13 votes

Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of August 28

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Tags: usa, politics, recurring.weekly

This thread is posted weekly - please try to post all relevant US political content in here, such as news, updates, opinion articles, etc. Extremely significant events may warrant a separate topic, but almost all should be posted in here.

This is an inherently political thread; please try to avoid antagonistic arguments and bickering matches. Comment threads that devolve into unproductive arguments may be removed so that the overall topic is able to continue.

19 comments

  1. [4]
    funchords
    Link
    https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981 Keywords: "Project 2025", "Heritage Foundation", "Administrative State", "Associated Press"

    https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-conservatives-trump-heritage-857eb794e505f1c6710eb03fd5b58981

    With more than a year to go before the 2024 election, a constellation of conservative organizations is preparing for a possible second White House term for Donald Trump, recruiting thousands of Americans to come to Washington on a mission to dismantle the federal government and replace it with a vision closer to his own.

    Keywords: "Project 2025", "Heritage Foundation", "Administrative State", "Associated Press"

    6 votes
    1. [2]
      HeroesJourneyMadness
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      I read another story about this this week. They have a 1000 page manifesto of crazy and a real plan of attack for all levels of government. It legit scared me a bit. We talk about this cult of...

      I read another story about this this week. They have a 1000 page manifesto of crazy and a real plan of attack for all levels of government.

      It legit scared me a bit. We talk about this cult of Trump, but this is think tanks aligning and marketing themselves for his followers in what just seems like (IMO) a sort of holy war on all things federal government.

      Edit: nope. This was the story I read. Sorry- too much cold brew today with my college football.

      6 votes
      1. HeroesJourneyMadness
        Link Parent
        Edit: reminds me… who was it that said the trump presidency was a dry-run at a coup? I’m afraid that’s where we are headed, and that’s also why we’ve had all the Reddit and Twitter drama. Edit:...

        Edit: reminds me… who was it that said the trump presidency was a dry-run at a coup? I’m afraid that’s where we are headed, and that’s also why we’ve had all the Reddit and Twitter drama.

        Edit: oops. This was a reply. Oh well. I’m leaving it.

        4 votes
    2. NoblePath
      Link Parent
      Behind all these groups is the Council for National Policy. Been at it since at least the 70s. But I’ve recently concluded that this impulse is as old as humanity.

      Behind all these groups is the Council for National Policy. Been at it since at least the 70s. But I’ve recently concluded that this impulse is as old as humanity.

      1 vote
  2. unkz
    Link
    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/28/us/tennessee-justin-jones-gop.html Pretty transparent that they were just seeking to silence him with a trumped up claim.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/28/us/tennessee-justin-jones-gop.html

    The uproar came when Speaker Cameron Sexton and chamber leaders decided that Mr. Jones, for the second time in the day, had breached the rules of the House by speaking out of turn. This time, Mr. Jones had suggested, during a debate about increasing the number of police officers in schools, that the state’s resources should be focused instead on mental health professionals and teacher pay — comments Mr. Sexton said were off-topic.

    Pretty transparent that they were just seeking to silence him with a trumped up claim.

    5 votes
  3. [2]
    arch_mage
    Link
    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-name-first-10-drugs-medicare-price-negotiation-2023-08-29/ I had just assumed that price negotiation for pharmaceuticals was a given,...

    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-name-first-10-drugs-medicare-price-negotiation-2023-08-29/

    The Biden administration on Tuesday released its list of 10 prescription medicines that will be subject to the first-ever price negotiations by the U.S. Medicare health program that covers 66 million people.

    I had just assumed that price negotiation for pharmaceuticals was a given, but apparently it was a recent addition:

    President Joe Biden’s signature Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law last year, allows Medicare to negotiate prices for some of its most costly drugs.

    The article has a graph with the full break down of costs per drug and its a lot of money.
    TLDR:

    "$50.5 Billion from June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023" ( 1 year period )
    That was about 20% of the total cost of drugs in the Medicare prescription drug program...

    Predicted Savings:

    This kicks off the negotiation process for the 10 drugs whose new prices will go into effect in 2026. The program aims to save $25 billion per year on drug prices by 2031.

    I see this as a absolute win for ALL Americans especially the elderly on Medicare. Remember that most Health Insurances follow Medicare pricing for drugs and treatments. So it is likely the cost for these drugs throughout the country will decrease.

    However these pharmaceutical companies are already challenging the decision: https://www.reuters.com/legal/court-challenges-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-plan-2023-08-29/

    5 votes
    1. funchords
      Link Parent
      It's pretty crazy that they didn't have negotiating power in the first place. This limited ability took a long time to get, and they're fighting it.

      It's pretty crazy that they didn't have negotiating power in the first place. This limited ability took a long time to get, and they're fighting it.

