pure unadulterated cynicism.

Democrats know that Americans are just as disgusted with the thought of pulling the lever for Donald Trump. And in a contest between two terrible choices – they believe Joe has the edge.

Biden's only saving grace is that he is just marginally less unpopular than Trump.

48% of voters have a negative impression of the president. 53% say the same about the big bad orange man. And this same poll shows that 60% of Americans don't want Trump to run for president in 2024 either.

You'd think those numbers would force the parties back to the drawing board, but no. Apparently, that's what we get.

In fact, Trump may be pulling away from his closest potential GOP primary opponent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and DeSantis is looking seriously wobbly.

While on a foreign trip through Japan, DeSantis was confronted by a reporter over his disappointing performance in a potential match-up against The Donald.

'I'm not a candidate, so we'll see if and when that changes,' he snapped, shaking like a bobble-head on speed.

And any hope of an insurgent Democratic candidate is also looking like a pipe dream.


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Rick Hunter

Celestial
Between those two dummies I'm going third party without a doubt. Grampa Joe's one good characteristic is that he isn't Donald Trump, and vice versa.
 

pigfarmer

tall, thin, irritable
Between those two dummies I'm going third party without a doubt. Grampa Joe's one good characteristic is that he isn't Donald Trump, and vice versa.
I voted for Ross Perot. I think a third party will just ensure that one or the other of the big ones will benefit. I'd vote for a centrist of either stripe
 

Rick Hunter

Celestial
I agree, but in this case I don't think you have anything to lose going third party. It's no longer even a question of the lesser of two evils.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

President Biden admits to being 'confused' as he struggles through CHILDREN'S press conference and tries to remember last country he visited and the name of movie Top Gun (before little girl tells him to go back inside!)

No wonder they give him cheat sheets! Biden struggles through CHILDREN's press conference
President Joe Biden took a barrage of questions from children and stumbled through answers on his grandchildren, Top Gun and the last country he visited at the White House 'take your child to work day'. Surrounded by kids dressed as Secret Service agents, the 80-year-old had to rely on youngsters to finish his responses and admitted he was 'confused' before one eventually told him it might be time to return to the Oval Office. It was the first interaction since he was spotted using a cheat sheet during a press conference when responding to questions from a LA Times reporter. Biden struggled as he was fielded softball questions on topics ranging from his favorite color to his preferred ice cream flavor. He then had to second-guess himself when trying to reel off where all six of his grandchildren live. 'I left somebody out... I said five... six? I’ve got one in New York, two in Philadelphia, or is it three? Three? I don’t know... You confused me... They’re around...,' he said.

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nivek

As Above So Below

North Carolina Supreme Court hands Republicans big win, giving them potential 2024 edge

The North Carolina Supreme Court threw out a previous ruling against gerrymandered districting in the state on Friday and also upheld a photo ID voting law in what is being touted as a victory for Republicans.

The recent partisan gerrymandering ruling from the newly formed court, in which conservatives have a 5-2 advantage, is expected to simplify the process for the Republican-controlled legislature to assist the GOP in securing additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives during the upcoming 2024 elections.

When the court leaned Democrat in December, it threw out a state Senate map from the Republican-led state legislature and maintained congressional boundaries that had been drawn up by trial judges.

The Republicans on the court pushed back against the ruling, arguing that congressional districting should only be under the purview of elected lawmakers. Democrats won seven of the 14 congressional seats in the state during the previous year's election with the existing map.

In the majority opinion for the Friday ruling, Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote that the previous court was wrong to find that the state Constitution prohibited partisan gerrymandering. "In its decision today, the Court returns to its tradition of honoring the constitutional roles assigned to each branch," he wrote. "This case is not about partisan politics, but rather about realigning the proper roles of the judicial and legislative branches."


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nivek

As Above So Below

'This will certainly strike fear into our enemies': Fury over Navy's first 'digital ambassador' - non-binary drag queen Harpy Daniels who was appointed to attract new recruits amid crisis

The Navy's appointment of a non-binary drag queen as its first 'digital ambassador' has sparked fury, disbelief and mockery of the Department of Defense.

Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, whose stage name is Harpy Daniels, announced on TikTok in November that she would be the Navy's first 'digital ambassador,' highlighting her journey from performing on board beginning in 2018 and growing to become an 'advocate' for those who 'were oppressed for years in the service.'


Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, whose stage name is Harpy Daniels, announced on TikTok in November that she would be the Navy's first 'digital ambassador'


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Criticism: Many fumed over the Navy's decision to focus on diversity in its recruitment campaign


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