      2 votes
  4. [8]
    patience_limited
    Link
    https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/09/a-new-rudy-scandal-fbi-agent-says-giuliani-was-co-opted-by-russian-intelligence/ Waiting for this story to break into mainstream news. There's been a...

    https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/09/a-new-rudy-scandal-fbi-agent-says-giuliani-was-co-opted-by-russian-intelligence/

    Waiting for this story to break into mainstream news. There's been a great deal of very hot smoke around various covert Russian influences in the Trump camp - this may be a sighting of actual fire. Tracing how the FBI investigation was shut down ought to be revealing.

    5 votes
    1. [7]
      HeroesJourneyMadness
      Link Parent
      I still believe the pee tape is real. Hope that’s not violating community standards?

      I still believe the pee tape is real.

      Hope that’s not violating community standards?

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        boxer_dogs_dance
        Link Parent
        I don't share your opinion about the pee tape, however I loathe and despise Trump. I find watching his legal troubles cathartic and satisfying. Re community standards, I was allowed to post this...

        I don't share your opinion about the pee tape, however I loathe and despise Trump. I find watching his legal troubles cathartic and satisfying. Re community standards, I was allowed to post this thread successfully.

        https://tildes.net/~transport/19ei/san_franciscans_are_taking_the_opportunity_to_have_sex_in_robotaxis_and_its_not_part_of_the

        3 votes
        1. HeroesJourneyMadness
          Link Parent
          Lol. I read about that. Savages. Weird pervert savages. I got banned a few weeks back deservedly so for going a little too hard on here, so I’m trying to tread carefully and make adjustments while...

          Lol. I read about that. Savages. Weird pervert savages.

          I got banned a few weeks back deservedly so for going a little too hard on here, so I’m trying to tread carefully and make adjustments while still being my own kinda sorta asshole self. It’s a work in progress.

          2 votes
      2. [4]
        patience_limited
        Link Parent
        Let's put it this way - considering the subject, I don't think it would come as a surprise to anyone. And it's the least of the moral failings and illegal dealings, dating back decades, that could...

        Let's put it this way - considering the subject, I don't think it would come as a surprise to anyone. And it's the least of the moral failings and illegal dealings, dating back decades, that could have subjected Trump to blackmail. It's just that he's been awfully effective in ensnaring anyone who might turn on him in the same activities.

        2 votes
        1. [3]
          boxer_dogs_dance
          Link Parent
          It's not important at all, but what I read at the time suggested that he is a germaphobe and that that tape in particular was wishful thinking and poorly sourced information. But whether I am...

          It's not important at all, but what I read at the time suggested that he is a germaphobe and that that tape in particular was wishful thinking and poorly sourced information.
          But whether I am right or wrong about the tape, he is a loathsome criminal. He has demonstrated an utter lack of patriotic loyalty to this country and it's system of government and a complete lack of character and a complete lack of basic minimum mental competence. Sharpiegate is thoroughly documented and horrifying that we let that in the White House.

          3 votes
          1. [2]
            patience_limited
            Link Parent
            Trump isn't so much of a germophobe as to avoid credible accusations of sexual assault and rape. But he's so basic that I can't (don't want to!) imagine him having the rarified taste to enjoy scat.

            Trump isn't so much of a germophobe as to avoid credible accusations of sexual assault and rape. But he's so basic that I can't (don't want to!) imagine him having the rarified taste to enjoy scat.

            1. boxer_dogs_dance
              Link Parent
              Yes. Grab them by the pussy was also well known and well documented from the get go.

              Yes. Grab them by the pussy was also well known and well documented from the get go.

  6. boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna103068 Kentucky’s Democratic governor declines to commit to appointing a Republican if Mitch McConnell steps down

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna103068

    Kentucky’s Democratic governor declines to commit to appointing a Republican if Mitch McConnell steps down

    1 vote
  8. boxer_dogs_dance
    Link
    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/31/giuliani-loses-financial-support-of-billionaires-langone-cooperman.html Indicted Giuliani loses support of billionaires Langone, Cooperman: ‘I wouldn’t give him a...

    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/31/giuliani-loses-financial-support-of-billionaires-langone-cooperman.html
    Indicted Giuliani loses support of billionaires Langone, Cooperman: ‘I wouldn’t give him a nickel’

    Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will not be getting help with his legal bills from many of the big-money donors who financed his 2008 campaign for president

    Billionaire investor Leon Cooperman, who donated $2,300 to Giuliani’s 2008 campaign for president, according to Federal Election Commission records, told CNBC he has no plans to assist the former mayor.

    “I wouldn’t give him a nickel,” Cooperman said in a recent phone interview. “I’m very negative on Donald Trump. It’s an American tragedy. He was ‘America’s mayor.’ He did a great job. And like everybody else who gets involved with Trump, it turns to s---.”